Dragon Leveling
Chapter 8
Training
" I see... so it has to come down to a Rating Game showdown between my sister and her fiancé, the genius Raiser Phenex."
Sirzechs Lucifer, the current Maou Lucifer of the Devil Faction, said after hearing the report from Grayfia, whose expression remained as impassive as it had always been whenever she was on duty as his assistant and the head maid of the Gremory devil household.
"Father, Mother, what do you think?" Sirzechs asked, turning his attention to his parents, the current Lord and Lady of the Gremory Devil Household, who had arrived a moment earlier at his office in Lilith to hear the report from Grayfia after she returned from Kuoh. Given how stubbornly she had been opposing the idea of marrying Riser Phenex, neither Zeoticus or Venelana Gremory looked surprised as they heard the news from Grayfia.
"It seems I will have to contact Lord Phenex to finalize the details." Zeoticus said with a hint of amusement in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. Like his children, Zeoticus had bright blue eyes and crimson hair tied in a loose ponytail with a black hairband, complemented by a short, red beard with protrusions resembling fangs or horns.
"Has the children decided the date for the match?" Venelana asked as she turned her gaze to Grayfia. While their children inherited the colors of their eyes and hair from their father, their looks closely mirrored her own, with Rias being an almost identical copy of Venelana, who had shorter, flaxen-color hair and violet eyes.
"Yes, Raiser Phenex-sama has agreed to give Rias-sama and her servants seven days to prepare for the match." Grayfia nodded her head and informed her master, who nodded his head in understanding before he turned his gaze back to his parents. "Can the preparation be made in time?"
"Depends. Are we talking about the match or the wedding? Because I have a feeling that Raiser will want to marry Rias the very next day if he wins." Zeoticus answered, rubbing his beard with a thoughtful expression. "But if Rias wins, we can turn it into a celebration party for her. It may be an unofficial match, but it will still be her first Rating Game victory. Other households will want to come and congratulate her."
"So... you think that Rias-chan has a chance to win, father? Not that I don't believe in her... but this is the genius Riser Phenex we're talking about. Rias-chan only has 7 days to prepare against an opponent like him."
Asked a breathtakingly beautiful and attractive woman, who had a cute young boy sitting on her lap. Her wavy black hair cascaded down her back in elegant waves, contrasting strikingly with her vibrant green eyes that sparkled with both curiosity and concern. She wore a classy yet modest white dress that flowed gently around her, accentuating her slender figure while maintaining an air of sophistication and warmth, making her both captivating and approachable.
"You're not wrong, Anna," Zeoticus nodded, acknowledging the question posed by his daughter-in-law. "Riser and his peerage are skilled enough to compete in the pro league. Meanwhile, all that Rias has right now compared to him is a passion for the game. Her servants might have immense potential, but they are young and inexperienced. It will be interesting to see how the match unfolds, but I have to admit that the odds are stacked against Rias and her peerage."
"Something you want to tell us, Grayfia?" Sirzechs asked with interest, noticing the puzzled look that Grayfia had on her face. It had been a while since anyone, even Anna, who was her best friend, had seen her with such an expression.
"This might be just me, Sirzechs-sama... but I feel that Rias-sama is gonna win this match." Grayfia answered. Her statement left almost everyone in the office speechless, their eyes widening in surprise as they looked at her.
"Grayfia-chan, why do you think that?" Anna asked her best friend, who then turned to her to explain.
"Riser Phenex-sama is underestimating Rias-sama and her servants," She began. "Under normal circumstances, I would highly doubt that this would affect the outcome of the match. A month ago, the difference in experience might have been the deciding factor, but after meeting Issei Hyoudou last night, it's hard for me to say that's still the case."
"The Sekiryuutei," Zeoticus nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I still cannot believe that the famous Red Dragon Emperor is now on our side. Could it be that Rias has managed to bring out his strength in such a short time? Is he the reason you think Rias will win?"
"Yes, Zeoticus-sama. However, I don't think his current strength has anything to do with Ojou-sama." Grayfia paused momentarily before continuing "When I came to his home the other night to stop Rias-sama from trying to break the engagement with his help, I discovered that he was not at home at the time and had been training himself by clearing Gates in Kuoh."
The room fell into stunned silence as Grayfia's words sank in. Zeoticus widened his eyes slightly, his usual calm demeanor momentarily disrupted. Sirzechs, meanwhile, leaned forward with a look of curiosity as he processed the news with a mixture of astonishment and intrigue. Even Anna and Venelana, who had been quietly listening, looked taken aback.
While it wasn't rare for devils who were confident in their abilities to attempt Raiding without proper supervision from the Raiding Department, it didn't take it long for them to realize a significant detail in the way that Grayfia had phased it.
"Grayfia, are you telling me that..."
"Issei-san cleared these Gates out all by himself? Yes, Sirzechs-sama," Grayfia confirmed with a nod. While it's true a well-coordinated Peerage led by an experienced master could raid low ranking Gates with ease, the notion of a single low-class devil clearing a Gate by themselves was practically unheard of. Sekiryuutei or not, he was still a newborn reincarnated devil who was introduced to the supernatural world only a month ago.
"When he returned home the other night, he was injured, with cauterized bite wounds on his right arm and covered in Gate residuals. Although I doubt the Gate he fought that night was above C-rank, I believe he had attempted Raiding at least twice, and no doubt he's not going to stop just because we tell him to." Grayfia explained "Regardless, Rias-sama told me that during the incident with the Fallen Angels targeting Asia Argento-san a week ago, he single handedly defeated all four of them and killed several stray exorcists in the ensuing attack at Kuoh Academy. While he is the famed Sekiryuutei, his growth has been incredibly impressive considering the short time since he awakened his Sacred Gear, and also..."
"Yes, Grayfia?" Sirzechs urged, feeling more and more interested in the topic.
"Also, I could have sworn that he was not alone when he returned home that night." Grayfia said, causing Sirzechs to exchange puzzled glances with his family. "It's very faint, but it felt as if there was something behind him the whole time. When we met earlier at Kuoh to discuss the matter with Riser Phenex-sama, I could still sense the same presence from him, like he carries them with him everywhere he goes."
"Them? Multiple?" Sirzechs asked, and Grayfia once again nodded her head in confirmation "Now that's odd. It seems my sister's Pawn is even more intriguing than he already is as the Red Dragon Emperor."
"And you believe that he can help Rias-chan defeat Riser Phenex, Grayfia-chan?" Anna asked, and once again, Grayfia nodded her head, this time to her best friend, whose face seemed to light up upon hearing it.
"Do we know if these... presence poses any threat to Rias?" Venelana asked in concern. From the way Grayfia phased it, those presences certainly gave off an ominous feel to them.
"I don't believe that they are dangerous. Other than an eerie feeling I felt from them, I think it's more a matter of what they were, not what they would do." Grayfia explained, shaking her head assumingly. "Moreover, given that Issei-san has been Raiding, these presences that I felt from him could be his summoned familiars. I believe he could have stumbled upon at least one Rune Stone in those Gates that he raided..."
"Yes, April-san. Again, I'm very sorry that I can't come tomorrow and the next few days. I promise I will work extra hard when I return."
"Ise, you coming!?"
Issei heard Rias calling out to him from a distance just as he ended his call with his foreign client, having just informed and apologized to her that he wouldn't be able to come work for her for the next week and a half. As much as he could just leave for a few hours at night, being able to use teleportation magic circles now with his large mana pool, he wanted to fully focus on his training so that he could beat Riser and wipe that smug look from his face for his master.
"Coming, Buchou!"
Issei called back and adjusted the straps of his massive backpack, which seemed almost the size of a truck, before hurrying up the steep path leading to the private mountain villa that the Gremory family owned on the outskirts of Kuoh town, where they would be staying to train themselves for the Rating Game. They had seven days to train, and Issei intended to level up as much as he could before the fight to make sure that he could beat Riser and anyone from his peerage.
And fortunately for him, it seemed that the System had the exact idea.
[!] Notice – Quest
[The First Trial]
Reach the top of the mountain in 5 minutes.
Time remaining: [00:04:32]
Reward: 40000 EXP
"Race you guys to the top!" Issei shouted as he ran past Rias and the rest, forcing them to move out of the way to avoid the oversized backpack he was carrying. Compared to his daily workout routine, carrying this kind of load on his back while running up a steep mountain felt light with his high Strength.
"Ara, looks like someone is pumped up for this training week." Akeno giggled softly as she continued up the mountain with Rias, while Kiba and Koneko, both carrying massive backpacks on their backs, followed closely behind them. After ten more minutes of hiking, the Peerage eventually reached the villa, where Issei appeared to be waiting for them, admiring the scenery. In truth, he had been talking to Ddraig and browsing his shop to find anything useful for the training.
Eventually, after Ddraig suggested he should save for better gear later, Issei ended up spending only a few thousand to stock up on potions.
After spending the next half an hour cleaning the house from the pilling dust, Issei moved to his room to change into his tracksuit before heading out to the front yard to spar with Kiba using bokken. Issei soon found himself facing Kiba in a circle that had been drawn by the knight, who wished to see the full extent of his swordsmanship and fighting skills.
"Ready?" Rias asked before she swung her hand down. "Begin!"
The moment Rias signaled for the spar to begin, Kiba and Issei sprang into action. The sound of wood clashing against wood echoed through the courtyard as the two traded blows while moving quickly around the circle. Their movements were so fast that those watching from the sidelines found it hard to keep up.
