Time passed, and before Issei even realized it, Summer Vacation had come to an end.
It was the day that they had to return to the human world. After a quick departing party in the form of a not-so-simple breakfast, Issei found himself standing with Rias and the rest of the Occult Research Club, plus Ingvild, as they gathered together in the entrance hall of the Gremory Residence, bags over their shoulders and luggage at their sides.
Zeoticus, Venelana, Sarah, and her son Millicas had come to see them off.
"I hope you enjoyed the stay." Zeoticus said, smiling at them. "You're welcome here anytime."
"Take good care of yourself, Rias, everyone." Venelana said as she stepped forward and gave her daughter a warm hug.
"You too, Okaa-sama." Rias replied, holding onto her mother for a moment before walking back.
"Come visit us again soon, Issei onii-sama!" Millicas called while waving his hand at Issei. Issei didn't get to bond with Millicas at the start of Summer Vacation because he had been busy with training and prepping for the Rating Game against the Sitri, but the two of them had more than made up for it with plenty of gaming sessions over the past two weeks.
The little boy might be mature for his age, but he's also incredibly fun to hang out with. Not to mention he also admired him greatly.
"I'll come by whenever I can, Millicas." Issei nodded before noticing the toy he was holding in his hand, making him ask with a wide grin "Whoa, is that a Gladio figure?"
While the Youth Tournament might have been a small tournament compared to the professional league, it was still highly regarded by the public due to its nature of being the battlegrounds for young and promising devils showcasing their strength against one another. With their victory over the Sitri Peerage in the first match of the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament, their popularity had skyrocketed, and none more so than Issei himself.
Attention had already started coming his way, made clear by the large number of devils who had shown up to watch his Middle-Class Promotion Exam. But it was after the match that his fame truly exploded, especially with him being recognized as the MVP of the game.
To say that Issei, and his shadows, had left a strong impression on the audience would be an understatement. The younger devils, especially the children, seemed to absolutely love his shadow army. There were already toy mockups of the shadows, complete with replicas of their signature weapons, being sold in shops all around the entire Underworld.
"Yes, Otou-sama got it for me yesterday." Millicas answered, nodding his head "I think he's the coolest."
Issei let out a short laugh. "Yeah. Gladio is pretty badass."
After that, the group quickly departed, riding the same carriages that had brought them to the Gremory Estate weeks ago from the train station. The Occult Research Club split into groups and sat together in their respective carriages, chatting idly about their plans for the upcoming days before school started as the scenery rolled by.
It didn't take long before the train station came into view, with a large crowd gathering at the platform to see them off. Most of them were the servants of the Gremory family, though there were also several reporters trying to get pictures or statements before the group left.
Thankfully, the Gremory staff were able to keep them at a distance, forming a loose perimeter that gave Issei and the others enough space to move without getting swarmed. A few maids, led by Grayfia, offered polite bows or simple goodbyes to them, while the more energetic ones waved or shouted words of encouragement.
"Yo! There you are!" Azazel grinned and greeted them from the doorway of a train car, waving casually with one hand while the other held what looked to be a document.
"You're coming with us?" Rias asked, looking a bit surprised.
"Didn't feel like heading back all by myself, so I figured I'd hitch a ride with you guys."
He said, stepping aside to let them in after they handed over their luggage to the train conductors.
"Besides, I got some news to drop right here." Azazel then continued, handing Issei the document in his hand "It's been decided that your match against the Astaroth in ten days will be played under the non-Gate rule."
"Really?" Issei asked, though he didn't sound the least bit shocked as he took the document from Azazel and skimmed through it, having expected to hear that news eventually after the results came in.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Astaroth had triumphed over the Glasya-Labolas in the final match of the first round of the Youth Devil Rating Game tournament. It was a fairly one-sided match too, with Diodora and his servants, who were all specialized in ranged magic combat, easily shutting down the close-quarters-focused Zephyrdor and his team, who relied on brute force.
