"EVERYONE, MOVE!"
Azazel bellowed, his booming voice barely audible across the battlefield over the deafening roars and the crashing of giant weapons against the already unstable ground. Kanae mirrored his shout as she rushed over from, dodging a falling chunk of debris that had been flung by one of the charging colossi.
"Everyone, down here!" Xenovia bellowed as she slashed Durandal sideways, sending out a wave of holy energy that carved a deep trench into the earth. Dust and rubble rained down along the edges as the displaced earth shook violently with each footstep of the approaching Giants.
At once, the alliance fighters dove in, sliding into the trench as a massive hammer soared over their heads, blowing up the earth where they had been standing. As dust and rubble rained down their heads, Rossweisse raised her hands and created a shimmering dome of defensive magic over the trench. The barrier rippled as it shielded them from the falling debris, leaving chunks of earth to bounce harmlessly off the magical surface.
"Kuroka, Arthur, is Fenrir secured?" Cid asked hurriedly as another heavy rumble shook through the ground.
"Yeah. I transferred him to the Dimension Gap. He won't be a problem anymore," Arthur answered, one hand gripping Caliburn while the other stayed raised to help Rossweisse reinforce her magic barrier.
"I'm sorry, but is that our main concern right now?!" Xenovia shouted in disbelief, almost losing her balance as the ground beneath her shook violently.
"Rias, Sona, you two get everyone back to Kuoh. Azazel, Baraquiel and I will take it from here." After exchanging a nod with Baraquiel and Azazel, Cid ordered firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument as he turned back to look at the two devil heiresses, who knew better than to question him in this situation.
As Rias and Sona nodded, a huge shadow passed over them, pulling their attention upward just in time to see Issei in his full dragon form sweeping across the sky before crashing down on a Giant. The impact folded the colossus backward, but two more were already charging toward him, weapons raised and the ground trembling under their combined steps.
[Alright, partner. Both your mana and link gauge are being drained now, so let's make every second count, yeah?]
"You got it, Ddraig." Issei nodded, his voice thunderous across the battlefield. A streak of flame trailed behind his fist as the crimson dragon swung his left arm out and drove it into the chest of the first giant, sending the creature skidding across the broken landscape. The other one swung its massive battle axe at his side, but Issei simply caught the crude blade between his clawed hand, fire flaring around his grip as he melted it into a stream of molten metal that dripped down his feet.
Before the giant could make its next move, Issei yanked hard on the warp handle, dragging the colossal enemy off balance before throwing his other fist into its gut. Flames burst out around the point of impact as a violent explosion tore through its abdomen. Another giant rushed him from behind, raising a club over its head. Issei looked back, inhaled sharply, and unleashed a stream of fire that swallowed the entire upper half of its body,
[!] Level up!
[!] Level up!
The stream of destructive dragon flame incinerated the giant instantly, its torso vanishing in a violent burst of light and heat. The ground shook under his form as Issei turned, marching over to the first giant he had knocked down earlier and towering over it. The monster tried to push itself up, but Issei raised his foot and stomped down, crushing the ribcage with a loud crack before letting out another thunderous roar.
[!] Level up!
Another giant tried to attack him, but it was instantly swallowed by another stream of fire coming from above, reducing it to a heap of burnt flesh and melt armor before it could even hit the ground. Looking up, Issei saw Tannin hovering nearby, his wings beating unevenly in the smoke filled sky. Despite his battered form, his fire still burnt strong, and it looked like the dragon still had a lot of fight in him.
"Tannin-sensei!" Issei called out "You sure you can still fight?"
"Of course! Who do you think I am?"
With a powerful beat of his wings, Tannin descended, positioning himself alongside Issei before both dragons inhaled simultaneously. At once, they unleashed their fire breaths, the two streams colliding midair to form a wall of searing flame that swept across the battlefield. Several Giants were caught in the conflagration, their bodies instantly incinerated as their armors and weapons were reduced to molten metals, though some managed to leap out of the way just in time, their massive limbs flailing as they narrowly avoided being consumed.
As the wave of flame continued to travel onward, the giant leader, who had been sitting since the battle started, rose to his feet, his blade glinting in the fire as he stood towering even over his fellow Giants. With a roar that shook the battlefield, the giant brought his sword up and swung it in a powerful vertical cleave. The sheer force of the swing sent a shockwave blasting outward, splitting the wave of dragon flame coming toward him in two while carving a deep canyon into the earth. Rocks, debris and large chunks of earth were hurled hundreds of meters in all directions, and several smaller Giants were thrown off their feet while Issei and Tannin were forced to quickly snap out of the ways using their wings, watching as the shockwave continued to travel forward until it cleaved through the mountain in the distant.
