The Devil with White Wings: Unholy Awakening [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 11

The air in the Gremory household was thick with tension. Aebelle, stared at Rias, her gaze challenging. Issei, his usual boisterous energy subdued, hung his head, his words carrying the weight of his desperation.

"But you said-" Aebelle began, her voice laced with disbelief.

Rias, her crimson eyes unwavering, replied, her voice filled with a calm authority, "You are members of the Gremory household, Aebelle. Our duty is to protect the balance of the world, not to rush headlong into dangerous situations."

"Then please kick me out of your household!" Issei blurted out, his voice raw with emotion. "I'll go alone to... to..." He trailed off, the words stuck in his throat. The thought of leaving Rias, his newfound family, was unbearable.

"You're asking the impossible," Rias responded, her tone firm but laced with a hint of sadness.

"I'm just a pawn on the chessboard, right?" Issei asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Losing a single pawn shouldn't..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought. The image of Asia, captured and held hostage, haunted his mind.

"Enough!" Aebelle's sharp command cut through the silence. "This isn't going to help us! I just don't understand why we can't go rescue Asia. And I just don't understand the purpose of these chess pieces."

Rias took a deep breath, her gaze softening slightly. "As I said, Evil Pieces possess the same traits as their chess counterparts," she explained, her voice calm and measured.

"What is the special trait of a pawn?" Issei asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Promotion," Rias replied, her voice taking on an almost hypnotic quality. "If a pawn reaches the last of the enemy's lines, it can be promoted into any piece other than a king."

"But why am I the Bishop?" Aebelle asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

Rias smiled faintly. "Because earlier, before you became a devil, you even proved yourself to put others first." She paused, her eyes meeting Aebelle's. "You are the one who protects, the one who guides."

Issei's eyes widened. "I could have everyone else's power if I reach there?" He spoke breathlessly, his mind reeling with the possibilities.

"As long as I, your master, recognize it as enemy lines, yes," Rias confirmed. "For example, the church. And as for your Sacred Gear..."

"It doubles my power, right?" Issei interrupted, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. "Yuum- the fallen angel told me."

"Use your brain," Rias admonished, her voice crisp. "Sacred Gear is activated by its owner's will. The greater your willpower, the more powerful it will become."

"My willpower?" Issei murmured, the enormity of the situation settling on him.

Rias stood, a sense of urgency in her movements. "An urgent matter came up," she explained, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Akeno and I will be out for a bit."

"President, we aren't done talking-" Issei protested, but Rias cut him off.

"Listen," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Even with the help of a promotion, a single piece won't stand a chance against a fallen angel. You need to be prepared."

Issei nodded reluctantly, his gaze filled with a mixture of fear and determination. With that, Rias turned and walked away, leaving Issei and Aebelle alone with their anxieties and their burning desire to rescue Asia.

"Are you going?" Yuuto's voice was low, laced with concern.

"Yeah. You can't stop us." Issei's gaze was fixed on the door, a steely glint in his eyes.