"Oh, so with Rossweisse-sensei just joining your Peerage, does that mean you guys just beat Loki too?"
"Oh, Ise did, actually."
"I did what?"
Issei asked as he walked into the dining hall of the Gremory Residence that morning. He paused mid-step, his eyes shifting between his girlfriend and her doppelganger, who sat beside her at the center dining table. At the same time, the members of her Occult Research Club were seated along the sides and her parents occupied their usual places at the head. It looked like they were having the tea party they had invited Issei and Rias to earlier, but his attention was firmly focused on the breakfast dishes laid out on one of the side tables. After all, he was fairly hungry, his stomach rumbling after the daily workout he had completed as his Daily Quest for the System, which was also why he had arrived late.
Even after a full day had passed, Issei still found it hard to believe that he and Rias had gone to another world. It was a world identical to their own, sharing many similarities, yet different in noticeable, not-so-small ways. The two of them were still sorting through those differences, having decided to take things slow, but the one thing that stood out to him the most was the fact that this world had never been plagued by Gates or the magical beasts that came with them.
At least, not until a few days ago.
"Beating Loki!" It was his doppelganger who said it, a wide grin spreading across his face as he walked up to him.
"Oh yeah, are we talking about Ragnarok right now? I checked the calendar. Our worlds are on the same date, actually." Issei asked, gesturing a thumb over his shoulder as he grabbed an empty plate.
That detail alone was problematic. If time flowed the same in both worlds, they had already been missing for an entire day. Everyone at home was likely worried sick about him and Rias, as they had no idea where they went or if they were even safe. Issei tried not to focus on it, but the thought kept lingering. All he could do was hope they find a way to bring them back soon, before the situation escalated further.
After giving the Lord and Lady of the Gremory Devil Household a courteous bow, Issei moved to the side table and began piling his plate with food, glancing back at his doppelganger while speaking: "So you actually defeated Loki too, huh? As expected from my doppelganger."
[Hmm, it seems both our hosts are not so different, after all. You must be having as good of a time working with your Issei Hyoudou as I am with mine, Other Me.]
[Yeah, I am… not so sure about that.] Came the reply with a small, somewhat awkward chuckle, making Issei raise an eyebrow in wonder and confusion.
That Ddraig almost sounded depressed, something that his own dragon partner seemed to have also caught up on as well.
Before either of them could comment on it, the other Issei continued. "Well, to be fair… I did get some help from Akeno-san and Barakiel-san when I smashed him with Mjolnir, so…"
"Oh? So you used Mjolnir to beat him?" Issei asked while chewing on a slice of pork he had put in his mouth with a pair of chopsticks. The sight made a certain Head Lady of the Household narrow her eyes in disapproval.
"Rias, dear. His table manners are even worse than our Issei Hyoudou." Venelana said quietly, leaving Rias unable to do anything else but let out a soft laugh as she exchanged a forced smile with her doppelganger.
"So, what was it like? The hammer, I mean." Not hearing the remark, Issei continued, sounding genuinely interest as continued eating while talking to the other Issei.
"Well, it was just a replica, so…" The other Issei said, scratching his cheek before widening his eyes in realization, which spread through the dining room as several gazes turned to the taller Issei. "Wait, does that mean… you beat him without Mjolnir?"
"Yeah." Issei nodded as if it were nothing serious. "Granted, he was weakened after trying to destroy the entire dimension we locked him in to keep the fight contained, and we also got interrupted, but I was the one who finished him off. Mjolnir would have made it easier, sure, but a solid hit with enough destructive force worked just as well, you know."
He finished while rubbing his chin with a thoughtful expression, recalling and recalling the words Midgardsormr had told him when he asked about the best way to deal with Loki. The gesture, however, made him completely miss the looks of disbelief everyone had on their faces as they stared at him.
"Oh, by the way, I have been thinking…" Issei then continued, looking at his doppelganger before he could open his mouth to speak up "We need a better solution for this whole… Issei-Issei thing, for us and for everyone else. Our looks are whatever, but whenever someone calls our name, we have no idea which one they mean."
