High School DxD: Fox of Ill Omen

Issei 

“Now for the rest of you”

That snapped my attention back up immediately.

Because that meant I would be getting my turn soon.

And because, honestly, hearing about Buchou, Yuki-san, and Akeno-san like that had already done a number on me.

Buchou’s training wasn’t flashy, but it made sense. A [King] needed brains and judgment, not just power.

Yuki-san’s training was focusing on her main issue, her curse magic was dangerous to both her opponents and herself.

So Azazel-sensei had gotten her a teacher that he said should be able to help her find a way to deal with her back lash or find a work around for it.

And Akeno-san…

Akeno-san needed to stop rejecting part of herself if she wanted to become stronger.

Azazel-sensei had put it too bluntly for her to avoid it any further.

Akeno-san was already powerful, but if she managed to utilize her Fallen Angel half she’d be terrifying.

“Next is Yuuto,” Azazel-sensei said.

Yuuto-san straightened smoothly beside me.

“Yes.”

She looked ready for whatever she would throw at her.

Azazel-sensei held out a paper for her too.

“First thing for you is to be able to maintain your Balance Breaker for a full day.”

That made me blink.

I felt like Azazel-sensei had mentioned that before. 

Yuut-san took the paper and looked it over calmly while Azazel-sensei continued.

“If you get used to it, you’ll be able to maintain it in a battle for that long with little trouble. That is your first step. You’ll also be doing basic training like Rias in order to increase your physical strength. And later I will teach you one-on-one how to fight against sword-type Sacred Gear users properly.

The last part sounded like exactly the kind of thing Azazel-sensei would be great at.

He was the Sacred Gear expert slash nerd of the Fallen Angels. 

Yuuto-san nodded. “For sword training…will I train under my teacher again?”

I blinked in surprise.

I had never heard of her having a sword teacher before, but it made sense that she did.

She had been teaching me how to fight with a sword occasionally since I had Ascalon, and it definitely wasn’t something you could learn on your own.

Azazel-sensei smirked. “Yeah. Prepare to be taught from the ground up again by your master.”

Now I was imagining some terrifying sword master out there somewhere who’d trained her into the calm, elegant, scary girl she was now.

And since she was the kind of person who’d actually accept training without complaint, that meant she was definitely going to become stronger.

Then Azazel-sensei looked at Xenovia.

“Next, Xenovia. To be able to utilize Durandal better than you do now…you will need to learn to use another holy sword.”

Xenovia frowned instantly.

“Another holy sword?”

“Yeah,” Azazel-sensei said and handed her another paper. “A slightly special one.”

Azazel-sensei grinned at her as she read the sheet.

When she looked up from it she gave him a firm nod.

Azazel-sensei turned to Gasper.

“Next is Gasper.”

“Y-Yes! A-Azazel-se-sensei!”

Gasper nearly jumped out of his skin at being under Azazel-sensei’s attention.

Poor guy.

He was still nervous just being here.

Between the Underworld trip, the gathering, the big noble house, and this training meeting, he was probably about three bad surprises away from trying to live in a cardboard box forever again.

Azazel-sensei, for once, didn’t tease him much.

“You don’t need to be so frightened. That fear is your biggest obstacle and what we will be focusing on. You need to train your mind and body to overcome your fears. Your bloodline and Sacred Gear already are powerful enough, you just need to be calm enough to use them. If your demonic power and [Bishop] type techniques improve too, that’ll support you and your peerage a lot.”

Then he grinned in a way that I didn’t trust

“To fix your fears I’ve prepared an exclusive ‘hikikomori escape plan’ program for your training. You will be pushed to change your ways of hiding to avoid people. Even if it will be impossible for you to go outside at first, I will work to improve your spirit.”

I had to stop myself from laughing at the phrase hikikomori escape plan.

Mostly because it was ridiculous but just what Gasper needed.

Gasper nodded rapidly, eyes huge.

“Y-Yes! I’ll try to obtain a spirit that goes for broke!”

It was surprisingly brave for him considering that Azazel-sensei definitely wouldn’t make it easy for him. 

And sure enough, even as he nodded, he was already shrinking a little and looking like he wanted to hide somewhere.

If his cardboard box was here, he would already be inside it. 

This training was definitely necessary.

Azazel-sensei shifted his gaze.

“Next is the group’s other [Bishop], Asia.”

Asia stood up straight at once.

“Y-Yes!”

She looked especially determined to improve. 

She really was trying her hardest.

Even when nervous.

She had told me that she felt like she wasn’t very useful to the group.

That still annoyed me every time I remembered it, because Asia was amazing. .

If not for her healing, there would’ve been way too many dangerous moments already.

Azazel-sensei spoke more seriously.

“You’ll also improve your body and demonic power with basic training. But the main focus of your training is strengthening your Sacred Gear.”

“Why does Asia need to improve her Sacred Gear?” I asked, rubbing my head in confusion. “She can already heal just about every injury with a touch and only can’t help with stamina or illnesses.”

Her [Twilight Healing] was already perfect.

It was fast, powerful, all-purpose.

