Chapter 101: Subjugation Mission
After Rias's detailed explanation, Haruto felt he might have been tricked. If not for the special breakthrough requirements of the combat faction, he might have already reached A-rank through dual cultivation.
But it was hard to say for sure...
Rather than waiting for the intermediate mana extraction skill that might take who knows how long to draw, it was better to try the combat faction's breakthrough method first.
If he really couldn't break through after drawing the skill, he would still have to use this method eventually.
Haruto's idea received unanimous agreement, and Rias and the others happily handed the subjugation mission over to him.
"Haruto, the subjugation mission is in your hands now."
Akeno smiled as she took out a stack of documents. "This is perfect timing for us to clear out the accumulated commissions we've been sitting on."
"We haven't fulfilled contracts for so long, it feels like our strength hasn't improved in ages."
Besides relying on their own training, devils could also accumulate power by fulfilling contracts with humans. Otherwise, Rias and the others wouldn't bother responding to ordinary people's summons.
Because he possessed dual cultivation abilities, Haruto looked down on this method and had basically never taken on similar commissions.
"No time to waste, I should set out now."
Haruto stood up and walked to the center of the room. "The previous battle didn't satisfy me at all."
Rias: "Although it's not completely confirmed yet, Haruto does share quite a few similarities with the combat faction."
"Ara ara~"
Akeno chuckled while unfolding a magic circle. "Prefers close combat, shows great enthusiasm for battle, and psychologically feels completely no guilt about attacking enemies..."
Haruto: (¬_¬)
Stop talking. The more you say, the more I feel like I've been tricked.
Waiting expressionlessly for the teleportation magic circle to complete, Haruto immediately stepped into it.
...
In a dark, silent forest, a figure appeared out of thin air.
Haruto leaned against a tree trunk, shaking his slightly dizzy head.
Using a magic circle for spatial transfer for the first time indeed required some getting used to.
After resting for about ten seconds, thanks to his strong physical constitution and mental fortitude, the dizziness disappeared. He raised his head to observe his surroundings.
He could see the church spire in the distance. Good, the location was correct—this was where the mandrill had last been spotted.
'Stray devils' didn't just refer to devils; the emphasis was on the word 'stray.'
Any being that didn't follow rules, escaped jurisdiction, harmed humans, or betrayed their master fell into this category.
Devils, youkai, fallen angels, angels, hybrids, and even humans could all be included.
Haruto's target today was a mandrill. According to intelligence, this youkai enjoyed attacking children and taking them deep into the mountains to eat them.
Its last attack was three days ago, after which it had been hiding in this forest without leaving.
After confirming that Akeno hadn't teleported him to the wrong place, Haruto activated his Eye of Insight, allowing mana to flow slowly through his body.
In the dark, silent forest, thick branches and dense leaves swayed gently in the breeze. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting sparse patches of light.
Haruto stood in a small clearing. Through his perception, the entire scene began to become clearer.
A strand of mana appeared like a thread, connecting his perception to this world.
He could feel the vitality of the earth, the life force of the trees, and the resonance of all things around him.
And... the threat hidden among them.
During summer vacation, Haruto hadn't only focused on martial arts and dual cultivation.
Having acquired three new talents, it was only natural to put them to good use and enhance his overall strength.
His goal was to become a perfect all-around warrior.
Under the effect of his perception talent, Haruto quickly mastered scouting and sensory magic. Combined with the Eye of Insight, his ability to gather intelligence instantly caught up with his combat prowess.
The Spirit Bond talent pertained to pacts and agreements. After learning several contract spells, Haruto found no immediate use for them and set them aside for the time being.
As for the Tenacity talent, its effect could be described as growing stronger through battle, enhancing both physical and mental endurance.
For Haruto in his current state, the effect was relatively minor. Fortunately, it was a passive, ever-active ability, making it a decent talent nonetheless.
As his perception range gradually deepened, Haruto's vision suddenly turned strange and wondrous.
The outlines of trees began to blur, the entire scene seeming to melt together, with only a dark shadow growing increasingly distinct.
Deactivating his scouting magic, Haruto smiled faintly. "Found it."
Confirming the direction, he nimbly slipped through gaps in the branches, swiftly closing in on his target.