"Oh, I see. That makes sense." the other Issei said, nodding in understanding before snapping his fingers as he pointed at himself and at his counterpart. "So I will be Issei One, and you will be Issei Two?"
"Spider-man?"
"Yup."
"Sure, this is your world. I'm just a guest, so…"
"How about we call our Issei Ise, while you will still be Issei, Issei-kun?"
A voice cut in, followed by a soft, amused laugh as the doors on the side of the room opened, allowing Sirzechs Lucifer and his maid Grayfia to walk in. Following closely beside the silver haired maid was Millicas Gremory, who Issei had met the night before. It had been shocking to discover that he was Grayfia's son with Sirzechs, and not Anna, who turned out to be just a childhood friend of the crimson haired Maou in this world.
Regardless, as the three entered the room and were greeted respectfully by everyone except his parents, who smiled warmly at their son and his family, they were accompanied by Sairaorg Bael and his Queen, Kuisha Abaddon, both of whom froze when they took in the sight of two Isseis and two Rias, who rose from their seats at the same time to greet Sirzechs with the same postures.
"So it's true…" Sairaorg acknowledged, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he studied Issei more closely.
"Sairaorg-san!" Ise acknowledged the Bael heir in surprise, clearly not expecting to see him. "So Sirzechs-san told you about…"
"Not really. There were some rumors about someone looking like you walking around here with Rias, who was also seen with ours, so…" Sairaorg shook his head and said with an amused chuckle, while his Queen just nodded slowly "Sirzechs-sama confirmed it to us earlier, but I guess we just have to see you guys for ourselves to believe it."
"Trust me. Any emotion you feel right now, we felt it way more when we first ended up here." Issei said as he reached out and took Sairaorg's hand when he offered it to him, noticing just how strong his grip was, exactly like that of his doppelganger from his world. "Nice to meet you, Sairaorg-san."
"Likewise, Issei, Rias." Sairaorg said, nodding his head in satisfaction and a slight hint of impress as he took his hand back.
"And about your names, since my sister calls you Ise, why do we not stick with that?" Sirzechs asked, looking at the Issei of his word before glancing at the other "Nicknames are meant for those we are close to, and you are much closer to us than Issei-kun is, after all. No offense to you, of course,"
Issei raised both hands and nodded with a chuckle of his own. "None taken, Sirzechs-san."
Smiling, Sirzechs then looked toward the two Rias and asked them. "And to avoid confusion, could you two come to some kind of similar arrangement?"
"Of course. We have talked about it, so…" Rias stood up and cast a quick spell. A magic circle flared to life beside her, and her hair shifted from crimson to black. To complete the look, she pulled out a pair of glasses, the same pair that she always wore when reading as it helped her think, and put them on. "This should make it easier. How do I look?"
"You look great, Rias." Issei grinned as he gave his girlfriend a thumbs up.
"S-So sexy…" Ise exclaimed, pumping his fist excitedly. "Buchou with black hair and glasses. What a deadly combina—ow! What was that for?"
Before he could finish the comment, a sharp smack landed on the back of his head, sending him lurching forward a step, making his hands instantly fly up to hold the sore spot as he turned sharply over to his doppelganger. Having hit him with just a flick of his wrist, Issei stood there with his arm still half-extended and his eyes narrowed slightly at his doppelganger with a flat, unamused expression, leaving no doubt about how he felt.
"That is my girlfriend you are staring at, you know." He said calmly, but also threateningly, as if daring his doppelganger to try doing that again.
"S-Sorry... Man, this is definitely going to take some getting used to." Ise muttered, with one hand still rubbing the back of his head.
"Ahem, as for how we should be called. If there is no one else around besides everyone here, you can call me Ria." The other Rias cleared her throat and then spoke, raising her hand as she stood up and moved to stand beside her now black-haired doppelganger. Rias looked at her in surprise, and was about to protest when her doppelganger continued. "I know we discussed it, Rias, but it is just like onii-sama said. Nicknames are for those we are closest to. Since my Ise will be going by his nickname, as his master I might as well do the same to match."