For a moment, it seemed like the two boys of the Peerage were evenly matched, with Issei's superior strength giving him the advantage in close quarters. However, Kiba seemed to be in a league of his own when it came to swordsmanship. His fluid and almost graceful movements allowed him to slip away from danger just when Issei thought he had finally managed to land a blow. Every time Issei pressed forward, Kiba would gracefully evade and counter with a quick slash or jab, forcing Issei to stay on guard the entire time.
"It seems I can move as fast as him..."
Issei thought as he parried an incoming strike. He doubted Kiba was going all out, but while he could see his movements and attempt to counter them, it became increasingly difficult with each passing second. Kiba exploited every opening in his defenses, slipping his bokken past his guard and landing precise strikes on his arms and torso. If this were a real fight, then he would have been killed several times over. The difference between life and death was a simple matter of a thrust of the sword.
"...but his technique is just on another level."
Issei tried to adjust, using his strength to force Kiba back as their wooden swords clashed momentarily in a blade-lock. For a moment, it seemed he might gain the upper hand, but Kiba was quick to recover. In an instance, his stance switched from offense to defense, feinting and blocking attacks with relative ease as Issei shot forward and delivered a flurry of strikes at him. After a moment, Kiba saw his chance when the Pawn swung his sword down while moving forward, causing a subtle shift in his weight that left him slightly overextended. In an instant, Kiba struck his wooden sword, delivering a quick succession of strikes to his ribs and wrist, disarming him in the process.
"Woah..."
Issei uttered in amazement as his bokken clattered to the ground, as Kiba moved back from him with his weapon lowering, offering a respectful nod to the Pawn while smiling with impressed.
"You're really good, Issei-kun," Kiba said as Issei picked up his sword. "But your movements rely too much on instinct."
"Yeah, you tell me about it." Issei said with a small chuckle. Swinging a sword was easy, but swinging it in a specific way, especially at an experienced opponent like Kiba was much more difficult. Outside of Boosted Gear, swords had become his weapon of choice, so the sooner he learnt how to wield one properly, the better.
Kiba smiled encouragingly. "Instincts are important, but technique can carry you further. If you refine your form and combine it with your natural strength, you'll be an even better swordsman."
"Then teach me." Issei said earnestly, making Kiba look at him in mild surprise "From the basics. I want to learn swordsmanship properly."
"Are you sure, Issei-kun? I'm not sure if I'm a qualified teacher, but..." Kiba said with a small laugh, and Issei nodded his head eagerly in response. The knight looked thoughtful for a second as he exchanged a glance with Rias, seeing her nodding her head back at him with a smile before saying "Very well then. Since you want to train from the basics... how about we start with this. You know this exercise, right?"
As he asked the question, Kiba raised the sword above his head, holding it in both hands. He then swung it down in a fluid motion, stopping just above his waist before repeating the action.
"This is the basic overhead strike, called kirioroshi," Kiba explained as Issei moved into his position beside him. "It's one of the most fundamental exercises in swordsmanship. You can start with this to build strength, control, and muscle memory. Do it slowly at first, focusing on your form, then gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable."
Issei nodded eagerly and mimicked Kiba's movements, raising his bokken above his head and bringing it down in a controlled strike.
"Make sure your strikes are smooth and consistent." Kiba advised as Issei practiced the exercise over and over again. "Good, Issei-kun. Now, give me 1000 strikes."
[!] Notice - Quest received
[Master the Basics I]
Perform 1000 overhead sword strikes – Kirioroshi with proper form.
Strikes: 0/1000
Reward: 100,000 EXP
[Note] The counter will reset if the form is incorrect.
'I knew it...' Issei thought in amusement, already feeling excited at the quest and the amount of experience point that he would receive by completing it as he glanced at the Quest Window. 100,000 was more than enough to bring him to his next level.
Turning back before anyone could notice him looking at thin air, Issei tightened his grip on his bokken as he brought the wooden sword above his head before declaring loudly.
"1000 strikes? No problem!"
"Your form is full of openings, Issei-senpai," Koneko said emotionlessly as she ducked her head and threw a punch into his gut, causing Issei to grimace and stumble back, his breath escaping in a sharp hiss.
Around noon, Issei had turned his attention to learning hand-to-hand combat from Koneko. Because Koneko moved much slower than him, Issei had to force himself to slow down to match her pace during their sparring session. Despite perceiving her movements in almost slow motion, he recognized the value in her close combat techniques. These techniques could definitely be used to hone his own skills, especially for dealing with non-monster opponents whose attacks would be more calculated and less driven by raw, primal instinct.
"Widen your stance a bit more so enemies won't catch you off balance." Koneko said as she adjusted his stance, grabbing his knee and moving it out with Issei moving his form awkwardly to her instruction "And when you hit, try to put more weight into your strikes. Your power should come from your whole body, not just your arms."
"Alright." Issei nodded as he threw a punch, making Koneko nod in approval just as Kiba returned with the two training dummies that Koneko had requested him to make for Issei to train with, setting it up in the middle of the courtyard. Both dummies were equipped with several spinning wooden arms, each set to rotate at different speeds and angles.
Koneko demonstrated the training exercise by hitting an arm with her palm and simultaneously defending herself from another of the same level using her elbow. "I cannot keep up with your speed, so these dummies will help you practice your reaction time and defensive skills, senpai. The harder you hit the arms, the faster the other will spin and hit you back. You will need to stay alert and react quickly."
"And don't worry about breaking them, Issei-kun." Kiba spoke to him with a smile "I have reinforced the joints of these dummies with steel so it will last for a while. "
[!] Notice – Quest received
[Master the Basics II]
Complete the exercise by hitting the spinning arms of the training dummies while successful evading or block the others.
Land 50 hits without getting hit 5 times
Hit landed: 0/100
Hit taken: 0/5
Reward: 100,000 EXP
Note: The counters will reset if the Player is hit more than 5 times.
"Stand between the dummies, senpai."
Issei positioned himself between the two training dummies just as he had been instructed by Koneko, preparing himself for a long exercise and an even longer quest. As soon as he struck one of the spinning arms, another arm immediately rotated toward him from the opposite direction. Issei managed to block it, but the slight shift in his stance triggered the other arms. Within moments, several of them landed solid blows on his waist, hips, and thighs, causing the counter to reset almost instantly.
"Ouch!"
"The moment you panic is the moment you will be hit hard, senpai. This exercise is meant to use your own strength and speed against you." Koneko stated emotionlessly, and just as she said that another arm swung toward Issei from the front, catching him square in the face and knocking him flat on his back. A worried Asia immediately tried to rush to his side to heal him, but Issei held out his hand to stop her as he slowly got back on his feet to try again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
For the next hour, Issei relentlessly trained, each reset of the counters only fueling his determination. His body started to ache from the repeated hits, and sweat drenched his clothes, but he refused to give up. His persistence started to show results as he gradually improved, dodging and blocking more effectively with each attempt.
Eventually, Akeno and Rias appeared with the crimson haired heiress calling out for her servants. "Everyone, lunch is ready!"
Taking a deep breath, Issei nodded and walked with Asia over to the table, where the others soon joined them. He collapsed into his chair, receiving a bowl of rice from Akeno with a grateful bow and immediately dug in with a pair of chopsticks, devouring his food in record time while the others watched him curiously.
"Can I have another, Akeno-san?" He asked, holding out his empty bowl out with a sheepish grin.
Akeno giggled softly as she took his bowl to refill it from the rice cooker. "Of course, Issei-kun. You've certainly earned it with all that training."
As Akeno handed him a second serving, Rias tilted her head with a small smile. "You're really pushing yourself, Ise. Planning to get right back to training after lunch?" Issei just nodded, already halfway through his second bowl.
"Here, have another, Issei-kun." Akeno said as she handed Issei another bowl of rice, which she already filled with an abundance of meat and fried egg that she got from the dishes on the table "Anyway, did you know we have a hot spring..."
"I'm done. Thank you for the meal!" Issei declared, interrupting Akeno before she could finish telling him about the hot spring at the back of the villa as he put his empty bowl down, thanking her and Rias for the amazing lunch with both hands clasping together before getting up and rushing right back to the two training dummies. Soon, Rias and the rest of the Peerage could hear the familiar sounds of wooden arms clashing and spinning, punctuated by the thuds whenever Issei got hit.
"Oh wow, not bad at all, Issei-kun."
Akeno said with a surprised smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she observed the basketball-sized orb of magic power that Issei had managed to conjure between his palms. Though larger, it fluctuated with a slight instability compared to the smaller, softball-sized orb Asia was managing between her palms, though it appeared much more stable. Being a Bishop, Asia was doing quite well in the magical training they were having under Akeno, who was undoubtedly the best in the Peerage at magic, next to Rias.
Surprisingly enough, this seemed to be the training where Issei was finding the most success. The System made it easy for him to use magic and cast spells, as the mana or demonic power required had already been registered and fixed. While he was training to have better control over his magical energy, he didn't really need to do it since the System automatically adjusted and exhausted the exact amount of magical power needed for each spell the moment he decided to use them. It certainly made spellcasting much easier and more straightforward for him.
However, practicing control to perfection was still situationally important, since some spells increased its power based on the amount of energy he channeled into them beyond the required amount. Too much energy could result in devastating destructiveness, while too little might render the spell ineffective. Perfecting his control would certainly allow him to harness the full potential of his spells without the risk of unintended consequences.
