"T-This… This is…"
Esil gasped as she watched in disbelief from where she stood, her gaze fixed on the titanic clash between Issei and the Demon King Baran. Of all the things she had witnessed in her life, this had to be the most overwhelming by far, not that her eyes could even keep up with their movements. The two figures were little more than blurs and streaks of light of crimson red and light blue, colliding again and again in the heart of the ruined avenue, each impact sending shockwaves spreading across the battlefield.
It was during the brief split seconds that their weapons clashed that she was able to make out their figures, but the shockwaves that instantly followed made it impossible for her to keep looking through the heavy rain. The air itself seemed to distort every time they met, the sound of their clashes echoing like thunder through the shattered city. Entire buildings around the avenue had been reduced to rubbles, collapsing simply from the force of their exchange. Even from this distance, Esil could feel the pressure bearing down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
This scene… somehow, there was something familiar about it.
But how could it be, when this was a battle far beyond anything she could have ever imagined.
Baran… his presence alone was overwhelming enough, from the moment that he showed up, to the moment that he decided to go all out. His towering form wreathed in crackling energy as he pressed the attack without pause. He was the Demon King, the absolute ruler of her people, a being she had been taught to revere since birth. Every demon knew his name. Every demon feared his wrath.
And yet…
Her eyes kept drifting back to the other figure.
Issei stood against him without retreat, his armor gone, his body wreathed in roaring mana as he met Baran blow for blow. There was no hesitation in his movements, no sign of surrender, even as the ground around him was torn apart. He looked small compared to the Demon King, and yet, somehow, he refused to be overwhelmed.
Esil felt her hands tremble at her sides as her heart pounded in her chest.
Who should she help?
The absolute ruler of her species… or the young man she had traveled with, ate with, hung out with, and slowly grown fond of, now standing alone against a Demon King who had never been meant to fall.
Steel rang as their weapons collided again and again, sparks spraying through the rain as the street tore itself apart beneath them. Baran swung his twin blades wide, then low, then thrust straight for his throat, but Issei immediately deflected, redirected, and countered every strike in one fluid motion before he was forced to retreat under a brutal kick that sent him skidding across the stone.
The split second that the pain caught up to him, Baran was right above, both daggers reared back for a twin downward strike that shattered the ground where Issei had been a heartbeat earlier. Issei dashed sideways as the blades came down, Ascalon flashing up to intercept the follow-up thrust aimed straight for his heart. The impact rang out like a cannon blast across the battlefield, the force driving Issei back and knocking his sword into the air as Baran twisted his wrist and raked his second blade across his guard.
Without wasting even a second or letting the pain shooting through his arms slow him down, Issei summoned the Kamish daggers and retaliated, the black and red blades flashing into his hands as he took a firm step forward, catching the next strike from Baran with one dagger while the other slashed straight for his throat. Baran twisted away at the last instant, the blade grazing his jaw instead of severing it, and answered with a vicious counter that Issei deflected, sparks erupting as steel met steel at point-blank range. Issei instantly dove forward, his blade aiming for his heart before the Demon King could recover.
[Skill Activated!] – Vital Slash
But just as Kamish was about to find its mark, Baran deflected the blade. Before Issei could even register the fact that the Demon King had just deflected a Vital Slash strike at point-blank range, Baran crossed both daggers in a brutal counter meant to carve him open from throat to waist. Issei twisted sharply to avoid it, one blade grazing his shoulder while the other was deflected a single inch from his abdomen with his small Kamish dagger, sparks bursting as steel screamed against steel while blue lightning erupted around them.
Issei leaped back, his boots scraping the ground as he used the momentum to launch himself forward, leaving an explosion of debris behind him as he twisted around in the air to come down at the Demon King hard with his blades. Baran blocked the strike, then lifted his head and unleashed a crackling blast of energy straight into him from his mouth, swallowing a surprised Issei in its blinding light.
"Issei-sama!" Esil cried out as Issei was hurled back, his daggers ripped from his hands as he had crossed them in front of his chest at the last possible moment to shield himself from the blast.