"I mean… are you sure?" Rias asked, looking at her doppelganger in the eyes.
Ria nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
"Then that settles it." Sirzechs announced, clapping his hands once. Both Rias turned toward him with smiles, while Issei and Ise nodded in agreement.
"Never a dull moment since the day you took in the Red Dragon Emperor himself, Rias… I mean, Ria." Sairaorg laughed, shaking his head slightly before he looked over atto Kuisha, who stepped forward and produced a small bag, the scent of fresh fruit faintly noticeable even from a distance. "Anyway, I heard you finally completed your Peerage, so I came to congratulate you with some specialties from the Bael territory."
"Thanks, Sairaorg." Ria said gratefully as she walked to Kuisha and accepted the bag from the blonde.
"We were also talking about the match between you two." Sirzechs then said. "Rias, he doesn't have any special requests regarding the rules, except that the complicated restrictions have been removed from the combat rules."
"In other words, no matter how many uncertain elements are on your side, you are going to accept everything and take them all on. Is that what you mean?" Ria asked. She looked slightly surprised at first, but her expression quickly turned serious. Around the room, everyone seemed to react the same way, including the pair from the other world.
Issei himself might not have the chance to properly meet and get to know the Sairaorg Bael of his own world due to his schedule, but he already had a feeling the man would make the exact same decision for their match, which was set to take place in a few months. That alone would make him quite admirable, Issei had to admit.
"That is correct." Sairaorg nodded confidently. "Whether it is the vampire with the power to stop time, or the Sekiryuutei who reads minds and strips women of their clothing, I will defeat them all. If I cannot handle those kinds of attacks, then how can I call myself the—"
"Wait, wait, wait..." Issei cut in, his brows knitting together. "What did you just say? The Sekiryuutei who reads minds and strips women of their clothing?"
"Yeah, man. You don't have Pailingual and Dress Break?"
In response to the almost casual, somewhat proud answer, Issei could only stare flatly at his doppelganger, his mind grinding to a complete halt for a moment as he processed what he had just heard. The name Dress Break was fairly self-explanatory, especially after what Sairaorg had just said.
But Pailingual... he didn't have to be a genius to figure out what it did.
"I take that you guys haven't heard of the legendary Oppai Dragon." Sairaorg spoke in a humorous tone, making Issei turn his head over to look at him in utter confusion "And I guess you aren't one in your world either."
And so, Issei could only ask the most logical question in his mind at the time, all the while trying to make sense of all that he had just heard.
"What the fuck is an Oppai Dragon?"
Dragon dragon, Oppai dragon
Bounce bounce, jiggly jiggly
Boobs in swimsuits are amazing
"Can we please stop playing that fucking song?" Issei asked with irritation clear in his voice as he looked over to his girlfriend. "I already heard it for the first time. That was more than enough."
[Yes, please.] Ddraig added immediately.
Determining who was more traumatized by the new knowledge—him or Ddraig—was difficult. His doppelganger had not only corrupted his dragon partner's natural technique into a power that stripped women of their clothing, but also devised a spell that made women's breasts reveal their thoughts and intentions. While both spells proved useful in battle—since most women would freeze if suddenly exposed and the Pailingual spell could provide Issei and his allies with crucial information for planning—they both stemmed from the mind of an utterly shameless and deeply disgusting pervert.
"You have to admit, the lyrics are quite catchy." Rias replied to him with a soft, amused laugh as she turned off the music and gave Ria back her phone back. Currently, the three of them were standing with Issei and the rest of the household on the balcony overlooking the training ground in the backyard of the Gremory Residence, where Sairaorg and Ise stood facing each other across the open space.
On the spirit of their upcoming match, Sirzechs had requested to see how well the current Sekiryuutei would fare against the strongest youth devil of this generation, prompting Sairaorg to challenge Ise to a friendly spar. It was one Issei had to admit he was looking forward to watching for himself. Not just to see what his doppelganger was capable of beyond his perverted techniques, but also to find out how he himself would have fought without the Dragonsworn and Shadow Monarch abilities.
