"Eh? Are you coming with us Nee-san?"
"After seeing you getting targeted by three fallen angels and when one managed to kill you? Hell yes, and I will never take no for an answer"
"Ara, ara, Yuril-kun, even if you want to come you can't go through this magic circle for it only works for my peerages… but if you insist I can fish out a rook or a—"
"Can't you make a magic circle that can teleport humans too?"
"... Well, that is possible but…"
"After you let that last fallen attack my brother that made my mind clear that I have to stick with him to save his ass when he or you are unable to do so… So I am going and that is final"
"... Fine"
Today was the day where Issei first interacted with his first Stray Devil. If you remember correctly she was completely annihilated by Rias's peerage and was killed very quickly. The reason I was going was not only to keep an eye on Ise but also to test my skills, to see how strong an average stray devil is and to view Rias' Power of Destruction, because I am curious to see what kind of power that devil wields. So I am here with a rook, a pawn, a knight, a queen and their king all walking slowly inside the building. Then the rook stopped.
"They're here."
Then I heard it, the voice fully demonic and seductive as it rang through the room. Since there was no master to control them, they were free to fully use their demonic powers…
" I smell something foul…" Issei slightly shivered by the creepiness of the voice but I stared straight ahead to where the stray was hidden.
"But I also smell something delicious and I smell a… a human?" Their voice stopped with confusion before it turned into mocking laughter.
Hahahaha… you've brought a petty human to fight against me? I don't know whether to be amused or to be angry…"
"Stary Devil Vice," said Rias sternly. "You have abandoned your master, and have let your powers run rampant. You will now face judgement for your sins. In the Gremory Nobility… I will destroy you!"
"Yare, yare senpai… I'm sorry but can I fight her? I've never fought a devil before… and I need some steam to blow out because I had been in great stress from what my little brother and I went through…" I cracked my neck making a sinister smile.
Even when I had my "handicap" with me, and even when I knew that I was dealing with a devil, who is definitely more superior than humans, I wanted to see how much I've grown after that "incident" and I wanted to see how much I could do with "this" body.
"... Sure, go ahead. I was wondering for a while how strong you actually are… now looks like a good time for me to estimate your strength Yuril-kun." Said Rias, giving me an amused smile.
"You dare… how dare a lowlife human challenge me? HOW DA—"
ITF: Cutting The Front
"—RE… H-h-how?! HOW?!" The prideful devil who was once glowering at me was now full of shock and pain as her right arm hung loose, threatening to fall off at any moment
"Martial Arts," I said, my face blank. "I was lucky enough to find a person who could teach you a North Korean Martial Art… and by the way…" I gave her a cocky smile.
"... I barely used my power to do that (which is a complete lie)."
" ... You… LOWLY HUM—"
[Re-Taekwondo Homi-Geolyi]
Their outstretched arms that were trying to harm me were now pushed away from my body. "Uh?"
[Re-Taekwondo 3 Stage Hoechook]
[Re-Taekwondo Scissors]
[Re-Taekwondo Baekdu]
[Re-Taekwondo Baekdu×2]
[Re-Taekwondo Canine]
[Re-Taekwondo Goryeo]
[Re-Taekwondo Baeknok]
[Re-Taekwondo Catching Dragon]
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... That's… is that even possible?"
"Eh? Don't all martial artists do that?"
"... No Issei, it's just your sister that's weird…"
"What about her masters then?"
"... They are weird too"
"... Ise, where did your sister learn that marital art from?"
"Eh? According to her... I think she said it was half self-taught and the other half was taught by an old grandpa she met in a forest…"
Rias Gremory couldn't believe what she was hearing. Half of those were self-taught? SELF-TAUGHT?! And he picked it up from an elderly man in a fucking forest? And Yuril's speed, strength, skill, flexibility, agility were far higher than what Rias had thought it would be. But…
For some reason I think she's holding back.
"Yare, yare Senpai," a slight tap brought Rias back into attention. "It's your turn. Blew off enough steam for a day."