Issei smashed through the remains of a collapsed wall and skidded across the stone, gouging a deep trench before finally coming to a stop. His blazing aura continued to rise from his body as he pushed himself up, arms trembling as he sucked in a sharp breath and looked up just in time to see Baran was already on him. The world seemed to stand still for a split mini-second as Baran brought his daggers back, droplets of rain freezing momentarily around them before carrying on as Baran slashed his blade down.
The ground beneath them exploded as the demonic daggers struck.
But before the black blades could find their targets, Issei planted his feet at the last possible moment and shot his arms up, catching Baran's wrists mid-swing. The impact drove him to one knee, stone shattering outward as cracks raced across the entire avenue beneath his boots, but he held, teeth grinding as Baran's blades stopped inches from his shoulders.
'Grrhhh… what ridiculous strength…' Issei gritted his teeth as the two locked together, raw force colliding as Baran leaned in and bore down on him, muscles coiling as he tried to force the daggers through by sheer strength alone. Issei roared and pushed back, his aura flaring violently as he braced himself against the pressure, arms shaking as the blades crept closer by a fraction of an inch.
His eyes then widened when Baran suddenly snapped his jaw open. 'Again?! How much mana does he have?' Panic surged through him as crackling energy was gathered in Baran's mouth, distorting the space around them.
At this distance, there would be no room for him to dodge.
After a split second, the light finally reached its peak.
Then a sharp clang rang out across the battlefield.
Something struck Baran squarely on the side of his head. The impact barely even made him flinch, but it was enough to steal his attention for a fraction of a second.
Issei sucked in a sharp breath as the crushing pressure bearing down on him suddenly loosened. His eyes snapped toward the source, widening when he saw Esil standing a short distance away, rain pouring down over her as her arm remained extended from the throw, her body stiff as if the realization of what she had just done had only now caught up to her. Her spear spun through the air, having ricocheted harmlessly off Baran like a small toothpick being thrown at metal.
For a heartbeat, everything froze.
"SOUL LINK PROMOTION – ROOK!" Capitalizing the opening, Issei roared and shoved forward with everything he had, using his enhanced strength to break the lock as he forced Baran's arms wide before tearing them both off his shoulders. His aura erupted outward in a violent surge as he continued to spin around, using Ruler's Hands to wrench the demonic blades free from the loosening holds before pulling them into his hands to slash Baran hard across his chest, cutting into his flesh and sending even more black blood spraying into the rain.
The impact sent Baran staggering back, his massive frame skidding across the shattered stone as black blood poured freely from the sockets where his arms had been torn away. Even before the severed limbs could hit the ground behind him with heavy thuds, Issei had already surged forward, blades flashing as he drove another slash into Baran's torso, then shot back to follow it with a second, then a third… turning himself into a relentless storm of destruction as he attacked Baran at various angles. He was much slower, but not that it mattered anymore as the Demon King had no way to defend himself against the onslaught as Issei cut him repeatedly with his own blades before finally stabbing them into his chest.
The blade came to a sudden halt just before it could pierce his heart, or whatever it was that was pulsing in his chest as Baran headbutted him hard enough to make Issei stumble back a single step, feeling himself passing out for a split second before the world around him started moving again. With his aura flaring violently, the Demon King let out a feral roar and snapped his mouth open in one last desperate attempt to retaliate, but Issei refused to even give him the chance to finish building up his energy.
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
[BOOST!]
With every last bit of mana that he had left, Issei boosted up his strength and rushed toward the stumbling Baran, twisting his body as he drove a single, devastating uppercut with Boosted Gear straight into the jaw of the Demon King. The blow landed with explosive force, with every last bit of power, every ounce of strength Issei had in him pouring into it at once.
Energy erupted upward in a blinding column as Baran's head was torn clean from his body in an instant, the blast he had been gathering and the remainder of his power forced skyward before erupting high above the battlefield. The explosion split the storm clouds apart, lighting the heavens like a second sun. The shockwave hit a heartbeat later, with air collapsed outward in a crushing ring, flattening everything in its path as they spread across the battlefield. What remained of the avenue was erased completely, stone pulverized into dust as the wave tore through the top floor of the Demon Castle, ripping walls apart and toppling entire structures as if they were made of paper. Rain was blown away in all directions, the downpour briefly pushed back by the sheer force of the blast. Issei was thrown backward despite his footing, skidding across the ruined ground before digging his boots in and barely managing to stop himself, breath coming out in harsh gasps. His aura flickered violently, then began to fade, the inferno around him dying out as his mana finally ran dry.
