"…and that's a new record!"
Issei called as he clicked the stopwatch in his hand, watching as Asia and Xenovia, whose ankles were tied using a simple gym rope, slowed down to a stop in front of him after crossing the makeshift finish line they had drawn on the ground. Grinning, he reached into the ice box beside him, pulled out two chilled water bottles, and handed them over to the girls.
"Nice work, you two. Here, drink up."
"Thank you, Issei-san." Asia beamed between breaths, her face flushed as she took the bottle and unscrewed the cap.
"We did better than last time?" Xenovia asked as she took the bottle from Issei, looking relatively fine compared to her blond friend. Not that it was anything too surprising, however, with Xenovia being the swordswoman, who prioritized brute force over techniques, that she was.
Issei checked the stopwatch again before answering. "Yeah. You shaved almost five seconds off your last run. At this rate, you two are gonna smoke the competition."
With the annual Sport Festival just around the corner, Issei was currently helping Xenovia and Asia practicing for their three-legged race. Issei would have loved to participate himself with Asia, but the height difference between the two of them would surely put them at a disadvantage, so he had opted out of the race and let Xenovia take his spot, leaving him to participate in the relay race with Irina and Kiba, which Issei was confident they would win without any trouble.
"All right, guys. How about one more run and then we can call it a day?" Issei suggested while resetting the timer on the stopwatch. Xenovia and Asia nodded in agreement and turned around to start making their way back to the starting line, but before they could go anywhere the familiar sight of Kiba Yuuto quickly approaching stopped them. The blond Knight had a smile on his face, as usual, but Issei also noticed the slightest hint of distastefulness in the expression.
"Kiba, what's the matter?" Issei asked, turning fully to his friend as he came to a stop in front of him.
"Diodora will be arriving in a few minutes." Kiba answered, making the three widen their eyes in surprise before he turned to Asia and continued "He said he was coming to meet you, Asia-san."
He would never blame Kiba, but that piece of notification alone had ruined the whole day for Issei.
Ten minutes later, Issei, Asia, and Xenovia found themselves sitting in their usual spots around the clubroom, their attention fixed on Rias and Diodora, who were seated across from each other at the main table in the center.
Azazel was also present, and unexpectedly looked the most relaxed. The atmosphere between Rias and Diodora appeared calm on the surface, but there was an underlying tension that was hard for anyone to not notice. Diodora, however, had a pleasant smile on his face as he spoke. Rias looked calm and composed, but it was clear to Issei that his crimson haired girlfriend was not enjoying the presence of the other noble devil in the slightest.
Not that Issei could blame her, especially when he was feeling the same. Diodora had really left them with a bad first impression the last time they met with how uncomfortable he had made Asia feel.
"My apology for dropping by so suddenly, Rias." Diodora began after taking a sip from the cup of tea in his hand, which had been nonchalantly served to him out of politeness by Akeno. "But after our last meeting, I couldn't wait for the chance to come see Asia Argento again. She has been on my mind constantly for the past few days."
"I doubt you came all this way just to compliment Asia, Diodora." Rias replied flatly, eyes remaining cold as she carried on. "Get to the point. What is it that you want?"
Diodora chuckled lightly, setting his cup down on its saucer with a faint clink. "Direct, as expected. Very well."
"The truth is… I came here today to propose a trade. I would like to exchange one of my Bishops for your Asia."
The room went quiet in an instant, becoming lost for words at the proposal Diodora had just given. To say that they were shocked would be an understatement.
And then, without waiting for Rias to give her answer, he waved his hand in front of him and caused two mini magic holograms of two young women in green dresses to appear. It wasn't hard for anyone to tell that the two were his Bishops, and Diodora was presenting them to Rias as if she had already agreed with his request to trade.
"These two here are my Bishops." He said, gesturing his hand to the one on his left with the same pleasant smile "This one here is quite good in…"
"My apology, Diodora, but I have no intention of trading Asia, or any of my servants, away." Rias interjected coldly, making the smile Diodora had been wearing on his face from the start fade away a little.
"Is it because of her ability to heal?" He asked, with some steel in his tone.
"Yes, but more importantly, Asia is someone I hold dear." Rias answered, stating it firmly "You can say that I think of her as my little sister."
"Buchou-san…" Asia murmured softly as she gazed at Rias.
Diodora, on the other hand, remained silent with his smile for a moment, then he stood up. "I understand. It seems... I have underestimated the affection a Gremory can have for their servant. I will withdraw for today, but I will not give up."
Then he walked towards Asia, who immediately leaned back from her seat in an uncomfortable, nervous manner. Before she or anyone could say anything to stop him, Diodora bent over in front of the blonde and took her hand before she could back away from him. "Asia… I still love you. Fate has brought us together, and it will not bring us apart. Even if the whole world rejects us, I shall overcome them, only for you."
With that said, he brought his face down to kiss the back of her hand.
Before he could do it, Issei, who had had enough of the noble devil, had gotten behind him and grabbed his shoulder to push him off of Asia. "Sorry… but I think you have troubled her long enough." He said coldly after stepping in front of Asia to stand directly in front of the Astaroth devil, who steadied himself and brushed off his coat with a flick of his wrist.
