Scarlet 34

Scarlet 34

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

…

Sitri glared at me as she sat by my side, while we waited for Quarta and Irina to arrive.

“You look far too pleased for a man who nearly died.” Sitri poked my cheek and sighed, while I paid her no heed. My mood was that good. “Are boobs really that great? You almost died, but seeing them after you wake up make you absolutely the happiest in the world?”

After years of repressing my new body’s urges and desires, I could reject Sitri’s words and act like I wasn’t a massive pervert because of my new biological tendencies.

However, I didn’t need to lie to Sitri.

“Yes. They are great. And, before you ask, yes, I would’ve been happy with your boobs too.” I made the declaration, even though the words made me want to shrink inward and let myself be strangled by my former, female self. However, after spending time with Devils, whose beliefs were different from humans, I knew that this was the right path. What mattered was that you had the power to seize your desires, and I had power. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just like waking up to a very nice morning and having your mood lifted. Nothing more.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Sitri sighed and crossed her arms. She frowned at how little the move propped up her boobs, but when she looked my way, she realized that I was looking anyway. A blush soon formed on her face and she pushed up her glasses as to hide a small smile. “Well, nevermind then. It seems that you weren’t lying.”

Why would I lie about boobs being great whether they’re big or small?

Because you’re sharing your mental space with someone who doesn’t want to hear about it all the damn time, Taylor?

Oh, hi, Ddraig.

Sometimes, I love the fact that I’ve gained a host like you. Some of the time, I think you’re the absolute worst host I’ve ever had. In times like this, though, I wish you and I watched less movies.

I was tempted to make a speech about boobs, but I put a stamp on my rampant, physical desires in favor of speaking more seriously to Sitri before the Church’s representatives arrived.

“So, has there been any movement from the Grigori?”

“Unfortunately, they haven’t, they retreated. Fortunately, they haven’t retreated.” Sitri sighed and smiled a little when I nodded in understanding. “Ah, I see that despite your mad decision to attack on your own, you still recall our overall conditions for victory.”

“I attacked on my own because it would’ve achieved them while risking as few people as possible. Retrieving the swords and killing the enemy while risking only my life was the most efficient course of action.”

“Efficient, of course. The most strategically sound? No.” Sitri shook her head and leaned back. Her straight bangs cast a shadow over her amethyst eyes, while she brushed her hair back over a pointed ear. “I understand that you’re worried about me and the others, Ise-kun, but we are worried about you as well. You must understand that if we all worked together last night and attacked the enemy while separate from his guards, and after your trap, we would’ve defeated him.”

For the first time in a while, I felt sheepish.

“Yeah.” If everyone had been present to take advantage of the opening that I created, then this fight would be over. We wouldn’t have to worry about the enemy still being around. The Holy Swords would be in our possession. Things could get wrapped up in a nice, little bow without any issue. “I’ll keep that in mind, until I’m really strong enough to handle things on my own.”

A normal person would’ve scoffed at those words.

Sitri was a Devil, so she just nodded and accepted it.

Devils are a strange bunch, but they respect strength.

I’m sure that a lot of people would disagree with how Devil society worked. Strength is everything and there’s more to society than that. However, in my previous world and the current one, I knew that strength was important as well. Without strength, without the ability to change the world, then everything else didn’t matter. If you can’t protect what you hold dear, then you certainly can’t practice any virtues or fight against any vices.

Strength matters because it allows you to fight against those who would infringe upon everything else you held dear without it.

That’s just the truth.

A hoard only remains yours if you have the power to keep it.

Ddraig agreed and with that there was a knock on the door and soon enough Quarta and Irina both entered to discuss what happened last night with us.

After everything was settled, then we were all going to go do something about the Grigori issue.

…

“I need a weapon suited for fighting the Grigori.”

“That is quite more difficult than finding weapons that can fight against Devils.” I walked beside Sitri through Kuoh Academy’s halls. Since it hosted both Sona and Rias, it was well-protected location. “Especially since you lack training in most melee weapons.”

“Or, you could let me use a gun.”

“Denied.”

“We are facing off against a Fallen Angel capable of surviving a massive amount of explosives and blowing up entire buildings, but I’m not allowed a gun?”

Sona frowned at my question.

“You acquired several fire arms when you fought against criminals a few weeks ago. Your intentions were to use explosives to collapse an entire hotel upon our foe. I have not seized any of this from you.” Sona pointed out the facts. Most of it was regarding things that everyone pretended that I didn’t have. “If you are asking me for permission, I can only assume that you want some form of firearm that is very, very illegal.”

I nodded at her statement.

“A high caliber rifle will be my best bet. Maybe an anti-material rifle, too. Ddraig says that one made with strong enough materials and with the right bullets could be affected by my power.” He told me that one of his former users utilized a very strong bow and enhanced it to blow apart a castle gate. That was with a bow and arrow. If I could have a modern firearm meant to punch through tanks, then I could be vastly more effective. “You and I both know that I’m not learning magic quick enough and that going into melee would be suicide.”

Sona was quiet for a long time, before grudgingly sighing and looking my way.

“My family has contacts across the world and a few blacksmiths that can theoretically create such a weapon by studying human technology. However, it is irrelevant because they cannot finish such a complex weapon before we need it.” Sona nodded after giving her statement, but it wasn’t out of relief. She was relaying information. “However, they can create a simple weapon such as a hammer similar to your sledgehammer. With the proper effects and magics, and your own abilities, it should be more than enough.”

Sona offered me another choice, but I latched onto her admission that they had some experienced people who could replicate weapons.

“Then, we downgrade the design and go for a bigger payload with one shot. A recoilless rifle is just a tube with an explosive-launched payload.” Sona glowered at me, but I persisted. “If you have people that can make a specialized gun in a few weeks, then you can have them make a tube and a few rockets that are strength enough to be enhanced.”

