Chapter 27 The heart of a dragon!
"Please stay back Ryuu. I'll handle the Sekiryutei." Rias said with her irises changing to a ruby shade.
"I should have known you would do this Rias. After all, you care about your servants more than anything else in the world." Issei said as he began to walk towards her.
"Are you mocking me?!" Rias said summoning her destructive power and directed it straight at Issei.
"Of course not Rias. That's what I love about you." Issei said making Rias angry.
"Shut up!" Rias screamed as she launched her attack.
The crimson blast was a direct hit. Causing Issei's scale mail to slightly crack.
Rias was both stunned and confused after the Sekiryutei who proved to have significant speed, refused to dodge her and attack her head on. No he just proceeded along the path towards her.
"I won't let you hurt Ryuu you monster!" Rias said making Issei hurt a bit.
"I know you won't Rias. But don't worry, I'm going to save you now." Issei said being hit by another proportions of Rias' power.
"Stay back Sekiryutei! Take another step further and I will destroy you!" Rias said her power beginning to increase in response to her building rage.
"I promise to not turn away from you when you are suffering so much president. After all I'm your pawn." Issei said moments away from her now as her feet stayed planted on the spot.
"I told you to stay back!" Rias screamed this time unleashing a more powerful blast at the red dragon emperor.
Once the smoke cleared, Rias could see that the red dragon emperor's armour was almost destroyed the helmet being the exception. But despite this, he still continued to approach her.
Issei was a few steps away from Rias now and this caused the crimson haired girl to greatly panic.
"Get away from me!" She screamed aiming a half powered blast at his head.
The attack was successful in destroying Issei's last piece of armour. However, Rias now froze as the fragments of the red dragon emperors helmet fell to the floor.
Rias' P.O.V
My body froze. No to be more accurate, it was as if my whole body was forcing me to not make another move when I destroyed the helmet.
Next my chest began to heat up and before I knew it, tears started streaming down my cheeks when his face was revealed.
His scruffy brown hair. His hazel eyes which stared directly at me. But not with resentment or disgust, no it was more like a look of kindness and warmth. He smiled at me and stopped walking when he finally reached me. My heart began to beat rapidly remembering the previous night when I saw that photo I held in my purse. It was then I realised that this individual was the same as the boy in the picture I possess. My feelings of fear and hatred suddenly disappeared and were replaced with new emotions. Happiness and desperation. I was happy to see this man but I was desperate to find out who he was to me and why by looking at his face alone, does my heart begin to beat faster and bring out a warmth inside of me.
Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards his chest holding the back of my head gently as he embraced me.
My heart was going crazy as he hugged me close to him. I didn't know why, but when he wrapped his arms around me, I felt as if all the loneliness I experienced was because of this man being gone.
"But I love Ryuu don't I? So how could this be true?"
"That's right he is Ryuu's enemy! He is going to try kill my precious servant! I have to break away!"
As my mind failed to comprehend what my heart was feeling, he broke my confusion when he gently spoke those words to me.
"I'm sorry to let you suffer alone for so long Rias. But don't worry everything is going to be okay now." The boy said making my face redden and more tears leak out from my eyes.
My body was operating as if it had a mind of its own. My arms began to put themselves around him. Wanting to hold him as gently as he held me.
And as he held me, I felt such happiness but at the same time sadness that I couldn't remember such a gentle person's name.
Normal P.O.V.
Suddenly, Issei pushed Rias away from his arms and then tilted his head back as he cried out in pain.
Rias was shocked when she saw what appeared to be a dragon's claw piercing through the boy's chest. A puddle of blood was formed on the ground as it rapidly spilled from Issei's torso when the dragon extracted the one sharp nail that was impaling him from his abdomen.
"Ha-ha! Again that idiot let his guard down around a woman! What a fool!" Yu-Long said whilst he cackled.
Rias rushed to Issei's side with the sudden urge to see if he was okay despite her mind not knowing why.
Whilst Koneko and Gasper chased off Yu-long.
"Hey are you okay?" Rias asked in a panic.
"Thank goodness."
"Huh?"
"Thank goodness you're not hurt Rias." Issei said as he caressed her cheek with his hand.
"Why did you do that?! Why did you protect me when I tried to kill you!" Rias said crying as she stared at him.