At that thought, Issei shuddered slightly, realizing he might have turned out exactly the same as Ise if not for the System bombarding him nonstop with pressure to become stronger.
"Onii-sama wrote the song, by the way."
"What next? You guys will tell me this guy gets stronger by touching breasts too?" Issei cut in before Ria or anyone could say anything else, making them turn to look at him. When he saw the look on their faces, he instantly knew the answer to his question, and said while holding back an overwhelming urge to facepalm "You know what? I don't want to know."
"Hey, he's actually not that bad, you know, Issei-kun." Kiba spoke with a small laugh.
"He's just really honest with his feelings, and that's part of his charm." Akeno giggled, hiding her smile behind her hand.
[Partner…]
"Yeah, Ddraig?" Issei said, holding up Boosted Gear which had manifested since he started hearing more about his doppelganger.
[Promise me that you'll never become this… Oppai Dragon.] Ddraig continued. Issei didn't need to see his dragon partner to know he was probably cringing just as hard as he was, and it physically pained him even to speak that title out loud.
"Don't worry, Ddraig. You have my words."
"So, I guess your Issei isn't a pervert like mine." Ria said as she leaned toward Rias to speak to her, making the black haired Gremory let out a small laugh before answering while the others looked over to them and listened to their conversation.
"Well, he used to be, that's for sure." Rias admitted as she tossed her boyfriend a playful glance, making him roll his eyes at her.
"Hey, are we having this fight or not?" Issei called out as he leaned over the railing, his patience already wearing thin after being subjected to the Oppai Dragon song one time too many.
"You heard the crowd, Ise." Sairaorg replied with a light chuckle as he rolled his left shoulder one last time. He had taken off his fancy, noble coat, leaving himself in a fitted muscle shirt that clung to his broad frame, outlining thick arms and a solid chest that spoke of countless hours of relentless physical training. "Ready to show me and yourself the strength of your fists."
"You bet!" Ise said as he held up Boosted Gear high above his head. "Ddraig, let's begin. Let's show them what the Oppai Dragon is made of."
[I would rather not… but very well. Leave it to me then, partner.]
Ddraig spoke up with a forced, dejected laugh, before the countdown for his Balance Breaker started. One, Two, Three… and the moment the counting finished, an explosive aura flared around Ise as he was swallowed in a blinding flash of red light, which then manifested into his Scale Mail armor before a pair of large dragon wings spread from behind his back.
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]
[Boost!]
The announcement had barely finished when Ise fired the thrusters along his back, the dust blowing up behind him as he launched himself forward at full speed, crossing the distance between him and Sairaorg in an instant. Power surged through his arm as he twisted his body and threw a straight hook toward the Bael heir, punching him squarely in the face. Sairaorg was thrown back a single step, his heels carving shallow grooves into the ground as dust and debris were thrown into the air.
When the dust settled, Sairaorg straightened, his expression unchanged. He lifted a hand and rubbed his chin, a slow, satisfied smile spreading across his face while Ise stared at him in shock, as his blow had not left even a single mark on his cheek.
"An excellent punch, Ise." He praised "Straight to the point, a punch full of emotions. A normal devil would have been knocked out cold by such a blow. But..."
Before Ise could even react to the slight shift in his stance, Sairaorg Bael had rushed forward at terrifying speed.
"I'm not a normal devil."
To the common eyes, it was as if he had just teleported to Ise, flashing in front of him with a fist cocked back. In an instant, he drove a punch forward, with the air itself seemingly rupturing from the sheer force behind it. Instinct screamed at Ise just in time for him to snap his arms up in a cross-guard, but the moment that the blow connected, Ise was launched backwards against his will, skidding across the training ground before slamming into the far end wall with a thunderous crash that sent stone and dirt spraying into the air.
"Woah…" Issei murmured with a hint of impress in his tone, noticing the crack in Ise's right gauntlet. Having seen the recorded footage of his Rating Game match against the heir of the Glasya-Labolas family, Issei knew just how overwhelming Sairaorg's strength was, but to be able to see it from this close had changed his entire perspective about the Bael heir.