"Tch, to think a filthy dragon would dare to touch me..." He murmured, but everyone could still hear what he just said.
In response, Asia shot up from her seat and stepped forward, her hand raised and ready to slap Diodora across the face. But before she could land the strike, Issei caught her wrist gently, stopping her.
"No need to dirty your hands over this guy…" he said, giving her a reassuring smile.
Diodora opened his mouth to speak with the pleasant smile returning to his face, but before a word could leave his mouth, to the surprise of everyone in the room, Issei spun around and, without even a moment of hesitation, drove a left hook straight into his face, knocking him on his back.
"Yeah, this filthy dragon just decked you in the face as well? Hurt, doesn't it?" Issei asked, matching the smile Diodora previously had with one of his own. Around the room, his friends looked at him in clear approval, with even Azazel letting out an amused chuckle and a thumbs-up from his seat.
Diodora just lay there on the floor, blinking up at Issei in disbelief, the smile completely wiped from his face. He slowly propped himself up on one elbow, touching the side of his cheek where a dark bruise was already forming.
"Yet again… I believe you have overstayed your welcome, Diodora." Rias said calmly, holding out her cup and letting Akeno, who had a smile on her face, refilled it "The next time we meet will be our match against each other. I hope you won't show your face here till then."
Diodora did not say anything in response at first as he pushed himself up to his feet, brushing his coat as if the very floor of the ORC clubroom had dirtied his clothes. Then, with a smile that was quite creepy, he said.
"How about this… the next time we meet on the battlefield, I will defeat Issei Hyoudou."
"Good luck with that."
"After that, I would like you, Asia, to answer my love for you." Diodora continued speaking to Asia, completely ignoring Issei and his remark. As he turned around and walked away, he finally turned to look straight at Issei and said "Sekiryuutei… I will have fun crushing you."
He stated coldly, his tone laced with venom. With that, Diodora entered the magic circle on the side of the clubroom and activated it, teleporting away in a flash of yellow without saying another word.
"Nice one, Issei." Xenovia spoke up from her seat, the atmosphere in the clubroom lighting up once again with the Astaroth devil gone. "That was satisfying."
"You were so cool, Issei-kun." Irina nodded, making Issei chuckle in response before she turned to Asia and said "Don't worry, Asia. If that guy shows up in front of you again, I will smite him away."
"Thank you, Irina-chan." Asia beamed at the chestnut-haired angel, who had quickly become her best friend alongside Xenovia in the few days after she had transferred to Kuoh Academy.
""I swear… if that guy keeps showing up here." Issei muttered as he sat down beside Rias, his brows furrowed. He glanced around the room and asked, "Am I the only one who thinks there's something seriously off about him?"
"He's persistent, that's for sure." Rias replied, while Ravel nodded her head to Issei in agreement. "Let's make sure to beat him when we meet again in the Rating Game."
"Yes!" The entire Gremory Peerage responded in unison, with none sounding more eager than Issei.
"Guess I got nothing to worry about for your upcoming match." Azazel stated with a chuckle as he stretched out on his seat before standing up to walk toward Akeno "Anyway, got something for you right here, Akeno."
Saying that, the Governor General of Grigori reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope, which he then handed over to Akeno. With a look of curiosity, the black-haired Queen looked at the seal on the back, which belonged to none other than Sirzechs Lucifer himself.
Without wasting a moment, she tore it open to read the letter inside, eyes scanning the page quickly before announcing, with lips curled into a bright smile. "I've been approved to take the Middle-Class Promotion Test!"
"Seriously!? That's amazing, Akeno!" Issei grinned, leaping from his feet to reach his girlfriend as the rest of the club erupted in cheers and congratulations.
Rias, who had a smile on her face, raised her teacup in a toast "Congratulations, Akeno! You've more than earned it." From the way she said it, it was clear she had known about the news in advance.
"Thank you, Rias." Akeno beamed at her best friend before looking at Issei, her hands turning the letter around to show him the statement of approval from Sirzechs, with the exam date set for a little over a month from then. "Look, Issei-kun. I'll be the same rank as you soon."
"Oh, don't forget that you got a test to pass." Issei replied with a small grin, holding up his thumb as he said "But hey, if you ever need my help, I've got plenty of tips to share."
He said it half-jokingly, fully aware that Akeno probably wouldn't need his help at all. After all, she, along with Ravel and Rias, had helped Issei through his own preparation when he was studying for his own promotion. Issei had no doubt that she would ace the exam, even better than he could. Because while he was unmatched in the practical exam, he only got a decent enough score to pass the written tests, with most of his points apparently coming from the essay about his aim and ambitions for the future.
"Ara, I will hold you to that offer, Issei-kun. Maybe some late-night study needs to be added to your schedule." Akeno replied with a teasing smile and a wink, making Issei chuckle while feeling a little hot under the collar with the look his girlfriend was giving him.
It seemed his day was not ruined as bad as he thought it would.
Later that night, Issei found himself cycling through the quiet streets of Kuoh Town, on his way to see Aphrodite at her house for his Devil Job of the day. She had called him earlier, mentioning that she had a surprise waiting for him, so naturally, Issei was more than a little curious to see what she had in store for him.