In other news, Sairaorg and his Peerage had defeated the Agares in a more entertaining match to watch. Seekvaira came in with a solid strategy, but it only served to make Sairaorg and his Peerage that much more formidable, as they easily powered through their oppositions without too much trouble once they got going.
If anything, the match only reinforced what everyone already knew, the fact that Sairaorg was a monster in direct combat. After witnessing his strength, Issei couldn't help but look forward to facing him and his Peerage. If things went smoothly for both sides, they'd most likely end up meeting in the final.
"So, no Gate-related powers too?" Rias asked as she peeked over to look at the file in Issei's hands.
"Nope. No abilities, no weapons either." Azazel confirmed with a nod. "That means no shadows or dragon-pact abilities for you as well, Issei. They made it pretty clear."
"I'll just have to work with everyone and beat them as the Sekiryuutei then." Issei nodded his head in understanding. "No big deal."
"Guess it's not that much of a disadvantage for you as I thought it would be." Azazel smirked before picking a seat to settle down.
At the same time, Issei dropped into the seat on the other side of the train, with Rias and Akeo taking his sides while the rest of the group finished settling in. A minute later, the train rumbled gently as it pulled away from the station, picking up speed as it moved along the tracks before taking off.
As soon as they were comfortable while the train soared across the artificial sky of the Underworld, Issei pulled out his summer homework, with the others following his example shortly after. With how packed the last few weeks had been, none of them had been able to do their summer homework, and now the deadline was right around the corner.
By the time the train arrived at the station in Kuoh Town, Issei was beat. Chemistry was his least favorite subject, and Azazel had made sure to give the second years some incredibly difficult problems to solve for their homework. He had no idea if he got all the answers right or not, but at least he was able to finish everything and move on to the easier subjects.
Putting more points into INT didn't actually make him any smarter, apparently.
"Ready to see your new home?" Issei asked with a small smile as he followed Ingvild off the train while helping her with her bag.
"I am."
The lavender haired girl beamed, and was about to speak more to Issei before she noticed him looking over her shoulder, his expression shifting as his eyes narrowed. Turning her head, Ingvild widened her eyes slightly in surprise when she saw a familiar figure approaching them, taking on the appearance of a handsome young man with blond, squinted eyes and dressed in expensive, noble clothing.
He looked friendly enough on the surface, wearing a soft smile and an air of refinement, but Issei instantly got a bad feeling from him, and it had little to do with the fact that Ravel had once told them that she always felt that there was something off about him.
"Diodora." Rias said, acknowledging the other pure-blooded devil with a nod as the rest of the group stepped off the train behind her. They all had no problem recognizing him, having watched his match against Zephyrdor live not too long ago. "Didn't expect to see you of all people here."
"My apology for showing up here without informing you, Rias. I was simply passing through on my way back from a family matter and heard that your group would be returning to the human world today." Diodora answered with a friendly smile before shifting his gaze to Ingvild, his head lowered a little to her "Miss Ingvild. It's an honor to finally meet you."
"Oh, thank you," Ingvild said politely, offering him a small nod.
"I've heard much about you." Diodora continued, "Your presence here among us has been quite the topic. I'm glad to see you healthy and doing well for yourself."
"Appreciate the concern," Issei cut in casually, stepping half a pace closer to Ingvild without thinking. "But we'd appreciate it if you just let us know what business you have with us."
Diodora, however, ignored Issei completely, his attention shifting over the girl currently standing on his right before he spoke to her while she just looked at him in confusion.
"Asia, I have come here to see you today. I apologize for not being able to greet you at the meeting. But I think our meeting was fate."
Asia blinked, her brows furrowing slightly as she tilted her head. "I'm sorry… Do I know you?"
The smile Diodora wore on his face softened, almost as if he had expected the question. Without a word, he reached up and unbuttoned the top of his elegant shirt, just enough to reveal a faint scar in the center of his chest.
"I was badly wounded… on the verge of death, in fact. But you saved me, Asia. Back when you were still in the Church, you used your Sacred Gear to heal me."