"... We are going to have a long talk after this Yuril-kun. A really long one"
The Power of Destruction was scary. It was a force that was meant to destroy anything that the wielder wanted and if it was used on me, and if it succeeded in giving me damage…
Not even a single trace of me would be found… well, that is in this body…
Nevertheless, the Power of Destruction was avoidable. Sure, it carries great power and its speed, when shot out from the wielder, was extremely fast and not to be taken lightly but for me… I can avoid it, even without using Sage's Wisdom but, I would have to use it if Rias Gremory uses it against me…
Rather safe than sorry
Up until now, the Power of Destruction was the fourth strongest supernatural thing I've seen when coming into this world. The first being my Sacred Gear, the second being Issei's Sacred Gear (no matter what anybody says, I believe that mine is way better than Issei's, even when I told him that his gear could surpass mine. I just said that to boost his confidence) and the third... belongs to her. Now, the only things that I need to look out for are Divine Dividing and St. Longinus… Those are two along with Boosted Gear and hers are the ones that I was extremely cautious about. Issei's gear envisioned me with a red dragon so big and untouchable that made me wonder how the angels, fallen and devils managed to destroy its body and hers was... it had too many overpowered functions.
Right now I was explaining my status to Rias while Issei was off to cover up Koneko's overlapped summons. As much as I wanted to go, I couldn't because of Rias' curiosity and Issei's persistent sayings that he could take care of himself… and because of other… stuff.
"So… Martial Arts?"
"Correct Senpai"
"I've heard it from Issei but I want to hear it directly from you. What kinds of martial arts have you learned or taught yourself?"
"... Muay Thai, Renewal-Taekwondo, ITF, Boxing, Kyokushin and Freestyle-Karate."
Kiba let out a low whistle while Akeno let out a small chuckle of amusement. Koneko just narrowed her eyes. Rias however facepalmed while letting out a sigh.
"Just… what are the things you felt you taught yourself, completely?"
"Only Freestyle-Karate"
"And the one you used against the stray?"
"The first bit was ITF, and then the rest was Renewal-Taekwondo"
"Renewal Taekwondo? I've never heard that Martial Art. Just who exactly taught you those skills?"
"An old grandpa I met in a forest"
"How did he teach you?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... What was the intense training you went through?"
"..."
"Are you just going to sit there with your mouth closed?"
"Not forever"
"... How did you become so strong?"
"... Because I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be strong, Senpai, so strong that nobody would dare harm me or my family, so strong that no living being would look down on us , strong enough to lead my hopeless brother through his foolish dream… So I decided to become the strongest of the strongest. With that one goal I trained myself to the maximum. When I train, I train beyond what is capable for my body. I take off more than I can chew, and I chew my best. Sometimes I manage swallow, sometimes I choke but whatever happens I never stop moving. " I paused to take a sip of tea before I continued.
"It will feel like hell, it will definitely weaken one's flames of determination. I once wished that this hellish training would stop, I wanted to stop moving and lay down on the cold soil and stare at the clouds. One day I have thought 'What's the harm of taking a day off? What can surely go wrong?' but I did not stop to rest. I kept on moving, I kept on training, I kept on imagining… Even when I coughed blood, even when my bones broke, even when I was sick I never stopped to improve myself. I pushed myself this far and there wasn't a moment I stopped my training."
"Ara, ara, is that true Yuril-kun? Are you training even now?" A certain queen spoke up. I tapped my head indicating that I was thinking.
"Yes Akeno-san, I am training even at this very moment or I try my best to train. Even up till now till the time I go to sleep I do my 'image training', a training where I imagine the most ideal movements, the most ideal punch, the most ideal kick… every single scenario, every single fighting shows I've watched, every single books I've read about that can be helpful, every piece of experience I've gained and went through is being replayed constantly in my head trying to find the answer to bring out my best of what I can do…"
"..."
"So I became strong because of that Rias-senpai, now if you'll excuse me." I said, slowly rising up.
"I have to go home. Good day and take care of my brother."