Sona was quiet at that, which meant she didn’t want to lie, so Ddraig begun to celebrate.

Yes. We’re getting a bazooka! If you manage to control your speed well enough, we can play as the Red Comet!

I had to admit that the idea was a good one, but it was only going to be possible with Sona’s help.

She was the one with access to people and materials necessary to make a weapon that I could enhance significantly.

If I Boosted a regular handgun, I’d get a few shots out of it at best before it blew up in my hand. Those few shots were plenty strong, and they were fast, but the greater the mass the more my power affected it. If I could carry around an artillery piece and power up its shells, and have them land on target, then I would happily do so. As it stood, with the weapons I took from criminals, I’d have to carry around a lot of guns and hope that I hit something before they exploded in my hand.

I just hoped that she wouldn’t come to a certain-conclusion—

“If that is the case, then I’ll have them make you a simple cannon. I most certainly won’t have you running around with a weapon with such potential that you can blow up a city block. Myself, Rias, and Akeno have trained for most of our lives to use our magic. I cannot in good conscience allow you such power without verifying your skill in the matter.”

Sona’s thoughts on the matter were pretty sound, but I couldn’t help but be displeased and argue against it.

“We are being confronted by an organization that has Fallen Angels as cannon fodder. Their leader is someone who can withstand an attack that would’ve killed you and Rias with ease. I barely survived him because of luck.” I pointed out all the facts that I hoped would breach her redoubt of morality. Ddraig was listening in the back of my head and I could feel his approval at my choice for words. “Your concerns are valid, but can we really afford the luxury of having those concerns now, Sona? We’re not exactly in a position of strength here.”

Mercy is given and taken by the strong. The weak and defeated can ask and beg for it, but it is always the right of the victor.

I persisted in my argument while a frown crossed Sona’s face.

“Look, you have control over the design of the weapon and you know that I don’t mishandle things. Make a lesson plan, have me train with practice weapons, and make sure that I can use it. You’ve taught me before. Do it again.” I was willing to compromise, despite the fact that I felt like time wasn’t on our side. When were we going to be attacked? Next week? In a few days? I’m sure that Sona knew that the timetable was limited. “Just make me something that I can use to save all our lives.”

Sona was silent for a few seconds, our footsteps through the Academy the only sound in both our ears, until she finally stopped walking.

“I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but fine. I’ll train you to the most exacting standards I possibly could, so that I can feel content arming you with a modern weapon enhanced to be able to utilize your Sacred Gear’s power.” Sona heaved a heavy sigh and refused to look my way, as I beamed at her. Huh, I didn’t notice that I smiled when I got what I wanted now. “Stop looking at me like that when I’m trying to be mad at you!”

Sona shook her head and started walking, but soon was biting her thumb and obviously thinking up a lesson plan.

I followed and tried to think of a way to return the favor in a way that wasn’t lewd and that she would appreciate.

Oh no. I thought you were done being a pervert, Taylor!

I’ll be catching up on manga later, before I go to sleep, so just bear with it.

Fine.

…

Koneko approached me, gave me a pat on the chest, and then gave a single nod.

“Alive.”

Then, she walked away.

Cute.

At this rate, anything warm, with a pulse, and without a dick is cute to you.

I didn’t contest Ddraig’s statement, while taking a seat at Rias’ clubroom with the rest of her Peerage.

“Ise-kun, it’s nice to see you again. I hope that you’re well rested, because we now have a timetable.” I accepted a cup of tea from Akeno, and listened while Rias explained. “There are reports of many Fallen moving towards our direction from all over the world. It’s likely that the powerful general that we’ve found on our territory intends to take us on with as much force as he could muster.”

I nodded.

“He’s getting all his troops, so that he could withstand the reprisals.”

“Exactly.” Rias nodded at my analysis. “This Grigori general will be instigating conflict against both Heaven and Hell. In order to survive, even with all his power, he must have numbers on his side. That buys us time.”

Rias gestured and the map laid out on the table between two couches suddenly filled dots. After a few moments of looking, it was clear they were moving towards us.

“They have been scattered all over the world to avoid detection, but they’re mobilizing quickly. In two days, most will be here in Kuoh, but they’ll take a day or two to recover from their rapid arrival.” Rias explained and I was thankful that our enemies had some sort of limit. Arriving from all over the world to Kuoh in just two days required some rest afterward. It was nice to know. “That gives us a measure of time to prepare ourselves. Naturally, Sona and I have already requested help from our families. Unfortunately, it appears both my brother and Sona’s sister will be arriving late.”

I filled in the blanks.

“They’re handling a slew of problems that only they could in Hell.”

“Exactly. This operation has been planned for longer than we expected, even with the hidden research facility taken into account. We have every reason to believe that this is a long-term plan to bring the conflict between the Three Factions to a boiling point… to ends we don’t know.” The Grigori in this case stole the Excaliburs, utilized excommunicated assets of the Church, and recruited exorcists ousted from their ranks. They used those to invade Gremory and Sitri territory, and when those failed, they came in themselves to pick up the stolen asset and held onto it. We smashed the earlier plan apart only for them to come in and salvage it. “So, as of this very moment, we have at most four days before we are attacked. We must make the most of it… and the best way to do that is through you, Ise-kun.”

All eyes turned to me, and I expected that I would have to refuse Rias’ offer to become a Devil once again, but found another proposal entirely.

“Ise-kun, you grow stronger and stronger every time you fight against us. I think that the best way to win this coming battle is by training you to your absolute limit by sparring against us all. Are you willing to that?”

I didn’t even need to think about it and Ddraig and I spoke as one.

“Absolutely.”