Widening her eyes in realization, as if she just remembered it then, Asia replied. "I remember you now. You were that devil who I healed."
The revelation drew stunned reactions from the rest of the group as they remembered the story Asia had shared about the moment that led to her exile from the Church.
"That's right." Diodora nodded, his tone gentle as he took a step closer, his hand reaching toward Asia. "That moment might not have been special for someone who's helped so many, but for me, it meant everything. It changed my life. I've been searching for you ever since. It brings me true joy to finally meet you again, Asia Argento."
Asia shifted slightly, clearly overwhelmed. "I… I'm just glad to see you doing fine now…"
Diodora, who clearly paid no attention to how uncomfortable Asia was, kept walking toward her.
"You heard her, Diodora," Issei said, stepping in between them to stand directly in front of Asia while giving Diodora a firm look. "She's glad you're doing fine. Let's leave it at that."
"Could you move?" Diodora asked, still smiling, though there was a noticeable edge beneath it. "You're standing between me and the girl I love."
Before Issei could respond, Asia broke the silence.
"Please don't say things like that…" She said, her tone uneasy. "I was just doing what I believed was the right thing to do. I didn't save you because of love."
"Even so," Diodora shook his head and said. "I still see it as something worth cherishing."
"Then cherish the memory, Diodora." Rias said firmly as she walked up to stand beside Issei, her arms crossed as she stared him down. "And I believe that you have overstayed your welcome. We have a home to return to, if you excuse us."
Diodora looked like he wanted to say more, but he merely gave a polite nod. "Of course. I won't keep you any longer. Let's meet again soon, Asia."
His said, his gaze lingering on Asia for a moment too long before he turned and walked away, his ever-present smile still in place but no longer reaching his eyes.
"I don't like him." Finally, Issei said, his tone flat.
"Yeah, me neither." Xenovia gave him a nod and a pat on the shoulder. "But look at the bright side, we will have the chance to knock his teeth out soon."
Issei couldn't have agreed more.
With another nod to Xenovia, Issei turned back to Asia, his tone softening as he asked her. "Hey, you doing okay?"
She looked a little confused, but there was a gentle smile on her face as she met his eyes and nodded. "Yes, Issei-san. I was just… surprised by Diodora-san's approach. That's all."
Issei gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, you've got nothing to worry about. We've got your back."
"Always." Xenovia chimed in, holding up her fist with a grin as she looked at her best friend. "If that guy bothers you again, I'll let him know what it feels like to be cut by Durandal."
"Thank you." Asia giggled softly, the warmth in her voice clear before following the rest as they headed home using the magic circle in the main lobby, teleporting to the VIP meeting room on the sixth floor of Gremory Residence. From there, they dispersed, with Kiba, Koneko and Gasper departing their own homes shortly after. It also appeared that Koneko wished to move in as well, so Issei sent five shadow troopers with her to help her pack.
With his parents still away on their overseas vacation, courtesy of the Gremory family, Issei was free to summon his Shadows and had them assist him and the rest with moving their stuff back into their room. As everyone began settling back in, with Rias and Akeno taking over the kitchen to cook a meal for everyone, Issei helped Ingvild move into her new room on the fourth floor of the Residence. It was freshly cleaned and already furnished, thanks to Rias making preparations with her parents before their trip back.
"This room's yours now, Ingvild." Issei said, setting the last of her bags near the bed. "If you need anything, just let me know. You're a member of the family now."
Ingvild gave him a warm smile as she glanced around the room. "Thank you, Ise. I'll do my best to fit in."
"You already do." Issei replied with a small grin before making his way toward the door. "You want a house tour? We've got a lot here, and it's pretty easy to get lost."
Ingvild blinked, then gave a soft nod. "I'd like that."