[!] Notice – The Demon King has been slain
[!] Title received: Demon Hunter
[!] Notice – Obtained [Soul of Baran]
[!] Quest Completed – Collect Demon Souls (2)
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
As the notification flashed repeatedly across his vision, Baran remained standing for a brief, frozen in place despite the absence of his head. Then gravity finally claimed him. The Demon King collapsed forward, his body crashing into the shattered stone with a thunderous impact that echoed across the ruined avenue long after the explosion above had faded.
[Splendidly done, partner! Splendidly done!] Ddraig praised with excitement, his voice resonating from Boosted Gear as above, the storm clouds finally tore themselves apart. Darkness finally gave way to sunlight that poured through the opening sky. Rain dwindled to nothing, and warm, golden light washed over the battlefield as Issei threw his head back and let out a triumphant roar, his voice resonating across the entire battlefield beneath the clearing heaven.
"Issei-sama!" Esil called out while rushing over to Issei as he let himself drop back, sitting heavily on the ground as the last of the tension drained from his body. A breathless chuckle escaped him before he finally turned to look up at her once she reached him and lowered herself down, speaking in a grateful tone.
"Thanks, Esil. I owe you, big time."
[You have my eternal respect, Esil! You saved my partner! Thank you!] Ddraig said. For the first time ever, he sounded grateful.
"I… I really didn't do anything. I just wanted to help, that's all." Esil said, her cheeks flushing a little as she looked down at her hands.
"It doesn't matter." Issei replied, shaking his head. Chuckling a little to himself, Issei then looked toward Baran's fallen, headless body for a second before shifting his gaze back to Esil to tell her with a grin. "And now that the Demon King's gone, there's no one left above you and your family now. That means the Radiru Clan is the strongest demon clan from here on out."
Esil blinked, clearly caught off guard by that. After a moment, she straightened and gave a small, respectful bow. "It's all thanks to you, Issei-sama. The Radiru will never forget this."
Before either of them could say more, a faint ripple passed through the air beside them.
Leaving the rest of the army behind to gather the essence stones and other loot scattered among the fallen members of the White Flame Elite Force, Glacia emerged from the battlefield and drifted toward Issei in silence. The icy-blue glow of her form stood out against the warmth of the sunlight, creating a sharp contrast as she approached while holding in her hands the massive longsword of the Demon King, its surface still crackling with faint crimson lightning and resonating with the lingering remnants of Baran's power.
When she reached him, the Elf Queen halted and lowered herself gracefully to one knee. With a composed and reverent motion, she raised the Demon King's longsword toward Issei, offering it out to him as Issei looked at her, eyes lingering on the weapon in her hands for a moment before standing up with Esil following closely at his side. Drawing in a slow breath, Issei reached out and closed his fingers firmly around the hilt, letting the full weight of the blade settle into his grip as Glacia lowered her hands. Crimson lightning rippled along the length of the sword at once, flaring in response to his touch before gradually subsiding as the weapon seemingly accepted its new wielder.
[!] Crimson Throne – LVMAX
Type: Longsword
ATK: 1000
Rarity: S
Element: Lightning
Description: The longsword of the Demon King, Baran. The blade has the soul of a thunder spirit trapped inside, and is brimming with demonic power.
Special Abilities:
- Strike of White Flame (P): Every time the sword is swung, the effect [Storm of White Flames] will active
- [Storm of White Flames] Effect (P): Increases the user's [ATK] by 12%. Creates a lightning that deals damage equal to 200% of the user's [ATK] in a nearby area every 0.75 second. When Lightning hits, it applies the [Benediction of the White Flames] effect and [Final Thunderbolt].
- [Final Thunderbolt: A large lightning bolt falls on the target dealing damage equal to 1600% of the user's [ATK] to nearby enemies.