It wasn't until Haruto was less than ten meters away that the ferocious monkey-like devil finally noticed him.
"Lucky me. The first one I encounter is an opponent with B-rank strength."
With that, Haruto struck decisively. A lethal Lightning Spear materialized instantly and shot straight toward the mandrill's head.
A red glint flashed in the mandrill's eyes as it swiftly dodged.
After narrowly evading the attack, it glared venomously at Haruto. "Magus... why are you attacking me?"
Haruto had no intention of explaining. Instead, he channeled his magical energy, activating the crimson sigil on the back of his left hand.
Seeing the peculiar, incomplete circle, the mandrill's eyes narrowed. Its body swelled abruptly, transforming from a small monkey-like form to the size of a gorilla.
"So, you're a little devil from the Gremory family."
The mandrill asked darkly, "Where is your master? Hiding somewhere?"
"Dealing with you doesn't require the head's intervention."
"Arrogant brat!"
The mandrill condensed a mass of pitch-black demonic energy, launching a sinister and powerful wave of energy at Haruto.
Haruto sidestepped to evade. The black energy wave struck the ground, billowing dark smoke and sending dust flying.
When the dust settled, a bottomless crater remained, surrounded by spiderweb-like cracks.
"Is that all?"
Haruto chuckled, conjuring another Lightning Spear while simultaneously unleashing a barrage of low-level instant-cast spells at the mandrill.
The mandrill was incredibly fast, dodging all the magical attacks, but in doing so, it allowed Haruto to close the distance.
Haruto wielded the Lightning Spear like a sword, his sharp attacks repeatedly tearing chunks of flesh from the mandrill's body.
Though the mandrill was slightly faster, it was no match for Haruto in terms of strength or skill.
After holding out for a short while and realizing escape was impossible, it gathered its demonic energy, enduring a strike from Haruto's spear to forcibly boost its power once more.
That familiar sensation returned, and Haruto perceived the barrier more clearly than during the previous ranking battle.
The thought only excited him further.
"Berserk mode, huh... Perfect timing!"
Seeing Haruto advance instead of retreat, the mandrill cursed inwardly, calling him a madman. But having activated berserk mode, it had no way out.
If it didn't kill or repel Haruto before the berserk state ended, it would be the one to die today.
Boom!
The intense battle startled a flock of birds into flight and also attracted an uninvited guest.
A pitch-black feather drifted down amidst the flock of birds, and a lightly dressed fallen angel stood atop a tree trunk, the bright moonlight illuminating her delicate profile.
"That mountain ogre used berserk mode, so it's normal for it to have such strength..."
Watching the two engaged in fierce combat below, Raynare, who had regained her true form as a fallen angel, was both shocked and doubtful.
"But what's with that newbie devil? It's only been a little over two months, yet he already feels almost A-rank in strength?"
The difference between A-rank and B-rank lies in the essence of life, but the gap in combat power isn't completely insurmountable.
Unless one reaches S-rank, that's when combat power undergoes a qualitative transformation.
Three B-ranks can surround an A-rank and put them in crisis, but three B-ranks can only withstand three moves at most against an S-rank.
One move each, no more.
Under the observation of the Eye of Insight, Haruto noticed Amano Yuuma. Seeing that she had no intention of intervening, he felt slightly disappointed.
The berserk mountain ogre did put some pressure on him, but it still fell short.
Though Haruto looked battered, he hadn't actually sustained any injuries.
As the mountain ogre's movements grew slower and its strength diminished, Haruto, feeling disappointed, decided not to waste any more time.
Simultaneously utilizing four talents—Body Mastery, Mirror Alice, Sword Heart, and Lightning Radiance—he condensed a golden lightning spear. Using the spear as a sword, he thrust forward fiercely against the mountain ogre's fist.
After a brief stalemate, with the 50% boost returned by Mirror Alice, the mountain ogre's fist began to crumble first.
Then the lightning spear pierced through its arm unimpeded. Accompanied by the mountain ogre's agonized howl, the lightning spear penetrated its shoulder and then stabbed into its head.
Squelch—
Thud!
The eerie scream vanished, and the mountain ogre's massive body slowly collapsed to the ground.
As its life force gradually faded, it shrank back to the size of a monkey.
With its smaller size, the bloody hole in its head looked even more gruesome.