The Rising of the Red Dragon Hero (High School DxD Fanfic)

Chapter 25: The Training Continues

In the training ground clearing

Sounds of wood cutting through air could be heard throughout the clearing as Kiba's swift attacks threatened to strike down Issei. Despite the speed of his strikes, Issei continued to dodge them quite splendidly.

Kiba observed as Issei side stepped each of his strikes. Each time he would move only a centimetre out of reach and make the wooden sword pass by him effortlessly. While doing so, he would tap Kiba on an exposed or unguarded spot.

Kiba soon grew irritated by his inability to match Issei.

Throwing caution to the wind, Kiba started infusing magic into his body. His knight piece granted him a speed type physique that had it's speed multiplied each time Kiba increased the consumption of stamina.

He seemingly vanished, leaving nothing but a crater where he once stood. Issei smirked before disappearing also. Shockwaves spread out throughout the entire clearing for the next minute as after-images of the two continuously appeared across the field.

Soon, they came to a stop, with Issei standing in front of an exhausted Kiba. His right hand finger rested on Kiba's forehead while his left hand held Kiba's arm. Preventing him from wielding his sword.

"Excellent sword skills you have there, Kiba. If not for my superior speed, I'd most likely have been beaten. Let's go another round. This time I'll limit my speed and strength...but there's a catch." Issei stated and retracted his arm.

Kiba stabbed his sword into the ground and rose his hand in a gesture to stop Issei." Let me catch my breath. Using my physique eats away at my stamina, not my demonic reserves. Using both simultaneously amplifies the effect but shortens the time I can use it while increasing the cool down. It's a last ditch effort, so I probably won't be able to fight at the same level for another hour." He spoke.

Issei looked at him perplexed." You assume that I care? This is training. The entire point being to surpass your limits and achieve new levels of power. So suck it up and wield your sword. The stipulation for our second round is this..." Issei began before he made a hand sign.

Overlapping his index and middle fingers to create a cross sign.

A moment later the clearing was filled with copies of Issei. Kiba looked on shocked and, quite frankly, scared. He never expected to face a mob of Issei, especially since he couldn't even defeat the singular version of the armada standing before him.

'This is going to hurt.'

~♡~

Meanwhile in the forest

Koneko and Issei exchanged blows. To be more precise, Koneko was throwing an onslaught of punches at Issei while he, like with Kiba, dodged them effortlessly. Never moving more than a few centimetres to let the punch miss or fly by.

Koneko knew she was to slow to land a blow on Issei so she stopped. She only needed one blow but this wasn't the way to deliver it. The only option she had was to let him attack her and then counter.

So she waited.

Issei took note of what she did and nodded.' She knew she was to slow to land a blow so instead of continuing she opted to change her approach. Smart girl. Fine, I'll bite.' He thought and got into a fighting stance. Leaping at the white haired girl with a fist ready to launch.

Koneko rose her arms in a boxing stance. The moment Issei's fist struck down, Koneko changed her stance. Stepping into his personal space she moved out of his fist's trajectory before grabbing his arm and flinging him over her shoulder. A shoulder throw which should have slammed Issei into the ground, if he hadn't twisted mid air to land on his feet.