Beyond Critical - Chapter 19.1

The sun was…annoying this morning.

His skin slightly prickled under the morning rays and Kaito resisted the urge to scratch at himself. He knew of course, devils were weakened under the sunlight initially and took a little bit to adapt to it.

…But he seemed to be a completely different case from what he remembered of Hyoudou. He was lethargic felt incredibly weak under the sun when he first reincarnated as a devil.

'Is it because I'm part dragon as well now?' he mused inwardly as he snapped out a quick one-two jab into an uppercut combo, followed by a rising kick aimed at an imaginary opponents neck.

There was a noticeable speed increase in his movements, and an even easier ease into his movements than usual. Not only had his physical abilities increased, the overall condition of his body had too. His senses had been enhanced even further, he was more flexible and limber, his reflexes increased.

If he gave a rough estimate, he'd say his overall abilities, including his magic had increased by an overall fifty percent.

That did not include the toughness of his body or his outright physical strength though. He wasn't quite sure how much he'd grown in that department, but at the very least, it was over five times.

Yes, the Rook piece was definitely the best choice for him.

Which brought his thoughts back to his new 'king' and just what happened last night.

Kaito was at a loss. When he reviewed his memories of last night, for the most part, it felt like he was an outside spectator in his body, running on instinct.

And it had been ever since he'd started having sex with Yanagi and Irina. Something…had risen up in him and put him on a high, so much so that he'd barely been fully cognate. Even when he was speaking to Rias and Serafall, and it had been him, it felt like…it was all overshadowed by the sheer desire, the sheer need to dominate them.

He shuddered as he remembered Yanagi moaning beneath him, Irina squealing in pleasure as he tugged on her twin tails and spanked her, Rias baring her body to him and welcoming him to take her, Serafall submissively presenting herself to him after he'd 'won' their little bet.

It had been all he could do to not just ignore when Sona called, it had taken all his willpower not to just grab the Satan Leviathan by her own twin tails and drive himself into her to the hilt.

…That wasn't him. He wasn't that kind of guy, to get so lost in his lust and feel the need to utterly dominate girls.

As it was, last night, things had ended on a rather awkward note between everyone. Serafall after reincarnating him and teleporting him back home, had barely stuck around for more than a minute to tell him she'd get in contact with him later and that for the moment, he should act as a member of Rias' peerage before rushing off.

Even Rias had noticed the awkwardness and excused herself after dressing, promising they'd talk after school.

…He hadn't slept at all since then. Couldn't actually. While Yanagi and Irina had pretty much collapsed in his futon when everything was all said and done, he'd been…full of energy.

So much so, he'd spent the night recalling the memories his other self had, of when Akeno Himejima taught Hyoudou and Asia Argento to draw upon and use their devil magic.

…It had been surprisingly simple to draw out and shape as raw energy. Possibly because he was used to the feel of his magic and had been actively using his dragon powers and touki for quite a while now.

'Could it have been because of that?' Kaito wondered idly, spinning in place as he brought his foot back and throwing out an elbow, transitioning into a swinging back fist, a sweep and just comboing his way through movements.

His self from that the other world, was a lot more lustful than he was initially and a lot more violent. But, while he liked to have rough sex with girls, influenced too much from his childhood and being introduced to that kind of thing at an early age, he didn't want to…dominate them in full.

At least not in the way he had wanted last night.

And it wasn't just that now that he was actively thinking on it.

He'd been subtly different in attitude lately. Not by much, but he was more prone to anger now. He was more easily riled by jealousy.

…He was more malicious to that he didn't like.

Like Hyoudou.

Two weeks ago when he ran into him exercising. While it was pathetic and insulting the way he went about it, he'd usually have just went on his way, or at most gave a single comment. Not, goad the older boy into a fight, crush him and do what he did.

It wasn't that he even regretted doing it either, Hyoudou was a cunt and he deserved that and more for the shit he'd pulled, but it still wasn't something he'd usually have done normally.

'Is it because I became part dragon?' he wondered. But, that didn't really make sense to be honest. From what he knew, Hyoudou didn't display any more aggressive character traits from when he did it.

In fact, from what he knew, Hyoudou became more pathetic after sacrificing his arm.

Unless becoming a dragon enhanced ones most negative emotional attributes, that didn't make sense either.

So it had to be something else.

'Is it just a part of who I am and never noticed before?' he wondered. Had he repressed these feelings for so long and they were just surging up and out of him now that he finally felt a bit free from his burdens?

A yawn drew him from his thoughts and he paused, looking over his shoulder towards Yanagi and Irina, sat atop a bench.

Well, Yanagi was, a faint glow emanating from behind her bangs while Irina was slumped over, snoring away.