But it seemed that would have to wait a few minutes longer…
"Hey there, Sekiryuutei. It…"
As Issei was about to roll through a crossroad, a young man dressed in casual clothing stepped out from around the corner, greeting him with a wide grin on his face…
… and Issei responded by driving his bike straight into him.
"Wha—" Bikou wheezed as the handlebar jabbed him in the stomach, stumbling back a step while clutching his gut. "Hey! What the hell, man!?"
"What are you doing here, Bikou?" Issei asked flatly, not even pretending to be surprised as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the handlebars. "And make it quick, I have a place to be."
"Can you take me there as well, nya~?"
Before he could even react, a pair of slender arms wrapped themselves snugly around his waist. Issei didn't need to look behind to see that the person who had just perched down on the backseat of his bike like it was the most natural thing in the world was Kuroka, whose presence he didn't sense until she had made herself known.
"You two aren't here for trouble, are you?" Issei asked, narrowing his eyes at Bikou as he walked back to him.
"Nope. Fighting you isn't on my binge card for now." The descendant of Sun Wukong chuckled, somewhat forcefully before he continued with his thumb gesturing over his shoulder "Besides, we're just accompanying him."
With that, Vali Lucifer stepped out from the shadows of the nearby alley, hands in his pockets and a small smirk on his face.
"Issei."
"Vali." The Sekiryuutei responded to his rival evenly, earning a nod of acknowledgement from the other young man. "What is this? You guys having a terrorist night out or something?"
"Didn't know you had a sense of humor."
"And a bad one at that, nya." Kuroka giggled, making Issei look over his shoulders and narrow his eyes at her.
"Anyway, as much as I have been looking for my next opportunity to fight you, Issei, I came here to talk." Vali said. "I know you are fighting in that Rating Game Tournament for young devils... your next opponent is Diodora Astaroth, correct?"
"Yeah, and?"
"You should be careful."
"…already am." Issei said, making Vali raise an eyebrow at him. "I watched his previous match live, you know. Wasn't that hard to figure out there was something unusual about him."
Issei said, recalling the live feat he had seen of the match between Diodora and Zephyrdol, and despite the fact that they had known he would win, a lot of things that had happened still did not add up.
Firstly, Diodora had displayed of power did not match the data that Azazel had about him. Secondly, for about ten or so minutes, Zephyrdol and his servants actually had the advantage until Diodora demonstrated a tremendous difference in magical power, enough for him to singlehandedly dominate the game with his servants acting only as his support. While one could reason that Diodora had just been holding back and waiting for the perfect opportunity, his power had actually exceeded every expectation.
According to Ravel, Diodora himself was pretty strong in terms of demonic power, but even Rias and the others thought that Diodora was not supposed to be that strong, despite being the younger brother of the current Beelzebub, a Super Devil, as he was classified.
"And I also punched him earlier today." Issei added "He had more than enough chances to stop me with magic, the same way he did to Zephyrdol, but he didn't. I thought he was just trying to act cool, at first, let me land the free shot so he could play the victim in front of Asia, but it felt like he didn't even see it coming."
"I see… looks like our warning wasn't all that necessary, after all."
"Told ya, nya." Kuroka said from behind Issei.
"Maybe not, but I still appreciate the thought." Issei nodded his head to Vali. "Anyway, get out of here before anyone sees you."
"Don't need to tell us, Sekyruutei." Bikou grinned, nodding his head to Issei before turning on his boots to walk away with Vali.
"Have a good evening, Issei."
"You too."
"Bye bye Ise. Let's meet again soon, nya. Say hi to Shirone-chan for me, okay?" Kuroka waved after hopping off his bicycle to follow her two teammates, walking into the dark alley before activating her magic spell to teleport them all away, disappearing without saying another word.
Nodding to himself, Issei turned his bicycle around and continued pedaling down the quiet road. It didn't take long for him to arrive at his destination, spotting the familiar house that Aphrodite had made her own since moving to Kuoh.
As he approached, he glanced toward the window and saw her standing in the living room. To his surprise, she wasn't lounging around in her usual silky robes or casual wear, and was instead dressed in a set of outdoor clothing, with a light coat draping over her shoulders. She looked like she had just returned home, or was getting ready to head out.
"I'm here!" Issei announced as he walked up to the door and knocked a couple times.
Within a moment, the door swung open, revealing a beaming goddess of love.
"There you are, Ise." She greeted him before opening her door further to invite him in "Your timing is impeccable as ever. Come on in."
Issei did, making his way inside with Aphrodite closing the door behind him before she asked,
"How are you feeling? Great? Up to fight?"
To say that Issei was a little taken aback by her questions would be an understatement, but he nodded and answered nonetheless with a grin.
"I am." Then he asked, eyeing her outfit, "You heading out?"
"Olympus—and you're coming with me, Ise." Aphrodite flashed him a bright smile as she walked past, her fingers snapping to envelope them both in a soft pink aura. "My request for the evening is a bit different this time, but I'm sure you'll love it."
The house vanished around them, replaced by the bright light of teleportation magic. In a flash, Issei found himself standing on the polished stone of a huge city plaza, which seemed wide enough to fit several city blocks. Towering marble and gold statues of gods and legendary heroes loomed around the perimeter; each seemed to glow with an ethereal aura under the moonlight.