"It's nice to see you focusing on your training, Issei-kun, but I hope you haven't forgotten about the concert this Sunday."
"Of course, Akeno-san." Issei replied with a grin while Asia pouted "Now that you mention it, isn't the concert scheduled for the evening a day after the match as well?"
"That's right." Akeno beamed. "So let's give it our best and win so we can enjoy the music with no regrets, yes?"
"Absolutely! I'm looking forward to it already." Issei nodded enthusiastically, feeling an extra boost of motivation to train even harder.
"Good. Let us get right back to it then."
And with that, Issei continued his training, finding the next three days falling into a demanding but rewarding routine. He spent his mornings with Kiba and Koneko, diligently working on the fundamentals of swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat. In the afternoons, Issei focused on magical training with Akeno and Asia, working on controlling his magical energy better and learning new spells, particularly fire-based ones, given their synergy with his pact with Ddraig. Despite this, he knew that these spells might not be very useful against the Phenex Peerage and their master, as they were known to use fire spells, with Riser wielding the flame of the phoenix itself.
Additionally, Issei also dedicated his time honing his strength and stamina with Rias helping him, running up and down the mountain with a boulder strapped to his back. The exercise was undoubtedly more challenging than his usual workouts, but Issei didn't complain as it significantly improved his strength, stamina and endurance. Moreover, once he reached the top of the mountain he would get to sit all alone with his beautiful master, who told him stories about her life before moving to Kuoh while he savored the delicious snacks she had prepared for him.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil
Class: Level 24 Dragonsworn / Level 3 Shadow Monarch
HP: 4955 / 4955
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic: 1655 / 1655
Title: Shieldbreaker [Add 10% Armor Penetration]
Strength: 106
Vitality: 89
Intelligence: 84
Dexterity: 94
Perception: 74
Charisma: 64
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV1), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV2 – Pact Affected), Transfer (LV2 - Pact Affected), Penetrate (LV2 - Pact Affected), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV1),
Active spells: Fire balls (LV2 - Pact Affected), Firewall (LV2 - Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV1), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1).
Current Pact [1/4: Y Ddraig Gouch (Fire) – Pact LV1
Current Shadows: 30 / 50
Items: Boosted Gear (LV3), Abyssal Cloak (LV5), Razan's Blade (LV7), Palace Guard's Boots (LV6), Metal Gauntlet (LV5 – Only one currently in use -Stats Reduced), Kamish's Slumber (LV?) ...
Potions: Healing Potions x10, Mana Potions x10, Greater Healing Potions x5, Greater Mana Potions x5, Miracle Potions x2...
Gold: 81,250 (G)
It was on the night of the third day that Issei finally got the chance to look at his Status Window. While he knew he needed to train more, it was clear his efforts had been paying off. His HP and MP had increased significantly now that they also scaled respectively on his STR and CHAR thanks to his Dragon's Might passive. The EXP that he got from the training quest chain [Master the Basics] had leveled him up a total of six times, with Issei allocating four levels to his Dragonsworn main class and two levels to his Shadow Monarch sub-class.
While his Dragonsworn class did not grant any new abilities, Issei suspected that new abilities might be unlocked through increasing his Pact Levels rather than his class level. On the other hand, the maximum capacity of shadows that he could extract had increased, looking to rise by 10 for each level he invested in Shadow Monarch. This would let him add more shadows to his ranks without having to drop any of the Shadow Wolves unless he had to for stronger shadow when the lineup was full.
[Good leveling today, partner. I'm sure you'll soon be able to take the Phenex on yourself.] Issei heard Ddraig say in his mind while he took a swig from the bottle of water in his hand while standing in the kitchen of the villa. It was ten in the evening, and Issei had just finished a late jog up and down the mountain by himself. It wasn't anything too strenuous, but it helped him unwind after a day of hard work.
"Thanks, Ddraig." Issei said with a chuckle, feeling a bit more at ease. He didn't need to check his levels and stats to confirm that he had become even stronger than before. While Issei didn't want to get ahead of himself and believe that he could defeat Raiser in a straight up duel, knowing that the Phenex had to be around or even above Rias in level with likely much higher stats, Issei had no doubt that he could at least fight him on equal footing if he kept training hard for the next four days.
If only he could have taken a peek at Raiser and his Peerage with Observe, then he would be able to gauge their capabilities better. Grayfia being around had been too dangerous for him to risk it.
Still, that was far from his main concern at the moment...
He had been getting stronger. Great.
Asia had also gotten better at controlling her magical energy, allowing her to use the healing power of her Sacred Gear without exhausting any more than she needed to. Despite not being able to fight, her healing ability made her the most valuable asset of the Peerage.
And that's amazing!
But what about everyone else?
"Ise?"
Before he could discuss it with Ddraig, a familiar feminine voice caught his attention. Issei turned to see his master standing in the hallway in a pink nightgown, which hinted at the amazing curves of her voluptuous body, leaving him captivated but Issei quickly shook it off before Rias could notice him staring.
"Buchou? What are you doing here at this hour? You should get some sleep," Issei said, noticing the stack of files and documents she was holding and the pair of glasses she was wearing. It was his first time seeing his master with glasses, and it certainly added an exotic touch to her already captivating charm.
"I decided to do a bit more research on the Phenex." The crimson-haired girl answered with a smile. "Wanna come sit with me? I can certainly use your company."
"If you insist." Issei smiled and joined Rias in the living room. Before the two settled into their seats, Issei stated "I didn't know you wore glasses, Buchou."
Rias replied with a smile while adjusting her glasses "Well, I just find that wearing glasses helps me think better sometimes. My vision is actually fine."
"Ah..." Issei nodded before glancing at one of the files Rias had laid out on the table. "So, what have you been able to learn so far about the Phenex, Buchou?"
"Mostly information about their previous matches and the strength each member of their Peerage possesses," Rias replied, crossing her arms under her breasts. "However, understanding them is only part of the problem."
"How so?" Issei asked, intrigued.
"Because our opponent is the Phenex." Rias explained, her expression serious. "Outside of their abilities to control powerful flame that can burn anything to ashes, the members of the household are also known for their immortality, which gave them second to none regenerative ability. Simply put, they cannot die. Even if you decapitate them, it will only take a few seconds for them to regrow their heads."
"Oh wow."
"In addition, Raiser himself is an exceptionally powerful devil," Rias continued as Issei read the file in his hand. "His power has always been considered top-notch. Since he cannot die or be mortally injured, the only way for us to defeat him and his Peerage in a Rating Game is to force him to forfeit. But that won't be easy. We'll need to throw everything we have at him to somehow overwhelm his regeneration or crush his spirit."
"What about his sister?"
"We won't have to worry much about Ravel. I heard that she was added to the Peerage to learn. It's highly unlikely that she will partake in the main confrontation." Issei nodded his head in understanding as Rias held out the picture of a woman who wore a mask on the right side of her face. "This is Isabela, one of Riser's Rooks. She's in charge of protecting Ravel, so chances are we'll have two fewer opponents to deal with."
"Right."
"Regardless, outside of being an unkillable flamethrower." Issei let out a soft laugh as Rias continued "Raiser is also a tactical genius when it comes to the Rating Game. He has a record of 9 wins and 4 losses, but he threw two of them on purpose out of respect for the households his family was close to. It's not that I don't believe we can win, but this whole ordeal seems to have been planned from the start to force me into compliance with the marriage..."
Rias finished with a tone of resignation, making Issei soften his gaze.
"Say, Buchou..." Issei started slowly. "Why do you oppose this marriage so much? Not about marrying that Phenex guy particularly, cause we both know he's a douchebag, but if I'm not mistaken, you seem to oppose the idea of arranged marriage. Why is that?"
Rias remained silent for a second before she answered. "It's because I'm a Gremory."
"Oh..." Issei acknowledged, and Rias didn't need him to tell her that he understood what she meant.
"I'm proud of being a Gremory, and I'm more than happy to carry the name of my household with pride. It's just..." Rias shifted her gaze to the night sky outside the window. "Everyone just sees me as Rias of the Gremory Household. That's why I decided to come here to live in the human world. It's so refreshing to be seen as just Rias, and not as the heiress of the Gremory household from the 72 pillars or even the little sister of the current Lucifer. Raiser only sees me as a trophy to be obtained and to help with his ambition of carrying the bloodlines into the future. I don't want that... I want to be with someone who sees me for who I truly am. That's all I've ever wanted."
"You know, Buchou..." Issei chuckled softly as Rias turned back to him, noticing the grin on his face while he scratched the back of his head "I think you're the best when you're just being you. For what it's worth, know that to me, you're Rias Gremory, the prettiest girl at our school, and the best club president I could ever ask for. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.."
"Ise..." Rias whispered softly as she looked at her Pawn, feeling her cheeks heat up at his compliment before finding herself nodding her head to him with a warm smile of her own "Thank you."
After that, the two of them continued their discussion and reading the files for half an hour before Issei decided to excuse himself to take a shower, as it was getting really late for one. By the time he returned, however, Rias had fallen asleep on the couch, her glasses resting on the table before her. She looked peaceful, a soft smile playing on her lips as she slept with her head resting on one hand.
Smiling, Issei quietly went to search for a blanket, finding one in one of the spare rooms on the second floor. Returning to Rias, he draped it gently over her sleeping form, adjusting it carefully to avoid disturbing her rest while ensuring that she was comfortable. With a final glance to make sure everything was in place, Issei left the living room and made his way outside instead of his room.
