The night before the match against the Sitri, the Gremory Peerage had their last meeting with Azazel.
"Issei, how's your training coming along?"
The Governor General asked as his gaze then settled Issei, who was sitting in the second row of the classroom eating a box of sushi for dinner, having just returned from the Dragon Valley. Although from his own perspective, Azazel thought the boy looked fine for someone who had been training with a former Dragon King and an Ultimate class devil whose strength was on par with a Maou.
Sitting to his right was Koneko, who had taken the seat before anyone else could do it. It was as clear as day to Azazel, and pretty much everyone else, that Koneko had grown attached to Issei ever since he saved her from her sister and gave her the encouragement she needed to face her fear of her natural-born power.
"It was fun."
"Fun?" Azazel repeated, though he was more amused than confused by such an answer. Around the classroom, everyone also had a similar look as they all turned to Issei, who scanned the faces staring at him for a second before swallowing the food in his mouth to answer properly.
"I mean... yeah. It was tough, don't get me wrong, but I learned a lot from Tannin. Saji and his friends won't know what hit them." Issei grinned, making Rias give a small nod of approval while the rest of the Peerage smiled at him, clearly happy with his answer.
Azazel let out a short chuckle and looked down to scribble something in the notebook lying open on the table in front of him before glancing back up to reply "That's good. I figured I wouldn't need to worry too much about you, but still, try to not get ahead of yourself. Overconfidence has been the downfall of many talented warriors."
The Governor General said, making Issei nod his head in understanding before he continued, turning his attention over to Rias. "Rias, Sona pretty much knows everything about your Peerage, correct?"
"Yes… she likely remembers our core strength and abilities from our match against the Phenex months ago." Rias answered while rubbing her chin with a thoughtful expression "The only one she might have limited information on is Xenovia—but even then, she and her servants were the ones maintaining the barrier around the area where we fought Kokabiel and his forces a few weeks ago. They likely had a good vantage point to observe what Xenovia was capable of."
"Fair point." Azazel nodded his head before taking a note handed to him from Ravel, who was standing next to him assisting with the meeting while holding a stack of documents in her hands. "But we don't know much about her servants, do we?"
"Yes. Other than the fact that she hasn't recruited a full Peerage yet just like us, the only ones I know to an extent are Sona and Tsubaki, who serves as her Queen. They are both extremely talented magic users. Sona, specifically, has a high affinity for water magic, a trademark of the Sitri Clan." Rias explained "As for the rest… I'm pretty much in the dark about them."
"Naturally, this puts us at a slight disadvantage. Sona knows what she and her Peerage are heading toward, while we'll have to prepare blind." Azazel said.
"But when you think about it, we can still form a basic idea of what her plans might be based on our own strengths." Rias nodded "She'll correctly assume Ise to be our Ace, and she'll likely focus most of her attention on countering his Shadow Army, which would naturally put her Peerage at a numbers disadvantage. She can't ignore them, but she can't let the Shadows run free on the battlefield. They'll overwhelm her team eventually with their numbers and undying nature."
"And she can't target you specifically, correct?"
"Yes, she knows Ise can store his soldiers inside our shadows to protect us, so even if she decides to take advantage of the most important rule of Rating Game, defeating the King to win the match, she won't just go for it recklessly. It'll be like walking headfirst into a trap. I don't think Sona will make such a move."
Rias rubbed her chin thoughtfully before continuing, "Which is why I have a feeling she'll try to neutralize the Shadow Army first, or at least keep the ones we will send out at bay, most likely with water constructs. I have seen that magic before, but I doubt Sona, even together with her servants, can create hundreds of them to match Issei's shadows… Still, it's a possibility I can't afford to rule out."
"What if Sona-kaicho has a power source strong enough to provide them with the energy she needs to do so?" Issei asked, voicing his opinion while pointing his chopsticks at Rias. "Saji's Sacred Gear can't transfer power to others like mine does, can it?"
As far as he was concerned, Saji had a Sacred Gear called Absorption Line, which was also a Dragon-Type Sacred Gear just like Boosted Gear due to the fact that it held the power of one of the Five Dragon Kings, Vritra. It had the power to fire out a line that absorbed energy from whoever it was attached to, but if Saji could come up with a way to redirect or redistribute that power to his allies… then Sona might have the energy she needed to create enough water constructs to stand an army of undying shadows.
"No, but Sacred Gears with a power like Absorption Line tend to develop that kind of function. It's best that we assume Saji has developed some workaround. Grigori was also in possession of the other three Sacred Gears that contained Vritra's powers, and Shemhazai was their advisor for the game."
