The Esper Devil ( Esper OC X Highschool DxD )

Chapter 24 - The defeated's aftermath

"One, two, three, four..."

In the Hyoudou's residence basement, the members of the Gremory peerage were doing their daily training

However, there was someone who was particularly invested into it

"Haaaaaa!"

[Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost!]

Hyoudou Issei charged ahead with his Scale Mail armor towards his sparring partner, Kiba Yuuto

The Knight swung his sword down at him, but the host of the Sekiryuutei dodged and aimed for his face

 Kiba slightly moved his head to avoid the punch, but the pressure was still able to graze his skin

"You are growing a lot, Ise"

However, Issei didn't answered, charging a kick at the blonde boy

"Ugh"

Kiba defend the kick with his sword and jumped back

"Ise..."

Noticing the aura that he was giving, Kiba stared at his friend with eyes filled with sorrow

Even though he had personally asked Issei to fight as if they were in a real death battle, he could tell there was something more behind Issei's attacks

Beneath the armour, Hyoudou had a look of anger on his face, because everytime he punched, everytime he kicked, everytime he flied or used a Dragon Shot...

He couldn't forget that laugh

[It's useless, useless, useless!]

No matter what he did, he couldn't forget the humiliation he and his team suffered at the hands of Tatseyo Kageyama

[I've never trained in my entire life, I've been relying on talent and experience to get more used to my powers, like my parents]

Talent... something that he didn't have even though he was the host of the Sekiryuutei, something he had to make up for with sheer training and combat

Ever since losing to Tatseyo, not once, but twice, a single feeling filled his head everytime he trained or battled

Frustration, frustration, frustration, frustration, frustration, frustration

The power to control matter and energy just by thinking about it, a power that even his fists couldn't reach and even if it reached, he wasn't strong enough to damage

Issei clutched his hands and charged ahead, battling his friend with reckless abandon for his own well being

[Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost!]

Even if he could forgive what Tatseyo had done, he couldn't forgive himself, he couldn't forget the humiliation that was to put all his strength in an attack and not even be able to scratch him

To see his friends fall one by one and feel the urge to sacrifice his own life in order to save them

'Stronger. I have to become stronger to surpass Vali, to surpass Sairaorg, to surpass him!'

Were the words that rang through his mind as he fought, Kiba eventually created a sword in his foot and finally managed to drive it in Issei's leg

"Are you alright?" - Kiba asked his injured friend

But he didn't answered, instead, ignoring the pain, he charged the jets on his back and drove his fists forward

[Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Boost Booost!!!]