"Alright then. Let's go," Issei said, waving for her to follow. They started with the fourth floor, where Issei pointed out the rooms belonging to her neighbors—Akeno, Xenovia, and Ravel. Moving down to the third floor, he showed her the rooms for his parents, along with the laundry room and a smaller reading area that doubled as a study. His room was next, and since Rias and Asia had pretty much moved in there, using their own room only to store their stuff, the entire second floor was relatively quiet. The first floor was much more lively, with the living room, dining hall, main kitchen, bathroom and access to the backyard all connected in an open-concept layout.
Once they had passed through the living area, Issei led her down to the basement floor of his home via the elevator tucked in the far corner of the main hallway, showing her the indoor movie theater, swimming pool, and a large indoor bath with a sauna.
"And this is our training room." Issei said as he opened the door and stepped inside with Ingvild following closely behind him. The space was massive, easily the size of a gymnasium, reinforced from top to bottom with enchantments to withstand even the harshest of training sessions. Targets and weapon racks lined the walls while a section near the back was fitted with high-tech equipment for monitoring power output, courtesy of Zeoticus and his Emporium.
Toward the far left, however, was something new. It was a large enclosed area that looked like a workshop, separated by a thick layer of reinforced glass. Inside were racks of tools, hammers, tongs, and even a miniature forge already glowing faintly with heat. It was clearly a smithy.
"And over there is Vulcan's forge." Issei said as he made over to the place with Ingvild. A week ago, he had asked Zeoticus if they could set up a proper forging space so Vulcan could work, and clearly, the man had followed through, going a little overboard with it too since Issei had only asked for a small workshop. Even the storage room in the back seemed to have enough materials for him to gear up an entire army for war.
The System could create a working space for Vulcan with the Crafting and Refining System while he provided him with materials from the System Shop, but with this forge, no one would question where it came from if he wanted something crafted.
As they stepped inside, Issei noticed a long, rectangular box resting on the nearby workbench, and wasted no time to step over to open it. To his expectation, the item inside was none other than the Orb of Avarice, mounted atop a dark metallic staff etched with intricate patterns. He could his magic coursing through the shaft and resonating in perfect sync with the Orb. A quick Observe scan was enough for him to see that its grade had increased with the staff installed.
"Nice." Issei said, looking at the staff he had commissioned Zeoticus to create weeks ago while Ingvild picked up the letter inside and read it aloud for him.
"Here's your requested Staff of Avarice, crafted just like you wanted. Thanks for letting me work on this little project. Hope it serves you and Glacia well. —Zeoticus"
Issei let out a soft chuckle. "Glad he had fun with it. Glacia!"
At his call, the Elf Queen Shadow emerged, her head bowing low as she held her hands out and gracefully accepted the staff from Issei. The moment her fingers wrapped around the shaft, a faint bluish aura of ice enveloped the entire thing. The Orb of Avarice pulsed once, then gradually shifted its color from deep orange to a bright, frosty white.
"It suits you," Issei said, nodding in approval. "Make good use of it from now on."
Glacia smiled softly, bowing her head again in acknowledgment.
"Now." Issei turned, his eyes scanning the rest of the workshop. "I think the others could use some new weapons as well. Vulcan."
After the Shadow Blacksmith had taken his place behind the workbench, Issei wasted no time to start listing the items he wanted him to craft for his other shadows. A team of berserkers then moved swiftly to the back, hauling out crates and bundles of materials from the storage room while Ingvild stood at the side with a clipboard in hand, checking each material off the list as it came through as she assisted Issei with the matter.
"Here you go. A better axe as I have promised." Issei said, handing Asterius a newly crafted Axe, which the Minotaur took with both hands. It was a bit heavier and larger than the one Issei had gotten from the shop for him to use temporarily, with a thicker handle wrapped in dark leather for a steadier grip. The double-headed blade was forged from a solid chunk of black steel, wide and sharp with a faint red glow running near the curved edges.
Asterius gave it a few test swings before grunting while nodding his head in approval. With a solid 300ATK stat and the passive to produce flame strikes with each swing, a signature refinement from Vulcan, the weapon sure was a serious upgrade from what he had been using.
