I was in the living room, sprawled on the couch with a half-read manga, the afternoon sun slanting through the windows in golden bars. Asia was in the kitchen, humming a hymn as she baked cookies—her Level 50 strength making dough-kneading effortless, her Intelligence ensuring perfect recipes. Raynare lounged beside me, her head on my lap, violet eyes half-lidded as she scrolled through a tablet, disguised as Yuuma in casual jeans and a sweater. Kalawarner and Mittelt were out, "shopping" (code for illusion-aided reconnaissance in town), their absence leaving the house quieter, more intimate.
My status screen flickered idly, a habit born of vigilance:
Name: Issei Hyoudou
HP: 16,000/16,000 (Calculated as [160 Strength + 160 Endurance] × 50)
MP: 8,000/8,000 (Calculated as 160 Intelligence × 50)
Strength: 160
Endurance: 160
Agility: 160
Intelligence: 160
Luck: 160
Stat Points: 0
Skills:
Observe (Level Max): Reveals full stats and thoughts, bypassing all restrictions.
Perks:
Gamer's Mind: Immunity to mental effects; calm rationality.
Gamer's Body: Damage to HP; minimized fatigue/pain.
Power of Destruction (Sirzechs Lucifer Version): Destructive energy blasts, 1.5x Intelligence scaling (240 base damage), area-of-effect annihilation fields, molecular disintegration, 30% reduced mana cost; enhanced by Phoenix Force (10% access: cosmic flame bursts, telekinetic pulses, minor reality warping).
Points Transfer: Permanently transfer stat points to non-players; irretrievable.
Sacred Gears:
Boosted Gear (Balance Breaker Unlocked): Doubles power every 10 seconds; Dragon Scale Mail triples base stats (480 Strength, Endurance, Agility); houses Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor.
Twilight Healing (Balance Breaker) (Copy): Rapid healing, healing fields; copied from Asia Argento.
Quests: None
Inventory: Empty
Relationship System:
Raynare: Lover - Eternal Flame (99/100, locked until marriage rite)
Kalawarner: Lover - Eternal Flame (99/100, locked until marriage rite)
Mittelt: Lover - Eternal Flame (99/100, locked until marriage rite)
Asia Argento: Best Friend (96/100)
Rias Gremory: Lover (100/100, Eternal Bond pending commitment)
Akeno Himejima: Ally (95/100)
Yuuto Kiba: Ally (87/100)
Koneko Toujou: Ally (85/100)
Gasper Vladi: Best Friend (85/100)
Matsuda: Friend (69/100)
Motohama: Friend (69/100)
Most female classmates: Neutral (20-25/100)
Ddraig's voice rumbled lazily, a dragon's nap interrupted. "Quiet day's a rarity, partner. Enjoy it—swords don't stay sheathed forever." He was right. The Excalibur prelude from Kiba's photo visit had planted seeds of unease, the Church's shadows lengthening.
A sharp chime shattered the peace, the Gamer System's blue screen materializing with a pulse of azure light. Raynare sat up, her violet eyes narrowing—she'd glimpsed the glow before, attributing it to my "draconic hunches." Gamer's Mind steadied me, the soul-erasure restriction a cold chain around my words.
System Gift: Relic of Kings
Gift Added to Inventory: Ordinary Stick (1 unit)
Description: A seemingly mundane wooden stick, unremarkable in appearance and function.
Note: One-time gift. Use or store at discretion. Purpose undisclosed—discovery is part of the journey.
New Quest: Veiled Vigil
Objective: Observe Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta from a distance without detection. Scout their movements, intentions, and holy sword fragments. Maintain stealth; no direct interaction.
Rewards:
Perk: Invisible (User can activate invisibility at will; undetectable by sight, sound, aura, or supernatural senses while active. Duration: Unlimited until deactivated).
Failure Penalty: Alerted targets; -20 to Luck, temporary -10 to all stats (24 hours).
Time Limit: 24 Hours
Accept? [Y/N]
I selected Y mentally, the screen dissolving. A gift stick? My inventory pinged, a plain wooden rod appearing—rough-hewn, about a foot long, like a kid's play sword. Curiosity piqued, I activated Observe:
Item: Ordinary Stick
Durability: ???
Effects: ???
Description: ???
Shielded, even from me. Odd, but the system's whims were law. The quest, though—Irina and Xenovia. Childhood friend and Church enforcer, wielding Excalibur Mimic and Destruction, scouting fragments. The arc was here, prelude turning to storm. Raynare tilted her head, sensing my shift. "Hunch?"
"Yeah," I said, pocketing the stick. "Church girls in town—Irina and Xenovia. Scouting swords. I need to tail them, quiet-like. You girls hold down the fort—Asia too."