[Partner...]
"I need to make sure we will win, Ddraig," Issei said as he reached into his inventory and pulled out his jacket alongside a gold key. This key, which he had found from the loot box reward of the daily quest that morning, would open a B-rank Instance Dungeon, undoubtedly with the most difficult challenges and enemies he had faced yet.
But he was ready.
[Do what you must, partner. You know I'm with you.]
"Thanks, Ddraig." Smiling, Issei made his way into the forest, finding a secluded clearing well away from the villa after a short walk. The only sounds were the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the distant chirping of nocturnal creatures breaking the silence of the night.
Without further ado, Issei held the key out in front him and turned it like opening a lock, causing a faint hum to fill air around him. After a moment, a swirling mass of energy started to form before him, gradually taking shape until it became a portal leading into the Instance Dungeon.
As Issei stepped through the swirling portal, he found himself in a wide, dimly lit hallway. The walls were lined with towering stone pillars, while the floor beneath his feet was cold, broken marble that looked like it was front an ancient castle that had been long abandoned. The only sources of light were the flickering torches mounted along the walls, casting shadows that danced across the walls and ceiling.
As Issei took in his surroundings, he soon heard the distant sound of metal clanking, an unignorable sign that the monsters of the dungeon were approaching him. Cautiously making his way down the hallway, the sound grew louder, reverberating off the stone walls. It was after he rounded a corner and arrived at what looked to be an entrance hall that Issei came face to face with the formidable sight of at least twenty knights marching toward him in a tight formation.
At first glance, they appeared to be humanoid warriors cladded in dark armor, reminiscent of the Black Shield Knights Issei had fought in his second Instance Dungeon. However, their armor had a distinctly different design, featuring a mechanical, almost futuristic style that set them apart from anything he had encountered before. The chest pieces, boots, and gauntlets, which had robotic-like joints, were a dull, metallic black with sharp edges and spikes jutting out at various points. Each knight's helmet was adorned with a glowing red visor that pulsed ominously, their faces concealed behind menacing skull-like masks.
Their weapons were equally striking. Half the knights wielded massive battle axes with jagged, crude blades, while the other half carried in their hands broadswords with edges that glimmered in the orange glow from the wall mounted torches. The synchronized clanking of their armored steps created a rhythmic echo as they advanced, their perfectly coordinated marching and imposing figures creating an overwhelming presence, intimidating Issei and making him feel suffocated.
[Magitek Axeman LV. 29]
[Magitek Swordsman LV. 29]
"More armored monsters." Issei murmured before smirking, summoning Boosted Gear before reaching his hand into his inventory to pull out a longsword that he had bought a few days ago and point it at the Magitek knights as they came to a halt at a distance while facing him. "Good thing I came prepared."
[Ironbane Longsword LV. 10]
Rarity: B
Category: Longsword
ATK 180
Description: A longsword that excelled in piercing through the strongest of defense and delivering devastating damage to fortified enemies with its reinforced blade.
Ironbane: Inflicts 35% more damage to enemy targets with heavy armors.
The Ironbane Longsword, combined with the benefit of his Shieldbreaker title and the Penetrate ability if needed, should make quick work of these Magitek Knights. Moreover, despite the fact that there were at least twenty of them and only one of him, Issei was far from outnumbered.
"You boys ready for your first battle with me?" Issei asked, and he could hear his Shadow wolves howling in response from his shadow "Alright..."
"Ise?"
"Eh?"
For the second time that night, Issei heard his name being called, causing him to turn around, this time in shock. His eyes widened in bewilderment when he saw Rias, dressed in her dark red tracksuit, appearing from around a corner. Her expression mirrored his as she took in the sight of him, and then at the group of Magitek Knights he was about to fight. In her hand was a device emitting a beeping sound similar to a dosimeter, making it clear to Issei that Rias had used it to find him, or to be more precise, the Gate she believed he was raiding.
Women and their intuition... Since time moved faster inside Instance Dungeons, another trait that it shared with Gates, there's no telling how long she had been out looking for him outside, but he really should have moved a bit further away from the villa.
Then again, she could just fly around the mountain with that dosimeter until she caught a signal...
[!] Notice – Party Feature Unlocked.
Note:
1. The Player might share their EXP with party members depending on their contribution.
2. Party members will be visible on the map, allowing the Player to track their positions.
3. Party members can be revived if they get knocked out in battle, provided the Player survives and has sufficient resources.
4. The Player can track the conditions of their Party members in real-time.
5. Party members can be given and use items from the Players.
6. All System Functions will not be seen by the party members.
Accept Rias Gremory to your party? Y/N
But Issei barely paid any attention to the notification window that flashed before his eyes. The familiar white text blurred into the background, being overshadowed by the sight of Rias as she turned her gaze back to him.
"Buchou, what are you doing here!?" Finally, he managed to ask as he turned fully around to face her "This place is dangerous, you should not be..."
"I could tell you the same thing." Rias said. Before Issei could respond, Rias widened her eyes in shock and cried out to him "Ise, watch out!"
In an instance, Issei spun around and swung his blade upward, intercepting the downwards strike of a Magitek Swordsman. The force of the impact reverberated through his arms, as the sudden clash of steel-on-steel sent sparks flying. The armored swordsman pushed down with surprising strength, its mechanical joints hissing as it tried to overpower him, but Issei did not have any trouble standing his ground.
As the other Magitek knights closed in on him, moving with surprised quickness and coordination despite their armored body and robot-like joints, Issei twisted his blade and forced the swordsman he was facing aside with a practiced motion, throwing it off balance. Dodging an axe that swung at him from the opposite direction, Issei slashed his sword horizontally at the first swordsman, severing its upper body from the lower half with a shower of sparks. The knight's red visor flickered and dimmed as it collapsed into a heap of metal on the ground.
[Magitek Swordsman LV. 29 - Defeated]
Five more Magitek knights closed in on him, two swordsmen and three axemen, their presences dwarfed over his as they attacked him with their weapons. Issei took a quick step back, narrowly avoiding the swings of the massive battle axes. The weapons crashed into the stone floor where he had just stood, sending shards of stone flying in all directions.
The next swordsman lunged at him with surprising speed, its longsword aimed directly at his chest. Issei dove to the side to avoid the attack and countered with a swift slash to its midsection, the Ironbane Longsword slicing through the armored plating with ease. The knight staggered as sparks flew from the cut, but Issei didn't give it a chance to recover, following up his sword slash with a powerful hook with Boosted Gear that sent the knight crashing into a wall with its helmet shattered, its body crumpling under the impact.
[Magitek Swordsman LV. 29 - Defeated]
Another knight rushed at him from the side, its battle axe raised high. Issei braced himself to dodge, but the axeman never got the chance to strike. A black orb, swirling with a crimson aura, slammed into the knight, blowing apart half of its torso. Issei turned his head around momentarily to see Rias standing just a few paces away, her left arm, with palm facing forward, still outstretched. The immense aura of demonic power that surrounded her made it clear that she was ready to fight with him.
[Magitek Axeman LV. 29 - Defeated]
[!] Notice – No EXP gained
Accept Rias Gremory to your party? Y/N
Once again, the notification was ignored, as Issei widened his eyes in alarm as the space next to his master seemed to distort. Rias seemed to have noticed it too, turning her head just in time to see a knight — sleek and deadly, with a short sword in each hand that was perfect for assassination – materializing out of thin air. Without even a moment of hesitation, Issei acted, swiftly hurling his longsword toward the knight. The blade pierced through the air with deadly accuracy, impaling through the knight's torso just as it lunged toward Rias. The force of the throw pulled the knight with the sword as it embedded the assassin against the wall with a loud thud.
Rias gasped, her eyes wide as she realized how close she had come to being struck down. She turned to Issei, a mix of shock and gratitude in her expression as the lifeless knight slumped against the wall, its limbs twitching for a moment before falling.
[Magitek Assassins LV. 28 – Defeated]
Before the two could say anything to each other, Issei noticed more silhouettes flickering at the edges of his vision, realizing that more Magitek assassins were sneaking him and Rias, with their camouflage allowing them to blend almost seamlessly with their surroundings, making them nearly invisible. Issei wasted no time to rush to her side to help her, but a group of axemen instantly blocked his path and swung their weapons at him.
Issei managed to dodge the first swing, but the other axemen quickly overwhelmed him. Two of them struck him hard with an overhead blow, forcing him to one knee as he used Boosted Gear to block. Struggling to rise while the axemen pressed him down, he glanced up to see Rias fighting for her life. She managed to kill two assassins with her Power of Destruction, but at the same time, she could only narrowly avoid their blades to prevent her throat from being slit. Rias seemed to perceive the camouflaged assassins far better than he could, evidently from the way she could see them before they made their moves against her, but since she was a mage and not a fighter like him, assassins were undoubtedly her worst matchup.
Without any other choice, Issei roared.
"LYCAON!"
With a feral snarl, Lycaon leaped out of his shadow and charged at the Magitek assassins with terrifying speed, tearing through the other knights standing between him and Rias as it reached her side in an instance, its powerful jaws snapping shut around one of the assassins and crushing it with a single bite. Throwing the assassin like a chewed up toy across the hallway, Lycaon then lunged at the next assassin, crushing it under its paw before sending another flying through the air like a bullet.