[That must be the boss of that Gate then?] Ddraig asked as Issei turned back to the Giants, their morale visibly surging at the display of raw power from their leader.
"He is." Issei nodded, taking a low stance with large trails of flame blazing around his body as a notification from the System flashed before his eyes. The Giants roared in response as more emerged from the Gate and formed a tight formation before their leaders, their weapons gleaming dangerously as the ground beneath their feet trembled under their synchronized footsteps. "We need to kill him to close that Gate."
"Then allow us to clear a path for you, oh mighty Dragon!"
A voice rang out from the side, making Issei glance over just in time to see Cid, his form covered in his trademark purple lightning, leaping into the air and launching a bolt of lightning that struck the nearest giant square in the chest. The impact tore through its armor like paper, making the giant roar in pain before a second, enormous bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, swallowing its colossal body in a blinding column of energy. Before the smoke and debris even settled, Baraquiel shot past Issei, soaring through the air on his ten black wings as he unleashed an enormous stream of Holy Lightning at another giant. The searing energy tore through its chest, detonating in a blinding burst of divine force that threw it violently to the ground, limbs flailing as its armor cracked and shattered.
At once, the rest of the giant army surged forward, bellowing their war cries as they charged, but they were stopped dead in their tracks as Azazel created colossal weapons of pure Holy Light with his power and sent them crashing down upon them, piercing their armors and impaling them through their bodies. Those who managed to avoid being skewered were halted, hurled off balance, and toppled mid-charge by the impacts, barely able to scramble to their feet before dragon fire and bolts of purple and Holy Lightning rained down upon them, leaving nothing but total destruction and devastation in their wake.
"GO, ISSEI!" Azazel shouted, and Issei needed no more encouragement than that. With a roar, the crimson dragon ignited the air around him, engulfing himself in roaring flames that erupted into a blazing aura as he surged forward, crashing through the giant ranks like a burning meteor. The remaining Giants scattered around him, none of them was a match for the inferno of speed and fire barreling straight at their leader.
[Grand Warlord – Korvak LV100]
Up close, Issei saw just how much larger Korvak was compared to the rest of the Giants. Even in his dragon form, Issei only stood at the height of their chests, yet Korvak towered over even the tallest of them, his colossal frame easily twice their size. Despite this, he moved even faster than them, as he was able to react instantly the moment Issei entered striking distance. The giant leader let out a thunderous roar and swung his enormous blade in a wide arc, the force of the swing ripping through the air hard enough to tear up the ground in its path.
Issei launched himself upward and spun around, flames bursting from his body as he flipped over the massive weapon, feeling the heat of the displaced air rush past his scales as the giant blade sliced through the space where he had been a heartbeat earlier. Before Korvak could recover for another attack, Issei landed on the ground and drove a flaming hook straight into his side, the impact triggering a violent eruption of dragon fire that exploded outward in a shockwave, blasting Korvak off balance and sending him staggering back several steps. Chunks of his armors cracked and fell away, glowing red from the heat as smoke poured from the scorched patch of skin underneath.
Korvak steadied himself with a rumbling growl, his free hand yanking off the remaining armor on his torso before lunging forward. Issei immediately dashed to the side, flames blasting from his limbs as he shot past the descending weapon, his hand shooting out to quickly blast a spiraling fireball at Korvak. The Grand Warlord roared as the projectile exploded in his face, distracting him long enough for Issei to launch himself into the air and rake his flaming claws against his face, tearing a burning gash from brow to jaw and blinding one of his eye.
Bellowing in rage as he stumbled back, Korvak swung his enormous blade upward in a wide arc, but Issei didn't waste any time to twist his body sharply in midair, flames erupting from every scale of his body as he avoided the giant weapon, letting it pass through the space he had occupied.
[Boost!] [Boost!]
[Explosion!]
With a roar, Issei unleashed an explosion of dragon flame that blasted outward in all directions from is body. The dome of fire slammed into the Grand Warlord, hammering his massive frame with its heat and destructiveness before hurling him across the battlefield. For the first time, Korvak lost his balance, his body almost falling over before he managed to catch himself and drop to one knee with his sword falling to his side.