I could even heal fatal injuries if she got there in time.

Azazel-sensei nodded.

“The speed of her recovery ability is great. But the problem is the fact that she needs to touch someone for it to work. With her being pretty much a non-combatant, if she has to move to someone during a fight it will be a serious problem.”

I got it immediately.

Buchou did too.

“Could Asia’s Sacred Gear expand its range?”

Azazel pointed at her.

“That’s right, Rias. If we want to show the true worth of [Twilight Healing], then its effective range will need to be expanded. So that will be the main focus of Asia’s training. 

“I-If I’m able to heal people from a distance, I will be able to help everyone so much more!” Asia said while looking at her hands.

Azazel-sensei nodded.

“According to my theory, you should be able to emit your Sacred Gear’s aura from your whole body. This will allow you to heal any of your allies in your surroundings. That’s what the data the Grigori has gathered suggests.”

That would be insane!

If that really worked, Asia’s role in battle would become even more vital.

She wouldn’t need to rush to a person to heal them.

And even more she would be able to heal multiple people at once. 

It would make her a vital piece on the battlefield, but also an even bigger target than she already was.

Then Azazel-sensei held up a hand.

“But there’s a problem with this method. It’d probably heal enemies and allies without distinction. If you would be able to channel your healing only into allies it would be perfect, but I don’t think that it’s possible for you, Asia.”

I frowned.

“Why not Sensei?” I asked.

Azazel-sensei answered with a serious look.

“You see, Asia is a kind person at her core. If she sees someone injured, whether they are a friend or a foe, she will want to heal them. Because of that, her Sacred Gear’s ability won’t be able to heal only allies. I think that with her nature she won’t be able to make that distinction. So the expanded healing field is a double-edged sword.”

Asia looked crushed by that.

“But if I can’t learn to use my Sacred Gear that way, how am I supposed to heal someone without touching them?”

Then she said in a smaller voice.

“Everyone else can do so much. I feel like I’m worthless just watching them all fight.”

“Asia…”

Xenovia murmured, looking at Asia with concern.

“Asia, you are just as important as everyone else in the peerage, even more so in a fight.” Yuki-san said. “If you weren’t there to heal us, I don’t know how badly my hands would have been damaged by now.”

That made me grimace at the memory of how badly Yuki had damaged her arm the last time we were in a fight.

“Yuki-san’s right Asia!” I said. “You’re the reason we are still standing after our fights and training. You’ll figure something else.

Asia looked at us with watery eyes.

“You guys…. thank you….”

“I’m glad that you’re all motivating her, but I wasn’t done.” Azazel-sensei said.

Asia turned her attention back to him.

“I realized the field method wasn’t feasible, so I thought of another possibility. You won’t have to worry about helping your opponent if you’re able to concentrate your healing aura and fire it like an arrow.”

Asia blinked.

“F-Fire it? I could do that?”

Azazel-sensei gestured with one hand like he was tossing something.

“Yes, you would gather the healing power itself and throw it. Think of it as extending your healing aura beyond your hands and then launching it like a projectile. If someone you wanted to heal is a distance away, and you could see them, then you fire some healing at them. Make sense?”

“…I think so.” Asia said hesitantly. 

She scrunched up her face and made a tiny throwing motion.

It was so cute I almost got healed just watching it.

“Projectile healing…” I repeated.

Azazel-sensei nodded.

“The effect would be weaker than direct touch. But the benefit of healing allies from a distance heavily outweighs the reduction in strength being able to heal someone from a distance is a strategic ability with tons of uses.” He put a hand to his chin before continuing. “I believe the ideal formation would be built around Asia or have a dedicated guard to ensure that she is protected. During a Rating game, the longer a healer is in the match, the higher their team's chances of winning become.”

Buchou nodded at once.

“It’s a simple, but reliable method. If we keep Asia between us where we can protect her and she can heal us, we cover her vulnerability in a fight while allowing her to heal us more easily. Normally teams will use Phoenix tears or other healing medicine in fights to keep their members going. But in our case Asia’s Sacred Gear surpasses those in reliability and all-purpose usefulness. She is a rare and unique piece.”

Azazel-sensei agreed.

“That’s right. Asia’s Sacred Gear is one this team's most useful assets. It can make or break an entire match for you. Once Asia learns to project her healing, the only other thing to focus on is her own strength. So you will need to finish your training properly, Asia.”

 Asia nodded quickly.

“Y-Yes! I’ll do my best!”

I couldn’t stop smiling at that.

Azazel looked to the next one.

“Since I’m saving Ise for last, that leaves me with Koneko.”

“Why am I being left for last?” I asked.

“You’ll find out in a minute.” Azazel-sensei said with a grin.

“Now, Koneko, time to go over your training.”

Koneko-chan answered with a determined look in her eyes.

“…Yes!”

She was surprisingly pumped up for her training.

She had been out of it and acting off for the last few days, but now she seemed filled with a fighting spirit. 

Maybe she had gotten over whatever had been eating at her.

Azazel-sensei looked at her directly.

