Bound by Infinity

Chapter 22

Two Days Later

Rias and I sat before her peerage, Ophis perched comfortably in my lap, nibbling on a piece of chocolate. Asia chatted quietly with the now angelic Mittelt, while Tiamat stood behind me, her presence as imposing as ever.

"Alright, peasants," I began, a smirk tugging at my lips. "Now that you've survived the initial training, it's time to start the advanced course." 

A chorus of groans erupted from the peerage—even Akeno, the self-proclaimed masochist, joined in. 

"Don't worry," Rias interjected, trying her best to sound encouraging. "This will suck… a little less." 

I shot her a playful look and chuckled. "Don't let Rias fool you. It'll suck just as much—maybe more. But hey, it'll be slightly more fun." 

Ophis nodded sagely in agreement, and with a wave of her hand, a veil of darkness descended over the area. When it faded, a massive, eerily quiet city stood before us, stretching endlessly into the horizon.

"Huh?" Issei muttered, looking around in confusion. 

"Ara ara, what is this?" Akeno asked, tilting her head with curiosity. 

"Where are we?" Kiba added, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword. 

"...Weird," Koneko commented flatly. 

"This," I said, gesturing grandly, "is a dimension Ophis created specifically for your training." 

Issei squinted suspiciously at Ophis. "Wait… Ophis is the girl in your lap, right? Who is she exactly?" 

I blinked, surprised. "We didn't explain who Ophis is?" 

The peerage collectively shook their heads. 

I glanced at Rias, who simply shrugged. With a sigh, I turned back to the group. "Alright. This is Ophis Hyoudou—or Gremory, depending on who you ask. She's mine and Rias's adopted daughter. She also happens to be the Infinite Dragon God—one of the strongest beings in existence. Got it?" 

The silence was deafening as the peerage stared at me in disbelief. 

"...What?!" they finally exclaimed in unison. 

"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissively, picking Ophis up and placing her on the throne I'd been sitting on. Then, in a blink, I teleported in front of the peerage. 

With a wave of my hand, a silver aura enveloped their bodies, shimmering briefly before fading. "Now, let's get to work. Akeno, Issei—you're on one side. Koneko, Kiba—you're on the other." 

As they grouped up, I handed Rias a piece of paper. "These two are yours," I said, gesturing to Akeno and Issei. 

Rias scanned the paper before nodding. "Simple enough," she said. 

"Oh, before I forget," I added. "Time works differently here. An hour outside equals a day in here, and any injuries you sustain will heal automatically. No excuses." 

Rias nodded again and led her group away. Ophis, Asia, and the others vanished soon after, leaving me alone with Koneko and Kiba. 

"Alright," I said, addressing them. "It's time you both learned what you're capable of." 

I turned to Koneko first. "You now have access to a unique energy called Reiatsu—spiritual energy. It's unlike anything you've used before. But first…" 

I conjured a katana and tossed it to her. She caught it, confusion evident on her face. 

"That's called an Asauchi. It's a special weapon, and from now on, it's your best friend. You'll be spending every waking moment with that blade. I've also given you an extra ability tied to Reiatsu, but we'll get to that later. The second ability is called the Rot Attribute, or Rot Attack—it embodies the concept of decay and death." 

Turning to Kiba, I continued. "As for you, you've gained two abilities. The first is Trace On. It allows you to recreate and reinforce any weapon or item—as long as you know its history. The second is the Scarlet Rot—a toxic substance that acts as a blend of poison and decay. It's either a gas or a liquid, depending on how you choose to wield it." 

Their stunned expressions were priceless, but I didn't let it distract me. Raising my right hand, I summoned Crucifix in its blade form. 

"Now," I said, a dangerous smile on my lips, "we train. Koneko, start channeling the energy that's neither Chakra nor Magic. You're going to need it." 

In a flash, I disappeared, reappearing above them. Kiba instinctively stepped in front of Koneko, blocking my strike with his sword. The sheer force of the impact shattered the ground beneath him. 

The two fought valiantly, but it wasn't long before I started pushing them harder—forcing Koneko to unlock her Reiatsu and Rot Attack, and Kiba to awaken his Scarlet Rot. By the time they succeeded, they were both battered and exhausted, their newfound powers manifesting in vibrant auras around them. 

"Good work," I said, Dispelling Crucifix. "You've earned a break." 

As they collapsed onto the ground, I teleported away to check on Rias's group. 

When I arrived, I found Rias dragging Akeno and Issei through buildings with little effort. Akeno had already unlocked her abilities, wielding blue flames, purple lightning, and black ice. Issei was lagging behind but was starting to grasp his own powers. 

I winced as Rias delivered a brutal kick to Issei, sending him flying through several buildings. 

"...I felt that," I muttered, shivering involuntarily. 

By the time Issei finally stopped, he crashed into a building. I teleported over to Rias.

"Good work," I said to Rias, nodding in approval. 

"Is he alright?" she asked, concerned. 

"He'll be fine," I assured her. "He'll wake up in 3… 2… 1." 

A pillar of green energy erupted from where Issei had landed. When we teleported over, he was barely standing—just long enough to collapse in a heap. Issei stirred, his newfound energy flickering faintly around him. 

