"Oi, Saji! Where do I put these?"
Issei called out as he carried a stack of chairs into the Student Council office, where the meeting between the Three Factions and their honorable guests would be held in a couple days. At the moment, Issei was helping Saji and the rest of the Sitri Peerage out with the last minute preparation, with Rias having left with Sona to make sure that everything was in order before the big event.
"Just put them next to the table, but if you scratch the wall again, I'm calling you out." Saji said while pointing a finger at the spot
"Blah blah blah." Issei rolled his eyes as he inched sideways through the door. The stack of chairs he was carrying was far from the heaviest things he had ever had to carry, but maneuvering them through the cramped hallway without smashing something was what was giving him trouble.
"Seriously, who designed this hallway?"
With that, Issei walked over to the large table in the center of the room and set the chairs down, the whole process barely taking any effort from him. Nodding to himself, Issei then pulled out his phone to check the time, grinning when he saw that it was almost time for him to meet up with Aphrodite at her home.
"Oh damn, look what time it is." He said, the smile on his face couldn't have been more pleasant. "Sorry, man. But that's it for me here."
Saji, who had been cleaning the windows, looked up in confusion. "Wait, where do you think you're going? We still have tons of work left to do!"
"I promised Lady Aphrodite last night I'd show her around Kuoh Academy today." Issei just gave Saji a nonchalant look, but the grin never left his face. "You know, the Greek goddess of love and beauty? I'm sure you have heard of her, and that I'm her favorite devil."
"Shut up, you lucky bastard." Saji scoffed, making Issei chuckle amusedly in response with his hands raising in defense.
"Hey, it's not like I asked for it. She just likes me, I guess. Can't really say no to a goddess now, can I?" Issei then looked down at his phone as he felt it buzzing in his hand "Oh, hey! Look who's calling!"
Saying that, Issei held up his phone and showed Saji the screen, the background of the call displaying a photo of the stunning goddess herself, posing cutely with her tongue sticking out and her hand holding a peace sign above her head. It was a photo Aphrodite had taken herself after asking him if they could exchange numbers, being only one of the photos that he got of her in his phone.
Regardless, Saji instantly glued his gaze to the screen, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets as he was left speechless at how beautiful she was, though Issei could hardly blame him for having that kind of reaction seeing the goddess of beauty for the first time. Even a picture of her had that kind of effect on others.
"Sorry, gotta run now. Tell Kaichou and Buchou I'll be back in a bit with Lady Aphrodite." With that said, Issei turned around and walked to the door, his thumb swiping across the screen to accept the call before he held the phone to his ear, answering with a cheery tone. "Yes, Aphrodite-san. I'm on my way right now. Just finished wrapping things up at school."
It took him about five minutes to reach Aphrodite's house from Kuoh Academy, taking a short but scenic route through the quieter parts of town. The weather was perfect that day, with just a few scant clouds in the sky and the sun shining just enough to warm the air without being too hot, a rare treat, especially when they were already in Summer. It was as if the gods themselves had made sure that the day would be perfect for a tour, and judging by the fact that he was going to see a goddess, that might very well be the truth.
Arriving at his destination, Issei slowed to a stop at the fence before hopping off his bike to park it right outside the gate. Just as he was about to approach the entrance, the door swung open with Aphrodite walking out right after, looking effortlessly stunning as ever dressed in a two-piece businesswoman suit with a three-button suit jacket that she wore over a buttoned up white shirt and a high-waisted skirt that slit up her left thigh on the side, giving a glimpse of her smooth skin with each step she took. The ensemble somehow made her look both professional and incredibly alluring with some of the buttons of her shirts being left undone, displaying a generous amount of her large breasts.
"There you are, Ise." The goddess beamed, her smile as radiant as ever as she walked out and came to a stop in front of Issei.
"Ready to see Kuoh Academy, Aphrodite-san?" He asked, smiling as he imagined what Saji and the other guys at school would say when he saw him showing up with Aphrodite.
"Actually, there has been a change of plans." Aphrodite said, making Issei raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "My ex-husband Hephaestus is having a meeting with Zeoticus Gremory today to discuss a partnership and trade-deal for his shop with the Crimson Emporium. As the one in charge of political relations for Olympus, I have to attend as well."
"Oh, wow. I have no idea." Issei said, scratching the back of his head. He would be lying to himself if he tried to not be disappointed, since he was really looking forward to giving Aphrodite the tour around Kuoh Academy.
"I know. I'm sorry." Aphrodite said, holding her hands together in front of her as she gave him an apologetic smile. "I just got the news too. If Aglaea hadn't told me, I probably wouldn't have known as well."
"But tell you what," The goddess of love then continued before he could say anything, her voice softening as a playful sparkle lit up her eyes "how about tagging along with me for a trip to Olympus?"
"Huh? You serious?"
"Of course." She beamed at him "I wouldn't mind having some company. Besides, if the meeting ends early, I might even be able to give you a tour for a change. Olympus isn't exactly something mortals or devils get to see every day. Plus, Hephaestus has been asking me if he could meet you. When a name starts circulating among the Heroes, it tends to reach the ears of us gods, their patrons."
"Plus, Hephaestus owns several high-end motorcycle showrooms, where I'm sure you'll find the perfect bike for yourself." Aphrodite then continued, her eyes half lidded as she put one hand on her hip and pointed at his bicycle with the other. "Because, seriously, don't tell me you were planning on taking me to your school with that thing. I'm sorry, but I'm also not letting you take that girl out on a date on it as well once you've asked her out."
[She has a point, partner.] Ddraig remarked with a chuckle.
"Ah… well, when you put it that way…" Issei rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "I guess it'd be dumb for me to say no."
"Lovely!" Aphrodite cheered, clapping her hands together with excitement. "And there's our ride as well!"
Before Issei could say anything to respond, a sudden gust of wind swept through the area, and he turned around just in time to see two majestic, winged horses swooping down from the sky, their gleaming white coats shimmering under the sunlight. Their massive wings beat the air in perfect harmony as they landed gracefully on the street behind him, hooves pounding the ground before the carriage they were pulling followed right behind, touching down just as softly with the wheels barely marking a sound as it came to a smooth stop in front of Aphrodite and Issei.
"Woah…" Issei murmured in amazement as Aphrodite strutted past him. Before she could open the door, however, Issei surged forward and opened it for her instead.
"My, what a gentleman." Aphrodite remarked with a playful giggle before making her way inside. Issei was about to follow her, but as he took note that the interior of the carriage was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside, Issei noticed a few pedestrians standing nearby, whispering among themselves while glancing at him and the carriage.
"Um, what about them?" Issei asked, unsure why the people didn't seem particularly shocked. Shouldn't they be freaking out, or at least reacting more strongly, considering the two winged horses?
Hearing his question, Aphrodite leaned out of the door, following his gaze.
"Who?" She asked, before looking at the people on the street in the direction Issei was looking. After a moment, she let out a soft laugh and turned back to him to continue. "Oh, them? Don't worry about it. Ever heard of the Mist before? Come on in. I'll explain as we go."
"Riiight."
With that said, Issei followed Aphrodite inside her carriage, settling into the plush seat across from her as the door was magically closed behind him. At once, the two Pegasi unfolded their wings and took off, pulling the carriage with them into the air. Looking out the window, Issei widened his eyes in amazement as he watched the streets and buildings of Kuoh Town shrinking to mere specks beneath them as they ascended across the sky. Despite the fact that it looked like the carriage was being swung from the side to side by the Pegasi, the inside of the carriage remained perfectly still, making it a smooth, comfortable experience, almost like a standard car ride.