"So you're saying they might have given Saji those Sacred Gears?" Akeno asked.
"Possible. His body is already compatible with Vritra and his powers. What needs to be done is just a surgery." Azazel answered before he asked Issei "Issei, you can only sustain your shadows as long as you have the energy for it, correct?"
"Yeah. They can only regen if I keep expending my own energy. They will return to me when I run out." Issei answered.
"So once the shadow army is held off, Issei will most likely be their target. The best-case scenario for Sona would be her water constructs holding off the Shadow Army, while Saji manages to attach his absorption line to you to drain your energy at the same time. Not only would it weaken you, but it would also take the Shadow Army out of the equation." Azazel said while tapping his pen against the notebook. "But of course, it's only the best-case scenario for her. Issei, can I trust that you won't let it happen?"
"I won't." Issei answered with a firm nod "I'll eliminate Saji before he can try to do anything funny, along with anyone standing in our way."
Azazel nodded approvingly. "Good. And remember, on paper while you and your army by itself can easily win this match, the rest of your team will be there to cover you. Trust in them, and don't hesitate to rely on others."
"We got your back, Issei-kun." Akeno beamed, with Rias and the others nodding their heads in agreement.
"Next up, Rias. Have you decided on the items that you will bring to the game?" Azazel then asked as he received another note from Ravel.
The next morning, on the day of the match, Issei was going through some last-minute preparations with Rias and the rest of the Peerage in the main study room at Gremory Residence. They were all dressed in the summer uniforms of their school, which had been chosen as their official attire for the game.
Issei, for his part, also brought along the Abyssal Cloak. With the match being held under standard Rating Game rules, they were only allowed to bring in and use two Gate items each. Not that it was really a problem for Issei, since the cloak remained by far one of his best gears individually despite its low grade because it would keep on scaling with him as he grew stronger. The [High-rank Demon] Armor Set was only better when equipped together, though even then it didn't provide the same amount of defensiveness as the Abyssal Cloak.
"We really didn't have long to prepare for this, but I have taught you guys all I could." Azazel began, standing in front of the Peerage with his arms crossed and a confident smirk on his face. "You've all come a long way since the start of this. Bring your A game, and show everyone how much you have grown, understood?"
"Yes, sensei!" They all responded in unison, voices firm and full of resolve.
"Good luck, Rias, everyone!" Zeoticus, who was standing with his wife and Millicas, offered them an encouraging smile. "We'll be watching proudly."
"We have full faith in you all." Venelana added. "No matter the outcome, make it a match to remember."
Rias gave her parents a nod. "We will."
"Show them what you are made of, Issei, everyone! I will be cheering for you all." Ingvild called out brightly with a bright smile from beside the Gremory couple, making Issei grin and give her a thumbs up in response. Unsurprisingly, the girl had been invited by Zekram to watch the match, giving her a front row seat in the VIP room alongside the nobles of the Devil Faction.
Azazel glanced at his watch, then turned to the group. "Alright, time to move out, everyone."
With that, the Peerage entered the teleportation magic circle that would take them to the waiting room of the Rating Game arena, where the Assessment Ceremony would be taking place. In a flash of light, the group found themselves standing on the main stage of a grand, dome-shaped chamber lined with polished obsidian walls. There was a table in the center, where Horace Winston of the Crimson Emporium, dressed in a tailored suit, was already waiting with two assistants.
Across the room were seats reserved for the most esteem guests of the match, family members of both Peerages, as well as some of the most influential figures from the Three Factions and their allies, Issei quickly spotted Cid and Gunhee from the Hero Faction seated together with Kanae standing by their side, while not far from there, Aphrodite sat elegantly in her seat, engaged in a light conversation with a striking black-haired woman who had the look of a very attractive librarian. When their eyes met, Aphrodite flashed him a smile and a playful wink, prompting Issei to grin back without hesitation.
"There you are, Rias."
Waiting on the other side of the main stage was none other than the Sitri Peerage, already assembled and awaiting their arrival. Sona stood calmly at the front of her group, hands folded across her chest with a composed expression, which was also marked by a subtle, confident smirk.
"You're late." she added, eyes narrowing slightly behind her glasses.
Rias stepped forward with a raised brow, returning her rival's smile with a confident one of her own. "I'm not the one eager to witness my own defeat."
"Rias, Sona, now that you two and everyone are here, we can begin the first match of the Youth Rating Game Tournament." Sirzechs announced as he walked forward with Serafall, the latter nearly bouncing in place with excitement as she smiled at her sister.
