Scarlet 30

Scarlet 30

…

Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

…

Amazing tactical mind. Great long-term strategic planning. Immense experience in combat. Years of training and practice. The killer instinct most lack. Enough power to turn over a city block with ease.

But, in the end, defeated by boobs.

Shut up, Ddraig.

I’m going to stop talking, but it’s because I have nothing left to say.

With that parting shot, Ddraig left me to confront the current situation on my own.

Rias mashing my head against her chest, while Sona fumed over the both of us.

“Ise-kun, listen, Sona-chan can offer you a lot, but I can offer plenty myself!” Rias argued. I presumed that she had a cute pout, but I couldn’t see it. My senses were being overtaken by soft, perfumed darkness surrounded most of my face. By most of my face, I mean Rias’s chest nearly acted as mufflers while only my chin protruded from the heavenly valley. I didn’t get boobs in my past life, but now I instinctively surrendered to justice without a thought. “Just give me a few days, and I’ll be able to figure out this ancient magic, and we can make a contract!”

I knew that a few days of waiting, during this situation, was unacceptable.

However, my body’s response to those words was to nod fervently where I was being kept. Rias’s perfume smelled of lilacs and had a softness and warmth to it that threatened to lull me into slumber in combination with the perfect pillows surrounding my head.

Irina being harmed and being in danger barely gave me the strength to not succumb… until I found myself being pulled away from paradise.

“Rias, stop cheating!” Sona’s voice filled my ears and her arms wrapped around me. I found my right cheek pressed against the slenderer Devils chest. The softness was different, the size was different, and the scent and feeling were different… but the fugue that Rias’ actions brought returned in full force mere seconds after I was released from it. Gweheh. Boobs. Sona noticed this and was surprised, but soon enough her grip on me grew a lot more tender. “Oh my, so I could’ve done this at the start? It wasn’t a matter of size at all?”

Boobs are boobs.

I know you’re not paying attention to anything, but I think that Saji kid is going to try and murder you.

Saji who?

Yeah, probably.

“This isn’t cheating. You’re using your brain and I’m using my chest! It’s the same!” Rias spoke, but whatever she meant by her words fled my brain as she closed the distance and applied herself to the other side of my head. Up, down, left, and right. On all sides there were boobs and it was good. Bones? What were those? Stress? What’s stress? I’m bereft of both and in paradise. “I’ve been looking for it myself, but you got ahead because you knew where to look… and didn’t tell me even when I asked for help!”

“W-well, I thought that I needed such advantages against you! You were already going so far, so I did my utmost to get leverage myself. If I had known he’d be just as pleased with me being forward… well… that doesn’t matter! I’m leveraging what I can to get Ise-kun’s on my side in the future!”

“I granted him a Familiar and it’s bound to him through my family, so I already have a basis. The two of you just worked together and you taught him a few things, but that was part of his payment! If leverage has anything to do with this, then you should back down because I’m solidly in the lead!”

“Only a fool would give up before trying, Rias. You’re not going to make me back down.”
“Well, I’m not just going to let you win!”

Are you listening to the two Devils obviously doing everything they can to manipulate you into joining their side, instead of working together? Shouldn’t you be pissed that they’re not working together against a common threat? Anything at all from your past life going in that head of yours, Taylor? Ah, who am I kidding. It’s boobs all the way down now.

Eh-heh, boobs.

…

Irina gave me a beaming smile as I entered the room and Asia mirrored her, while Quarta just gave me a nod.

“Ah, Ise-kun, you’re back. I thought something went wrong when you weren’t here when I woke up.” Irina took one of the school clinics beds and was wearing a spare uniform instead of her ruined Exorcist gear. Quarta was given the same courtesy, since her armor had been broken as well. “I thought that you went to confront a Fallen of great power on your own!”

“I would lose, so I didn’t do that.” I did my best to look like I hadn’t been stopped from a mad rampage in search of explosives to do just as Irina feared. That raised an eyebrow from Sona as she entered, by Rias said nothing and just happily entered and clung to my arm. Asia already occupied my left side fussing over me, so Rias took my right. “Sorry about making you worry. I should’ve been here when you woke up.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m just glad that everything’s still okay. I thought that they’d use the swords that they stole from me to hurt your friends. That would’ve been terrible for everyone.” I nodded at Irina’s words. The Excaliburs were Holy Swords that shouldn’t be anywhere near Devil territory given their properties against Devils in particular. It would’ve been difficult to explain one being here and hurting either Rias or Sona. A war would’ve broken out before anyone filled in all the gaps in knowledge. “But… it is strange that nothing happened after we were defeated. Shouldn’t they have attacked you right away?”

It was a good question, but one that I had an answer for.

You’re acting very confident for someone who got cooled down by boobs alone.

Quiet, Ddraig.

“Both Rias and Sona called for assistance immediately after learning about the threat. Whoever planned all of this must have the ability to detect what’s going on at Kuoh and realized that they wouldn’t be able to make a move without taking on enemies they couldn’t hope to face.” They left because they knew what would come after them. They couldn’t risk taking on the ones we called for help, so they left. It was simple. However, it was also simple to see when they’d come back. “They’ll be back when the people we’ve called for help leave, because I’m sure that they can’t stay here.”

Sona nodded at that.

“My sister and Rias’ brother would invite too much attention staying in Kuoh. Their presence can scarcely be hidden and they’ll increase tensions amongst all the factions if they stay to defend us. In fact, if any of their Peerage would invite the same response.” Sona explained and both the Exorcists nodded. Two Satan on Earth would increase tension to the point where war could erupt with ease. “The enemy who attacked you have the means to attack us and cause significant damage, and perhaps evoke a war, but they’ll wish to do it on their own terms… presuming that they have a plan besides making war for war’s sake.”