Two more assassins and a group of knights tried to attack, but Lycaon snarled as it shifted its attention to them, its streamlined form shimmering with a dark, flame-like aura. With a guttural growl, Lycaon opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of blazing black flame, engulfing the assassins and the advancing knights in an inferno that consumed their mechanical bodies, reducing them to nothing but molten metal and ashes.
"Issei, this is..." An overwhelmed Rias found herself uttering in utter shock and bewilderment as she stared at the massive wolf that stood protectively in front of her while snarling at the remaining enemies. Her gaze then shifted to Issei as he walked to her side and yanked his sword out of the wall, being left speechless when three more wolves, smaller in size compared to Lycaon, came out of his shadow and gathered around them.
"You three, stay back and protect my master." Issei commanded, twirling the Ironbane longsword in his hand as he addressed the Earthen, Fire, and Water wolves, making the three growl in acknowledgement before moving in front of Rias.
"N-No, take them with you as well, Ise! Even with Lycaon, you can't possibly be thinking about taking all of them on..." Rias shouted to Issei, who walked confidently ahead with Lycaon at his side, even as more knights flooded into the hall and formed a battalion in front of him.
"The rest of you... with me!"
"... your own." Rias trailed off, left completely speechless as more wolves emerged from Issei's extended shadow and bared their enemies ahead. Swinging his sword down, Issei stabbed the weapon into the stone floor and turned back to give Rias an assuring smile.
"If you want to help, do it from behind these wolves. They will keep you safe."
[!] Notice
Accept Rias Gremory to your party? Y/N
'Confirm Yes.' With that confirmation to the System, making a second window with Rias' portrait, HP, MP and her current level under his own portrait, Issei then turned back to face the enemies, casting his gaze momentarily to the pieces of armors that lay scattered on the floor before speaking up the command.
Arise.
If Rias had been shocked before, then the feeling that followed as she watched the scene playing out before her was a level beyond anything she had experienced. Tendrils of darkness rose from the fallen Magitek knights on Issei's command, their forms taking shape as shadowy versions of their former selves as they burst forth from their crumbled husks. Slowly, these spectral figures rose to their feet, joining the wolves around Issei with glowing eyes and weapons at the ready as they faced their former comrades, now ready to fight alongside their new master in the upcoming fight.
[Magitek Trooper LV. 1]
Rank: Common
[Magitek Assassin LV. 1]
Rank: Common
[Magitek Berserker LV. 1]
Rank: Elite
"All troops!"
"CHARGE!"
With a reverberating howl from Lycaon, Issei led the assault with his strongest shadow at his side, its massive frame surging forward like a thunderbolt while the other shadow wolves and troopers ran right behind them as they charged the battalion of knights.
However, it was the lightning and wind wolves that barreled through the front line of the enemies first with their elemental powers. While the lightning wolf moved like a lightning bolt, darting between the knights and discharging bolts of electricity that sent sparks flying and metal convulsing, the wind wolf created powerful gales that hurled knights into the air and crashing into each other.
Before the enemies could recover, Lycaon tore right through them, its giant, streamlined form crashing into the front lines and crushing several Magitek knights. With enemy formation in disarray under its overwhelming power, the rest of the shadow troopers and carnies surged forward to capitalize on the breach, causing the battlefield to explode into a chaotic clash of steels and brawl of metals, with the clanks of metal reverberating through the hall.
Issei charged into the fray alongside his shadow soldiers, the Ironbane longsword flashing in his hand as he cut through one Magitek knight after another while Rias assisted him and his shadows from behind the battle using her demonic power. At the same time, assassins tried to move through the battlefield in their camouflages to reach both Issei and Rias, but they were sniffed out quickly by the other shadow wolves, who immediately tackled them and wrestled them down to tear them apart with their fangs and claws.
[!] Notice – Level up!
Level 25 Dragonsworn / Level 3 Shadow Monarch
[!] Notice – Level up!
Level 26 Dragonsworn / Level 3 Shadow Monarch
[!] Notice – Level up!
Level 26 Dragonsworn / Level 4 Shadow Monarch
30 Levels accumulated - Boosted Gear LV. 4 – Unlocked
The Player now has access to Boosted Gear's Balance Breaker.
'Balance Breaker?' Issei thought as he glanced briefly at the notification on the window next to him, knowing exactly what it was but decided to leave it for later. More importantly, he was leveling up quickly, even with Rias benefiting from a percentage of his EXP gain each time she eliminated an enemy as a party member. His troops, too, were growing stronger, albeit at a slower pace despite gaining the same amount of EXP as he was, with Lycaon having only gained a single level so far despite how many knights they had killed.
MP: 1895 / 1975
MP: 1861 / 1975
MP: 1839 / 1975
However, what Issei noticed most was the rapid depletion of his mana, though he had no problem realizing that the MP he was exhausting was being automatically used to heal his shadows, who were taking as much damage from the Magitek knights as they were dealing. Despite this, the drain rate wasn't too bad, and Issei felt reassured knowing that as long as he had the mana to sustain them, his shadows would remain in the fight as long as he didn't let it drag on until his mana was completely exhausted.
The battle raged on, and as the minutes ticked by, the tide started to turn into the favor of the devils and shadow. The seemingly endless wave of Magitek knights marching into the room finally started to dwindle, allowing Issei and his shadows to dispatch the remaining enemies until the last of them was defeated by Lycaon.
Resting his sword on his shoulder, Issei surveyed the area. The battle had been easier than he had expected, but then again, he had come well prepared with the Ironbane Longsword, but above all he had his shadows and Rias with him. Without them, the battle would surely have been much more difficult, having to fight all those knights alone.
As Issei continued to look around, he soon noticed a small object emitting a faint glow, partially buried in the stone floor amidst the shattered pieces of armor and debris. He knelt down, brushing away the armor and rubble to reveal what looked like a stone the size of his palm, its surface etched with a strange symbol that were emitting the glow. With his curiosity piqued, Issei reached down and picked up the stone, feeling a surge of energy from it as a System Window appeared beside the item.
[Rune: Camouflage]
Category: Rune Stone
Rarity: D
Break the rune to learn the skill.
'Oh... this must be a Rune Stone, and it has that skill of those assassins." Issei thought in awe as he looked at the item in his hand. It was his first time seeing a Rune Stone, which could be broken to grant the user the unique skill it contained. Supposedly, anyone could use it, regardless of whether they were devils, fallen angels, angels, or even powerless humans. The ability or spell from the Rune Stone would still be granted if used, which was one of the reasons they normally cost a fortune, aside from their rarity...
Then, a realization struck Issei. His eyes widened as an idea came to his mind while he recalled the details about Rune Stones from the files Akeno had compiled for him. If he played it correctly then he wouldn't have to hide his shadows any more.
"Ise, is that a Rune Stone? This is my second time seeing one in real life." Rias said, her voice tinged with curiosity as she approached him from behind, flanked by the three shadow wolves he had assigned to protect her. Smiling, Issei stood up and turned to face her, nodding as he turned his gaze down to the item in his hand.
"Yeah. I've been discovering Rune Stones like this in the Gates I've raided." Issei said, though it was a blatant lie. He hated lying, especially to his friends and those close to him, but at the same time, Issei didn't know any other way that he could sell it better so he could have his shadows around outside of Instance Dungeons.
"Really?" Rias gasped in surprise "You're so lucky, Ise. How many have you found?"
"Well, about a handful or so..." Issei said, scratching his cheek with an awkward smile, not feeling entirely sure if he should have said that much. Luckily, Rias didn't notice his discomfort as she turned her attention to the shadow wolves and troopers.
"What you... did there back there? Was it a skill you obtained from one of those Rune Stones you found?" Rias asked unsurely, but Issei found himself quickly nodding his head in response.
"I think it's a necromancer skill of sorts, but instead of using the corpses of the enemies I've defeated, it seems I extract their shadows and turn them into my minions instead."
That, however, was the truth.
"Really? That's incredible, Ise!" Rias gasped as she turned her gaze between the shadow troopers and the wolves "Since these shadow knights are from here, does that mean you got the wolves from the previous Gate? Just how long can you keep them around? And how many can you have?"
"I... actually have no idea, actually." Issei answered while scratching the back of his head.
Those were the questions he had asked himself too. Although the number of shadows he could extract increased with his level, it was only recently that he discovered it. As for how long he could keep them around, obviously since they stayed in the fight for as long as he had mana, the answer for that question must be for as long as he lived, even if he didn't use them.
Before he could speak more, Rias hit his arm with the palm of her hand, causing Issei to turn to her to see her looking at him disapprovingly.
"And what were you thinking trying to raid another Gate in the middle of the night like this, Ise? Didn't Grayfia already tell you how dangerous it is?" She then brought out the device she had been holding earlier and showed it to him with a finger pointing at the screen, which displayed some big number. "And look at this. This number means this Gate has to be at least high C to low B in ranking."
"Oh. I read that B-ranks Gates is about high class... Does that mean I have gotten quite strong?" Issei asked with a grin, holding up his fists with his shadows cheering him on. The troopers and assassins clapped, while the berserkers pumped their fists in the air to him, and the wolves barked in approval.
"That's not my point." Rias reasoned, but she didn't push further because she knew Issei was right. She had seen the way he handled those monster knights, with his shadows negating any number disadvantage that he had. From the look of it, they couldn't die either, and since they were extracted from slain enemies, Issei's army would only grow larger as they battle raged on. Such was always the case with necromancers.