Raynare's eyes sharpened, her devotion flaring. "Irina? Your sandbox warrior? And the blue-haired zealot? Be careful—they're sharp."
I kissed her forehead, then called down to Asia. "Heading out for recon. Stay safe." Her reply was a cheerful wave, her stats making her a fortress now.
The streets of Kuoh were alive with holiday shoppers, the air crisp with fallen leaves. My Agility carried me silently, blending into crowds. Observe scanned for holy auras—faint glimmers led me to the park, the same sandbox from the photo. Two figures stood there: Irina Shidou, silver hair in a ponytail, school uniform crisp, her Excalibur Mimic disguised as a bracelet on her wrist. Beside her, Xenovia Quarta, blue hair short and severe, her Excalibur Destruction sheathed as a slender rapier at her hip, her Church garb a white coat over tactical pants.
I ducked behind a tree, activating stealth—my Luck and Agility ensuring no detection. Observe on Irina:
Name: Irina Shidou
Level: 48
HP: 16,000/16,000 (160 Strength + 160 Endurance × 50)
MP: 8,000/8,000 (160 Intelligence × 50)
Strength: 160
Endurance: 160
Agility: 160
Intelligence: 160
Luck: 160
Holy sword: Excalibur Mimic (Shape-shifting holy sword; mimics any blade form, adaptive holy energy blasts).
Thoughts About You: "Kuoh feels familiar… like old times with Issei. Wonder if he's still that goofy kid. Focus, Irina—fragments first."
Relationship: Acquaintance (50/100; childhood friend)
Irina paced, her bracelet glinting. "Xenovia, the readings are faint. One fragment's here—buried in the sandbox? Ridiculous."
Xenovia's blue eyes scanned coldly, her rapier humming. Observe:
Name: Xenovia Quarta
Level: 50
HP: 18,000/18,000 (180 Strength + 180 Endurance × 50)
MP: 9,000/9,000 (180 Intelligence × 50)
Strength: 180
Endurance: 180
Agility: 180
Intelligence: 180
Luck: 180
Holy sword: Excalibur Destruction (Holy sword of raw power; cleaves with destructive holy waves, high-damage slashes).
Thoughts About You: "This town reeks of devils. The witch—Asia Argento—must be purged. Her healing taints the pure."
Relationship: Unknown (0/100)
Xenovia knelt, digging in the sand, unearthing a glint—another fragment, buried since my childhood play. Irina's laugh rang, light and nostalgic. "Look! It's intact. The Project's folly—shattering Excalibur to 'balance' power. Father would say it's God's will."
Xenovia's face hardened. "God's will is justice. Speaking of—reports say a witch hides here. Asia Argento, excommunicated for healing a devil. Her Twilight Healing mocks sanctity. We end her, claim the fragment, and leave."
Irina hesitated, her Agility twitching. "Asia? The nun girl? She's harmless—"
"Harmless witches spread heresy," Xenovia snapped, sheathing the fragment, her Strength coiling like a spring. "We hunt her now."
My blood boiled—Asia, my saint, called a witch? Gamer's Mind held, but rage simmered. I shadowed them, my agility silent, luck veiling my steps. They moved to the town square, Asia's favorite spot for "people-watching." There she sat on a bench, Ddraig Jr. in her lap, oblivious, her stats hidden under a sundress.
Xenovia drew Excalibur Destruction, the blade igniting with holy fury. "Witch! Your taint ends!"
Asia's eyes widened, Twilight Healing flaring instinctively. Irina grabbed Xenovia's arm. "Wait—!"
I burst from hiding, Boosted Gear roaring "BOOST!", 2x stats boost, crimson armor flashing. "Touch her, and you die!"
Xenovia whirled, blade raised, her stats meeting mine. "The dragon boy? Devil-tainted scum!"
Irina gasped. "Issei?!"
The square tensed, holy swords vs. dragon's fire. The prelude had ignited—the Excalibur arc begun.
_________________
"Touch her," I snarled, positioning myself between Asia and the swordswoman, my Agility a blur that positioned me like a shield, "and you'll learn what a real dragon's wrath feels like."
Xenovia's blue eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on Excalibur Destruction, the holy sword's edge vibrating with destructive holy waves that could cleave mountains—or a saint's fragile form. Her presence washed over me like a tidal force, her stats across the board making her a colossus of faith and fury. Observe had already painted her picture: unyielding, her thoughts a whirlwind of zealotry and duty. "The witch stands accused," she declared, her voice a steel blade in velvet, laced with the accent of distant cathedrals. "Asia Argento, excommunicated for consorting with devils, healing their filth with sacred light. The Church demands purification. Step aside, dragon-tainted boy, or share her fate."