"Glad you like it." Issei grinned as Asterius gave him a grateful salute, his fist resting over his chest while the other holding out his weapon at his side. Nodding, Issei then turned back to Ingvild and asked her "Alright. Ingvild, how many mana stones do we have?"
The forging continued on after that, with Issei arming up the magician and ranged troops with new magic weapons and bows. Shadows formed lines to receive their equipment, each stepping forward when called. Since the items created by Vulcan had ATK stats significantly boosted, Issei decided to hold off on crafting armor and other defensive items for the time being, figuring it would be better to wait until he had found a blacksmith who specialized more in defensive equipment to have them handle those.
Not that it was really an issue. The gears he had already given the Tanker Unit would last them a while thanks to their solid grades and high defensive stats.
Speaking of which…
"Yeah, I do need to find someone to wield that shield soon, don't I?" Issei asked while looking at Gladio and the shield he carried on his back.
Gladio could wield just about any type of weapon, and even a shield was lethal in his hands, but taking a defensive stance was not where he shone. Going full offense had always been the reason Gladio truly excelled above every other Elite Grade shadow of his, and it needed to stay that way if Issei wanted his strongest warrior to fight at full strength on the frontline.
On the other hand, the Attractive Shield and the defensiveness it provided were just too good not to be utilized in battle, even compared to the highest grade shields that he could get from the Shop. But at the same time, it could never be fully utilized in the hands of someone like Gladio, or any of his current shadows. Leaving it in his inventory to collect dust was the last thing he wanted as well, especially after what he had promised Sieghart and his brothers.
"Oh wait… almost forgot I had these." Issei said as he took out from his Inventory the two horns of the Demon Lord Vulcan and the Mask of Metus, both of which were S-grade materials that could be used to craft high-grade gears or refine legendary weapons.
He eyed the materials thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to Vulcan, who was still hunched over his workbench, flames crackling around him as he hammered out a new batch of swords. Opening up his Crafting Tab, Issei placed the materials inside and began scrolling through the list of available items he could make from them. To his surprise, there were actually plenty of tempting options, but Issei had already made up his mind.
"Here. Make this next, Vulcan." Issei said, confirming his choice and adding the new weapon into the Crafting Queue after purchasing the remaining materials needed for it from the System Shop. Vulcan let out a grunt and nodded his head in response before carrying on with his works while the Shadow Berserker assisted him by moving materials into place and sorting out new weapons along the racks.
With that handled, Issei turned back to Ingvild and asked with a grin, "This'll take a while to finish. You wanna go grab a drink with me? We have a fridge here stocked with all sorts of flavored milks."
"Sure." Ingvild nodded her head with a smile before setting the clipboard in her hands down to follow Issei out of the room, the sound of hammering and the hiss of flames fading behind them as the door swung shut.
"ISSEI! YOU BASTARD!"
"What is it now?" Issei asked lazily, not even taking his eyes off the article about Goto Ryuji that he was reading on his phone to look at Matsuda and Motohama as they rushed toward him, screaming.
After everything that had happened over summer break, he was finally back at school. The new semester had just begun, and it seemed like nothing had really changed.
"Are the rumors true!?" They asked, almost at the same time while standing in front of his table. "That you are dating both Rias-senpai and Akeno-senpai."
"Yeah, and?" Issei asked, sounding almost casual. Matsuda looked like he was about to collapse on the spot. Motohama just gawked at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
His response also earned a resounding gasp from his classmates. Most of the girls looked excited by the news, while all of the boys looked like they wanted to kill Issei right there, which was actually nothing unusual.
"Fuck you, man. Do you have any idea how unfair this is!?" Motohama finally managed. "Some of us here are still single and you get with not one… but two of them!"
