LP CH 60 (Patreon)
Content
*Cough* *Cough*
“Damn! What do the people of Gremory have with exploding building?”
First the school building and now the auditorium. Basara seriously wondered if Rias was training her peerage to become some sort of terrorist or something of the like.
Still,
“I am bleeding.”
Basara didn’t know what was the most ridiculous.
The fact that such a big explosion that destroyed an entire large building only gave him skin-deep wounds while destroying the clothes on his upper body.
Or the fact that he fell for such a childish trap.
“I have been a little too lax.”
This was alright now but what if those swords had been more powerful? If each of those swords had been just 50% more powerful, he wouldn’t have managed to escape with just those large wounds.
He had intended this fight to be a lesson to Rias’ peerage but it seemed that he was also receiving some lessons on his own.
Looking down at his body that was covered in soot and a little bit of blood, he frowned but since had no way to cover himself all he could do was stay with his upper body naked.
Looking toward the east, he could feel a great concentration of energy and he recognized the power.
“Power of destruction.”
It seemed that Rias was preparing a big spell.
“Let’s go. I think it’s time to finish this.”
—--
“You truly are a monster.”
When Basara finally reached the top of the hill, he was greeted by the sarcastic voice of Kiba, causing him to chuckle.
“I guess I have to thank you for the light show?”
“Heh. Indeed. Though I guess it only served in slowing you down. You are barely hurt.”
“Do not sell yourself short, Kiba. I have to admit I am impressed. Be it what happened with Akeno or now here with you. My respect for you guys rose tremendously I must say.”
They had the talent. they believed in each other and they could react fast to unexpected situations.
Rias’ peerage had many problems. But respect had to be given where it was due and Basara acknowledged the power of the current peerage.
But…”This isn’t enough.”
He knew that it was very hypocritical coming from him but…They were wasting their talents.
“Compared to what you COULD do, what you can do now are just paltry tricks.”
Basara understood the irony of his words. After all, it was always easier to see the faults of others than recognize your own, after all.
“We are, going to fight.”
Basara smiled at Koneko, “I ask for nothing more.”
—
It was fun.
How long had it been since fighting had been something to enjoy?
As Basara took a step back and avoided a slash from Kiba’s sword while blocking a punch from Koneko, he couldn’t help but grin in pure delight.
He didn’t use his gravity, nor did he boost himself.
Simply with pure martial art, Basara began to keep up with the two fighters.
His battle sense was screaming as it woke up from the deep slumber it had fallen into. In the first place, Basara had always been a speed-type fighter and while Kiba had the edge in terms of speed if Basara didn’t use boost, this edge was in no way enough to bridge the gap that separated them in terms of skills.
“Too monotonous.”
Kiba was fast. Absurdly fast for someone at his level of power even if the so-called Knight piece boosted him. But he relied too much on his sacred gear. While it looked like Kiba was swinging his sword in reality he was being carried by them, making it impossible for his speed to truly shine.
Grabbing Koneko by the hand, he threw her to the sky and avoided another slash of Kiba.
“Your strength is lacking.”
Koneko was strong. Even more so thanks to her rock piece. But in the first place…Why was a Nekomata specializing in pure strength? What about the Yokai arts and such spells?
Out of them all, Koneko was the one truly wasting her talent and Basara could understand Koneko more than anyone.
‘Because it’s scary.’
She feared her power and he understood that because he was the same. The circumstances leading to this might be different, but the result was clear.
The two of them were scared of their own power, making it so they couldn’t bring their talent to the fullest.
<<You need to cast aside your fear.>>
Basara did not say such a stupid thing. He was sure that Koneko already knew that. Saying so helped in no way at all.
She knew more than anyone what she ought to do. But, just because she knew what she had to do, didn’t mean she knew how to do it.
Fear and trauma couldn’t vanish just because we will them to.
They weren’t called trauma for nothing, after all.
He could feel the same from Kiba. Kiba relied on his sword but he also seemed to hate them and somewhat fear them.
This brought the situation where slowed with his own speed with his swords but didn’t even delve into a better understanding of his sword so even there he didn’t bring his full potential.
<<Stop being so half-assed!>>
Once again Basara wanted to scream. But he couldn’t. After all, wasn’t he also in the same situation?
Half assing his usage of Banishing shift and not bringing the full potential of such a game-changing skill.
What right did he have to give lessons to others when he was guilty of the same mistake?
“Move!”
His musing was interrupted by Rias, who he had honestly completely forgotten.
Looking at the large ball of the pure power of destruction, even Basara had to admit that he didn’t want to be touched by that.