Asia rose slowly behind me, her stats—forged in the Empty Dungeon's infinite forge—radiating a quiet power that belied her gentle frame. Her Twilight Healing Balance Breaker hummed faintly, golden fields flickering at her fingertips, ready to weave resurrection if needed. But her voice, when she spoke, was steady, laced with the compassion that had always defined her. "Xenovia Quarta... I know your name from the Church's whispers. And Irina—Issei's friend from childhood. Please, listen. I healed no one out of malice. The devil I saved... it was mercy, not heresy."
Irina stepped forward, her stats a mirror to Xenovia's might, but her demeanor softer, her bracelet glinting as Excalibur Mimic shifted subtly—a shape-shifter's promise. Her silver hair caught the light, and for a heartbeat, I saw the girl from the sandbox photo, stick in hand, laughing as we "battled" imaginary monsters. Observe confirmed her conflict: "Issei… grown up, and protecting her? Asia's no witch—she's pure. But duty… God, why now?" Her Acquaintance score flickered, childhood memories clashing with Church oaths.
Xenovia's lip curled, her Endurance unyielding as stone. "Mercy for devils? You mock the divine order. The priest in Italy—Father Bernardo—confessed under interrogation. He aided you in healing Diodora Astaroth, a devil lord with a perverse hunger for nuns. His peerage? A harem of broken sisters, 'fun' as he calls it, twisted into servitude. You enabled that abomination!"
Asia's face paled, but her Intelligence pieced it together, memories flooding back. The revelation hung heavy, a thread from her past unraveling. Months ago, before her full integration into my world, she'd been cornered in Italy by Diodora Astaroth—a mid-class devil with a sick obsession, his peerage a collection of kidnapped nuns, "reincarnated" as pawns for his depraved games. Father Bernardo, a kindly priest from the Church's fringes, had smuggled her to safety, begging her Twilight Healing for one last act: saving Diodora from a self-inflicted wound during a ritual gone wrong. Asia, ever the saint, had healed him unknowingly, her light mending what the devil twisted for sport. The Church had branded it heresy, excommunicating her on whispers and half-truths, Father Bernardo silenced in the aftermath.
"I... I didn't know," Asia whispered, her voice cracking but resolute, golden fields expanding to envelop the square in a soothing aura. "Diodora came to the church, wounded, begging for mercy. Father Bernardo said it was God's test—to heal without judgment. I felt no evil in him then. His peerage... nuns? That's monstrous. But I won't let fear define me. Xenovia, Irina—lay down your swords. We're not enemies."
Xenovia's blade didn't waver, holy waves rippling along its edge, her Agility coiling for a strike. "Monstrous? You enabled it, witch! The Church's light demands your end—"
Before she could swing, Asia moved—a blur of Agility that belied her healer's grace. Her Twilight Healing Balance Breaker fully ignited, golden chains of light lashing out like living vines, wrapping Xenovia's sword arm and pulling her off-balance.
The fields weren't just restorative now; they pulsed with offensive purity, sapping holy corruption from the air, neutralizing Excalibur Destruction's waves mid-swing.
Xenovia staggered, her Strength straining against the ethereal bonds, surprise flashing in her blue eyes. "What—? Your light... it's twisted!"
Asia's voice rang clear, her Intelligence channeling words like prayers. "Not twisted—purified. I healed devils, yes, but with love, not malice. Diodora's sins are his own; Father Bernardo's aid was compassion. The Church cast me out for mercy—will you repeat their error?"
Irina lunged to Xenovia's aid, her bracelet morphing into Excalibur Mimic—a whip-like blade that lashed toward Asia. But Asia was ready, her Endurance shrugging off the glancing strike (HP dipping to 14,850/15,000), Twilight fields healing the shallow cut instantly. With a sweep of her hand, golden barriers formed, reflecting Mimic's strike back at Irina, forcing her to dodge her own attack. Irina rolled, her Agility saving her, but the impact cracked the bench. "Asia... you're strong. But this isn't you!"
Asia's eyes softened, even as her fields held firm. "It is me, Irina. The me Issei helped uncover. Lay down your sword—talk to us. The fragments aren't worth blood."
Xenovia broke free with a roar, her Strength shattering the chains, Excalibur Destruction cleaving a fountain in half, water erupting like a geyser. "Enough sermons! Die, witch!"