- [Benediction of the White Flames] Effect (P): Applies the [Stun] effect to the target for 2 second(s). Cooldown: 10 second(s)
As the information of the blade flashed before him, Issei held it upright and gave it a small turn, testing its balance. Rainwater slid along the edge and dripped steadily to the ground at his feet while he studied the weapon, a swelling sense of awe settling in as he took it in. After a moment, he swung it around with an easy motion before letting it fall freely to rest against his shoulder, a faint smirk forming as he glanced toward Esil, who had been watching him with clear bewilderment
"Yeah. Feels about right." With that said, Issei casted his gaze over to Katerea, who also rushed to him and presented the Demon King's Daggers in the same way Glacia had done moments earlier. The sight immediately made the ice elf queen narrow her eyes at her, the clear rivalry between the pair obvious to anyone. Issei, however, paid it little mind; his full attention focused on the twin blades resting in Katerea's hands as he reviewed their details and description with Esil beside him.
[!] Demon King's Daggers – LVMAX
Type: Daggers
ATK: 666
Rarity: S
Element: Lightning
Description: The daggers of the Demon King Baran. Two daggers that were forged from the horns of a determined demon. The Demon King was very fond of them.
Special Abilities:
- [Two As One] Set Effect will be activated when both daggers are equipped.
- [Two As One] Set Effect (P): Increases the damage output by 1% every 10 Strength points (up to 50%). Duration: Infinite
Issei glanced down at the daggers for a long moment, reaching his free hand out to brush along one of the blades as faint arcs of blue lightning crackled over its edge before settling. They were good. More than good. Even better than his Kamish daggers at the moment.
Still, his gaze drifted back to the crimson blade resting on his shoulder and smiled in satisfaction.
"Yeah… maybe in another life. Blade." Issei said, taking the Demon King's Daggers from Katerea before calling for his assassin commander. Blade emerged at once, dropping to one knee with one fist pressed to the ground. That familiar smirk was already on his face as he lowered his head in respect.
"Here, you can have this." Issei said, handing the shadow the Demon King's Daggers as he held up his hands to receive his new weapons. The moment his fingers closed around the hilts, lightning crackled sharply along the edges. With a grin, Blade stood up and straightened himself to start testing the weapons with a few quick, but flourished slashes and flicks. The twin blades in his hands flashed in wide, sharp arcs, cutting cleanly through the air as thunder trailed behind each motion.
Issei watched the display with clear approval as Esil clapped her hands, the corner of his mouth lifting as he nodded. "Looks like a good fit." At that, Blade turned back toward him, then crossed one arm over his chest, holding a dagger close as he bowed his head, his even arrogant smirk softening into something closer to pride.
Of course, the weapons were amazing. Better than what Issei could have expected…
But they weren't the reasons he had come to the Demon Castle.
[!] Purified Blood of the Demon King.
Type: Ingredient
Rarity: ?
Description: Fluid created by purifying blood from the monarch of the demons.
It's radiating powerful magical energy and despite the purification, there's still a bit of toxicity left and must be mixed with the 'World Tree's Fragment' and 'Spring Water from the Forest of Echoes' to use it as a medicine.
"This is it." Issei said as he held the vial containing the Purified Blood of The Demon King in his hand, the final crafting ingredient for the Elixir of Life that he had received in his Inventory after defeating Baran. "With this, I should be able to cure Ingvild completely of her disease."
Without further ado, he pulled up the Alchemy tab of the Crafting Menu, something he had never bothered using before since he always just bought his potions directly from the shop. One by one, he placed the ingredients into their designated slots while they physically floated in front of him and Esil. First came the purple vial of the Demon King's purified blood, followed by the fragment of the World Tree, and last but not least the crystal-clear Spring Water from the Forest of Echoes, which seemed to serve as both the catalyst and purifying reagent for the elixir.
Once that everything was in order, new lines of texts appeared before his eyes.
The Success Rate and the number of Crafted Items will depend on the Crafter's Intelligence Attribute.