His attention, however, was instantly drawn toward the giant Gate of bluish energy dominating the center of the plaza. Scattered around it were warriors and mages of every kind, forming what looked to be a Raid Party of at least three dozen. Some were busy sharpening their weapons, others inspecting or adjusting their armor one last time. In the distance, Issei could see a pair of Minotaur sparring, their loud, booming laughs filling the space around them as their comrades cheered them on.
"Wait, you mean I got to…" Issei turned to Aphrodite and asked, his voice barely hiding the excitement he was feeling as he pointed at himself and the Raid with both hands.
"Why yes." Aphrodite giggled, nodding her head to him "The Raid consists of Olympian Heroes, so of course I have a say in their expedition. I also talked to Sirzechs and Cid before you arrived. They both agreed that it's about time you get to join an official Raid."
"I don't know what to say…" Issei said.
"Then don't… just remember that's another favor added to the list." Aphrodite spoke to him with a wink, making Issei chuckle lightly before she continued "And besides, Hephaestus has been wanting to meet you again. He's the one supervising this Raid. This way."
With that, Issei walked after her, weaving between groups of warriors who were utterly stunned by the presence and beauty of the Olympian Goddess before they arrived at a post, where Hephaestus appeared to be discussing strategy with the leaders of the Raid. Some of them glanced up as Aphrodite approached, straightening slightly at the sight of her.
Hephaestus, standing over what was clearly an incomplete projection of the Gate layout, looked up next. A warm grin tugged at the edge of his face as he walked around his table with a hand extending toward Issei.
"There he is." Hephaestus greeted as Issei took his hand into his own to shake hand with him "Glad you could join us."
Issei grinned. "Thanks for having me, sir. I'll do my best to help the Raid."
"I'm confident in your ability, young man." Hephaestus nodded, though behind him, one of the captains snorted, which was not lost on Issei, but he decided to not confront him or address it.
With a smile, Hephaestus then turned back to the captains and told them. "Go check on your men, captains. Make sure everyone is ready and in position."
"Yes, milord." The warrior who looked like the leader of the Raid replied to Hephaestus with a firm nod before turning and making his way out of the tent. The others followed shortly after, though several cast glances at Issei, some nodding in brief acknowledgment, while others held skeptical expressions.
Once they were out of earshot, Issei remarked as he walked with Hephaestus and Aphrodite toward the table "Doesn't seem like any of them are thrilled to have me here."
"I wouldn't be too worried." Hephaestus replied with a chuckle and one finger pointing at the Gate outside "That out there is an A-rank Gate. This Raid is going to be dangerous. Those men are veterans. They are used to relying on each other and wary of variables they don't know. You, on the other hand, are young and unproven, Red Dragon Emperor or not."
"So, I gotta earn their trust." Issei said, more of a statement than a question.
"That's right." Hephaestus nodded with a small smile "Prove to them that you can handle yourself. Make sure to follow their orders and watch their back. You do that, and they will come around in no time."
"I have no intention of doing otherwise, sir." Issei nodded his head firmly.
"That's what I like to hear. Now come, let me brief you of what we have learnt…"
Before Hephaestus could finish, an explosion of mana swept over the camp like a crashing wave. The ground trembled beneath their feet as a deafening roar tore through the night, followed by a blinding flash of light erupting from the Gate outside. Cries of alarm rang out from every direction as warriors scrambled, weapons drawn and heads snapping toward the source of the sudden surge.
"Hephaestus?" Aphrodite said while looking at her fellow Olympian. Both of them seemed to be well aware of what was happening, and it wasn't hard for Issei to figure that out as well.
"SPARTANS! FALL IN!"
A thunderous voice bellowed across the field, cutting through the chaos like a war drum. Dozens of warriors immediately responded, rallying into a tight formation before the breaking Gate. Their red cloaks fluttering behind them as they drew their massive round shields and long spears, boots planting into the ground as they stood there prepared to face whatever monstrosities would come through.
There was a moment of silence, before all hell broke loose.
Monsters burst from the rupture like a flood, each one larger than even the tallest warriors, their bodies gnarled and bulging with muscle. Their skin was rough, grey and leathery, while their tusks jutted out from snarling maws, yellow eyes glowing with bloodlust beneath heavy, brutish brows. Some carried rusted axes and cruel clubs, others simply charged with their clawed fists, howling with feral rage.
"ORCS!"
A warrior shouted before the first wave crashed into the formation the Spartan warriors had formed. The clang of steel against steel rang out as the front line shuddered. Spears jabbed forward, piercing through thick hides and snarling jaws, but the orcs barely slowed. Their raw power drove into the shields like battering rams, forcing the line to give ground inch by inch.
"Hold the line!" Someone bellowed as the Spartan warriors braced themselves, feet digging into the dirt before suddenly, arcs of dark lightning snapped across the battlefield, striking warriors and blowing apart chunks of the formation.
