DxD: Ascension - Redux

Chapter 63: Easy Start

This chapter marks the beginning of Volume XIV: The Azazel Cup. Enjoy!

Old schoolhouse, Kuoh Academy, 11/24: 30 days until Trihexa's release

The Kuoh-based competitors of the Azazel Cup gathered at the old schoolhouse fifteen minutes before sunrise, as instructed. They were abuzz with excitement.
"Hey, you." Sona kissed Zach's cheek as she came to his side. "Ready for this?"
"Hell yeah." Zach kissed his girlfriend back. "Have you been thinking about who you want to team up with?"
"Well, Azazel did say he wanted us to make the teams interesting, and not to go with our first instinct," Sona recalled. "So as much as I'd like to team up with you, I think I'll try to avoid it. But if we do end up together, I won't complain."
"Good thinking. D'you think the game is gonna get broadcasted or something? I gave it some thought last night, and that's the only reason I can come up with for us to make 'interesting' teams."
"I wouldn't be surprised. But as for alliances, I've got my eye on Vali at the moment," Sona said with a glance in the White Dragon's direction. "His ability to cut our enemies' power in half will come in handy, I'm sure, and he's powerful without Divine Dividing too. What about you? Who're you thinking of?"
"Someone you'd never expect," Zach replied with a smirk.
"Oh, really? Come on, just tell me."
"Sure, but you can't let anyone else know my plan." Zach lowered his voice as he continued, "Being good in a fight is important, but there's one specific ability that will be absolutely vital in this competition: healing. So my first big goal is to find Asia as fast as I can and team up with her, and pick up maybe one or two other main allies as we go."
"You're not usually one to think about healing. That's pretty unlike you," Sona noted.
Zach simply shrugged. "In a life-based game, you have to find ways to keep your health in check. Wouldn't make sense not to."
"True, it's just not your normal strategy. You're usually all about hitting fast and hitting hard."
"I'll be doing that too," Zach promised. "Alright, I'm gonna make my rounds. See if I can figure out what anyone else is scheming."
"You do that. See you on the field?"
Zach nodded. "See you on the field." He turned away and went off to talk to the other competitors.

A few minutes later, Azazel appeared before the group. "Good morning, everyone!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "Hope you're all ready, because you're about to be dropped into the arena. You all know the rules, but if you forget, you can keep track of them- along with your current HP and life count- through the watches that should appear on your wrist once you're in. Just don't forget what I said about the teams. This is being televised to the citizens, so provide some good spectacle, yeah? And by the way, there will be some 'NPCs,' for lack of a better term, around the arena. They look like real people, but they're basically just puppets. Some will help you, some will hinder you. Do as you will with them. Alright, it's time to go. Good luck, and may the best hero win!" Azazel clapped his hands, and the world melted around them.

Manhattan Replica

Zach's vision cleared to find himself in his old stomping ground: Manhattan, just as Azazel had promised. He looked around, immediately figuring out exactly where Azazel had dropped him in: the Upper East Side, right outside his family's townhouse. "No way that was an accident," Zach mused with a grin as he looked up at his old home. He looked down at his wrist: just like Azazel said, he wore a watch with a square screen that displayed his current HP: 100%, along with three hearts underneath the percentage.
Azazel's voice came out of the watch: "Welcome to New York, kids! You've got a five minute grace period before things start happening, which begins as soon as this message ends, so make the most of it!"
"Gladly." Zach walked up to the front door of his house. "Should be a good home base during this competition." He put his hand on the door's handle and telekinetically unlocked the door, pushing it open to find the furniture was exactly how he remembered it from the last time he left home before entering the new timeline. "I was wondering why the old man asked me to describe the house that one time..." he muttered as he walked around his old house. He quickly secured all entry points with protective spells, then made his way back out the front door. "Should only have a couple of minutes of grace left... better start moving. Gotta find Asia... and maybe a more efficient way to get around along the way." With that, he raced off into the city, an excited grin on his face.