The Devil prodded the Exorcists for information, and they responded, even though Quarta frowned as Irina spoke.

“I think… I think that might be the case. The one who attacked us seemed off. Crazy. He didn’t seem reasonable at all. He was almost rabid.” Irina winced as she tried to sit up, phantom pains from wounds just healed hitting her, but she bore it without any complaint a moment later. “He didn’t give us his name, but he was powerful, and he had many Fallen beside him who obeyed his commands… he mentioned losing subordinates here, too, if that helps in discovering who he truly is.”
It was my turn to speak.

“I wasn’t strong enough to take them. My fight with them took place before I met the Devils and got trained with magic, so I couldn’t do anything besides hit them hard and kill them.” If I had support from Rias and Sona, it would’ve been different. The allies I had now, the magic I could call upon, the weapons I’ve looted, and the armor I had were all leagues ahead of the simple preparations I made in the sewers and the sledgehammer I used. They’d been effective weapons at the time, but with what I had now I could’ve captured my enemies and interrogated them. “Can you describe the Fallen? There can’t be very much that could harm the likes of you, right?”

At times like this, I was frustrated with how most of humanity was aware of the supernatural. On Bet, identities were kept secret, but people gathered information and notes on an individual’s powers and that allowed people to do research, plan, and execute the correct plan. That wasn’t the case here. Only the strongest were well-known enough to have their general information available to the public. Even then, that information was pretty much limited to: “run away or die.”

It’s a sign of being an intelligent and powerful individual. Keep your secrets and unleash them when necessary and kill when you do. That way no one figures out what you did and only that you won.

I understood that, but that didn’t mean that I had to like it.

The competence being displayed by the power players in this world was just ludicrous. There was just so much for me to deal with all the time, besides having to confront powerful creatures. Everything I fought now was, basically, at the very least, a combination of a Mover, a Blaster, and a Brute. If they studied and learned magic, then they’d also be Trump with plenty of tricks up their sleeves. If they had a Peerage or a bunch of followers willing to fight for them, then they’d be Masters. Since they can hide their presence from mortals, and could change their looks they qualified for Strangers and Changers. It was also completely possible that they had the ability to do other things that allowed them to enter the remaining categories with time and effort, thus they qualified as Tinkers.

I was glad Thinker powers weren’t that common, though, because that would just make fighting against anything vaguely supernatural impossible with all the versatility that they had.

You know, you complain a lot, but I don’t think you’ve lost a single fight yet. The first Fallen you met, who tried to kill you, you destroyed… if I recall correctly.

Well, obviously there were differences in power, ability, and talent between supernatural individuals. Thugs and overconfident idiots were still going to get themselves killed. What I was worried about were those who rose through the ranks, who had plans, and contingencies for fighting that included training to cover any possible weaknesses. If I was a Devil, then I would go out of my way to learn everything I could, train myself to the limit, and become as strong as I possibly could simply for the sake of my own personal satisfaction with the body that I gained.

I was, quite frankly, lucky that many of my opponents were content with what they had instead of going out of their way to become more powerful.

Uh-huh. Sure. Lucky. That’s how you’ve won against a Pillar Family Heir, killed several Exorcists, and four Fallen. Luck.

If you don’t have every advantage possible, if you’re not sure you’re going to win, then it’s luck.

“Ise-kun?”

My thoughts were interrupted as Irina looked at me with concern. I shook my head and waved it away.

“I’m fine. Asia fixed me up after the fight. Now, what can you tell us about the Fallen who attacked you? Anything is good,” I turned towards Rias and Sona. They both nodded and were both ready to listen about their new foe. I was sure that they’ll relay the information to their older, more powerful siblings, but I was listening just in case. “They can probably change their appearance, but if they’re powerful and strong… then I think pride will keep them from doing that, right?”

If I had the ability to change appearance, then I’d make sure to look completely different in a fight. Any information on me that the enemy had was something that could get me killed, even with the backing of both Sona and Rias. However, if the Fallen were truly prideful creatures that fell from Heaven because they disagreed with “God,” then I could easily believe that they wouldn’t change their appearance unless they had to.

And, it was unlikely a powerful Fallen would ever think that they would have to.

“I see, okay… I’ll do my best.” Irina hesitated for a second, before giving a brief description. It was brief, given the fact that they were ambushed and rushed, but it gave a general idea. Tall, clad in robes, five pairs of black wings, and deathly pale skin. It was obviously difficult to talk about and I understood her hesitation as she spoke, because she was obviously speaking about a very powerful Angel who should’ve never betrayed “God.” Fighting against him, as he planned to attack Devils and instigate conflict, would be strange for any Exorcist adherent to the Church. “Is that enough?”

I shook my head after the description.

“How did he fight? What weapons did he use? What do you think we could do to defeat him?” I pressed on while Rias and Sona discussed the information with one another. Given how serious they both looked, especially after the 5 pairs of wings was mentioned, they had a good idea of who we were fighting against and we were in a crisis. I needed tactical information more than ever now. “How do you feel about fighting against him again, if you’re armed correctly?”

Other people would’ve hesitated at the thought of fighting against an enemy that severely wounded them and stole their weapons, but my words just lit a fire in Irina’s eyes and elicited a nod of respect from Quarta.

“I’ll fight against him with all I have to get those swords back. Next, time I definitely won’t lose.”

“I feel the same way.”

The two Exorcists swore with ease with burning indignation clear in their eyes… but didn’t answer my question.

Sona was busy discussing things with Rias, so it looked like I was going to have to deal with smothering both Exorcist’s fighting spirits before we could move on and get some actual information.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much of a pain.