From amidst the horde, orc shamans emerged, tall, hunched figures draped in tattered robes. Their grotesque staves pulsed with malevolent energy as they launched volleys of cursed magic spells toward the Olympian ranks. In retaliation, the mages of Olympus formed barriers above the ground troops, shielding them from the hail of magical destruction, intercepting incoming spells before returning it with their own.
"Push them back!"
The command rang out, but it was nearly drowned beneath the symphony of chaos unfolding across the plaza, now turned into a bloody battlefield. Despite their unyielding formation and unbreakable will, the frontline, where Spartan warriors stood shoulder-to-shoulder behind their heavy shields, was beginning to bend under the overwhelming number of the orcish horde…
… until a raging inferno swept across the area, swallowing the nearest wave of orcs whole and instantly incinerating them mid-charge. Their screams were lost in the roar of fire, leaving nothing but smoke and ash billowing into the air as charred bodies were thrown backward like ragdolls.
"Lord Hephaestus!" A warrior shouted as Hephaestus walked up to stand next to him and his fellow warriors, his expression calm and composed despite the chaos. Several orc shamans tried to hit him with their spells, but they were stopped, with limbs being torn from their bodies by vines that shot up from the ground, all of which controlled by Aphrodite."The Gods are with us!"
Hephaestus slammed his hammer down with a thunderous crash, sending out another wave of fire from the cracked stone beneath his feet. The molten heat surged forward like a tidal wave, annihilating another wave of orcs and shamans in its path. Flesh sizzled and bone melted under the divine blaze, scattering the front ranks of the horde and forcing those behind to hesitate, but only briefly.
[!] Pact Switching
Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) - Rassei (Lightning)
Before any of them could make a move to attack again, however, Issei shot out from the wave of flame, his Karmish daggers flashing as he hacked and slashed through the stunned orcs with arcs of lightning chaining between them. The orcs barely had time to react before he was already on the next, ducking low under a wild swing and driving a blade upward into the gut of another.
"Go!" Issei shouted, and from behind him, his own army of Shadow Soldiers burst forth. Gladio, wielding his new Demon Knight Greatsword, led the charge, his towering figure plowing through the orcs like a living battering ram. The massive blade in his hand cleaved through muscles and bones with terrifying ease, sending limbs and body-halves flying in every direction as the other shadows followed right behind, carving a path of destruction through the orcish horde with their master.
With renewed spirit, the Olympian troops charged forward, forming up alongside the shadows. Spears lunged and swords swung in brutal arcs, cutting down orcs that had been thrown off by the sudden assault. The phalanx of Spartan warriors advanced steadily, shields locked tight as they shoved back against the crumbling front line while Issei dashed left and right, cutting down one orc after another. He stabbed an orc in the gut, ripped his blade free, and immediately turned to slash the legs out from under another. His foot came down hard on the skull of a fallen shaman just as he tossed his left dagger forward, impaling an orc warrior through the head before recalling it to continue pushing forward with his shadows.
Slowly but surely, the combined force of Olympus, dragon and shadows drove back the advancing horde. Though the orcs refused to retreat, still driven forward by the voice in their heads, their lines broke, and their formations collapsed under the relentless assault. Discipline gave way to desperation, and while some elite orcs seemed to be trying to rally their forces, they were quickly cut down before they could do anything meaningful.
As Issei continued carving his way through the battlefield, he soon noticed one of the Olympian warriors being overwhelmed—an officer he recognized from earlier, the same one who had snorted at him during the meeting. The man was on one knee, his shield shattered, blood trailing down the side of his face as two orcs closed in for the kill.
Without hesitation, Issei shot toward him, blurring in an arc of Spirit Lightning. His left blade came out in a flash as he zoomed over the two orcs, cutting the throat of one in a single, clean stroke while the other plunged into the chest of the second, stopping its charge dead. Both fell before they could even register what had happened.
Issei turned to the captain and offered a hand. "You okay?"
The man stared at him for a moment, breathing hard. Then he grunted and grabbed the offered hand, letting Issei pull him to his feet. "I am now." he said, nodding his head to Issei "Thanks, kid. I mean it."
"Don't mention it." With that said, Issei turned on his boots.
He was about to rush back into the battlefield, when suddenly something leaped out of the Gate and descended down toward the center of the battlefield, slamming into the ground with enough force to send a shockwave rippling across the plaza. Dust and dirt blasted outward, disorienting the warriors standing close by, while Issei himself had one arm raised over his face, boots sliding slightly from the sheer force of impact. His eyes narrowed, trying to pierce through the swirling cloud of debris.
Then, the silhouette emerged.
Clad in black and gold armor that shimmered with a sinister sheen, a towering humanoid figure stepped out of the crater his landing had made in the plaza ground. His armor was heavy and layered, each plate forged with sharp, angular lines and dark metallic textures that gave off a faint, ominous golden glow between the seams. A demonic helmet, with twin horns curved back from the sides of his head, completely concealed his face, leaving his long golden hair to flow behind him with his tattered cape with each step while the narrow slit revealed two red eyes burned from within.
In his left hand, he held a massive golden shield, which itself was even taller and larger than he was. Its surface was covered in the intricate carvings of a grotesque demon face barring its fangs. The edges of the shield were jagged, shaped less like a tool of defense and more like a weapon in its own right.