"Everyone, thank you all for coming today. As the leaders of the Devil Faction, we are honored to show you the growth of our next generation in this era of peace between us." The crimson haired Maou continued, addressing all the esteemed guests seated before him, making them clap their hands in unison before turning his attention back to Rias and Sona. "Now, per the official rules, we shall begin with the minigame to determine which side sets the benchmark for the Gate items allowed in the match. What game will you decide on?"
"How about a game of bullet chess, Rias?" Sona challenged, adjusting her glasses with a cool, confident glint in her eyes.
Rias raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "Taking advantage of your specialty right out of the gate? Fine by me. Let's see if you can still keep up under pressure."
Sirzechs chuckled lightly, stepping back. "Then it's settled. A one-on-one game of bullet chess between Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri. The winner will earn the right to set the quality limit of Gate items for this match."
Horace gestured to the side, where a chessboard magically appeared with a stone pedestal and two chairs on either side of it. "Please take your seats, ladies. The match will begin on my mark."
Rias and Sona both nodded before taking their seats across from each other. Twp clocks were then placed on the table between them, each having a countdown of 60 seconds.
"Each player has 60 seconds total on their clock. Standard rules apply." Horace announced to the room before looking at Rias and Sona, making sure that they were ready before announcing "You might begin."
With that, Sona made her first move, swiftly pushing her pawn forward into position. The sound of the piece tapping the board was immediately followed by the soft tick of her clock before Rias responded in kind, mirroring the aggression that her rival showed. The entire room watched silently as the two girls traded pieces back and forth in a rapid-fire exchange that left no room for mistakes.
In a blink, with only thirty seconds left on both clocks, nearly half the board had been cleared. The pace never slowed, and it was obvious to anyone watching that Rias and Sona had done this many times before.
"Checkmate!"
And then, just as quickly as the game had started, Rias put her Queen into position and ended the match in a single, clean move, making her Peerage cheer in excitement. Sona did not say anything at first, and she simply looked at the board for a second longer before leaning back in her chair with a nod.
"And with that, Rias Gremory-sama has earned the right to set the standard for the Gate items used in this match," Horace announced, the crowd responding with enthusiastic applause.
"Not bad, Rias. You have gotten better at bullet chess." The Sitri heiress remarked while adjusting her glasses with a small smile on her face.
"Thanks, Sona." Rias smiled, nodding her head to Sona before rising from her seat. Her servants immediately surrounded her, congratulating her on the victory over her rival, who swiftly moved over to her side of the room and returned to her Peerage.
Issei and Akeno, meanwhile, quickly noticed the small frown that crossed her face as Rias returned their affection.
"You don't look too pleased, Rias." Akeno said, noting the look.
"And they don't look too disappointed either." Issei said with a gesture of his head toward the Sitri Peerage. Not that it was anything new for them, but they all looked almost too calm, with Saji being the only exception… as usual.
"Yeah, I don't know, but… it feels like Sona let me win." Rias replied to them, causing the cheer around her to quiet down a little before she continued while looking at Issei "When you think about it, the minigame doesn't really matter, Ise. She probably knows we'll set the bar at S-rank regardless. It'll be easier for her to match us than the other way around."
"Right." Issei nodded, following her reasoning. They had already decided on the two Gate items to bring into the match: the Abyssal Cloak for Issei, and a vial of Phoenix Tear that Kiba would keep in case of emergency.
Phoenix Tears, by nature, weren't Gate items—but due to their value and how frequently they had been used in Rating Games in the past, especially before Gate Items became popular and got formalized, the officials had made the decision to reclassify them as Gate items, marked at S-rank. The vial they had now came courtesy of the Phenex family, thanks to Ravel's involvement with their daily life, and it wasn't hard for Issei to imagine Sona making that kind of prediction.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, On the behalf of the household I serve, the Gremory, and the Crimson Emporium, I, Horace Morgan Winston, shall begin the assessment of the items that the two Peerages participating in this Rating Game match will be bringing with them. Per the official rules, each Peerage is allowed to bring 2 items. Let's begin with the items that Rias Gremory-sama and her peerage have chosen." Horace announced as he returned to his table and stood between his two assistants.
Without delay, Issei stepped forward and removed his jacket, the Abyssal Cloak, to place it neatly on the table in front of Horace. Right beside it, Rias set down the small, sealed vial containing the Phoenix Tear, who got a pleased look from Sona and her Peerage, with Saji making it blatantly clear they had predicted it to happen.