Rearing back, Issei unleashed an enormous breath of fire straight at the kneeling giant. Korvak raised one hand to shield his face, the flames washing over his arm and chest, searing skin and flesh as he braced himself against the torrent momentarily before letting out a furious roar and launching himself into the air with a powerful leap, the ground buckling under the force. His fist slammed into the earth with a thunderous impact that shattered the ground into fragments, but Issei had already dashed to the side, flames trailing behind him as he avoided the blow before dashing right back in to throw a left hook at his jaw. The impact detonated violently across his jaw, blasting several of his teeth free as his head spun to the side.
Bellowing in fury, Korvak swung his colossal arm wide. Issei instantly ducked under it, his fist rearing back as he built up his momentum before launching himself up toward Korvak, throwing a devastating uppercut at his chin. The blow lifted the Grand Warlord off the ground for a brief moment, his massive body jerking upward under the force as shockwaves rippled across the battlefield.
[Partner, we are almost running out of fuel.]
"Then it's time to finish this." Issei said, watching as Korvak stumbled back several steps before managing to catch himself. The Grand Warlord bellowed, his fists slamming into the ground in fury before he yanked a heavy boulder off the ground to throw it at Issei.
[Boost!]
With the green gems across his body flaring, Issei launched forward the instant the boulder left Korvak's hands, driving his entire body straight into it with a roar. Flames erupted around him as he smashed through the boulder in a violent burst. The rock exploded apart on impact, turning into a storm of fragments that scattered across the battlefield before Issei burst through the cloud of debris and crashed into Korvak, slamming into his abdomen at full force.
[Boost!]
The collision slammed into the giant like a battering ram, lifting his massive frame off his feet as the shock of impact rippled outward in a rolling wave. Korvak let out a guttural roar and swung a huge arm at him, but Issei twisted around it and kept driving forward as his wings flared open, trailing fire as he forced both of them upward. The ground sank away beneath their feet as Issei carried the giant higher and higher. Korvak thrashed violently, but just before he could grab Issei, the dragon shot backward in an instant, flames bursting from his wings as he tore himself out of Koravk's reach.
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
The sudden drop sent Korvak falling through the air with a frustrated roar. Issei swooped under him, then kicked upward, launching himself into a blistering climb before twisting his body around and diving straight back down. He slammed a punch into Korvak's ribs hard enough to make the giant's entire body jolt in midair. Before the shock could travel through him, Issei dove right back down and hammered a blow into the back of his skull. Each strike detonated with raw force, cracks of thunder echoing through the sky as Korvak's massive body lurched in every direction under the hits.
[DRAGON…]
As Korvak continued his descent toward the ground, Issei dove under him and stopped himself in midair. Flames ignited along every scale of his body as he drew in a deep breath, releasing a single, concentrated spark of fire that floated up before him before expanding until it erupted into an enormous fireball that blazed across the landscape like a mini sun.
[…DAMNATION!]
With a roar, Issei launched himself at the fireball and punched it as his entire body was engulfed in flame and the shining green light of his Sacred Gear. The infernal sphere rocketed toward Korvak, its sheer size and intensity warping the space around it before it struck the falling giant, detonating in an explosion that seemed to set the sky itself ablaze. Shockwaves rolled across the clouds, the roar of the detonation echoing like thunder across the battlefield below. With a final bellow, Korvak disintegrated under the overwhelming heat and force, leaving nothing behind but the remnants of his body and the fading echo of his roar.
[Grand Warlord – Korvak LV100] – Defeated!
[!] Level up!
[!] Level up!
[!] Level up!
[!] Level up!
[!] New Title: Giant Crusher
Deal 10% more health base damage to colossal enemies.
For a brief moment, no sound was made across the battlefield as the remaining warriors looked up at the sky in awe, and fear, in the case of the Giants. Soon, the lone figure of Issei, in his normal form, bursting through the clouds and diving down from above while weaving under the falling remains of their Grand Warlord on his dragon wings struck a wave of dread through the remaining enemies, leading them all to flee in terror toward the fluctuating Gate. The moment that the last one passed into the swirling mass of energy, the whole thing exploded in a wave of mana before disappearing, leaving no trace of it behind.
"Got you, young man." Cid said, catching Issei with one arm on his shoulder just after he landed and momentarily lost his balance.