The ground cracked beneath his armored boots as he advanced, each step drawing the eyes of everyone on the battlefield before finally, he came to a stop a few steps in front of Issei, whose eyes widened in surprise as the System notified him of his name.
[!] Veritas of the Earth – LV90
'Another Veritas…'Issei thought in bewilderment, watching as the Earth Veritas held out his hand and pointed directly at him before balling it into a fist. It was not that hard for him to realize what he wanted "You want to fight me?"
The moment his question finished leaving his mouth, Issei dashed forward, activating his Balance Breaker to clad himself in the full Scale Mail armor. The boosters on his back fired off at full force, propelling him toward the towering enemy like a crimson missile. He closed the distance in an instant, his fist cocked back and crackling with Spirit Lightning.
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[BOOST!]
Before the blow could land, the golden shield shifted into place between Issei and the Earth Veritas. His metal gauntlet slammed into it, and immediately, his body recoiled. A sharp jolt ran through his arm as he was knocked backward, his feet dragging across the ground as he skidded to a stop, looking back to see not even a scratch was on the surface of that huge shield.
'Not good. That was over Penetration and Spirit Lightning too…' Issei remarked in his mind as he dashed forward once more, moving faster this time to try to out-speed the Veritas before he could defend himself.
To his surprise, the Veritas moved just as fast.
The massive shield swung out in an arc, forcing Issei to shift to the side mid-charge. As he veered to the side, narrowly avoiding the edge, the Earth Veritas surged forward and grabbed him by his head, slamming him down into the ground with brutal force. Chunks of stone exploded upward as his head was driven into the ground. The force of the impact cracked the earth beneath him, spiderweb fractures racing outward from the crater.
Before he could recover, the Veritas yanked him back up and hurled him across the plaza like a ragdoll.
Issei grunted as he crashed through a fountain, water bursting into the air as shattered marble rained down around him. He coughed, the inside of his helmet ringing from the impact. The moment he was able to shake it off, his inner alarm blared, and Issei reacted just in time to dive to the side, barely avoiding the Earth Veritas as he descended upon him with another crushing shield slam. The golden mass struck the ground with such force that the impact left a wide crater where Issei had just been lying, rubble exploding outward in all directions.
Issei rolled to his feet, boosters igniting as he sprang backward to put distance between them, but the Veritas refused to let up. The moment his feet touched down, the armored juggernaut was already on the move again, shield raised, closing the gap between them with frightening speed. Issei flared out his wings and flipped to the side, narrowly avoiding a sweep of his fist before throwing a right hook toward his side. It landed, but it was like punching solid steel while he was a normal human. The impact barely made the Earth Veritas stagger, and he retaliated with a backhand from the edge of his shield.
Issei managed to raise his gauntlet to block it, but the force still sent him reeling, feet dragging backward as the shock rattled through his arms. He landed hard, the ground cracking beneath him.
[Demon Wall]
As the notification flashed before his eyes as the Earth Veritas slammed his shield down, destroying the stone beneath it before the earth swallowed the entire object. The ground beneath their feet started shaking violently before a massive wall, identical to the shield with the two massive arms and the demon face becoming a full head, emerging from the Earth. As the Earth Veritas leaped into the air and landed on top of the wall, the left arm then swung at Issei, who boosted upward just in time to avoid being crushed. The massive limb plowed through the plaza, tearing up stone and dirt like paper.
Issei twisted in the air, only to be forced back into motion again as a hail of stone spikes erupted from the ground beneath him and launched themselves at Issei, controlled by the Earth Veritas who had both arms raised high. One of them grazed his leg, tearing through the outer armor plating and drawing a grunt of pain before a massive boulder broke off from the cracked ground and rose into the air, orbiting around the Earth Veritas as he extended his arm. Then, with a clenched fist, he sent them flying toward Issei like a barrage of cannon fire.
Issei weaved between the first few, arms raised to deflect several aiming directly at him, but the force behind them still knocked him off course. Before he could close the distance to the Veritas, a large boulder crashed into him, sending him crashing to the ground with a deafening thud, rubble flying in every direction.
Landing on his back, Issei instantly rolled to the side to avoid a boulder falling toward him from above and igniting his boost to launch himself at full speed at the armored juggernaut. The Demon Wall swung one of its massive arms to intercept him, but this time Issei twisted mid-flight and ducked beneath it, flames from his thrusters scorching the stone as he passed. In a blink, he closed the gap between himself and the Earth Veritas, his armored fist rearing back as he mustered up his powers.
[Pact Switching]
Rassei (Lightning) - Y Ddraig Goch (Fire)
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
His gauntlet blazed red as flames surged along his arm, fueled by the shift back to his main Dragon Pact. With the momentum of his boosters and the raw power building up in his core, which was further enhanced with Boost and Penetration, Issei slammed his fist into the side of the Earth Veritas with a fiery explosion of force and dragon flame.
The impact landed solidly. His armor cracked and spitting from the point of contact. The massive figure grunted and stumbled to the side, almost getting knocked off the Demon Wall as he tried to regain his balance. Another enhanced blow struck him square in the chest before the shield could fully return to guard. Then a third to the ribs, causing the heavy breastplate to finally dent inward. Chunks of scorched gold broke off with each strike, the fire-enhanced punches finally doing visible damage.