Issei didn't say another word, smiling as his hand that was on her cheek suddenly fell to the floor.
"Hey?! Are you okay?! Hang in there!" Rias said when suddenly something caught her attention.
A photograph was sticking out of the brown haired boys' shirt pocket when the wind began to increase.
When Rias removed the photograph and examined it, her expression went from sadness to despair at the first sight of the picture.
It was a picture of her and Issei in the clubroom. Her arms were gently wrapped around the back of Issei's neck and she was kissing him on the cheek from behind the sofa whilst he sat there smiling.
All of a sudden, memories began to rush into Rias' mind and the pain was unbearable. The shadowed figure that transformed to Ryuu after he manipulated her mind further, now changed to the brown haired teen who lay on the ground in critical condition.
Memories with Issei's fight with Raiser when he crashed her engagement party began to pierce her brain. The pain increased with every memory that began to become clear. And then, she began to hear one name. That one name that she always called out with love and care for when she saw him. At this very moment, that one name was all that came to Rias' mind as the boy closed his eyes and began to show his life was in danger.
"Issei! Issei! I remember now! How could I forget such an important person to me?!" Rias screamed holding his head in her chest now.
"This is bad! His breathing is very faint I have to call Asia here immediately!" Rias said suddenly freezing in place when she saw that what is most precious to her be sent flying from her grasp.
"Good job holding him still Rias. Don't worry I will now rid this nuisance from your life." Ryuu said as he walked past her and towards the defenceless devil.
All Rias could do was watch as her boyfriend was trampled on. Her legs showing no signs of movement.
"I've been waiting a long time for this Hyoudou Issei!" Ryuu said stepping directly on Issei's battle wound.
"Ahhh!" Issei cried out being woken up through intense pain.
"All is going just as I planned! First I will kill the disciple of Lord Sirzechs. And then I will kill his little sister right in front of him whilst she willingly lets me.
"You bastard! What do you want with Rias?!" Issei said suddenly coughing out blood when Ryuu stepped on him again.
"It's useless Sekiryutei, you can't stop me now! But as you're about to die, I will tell you what I want.
It's quite simple really. I want Sirzechs head!"
"The demon lords head? Just what is your objective?" Issei said through painful breaths.
"You really haven't figured it out yet? Man you're stupid! I'm not just some pathetic lower class devil like you. I'm from the old Satan faction! And I am going to take yours and Rias' heads, in order to draw out the demon lord himself so we can overthrow him and bring the underworld back to its former glory!" Ryuu said revealing his true origin.
"You bastard! I won't let you!" Issei began to say but was once again pushed to the ground by Ryuu's foot.
"You're an idiot! You really think you can stop us in that condition? I used Rias to distract you long enough so Yu-Long could strike a fatal blow on you! I knew you would be too pathetic and protect that worthless girl! You would have been better off if you would have taken my offer to end your life before!" Ryuu said this digging his finger inside of Issei's open wound.
Issei cried out in immense pain and Rias finally found her strength to stand up.
"Once I kill you, I'm going to kill her next! And then the old Satan faction will kill all of your friends and there is nothing you can do about it Sekiryutei!" Ryuu said this plunging his fist into the wound.
Suddenly, Rias shoved Ryuu away from Issei and shielded him with her body.
"Stop hurting Issei you bastard! Or I'll kill you!" Rias said generating an ominous aura.
"So you've decided to betray me Rias? Well it's already too late! No matter what you do now, he's going to die!" Ryuu said with an evil cackle.
"If Issei is going to die, then I will disappear with him!" Rias screamed at the villain as he laughed at her.
"Very well then!" Ryuu said as he reached out to grab her.
"Ahhh!"
(Deep in the subconscious of Issei's sacred gear.)
Issei found himself in a blank void and realised immediately where he was. It was a place he visited before when he was achieving balance breaker. The red dragon emperor looked ahead and saw a long table with red glowing what appeared to be the ancestors of his sacred gear.
"What are you doing kid? It's time to use juggernaut over drive! If you don't, you're definitely going to die." The first spirit said.
"He's right, it's time to unleash the true power of the welsh dragon!" another said making Issei realise that they were right, until another voice spoke up.