“I have nothing to say about your abilities as a [Rook]. There isn’t really anything to focus on there, and the basics of your offense and defense are fine as well. There is nothing that you currently need to work on regarding your physicality.”

That sounded like praise.

But then he continued.

“However, in Rias’s group, there are already people with better offensive capacity than a [Rook] like you.”

Koneko-chan’s face tightened.

“…I know that.”

So that was it.

That was the thing bothering her.

Azazel-sensei spoke bluntly as always.

“If I had to rank the offensive capability of the members of Rias’s peerage right now, I would place Xenovia, Yuuto, and Yuki at the top. Xenovia and Yuuto both use brutal weapons. Durandal is a sword of massive destruction, and Yuuto’s Balance Breaker combines two deadly elements. Omen-chan’s spells can have a devastating effect, and she is willing to give an arm to ensure they do. And that’s before even taking into Ise’s Balance Breaker that we will be trying to achieve…”

That was a rough way to explain it to her, but Azazel-sensei was trying to help her correct where she was lacking.

Azazel-sense looked at Koneko-chan with a steady gaze.

“Koneko, you’ll perform basic training by improving yourself like the others. But you’re in the same boat as Akeno is,” he said, gesturing to Akeno-san. “You need to really the part of yourself that you’ve locked away. If you aren’t able to do that, then you won’t be able to achieve any large results during this training.”

He handed her a sheet just like the others, but she took it and only glanced at it.

Koneko-chan said nothing.

The fighting spirit she’d shown just a second ago disappeared so suddenly it was almost scary.

I might have been wrong.

I don’t think it’s that she felt insecure about her strength, or at least it isn’t only that.

She was like Akeno-san and had some part of herself or some power that she didn’t want to accept or use.

It made me wonder what it was, and why she would have sealed it away. 

I looked around the rest of the group to see everyone else’s reaction to Azazel-sensei’s words.

Buchou was frowning as she watched Koneko-chan.

Asia and Xenovia looked like they didn’t know what he had been talking about.

Akeno-san was still looking towards and lost in her own thoughts. 

Azazel-sensei’s words had really hit her hard.

Yuuto-san looked at Knoenko with understanding and concern.

Gasper looked like he wanted to comfort her despite his nervousness.

And Yuki-san didn’t look shocked or surprised.

She was watching Koneko-chan with concern but it seemed like she had already known or had guessed at whatever was bothering Koenko-chan.

Maybe hearing it from Azazel-sensei confirmed what she thought.

Trying to help, I said the first encouraging thing that came to mind.

“Don’t worry,  Koneko-chan, you’re already plenty strong. I’m sure that you’ll be able to overcome your struggles in no time.”

I reached out to pat her head to try and comfort her.

She slapped my hand away.

“…You don't know what you’re talking about Issei-senpai…”

Her tone was harsh. 

It was the first time I’d seen Koneko-chan look that stern at me.

I had stepped right on some kind of land mine.

The mood in the garden sank with awful speed.

Azazel-sensei looked at his watch.

“Now then, like I said, the last is you, Ise. For you—”

I shifted my attention to him immediately.

I noticed he didn’t have a paper for me like he did the others.

That didn’t mean anything bad, right?

Azazel-sensei looked up at the sky.

“Please wait a moment. It should be here soon.”

I blinked.

“Huh?”

I looked up too.

Everyone did.

What was coming?

For a second, there was nothing.

Then a gigantic shadow appeared in the sky.

It was huge.

Coming straight at us.

“Ah!” I shouted in surprise. “Is that a monster? Are we under attack or something?”

It hit the ground in front of us like a meteor.

There a loud crash filled the air as it impacted the ground. 

The earth shook so hard that I had to struggle to stay standing.

Dust exploded up into the air, and for a moment all I could see was a huge, terrible shape through the cloud.

Then the dust settled.

And I saw it.

A huge Dragon

At least fifteen meters tall.

A massive mouth split wide with fangs that looked like they could tear buildings apart.

Thick arms, thick legs, enormous wings, and the kind of overwhelming presence that made every instinct in my body scream that this was a creature from the top of the food chain.

I’d seen a few Dragons before.

I had one inside me.

That did not make this any less terrifying.

“You were waiting for a Dragon! What does this have to do with my training?”

Azazel-sensei nodded.

“That’s right, Ise. A dragon, and I’m about to tell you.”

The huge dragon raised the edge of its mouth and spoke.

“Azazel. You have some nerve openly entering Devil territory.”

Azazel-sensei snorted.

“Hah, I’ve properly gotten personal permission from the Maou and entered normally, you know? Got a complaint, Tannin?”

The dragon was named Tannin, apparently.

And judging by the way Azazel-sensei said it, they knew each other.

I stared dumbfounded as Azazel-sensei talked casually to the massive Dragon.

The dragon’s voice rumbled low.

“Hmph. It’s fine. I only came here because of Sirzechs’s request. Remember your surroundings, Fallen Angel Governor.”

Then Azazel-sensei grinned.

“Anyway, Ise—”

He pointed at the enormous dragon.

“That guy is your teacher.”

I stared.

No way.

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