Issei had no idea how fast they were traveling, or if they had entered a realm not known to ordinary mortals, but Mount Olympus soon came into view, being a colossal mountain that rose above the clouds. Issei, who had never seen anything like it before in his life, was shell shocked at the sheer beauty and grandeur of it. The towering structures were made of polished marbles reinforced with massive columns that held up wide, flat roofs. Some had designs that blended traditional Greek architecture with modern touches, with glass-paneled walls, sleek edges, and subtle lighting, while others leaned more toward one of the aforementioned styles. Some buildings had open courtyards in front of them, while others were flanked by rows of statues or tall stone braziers that gave off gentle, smokeless flames.
The structure that stood out the most, however, was the one perched at the very peak of Mount Olympus. Made of pristine white marble so polished it seemed to glow under the sunlight, the building seemed to cast a radiant aura over the entire landscape. Golden accents adorned its columns and edges, giving the Parthenon-like structure an even more regal design. Wide steps led up to its towering entrance, which was flanked on both sides by colossal statues of warriors, each gripping weapons in their hands and pointing them proudly toward the sky above.
As the carriage drew close to the bustling streets of Olympia, the grand golden city of Mount Olympus that was built around the mountain, Issei could see the bustling activities down below. There were shops selling all kinds of magical items, to market stands brimming with exotic groceries, offering all kinds of choices to the people, many of them were humans, but there were those from races that Issei believed were native to mythology. Some floated or flew instead of walking, while others pulled carts or carried crates as they went about their daily lives.
"Welcome to Olympus, Ise." Aphrodite said as she reclined in her seat and continued to enjoy the love novel resting on her lap, making Issei whistle in amazement while they continued to soar through the sky.
Eventually, the carriage began to slow, and Issei saw that they were approaching a grand courtyard in front of a tall building. A large fountain sat in the center, water cascading down from the sculptures in the shapes of graceful feminine figures. Zeoticus Gremory stood nearby, engaging in a conversation to a man who looked to be in his late thirties with neatly combed grey hair and a full, well-groomed beard. His clothing consisted of a crisp black button-up shirt and matching colored slacks, both tailored to fit his broad, muscular build. Notably, there was a steel brace around his left leg, and he also stood while leaning slightly on a wooden cane with a bronze handle. In addition, he was accompanied by a beautiful woman with short blonde hair in a flowing white dress.
"That man is Hephaestus, and the woman next to him is his wife, Aglaea. She's my handmaiden." Aphrodite told Issei just before the carriage touched down. The door to the carriage opened on its own with a gentle creek, allowing Aphrodite to gracefully step out first with Issei following right behind.
"Hephaestus! Aglaea!" Aphrodite called warmly, smiling as she approached them with Issei, who waved his hand at Zeoticus as the man gave him a nod and a small smile in response.
"You sure know how to make an entrance, Aphrodite." Hephaestus said, his voice deep and rumbly, but not unkind as he gently placed his large hands on Aphrodite's arms and leaned himself in to kiss her cheeks, with her looking more than happy to do the same.
Beside them, Aglaea dipped her head respectfully to Aphrodite, whose smile only brightened as she turned to her. "Mistress."
"It's good to see you, my dear." Aphrodite said as Hephaestus pulled back from her and turned his attention over to Issei. "And look who I brought with me."
Hephaestus followed her gaze, his dark eyes settling on Issei with a slow nod of acknowledgment.
"So, this is the young lad everyone's been talking about." He said, taking a step toward Issei to offer his hand for a handshake "Nice to meet you, Issei Hyoudou."
"The honor's mine, sir." Issei smiled, reaching his hand out to take the much larger hand into his own, feeling the roughness of his palm and the strength behind his grip. Though it wasn't crushing, it was just as strong as Issei had expected from the god of blacksmith
"Well then, let's head inside." Zeoticus said, making Hephaestus and Aphrodite nod their heads in agreement.
Issei followed as the group made their way across the courtyard and up the broad marble steps. The double doors of the building opened on their own without a sound, revealing a polished, high-end showroom inside. The floor was made of smooth black stone that reflected the warm ceiling lights above. Rows of reinforced glass cases lined the open floor, each displaying a finely crafted weapon, an armor set, or one of the many magical items. Some looked old, almost ancient, while others had a more modern or even futuristic design, but all had small placards below them that listed names, effects, and prices that made Issei's wallet cringe a little just looking at them.
A few guests were already inside, casually browsing the displays. Issei could only look on in amazement as a Minotaur was being shown a giant battleaxe by one of the staff members, the kind of weapon that looked like it could split a boulder in half. Nearby, a female elf, judging by her long ears and elegant posture, was carefully examining a silver bow resting atop a velvet-lined case with a thoughtful expression, as if deciding whether or not she should spend her money on it. Regardless, most of the featured items appeared to be Gates-crafted, their polished finishes and intricate designs carrying the unmistakable mana signature, but there were also magical artifacts that, without a doubt, were crafted from the standard rare materials but enhanced using traditional magic.
"Man… this place is crazy." Issei whispered to himself, his eyes wide as they wandered between the displays, marveling at the wide variety of items. It felt like he was walking through a museum that also doubled as a high-end weapons boutique.
[You can say that again, partner.]
"Yes. I suppose that would be how youngsters these days address my shop." Hephaestus spoke in an amused tone, making Aphrodite and Aglaea giggle while Zeoticus patted Issei on the shoulder with a soft laugh. Eventually, the group arrived at a glass-walled office near the back of the showroom. Inside, a sleek obsidian desk sat beneath a mounted sculpture of a forge hammer, and plush chairs surrounded it, clearly prepared for the meeting.
"Why don't you wait out here for now, Issei-kun?" Zeoticus said, gesturing toward the nearby waiting lounge just outside the office.
"Yes, let the grown-ups talk about boring business." Aphrodite added playfully, flashing him a wink.
"Feel free to look around," Hephaestus said, pausing by the doorway. "If anyone asks, just tell them you have my permission. You can even try out some of the gears, but don't go touching any of the cursed items without supervision nearby. Some of them are sentient, you see."
"…Excuse me?"
But the adults were already inside, the glass door easing shut behind them with a soft click, leaving Issei alone in the quiet hallway outside the soundproofed office. Without any other choice, he sat down on the sofa at the waiting lounge, finding it to be an automatic massage chair. For the next ten minutes or so, Issei sat relaxed as the chair worked gently at his body, watching through the glass as the meeting inside began. Their mouths moved, hands gestured, and papers were exchanged… judging by the calm expressions and occasional small smiles, the meeting was pretty serious, but the atmosphere seemed quite pleasant.
Eventually, though, the novelty of the massage chair wore off, and Issei found himself growing a little bored. He leaned forward, glancing once more at the adults inside the office. Aphrodite saw him looking and winked, making him feel a little hot under the collar because it was not the playful wink that she usually gave him.
"Okay, Ddraig. Let's go see some items." Saying that, Issei hurriedly stood up and started walking back out to the showroom area. Some of the guests he had seen earlier had left, leaving Issei to freely wander from displays filled with gleaming weapons and armors to shelves stacked with a vast variety of magical tools. The System kept showing him their info and stats, which were far more detailed than what was shown on the placards.