"Good job, Issei. Good fucking job!" Azazel grinned as he and Baraquiel rushed to their side, making Issei chuckle a little at him before looking up to see Tannin spreading his wings wide while standing over them, shielding them from the falling debris of the Grand Warlord.
"Where's Loki?" Issei asked, looking around to search for any sign of the beaten Evil God.
"Secured. You don't have to worry about him anymore." Baraquiel smiled, allowing Issei to let out a sigh of relief.
It would seem… that Ragnarok was finally over.
"Wow, so he actually left you here, Rossweisse-san?"
Issei asked while trying his best to sound polite, as the white haired Valkyrie was by far the only one who didn't seem to be having a good time celebrating their victory over Loki and a successful summit between Asgard and Takamagahara.
They were currently gathered in the Student Council office with the Sitri Peerage, circling around a table overflowing with food and drinks, courtesy of Rias and Akeno, who had gone out of their way to prepare a party worthy of the occasion. Laughter and chatter filled the room as everyone either dug in or stood together in groups, lively talking to one another about various topics while Rossweisse, of course, sat all by herself, sulking at being abandoned by Odin, who had returned to Asgard all on his own.
After the battle was over, Loki had been taken back to Asgard, and placed under maximum security, his powers heavily restrained to prevent any chance of escape or further mischief. Fenrir, on the other hand, had followed Vali and his team after being subjugated by Arthur with his Excalibur Ruler, which had power to manipulate any living thing or organic material. It was quite clear that their objective had been the God slaying wolf from the start, in order to further increase their strength.
It was hard for Issei to tell what their intentions were, but he seriously hoped that they knew what he was doing and would keep themselves, as well as Fenrir, in line or the next time they met, he wouldn't consider him or his team allies anymore.
From what Issei had been told, seeing him in his Soul Link Full Break had clearly riled Vali up. He had wanted to join the fight, but his injuries had kept him sidelined, with even his teammates holding him back. No doubt he would be training like hell now, eager to test his own strength against Issei the next time they met. If he were in his position, Issei knew he would do the exact same thing, so when that day came, he would make sure his rival knew who he was pitching himself against.
"Uh, can't you just… catch up with him back home?" Kiba then asked, voicing his opinion.
"I can't! I was left behind after I lost sight of Lord Odin for just a moment!"
Rossweisse cried back, causing Issei and Kiba to exchange a glance. The two then turned back and watched as the Valkyrie downed another bottle of coke, drinking it in a manner not unlike a desperate person trying to drown their frustration with wine.
"If I went back home, I'll be a laughing stock to the entire Valkyrie league, not to mention the other higher-ups will see me as incompetent, and I'll still be fired in the end!." She continued, slamming the empty can against the desk where she sat "That stupid old king of Asgard always made fun of me for choosing my studies over boys. What's wrong with wanting to graduate early?! Besides, it's not my fault that I'm not popular!"
"Well, we will leave you to it then." Issei said, glancing over to Kiba to give him a meaningful look. Nodding his head in response, the two then walked away, just as Rias and Sona made their way over to talk to Rossweisse, with Issei overhearing them mentioning something about a teaching position and an offer as he walked with Kiba back to the main table.
For the next hour or so, Issei simply enjoyed the celebration, letting himself relax for the first time in days. Between the lively conversations, the clinking of glasses, and the occasional bursts of laughter echoing through the Student Council office, the atmosphere was warm and carefree, a stark contrast to the nerve wracking worry that had dominated their school and daily lives just days before.
As he scanned the room, looking for the next devil to talk to after having a chat with Saji, Issei then noticed Akeno standing alone on the balcony outside. He set his cup down and stepped through the sliding doors, the soft click of the floor beneath his feet marking his approach.
"Is that a new ribbon?" he asked, smiling a little as he nodded toward the accessory tied neatly in her hair, which he had been meaning to ask about all day.
"Ara, you noticed?" Akeno smiled, reaching up to touch the ribbon lightly.
"Of course. You're my beautiful girlfriend. I'm always looking at you," Issei grinned, making Akeno giggle softly into her hand before she spoke again, her smile warm and fond.
"It's a gift from my father." She said, Issei widened his eyes slightly at that, but a smile quickly spread across his face as he let Akeno continue "My old one got damaged in the fight against Loki. He gave me this new one before he left this morning."
"Is that so?" Issei smiled, "It looks great on you."
"Thank you, Issei-kun." Akeno beamed before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. The kiss was soft and warm, lingering just long enough for the rest of the world to fade behind them before she pulled back, her eyes stayed on his, a playful glint in them.