"A vial of Phoenix Tear, the pride creation of the Phoenix Household, renowned for its ability to heal even the deadliest of wounds. It's a standard, but no doubt one of the best choices for a Rating Game match. Its value has earned it an S-rank classification by the official committees." Horace nodded his head as he held up the vial for all to see before settling it down to pick up the cloak "Ah yes… I remember this item, the cloak looted from a Goblin Chieftain. Certainly one of the most peculiar items that I've ever had the honor to assess."
He finished with a small, amused chuckle, with Issei smiling sheepishly in response while scratching the back of his head. Even then, he still had no idea how much someone with so much experience in the field like Horace had bought the story he gave about the cloak, but if he hadn't, he was doing a good job of keeping it to himself.
"This cloak has certainly seen many battles, just as its wearer has. Regardless, it's a fine item that, despite its B-rank classification, offers remarkable adaptability and defensive utility. Given the synergy with the wearer, its effectiveness is far greater than its rank might suggest." Horace said before settling the cloak down neatly and handing both items over to the assistant standing on his left. "With that, I have finished assessing the items of the Gremory Peerage. The maximum quality for the items chosen by Sona Sitri-sama and her Peerage will be set at S-rank."
Sona nodded her head and looked at Saji and Momo, the first Bishop of her Peerage, who each approached Horace's table and placed the items in their possession down on the table in front of him. The first item was a purple crystal that seemed to glisten faintly under the overhead light, while the second item was a longsword with a jagged edge and faint red glow along its fuller.
"These are the items we have selected." Sona announced. Sitting on the side, Azazel seemed to notice both items. "A mana containing crystal, and the Blade of Phoros."
Horace adjusted his glasses slightly before reaching for the crystal first. "Shemhazai-sama sent me the details of this item three days ago. This crystal is a prototype for the Mana Siphon Unit, new devices created by Grigori scientists to store additional mana directly drawn from carcasses of fallen Gate beasts to generate additional resources. Judging by the readings, this one can hold a significant amount, and its quality has been rated B-rank."
"Field-testing protype devices at an event like this? Just Shemhazai's style." Sitting on the side with his head resting on one arm, Azazel made the comment with a light chuckle.
Standing behind Rias, Issei narrowed his eyes at the crystal. He didn't need Observe to see it. The Sitri had filled up that crystal with enough energy to power up an entire city. It wasn't that difficult to figure out what they would use it for.
Rias had warned them about this, how the rules around Gate items and their quality left room for exploitation. Certain items, despite their low quality, could become extremely valuable if they were prepared in one way or another ahead of time. That mana containing crystal was one such example. Though its base quality wasn't anything too special, the Sitri had pre-filled it with a massive amount of mana, effectively turning it into a high-value resource during the match.
Placing the crystal down, Horace then picked up the Blade of Phoros sword with both hands and examined it carefully "Another S-rank item from Sona Sitri-sama. This is the Blade of Phoros, a cursed sword forged from the carcass of Phoros in the river Styx that runs through the lowest layer of the Underworld. What makes this so deadly isn't just its durability or edge, but its ability to siphon its wielder's magical energy by absorbing their lifeforce to empower every strike."
"Lifeforce?" Issei repeated, looking directly at Saji, who had been the one bringing forth the weapon. It wasn't hard for him to tell who would be using it.
"That's right." Saji smirked and spoke fearlessly "Get ready to get your ass handed to you, Issei. This is a match where I'm going to put my life on the line. I'm ready to die if that means I can take you out, and show everyone how far and serious we are willing to go for our master and her dream."
Issei's eyes widened as he met Saji's gaze. He had no trouble telling that he meant every word. Behind those eyes was an unwavering determination unlike anything he had seen before, and as he looked at the other members of the Sitri Peerage, he could see that same burning resolve in every one of them. It wasn't just Saji—every single one of them was ready to fight with everything they had.
That realization settled deep in his mind, kicking Issei out of the mindset that the match would be an easy win for them he had been going with. Slowly, he lowered his gaze down, and the aura around him started to intensify as his eyes lit up with a faint, ominous red glow. It was enough to make Saji and several members of the Sitri Peerage instinctively flinch and take a half step back before he could force himself to hold his ground and stare back fearlessly.
"I see… so that's how it's going to be, huh?" Issei said in a calm, low voice as a small smirk settled on his face. "Then you guys better come at us with everything you've got—because I won't hold back."