As Issei continued to browse, his eyes were then drawn to a peculiar item inside a display case tucked away at the far corner of the showroom. At first glance, the item looked nothing out of the ordinary, appearing to be a palm-sized orb of orange hue. But as he drew near, a faint mana aura burst forth, flickering like flame under the overhead like.
[!] Item: Orb of Avarice.
Rarity: A
Category: Magic Tool
Description: An orb fashioned out of the crystalized blood of a demon lord. It augments the wear's mana to increase the amount of damage inflicted by magic spells.
[Effect] Destructive Desire: Doubles Magic Damage.
"Double?" Issei whistled in amazement. However, its effect wasn't the reason the Orb was attracting his attention.
For some strange reason, it felt like he had seen that orb before.
"Ah, good catch, sir." Hearing that, Issei turned his head to see a middle-aged man dressed finely in a suit approaching him with a polite smile, appearing to be one of the staff members of the Shop "The Orb of Avarice is one of the finest items we have here. Despite being only an A-rank item, it does something that none of the other augmented items can, increasing the strength of magic spells by 100%."
"Does it really? I find it hard to believe such a small object is capable of that," Issei asked, raising an eyebrow as he pointed at the orb. The placard showed him pretty much the same thing the System had, except for the detailed Description.
The man chuckled lightly, clearly not offended by Issei's skepticism. "I understand. Most people are doubtful when they first see it. If you'd like, we can arrange for you to test the orb and see its effects for yourself."
"It's fine. I believe you." Issei chuckled, shaking his head politely as he turned back to the orb "Still, if you don't mind me asking… where did you even find something like this?"
"Believe it or not, that item is found outside of a Gate." It was Hephaestus who answered the question as he made his way over to Issei with Aphrodite and Zeoticus walking beside him. The staff member lowered his head respectfully to his master before excusing himself, allowing the god of fire to continue. "We believe it's the result of a Dungeon Break, but the area where it was discovered showed no signs of such an occurrence, not even a trait of mana except for what came from the Orb itself. It's one of the mysteries I haven't been able to solve to this day."
"Wow. That's quite the story." Issei remarked, nodding his head slowly as he looked at the orb one last time.
The price tag magically adjusted to the currency he was most familiar with, and the current cost was 2,700,000 yen.
This orb would be quite useful for my spell casting… or I can just give it to Glacia. She'll surely benefit from it a whole lot more than I do. Issei thought to himself before he turned to Hephaestus and asked "Can I buy it?"
"Of course." Hephaestus replied with a nod as Aphrodite called the same staff member over with a wave of her hand. "Zeoticus told me you had been selling him a variety of unique items that you found inside the Gates you cleared by yourself. Must have built up quite a fortune for yourself from them, haven't you?"
Issei gave a small smile. "Yeah, you can say that again." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek card, handing it over to the staff member. "I'll pay with this."
With a bow, the man left with both items, heading over to the reception area to process the payment. Hephaestus then opened the display case and took the orb out to give it to Issei, who could feel its mana pulsing as he held it in his hand.
"How about giving it a try? We have a room here that can withstand the full blast from Zeus' Master Bolt itself."
Hephaestus suggested, making Issei nod his head in response before following the man as he led him to the elevator with Zeoticus and Aphrodite trailing behind. A short ride later, the group stepped into the testing chamber, its walls and floor layered with dense magical reinforced materials, similar to two training rooms Issei had in the basement of his house. In the center of the room stood a motionless training dummy, its appearance resembling a heavily armored automaton made out of bronze with glowing runes etched into its surface.
"Alright, lad. Try to hit that dummy with your strongest spell while…"
"Glacia." Issei called, making Hephaestus stop and watch as Glacia shot out of his shadow and hovered beside Issei, who then handed her the Orb of Avarice. "Oh? I was actually thinking about giving this shadow of mine the Orb. She's more of a magic user than I am anyway."
"Well, the Orb is yours, lad. You make the choice." Hephaestus shrugged his shoulders with a chuckle before he turned to Zeoticus and asked with a finger pointing at Glacia "So that's his shadow?"
"One of them, yes. I believe this one is among the strongest as well." The crimson haired man answered with a confirming nod, as Issei walked forward with Glacia floating next to him with the Orb of Avarice in her hand.
"Alright, Glacia. Go for it." Issei commanded, and Glacia pointed her free hand at the bronze Automaton. A shimmering frost gathered at her palm as the temperature dropped, forming a simple, concentrated sphere of icy energy.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she released it.
The resulting blast was nothing short of monstrous, as a blinding beam of frozen energy surged forward, crashing into the automaton with a sound like shattering mountains, knocking Issei, who didn't quite expect her attack to be that strong with the Orb of Avarice, flat on his backside. The impact sent a violent shockwave rippling through the chamber—strong enough to rattle the walls and cause the ground beneath their feet to quake. Despite the reinforced enchantments, the entire building gave a deep rumble as if struggling to contain the power of the spell.
"Woah…" Aphrodite gasped in amazement as she peaked her head up from the barricade Hephaestus had risen to shield them from the shockwave as well as the wave of frost, which had now covered an entire section of the room.
Zeoticus let out a low whistle. "I'd say that was a good purchase."
"That's the Orb of Avarice for you." Hephaestus chuckled, stepping out from behind the shield. With a wave of his hand, a controlled burst of fire was released from his palm and swept across the room, melting away the ice without damaging the reinforced walls.
Issei, meanwhile, pushed himself up off the floor, his eyes wide and a grin slowly spreading across his face, which wore the look of a child who had just found out that Christmas had come early.
"Cool…" Saying that, with a nod of his head to Glacia, he then looked over to Hephaestus as the man walked up to him and offered him a hand to pull him up, which Issei accepted before asking "So, I'm actually looking to buy some new equipment as well. Do you have anything that you think would work well with me?"
"Trusting in the quality of my wares now, I see." Hephaestus said, patting Issei on the shoulder before adding, looking to Zeoticus "No offense to you and your Emporium, of course, Zeoticus."
"None taken, Lord Hephaestus." Zeoticus chuckled while holding up his hands.
"Oh, men and their toys." Aphrodite murmured with a roll of her eyes before following them into the elevator.
Soon enough, Issei found himself back in the showroom, with Hephaestus ordering his men to bring out a wide selection of high-grade equipment, from armor sets to accessories, each piece more impressive than the last. Issei tried a few of them on, testing how they felt but Hephaestus took them away before he could actually see the benefits they had for him as he worked with Zeoticus to choose the best set for him. How they knew something didn't quite suit him despite the stats looking great was beyond Issei, but who was he to question the masters at their crafts?
"So, this is what it feels like for men when they have to go shopping with us?" Aphrodite asked, her voice laced with boredom as she sprawled across a nearby lounge, passing the time with Aglaea and a slice of strawberry cheesecake.
Aglaea gave a soft giggle, dabbing the corner of her lips with a napkin. "I think they're even worse, honestly. At least we know when to stop."
Fortunately enough for the goddess of love, she didn't have to wait long, as Issei had finally settled on a set of gear that both Hephaestus and Zeoticus agreed was fated for him, consisting of a crimson gauntlet paired with matching greaves called the [Dragon Knight] set. All items were A-class in rarity, with the effect that would increase his [Basic Attack] by 18% when worn together while naturally offering a solid boost to DEF and a notable increase to his HP, a decent upgrade from the gear he had been using.