What a terrifying skill... That Rune Stone that he had given him that skill, it had to be at least S-rank in rarity, or maybe even an undetermined class above. How he managed to find something like that in a low-ranking Gate was the real question that was bugging her. Could it be that those Gates that he raided himself had higher rankings than she and Grayfia had thought?
"Regardless, let's get out of here." Rias said as she grabbed his arm, signaling him to follow her with a light tug "This Gate is still far too dangerous for us to continue to linger here. As soon as we are outside I will call..."
But Issei didn't move from his spot, even as Rias pulled on his arm. Closing his eyes for a moment, Issei then spoke to his master, with a smile that showed her his confidence "There's no need. We will clear this Gate, Buchou, by beating the boss ourselves."
"Ise, you can't be..."
"I'm very serious, Buchou. I intend to fight this boss, and test my skills against it. You can sit it out if you want... in fact, I think you should sit it out. I have a feeling whatever is waiting for us beyond that door..." Issei then turned his attention to the massive double doors at the end of the entrance hall, which no doubt led to a throne room of some sort. Before, they were hidden in the darkness, but after all the Magitek Knights had been defeated, the torches leading to them had been lit, signaling that it was time for him to face the boss "... it will not let you cast your spell, and you're not trained enough to avoid their attacks."
"I..." Rias looked like she wanted to argue, but immediately bit her bottom lip to stop herself, because, deep down, she knew Issei was right. She had almost been killed by those assassins, and the sight of her own reflection in their swords still left her pretty shaken. That had to be the closest she had ever been to dying. If it weren't for Issei and his wolf, Lycaon, she would have been long dead on the floor.
"Hey, troopers, you guys spread out and start collecting the loot here, see if you can find anything valuable." Issei gave the command to his new shadows, who all bowed their heads to him before heading off to do what they were told. "And you three entertain Lycaon and the wolves, play catch with them or something."
He instructed the three Magitek Berserkers, who pointed at themselves before turning to the wolves, who were all looking at them in expectants.
With that, Issei turned back to Rias and looked at her, seeing her biting the nail of her thumb as she looked around them. Maybe he shouldn't have said all that, but then again, what he was about to say would surely hurt her more, having decided to speak to her about what had been in his mind about their training. It's only the matter of whether or not he could make it sound better.
"And there's also something I want to talk to you about." Issei started, choosing his words very carefully "Our training... While I'm grateful that you and everyone are helping me and Asia get stronger, I can't help but think that it's not enough."
"What do you mean, Ise?" Rias asked. "We're doing what we can, Ise. We're training you and Asia because we need you both to be strong enough for the..."
"Exactly, Buchou. You're training us... but who's training you and everyone else." Issei interrupted, meeting her gaze steadily. "We have seven days to train, and it's been three days already. What I've noticed is what you guys are trying to do is to get me and Asia up to your level, and I really appreciate that. But what about you, or Akeno-san, or Kiba, or Koneko-chan..."
He paused for a moment, his expression serious. "Moreover, Raiser said it himself, Akeno-san is the only one in our Peerage who can fight on par with his servants. Can we really win if we can add two more to the equation, and I'm not even considering the fact that Asia cannot fight."
"Do you know why I'm out here tonight? Why have I been training so hard?" Issei asked, "Because I want to make sure that we will win. I want to beat Raiser so that you're free from the marriage with him, so you can smile again and choose to be with whoever you want, but I cannot do that at this rate. Every day, I learn new things from you, Kiba, Koneko-chan, and Akeno-san... but I don't get to push myself, to test and hone my new skills against opponents that try to take my life instead of leaving me with some bruises. That's why when I found this Gate, I decided to enter it. I don't care if Grayfia-san finds out and comes for me to give me a spanking either... I just want us to win."
He finished, speaking the last few words very clearly so that Rias could understand what he meant.
"Ise..."
Rias whispered, her voice barely audible as she listened intently, her eyes softening as Issei spoke. She could see the determination in his eyes and the sincerity behind his words.
"I know you care about all of us, Buchou, not just me... but do you really want me to shoulder this task alone?" Issei asked, his tone softening as he smiled at her. "I don't doubt that you and everyone else would want the satisfaction of beating Raiser yourselves. I can do it for you if you want, Buchou. Hell, there's a chance that I'd beat his entire Peerage as well with the boys here."
As he said that, he pointed his thumbs as his shadows, making the troopers wave back at him, making Issei and Rias sweat drop. Still, the sight of them working diligently while seemingly arguing with one another what they should bring back to their master helped ease the tension a little.
Coughing into his hand, Issei then turned back to his master and continued "I guess the real question is: do you want me to hog all the glory of wiping that smug look off his face, or do you want to do that yourself?"
"Of course, I want to. When he threatened you and the others, I wanted nothing more than to blow him to nothing myself." Rias declared with conviction, making Issei smile at her. Her expression then softened as she continued, "But I guess you're right. We've been so focused on training you and Asia that we've forgotten to push ourselves. Plus, I have to admit my own blame in this. I thought we could beat Raiser, but that was just my ego and confidence talking. If we want to beat the Phenex for sure, then all of us need to become stronger, not just you, or Asia."
"Tomorrow will be a new day for us, so let us head back to the villa, call the authority, get some sleep and... we're not leaving, are we?"
Rias asked with a deadpan expression, and Issei only responded to his master with a grin as he turned his attention to the loot his shadow troopers had managed to collect. Most items that were collected from high level Gates could fetch a decent amount of money. Rias said she could help him sell them, so he decided to let her keep it.
"You're not gonna extract the shadows of these knights, Ise?" Rias asked as she looked at pieces of armor the shadow troopers were carrying as they lined up in front of so she could assess which items were worth selling and which were essentially trash. She appeared to have a good eye for this, as the items she deemed worthless didn't fetch much gold in the System Shop either.
"Nah, I have my eye set on a bigger prize up there, Buchou." Issei asked as he pointed his thumb at the double doors, making Rias widen her eyes in realization. Shocked, Rias looked over to Lycaon, who was watching some of the wolves play catch with the shadow berserkers, and asked.
"Wait, does that mean Lycaon is a boss?"
"Yeah."
Rias gulped nervously.
After everything had been looted and Issei gave a thumbs up to his shadow troopers, he and Rias slowly approached the double doors at the end of the entrance hall. An ominous presence emanated from within as Issei pushed the doors open with both hands. The interior was pitch black at first, but just like after the Magitek Knights had been defeated, the wall-mounted torches around the room lit up, illuminating the space and revealing the figure standing in the center of the chamber.
Even at first glance, Issei could feel an overwhelming presence coming from the imposing figure. His armors were thick, yet at the same time it was streamlined, with pauldrons on both shoulders in the shape resembling that of the heads of lions. The helmet bore sharp, angular features, with two horn-like protrusions curving upwards, giving the figure an almost demonic appearance. The visor was a narrow slit, almost fully concealing the face of whatever being resided within.
A thick, tattered cloak of deep crimson hung from his waist, splitting down the middle and draping down to the floor like bloodstained banners, contrasting starkly with the dark metal of the armor. Gripped tightly in its metal gauntlets and being held in front of him was a massive, double-edged sword with red runes running down the surface, with the blade being half as long as the figure, who stood imposingly tall himself. The edges of the blade gleamed menacingly, looking to be sharp enough to slice through steel like butter.
[Magitek General Glauca – LV 40]
"Ise..." Rias whispered unsurely, and Issei could feel her shaking behind him at the terrifying aura that the Magitek General was emitting.
"Buchou, stay back. Remember our deal." Issei said in a low tone with a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face, his only hope was that the Magitek General wouldn't be interested enough in Rias to shift his attention to his master, who immediately rushed to the side of the throne room and hid behind a pillar, with Lycaon and several shadow troopers following to protect her as they had been told to do so beforehand. As much as she wanted to assist Issei, Rias instantly had the feeling that she would only get in his way against an opponent like that.
'Ddraig, let's give it our all from the start.' Issei spoke to his Heavenly Dragon partner as he steeled his nerves and marched toward General Glauca, whose gaze he could feel was on him the moment he was close enough. Putting his sword behind his back using a handmade sheath that he had made using the left over from the Magitek knights, Issei then summoned his Boosted Gear, and activated the new feature that he had unlocked with its fourth level
[Understood, partner.]
[BOOST! OVER BOOSTER!]
In that moment as the green jewel of his metal gauntlet shone, with Ddraig making the announcement himself instead of letting the Sacred Gear do it like usual in his voice, Issei felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever felt before surged through him, with his Status Window showing that his stats and attribute were rising off the chart. An intense, powerful aura of red demonic energy erupted violently from him like a hurricane, swirling and expanding with ferocious energy. The aura matched the overwhelming presence of the dungeon boss, who remained steadfast and unmoving in the center of the room, his imposing figure silhouetted against the fiery glow.
[!] Ultimate Activated
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – LV 1]
HP +2500
MP +500
DEF +150
- The 10 seconds time limit has been removed.
- The power of the weapon stored inside the armors will be continuously boosted whenever the Player uses Doubling on themselves.
- All damage done will be increased
- Devil Wings will be replaced by Dragon Wings.
[Pact Resonance]
1. Additional Status: +75 to all attributes
2. Draconic Aura: Reduces damage taken and enhances resistance to elemental attacks corresponding to the element of the current Pact.
[WELSH DRAGON BALANCE BREAKER!]
With another announcement, the hurricane of red demonic dispersed with a sharp gust of wind, revealing in his Balance Breaker.