Saji didn't respond, verbally at least, as the corner of his mouth twitched upward. He gave a sharp nod before turning away, stepping back to stand beside his Peerage as Horace raised a hand to signal the end of the Assessment Phase.
"With both Peerages having now presented their items, the assessment ceremony for the match has concluded. Both teams will now move to their respective bases on the battlefield."
Horace finished, bowing his head to both Rias and Sona before stepping back. At once, the magic circles on either side of the stage lit up, ready to teleport the two teams to their designated starting points as they gathered together inside the circles with their respective household crest.
"Good luck to both Peerages." With that said by Sirzechs, the magic circles under their feet flashed, taking both teams to the battlefield.
In a flash, Issei and the Gremory Peerage found themselves standing in a place that looked like a clothing store, with clothing racks neatly arranged and bright lights overhead. As Issei walked outside, he could see glass storefronts lined wide corridors, and mannequins stood frozen in posed displays. Escalators connected multiple floors, and the distant hum of an overhead PA system added to the realistic atmosphere. Shops ranged from trendy boutiques to cafes, all empty and silent.
"Oh, isn't this the shopping mall near our academy?" Asia asked as she walked up to stand next to Issei, who gave her a nod of confirmation.
"Greetings, everyone." The familiar voice of a certain silver haired maid sounded from the speakers before her live footage appeared on the TV scenes across the hall. "My name is Grayfia Lucifuge, a servant of the Gremory Family. I have been charged with the honor of refereeing the first match of the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament between Rias Gremory-sama and Sona Sitri-sama."
"The battlefield will be the replica of the shopping mall in Kuoh town. Your respective territories are the twenty yards area around the locations you are teleported to. A Pawn can use promotion by reaching enemy territory."
"Both teams will now have 30 minutes to plan your strategies. Interacting with the opponent is prohibited at this time."
"Also, for this specific battlefield, a special rule has also been put in place. You may not destroy the building. Significant damage to the structural integrity of the entire structure will result in the immediate disqualification of the responsible Peerage."
"Eh, so we can't just brute force our way to victory." Issei said, having the feeling that rule was in play was mostly because of him. Additionally, shadows with immense capabilities for destruction like Glacia wouldn't be able to use their strongest moves either.
"Yeah, that would put Issei, Akeno-senpai and myself at a disadvantage since we won't be able to use our strongest attacks." Xenovia pointed out, with Issei nodding his head in agreement. Her Durandal had incredible destructive power, and thus would be heavily restricted in a battlefield where collateral damage was strictly forbidden like this one.
Luckily, he had just the squad of shadows to deploy for this specific type of rule.
"What about Saji then? That sword of his sounded like it could cause a whole lot of collateral damage as well." Issei asked.
"Sona will probably send him to take a wide open area." Rias pointed out "If I'm not mistaken, the third floor of this mall is much more spacious than the others. Plenty of room to swing that cursed sword around without worrying about breaking the ceiling or walls."
"So Saji's probably heading for us from there." Issei rubbed his chin.
"That might be the case." Rias gave a small nod before she asked "I take that you want to take that route as well then, Ise?"
"I do. I want to face Saji and take him down myself." Issei replied firmly as Rias weighed the decision. Strategically, it might not be their best move. Issei was their strongest member and could easily pick off opponents one by one, disrupting the enemy formation and whatever plan they might have without committing to a direct clash.
Sending him straight toward Saji meant giving the Sitri a direct confrontation early, which might be exactly what they wanted.
Though, at the same time…
"Alright. But be careful, got it?" Rias said, making Issei grin in response. She had no doubt that Issei would win, but at the same time, she had a feeling this battle wasn't going to be just all about victory.
"Got it." Issei grinned.
"Now…" Rias said, walking over to the table that had been set up for them in the center of the shop. "Our base is here on the second floor of the East wing, so it's likely that the Sitri is over in the West wing."
"We really don't have much room to work with here, do we?" Kiba asked as he looked outside their base "There are also a lot of corners. Gasper-kun won't be able to maintain a direct line of sight around here."
"It's better if Gasper avoids using the Forbidden Balor View altogether for this match." Rias said, arms crossed as she analyzed the area after she had signaled Akeno to hand Gasper a pair of glasses "Here, Azazel-sensei made these glasses for you to wear during the game. It will keep you from losing control of your power, but you won't be able to use it willingly either."
"Aw, I wish he could have made them a bit cuter…" Gasper said as he put the glasses on, making Issei sweat drop.