"And they are the Two Great Onee-sama too." Matsuda exclaimed while crying tears "I bet you had a great summer vacation with them abroad, abandoning us alone with our struggle to lose our virginity during summer by going to the beach…"
"I don't recall promising to hang out with you guys or anything… Even if I do, of course I would abandon you two idiots to your hopeless cause to hang out with Rias, Akeno and the others." Issei replied with a smug smirk as he leaned sideways against his chair, his words literally setting both Matsuda and Motohama on fire of fury and jealousy.
"A-addressing them by their names so casually…"
"Damn bastard, just how far have you gotten with them!?"
Before they could ask more, or Issei could open his mouth to reply to them, a new voice cut in, joining the conversation. "Ara, smells like virgins around here…"
At that, both Matsuda and Motohama turned around, while Issei just looked over them to see Aika Kiryuu standing behind the two with a smug smile plastering across her face.
"Kiryuu! Did you come to laugh at us!?"
Kiryuu nodded at Motohama's question. "Do I really need to? Since it's you guys."
"Shut up! What the hell do you even mean by that?"
"Anyway, moving on…" Kiyruu said while waving her hand at them before looking at all three of them to ask "I heard that there will be two transfer students today… And they just happen to be sorted into our class."
"Two?" Issei repeated in surprise. "I thought there was only…"
"Oh, so you already know at least one of them then. Somehow, I have this feeling that you do." Kiryuu said, adjusting her glass with a sly smile on her face. "Just so you two know, they are both girls."
As Matsuda, Motohama and pretty much every boy in the classroom looked excited, Issei just crossed his arms with a thoughtful look, wondering who was the other girl that would soon transfer into their class.
A few minutes later, the second girl was revealed. Although Issei was surprised to see her, she was by no means an unfamiliar or unwelcomed face.
"My name is Ingvild Leviathan. Nice to meet you, everyone."
"And I'm Shidou Irina. Let's get along!"
To say that the whole classroom, especially the boys, were excited would be an understatement, since both Ingvild and Irina were incredibly beautiful and attractive young women.
"Shidou Irina-san. Welcome to Kuoh Academy."
Shortly after class had ended, the Occult Research Club found themselves gathering in their clubroom alongside Sona Sitri and Azazel to properly welcome Irina to their school.
"Yes! Everyone!" Irina beamed. "Well, there are some people here I'm meeting for the first time, but I already know most of you. My name is Shidou Irina! I came to Kuoh Academy as a messenger of the angels. Please take care of me from now on."
Everyone clapped in welcoming their newest member beside Ingvild, who was sitting next to Issei. Irina also appears to have a joyful reunion with Xenovia and Asia during lunchbreak, the three quickly becoming good friends.
"So…" Azazel began as he grabbed himself a drink. Per tradition, Rias had thrown a small party to welcome new members into their club, so the table in front of them was packed with snacks, pastries, and bottled drinks. "Can I assume that it was Michael who sent you here?"
"Yes, Azazel-sama." Irina answered, nodding her head "Michael-sama was troubled because not a single person from Heaven was here. He said it would be a problem if none of the staff was in this area."
"Yeah, he did say something like that during our last meeting." Azazel nodded, explaining it clearly to both Rias and Sona, who were both in charge of Kuoh Town "This location is active with the power of those from either Heaven or the Underworld, but the ones who are actually working here are your groups and a small number of other individuals including myself. Personally, I think everything here has been running just fine the way it is. But Michael insisted. He said someone from Heaven should be operating here too. I tried to convince him otherwise, since Heaven had already given us more support than we could have asked for, but he kept on insisting in the end."
Everyone nodded in understanding. Not that it was anything surprising for them, since the Three Factions had become allies after the Kuoh Peace Treaty. It was only a matter of time before they'd have to start working together in more official capacities, something that all three sides seemed to be still struggling with due to millions of years of conflicts. However, if there was any group that could pioneer this and show all three Factions the result of cooperation, Issei had a feeling that there was no other choice better than them.
"Which reminds me…" Azazel spoke up, breaking the thoughtful silence as he leaned back with his drink. "Has that project Uriel has been working on with Ajuka in Heaven been completed yet?"