"You sure you don't want the breastplate?" Hephaestus asked as he struck the greaves with his hammer, making it glow faintly before turning into a pair of sneakers that matched the pair Issei was wearing. Turns out Transmog and Hidden Magic were standard additional features when gods were the one making your gears.
"Nah, I like my coat. It also gets stronger with me, so no point in replacing it." Issei said, looking at Zeoticus as the man nodded his head in confirmation.
"Ah yes, the cloak from a Goblin Chieftain that turned into a hoodie. Goblins from another world got style, I suppose." The god of fire laughed, making Issei chuckle somewhat nervous in response alongside him. "Alright, lad. Shall we talk about your weapons?"
"I've already got weapons, sir." Issei grinned, summoning the Ascalon to hold it proudly in his hand as he showed it to Hephaestus.
What he did not expect, however, was for the smile on his face to suddenly vanish upon seeing the weapon.
"Ascalon looks different." Zeoticus noted.
"Um, I have a shadow who can refine weap…"
"Issei, may I have a closer look at your sword?" Hephaestus cut him off before Issei could finish his explanation, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere. With a nod, he handed Ascalon to Hephaestus, who took the sword in his hand and examined it with a serious expression on his face.
"Dear, what's wrong?" Aglaea asked as she walked to him with Aphrodite, both of them noticing the sudden shift in his demeanor.
Hephaestus let out a sigh before he looked at Issei and said. "I've had thousands of students pass through my forge. But I remember each of them, their methods, their styles, their tendencies, and even the patterns that they make as they work on their crafts…"
Pausing for a second, he then continued "This sword, these hammering patterns… There's no mistaking it. It's identical to those of a student of mine, a demigod named Ignacio. He was exceptionally gifted, but he went missing ten years ago."
"Wait, are you saying…" Issei said, his eyes widening in realization.
"You said one of your shadows refined this for you?" Hephaestus asked, his voice calm. "May I see him?"
Issei nodded and extended his hand, calling forth Vulcan from his shadow. The towering figure rose with a heavy step, his massive frame casting a deep silhouette across the room. With a fluid motion, he dropped to one knee before Issei, awaiting his command.
"This is Vulcan." Issei said, still trying to piece it all together himself. "He's the one who refined Ascalon for me. But… he used to be a Gate Boss. I fought and defeated him last week in a Gate I cleared with Cid."
"I've heard about that." Zeoticus confirmed with a slow nod, stepping closer as he studied the kneeling shadow while Vulcan just remained motionless. His gaze flicked toward Hephaestus, who shook his head, unable to detect and identify anything familiar from the shadow. "There's no way he's Ignacio, right? That would be…"
"Insane?"
Aphrodite asked, finishing with an uncharacteristic seriousness to her tone, arms crossed as she tilted her head slightly. The rest of the showroom fell into a tense silence as everyone looked at one another. No one dared to say it or even wanted to entertain the idea… but Issei knew exactly what was running through their minds, because he was having the same thought, a chilling realization that had begun to take root.
If Vulcan was really Ignacio…
Then something, or someone, out there was turning people into Gate monsters.
LATER
"Well, that's certainly not a fun way to end our little trip at all, is it?"
Aphrodite said as she settled in her chair before Issei, who looked deep in thought as he sat in the cushioned side, arms crossed and brows furrowed. After bidding goodbye to Hephaestus, Zeoticus and Aglaea, the two had returned to their carriage, which was already gliding smoothly through the clouds, its elegant white frame swaying gently with each wingbeat of the divine steeds pulling it. But even the peaceful afternoon sky and calming winds, and the calming, pleasant presence of the goddess of love herself couldn't shake away the troubling thoughts that had settled deep in his mind.
Despite Hephaestus having run every examination imaginable on Vulcan. nothing had come of it. If he had been Ignacio, there were no traces left for them to find the moment that he became a shadow... or worse, it could have happened even before that.
"Hello? Is anybody home?"
Issei blinked, startled, as Aphrodite leaned closer and gave a playful snap of her fingers in front of his face. "Oh, sorry, Aphrodite-san. What were you saying again?"
"Wow, so you actually didn't register a word of what I was saying." Aphrodite let out a playful gasp, making Issei smile sheepishly in response, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I know you have a lot to think about right now, but a word of advice, stop. Too much thinking will result in hair loss, you know."
"Uh… right." Issei said, unconsciously moving a hand to his head. Regardless, her playful words still brought a smile to his face, allowing him to relax just a bit.
"And here I was looking forward to showing you around Olympus, and going to a motorcycle showroom with you." Aphrodite said, her tone softening as she continued "Look, I get it. Things just have gotten a whole lot more complicated, but you don't have to try solving it all at once, all by yourself as well. When I saw you earlier today, I loved how relaxed you look. You haven't looked that way since that Red Gate. And yes, I noticed."
"I…"
"I'd tell you to let us adults handle it, but I don't think we will get anywhere without you. In just a few months, we learnt more about Gates than we had done for the past seventeen years, all thanks to you." She pointed out "I hate to say it, but we'll probably need a lot more from you from now on. So how about slowing it down and letting others help you instead of trying to handle it all alone, hm?"
Issei looked at her for a moment, letting her words settle in before nodding, exhaling longingly through his mouth before he said with a small smile. "I… I guess you're right."
"I am." The beautiful goddess smiled while leaning into the cushion of her seat. "And about the situation with your shadow, we have no way to tell that he's really Ignacio. Who knows, maybe he's still out there somewhere. With all the students Hephaestus has had over the years, I bet he have mistaken the pattern he saw on your sword. I mean... I'm definitely not an expert, but I'm sure there are blacksmiths out there who strike the same places while reforging weapons."
"You really don't have to try cheering me up like that, you know." Issei said, his lips curling into a small, amused smile. Aphrodite pouted, sending him a half-hearted glare, making Issei chuckle before he added "But I appreciate it. Thank you."
"You better be." Aphrodite huffed "Now, I'm sure your friends won't mind if I borrow you for a few more hours. Wanna have lunch with me? I know a place not far from here."
"How do you even know where we are?" Issei asked, looking out the window.
"I'm a goddess, boy. I just know"
"Riiight."
"It's getting started, Issei-kun. It's time for us to go."
"Right. I'll be right there." Issei called back to Akeno, who nodded her head at him before closing the door. Pressing the pause button on the controller he was holding, Issei stood up and looked over to Gasper, who had been playing video games with him all morning as they waited for the Meeting between the Three Factions to start. "Alright, Gasper. I gotta go now."
"Good luck, senpai." Gasper called, his hand rubbing through the dark fur of the shadow wolf whose head was resting on his lap while the other four sat around him. The creature gave a low, content rumble, tail thumping lazily against the floor.
"Alright. Watch over him for me, will you?"
Issei said he walked past Vulcan, who was sitting in the center of the room with 2 Shadow Berserkers, patting the shadow on his shoulder guard. Just for the day, he had doubled the number of bodyguards for Gasper, letting them stay outside instead of storing it in his shadow with the hope that with the shadows keeping him company, Gasper would feel comfortable and safe enough around them to not freak out and accidentally activate his power while the meeting was going on. The atmosphere was already tense enough with each participant party bringing their own retinues to the event. At the very least, if things went south, Gasper, who had to stay behind in his room, would be well protected.