…He'd accidentally woken them up when he lost control of his new magic power for a moment. And there was no point going back to sleep.

Well, for him and Yanagi at least, they had school. Irina had decided to join them to get some fresh air, or so she said.

"Are you done getting a feel for your upgrades yet?" Yanagi asked, reaching up to rub her eyes under her bangs.

"More or less." he shrugged, relaxing and making his way over to her. As he did, she released her hold on her sacred gear and the oppressive force of gravity that he'd been training under, faded away.

"…Awesome," Yanagi commented, before leaning back, head tilting over the back of the bench with a sigh, "I can't be bothered with school today. I can't feel my legs you big dicked bastard."

He couldn't decide if he should smile smugly or apologise for that. So, he decided of a meeting in the middle.

"That sounds like a you problem," he shrugged, "You did ask for it." he pointed out.

"Damn right I did," Yanagi gave him a smug toothy grin, "I did say before didn't I? This is where my babies are coming from." she reached over and pat him on the crotch.

He snorted, but thinking on it, Yanagi was a little different lately herself. She had always been blunt and teasing, but ever since they started dating, she'd been a lot more aggressive both with him, and others. Last night she was literally trying to threaten Rias with his cock and wanted him to make Serafall squeal.

"Hey…why were you so accepting of Rias last night? And even Serafall?" he asked.

She tilted her head and he saw her pretty blue eyes glance at him from under her bangs, "…I dunno to be honest?" she replied, "Like, I felt for her and all, but I really do find these devil girls really annoying. And like, they seem so entitled and arrogant without even realising it, always bothering you…us. I just couldn't help but think seeing them under you, squealing like sluts and putting them in their place and show them they're not so great, would be fitting."

…Something clicked for him.

"You wanted to see me dominate them and make them submit?" he asked.

"Yeah, I did," she snorted, her toothy grin re-appearing, "The beautiful stacked rich noble duke girl and a literal leader of supernatural creatures right out of mythology, hell the bible in this case. I'd love to to see those stupid bitches get theirs and brought low just like any human girl would when it came to you and show them they're not better than us in any way."

Was it…dragon aura? Was his power as a dragon, influencing her? Had it been influencing them all? But…was it really so powerful it could even influence Serafall Leviathan, who by her own words had beaten the crap out of gods and may as well take up the name 'Bully Leviathan' and coined the catch phrase 'I'm gonna put some ice in your eye'.

That didn't seem possible. But at the same time, he felt like he was on to something. It was just something deep inside him that was telling him he was on the right track.

Another yawn broke him from his thoughts and altered him to Irina waking up. The older girl sleepily rubbed at her eyes and sat up, giving him a bleary look, "Are…we done yet?" she asked.

Yanagi snorted, "You haven't even done anything."

"Wrong," Irina stuck her tongue out at the other girl, "I provided emotional support."

"The only support you provided is showing off that lewd body of yours," Yanagi scoffed, "Some former church girl you turned out to be."

"You're just jealous because I'm tougher than you and lasted longer with Kaito-kun last night." Irina beamed happily and smugly at the grey haired girl.

"I'm gonna throw you to the moon." Yanagi threatened.

"You're not fast enough," Irina denied her, then looked to him, "So, are we done?"

He'd needed both of them. Yanagi for the gravity to get a feel for his new capabilities and Irina to set up a barrier so nobody could sense what was going on.

"Almost." he chuckled, "There's one more thing I need to do." He summoned his sacred gear, and pulled on one of the items contained inside.

A familiar box, containing a familiar set of evil pieces. Sixteen pieces to be exact. The one his eyes were on specifically, was an ominously glowing crimson red, king piece.

"Can you strengthen your barrier?" he asked her.

"Mmm, kay!" Irina nodded, leaning over to pick him on the lips, before hopping onto her feet and skipping over to the edges of her barrier.

"…We're gonna be here even longer now aren't we?" Yanagi sighed.

"Probably." he grinned.

If this worked out the way he hoped after all…his strength was going to rise through the roof.

Standing back up, he stored the other evil pieces away again in his sacred gear before focusing on it, drawing upon his magic power.

'I wonder if this will change again?' he idly wondered, his other hand coming up to toy with the Sacred Bead upon his ear. Last night, when he'd been reincarnated as a Rook, it had shifted to a golden colour.

He funnelled it into it and grinned as he saw the chess piece beginning to glow even brighter, so bright it began to cast the area of the local park they were in.

If he was right….then-

He brought the glowing king piece towards his chest and shuddered as it sank deep inside of his body, joining the rook piece within him.

And then he felt it. A spark igniting within his very core, rushing through his very soul, spreading through his body.

Liquid power ignited his very being.