But I was done watching. "My turn," I growled, stepping forward, crimson armor of Balance Breaker encasing me—stats tripling to 4x Strength, Endurance, Agility. HP 48,000, MP 8,000. Ddraig's voice thundered: "Rip and tear, partner!" Phoenix Force's 10% sparked, cosmic flames weaving into my Power of Destruction, a hybrid blaze of holy-red annihilation.
Xenovia charged, her Agility a silver streak, blade arcing in a destructive wave that split the air. I met it head-on, my Agility a phantom blur, claws rending the wave mid-air—holy energy dissipating like mist. Her eyes widened—"Dragon?!"—as my destruction blast countered, damage scaling with Phoenix enhancement hitting, slamming her back (HP 15,000/18,000). She skidded, cracking pavement, her Endurance holding, but blood trickled from her lip.
"You protect a witch?" she spat, lunging again, Destruction's slash cleaving toward my chest. I parried with Boosted Gear's gauntlet, the impact shaking the square (her HP 14,000/18,000), then countered with a Phoenix-infused claw swipe—telekinetic pulse hurling her into a lamppost (HP 12,000). Twilight Healing fields from Asia healed my minor grazes (HP full), her Balance Breaker syncing with mine in golden-crimson harmony.
Irina hesitated, Mimic shifting to a shield form, blocking a stray blast. "Issei! Stop—Xenovia, he's not the enemy!"
Xenovia rose, blade igniting brighter, her Intelligence plotting. "He reeks of devils and fallen taint! For the Church!"
We clashed again—her slashes a storm of holy fury, my claws and blasts a dragon's tempest. I dodged with my agility, her agility no match, landing a molecular-disintegrating punch to her side (HP 9,000/18,000). She countered with a wave that grazed my armor (HP 47,500/48,000), but Twilight mended it. "Yield," I growled, Phoenix flames coiling around my fist, reality warping slightly to slow her blade.
Before she could, a crimson teleport circle flared—Rias Gremory and her peerage materializing like avenging shadows. Rias's Power of Destruction crackled, her stats (boosted to 119) a queen's command. Akeno's lightning arced, Kiba's Sword Birth summoned flaming rapiers, Koneko's fists glowed with Rook force, Gasper's eyes flickered with time-stop potential.
"Enough!" Rias's voice boomed, her destruction field enveloping the square, neutralizing holy waves. "Church warriors—stand down. This is Kuoh territory, under Gremory protection. Cause chaos here, and you invite war with devils."
Xenovia lowered her blade slightly, breathing heavy (HP 8,500/18,000), her eyes flicking to Rias—the heiress whose engagement she'd heard whispers of. Irina sheathed Mimic, stepping between. "Rias Gremory... we seek only Excalibur fragments. No quarrel with devils—unless they harbor witches."
Asia stepped forward, her golden fields fading, voice calm. "I'm no witch. I healed Diodora Astaroth—yes, a devil—but unknowingly, with Father Bernardo's aid. He was a good man, from the Italian parish, who saw mercy in my light. Diodora... his peerage, the nuns... it's a horror I didn't see. But killing me won't undo it. Let me prove my faith—join us, talk."
Rias nodded, her bond with me a silent anchor. "The Church's grudge ends here. Asia's under my protection—and Issei's. Retract your blades, or face consequences."
Akeno's lightning crackled warningly, her anger laced with readiness. Kiba's swords hummed, steady. Koneko cracked knuckles, unyielding. Gasper's eyes glowed, poised.
Xenovia sheathed Destruction, her zeal tempered by numbers. "For now. But the witch's trial awaits." Irina sighed, her status flickering toward me—old bonds stirring.
The system chimed privately, a bitter note:
Quest Failed: Veiled Vigil
Reason: Direct interaction with targets detected.
Penalty Reduced (System Mercy): Loss of Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing (permanent); Perk: Power of Destruction removed.
Note: Invisibility Perk unlocked as consolation (activatable at will; undetectable).
Pain lanced through me—Twilight Healing's copy vanishing, golden fields gone forever. Power of Destruction faded, crimson-black aura nullified. My stats held, but the loss stung, HP unchanged but my arsenal gutted. Gamer's Mind held the despair at bay, Ddraig growling: "Bastards took a piece. We'll reclaim it, partner."
Rias noticed my pallor, her hand on my arm. "Issei?"
"Fine," I lied, invisibility activating subtly—my form shimmering transparent, undetectable. "Just... the fight's toll."
The square de-escalated, Irina pulling Xenovia away, fragments secured. Asia's revelation hung, Diodora's shadow looming—a new devil foe, nun-obsessed, peerage of twisted sisters. The Excalibur arc ignited, holy swords clashing with dragon fire.
But with Rias's hand in mine, I was ready. The prelude was over—the war begun.