"Uhm… do you want to play?" The crossdressing Dhampir asked, offering Vulcan the second controller.
"Ready to go?" Akeno asked as Issei stepped outside to join her, closing the door behind him before giving her a nod of his head. Looking up at the sky, Issei could see devils, fallen angels, and angels soaring in their respective formations. The entire area had been turned into a temporary neutral zone, and the tension was so thick Issei felt like he could just bring out Ascalon and cut it with a knife. Barriers layered the sky like transparent glass panes, magic circles floated in place to maintain order, and security forces lined the outer perimeter like statues.
"Is it necessary to bring that many?" He asked, chuckling forcefully as he walked with Akeno down the corridors of the Old School Building.
"Say the one who always has an entire army of undead shadows with him." Akeno teased before she answered him "But yes, it kinda is. Even if no one here wants to start a fight, they probably don't want to look weak either, especially if deals are to be made."
"So… basically everyone's just flexing?"
"Leverage, intimidation, strategic presence… Call it what you want. It's politics."
The answer came from behind them, making the two turn, though neither was surprised, especially Issei. He already knew who it was.
"Yeah… not really my thing, I have to say." Issei said, looking at Aphrodite as she approached him and Akeno. Her outfit for the event was similar to the sleek businesswoman suit she had worn during their visit to Olympus, consisting of a deep blue blazer that hugged her curves tastefully, paired with a matching pencil skirt that stopped just above the knee. A black silk blouse peeked out from beneath the jacket, its top buttons undone just enough to show just how attractive she was without stepping out of line for the occasion. Her choice of footwear were obviously heels, subtle gold jewelry, and her blonde hair was tied in a loose bun that somehow made her look even more radiant.
"I guess there's a reason I'm your favorite diplomat, isn't it?" Aphrodite asked with a playful smile, tilting her head down as she poked his chest with a finger that slowly trailed up to his chin. Giggling as he looked a bit flustered, the goddess then turned her attention over to Akeno, who lowered her head to her "Ah, there's my lucky, lucky girl."
"Uhm… I. Thank you?" Akeno said, her voice unsure as her eyes flicked toward Issei for a second, clearly not understanding what Aphrodite meant. But the goddess just smiled and turned around to walk away. Judging from the direction she was heading, she was probably making her way straight to the Student Council Office in the New School Building.
After rejoining the rest of the peerage and having a quick meeting, during which Rias reminded them for the sixth time that day to remain calm no matter what happened, they also made their way to the meeting room. By the time that they arrived, most of the leaders were already present.
The honorable guests stood together on the side of the room. Aphrodite was currently in a pleasant conversation with Gunhee and Cid, who were the representatives of the Hero Faction, with Kanae and Mirei acting as their bodyguards though they were waiting outside, with Issei meeting them on the way in. Gods were the patrons and benefactors of Heroes, so it wasn't that surprising for Issei that Aphrodite seemed to be good friends with the leaders of the organization.
On the side of the Devil Faction were Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan, with Grayfia stationed behind her master as usual. The two were talking to Sona Sitri, with Rias joining them shortly after arriving, leaving the Peerage to settle in their seats next to the Sitri Peerage.
Unexpectedly, Michael was the representative from Heaven, although he was not the only one. Sitting on the chair next to him was probably the only woman in the room who seemed to not pale in comparison in the presence of the Greek goddess of love and beauty, with curly blonde hair, blue eyes and a voluptuous figure clad in a former robe of pure white color. Her name Issei had been told beforehand to be Gabriel, sister of Michaeal and one of the Archangels of Heaven.
To his surprise, the two people who were accompanying Michael were none other than Cha Hae-In and Irina Shidou. It looked like the chestnut haired girl also had Excalibur Mimic with her. When Xenovia and Asia entered the room and looked at her, she looked away, though it didn't look like she just wanted to ignore them, but more like she was embarrassed. Issei had heard that she didn't have the best parting experience with her ex-partner.
And last but least, Azazel for Grigori, probably the one who looked most relaxed of the leaders who were presented for the meeting, looking not so much different than a man who had just entered a bar for a casual drink with his associates. Vali was sitting on the chair next to him, deep in thought, but he seemed to realize something surprising from Issei as he walked into the room. Their eyes met, and both Dragon Emperors gave each other a nod of acknowledgement before their attention shifted elsewhere, as if silently agreeing that whatever conversation they might eventually have could wait until after the politics had passed.
"Ah, there you are, Issei." Gunhee smiled when he spotted Issei. Extending his hand out, Issei walked toward the leader of the Hero Faction and shook hands with him.
"How do you do, sir?" Issei said, smiling at the older man before shaking his hand with Cid. "It's good to see you as well, Cid."
"Glad to see you make it, kid." Cid chuckled. "Nice school, by the way."
"Thanks." Issei replied with a small grin, nodding his head to Aphrodite before making his way over to his seats to settle down with the rest of the Gremory Peerage. For the occasion, they had decided to wear their school uniform, but Issei also had all of his gear equipped, keeping them invisible so he wouldn't stand out… or look ridiculous.
"Now that my sisters and her family have arrived, let's start the meeting, shall we?" Sirzechs announced after every leader and the honorable guests had settled in their seats. "As many of you here have already known, they were the ones who actively participated in the conflict against Kokabiel and his followers in this town a few weeks ago, contributing to their defeats as well as the retrieval of the stolen Excaliburs."
"Yes, I read the report. I thank you for taking care of that incident." Michael said he and Gabriel both gave the Gremory Peerage with a warm smile.
"Yeah, Kokabiel is on my side, so I think I owe you kids an apology." Azazel said with a nod of acknowledgement toward Rias and her servants.
"With that in mind, I believe everyone here's aware about the most forbidden subject, the absence of God," Sirzechs announced to the other leaders. As he sat there, Issei snuck a glance over to Sona and her servants and saw that none of them looked surprised by the paramount news. It was obvious that they had been informed about it beforehand.
And so, for the next hour, the Conference between the Three Factions took place, going far smoother than Issei had expected it to, with the leaders discussing the cold war and minor skirmishes that had occurred since the end of the Great War. Aphrodite and the Heroes occasionally offered their inputs, their neutral stance helping to ease a few more sensitive topics and keeping the atmosphere calm and composed throughout.
As the meeting carried on to the next hour, the discussions steadily moved from past grievances to future possibilities, with the primary focus turning toward their shared threat of the Gates. For the first time, Issei got to learn how Gate Activity had been in the other regions of the world, with Azazel claiming that incidents had nearly tripled in the last month alone. Heaven apparently was in the same situation, with Michael reporting that the number of Gates opening across their territories had surged to unprecedented levels.
Gunhee said he could send heroes to assist with the containment efforts, but the Hero Faction had already been stretched thin as it was. It seemed to be the problem every Faction was facing, ever since Red Gate started occurring more frequently.
"That is true." Michael, the current leader of heaven after the death of God, nodded his head in understanding "If we continue it like what we are doing now, sooner or later, each of our Factions will either tear itself apart, or leave openings for far greater threats to slip through and do that themselves."
It was the painful truth that even Azazel, someone who looked so carefree, had to admit, because it was a fact that the fallen angels had suffered the most loss in the Great War, and worse, the one who were without direct means for bolstering their numbers. If they continued the way that they were, it was not difficult to say which side would be the first to perish.