"Um, what was that for?" Issei couldn't help but ask.
"Oh, so I need reasons to kiss my boyfriend now?" Akeno asked with a teasing smile, making Issei chuckle before she said "Thank you, Issei-kun… for everything."
"Anytime." Issei smiled.
"Hey you wanna come inside?" Akeno then said as she looked over her shoulder to see Rias waving her hand at her, beckoning for her to come back inside to rejoin the celebration with her, Sona and Tsubaki.
"You girls go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later." Issei said, making Akeno smile at him before she turned on her heels and headed back inside.
Left alone on the balcony for a moment, Issei exhaled slowly, letting the cool air of mid-autumn brush past around him. He lingered there for a few seconds, watching as the remaining students of the Academy started heading home after another long day of school, their chatters echoing in the distance as they moved across the courtyard.
Turning around with his back leaning against the railing, Issei made sure that no one was looking in his direction to open the System and pull up his Character Panel. After leveling up a total of seven times in the battle against the Giants and putting all those levels into his Shadow Monarch sub class, he was currently Level 50 Dragonsworn, and level 49 Shadow Monarch, just one level away from the big Level 50 for the latter.
[You think we're gonna get something big like Soul Link at that level?] Ddraig asked, making Issei look down at his left hand after summoning Boosted Gear onto it.
"I think so." Issei nodded before pulling up his main menu and opening the window that showed his Exp Bar. Despite pouring in what should have been hundreds of thousands of exp from completing his daily quest and consuming a handful of large EXP Stones that he could buy in the shop, the bar had barely crawled forward at all. "Getting there is gonna be a problem though, but I have the perfect place to grind for those levels."
[You mean the Demon's Castle, partner?]
"Yup! About time we go back there and finish the whole thing." Issei said, looking into the office to see Ingvild laughing cheerily as she talked to Momo and Tsubasa of the Sitri Peerage "I kinda want to ask Ingvild to come along, but… I think it'll be better for her to stay here and hang out with everyone."
[So it'll just be the two of us then… not that I'm complaining.] Ddraig chuckled, making Issei do the same as he lowered his hand down. His expression then turned more serious as he continued.
"Getting that level 50 for Shadow Monarch aside, we need to level up and get stronger as fast as we can, Ddraig." Issei said, his expression turning more serious as he continued. "Legia, Sillad and who knows how many of them there are… it seems they all hold a deep grudge against me. We need to be ready before they start making their moves for real."
[Sounds like a plan, partner.]
"And also, Legia did mention something about them planning to start a war." Issei said. That was pretty much the thing that he was most worried about. "We need to be ready for anything they're going to throw at us."
[Alright, partner.] Ddraig's voice sounded calm but serious. [By the way, have you thought about how you're gonna explain your absence to the others? Or are you just planning to use Shadow Exchange and teleport to the Demon's Castle at night?]
"No, it's too risky with its current cooldown right now. It'll only be a matter of time before Rias or Akeno wakes up in the middle of the night and sees that I'm gone." Issei said, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression before an idea came to his mind "Maybe I can ask Aphrodite again for help. She can just sell my absence as me going on a mission for her."
[You sure? She already seems pretty suspicious the last time, you know.]
"It'll be fine, Ddraig." Issei said, stretching his word out as he waved his hand dismissively "I mean… Aphrodite likes me, right? How hard could it be for me to convince her to help, right?"
[Alright then, partner. Whatever you say.]
With that, Boosted Gear faded away from his left arm, and Issei made his way back into the office to continue the celebration with his friends.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 49 Shadow Monarch
HP: 30,157/30,157
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 13,850/13,850
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 294 (28)
Vitality: 238 (23)
Intelligence: 261 (26)
Dexterity: 243 (24)
Perception: 218 (22)
Charisma: 214 (21)
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), 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, Midgardsormr (Water-Poison) – Pact LV1.
Current Shadows: 535 / 640 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troopers 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13. Devils 15, Orcs 69, Soldier Ants 170)
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).
Exclusive Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), [High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), [Obsidian] Jewelry Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 – repaired (LV40), Staff of Avarice (Given to Glacia), Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3…
Gold: 20.356.620 (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 – Bishop Promotion), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link – Rook Promotion), Draconic Assault (Soul Link – Knight Promotion)
Tower of Ascension sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander – Igirs (Incomplete), Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank (Incomplete).
End of Chapter 45