Part.5 & Checkmate

[Part 5]

"Guhaa!"

Intense pain strikes me.

I lost count of how many times I received this intense pain today. ...I went down on the ground countless of times. I look so uncool...

Buchou..., let's win. I will definitely win.

Buchou is already on her knees and isn't trying to stand up.

Buchou ran out of her demonic-power. She blowed away Raiser countless of time, but Raiser kept on resurrecting while spreading his fire. As if nothing happened.

I need to protect Buchou and Asia... I'm the only one who can protect those two now...

I—.

BANG!

Raiser's fist went deep into my stomach, and he twists his fist to make it go deeper.

GOUGH.

Bloods comes out of my mouth. ...So I can cough out blood even though I already spat out so much blood before...

My eyes become blurry... I shake my head so I can make my eyes clear.

It's alright... I will win... I will defeat this Raiser...and will present you with victory, Buchou...

Then you will smile, right...?

If you and Asia will laugh then I...

Yeah, ...Buchou... ...Thank you for training me...

I can still stand because of you...

...I will win. I'm a [Pawn] ...

I will become the strongest [Pawn]. Yeah, the strongest—.

BANG.

The fist went in to my face. It feels like it's moving at slow motion the moment it hits me.

...I can still fight..., Buchou...

...I will keep the promise...

I will win...

[Checkmate]

The battle progress to its climax.

I understand it. I, Rias Gremory, have no more moves. In other words, checkmate.

Now, there is not a single person on my-side who any strength left.

But that boy continues to stand up.

——Ise.

He is the only one who continues to move forward towards Raiser even under this situation.

However, it's over. The punch from Raiser earlier has finished Ise.

Seeing that boy fall backwards, my body rushes towards him unconsciously.

Ise's body that I am holding onto is bloody and is covered with sweats, so he's in a terrible condition. Even so, I still loved this boy.

"...Ise, you did very well. It's all right now. Good job."

I whispered to him gently, but he tries to get up by getting away from me.

"It's all right now! Ise!"

He pushes my hands away, and tries to get up.

He takes a step, and another step without saying anything.

It's a bizarre view which has so much intensity in it.

Everyone is watching him while holding their breath.

The opponent, Raiser, also approaches him expressionlessly.

No!

If I let this continue, I will lose Ise!

My adorable servant. My Ise. I'm still planning to adore him even more, so I don't want to lose him in a place like this!

I went between Ise and Raiser, and stand front of Ise.

"Ise! Stop! Can't you listen to my——"

I said it till there, and swallowed my words.

Of course.

This... He is... Ise...you are...

Ise has already lost consciousness.

Both his eyes are hollow and he has his mouth still open. Even so, he continues to move forward while crunching his fists that are shaking...

"....You are still planning to fight even though you are in this state..."

I have tears on my cheeks without realising it. I reach my hand towards this adorable boy's cheek.

His cheeks are swollen, and I can't sense anything from his cheeks that usually gives strength to me.

"...You dummy."

I hug Ise who tries to move forward.

"Good job, Ise."

When I said those words, strength disappears from his body, and he fall to the ground.

I hugged his body and lay him on my lap. You did say that you wanted a lap pillow...

——Buchou! I will definitely make you win!

Ise hasn't barely learned how to use his demonic-powers, yet he continues to move forward with all his might within the battlefield. He barely has any battle experience.

He should have been scared. There should have been times where he almost lost his life...

——I won't give up. I'm dumb, so I don't know anything about "foreseen" or "checkmate". However, I can still fight. I will continue to fight till the end as long as I can crunch my fists!

He continued to fight for me even though his fists got this swollen...

He always did. He was always smiling. He was always doing his best and he continues to fight for me.

I was almost about to lose Ise forever.

"Thank you, Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko, Asia and...Ise. Thank you for fighting for someone worthless like myself."

After I pat Ise's head gently, I say it to Raiser.

"It's my loss. I resign."

My first Rating Game.

It starts from a bitter and a painful defeat.

I will never forget this defeat.