"We've been holding our own for now, but trust me, it's only barely." Azazel said, despite the lightness in his voice, anyone could see that he had gotten serious. "To tell you the truth, I don't have any interest in wars, nor I'm in any position to start another."
"Azazel, this is a bit off-topic but… I have Intel of you locating owners of Sacred Gears for the past two decades? At first, I thought you were gathering humans and attempting to augment your battle potential. I even anticipated you to wage war against heaven or us." Sirzechs admitted.
"And yet, no matter how much time passed, you didn't wage a war against us. When I heard you had gotten hold of the Vanishing Dragon, I was enveloped by a strong wariness." The Archangel Michael nodded, looking to be sharing the same sentiments with Sirzechs as he looked at Vali.
In response, Azazel chuckled humorously.
"It was for the sake of Sacred Gear research. Guys, can a man have a hobby? Granted it's not exactly a healthy one…"
"You can say that again." Gunhee mused with a small knowing smile, clearly aware of Azazel's obsession with Sacred Gear.
"Alright. To make sure that you guys know what I'm doing is not to start another war, should I send a part of the research materials to you as well as a token of peace? Even if I did finish my research, I wouldn't wage a war against you or anything. I don't have any interest in war at this late hour. I am perfectly satisfied with the world right now… if we remove Magic Beasts and Monsters from another world from the equation. I have strongly ordered my subordinates to not interfere with the politics of the human world, you know? I have no intention of intervening in religion either, nor to influence the business of the devils. Damn, does my faction have the least trust?"
"That's true."
"That's right."
"You don't say."
Were the answers that came from Sirzechs, Michael and Serafall respectively.
"Tch, That's hurtful! And here I thought you were all better than God or Lucifer's previous generation. The hate really runs deep in your blood huh?" Azazel said with a mock chuckle before he continued "Still, everyone here is troublesome individual yourselves. Well then, how about we leave all that behind us and make peace?"
Upon mentioning that, Azazel uninterestedly picked at his ears in a casual manner, like it wasn't something so important to say. However, each leader of their faction looked both shocked and surprised for a short moment of silence. Rias and even Sona were considerably surprised.
It was Michael who broke the silence with a smile on his face: "Ah yes, now that you have mentioned it. I also planned to have peace with the devils and our fallen brothers and sisters. Even if we continue the relationship of the three factions like before, then it will become too much for the human world to handle.
Azazel burst out laughing at Michael's words.
"Hot damn! The stubborn Michael can even speak something like that, even though you were all about God, God and God before."
"… Everyone changed when they lost a lot of things, Azazel. Still, there's no helping seeking for things that aren't present. It is our duty to guide humans. We members of the Seraph have the same opinion that the most important thing is to watch over the children of God from now on as well, and to guide them."
"Hey hey, with your speech just now, you'll fall you know? But you took over the system, right. It has really become a good world. It's completely different from the time when we fell," Azazel grinned.
"We are the same, Azazel. Even if the true Maou aren't here, in order to continue the species, Devils too have moved forward as well. We wouldn't want war. If there was another war, the Devils will surely become the first to perish." Sirzechs shared, having the same opinion as the leader of Heaven. The atmosphere seemed to have lightened up a lot from there.
"Yes. If we do another war, the three factions will definitely be mutually destroyed. And then, it will affect the human world as well, and the world will end. We can't start a war now." Azazel nodded at Sirzechs' words, with a serious expression on his face. "Do you think a world without God is wrong? Do you think a world without God would decay? I am sorry to say but that isn't the case. You and I are both living healthily like this." Azazel said while opening his arms.
"Is this it?" There was another moment of silence before Sirzechs questioned. Issei could not help but feel that the most important conversation had finished.
As Grayfia dutifully served tea as the waitress as the meeting entered a short break, Michael directed his gaze towards Asia with an apologetic smile. Issei, who was the first to notice it, raised a hand and asked:
"Michael-san, may I ask you a fairly simple question?"
"Yes, of course. Please go ahead, Issei-kun." Michael nodded his head with a smile.
"Why didn't you do anything when they exiled Asia?" The mentioned girl widened her eyes at his question, looking both shocked and surprised by it.
"Ah yes, I can only apologize for that" The Archangel began with a sad smile "After God's death only his system to govern divine protections, mercy and miracles remained. The system was, if I can explain it simply, the system to perform the miracles and etcetera God had done. He made the system and used it to bring miracles to humans, to bring the effect of holy things like exorcism and crosses." Michael replied in an earnest manner.
"You see, after God died, an error in the system occurred." Gabriel continued her brother's words as the room fell into silence.
"To be honest, it takes a big toll on anyone who uses it with the exception of God. With me becoming the center, the Seraphim were able to somehow start up the system but… comparing it to the time God existed, the divine protection and mercy to those who believe in God is not complete. It's an unfortunate thing, but those who can be granted salvation are limited."
"For that, there was a need to keep away those people related to the church who could possibly cause an influence on the system. As an example of those who can cause influence on the system, a part of the Sacred Gear such as Asia's Twilight Healing is included."
"Asia is included because she can also heal devils and fallen angels?"
Once again Michael nodded his head.
"Yes. If there is a person who can heal Devils and Fallen Angels present within the followers, it will influence the faith of the ones around her. The source of us living in heaven is the faith of believers. Because of that, Twilight healing is a forbidden Sacred Gear which can cause an influence on the system. And also, as an example of influence on the system-"
"The people who know about the non-existence of God, right?" Xenovia interrupted Michael who continued.
"Yes, that's right, Xenovia. To lose you and Durandal is a serious wound even for us. But if apart from us, Seraphim and a part of the higher ranking angels, if a fair amount of people who know about the non-existence of God approached the place with a direct connection then there would be a huge effect on the system. I apologize. There was no other way, but to make you and Asia Argento heretics."
Michael and Gabriel both bowed their heads to Asia and Xenovia as the two girls stared at him in wonder.
"No, Michael-sama, please don't apologize." Asia shook her head and said with a soft smile. The angel side looked at her in surprise, no one more so than Irina herself as she looked at the blonde and her former partner.
"Even like this, till I reached this age I was brought up by the church, I somehow felt it was a bit irrational. But if you know the reason then there's nothing such as asking why." It was Xenovia's turn to speak, and she did so with the same smile that Asia had.
"The fact that you were reincarnated as a Devil… that is our crime."
"It's alright . . . I regretted it a bit, but the things that I couldn't do when I was serving the church, the things that were sealed from me are now brilliantly coloring my everyday life. If I say these words, I may anger the other believers but . . . I am satisfied with my current life" Xenovia smiled gently. Anyone could tell her smile was earnest and not a façade
Asia, who shared Xenovia's feelings, said with her hands clasped together. "Michael-sama, I also feel the same. I am happy. Since I now have a lot of important people. And also I have met and talked with Michael-sama, who I admired, it's an honor!"
Michael let out a small smile in relief. It seemed to Issei that the Archangels still cared a lot about them, even though they had become Devils. "Sorry, I am grateful for your forgiving hearts. I leave Durandal to you, Xenovia. Since it is the blood sister of Sirzechs then I am at ease that it won't be used for unjust causes. I also would like to address the matter of the Excalibur Project, and apologize to Yuuto Kiba-kun."