"Yuuto, Koneko, Xenovia, you three will head to this location," Rias said, shifting focus as she picked up a marker and circled an area on the first floor. "There is a foot court here that leads directly to a bookstore beneath us. If Sona wants to advance her own Pawn to our base so she can use promotion, this is the area for her to do it. I want you three to intercept and delay them."
"Understood." Kiba, Koneko Xenovia nodded.
"Akeno, you'll remain mobile and act as backup for any group under pressure." Rias continued "Gasper, you will maintain recon coverage in your bat form. Keep track of movement and report back directly to me."
"Got it, Rias/Buchou." The two addressed members smiled, with Gasper trying to put on a tough front despite how nervous he actually looked.
"Everyone knows your assignment. Asia will be staying here with me. We will provide cover to anyone that needs us." Rias said, looking over to Asia to see her nodding her head to her in response. "You all know your assignment. Take fifteen minutes to familiarize yourself with the battlefield. We'll meet back in fifteen minutes to go over the plan again. Yuuto, I need you to set up these traps around this area in the parking lot."
"Yes, Buchou."
"Guess I'll head this way then." Issei said, gesturing to the left before heading out with a wave. The rest of the Peerage split off in their own directions, boots echoing quietly across the tiled floor of the deserted mall.
As Issei headed down the long corridor, his eyes caught sight of Gasper strolling into the nearby bakery store, which had all the pastries one could find in such a place, from perfectly frosted cakes to soft, golden-brown rolls arranged neatly behind the glass display. The entire mall was just a replica, but those pastries were certainly real.
"Really committing to realism, huh?" Issei muttered to himself with a small smirk as he passed by. As he continued on, his eyes wandered across the various stores, lingering a few seconds longer at a small arcade with machines still blinking.
Eventually, his steps started to slow as he approached a more secluded corner of the mall, where a bookstore sat nestled between two larger retailers. There wasn't anything too fancy about the place. Wooden signage, glass windows, and a 'Buy 2, Get 1 Free' poster draping down from the ceiling.
Issei paused in front of it.
He had been to the actual place before—several times, in fact. The layout was identical, right down to the discount bin near the entrance…
And if the goods were all real, then…
"What is he doing?" In the VIP Spectate Room, Gunhee asked in interest as the camera decided to focus on Issei as he slipped into the bookstore after glancing left, then right, like a kid trying to sneak snacks before dinner. Everyone then watched as Issei made his way to the back section as if he had already done so a hundred times.
"Wait… is he gonna browse porn?" One of the household lords asked as the camera panned to show Issei making his stop in front of a large shelf gloriously stocked with all varieties of adult materials, from hentai manga to playboy magazines featuring models in various stages of undress.
"Well, Sekiryuutei or not… It's Issei Hyoudou, the boy with the dream to become the harem king, we're talking about. What do you expect?" Azazel replied with a small smirk, arms casually folded as he leaned back in his seat.
Not too far from him, Aphrodite bit down lightly on the corner of her bottom lip in faint amusement as she smiled, clearly entertained with how Issei carefully eyed the woman on the cover of the magazine in his hand.
"Well, at least he's honest with himself. I have heard that it's actually one of his best qualities." Cid stated with an amused chuckle.
Before anyone could make any more comments, the entire room fell into silence. Issei was still staring at the magazine—but the look on his face had changed. The playful gleam was gone, replaced instead by a quiet frown. His brows furrowed slightly, lips pressed into a thin line.
"Hey, Ddraig. When was the last time I read one of these?" Issei asked, clearly talking to the dragon sealed inside his Sacred Gear. "Months? Nah, it couldn't have been that long, right?"
"Guess I really did change, huh…?"
With that, he placed the magazine back on the shelf and quietly left the bookstore, his expression composed but distant.
In the VIP Spectate Room, the atmosphere had shifted. The light-hearted mood from earlier faded as the adults exchanged thoughtful glances, the silence now heavy with realization.
In that moment, they knew, they were watching a young man who had been pushed into battles, and forced to carry burdens and make the kinds of decisions far heavier than most should have to bear at his age, forcing him to mature and grow up faster than any teen supposed to.
"I'm back!" Issei announced as he walked back into the clothing store that was their base of operation. Gasper was the last to arrive, trailing right behind him with a bag full of pastries in his hands and a proud grin on his face.
"Good, come over here, you two. We're going over the plan in detail now," Rias said, motioning them over with a wave of her hand. Issei gave a nod and walked over, accepting a donut from Gasper along the way.