[!] Crafting Item: Elixir of Life
[!] Success Rate: 42%
[!] Influencing Stat: INT
"Wait, what?!" Issei blurted out in surprise. "…You've got to be kidding me." He frowned at the number while processing the information in his head. INT had only recently become his focus. Most of his recent investment had gone there only because of his Shadow Monarch subclass and improving his Shadows.
Forty-two percent was without a doubt a terrible rate, and for something as useful as the Elixir of Life, failure was not an option.
"Hmm, maybe someone with an Alchemy Skill can help?" Issei murmured with a thoughtful expression as he turned his gaze toward the empty slot underneath the Crafting Menu. If it worked like Smithing, where he usually assigned Vulcan to assist in the process and help improve the qualities of crafted and refined equipment, then assigning someone proficient in Alchemy might be enough to improve the success rate.
He turned his head toward Esil. "Hey, Esil. Do you know alchemy or anything like that?"
Esil widened her eyes slightly, then waved both hands in front of her in a flustered motion. "N-No! Not at all." She said quickly with a forced smile "I'm terrible at that kind of thing, Issei-sama."
"Oh, okay then." Issei said with a soft laugh, finding her reaction to be quite cute. Still, he should have expected as much. She was a warrior princess, who was skilled in combat and could handle herself in a fight. Asking her if she knew something meticulous like Alchemy was probably a bit much.
Maybe there was a shadow who was good at this…
To his surprise, the moment Issei pulled up his Shadow Menu and filtered it with the 'Alchemy Skill' option, a long list of Shadows proficient in the art opened up before him, far more than he had expected. Then again, considering how many Shadow Magicians he had in his army, it probably should not have come as a surprise since potion making was one of the main areas of study for magicians and magic users in general.
Their proficiency, however, varied greatly. Some, when assigned to the Alchemy Slot, only pushed the success rate for crafting the Elixir of Life slightly above fifty percent, while others barely affected it at all. Issei frowned as he scrolled through the list, quickly realizing that the reason for the inconsistency must be specializations, like Vulcan excelled at forging high-ATK weapons imbued with fire damage, but produced only average results when it came to defensive gears like armors. The magicians likely focused on specific branches of alchemy when they were alive. An elixir that supposedly could cure any illness should be on an entirely different level to even the most advanced potions.
Then, suddenly, his scrolling came to a stop.
One shadow stood out immediately with her success rate, which jumped sharply to eighty five percent the moment he placed her in the slot. Issei found himself widening eyes slightly, surprise flickering across his face before he summoned her with a small smile.
Gracefully, the former Queen of Diodora Astaroth emerged before him, her head bowing deeply in respect as she awaited his command in silence.
"Hey, can you help me with this?" Issei asked gently, and the girl lowered her head to him before turning around and holding out her hands. Soft light flowed from her palms and illuminated the area as the ingredients started combining before her and the countdown from crafting began. Issei and Esil held their breath, their eyes fixing on the screen as the process bar slowly filled.
Eighty five percent. High, but not absolute. There was still a chance of failure, and it made Issei more nervous than he thought he would be.
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Crafting Successful!]
"Yes!" Issei cheered, pumping a fist as Esil clapped her hands beside him in celebration. Seven vials of Elixir of Life were transferred into his inventory at once, and he immediately took one out to examine it, watching the crimson liquid inside the glass that fit almost comfortably in his palm shimmer under the sunlight.
"Seven vials!" He said with a grin. "Now that's even better than I hoped for."
"Congratulation, Issei-sama." Esil beamed.
With that, Issei then turned back to the shadow of Diodora's former Queen and reached out, giving her a light pat on the head. "Thank you, Elizabeth. You did great."
The girl lowered her head and leaned into his hand with a small smile, one that seemed to widen when Issei used her name in life to address her. He had done a background check on her and the others of the Astaroth Peerage shortly after the canceled Rating Game. It was a shame he could not assign names to Shadows below Knight rank, finding himself wondering if that would change once she reached a high enough level for promotion… assuming such a thing was even possible for them.