The blond Knight looked shocked as the archangel bowed his head to him, not long before his sister followed suit "You should never have had to experience such evil and tragedy from our priests. I know there is no apology I could give to appease your anger, but I can promise that I won't let anything like that happen again, and I'll make sure that the pieces of Excalibur are from now on will be used for the betterment of mankind, as your comrades shall never be forgotten."
Kiba could only nod his head at that, smiling sadly at the memories of his friend, but at the same time happy that they would never be forgotten.
"Now then, I think it's time we hear the opinions of others, like those who seem like they can influence the world. Let's kick things off with the two legendary dragons that are both present in this room." Azazel then turned his attention to Issei Hyoudou, making him flinch "Since I already know that Vali wants to fight those he deems strong, what do you want to do to the world, Issei-kun?"
"I want to become the harem—"
Issei opened his mouth, ready to give the answer everyone already expected from him.
But before he could finish, his pupil shrank. His head turned over to the Status window of his MP as it popped up and showed that his mana was depleting.
There was only one explanation for that.
"Gasper…"
[Pact Switch]
Y Ddraig Goch (Fire)- Rassei (Lightning)
A burst of lightning erupted from his body as Issei shot out of the office through the window before anyone else in the room had the chance to react.
It happened too fast for Gasper to react.
One moment, he was playing a multiplayer video game with Vulcan and the shadow Berserkers, having taken out two extra controllers for them. Despite the tension outside, he was fairly relaxed and comfortable.
But then, a sudden magic surge exploded through the air before several hooded figures stormed in through the swirling portals and teleportation magic circles, glyphs glowing in the palms of their hands as they launched powerful spells at wolves as Gasper was knocked on the floor. Vulcan was the first to act, grabbing one of the monitors in the vicinity to throw it at the nearby magician, sending him flying out of the room. Then with a feral roar, he raised his hand, flames roaring to life and washing over the nearest attackers. The sudden inferno incinerated several and forced even more back into the hallways outside, disrupting their formation just before Vulcan came crashing down with his giant battleaxe.
The Shadow Berserkers were close behind, charging in with their mechanical axes already swinging. One cleaved straight through a barrier spell, sending sparks and shards of magic flying across the room. However, the attackers seemed well prepared. More, wielding in their hands weapons instead of magic, began pouring in through summoned portals, increasing their number to six, seven, ten and then twenty in total.
Vulcan, aided by the other shadows, held the line at the forefront, his size and feral axe swings keeping the magic combatants from entering the room again. Still, as he took cover behind the collapsed wall of his room, Gasper could only watch in fear, barely able to see through the cloud of smokes and flashes of magic. Listening in, he could hear the wolves howling and whimpering as they were impaled and pinned down, the Berserkers collapsing one after another from direct blasts of magic to the body, and Vulcan roaring as several magicians summoned chains from magic circles and drove them into his shadowy flesh, pinning him down to the floor.
He could feel it. They were being overwhelmed.
One of the magicians managed to slip through as Vulcan roared and strained against the chains binding him, his molten muscles trembling with the effort. The massive axe in his grip still found targets, cleaving two enemies in half even while pinned—but it was not enough. The magician ducked low, avoiding a sweep of the reformed Berserker's blade, and rushed toward the collapsed wall where Gasper crouched.
"Get away from him!"
Lightning ripped through the space as a streak of blue-white lightning streaked through the air. In an instant, the magician was gone, launched across the room to slam into the wall and outside the schoolyard in a crackle of static that then revealed to be Issei, holding the spirit lightning infused Ascalon in his hand.
The first wave of magicians barely had time to register his arrival before they were already falling, hacking to pieces as Issei tore through them like a storm in motion. With a quick Lightning Rush, he broke the chains holding Vulcan down, allowing the Shadow to freely move again. With a feral roar, he charged into battle, crashing into a group of magicians while covering himself in fire, sending their broken, charred bodies flying.
One magician raised his staff high to try recast the binding spell, only for Issei to close the gap in an instant and drive Ascalon into his chest, lightning bursting out and chaining to others standing nearby, making them cry out in pain.
A barrage of projectiles lit up the night sky from outside, dozens of spells fired in unison by a second squadron positioned across the field. Fire, light, ice, earth—magic of every element howled toward him like a meteor shower. Issei was about to dash out of the way, knowing that he would have to run a good distance to avoid the resulting explosion, when suddenly a sharp gust of wind cut through the air, followed by rapid slashes of blood red light. In a blur, the incoming spells were intercepted and shattered mid-flight before they could ever reach him.
A moment later, a figure landed on the spot to his right, and Issei did not need to look to know who it was.
"Need assistance, senpai?" Mirei asked, holding her blade at her side as she walked up to him "Cid sent me."
"Is everyone okay?"
"Yeah, the leaders are fine, but they are trying to get in through the schoolyard. It's a warzone out there." Mirei answered, sidestepping a fireball before she rushed forward and slashed her blade at the one who had just attempted to attack "Vladi-kun will be alright with me, senpai. You go and show them hell."
"On it. Stay here with her, Gasper." seeing no reason he should ask whether or not an S-class hero could handle the place all by herself, he turned to Gasper and spoke, making the Dhampir nod his head in response, Issei then recalled Vulcan, leaving the four wolves and the two Berserkers behind to aid Mirei and protect Gasper before jumping over the railing to land on the ground below.
True to Mirei's words, the entire schoolyard had been turned into a warzone. Dozens— hundreds—of magicians, more than half of them women, clad in dark robes had emerged from glowing portals. Some of them were being dealt with by the team of heroes and devils led by Cid, but even more were joining. Those who were not occupied by the heroes hovered mid-air, magic circles beneath their feet acting as aerial platforms as they hurled wave after wave of spells toward the school building. The structure itself was protected beneath a glowing dome of layered barrier magic, its surface flaring with every impact.
Up in the sky, the combination forces of the Three Factions battled their aerial enemies, creating flashes of blinding light and raw magical energy that illuminated the night like a chaotic lightning storm. Even though they were holding themselves well, casualties still mounted, leaving warriors from both sides to fall down to the ground like scorched meteors.
There were too many enemies.
But if they thought numbers were enough to scare him off, then none of them had done their homework.
With a surge of mana, lightning exploded around him once more. Flaring out his wings, Issei rocketed up into the sky, crashing through the nearest cluster of enemy magicians like a thunderbolt. One after another, he struck, each swing of Ascalon severing barriers and carving through flesh, knocking spellcasters out of the air.
Without allowing the others to realize what was going on, Issei dove down, his free hand outstretched to cast a lightning spell that sent out bolts of lightning from the magic circle in his palm, striking a large group of magicians down before he even landed on the ground.
[Pact Switching]
Rassei (Lightning) - Y Ddrag Goch (Fire)
As the pacts shifted, the air around Issei changed instantly. The crackling blue of lightning gave way to searing heat, flames surging around his body as he dashed at the nearest group of magicians that had noticed him, hacking and slashing them all down in quick succession using a series of Phoenix Shift. With Ascalon now engulfed in dragon fire, each of his strikes became arcs of blazing destruction, carving through enemies and leaving molten trails in his wake.
"Nice timing. Is the Vampire kid okay?" Cid asked as Issei dashed past him to slash at a brute, knocking him down with a knee to his chest before stabbing his sword down his chest.
