She doesn’t look anything like the Yuuma-chan that I know! Also what does she mean by ritual!? It only sounds like something bad! I then shout towards Asia. “Asia! Wait! We're friends, aren’t we! ?”
“Yes. Thank you for being friends with someone like me.”
I promised to protect Asia. “I-I have to protect Asia!”
She turns around, but she is still smiling at me. I become fascinated with her smile for a moment. “Goodbye.”
She says her farewell. Raynare covers Asia with her black wings. “Low-class Devil, looks like you were saved because of this girl. If you get in my way again, I will definitely kill you. Goodbye, Ise-kun.”
The Fallen Angel who sneers at me flew up high while holding Asia. They disappear into the sky. The only thing left is me, black feathers, and Rache-kun that Asia has left behind. —I couldn’t do anything. “I will protect Asia”. What a laugh. I got on my knees and started punching the ground. I bite my teeth hard and I cry out with frustration. Damn it. Damn it. Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamit! “Asia……”
I cry out the name of my friend towards the sky. There’s no reply. “Asiaaaaaaaaaaa!”
For the first time in my life, I cursed myself for being weak. SLAP! A sound echoes in the club room. The sound came from my cheek. I was slapped. Buchou slapped me on my cheek. She has a serious expression. “How many times do I have to repeat myself? No is no. I can’t allow you to save that Sister.”
I visited the school after I couldn’t save Asia and reported the story to Buchou. Even after I reported what happened, I proposed to go to that Church. Obviously, to save Asia. But Buchou on the other hand said that she wouldn’t get involved in this matter. I wasn’t able to agree with her decision, so I tried to convince her even though I knew it was rude. That’s why she slapped me. The first slap I ever received in my life hurts more than I thought. Especially my heart hurts. I have been continuing to betray Buchou who holds high expectations for me. But still, there are things that I can’t give up on. “Then I will go by myself. I’m worried about the ritual thing. The Fallen Angels are doing something from behind the scenes. There’s no guarantee of Asia’s safety.”
“Are you really that stupid? You will definitely be killed if you go. You won’t be able to come back to life anymore. Do you understand?”
Buchou tries to talk calmly, but she is talking to me as if she is warning me. “Your actions will affect not only me but also the other members! You are a Devil of the Gremory group! You need to be aware of that!”
“Then let me out of this group. I’ll go there as an individual.”
“I can’t do that! Why don’t you understand?”
I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Buchou this enraged. I have been causing a lot of trouble for Buchou. But there are things that I can’t back down from. “I became friends with Asia Argento. Asia is my important friend. I won’t abandon my friend!”
“……That’s a wonderful thing. I think it’s amazing if you can say that face to face. But that is different than what we are talking about now. The relationship between a Devil and a Fallen Angel is not as simple as you think. The two sides have been glaring at each other for hundreds and thousands of years. If you show them a single gap of weakness, they will come and kill us. They are our enemy.”
“Wasn’t blowing away the enemy the Gremory’s way of doing things?”
“…………”
We glare at each other. I didn’t back off. I look straight into her eyes. “That girl was originally from God’s side. She is a person that we cannot ever coexist with. Even if she went with the Fallen Angels, it doesn’t change the fact that she is still the enemy of us Devils.”
“Asia isn’t our enemy!”
I denied it strongly. A kind girl like her can’t be our enemy! “Even if she isn’t, she has nothing to do with us. Ise, you have to forget about her.”
Even if she says it like that, there’s no way I can forget about her! Then Akeno-san comes and whispers into Buchou’s ear. What is it? Did something happen? Akeno-san also has a serious expression. But it looks like it isn’t because of Buchou and my discussion. Buchou, who is listening to Akeno-san, makes a serious face. Just as I thought, something definitely happened. Buchou looks at me, and then looks at the remaining members. “I’ve got an urgent thing to do now. Akeno and I will go out for a bit.”
—! N-No! “B-Buchou! I haven’t finished talking—”
Buchou put her index finger on my lips. “Ise, there are a couple of things I need to tell you. First one. You think that a [Pawn] is a weak piece, right? Am I right?”
I nod quietly to her question. “That’s a big misunderstanding. [Pawn] has a special ability that no other pieces have. That ability is the [Promotion].”
Promotion? What is that? “Just like the actual chess game, [Pawn] can change into other classes if they reach the opponent's base. They are able to promote to any other piece besides the [King] piece. Ise, when you step foot in the location I acknowledge as “Enemy's base”, you are able to change into any piece besides the [King].”
Oh man! So I can promote to Kiba’s [Knight] class, Koneko-chan’s [Rook] class, and also even Akeno-san’s [Queen] class!? “Since it hasn’t been that long since you became a Devil, there are restrictions, so it’s probably still impossible for you to be promoted to the ultimate piece, a [Queen]. But you could change to other classes. If you wish strongly for [Promotion] within your heart, then there will be a change in your ability.”
Amazing! Just listening to it gave me a lot of information! If I add the promotion with my Sacred Gear, then I might be able to beat that priest! “Also one more thing. It’s about the Sacred Gear. When you use your Sacred Gear, just remember this.”
Buchou starts to stroke my cheek with her hand. “—Desire. Sacred Gear is driven with the power of desire. And it also determines the power for it as well. Even though you are a Devil, your will to desire hasn’t been lost. The stronger you desire, the stronger your Sacred Gear will respond to you.”
—Desire. The power of desire will activate the Sacred Gear……
So if I strongly wish for it,thiswill activate. “There’s one last thing you should never forget, Ise. Even a [Pawn] can take down the [King]. This is basic in chess. This truth also applies for the Devils’ chess pieces. You can become stronger.”
After saying that, she teleports to some other place through the magic-circle along with Akeno-san. The only ones left are me, Kiba, and Koneko-chan. After I take a deep breath, I was already determined to go and was about to leave. “Hyoudou-kun.”
Kiba calls me. “Are you going?”
“Yeah, I am. I have to go. Asia is my friend after all. I’m the one who has to save her.”
“……You will get killed. Even if you have the Sacred Gear, and even if you use [Promotion], you can’t take down a group of Exorcists and Fallen Angels by yourself.”
Logical answer. I already know that. I’m very aware of that. “Even so, I’m going.