With her task completed, Elizabeth returned to his shadow, allowing Issei to examine the vial in his hand thoroughly. He would probably give the Elixir to Ingvild first so it would cure her completely of the Sleep Disease if she still had it, but the remaining six vials would give him a lot of options. Maybe he should give one to Azazel too to see if his Chemistry teacher could reverse engineer and recreate the potion, though without the proper ingredients, he highly doubted any replica would have any significant effect.
Speaking of ingredients…
"Issei-sama." Esil called out to him as she lifted the Fragment of the World Tree up. It was noticeably smaller than before, but still almost as big as she was "There's still much of the World Tree's Fragment left."
Issei glanced over, then let out a short, amused laugh when he saw it. "Yeah, that makes sense. It would've been weird if the whole thing got used up just to make seven vials."
On the other hand, both the Purified Blood and the Spring Water had been completely consumed, which also meant that any chance of crafting the Elixir again was almost non-existed.
"Now, for my new levels."
Issei said as he pulled up his Character Panel after storing the fragment back into his Inventory, finding the five available levels that he had achieved after beating Baran earlier. After a brief moment of consideration, he made his decision and allocated all of them into Dragonsworn, leveling his main class up for the first time in a long time before nodding in satisfaction.
"Here we go."
[Wait, partner. Look at the Link Gauge!] Ddraig suddenly called out just before he could swipe away the window, making Issei turn his attention back and look at the bar directly under his mana. In an instant, he found himself widening his eyes in surprise before understanding set in the moment he saw the number.
Link Gauge: 130/130
"… You've got to be kidding me!" Issei exclaimed, more to himself than to anyone else as he stared at the screen. It was not difficult for him to figure out exactly where those five extra units had just come from. "So you're telling me I could've been extending my Soul Link duration this entire time by leveling up Dragonsworn?"
Five extra seconds might not sound like much on the surface, but Issei knew better. In a fight between monsters, ten extra seconds was an eternity of precious time. They could be the difference between life and death, between overwhelming victory and total annihilation… Not to mention that as he leveled up his main class more and more, that window would only grow wider, giving him even more time to unleash his full power.
[Well then. I guess you learn something new every day huh?] Ddraig remarked with a dry, but amused chuckle.
Closing his Character Panel, Issei pulled up the Quest Menu to check in on the Collect Demon Souls (2) Quest. With the acquisition of Baran's soul, the Quest was marked as complete, allowing him to claim the promised rewards one after another.
The first among them was the thirty attribute points. Without hesitation, Issei allocated ten points into STR and another ten into INT. The remaining ten were split evenly, five into VIT and five into PER.
The moment he confirmed the final allocation, a notification popped up.
[!] Your Observe Skill has leveled up - LVMAX
The maximum level skill now gave [True Sight, enabling the Player to see units concealed by [Disguise] and [Stealth]. All active Buffs and Debuffs affecting the target, along with their remaining durations, will also be revealed.
"Oh, nice!" Issei uttered in amazement, wondering if the new enhanced skill would allow him to see through invisibility on the level that Blade used. He would definitely have to test it out later.
With that taken care of, Issei moved on to his second reward, the [Demon King] Jewelry Set. Every accessory in the set, including the ring, earring and necklace, was an S-tier item that provided a significant 20 bonuses to his Attributes: STR, PER, and INT. Even individually, they were far superior to his current [Obsidian] set, but when equipped together, they granted an additional 10 bonus to all of his Attributes, making the boost across the board substantial.
Finished, Issei then accepted his final reward, already having a feeling of what it might be. The moment he chose Accept, a familiar window appeared before him, bearing the same line of text as it had before.
[!] Choose a class that you want to receive a job-specific special skill to.
1. Dragonsworn.
2. Shadow Monarch
"I know we chose Shadow Monarch last time," Issei said, holding up Boosted Gear as he spoke to Ddraig. "but since we already put the extra levels into Dragonsworn, how about we still go with Shadow Monarch this time as well, Ddraig?"
[I agree. Go for it, partner.] Ddraig replied, and Issei had no doubt that his dragon partner was thinking the same thing he was.
After all, they had missed out on an incredible skill last time.
"Confirm, Shadow Monarch."
[!] You have selected: Shadow Monarch.
You may choose one skill of the below.