"Pathetic. As expected of my ancestor's rivals. All greedy for power and destruction. Always walking down the path of ruin! But you're different Hyoudou Issei."
"Wait a second you're the spirit of Albion?!"
"Yes. When you absorbed my power, I merged with your sacred gear so now I can communicate with you and make sure you don't make the same mistake these idiots did."
"But they're right aren't they? My body is dying fast and Asia isn't there to help me either. The juggernaut drive will transform me into a dragon. But at least I can save Rias and the others."
"And do you think she is going to be satisfied with you leaving her? Do you seriously plan to crush her heart and throw away your life?"
"No I"
"What are you talking about?! You have something that can save you. Didn't you say that you would never use that power because you were afraid of the consequences?"
"Yes of course I'm afraid to use this power! But what else can I do?"
"Draig said it before remember? You are a man who has proven to be able to defy the impossible! So if you don't want to use that power, reject it! Make your own power to get rid of that power! Stand up Hyoudou Issei. You have to get stronger so Vali can continue to grow." The spirit said making the white void vanish and become nothing but darkness.
As Issei was standing alone in the darkness, he saw a bright crimson light appear before him.
"Issei! Hang in there!" A voice called out making Issei focus on it.
"Rias. She's calling to me. She's in trouble. Get up! Move body! I swear Rias. I will protect you!"
Suddenly, Ryuu was experiencing tremendous pain when he touched Rias Gremories shoulder.
"Let go of her." A voice said making Rias turn around.
"Didn't you hear me Ryuu? I said let go of her you bastard!" Issei shouted almost breaking Ryuu's arm with his intense force.
"Impossible! How are you still alive?" Ryuu said feeling very confused right now until Issei held up an object.
"Phoenix tears?!"
"That's right, a little present from Rias the day after my battle with Kokabiel. I just remembered them. She left them in my pocket before she went to school. And now I'm going to protect her until my last breath!"
"Issei." Rias said with tears in her eyes.
"It sounds like you've come to your senses Rias. Just hold on a second I will finish this quickly." Issei said smiling at her.
Suddenly, Issei's body was surrounded in a crimson aura when he activated his balance breaker again.
"Oh? So you plan to use the juggernaut drive after all?"
"No! I refuse to use that form. Instead, I will create my own form. To protect the girl, I love." Issei said generating an even more powerful aura.
"What's going on?!" Ryuu shouted as Issei's power began to rise.
"I, who is about to awaken, am the Red Dragon Emperor who has discarded the principles of domination. I shall walk the road of righteousness by having infinite hopes and dreams. I shall become the king of crimson dragon. And I promise you all! I shall show you the future which shines in true crimson light!" Issei chanted causing a huge beam of crimson light to shoot out of all the gems on his scale mail.
"What the hell is that form?! It's completely different from juggernaut drive!" Ryuu said feeling both confused and intimidated of Issei's awakened power.
"My armour has now changed from red to crimson. It's the colour of the girl I loves hair. I call it, Cardinal Crimson promotion. Also known as the true crimson dragon emperor form!" Issei said as the crimson light dimmed down.
Suddenly, Ryuu was sent hurtling through the air when Issei vanished in an instant and punched him. Breaking his so called shield into pieces.
"That was so fast! How did you do that?!" Ryuu said clearly spooked now.
"Ryuu Tatsuo! The real fight starts now!" Issei said ready to show his new powers capabilities.
And that's the end of chapter 27! So what did you think? Rias finally remembers Issei again! First of all, I am well aware in the light novel Issei learns how to transform into cardinal crimson after he learns all three illegal triana form's first. However, him transforming without mastering the triana will have a huge consequence on him after the fight is over. I just felt that this was a perfect opportunity for Issei to ascend to this level as opposed to how he did it in the light novel. Issei currently is using this power for the sole purpose of protecting Rias and everyone else. So he has not mastered this power yet and will have to train himself before he can use it again. So next chapter will be a fight between these two. So how will Ryuu compete with Issei now he has ascended to this new power? Does he have another trick up his sleeve? And will Koneko and Gasper be able to defeat Yu-Long? What about Asia, Kiba and Xenovia? Will Sirzechs succeed in restoring their memories? Find out in the next chapter!