The Peerage gathered around the center table, eyes focused as Rias started laying out the strategy again with greater depth, from individual assignments, escape routes, fallback signals, and contingencies. Despite the atmosphere, the tension slowly grew heavier as the timer on the scene outside ticked down, drawing them closer and closer to the start of the match.
"Attention. The match will commence in sixty seconds. All participants, please prepare for deployment."
And then, the moment they had all been waiting for finally arrived. Fifteen minutes had passed in what felt like only a few moments, and the weight of everything they had prepared finally settled on their shoulders. Rias took a deep breath, her eyes scanning her Peerage one last time before she gave them an encouraging smile.
"This is it, everyone. This is the moment we have been waiting for." Rias began while holding out her hand in the center of the group, allowing her servants to place theirs on top of it, forming a tight circle. "Remember, no hesitation. Trust in yourself, and each other. Victory will be ours!"
"YES!" they all shouted in unison, throwing their hands into the air as one. Soon, they all left the clothing store, with Issei taking the front with Ascalon drawn and resting on his shoulder.
"Come on out, you guys."
His voice echoed through the silent corridors, and the shadows responded immediately. From beneath his feet, swirling darkness spread out, and one after another, the shadow soldiers began to rise. Silent and disciplined, they emerged in perfect formation, surrounding Issei and the rest of the Peerage.
In the VIP Spectate Room, murmurs of awe and disbelief filled the air. Those who had only heard about the shadows were clearly shocked to see them, while those who were already aware of them still couldn't stop themselves from looking on in astonishment.
"Is it just me or some of them look even stronger than the last time we saw them?" Cid voiced his opinion as he looked at the elf shadow named Blade. Even the standard troopers looked like they were in a league of their own now.
"I knew he had a lot of them, but… just how many of those shadows are there?" A noble asked in shock "Is this really fair for Sona Sitri-sama?"
"If you think my adorable sister would be satisfied with anything less than facing Rias-tan and her family at their absolute best, then you're clearly mistaken, Lord Sallos." Serafall declared with a confident smile, with her parents, the Lord and Lady of the Sitri household, nodding their heads along in approval.
"Plus, all is fair in love and war. None of us here need the goddess of love or a god of war to tell us that, do we?" Aphrodite gave her two cents with an amused smile, earning an appreciative beam from Serafall. "Although…"
As the goddess of love said that in a low tone, her eyes then turned to the Minotaur shadow Issei was assigning to Gasper. He looked a bit different, but considering where Issei had gone to just a week ago, it wasn't that hard for her to figure out his origin.
She simply couldn't wait to see the looks on the faces of her fellow Olympians when they found out.
Once his shadows had understood their assignments, Issei quickly left their base, swiftly making his way up the escalator leading to the top floor of the mall. The rest of the Peerage also wasted no time dispersing to their designated positions, each preparing for what was to come.
Just as Issei arrived at his destination, he felt the air around him grow cooler before his ears caught the faint sound of water dripping echoed through the corridor. Without warning, a large water golem burst out from the nearby grocery store, sending boxes of canned foods flying as it headed directly toward him.
Before the water summon could strike, Glacia shot out from his shadow and swept her hand through the air between her master and the water construct. A sharp gust of icy wind blasted forward, instantly freezing the entire golem solid, turning it into a statue of ice. The next instance, dozens of water summons, coming in shapes of various animals such as hawks, serpents, lions, and wolves, appeared, rushing at him and Glacia from every direction.
Tightening his grip on Ascalon, which crackled with arcs of Spirit Lightning, Issei dashed forward with his shadow flying right behind him. A water lion lunged at him with its claws, but Issei instantly slashed his lightning-infused blade through it in a flash. The moment his blade connected, sparks of lightning arced out from the strike, electrifying the humid air before striking the other summons around him.
Droplets exploded into steam and shattered fragments as the electrical charge spread, damaging several water constructs clustered nearby. A horde of water wolves circled around and tried to sneak up on him, but Glacia froze them midair with another blast of icy wind, allowing her master to continue advancing forward, hacking and slashing his way through the small army of water constructs as they futilely tried to stop him and Glacia.
One by one, the summons shattered under their combined assault, their forms reducing to either harmless puddles on the floor, or motionless statues of ice that glistened in the light. Neither Issei or Glacia had much trouble dealing with the water constructs, as they were relatively slow and lacked any real coordination, something that Issei caught on almost as soon as the battle had started.
It was after cutting down the fourth golem that Issei finally came to a stop, leaving the cleanup to Glacia and looked around, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings before calling out loudly.
"Come on out, I know that you guys are here!"