[BOOSTED GEAR SCALE... Hold on, what is this?]
The metal gauntlet on his left arm had changed significantly, extending up to his shoulder and enveloping the entire limb in a sleek, dark red armor. The rest of his body, however, remained mostly unarmored, save for the single pauldron with gold accents on his right shoulder, to which the Ironbane Sword was strapped. Additionally, the intense aura that had flared from him earlier persisted, though now it radiated more gently, akin to the flickering flames of the torches on the walls.
'Is this it?' Issei asked in his mind. He did feel a whole lot stronger, but at the same time, he had expected a lot more.
[Of course this is not it. How strange. In the past, the Balance Breaker of Boosted Gear manifests as a full suit of Scale Mail armor. Most if not all the Balance Breakers of Dragon-based Sacred Gears are like that.] Ddraig answered, his voice telling Issei that his partner also didn't know what was going on either [Could it be... that it has evolved into a Subspecies? And this form is also a level 1... What should be its name now, then...?]
"We can worry about that later, Ddraig." Issei said and drew his Ironbane Sword, swinging it down to hold it at his side. To his surprise, the Pauldron on his right shoulder then broke into parts, which snapped to his right arm to reconfigure themselves into a second gauntlet identical to the one on the left. "Okay, now this is more like it."
'Oh wait, maybe I should have kept it there and drawn it later. No matter...'
Bracing himself, Issei then turned his gaze to Glauca, who only then finally made his move. In a swift motion, the Magitek General lifted his sword with one hand and swung it around with such force that Issei felt a pressure so intense it could have cleaved him in half even from a distance. Bringing the blade back down, Glauca then took a stance with the tip of his blade pointed directly at Issei, who also readied himself with the Ironbane Longsword.
"Guess you will make a badass commander for my shadow troops. The question here is if I can make you submit." Issei murmured. Monster or not, Glauca showed class. "Make me proud, boys."
At that, the rest of his shadow troopers, berserkers and wolves burst forth from his shadow, charging toward Glauca with a series of battle cries and roars. The shadowy figures lunged at the Magitek General from all directions. Issei watched with anticipation, hoping that the combined assault of his shadow troops was enough to give him a glimpse of what he was dealing with.
And just as he had anticipated, Glauca was unfazed by the shadows, despite them overwhelming him by dozens to one. With a single, sweeping, lightning fast motion of his broadsword, he cut through the advancing shadow berserkers and wolves, their forms dissipating into wisps of dark smoke as the area around him exploded, sending rocks and debris into the air. The assassins used that opportunity to sneak up on him, but Glauca spun around and cleaved through the assassins before they could do anything, his swords moving in a blur as he hacked them to pieces, leaving them in shadowy fragments that took a longer time to regenerate.
One remaining assassin attempted to sneak up on Glauca from the side, but before it could deliver a fatal blow, the Magitek General shot his hand out and grabbed the shadow assassin by the head, lifting it into the air. Keeping his gaze on Issei the whole time while the assassin struggled to break free in his iron grip, he crushed the shadow by just clenching his fist, shattering its helmet and breaking its skull before dropping it on the floor of the throne room.
"Come back." Issei commanded, knowing that he would just be wasting mana at this point. He doubted even Lycaon stood a chance against this Knight.
[Skill Activated – Sprint]
With that, Issei shot toward Glauca with a burst of speed, moving faster than he had ever done before with the speed of his Balance Breaker combined with the Skill Sprint, closing the distance between him and General Glauca in a blink of an eye. With the Ironbane Longsword in his hand, Issei swung it at the towering knight with everything he had, leaving a faint, silvery arc in the air as it sliced through the air.
At the same time, Glauca raised his own weapon to meet the strike. In an instant, the blade of the Ironbane Longsword shattered into a million pieces upon colliding with the General's broadsword, filling the air between the two combatants with a shower of shards. Issei, however, had anticipated the destruction of his blade from the start, having suspected that a level 10 longsword with a B-rank rarity might not match the power of whatever weapon the Magitek General wielded.
That was 25,000 (G) down the drain, but if he could defeat this boss, then he would get rewards worth more than any gold.
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
Ducking down to avoid a wide swing from the massive broadsword as Glauca slashed his weapon horizontally, ignoring the destruction that the sheer force behind the attack caused behind him, Issei clenched his fists and delivered a powerful left hook to the side of the General's helmet with the full force of his empowered might by the Balance Breaker, its power further doubled four times in a row. The blow generated a shockwave that reverberated throughout the throne room, but Glauca only staggered back a single step. His eyes, or whatever that Issei saw under that dark visor of his helmet, gleamed dangerously as he retaliated with a deadly thrust, which Issei managed to narrowly avoid the attack by sidestepping just in time.
Rias held her breath as she tried to perceive the insanely fast pace duel. Issei remained agile on his feet, dodging and weaving through Glauca's relentless strikes with his broadsword. Each time Glauca swung his weapon it was with such force that the air seemed to distort around the blade, leaving deep gouges in the floor where it missed its mark, but Issei did not falter, countering the attacks with a series of punches, with each blow having its power doubled continuously by his Balance Breaker.
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
Still, no matter how fast he moved and how much harder he hit with each Boost, Glauca seemed to have no trouble matching him with his own speed, while his armor seemed to absorb the force behind each blow. Issei had no idea if the armor was that durable or not, but each time he struck the chest piece, he could have sworn that the dents he left on the part just vanished only a brief moment after, as if it had never been inflicted.
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
Before Issei could try one more time, this time with the Penetrate skill, Glauca slashed his sword at Issei, aiming to cleave him in two. Seeing that he could not dodge, Issei blocked the blow with both his gauntlets, but the force of the strike still sent him skidding back until he managed to regain his ground. Another swift, vertical slash came next as Glauca descended upon him, but Issei twisted his body in a practiced motion, a move that Koneko had shown him, narrowly avoiding the blow before using the momentum to deliver a roundhouse kick to aim at the side of the General's helmet.
To his surprise, Glauca just shot his free hand up and grabbed his ankle, his head tilting a little to the side as if he was unimpressed by what Issei was showing. Before Issei could react, the General had stabbed his sword down and pulled him into the air to kick him on his side, sending him rocketing across the throne room faster than Issei himself could have done it himself. Rias covered her mouth and stared in horror as Issei collided with the wall above the throne in an explosion of rock and debris, with Issei falling down only a moment later with blood trickling down the side of his face.
HP: 5972 / 8005
MP: 2050 / 2350
Before Issei could even touch the ground, Glauca appeared in front of him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, twisting around to build up the momentum before throwing him into the floor below. Not letting Issei even a moment to recover, the Magitek General shot down and threw a series of earth shaking blows at him with his fists. Each strike was a devastating display of strength, blowing up the area around him as the force of his attacks reverberated through the throne room and caused the floor itself to tremble.
Then, the knight stopped and held his hand out, causing his sword to remove itself from the floor to fly into his hand for a final sword strike. Despite the shadow troopers holding her back just as their master had told them to no matter what, Rias tried to rush in to help Issei as Glauca raised his sword over his head before swinging it down.
HP: 3972 / 8005
MP: 2050 / 2350
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
Before the blade could meet its mark, Issei shot his hand up and grabbed it, halting the swing with all of his might while blood trickled down the sides of his head. The green jewel of his left gauntlet shone brightly as he boosted numerous time before shooting himself up to throw his fist, empowered with the skill Penetrate, into Glauca's chest with a fierce cry, punching him with such force that the Magitek General was sent hurling back, crashing into the far wall with a thunderous impact.
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
Issei stood amidst the debris, his breath ragged and his body aching in pain, but his eyes remained locked on Glauca, burning with determination. Despite the force of the blow the Sekiryuutei had given him, the Magitek General emerged from the hole he had created upon colliding with the wall only a moment later, with his broken breastplate quickly mending itself back together.
"ISE! IT'S THE SWORD!" Rias shouted to him from behind the shadow troopers "THE SWORD IS HEALING HIM!"
"Heh, so that is your trick." Issei smirked as he wiped the block from the corner of his mouth with the back of his gauntlet, his eyes widening when Glauca suddenly turned his attention to Rias "Oh no you don't."
As the Magitek General charged at the crimson haired devil, Lycaon threw himself at him in his lightning form, while the shadow troopers raised their weapons and formed a protective formation in front of the heiress. Glauca met Lycaon in a thunderous clash, one that sent the shadow wolf hurling back with a pained yelp as Glauca proved himself to be superior.
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
MP: 1320 / 2350
Still, the elemental carnie had done its job well. The brief moment that Lycaon was able to halt Glauca in his tracks was all Issei needed, using not just his speed, but his dragon wings that had replaced his devil wings in his Balance Breaker. In an instance he was able to close the distance between them, and time seemed to slow down as Issei cocked his fist back, wasting no time after he had activated another Penetrate to deliver a powerful uppercut that launched Glauca into the air, crashing into the ceiling above him.
Dust and debris rained down as the General was embedded into the stone, but Issei didn't waste even a second to take off. With a flap of his wings, he shot upward like a missile, slamming himself into Glauca with a direct blow to the face before grabbing his sword arm with both arms, feeling the immense weight of the Magitek General's strength pushing back against him. Planting one foot firmly against Glauca's chest while keeping them both hanging upside down from the ceiling, Issei gritted his teeth and yanked hard, his muscles straining as he poured every ounce of his power into the effort.