Issei threw another fist at the Veritas, only for him to intercept it by catching it in his own hand, halting the blow completely. For a brief moment, the two stood locked, with Issei straining forward, flames erupting around him, while the Veritas held firm, unmoved.
[PARTNER!]
Ddraig called out from the green jewel on the back of Boosted Gear as the Earth Veritas surged up and sent a knee into his abdomen, knocking the wind from his lungs even through the Scale Mail as he hunched over before the force sent him flying backward. Before he could fly too far, the Veritas yanked him forward by the arm he still held and punched him in the face with the other fist, destroying his helmet before slamming Issei down to the surface of the Demon Wall like a hammer striking an anvil.
Gritting his teeth, blood trickling down the side of his face, Issei twisted his body with a sharp grunt. The booster on his back flared and launched him away before the next crushing blow could land. He hit the ground hard, rolled once, and pushed off with his palm, launching back to his feet in a single motion. The moment that he did so, the Veritas was right in front of him, with the Demon Wall right behind him, fist raised high to crush him in one blow.
Before either of them could strike, a flaming hammer soared through the air and struck the demon shield head on, halting its attack before a massive, bronze automation crashed into it, knocking it off balance before several smaller constructs followed in its way, latching onto the Earth Veritas and forcing him back from Issei. He crushed and destroyed them with ease, but there were so many of them and they all came at him without even a moment of hesitation.
"They won't hold him back for long." Hephaestus said as he walked up to him while Issei forced himself upright, panting. The battle against the orcish horde continued to rage on around them, but from the look of it, the Olympian force, aided by his Shadow Army, seemed to have it under control. Even more so, in the distance, Issei could see a small army of golden armored warriors fast approaching, led by a single feminine figure who wielded in her hand a long spear and a shield bearing the head of a snake haired woman.
"Issei, are you alright?" Aphrodite asked as she kneeled down next to him, her hands enveloping in healing light as she casted the spell to heal his injuries.
"Yeah, I'll live." Issei said gratefully, looking at Hephaestus before turning his attention back to the Earth Veritas, who was still struggling against the swarm of automations. "Tough bastard."
"I'd love to know who forged that set of armors. That shield is something else as well." Hephaestus nodded in agreement. "It's the same as the armor your Vulcan wears, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I think he's the same type as him and Tempest too." Issei said, making Hephaestus and Aphrodite exchange a look before pushing himself up on his feet. "We can talk about it later. I'm bringing this guy down right now."
[Soul Link]
With the activation, Issei casted off his Scale Mail, igniting the air in a blazing inferno around him after Aphrodite had moved back.
"Lord Hephaestus, can you ask you for a small favor?"
"Hmn, thought you never asked, kid."
As the Veritas of the Earth and his Demon Wall destroyed the last of the bronze automations, with the colossal one being reduced to a pile of scraps, Issei blasted forward in a blur of crimson and dragon fire, his feet barely touching the ground as he launched himself at the Earth Veritas. Before the armored behemoth could react, Issei threw his metal gauntlet into his side, sending a ripple through the thick armor as chunks of scorched plating were blown off.
[Soul Link Promotion] - Knight
Just when Earth Veritas was about to retaliate, Issei activated his Promotion and dashed away, breaking the sound barrier as he got on the other side of the Veritas and threw a second punch into his back. The armored behemoth swung his fists wildly, but none found Issei as he moved faster. He struck again, and again, and again… each hit landing harder, faster, until the Earth Veritas could do nothing but raise his arms in a feeble attempt to defend himself as Issei bombarded him from every direction.
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[BOOST!]
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[BOOST!]
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[BOOST!]
Every time Issei landed a blow, empowered with the effect of Penetration, more of its armor crumbled. And once that enough had been blown away, Issei brought out Ascalon and started slashing at the exposed part as he darted around him, carving deep gouges into the Veritas' frame with each cut being empowered by a combination of Vital Slash and Penetration.
After a moment, the Earth Veritas let out a feral roar before he slammed his fist into the ground, causing the Demon Wall to disappear from its spot.
"Now!"
The moment that the Demon Wall fully manifested in his hand in its shield form, Hephaestus threw his hammer on the signal that Issei gave him. As the forge tool soared through the air once more, the Veritas raised his shield to block it, preventing him from seeing Issei catching up to the weapon, Boosted Gear touching the handle briefly.
[Skill Activated] – Penetration
[Skill Activated] – Transfer
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
The next instant, the forge hammer struck the golden shield dead center, shattering it with a thunderous crack and blasting stone and metal in every direction. As the Veritas stumbled back at the force behind the throw, Issei arrived in front of him, flame trailing behind his fist like a comet before he drove it into his chin to send him into the air. Without pausing, Issei flared his wings and shot after him, closing the distance in a blink as the shattered pieces of the Demon Wall rained around them.