1. Monarch's Domain (LV1): Allow the Player to project his own shadow to create an area in which any shadow fighting within will receive a 50% stat increase. No mana required.
2. Shadow Storage (LV2): Shadow Preservation now also allows the Player to monitor their Shadows by perceiving their senses.
"Wait, perceiving their senses? So does that mean I can see what they see and…"
[Don't even think about it, partner.] Ddraig spoke up with a sweat drop even before the smile could spread across his face. While Esil just watched on in a mix of curiosity and slight confusion, Issei let out a cough into his hand, cleared his throat and confirmed his choice with the Monarch's Domain skill, adding it to his arsenal of powerful abilities.
But with that, he had concluded his journey in the Demon Castle.
"Hey, Esil, would it be alright for you to return to your father on your own?" Issei asked, rolling up his sleeves to check the time in the outside world. It was close to 10 a.m., a perfect time for him to return. "I mean, I can see you back if you want, but I think I need to get back now."
"I'll be fine, Issei-sama, since the paths are clear thanks to you. But… you're not staying for the banquet?" Esil asked, her smile faltering slightly as she looked at him. "I'm sure Father will surely be delighted to hear that we're now the number one Demon clan…"
Issei shook his head and said with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Esil. I really should get back as soon as possible. A friend of mine is already covering for my absence, so I can't risk causing her any more trouble if I linger here for too long."
"But…"
"Tell you what." Issei said "How about I come back later tonight for that banquet? Here."
Saying that, Issei then removed his wristwatch and took her hand to gently place it around her wrist, securing it carefully so it wouldn't slip off. "Consider this my promise." He said with a small grin. "In about fourteen hours, I'll be back to celebrate with you and your Clan. How does that sound?"
Esil's eyes widened slightly before a warm smile spread across her face. "I'll be waiting, Issei-sama."
"Here, this guy and the one I'm gonna swap with will follow and escort you back." Issei said, summoning a Shadow Orc to his side before turning to him to speak. "Follow her and make sure she gets home safely, got it?"
The Shadow Orc bowed low in response, one hand pressed to his chest before standing up to walk toward Esil. She looked up at him with a smile, and he returned the gesture with a quick, reassuring thumbs-up.
"I'll see you later then, Issei-sama."
"See you later, Esil. Send your father my regards." Issei replied with a wave. Without another word, he activated Shadow Exchange and vanished from the Demon Castle with a burst of darkness as a Shadow trooper took his place.
"Alright!" Esil said with her arms stretching toward the sky, a warm smile on her face as she looked at the two shadows and said "Let's head back and inform father, and prepare that grand banquet for Issei-sama!"
In response, the two Shadows threw their arms into the air and cheered in unison.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 55 Dragonsworn / Level 50 Shadow Monarch
HP: 32,561/32,561
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 15,324/15,324
Link Gauge: 130/130
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 336
Vitality: 260
Intelligence: 303
Dexterity: 265
Perception: 260
Charisma: 236
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Lightning Imbue (LV2), Water Imbue (LV2), Shadow Extraction (LV2), Shadow Extraction – Form Change, Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1), Shadow Exchange (LV1), Monarch's Domain (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Observe (LVMAX), 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 / 660 (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 (Elite Knight), Vulcan (Elite Knight), Tempest (Elite Knight), Lycaon (Elite Knight), Tora (Elite Knight), Blade (Elite Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight), Aegis (Elite Knight), Bahamut (Elite Knight).
Exclusive Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), [High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Ascalon R1 – repaired (LV40), Staff of Avarice (Given to Glacia), Yarn of Ariadne, Crimson Throne (LVMAX – Demon King's Longsword), Demon King's Daggers (LVMAX – Given to Blade), [Demon King] Jewelry Set.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3, Elixir of Life x7.
Gold: 92.231.645 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1), Soul Link Full Break - Dragon of Dragon.
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), Dragon Damnation (Soul Link – Queen Promotion).
Tower of Ascension sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander – Igirs (Incomplete), Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank (Incomplete). Sigil of the Shaodw Wyvern – Kaisel (Imcomplete).
End of Chapter 50