"He is. Mirei is protecting him. Thanks for sending her." With that said, Issei leaped into the battle, knowing that this was not the time to chat. The dark-robed magicians tried to mount a defense as they saw him coming their direction, layering their shields together while the others prepared counterspells, but Issei made a mockery of their efforts by throwing the larger Kamish dagger over their heads and used Ruler's Hand to make it fly back while spinning, decapitating three of them in a single clean arc before catching it mid-air without even turning his head. He spun Ascalon in his dominant hand and surged forward once more, his flames forming a blazing path behind him as his feet barely touched the ground as he reached the next enemy, slashing their neck with Kamish dagger before throwing his hand out to unleash a devastating blast of fire right at the group standing on his left.
"Oi oi, are you still sure you can take that kid on, Vali?" Azazel asked, rubbing his chin while he stood watching the battle from the Student Council Office, which had been turned into a makeshift command center. The entire left wall facing the school yard had been removed by Sirzechs, allowing them to have a full visual of the enemies attacking… until Issei reappeared and tore through their ranks like nothing.
"Tch, are you letting me join the fight or not?" Vali asked, looking over to Azazel in mild-annoyance. However, he immediately looked back at Issei, watching his rival fight with his hands gripping tightly.
"At the rate he's going, I don't think there'll be anything left for you soon.' Azazel commented, but nodded his head regardless, allowing Vali to summon his Balance Breaker and take off into the air. "Still, I know that he's the one who defeated Kokabiel, but I didn't think the Sekiryuutei of this generation was this strong."
"The pattern of his growth is truly unusual, Sekiryuutei with strange powers from another world or not." Sirzechs nodded his head.
But then, a large magic circle appeared just as Issei finished killing a large group of enemies trying to break through the barrier around the school building using specialized weapons, and from there a tall, bespectacled woman with tan skin, long brown haired tight into a bun, purple eyes and a voluptuous figure emerged. Her outfit was an extremely low-cut purple dress with high slits, which exposed a large portion of her breasts and legs.
"Katerea!?" Serafall asked in surprise "What is she doing here?"
"A descendant of the original Leviathan… so they have joined the enemies as well."
Sirzechs said seriously, with Issei catching every word with his hearing while keeping his gaze on the woman standing before him with a sly grin on her face. Several magic circles appeared around her, and from there, numerous armored warriors emerged, their weapons at the ready as they stood around their master.
"Hmn, not bad. I do love a devil who isn't afraid to get his hands bloody." Katerea said, making Issei narrow his eyes at her "Can you please kindly move out of my way? It'd save us a lot of trouble."
"What do you want?"
"Why, the very thing this conference should have." Katerea said "Peace? How laughable! The Three Factions cannot coexist with each other, as it has been since the Dawn of Time. With God and Satan no longer existing, it's time for the right individuals to reshape this world as how it should be."
"Katerea-chan, stop it!" Serafall shouted as she rushed forward "Why are you doing this?"
"Serafall." Katerea murmured while gritting her teeth. The smile on her face completely vanished as the sight of the Maou "It was you who took the title of Leviathan from me. I will enjoy killing you first, before taking back what's rightfully mine to do what you should have done long ago."
"Yeah, not going to happen." Issei swung his sword around and said, his eyes narrowing at Katerea as he stood between her and the leaders. "You want to see any of them, you'll have to go through me first."
"You say it like it'll be anything but a trivial task for me, a descendant of an original Maou. My demonic power alone is far greater than yours, boy." Katerea said, flaring out of her demonic power in the form of an orange aura, which Issei had to admit was quite impressive. "I know who you are, boy. You are the Sekiryuutei of this generation, who wields strange abilities to raise shadows from the dead Gate monsters much like a necromancer to aid you in combat. But look around you, no army can match what I have here. Not to mention that you are surrounded."
"Yeah, about that…" Issei smirked darkly as he ran a hand through his hair, lifting his face up a little to reveal his glowing eyes before his own aura flared out "I wonder who's the one surrounded… Arise."
The command echoed across the battlefield like a bell tolling doom.
Dark energy erupted from the corpses of not only the dead magicians, but the fallen warriors of the Three Factions. The leaders could only watch on in stunned silence as the new shadows rose up, with the angels retaining the color of their wings, but the holy aura around it was replaced with a purple hue. Some wore new, reinforced armor that hadn't been part of their original gear, while others donned demonic masks that completely concealed their identities. Silent and unyielding, they picked up their weapons and awaited their master's command.
"Sirzechs, this is…" Azazel uttered in bewilderment he took a step forward, watching the chilling scene unfold before him. Among the risen were his Fallen Angels, those who, in death, should've vanished completely without a place to go. Yet here they were in their new shadow forms, standing tall again with wings darker than even his.
"What I'm afraid of…" Sirzechs murmured seriously as he nodded his head in confirmation "It seems Issei-kun's Shadow Necromancer ability is not limited to just Gate monsters."
"Even us angels…"
"But… their wings are still pure…" Gabriel added, with Michael nodding his head in confirmation.
"Since you have told me your intention, Katerea, I think it's only fair if I tell you mine…"
Issei said as he pointed Kamish at Katerea, who looked around in fear as the shadowy forms of magicians, devils, fallen angels and angels surrounded her and her force, with even the magicians on the sky being left in a mix of shock and horror as they saw the shadow forms of their former comrades.
"Come out here. All of you."
From his shadow, the rest of his army emerged. Shadow Elementals shot into the sky, their graceful forms soaring through the air before they were joined by Tempest, who twirled his spear around before he came to a stop above Vulcan as the towering shadow let out an animalistic battle cry. Wolves joined him with their howls as they leaped out and moved around the Shadow Troopers, with Lycaon himself emerging last, his size dwarfing even the tallest soldiers. Tora and his panthers emerged next, their streamlined forms flexing powerfully as they grouped with the wolves.
Blade and his troop of shadow snow elves stepped forth without making a single sound, their frosted weapons glinting with ghostly light beneath the moon. Each wielded in their hands a curved bow, while Blade twirled around the daggers that had being with him since he was Baruka, smirking evilly as frost began to spread across the ground around their feet, signaling the arrival of Glacia, whose very presence chilled the air as she shot up with a graceful twirl and hovered directly above her master.
And last but not least, was Gladio, the commander of the shadow army, who walked up to take the right side of his master before he planted his broadsword into the ground before him, resting both hands on the pommel with a calm finality. The Attractive Shield remained strapped to his back, as it would be until the day Issei found a shadow worthy of wielding it and carrying on the memories of Sieghart.
"Take a look around you." Issei continued, smirking as his shadow army shifted behind him, their forms radiating dark, overwhelming aura as they awaited his command "I hope you're ready…"
"Because you're next."
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 25 Shadow Monarch
HP: 19,245/19,245
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic: 5105/5105
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 236
Vitality: 195
Intelligence: 206
Dexterity: 200
Perception: 180
Charisma: 170
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV1).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1.
Current Active Pact [3/4: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3
Current Shadows: 310 / 310 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troop 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Devils 14. Fallen Angels 13. Angels 15.)
Elite Rank Shadows: Lycaon (Knight), Tora (Knight), Blade (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), Dragon Knight Boots (LVMAX), Dragon Knight Gauntlets (LVMAX – Only one currently in use -Stats Reduced), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon Tower, Ascalon R1 (LV40), Orb of Avarice.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 5.550.120 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon, Twinflare.
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear - Tank.
End of Chapter 24