[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]
MP: 1160 / 2350
Boosting himself up more than he had ever done before, Issei tore Glauca's arm from his shoulder with a fierce cry, leaving the broadsword to fall freely toward the ground.
"LYCAON!"
The shadow wolf, having recovered from the earlier clash, immediately leaped into the air and clamped down on the hilt of the weapon with his jaws, keeping it away from the Magitek General as he landed on the floor and darted over to the other side of the throne room. Glauca tried to retrieve it with his telekinesis power, but Lycaon bit down even harder, holding the sword firm between his fangs.
Still, the Magitek General was far from defeated. Even with just one arm, his strength remained a force to be reckoned with. With an inhuman roar, the first sound that he made the entire fight, he swung his remaining fist at Issei, catching him square in the jaw. The impact sent Issei reeling, but he quickly recovered, retaliating with a powerful punch of his own. The two warriors brawled furiously in midair, trading blows with enough force to shatter stone and shake the very foundation of the throne room until they crashed into the stone floor.
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
[BOOST!]
HP: 3272 / 8005
MP: 1000 / 2350
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
[BOOST!]
HP: 2872 / 8005
MP: 840 / 2350
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
[BOOST!]
HP: 2572 / 8005
MP: 680 / 2350
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
[BOOST!]
HP: 2372 / 8005
MP: 520 / 2350
[Skill Activated – Penetrate]
[BOOST!]
HP: 2072 / 8005
MP: 360 / 2350
As the smoke started to clear, the two could be seen engaging in an all-out, savage brawl. There were no techniques, no refined moves—just raw, brutal punches with everything they had. They traded blow for blow, even headbutts... but as the brawl wore on, it was Issei who could still hit harder and harder thanks to Boosted Gear, even as his body grew heavier and heavier with each boost – the sign that he had reached his limit of how much power his body could currently handle. Glauca, meanwhile, looked to be at his limit. He could still hit hard, hard enough to make Issei want to close his eyes and pass out with each punch to the face, but it was clear that each and every directed blow to his body had started to weaken him and wear down his stamina and endurance.
When Glauca launched another powerful punch, Issei ducked beneath it and immediately countered with a devastating uppercut to the Magitek General's helmet. The impact lifted Glauca off his feet, and Issei followed up with a series of strikes, each one enhanced by his Boosted Gear and fueled by Penetrate. His fists slammed into Glauca's armor, denting it and sending shockwaves through the his armored form before finally, with one last mighty blow, boosting himself up one last time with the remaining mana that he had left, Issei drove his left dragon gauntlet into Glauca's chest, shattering the armor and sending the General crashing into the wall behind him with a thunderous impact.
The force of the collision cratered the wall, leaving spider-web cracks and a large hole where Glauca was. With a heavy clang, the Magitek General fell to the ground and remained there with his head hanging, white blood trickling from the tiny gaps in his helmet as his once-imposing form now lay broken and defeated.
[Magitek General Glauca LV. 40 – Defeated]
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
"Ise!" Rias shouted as she rushed to Issei's side just as he collapsed to his knees. His second gauntlet vanished as the Balance Breaker deactivated, lifting a huge weight off his body and allowing Issei to let out a sigh of relief between quick, shallow breaths.
"I'm okay... I'm okay..." Issei said quickly, holding his hand out to Rias as she kneeled down next to him and tried to use a healing spell to make him feel better. Both his HP and MP had reached critical level, but the increases from repeated level-up had restored a decent amount, enough to keep him standing on his feet. Still, his body was hurting all over, but there's nothing that his Dragon's Physiology couldn't fix with a good sleep later. "See... I told you I could do it."
"That was..." But Rias stopped, not knowing whether she should praise him, or berate him for being that reckless. In the end, she decided to hug him instead, wrapping her arms gently around his neck and bringing herself to Issei, who winced a little but smiled as he leaned into her embrace, with one hand resting on her arm.
[Target is eligible for Shadow Extraction.]
"Hey, Buchou, can you help me go to him? My body feels so heavy right now." Issei requested, and Rias nodded her head in response before slowly helping him up, helping him over to stand Glauca. Before reaching the fallen General, Issei glanced at his shadows, who had followed closely behind. "Good work, Lycaon. You guys too."
He praised, acknowledging his wolf and shadow troopers, who threw their hands into the air to celebrate, looking delighted even though they particularly didn't do anything. Still, seeing Lycaon with a sword in his mouth, it gave Issei an idea. If the wolf was up for it...
"Alright, then..."
Issei said, as she turned his attention back to the fallen Magitek General, who lay completely still before him and Rias. To say that Glauca outmatched him in almost every aspect was an understatement... If it weren't for his Boosted Gear and its Balance Breaker, which had lived up to his name in that moment and allowed him to boost himself up continuously, then Glauca would have beaten him the moment the fight started.
It was also thanks to Rias realizing that Glauca's sword had been healing him throughout the battle that they managed to turn the tide. He really needed to learn how to perceive the flow of magic like her, something that he couldn't see even with his high Perception and Observe. Maybe he should ask Akeno to teach him, since it had been stated before that she was particularly skilled in reading different kinds of energy flows.
But on to the problem at hand. Was he even high level enough to extract his shadow? Issei had no idea. As he studied the general, Issei noticed a handful of items falling on the floor near his hands.
[You have received the following items.]
- Magitek General's Helmet
- Rune Stone: Ruler's Hands
- Leather Pouch
- Instant Teleportation Stone x1
"This must be the boss loots that they mentioned." Rias said in amazement as she bent down and picked up the items for Issei "This helmet is a top tier item!"
"How can you tell that, exactly?" Issei couldn't help but ask as Rias handed him the helmet. She was right. Not only the item, identical to the helmet that Glauca was still wearing, was S-rank in rarity, but it also had a 15% damage reduction passive and a whole bunch of bonus stats into his attributes.
"The Gremory has multiple shops crafting and selling these items in the Underworld, called the Crimson Emporium. We're actually one of the most famous providers of Gate Items and Gears. I... also had a hobby of reading and researching this stuff back in the day." Rias answered with an awkward laugh before coughing into her hand and shifting her attention to the leather pouch while Issei raised an eyebrow at what she just said.
No wonder why she said she could help him sell the loot.
"What do you think is inside?" Rias asked while lifting the pouch up and down as if testing its weight and feeling out what could be inside.
"How about we open it?" Issei suggested with a curious grin. Rias nodded and pulled on the string that kept the pouch tightly closed. However, the moment the fabric loosened with a slight rustle, the content inside seemingly disappeared, with Rias even turning the pouch upside down shaking it gently, expecting something to fall out.
"Huh, now that is disappoint... you okay, Ise?" Rias turned to Issei to ask when he suddenly choked,
"I'm okay... just... uh, disappointed, that's all. I was hoping for another cool item." He said. In truth, however, he was excited, more excited than he had ever been before.
Fund: 1,000,000 (G)
Because the moment Rias opened that pouch for him, a million Gold was added to his inventory.
That's basically ten times more money than he had ever had.
"Well, I guess another Rune Stone and this rare Teleportation Stone more than make up for it." Rias said with a smile as she handed him the Rune Stone of Ruler's Hands. Judging by its name, Issei had a feeling it was the Rune Stone for that telekinesis ability that Glauca used "You're so lucky, Ise. Most devils who specialize in raiding would be immensely lucky to find a second Rune Stone in their whole career, yet you've found two already just in this Gate already."
"Y-Yeah... must be the luck of a dragon," Issei chuckled nervously while scratching his cheek. "I mean... Dragons like treasures, right? They must be attracted to me or something."
"Oh, that might be it, Ise." Rias gasped, nodding her head.
[Heh, gotta tip my hat to you for that quick thinking, partner, if I had one.] Ddraig said, sounding rather impressed.
"Now... onto the real loot."
Issei said as he put the two stones into his pockets. He couldn't just store them in his inventory with Rias around, even though he could have sold it as another ability he got from a Rune Stone. The method of storing items into his inventory was different from using a storage spell, which he hadn't bothered to learn since he had the System Inventory.
"Arise." Issei held his hand out toward Magitek General Glauca, palm facing toward him and spoke the command, causing shadowy mist to erupt from the knight and swipe at them, swirling with such intensity that Issei nearly lost his footing if not for Rias continuing to support him. When it finally stopped, Issei widened his eyes in surprise as the General remained still, with only a notification hovering next to his corpse.
[Failed to extract the Shadow – Remaining attempt 2/3]
"So I can fail to extract that shadow of something this strong." Issei said, steeling himself for another attempt. "Arise!"
He spoke the command once more, this time louder and more forceful. The shadows erupted again, this time even more violently, but once the mist cleared, the notification remained unchanged:
[Failed to extract the Shadow – Remaining attempts 1/3]
"Fuck. This shadow is stubborn." The Sekiryuutei found himself cursing out loudly. He had one more try. It would be such a waste if he couldn't revive Glauca. He was such a powerful and formidable opponent.
"Could it be... that he doesn't want to serve you yet, Ise?" Rias suddenly asked, making Issei turn to look at her in surprise "That duel you two had... maybe he's still not convinced. Maybe he's looking for another quality in you other than just your strength."
Issei found himself softening his gaze as he listened to Rias. Turning his focus back to the fallen Magitek General, he let a small smile across his face. His eyes briefly glanced over to the empty throne on the other side of the room. The duel had ravaged the entire place, yet the throne remained the only thing untouched