The Fourth Beast

19

A Different Beginning

III

Elemental Academy

3rd Month

"It's more troublesome than I thought."

Akeno leaned back on her chair and released a deep breath. But her eyes did not leave the book on the table, the one she was currently studying.

Among the young devil generation, she was known as the 'Elemental Queen'. She did not get the nickname because of how many elements she could control, but rather, how skillfully she used those elements on the battlefield.

Instead of using the elements as projectiles or just plain blast-attacks, which she used to do, now she would utilize her opponents or the arena's elements to boost her elemental damage. That was how she was able to beat Yubelluna in the tournament. She allowed the 'Bomb Queen' to make a mess of the arena and then used the fire, created by her attacks, against her. And then, when she healed herself using Phoenix tears, Akeno struck her down using her favorite element, lightning. Akeno knew that Yubelluna expected her to use the lightning element as a simple but powered-up projectile, but she was wrong.

Lightning element specializes in a few areas... cutting, paralyzing, and... piercing. Akeno trained and focused on the piercing specialty of her lightning element. She improved it so much that it became quite lethal. It was all thanks to her mentor, MacGregor Mathers, Bishop of Sirzechs Lucifer. The funny thing was that now she had to be extra careful when using her lightning element. But, in the tournament, it was alright to go all out.

Yubelluna did not stand a chance.

Akeno knew she was strong, many would agree to it in a heartbeat. But she also knew that she could be stronger. Hence, she was studying how to improve her lightning element further.

The easiest way was to combine it with her light attribute and try to replicate the infamous 'Holy Lightning' of Baraqiel.

"Easier said than done," Akeno closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

Her hatred toward that man still remained, but it was different. Before, she hated him and everything about him. And that also meant that she hated a part of herself, of her being a fallen angel. Even after becoming a devil that part was still there. And back then, she vowed never to use anything related to that part of her.

Rias had no issues with that before. But that all changed after that event.

Memories of that event were still vivid in her mind... of how the devil faction was brought to its knees and the consequences of it.

Sirzechs Lucifer was the strongest devil ever to exist. He had never lost a fight, and the way devils praised and worshipped him, it was like he could never lose a fight. Even if he were to lose one in the future, which was very unlikely, Sirzechs would lose at the very last minute after going blow for blow with his opponents for a long period of time. Just like one of those cliché shows.

That was how Sirzechs was portrayed. Truth be told, Akeno used to believe it as well. After all, she had seen the man training. Of course, he did not go all out. But the minuscule amount of power he would release during that time seemed limitless to her. At that time, her young mind could not comprehend that there could be other beings out there, stronger than the mighty Sirzechs Lucifer.

But there was. She was not on the battlefield but she had felt him, his power... even though she was safely hidden in the Gremory mansion, far away from the battle.

Later she learned that everyone in the devil faction had felt it, no matter where they were in the underworld... the power, the anger of the terror known as Naruto Ōtsutsuki.