"Alright," I said, grinning. "Now the real fun begins." 

Five Days Later (Two and a Half Months in the Dimension) 

"Congratulations, my dear test subjects—I mean, students. You've survived my crash course in training for dummies. But today, we're doing something different." 

"And what's that?" Issei asked, groaning. 

"Simple: a three-versus-four battle," I said, smirking. "It's Rias, Asia, and me against the rest of you." 

"Good luck," Rias added with a sly smile. 

I grinned. "You're going to need it."

With Tiamat, Ophis, and Mittelt

"They're going to get their asses handed to them," Mittelt said, handing Ophis an ice cream cone. 

"They stand no chance," Tiamat added, her fingers gently combing through Ophis's hair. 

"It is a calamity waiting to happen," Ophis muttered between bites of chocolate. 

"Indeed," both Tiamat and Mittelt agreed, nodding in unison. 

Back with Kouki and the Others 

I stood before them, stretching while summoning Crucifix. Its familiar weight in my hands brought a small smirk to my face. Behind me, Rias summoned Ryūjin Jakka, its flames igniting the air. Asia, now under Index's control, stepped forward. Her silver hair shimmered as her eyes glowed crimson, a massive magic circle forming behind her. 

Issei activated his Sacred Gear, its green glow pulsing around him. Koneko unsheathed her *Asauchi*, its edge reflecting her steady resolve. Kiba summoned a sleek katana, its sharpness mirroring the glint of determination in his eyes. Akeno stood off to the side, her shrine maiden attire giving her an ethereal air. 

I rested Crucifix on my shoulder as I surveyed them, my smirk widening. "Alright. Show me what you've got." 

Rias and Index moved first, blurring from sight. 

Rias appeared before Akeno, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her away. In a flash, Index did the same to Kiba, leaving Issei and Koneko to face me. 

They didn't have time to react. With a flick of my wrist, Crucifix fired a blast. 

Koneko jumped in front of Issei, her eyes narrowing. "Bakudō 82: Dankū!" she shouted, summoning a translucent green barrier. The blast collided with it, causing an explosion that rocked the ground beneath us. 

Not bad. 

I blurred to their left, swinging Crucifix in scythe form. The blade whistled through the air as Issei shoved Koneko out of the way, summoning a sword of green energy to block. The weapon glowed brightly before it exploded, knocking me back. 

Interesting. 

Before I could regroup, Koneko darted forward with a burst of Shunpo. Her sword hummed with a strange purple energy. I sidestepped her swing, watching as her blade struck the ground, disintegrating it completely. 

"Kamehame—!" 

I glanced to my left. Issei was charging an energy blast, his hands glowing with green light. 

Before he could fire, I teleported above him, a black orb forming on my fingertip. 

"Cero." 

The orb erupted into a beam, slamming into Issei with explosive force. Dust and debris filled the air as I landed smoothly, only to sense Koneko reappearing beside me. Her blade sliced toward me, but I parried it with Crucifix. 

"Impressive," I said, knocking her back. "But I'm just getting started." 

{Boost!} 

I turned my attention to Issei, whose Sacred Gear pulsed violently. 

"Balance Break!" 

A pillar of green energy shot into the sky, forcing me to shield my eyes. When the light faded, Issei stood clad in crimson dragon armor, glowing green gems embedded into its surface. The armor radiated power, with thrusters and wings giving him an imposing presence. 

"Govern the skies, Ouranos," Koneko murmured, her sword shifting into a cloudy, ethereal form. 

Finally. Let's see how far you've come. 

They charged me in unison. Issei threw a punch as Koneko swung her zanpakutō. I blocked their attacks, but the force sent me flying through several buildings. 

As I emerged from the rubble, A green gem appeared in my hand, letting its energy surge through me. "It's too late!" 

The gem shattered as a wave of energy enveloped me. When it subsided, I revealed my new form. Five long quills extended from my head, with black armor covering my body. White markings glowed faintly on my chest, and a spiky belt trailed a flowing black cape. My red eyes glinted dangerously, the transformation complete. 

I disappeared from sight, reappearing in front of Issei. Grabbing his face, I slammed him into the ground, creating a massive crater. Turning to Koneko, I fired a Cero that tore through the cityscape. 

Issei responded with a pillar of energy, launching himself at me. But I was faster, blitzing him with Crucifix in gun mode and pointing it at his chest. 

"Checkmate," I said, pulling the trigger. 

The resulting explosion sent Issei crashing into a skyscraper, the force equivalent to a nuclear detonation. 

With Index (Asia)

Index floated above a battered Kiba, her silver hair glowing in the dim light. Hundreds of magic circles hovered behind her, each brimming with energy. 

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not Kouki," she said coldly. "I'm ending this now." 

She snapped her fingers, and the circles unleashed a barrage of beams. The ensuing explosion obliterated the area, leaving no trace of the battlefield. 

With Rias 

Rias stood over Akeno, a bow shimmering in her hands. Its form bent reality, its structure resembling the fabric of space itself. Black arrows, each resembling miniature black holes, pinned Akeno to the ground. 

"You did well," Rias said softly, dispelling her weapon. 

"Thank you… Buchou," Akeno whispered before slipping into unconsciousness. 

Chapter 22: End