Manga Volume 1/Chapter 3

I've Begun a Battle is the 2nd chapter of the High School DxD manga, published in tankōbon format in Volume 1 on June 6th, 2011 and serialized in Dragon Magazine.

Summary
After Issei helps the nun, Asia Argento, to her feet, he gives her her headdress (which she dropped as she fell). When Issei offers to gather the clothing from her fallen suitcase, he picks up her panties (to her embarrasment). Asia tells him that she was appointed to a church in the city but is now lost and cannot speak Japanese well. He offers to escort her back to the Church (not having revealed his Devil identity). On the way, Asia displays her 'miraculous' healing ability after encountering a boy crying due to a bloody knee. Though Issei has not revealed his identity, he gets chills when Asia says the word "God" or makes a prayer. They see the Church and Issei approaches it with her. Upon approaching the church with Asia, Issei makes excuses and leaves when he remembers Rias' warning not to approach churches. Asia bids him goodbye and he returns to the Occult Research Club where Rias scolds him for going near a church (as enemy territory). She also warns him not to become close to anyone affiliated with the Church, especially exorcists (who have the power to destroy devils).

Akeno interrupts to tell them that the Archduke has passed down an order of suppression to kill a Rogue Devil (a devil that kills its master). When they enter the base of the rogue devil, they discover bloodstains and multiple human corpses. The Rogue Devil "Visor" appears and the other devils engage it, overpowering it one at a time while Rias introduces the Rating Game as a method of converting humans into Devils using magical chesspieces by means of a lecture. She then explains the role of each devil and how they correspond to their chesspieces:


 * Koneko as a "Rook" (exhibiting strong defense and brute strength)
 * Kiba as a "Knight" (with high-speed swordsmanship & evasive ability)
 * Akeno as a "Queen" (with the combined abilities of a Pawn, Rook and)
 * Rias as a "King" (with the ability to create Devils in her peerage)

After she deals the killing blow, she tells Issei that he is a "Pawn" to his dismay (not knowing about his "Promotion" ability).

Characters

 * Asia Argento
 * Hyoudou Issei
 * Rias Gremory
 * Akeno Himegami
 * Koneko Toujou
 * Yuuto Kiba