Chapter 13

The battle progress to its climax.

I understand it. I, Rias Gremory, have no more moves. In other words, checkmate.

Now, there is not a single person on my-side who any strength left.

But that boy continues to stand up.

——Ise.

He is the only one who continues to move forward towards Raiser even under this situation.

However, it's over. The punch from Raiser earlier has finished Ise.

Seeing that boy fall backwards, my body rushes towards him unconsciously.

Ise's body that I am holding onto is bloody and is covered with sweats, so he's in a terrible condition. Even so, I still loved this boy.

“......Ise, you did very well. It’s all right now. Good job.”

I whispered to him gently, but he tries to get up by getting away from me.

“It’s all right now! Ise!”

He pushes my hands away, and tries to get up.

He takes a step, and another step without saying anything.

It's a bizarre view which has so much intensity in it.

Everyone is watching him while holding their breath.

The opponent, Raiser, also approaches him expressionlessly.

No!

If I let this continue, I will lose Ise!

My adorable servant. My Ise. I'm still planning to adore him even more, so I don’t want to lose him in a place like this!

I went between Ise and Raiser, and stand front of Ise.

“Ise! Stop! Can’t you listen to my——”

I said it till there, and swallowed my words.

Of course.

This...... He is...... Ise......you are......

Ise has already lost consciousness.

Both his eyes are hollow and he has his mouth still open. Even so, he continues to move forward while crunching his fists that are shaking......

“.......You are still planning to fight even though you are in this state......”

I have tears on my cheeks without realising it. I reach my hand towards this adorable boy’s cheek.

His cheeks are swollen, and I can't sense anything from his cheeks that usually gives strength to me.

“......You dummy.”

I hug Ise who tries to move forward.

“Good job, Ise.”

When I said those words, strength disappears from his body, and he fall to the ground.

I hugged his body and lay him on my lap. You did say that you wanted a lap pillow......

——Buchou! I will definitely make you win!

Ise hasn't barely learned how to use his demonic-powers, yet he continues to move forward with all his might within the battlefield. He barely has any battle experience.

He should have been scared. There should have been times where he almost lost his life......

——I won’t give up. I’m dumb, so I don’t know anything about “foreseen” or “checkmate”. However, I can still fight. I will continue to fight till the end as long as I can crunch my fists!

He continued to fight for me even though his fists got this swollen......

He always did. He was always smiling. He was always doing his best and he continues to fight for me.

I was almost about to lose Ise forever.

“Thank you, Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko, Asia and......Ise. Thank you for fighting for someone worthless like myself.”

After I pat Ise’s head gently, I say it to Raiser.

“It’s my loss. I resign.”

My first Rating Game.

It starts from a bitter and a painful defeat.

I will never forget this defeat.

...•••••...

Red——. I'm having a red dream.

Something makes a sudden complaint to me within myself.

It's saying that the power I am using now isn’t its real strength.

Who said that? The Sacred Gear? Something which is inside me?

He moves its lips while shaking its scorching fire.

[If you are like that, you will never get strong.]

I hear something like that in my mind.

It's not something I thought inside my head. It came from deep within my heart...... No, it came from my left arm......

[You are an abnormal being who possesses a Dragon within you. Don’t show such a miserable state. The “White guy” will laugh at you.]

Are you that Dragon that appeared in that dream? Was that new power up because of you?

[Yeah, that's what you desired, what I desired, and what the “White guy” desired. That’s why you went into a new phase.]

Desire? What are you saying......?

I mean who the heck is the “White guy”!?

[He will appear before you sooner or later. Yeah, he and I are destined to fight. Oh yeah, by the way, it's about my power. I will teach you how to use its real power.]

What are you saying?

......What on earth are you......?

[Welsh-Dragon, Ddraig. Hyoudou Issei, I’m the one inside of your left arm.]

Welsh-Dragon......Ddraig......

[Losing may be all right. If you don’t die, losing can become your strength. However, it only means something if you win the next fight. Lose then win. Then continue to win. If you do that, you will meet him.]

So what’s going to happen between me and “him”......?

[You will know soon enough. Get stronger for that coming day. I will give you my power any time you want. However, keep it in your mind that it will come with a sacrifice of something great. I will give you something that is worth the sacrifice. You can show it to those who laughed at you. The existence of a “Dragon” that is.]

...*****...

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