It seemed… if the Sairaorg Bael of his world was anything like this guy, he was in for an interesting duel.
"Here I come again, Ise!"
The moment that Ise managed to recover, with Ddraig fixing the broken right gauntlet for him, Sairaorg had come at him again, disappearing from his sight before he could react. What came next was the thunderous boom of the sound barrier being broken, as Sairaorg threw another punch at Ise, who managed to move his body out of the way just as the blow was about to land. Still, his knuckle still grazed the armor around his stomach, leaving several cracks there much to the shock of the Sekiryuutei himself.
[Boost!]
"Damn it!" Recovering quickly, Ise spun around and threw another punch at Sairaorg. He could have easily dodged it, but he chose not to and took the punch right in the face. Once again, the attack barely even made him flinch, making Ise grit his teeth in frustration before firing the thrusters on his back at full speed, propelling him around the Bael heir to pummel him from every direction. His body rocked slightly under the barrage, boots digging into the stone as he was forced back step by step, yet there was no blood, no sign of injury as he casually raised his arms to block each and every attack. His expression never changed. No grimace. No pain. Just a wide grin of excitement as he took every hit head-on.
"A-amazing…" Asia gasped in amazement as she raised her hand to shield herself away from the strong gusts of winds generated from each and every blow Ise was delivering to Sairaorg, who endured it all and continued standing his ground with that same unwavering excitement as if he were welcoming every strike rather than resisting it.
The moment Ise overextended for one last punch, however, Sairaorg planted his foot firmly and twisted his torso, driving a quick but brutal hook into Ise's side. The impact detonating with a thunderous crack that drowned out the earlier blows. The air burst outward as the ground beneath them fractured as Ise was sent flying, his body tearing across the training ground before skidding hard and carving a long trench through the ground.
"Not bad." Issei commented as he watched his counterpart slowly picking himself up, despite the punch he had just taken would have knocked most out in the spot. Slowly, he turned around, holding his side as he finally took a defensive stance, facing Sairarog.
"I know that is not all you got, Ise. Show me the true power of the Sekiryuutei!"
"I will." Ise shot back determinedly while holding up Boosted Gear. "Maybe this will work. Promotion, Rook!"
[Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]
The ground beneath his fist cracked as power surged through his veins, his aura intensifying with the promotion. With a sharp exhale, he kicked off the ground, the earth beneath him shattering as he launched himself straight at Sairaorg.
The Bael heir smirked, and moved first with his superior speed. Issie gasped, instantly coughing a mouthful of blood as his fist collided with his abdomen, but unlike last time, there was no crack. Moreover, with his defense and endurance being amplified, he withstood the blow and stood his ground. He clenched his teeth, forced his legs to lock in place, and pushed through the burning pressure that seemed to tear at his muscles to swing back at Sairaorg, with every ounce of boosted strength poured into the strike. The punch landed squarely against his face with an explosive impact, causing a shockwave to tear outward and blast dust and debris into the air.
For the first time, the expression Sairaorg wore on his face changed. The excitement was still there, but there was a slight grimace of pain as he spit the blood in his mouth out before turning his gaze back to look at Ise.
"Promotion to Rook, huh? Not bad at all." Sairaorg commented as he slowly leaned back, allowing Ise to do the same "I put a little power into that punch, but you withstood it. Both your attack and defense were excellent as a Rook, Ise. Perhaps its promotion is more suited to a Power Type like your than the all-around Queen, Ise."
"I understand." Isei said, his tone was filled with admiration. "You are so amazing as well, Sairaorg-san. I poured everything I got into that punch, and yet…"
"So, you can reach this level of strength entirely through physical training?"
When confronted with Xenovia's question, Sairaorg merely smiled and looked up at her.
"I only believe in my own body, that's all." He said, directing his words to Ise as well, as he was clearly wondering the same thing. With a smile, he then turned back and asked him. "Your punches were good, Ise, but I can sense hesitation in each and every one of them. Might I ask what the matter is?"