He could easily avoid it. Despite the incredible power, this attack was so slow that boosting his speed once more would bring him well over the radius blast.
But…He didn’t want to.
“Hey, Ddraig. You see, I think I get it now. The reason why I couldn't reach it. Balance breaker, I mean.”
[...]
He didn’t want to be half-assed anymore.
He was tired of acting like such a self-defeating wimp.
He had enough of always finding excuses to hide his weakness.
Facing Koneko and Kiba just now had been like facing a mirror that reflected his own ugliness.
For the sake of the people that believed in him, he refused to keep such an ugly weakness hiding in his heart any longer.
This was why, even as he watched the power of destruction rush at him, Basara made no move to defend himself nor did he even try to use Banishing shift.
Why would he? After all, he could bring the best defense possible.
“I believe in you…Partner.”
For the first time, Basara truly considered Ddraig as his partner.
He…Wasn’t fighting alone.
Green and crimson light flashed in his eyes while he observed the power of destruction coming at him with no fear.
BOOM!!!
Even as he was engulfed by the crimson power, Basara kept his smile.
Because he knew he was right.
[Dragon Welsh! Over Booster!]
[Balance Breaker: Boosted Gear Scale Mail!]
[BOOST! DRAGON BLASTER!]
The last thing Koneko, Rias, and Kiba saw before losing was a warrior clad in red armor walking out of the explosion before they were swiftly attacked and thus eliminated by a green beam of pure condensed energy.
—--
[Devil World]
When the match ended, the four adults all stayed silent.
On the screen, all they could see was Basara wearing his dragon armor while a large stretch and half of the school ground were completely vaporized.
The results of Basara's last attack had been so powerful that it erased everything in its wake. Rias and the others had no chance to even resist and if not for the fact that the safety system of the barrier could resist attacks that didn't surpass the Maou level, then they would have died.
Even Shelia who usually had a small smile on the corner of her lips couldn't help but show the shock she felt on her face.
This fight should have just been a scrape between a group of juniors.
Something entertaining but not particularly surprising.
What they saw though was something truly astonishing.
Sheila knew that since Basara had inherited the genes of three powerful beings, he would assuredly also become a true nightmare.
Still…
"How impressive."
In the end, it was Sirzechs who broke the silence. He had been a little uncomfortable at the sight of his sister getting smacked like this, but since Basara was his cousin, he was in a way better mood.
"That Emerald colored power…"
Sirzechs nodded at Zeoticus's mutter.
"Banishing shift I believe it's how this power is called."
His arm twitched a little at the reminiscence of when he observed this power for the first time.
It was during his last fight against Jin. Back then Sirzechs didn't even hesitate in using his full destruction form. But Jin…[1]
"Haha. The father was a true monster and the son is becoming a little monster."
The way Basara used that technique was still rough but the basics were present.
Furthermore,
"Boosted gear and that sword. Is it a holy weapon? How is a devil able to hold a holy weapon?"
Sheila was still befuddled but soon, her shock was replaced by a giddy smile.
Not only was Basara the son of someone she appreciated but he was also the master of her daughter.
She did not particularly care about the inheritance problem of Gremory. The stronger Basara was, the happier she would be.
"What do you think, Sirzechs-chan? Perhaps it's time to prepare an official ceremony for a new High-class devil [2] in our family."
The power Basara had shown with the last attack was without a doubt superior to what a normal Ultimate devil could show.
That alone was enough for Basara to get a noble rank. This was without adding the fact that, as Sapphire's first son, such a rank was his birthright from the beginning.
Like Sheila, Venelana was also pretty nonchalant about the matter of inheritance. She knew that Rias had put a bet on her freedom in his fight but now there was no need to worry about her being forced to marry Riser.
In fact, if Basara became the heir, all of Rias' problems would be resolved. She knew very well that rather than becoming the Heiress of the Gremory house, her daughter liked her freedom more.
This would take away a weight Rias never really wished to bear.
"Speaking of…I wonder how Rias will feel when she wakes up."
Everyone cringed a little at Zeoticus' words for they knew that Rias would feel truly awful.
[1]: for those who didn't know. Yeah, Jin can use Banishing shift and to a much higher degree than Basara. After all, Basara can only use it to defend himself currently while Jin can literally shoot Dragon breath of Banishing shift. XD
[2]: I am talking about his official rank.
(AN: So the fight ended. I hope you liked it. I wanted to showcase the talent of the Gremory peerage but still have Basara up them easily. Basara could have won in many ways. But this was also an occasion for some growth on his side. Using Scale mail against them was overkill but heh.
Also Basara armor will be a little different from what Issei had at first.)