Irina beamed. "Yes! In fact…"
She said, putting her hands into a prayer in front of the group before closing her eyes. A soft glow then surrounded her, and in the next moment, two pristine white wings spread out behind her back, radiating gentle light while leaving the devils in the clubroom astonished.
"I have received Michael-sama's blessing and became a reincarnated angel. Thanks to the combined technologies between Heaven, Grigori and Underworld, such a thing is now possible in the form of the Brave Saints System!"
"Basically, if the devils are chess pieces, then the angels are suits of cards." Azazel nodded with a thoughtful look. "Heaven really did go all out with it after we started sharing our technologies with them. Well, on one hand the System will help Angels replenish their number over time, on the other the number of reincarnated angels would certainly strengthen their forces."
"If the Brave Saints are based on the Evil Pieces, then I assume there will be something akin to a Mutation Piece…" Sona inquired "A Joker? While the other twelve cards represent the twelve apostles from the Bible?"
"That's right." Irina nodded her head. "The Jokers are still being decided, but we already have some candidates for the role. Michael-sama and Gabriel-sama are being very careful with the selection."
"My bet is on Dulio. He's the strongest Exorcist after all." Azazel chuckled.
"So what card are you, Irina-san?" Asia asked curiously, tilting her head.
With a proud smile, Irina raised her hand as a faint light glowed around it before a radiant symbol in the shape of an 'Ace' appeared on her palm.
"I'm an Ace!" she announced, puffing her chest out with pride. "The Ace of Michael-sama, of all Archangels. I've been given a truly honorable position! Even if the Lord is no longer present, I can keep on living through this role. That's the power and responsibility of an Ace!"
"Good for you, Irina." Issei remarked with a soft chuckle.
"Thank you, Issei-kun." Irina winked before she turned back to the whole room to continue "And one more thing—Michael-sama mentioned that he can see a special kind of Rating Game happening in the future between the Evil Pieces and the Brave Saints! Right now, the Brave Saint system is still in its prototype stage, so only the Seraph-class angels have access to it. But in the near future, other high-level angels outside the Seraph will be granted the system as well. He's hoping that, just like the Rating Games for Devils, the Angels will eventually have their own battles so we can grow strong together!"
"I guess there is no better way for us to move past old grudges, but still satisfy our competitive nature against one another than some friendly competitions." Azazel chuckled amusedly. "Looks like I better get the Fallen Angels involved too."
"Well then, I believe I'll take my leave now." Sona said, rising from her seat.
"Leaving already, Sona?" Rias asked, calling after her rival.
"The Student Council has the upcoming Sports Festival to prepare for, Rias, so I'll have to excuse myself." The Sitri heiress replied smoothly. Rias gave a small nod of understanding, and Sona turned to Irina and Ingvild, offering them a polite smile. "Once again, welcome to Kuoh Academy, Irina-san, Ingvild-san. I hope you'll both enjoy your time here."
"Thank you very much, Sona-kaichou." Irina beamed.
"I'll do my best," Ingvild said with a soft nod.
With that, Sona gave them both a final nod before turning on her heel and making her way out of the room, leaving the Occult Research Club to resume their party.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 36 Shadow Monarch
HP: 24,245/24,245
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 7250/7250
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 271 (27)
Vitality: 215 (22)
Intelligence: 238 (24)
Dexterity: 220 (22)
Perception: 200 (20)
Charisma: 190 (19)
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1), Shadow Exchange (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV2).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV2 - Water Dragon Pact Affected), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1, Ingvild Leviathan (Water) – Pact LV4
Current Shadows: 281 / 490 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troop 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13.)
Elite Shadows: Asterius (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Lycaon (Elite Knight), Tora (Elite Knight), Blade (Elite Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), 1.[High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), [Obsidian] Jewelry Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 (LV40), Orb of Avarice, Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 15.251.720 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon (Crimson Scale Mail), Twinflare (Soul Link), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank.
End of Chapter 34