"I… it's hard to explain." Ise said, opening his helmet to look at Sairaorg directly. "Aside from Buchou and her family, none of the high-class devils I've met treated me the way you do, so…"
Hearing those words, Sairaorg let out a small sigh, but nodded his head and smiled nonetheless in understanding.
"So that's it. You've been underestimated for a long time. Don't worry. I won't underestimate you, who survived a direct battle against the Old Maou Faction and Loki himself during Ragnarok." Sairaorg pointed out, making Ise smile in admiration but then chuckle nervously in response "However, if that hesitation still remains when we face each other in our Rating Game match, then my Peerage and I will be the ones standing victorious in the end."
"I… I'll try my best."
"I know that you will." Sairaorg smiled, giving him a nod of the head before continuing, his eyes casting over to a certain figure who had been watching the fight from the comfort of the balcony "In the meantime, how about we have someone who can show you better than anyone else what your fists can achieve when there's little holding them back do just that"
At that, every gaze in the training ground followed his gaze and focused on Issei, who raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked at the Bael heir, having no trouble at all telling his intention.
"You know what?" Issei said, his tone flat and lacking any other emotion but annoyance "Listen to that shitty song has been making me want to punch something, so if Sirzechs-san allows it…"
"I can't see why not. I have been looking forward to seeing what the Sekiryuutei of another world is made of as well." The crimson-haired Maou replied with a soft chuckle.
Issei nodded his head back at him in response, then planted a hand on the railing to vault over it, dropping down to the ground below and landing lightly on his feet. As he straightened, his gaze locked onto Sairaorg, who stood waiting for him with his arms crossing over his chest. At the same time, Ise withdrew from the sparring ground, taking to the air before landing beside his friends and Asia, who immediately began healing his injuries after he had dismissed his Scale Mail.
"Before we begin, I want to make one thing clear, Sairaorg-san." Issei spoke as he came to a stop a few feet in front of Sairarog, who finally uncrossed his arms and started cracking his knuckles. "I'm not my doppelganger. If you are going to come at me, you better do so with your full strength. Take off those seals that are weighing you down."
"Wait, really?" Ise asked in shock when he heard that.
"I should have expected as much." Sairaorg nodded. An aura immediately surged out from his body as the seals suppressing his power shattered one after another, the pressure in the air spiking sharply as his Touki flared briefly before settling. "There, Issei-kun. In return, I'd like you to not hold back against me as well."
"That's up to you." Issei replied with a faint smirk as he lowered his gaze.
"If both combatants are ready," Sirzechs announced, making Issei look at him "then you can start."
"Alright, let's get started."
The moment that the word left his mouth, Sairaorg had made his first move. When Issei turned back to the Bael heir from Sirzechs, his fist was already right in front of his face. Several of the spectators stiffened as they realized just how much he had been holding back during his exchange with Ise, who watched with wide eyes as Sairaorg twisted his torso and drove his knuckle forward, generating a force so violent it tore a visible shockwave through the air. The blast slammed into the far wall, shattering stone and sending chunks of debris crashing down across the training ground.
"As expected." Sairaorg said, a grin spreading across his face as he turned his gaze over his shoulder and looked behind him, where Issei had landed after swiftly avoiding his punch.
"He dodged it!" Kiba blurted out in amazement with a gasp, having been the only one besides Sirzechs and Grayfia who had managed to follow the speed both combatants were moving. "A direct blow from that distance, and yet…"
Issei straightened, brushing dust from his shoulder as he glanced at the damaged wall, then back at Sairaorg. "Eager, aren't we?" He asked with a smile of his own, his eyes glowing faintly as he studied Sairaorg over. Because he hadn't had the chance to cross fists with him yet, it was difficult to say if Sairaorg was in the same league with the Bael heir of his world, who had led his Peerage through many successful high rank Raids, but it was already clear that underestimating him would be a mistake.
Good. He wouldn't want this spar to end too quickly.
"I knew it from the moment we shook hands." Sairaorg said as he turned to face him fully. "You're a different kind of Sekiryuutei, Issei."