As Issei caught up to the Earth Veritas, he opened his Inventory and unleashed every weapon that he had mid-flight. In one fluid motion, Issei snatched the first blade and slashed across the Earth Veritas's chest in a blinding dash, leaving the weapon embedded in the juggernaut's side as he burst past. A millisecond later, he curved back around, grabbing the next weapon as he passed and carving another deep gash into the exposed armor. Again, the weapon was left lodged in the Veritas's body, and again Issei accelerated, each burst of movement marked by a trail of flame and thunderous sonic booms.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every pass stripped away another piece of armor. Each strike was faster than the last. Each weapon was left fully embedded in the massive form of the Earth Veritas, who could do nothing but roar and flail uselessly as he was shredded from every direction before finally, only Ascalon remained.
[Knight Promotion Ultimate Finisher] – Draconic Assault
As the announcement echoed across the battlefield, Issei caught Ascalon as he positioned himself directly above the Veritas of the Earth, his hands holding his holy flame blade above his head while boosting up its power as much as he could. With his wings flared wide, Issei then shot downwards, flames igniting around him like a falling star before, in a flash, he slashed clean through the Veritas in a lightning-fast strike.
The next instant, he landed in a crouch, the scorched stone cracking beneath his feet. Behind him, the still body of the Earth Veritas dropped with a dull thud, the final echoes of its death knell marking the end of the Dungeon Break surrounding Olympus.
[!] Notice – Veritas of the Earth has been slain – LV90
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
Issei slowly rose to his feet, his wings folding behind him as he turned and looked around, deactivating his Soul Link only after he had seen the notification that the Veritas of the Earth had died. Looking around the battlefield, Issei could see the golden army of Olympus had arrived and was taking care of the remaining orcs in the plaza, overwhelming them with their greater number and strength. It was quite clear that while immensely powerful, the Veritas of the Earth was not the boss of the Gate, as the glowing portal continued to remain even after he had been defeated.
No matter, it seemed the Olympians got it covered from here.
"Arise!"
Hephestus, Aphrodite, and the Olympian troops that had gathered around them watched as shadowy forms of the slain orcs started to rise from where they had fallen. Black mist pooled beneath each corpse, tendrils of darkness curling upward and wrapping around their forms as they rose up to join the Shadow Army.
One by one, they stood. Dozens of orcs, once brutal enemies, now in complete silence, their bodies were entirely black save for the gleaming highlights of their markings. Soon enough, a large pool of darkness started to form beneath the fallen form of the Veritas of the Earth before a pillar of shadow burst upward, engulfing the behemoth entirely before imploding back on itself.
And then, just like the orcs before him, the Veritas rose, his armor a shade darker than before, matte black with ghostly traces of gold etchings while his cape flustered behind him.
[!] ? -LV10
Rank: Elite Knight
[Assign a new name to your Shadow?]
Issei narrowed his eyes for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Welcome to the team…"
"Aegis."
And then, to the astonishment of everyone witnessing the scene unfold, Aegis, the former Veritas of the Earth, lowered himself onto one knee before Issei. Behind him, all the shadow orcs followed in perfect unison before they all bowed their heads to him.
"It seems that another of your creations has failed yet again, Lord Yogumunt?" A cloaked, hooded figure asked, his voice smooth and laced with mockery as he watched the battle from afar, with Olympus glimmering in the distance..
"Has it?"
Came the calm reply from the figure beside him.. He had the appearance of an elderly man with gray hair, light red eyes, and a red blob-like symbol on his torso. He wore a tattered blackish-purple hooded cloak, a pale yellow bone-like mask over his mouth, and two metallic horn-like objects extending from his upper back.
"This development only plays in our favor." Yogumunt said, his tone unreadable.
"Does it? If I didn't know better, I'd say you're helping him rebuild the Shadow Army with these creations of yours."
Yogumunt didn't respond. Instead, he called out.
"Bedelia."
A flash of green light heralded the arrival of a certain vampiric woman. She stepped beside him with her head bowed low, an amused smirk tugging at her lips as she said.
"Yes, my lord."
"Take this. Give it to that devil." Yogumunt said, bringing out a small, red crystal "Tell him to carry out what he has been told in a few days."
"As you command." Accepting the crystal from her master, Bedelia vanished, her form fading like mist in the wind.
With that, Yogumunt also turned around to start walking away.
"Come. Sillad is waiting for us."
The cloaked figure said nothing at first, only allowing a wide, cruel grin to spread across his face. He cast one final glance toward Issei, eyes gleaming with malice, before turning and following Yogumunt, both of them vanishing without a trace.
[!] Demon Knight Greatsword
Rarity: S
ATK: 500
HP: 500
Element: Dark
Description: A colossal blade refined from the blade of a Fallen Magitek General. It pulses with a dark energy that grows stronger with every life it takes.
[P] Soul Reap: Upon slaying an enemy, the sword absorbs a portion of their life force, restoring 5% of the wielder's max HP and increasing ATK by 3% for 10 seconds. The ATK boost can stack up to 5 times, with the duration refreshing on each kill.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 39 Shadow Monarch
HP: 25,821/25,821
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 8450/8450
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 277 (28)
Vitality: 221 (22)
Intelligence: 244 (24)
Dexterity: 226 (23)
Perception: 206 (21)
Charisma: 196 (20)
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: 350 / 520 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troopers 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13. Orcs 69)
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), Aegis (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), Draconic Assault (Soul Link)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank.
End of Chapter 35