"I have no time for porn." Issei replied flatly, making Sairaorg laugh in response before his expression hardened. He then rushed toward Issei, closing the distance in an instant as his first punch came straight for his head. Issei shifted his weight and leaned just enough for the enormous knuckle to pass by his cheek, the air twisting around his arm from the speed alone.
A second punch followed immediately, then a third, each one thrown with full intent and no wasted motion, but Issei simply leaned his body once, then twice… slipping between the blows with minimal movement. Every punch missed by a narrow margin, fists cutting through empty air where his head or torso had been a fraction of a millisecond earlier as the two of them moved across the space.
After another missed punch, Issei suddenly ducked his head down and launched his first attack into Sairaorg's midsection, the impact landing before Sairaorg had any chance to pull back or adjust his stance. The blow connected solidly, compressing the air around it as the force traveled straight through Sairaorg's body, which hunched over briefly before the Bael heir felt himself being launched backward. He regained his footing quickly, feet digging into the ground as the impact rattled him but left him on his feet.
The spectator stand fell silent, stunned. Only a few could hold their surprise to themselves at the sight of Sairaorg Bael being forced back, while others were unable to do anything else but stare in disbelief. Ise, more than anyone, was staring at his doppelganger with eyes as wide as dinner plates, his jaw hanging open at the clear difference between their strength.
"Impressive." Sairaorg praised, chest heaving a little. That punch clearly had done some damage, but the grin on his face continued to remain, just as Issei had expected from someone who he could tell was a battle maniac. "Ise attacked with all his emotions, but your fist is as cold as steel. I had to reinforce myself with Touki there, or I would have been in serious trouble."
"And you better use it to attack me this time."
"I have every intention to."
Sairaorg said, and Issei could see the aura surrounding his body intensifying before he surged at him, his fist cutting through the air. Issei braced himself, shifting his weight and twisting his upper body to the side, letting the punch pass inches from his face before countering with a sharp elbow. Sairaorg instantly deflected the strike with his forearm before it could connect with his face before driving a knee forward. Each attack was reinforced by powerful Touki, whose force was strong enough to seemingly twist the space around them.
Blocking the knee aimed at his chest, Issei was ready to retaliate when the Bael heir suddenly accelerated, his body blurring with a sudden burst of speed. Sairaorg threw a left hook aimed at his head, hoping to catch Issei off guard, and to most of the onlookers, it looked like the blow would finally land, as his speed was unlike anything they had seen so far.
However, Issei shot his arm up and blocked just in time. Following his own momentum, Sairaorg threw another punch with his other arm, but Issei met it with precise timing, blocking it cleanly, and struck Sairaorg squarely in the face with a left hook of his own. Even with Touki reinforcing his defense, the impact still sent the Bael heir staggering backward, dust kicking up beneath his feet as he blinked in surprise, his guard faltering for the briefest moment before he swiftly regained his footing.
The moment he spun his head back, Issei was already leaping toward him with one fist cocking back. Sairaorg crossed his arms in anticipation, ready to block, but Issei had already read his reaction, and with a burst of flames, leaving a burning afterimage of himself in his place, Issei teleported behind him with Phoenix Shift. Before Sairaorg could react, Issei spun around and threw a punch imbued with Penetrate directly into his back, the impact detonating in a devasting explosion of dragon fire that swallowed the Bael heir whole before launching him across the training ground. Sairaorg could do nothing but let his body soar through the air as it barreled straight into the wall of one of the stands surrounding the area, crashing into it with a deafening crack that sent splinters of stone and timbers into the air as dust and debris billowed out in every direction.
"W-What the hell was that!?" Ise asked in shock, being the first to voice his feelings as the spectators were left completely speechless. "Was that teleport?"
"Um, Ise-kun… we saw him use that ability already." Kiba pointed out with a nervous laugh "Yesterday. When he killed that Orc that escaped the second Gate? Remember?"
"O-Oh." Issei nodded, his eyes widening slightly in realization "I just thought he moved really fast, my eyes couldn't keep up, so…"
At the same time, Issei watched Sairaorg picking himself out of the collapsed wall. Smoke was coming from all over his body, and his shirts along with a portion of his pants had been burnt away, but all over all, he looked relatively fine save for a few burnt marks and bruises, as expected from the strongest youth devil of the generation.
"You sure you want to continue?" Issei asked, smirking a little as he bounced up and down lightly in place, showing that he was just getting started.
"I believe that's quite enough for now, Issei-kun, Sairaorg." Sirzechs called to them, causing them both to turn and look up at him. At the same time, Kuisha left her spot and rushed over to hand her master his coat, which he accepted with a thankful smile before putting it on to cover himself. "If we keep going, it's likely you two will bring this whole place down."
Almost as if to emphasize his point, the walls on both sides of the already collapsed section finally gave way, the remaining structures crumbling down with a heavy crash that sent dust and debris billowing out.
"Sorry. I'll pay for the damage, sir." Issei called to Zeoticus, who let out a soft laugh while shaking his head.
"Don't worry about it, Issei-kun."
"Such a shame. I was just getting started." Sairaorg said, rolling his shoulders while walking toward Issei as his aura finally settled. "It's been a long time since I met someone who could match me blow for blow and push me around while still holding back like that. I almost envy the version of me from your world for getting the chance to fight you properly. You'll be facing him in the Rating Game match between the two Peerages, correct?"
"Yeah. We'll probably face each other around the same time you do." Issei replied with a shrug, glancing over to Ise as he followed his master and Rias down to meet them. "If we can make it back in time, that is."
"Yeah, sorry to hear that." Sairaorg said, the smile on his face easing into a sympathetic one as he reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that Issei Hyoudou is a resourceful guy. I'm sure you'll figure it out, and when you do make it back to your world, make sure you give Sairaorg Bael there a fight to remember."
"You have my words."
"And I'll be looking forward to our match as well, Ise." Sairaorg then said, turning fully to the Issei Hyoudou of his world to speak to him in a strong voice "Issei has set the bar, and I'll fully expect you to meet it, in front of me, in front all the VIPs, as well as the common crowd. Whether it's you or me, we both have our own dreams, so let's show just how determined we are in the game. Come at me with everything you've got. Until next time, everyone."
With that said, Sairaorg turned on his heel and left with his Queen, bidding his farewell to Sirzechs before departing.
"What a guy!" Issei remarked, glancing over to his doppelganger to see him looking just as nervous as he was excited. "Don't worry, man. You'll beat him."
"Easy for you to say." Ise said before looking over to him to ask "How did you get so strong anyway?"
"I locked in, and didn't waste my time with porn."
"Oh shut up."
Later that night, while Rias and everyone at the Gremory Residence slept, Issei found himself sitting with Blade and the members of his troop in the central room of the Tower of Ascension. He couldn't sleep, and he wasn't in the mood to get killed by Igris either, despite doing so much better against the General Rank Shaodw lately, so he decided to just pass the night playing cards with Blade and the Elves.
He had just returned from the Demon Castle, where he had met Esil and her father as they continued supervising the reconstruction of the castle in their own image. With the short visit, Issei had confirmed that he could still travel to both the Demon Castle and the Tower of Ascension without any issue. At first, that discovery gave him an idea. If he could access the basement floor, the Labyrinth of Greek Mythology, then maybe he could return to his world, since the ever expanding, ever changing mythological maze had always been a location there for thousands of years.
However, his idea failed before he could attempt it, as Esil showed him that the Demon Castle existed in an entirely different dimension from the Labyrinth, even though it was labeled the basement floor. Moreover, for reasons unknown, the entry point connecting the two locations had also been sealed shut, leaving him with no way to see if he could head back down with Rias and find their way back to their world through the Labyrinth using the Yarn of Ariadne.
If that plan had worked, he would have had to reveal his secret about the System to Rias. He was not eager to face the consequences of that choice, but he was willing to try anything at this point.
"Tch, how are you guys so good at these games?" Issei scoffed as he threw the cards down, letting Blade collect them with a wide smirk before shuffling the deck with some flourish hand movements to start a new round.
At least it had become clear that Gates were their only way back.
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 x6.
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 53