Almost immediately after that, Issei snapped around to sidestep, swiftly dodging a katana blade that was swung at him by Tomoe Meguri, the only knight of the Sitri Peerage, who seemed to come out of nowhere. Before her feet could touch the ground, Issei had summoned Boosted Gear and launched his knuckle toward her side.
Before his punch could find its mark, Issei sensed another present coming from behind him before a blue glowing line wrapped itself around his Boosted Gear, stopping him… at least until he put a bit more strength into it, yanking Saji off his feet. That brief moment of pause, however, was enough for a capable knight like Tomoe to find her footing, her blade coming back to slash him across his torso just as Saji flared out his wings to find his balance in the air and shot at Issei with his own blades.
"Is that it?" Issei asked before parrying the two blades in quick succession. As Tomoe and Saji reeled from the force behind his strike, Glacia picked that moment to fly over and grab the chest reddish-brown hair girl by her head to throw her away from her master, who launched himself forward and drove his knee into Saji's stomach, causing him to double over before he was launched into the air and slammed against the ceiling above them.
The Pawn of Sona Sitri hung there for a second before falling down, his body crashing hard into the floor with a grunt of pain. As he turned his gaze up and looked back at Issei, Saji found himself cursing quietly under his breath as he watched the Sekiryuutei casually cut off the absorbing line wrapping around his Sacred Gear with Ascalon, though he didn't look too worried. Clearly it was something he had expected to happen.
"Heh, worth a try, I suppose."
"Any other tricks you want to show me before I kick your ass?" Issei asked as he flicked the remaining bits of the line off his gauntlet. The System notified him of the mana he had lost to Saji with just that brief moment of his Absorption Line latching onto him, but it wasn't anything too serious.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, you cocky bastard," Saji shot back with a grin, slowly pushing himself upright. Across the area, Tomoe was also already on her feet, sword in hand, eyes sharp. "We're just getting..."
'One of Sona Sitri-sama's Pawn has retired.'
Before he could finish, Saji felt his shoulders drop as an announcement from Grayfia echoed from the nearby speakers.
"Lemme guess, it was one of the members you guys sent to take out Gasper." Issei asked, smirking as he threw a thumb over his shoulder, pointing in the direction of the area where Rias had told Gasper to go. "Rias-senpai anticipated you would try to take him out first because of his powers, so I assigned two of my best guys to watch over him."
"Tch…" Saji clicked his tongue in annoyance, although he also glanced over to Tomoe and exchanged a worried look with her, one that Issei didn't miss.
"Guess I can dance with the two of you for a bit." Issei continued as he switched his sword hand, tossing Ascalon over to his right before nodding his head to Glacia, who lowered her head to him before retreating back into his shadow, her form vanishing in the flicker of darkness beneath his feet.
"Heh, you sure you don't need your shadows to help you fight us?" Saji asked with a smirk, raising his cursed sword. Its blade glowed with a sinister red hue, the cursed energy pulsing like a heartbeat. "Where is that guy with the big sword anyway?"
"Trust me, you don't want to face Gladio. Also, if I use any of them, this wouldn't even be close to fair." Issei replied coolly, giving Ascalon a casual spin in his hand. "Besides, I have a feeling you guys are expecting to fight me here. So, I will give you the fight you are looking for."
"You're not wrong, Hyoudou-kun. Kaichou was counting on you to be the one who'd come this way." Tomoe admitted, stepping forward as she adjusted her stance, tightening her grip around the hilt of her katana. The moment that Issei looked at her, Saji dashed forward, his sword erupting in black flames as he launched a fierce overhead slash. At the same time, Tomoe sprinted in from the side, her katana cutting in a low arc toward his abdomen.
Rassei (Lightning) – Y Ddraig Goch (Fire)
As a fiery aura flared around him as he changed his Pact, Issei shifted his stance, calmly raising Ascalon, which was engulfed in red dragon flame, to block Saji before doing the same thing to Tomoe with Boosted Gear. Metal met metal with sharp clangs that sent sparks flying, and before either of them could press their advantage, Issei spun around to throw his metal knuckle into Saji's guts, sending him crashing into the glass storefront of the nearby clothing store.
At the same time, he slashed Ascalon at Tomoe, who was able to parry the attack before countering with a swift, horizontal slash. He ducked under the attack, stepping in close to drive his shoulder into her gut and knock her off balance. Tomoe staggered, but recovered quickly, flipping over his head to avoid Ascalon as he slashed at her and countered with a downward arc aimed at his shoulder. Issei shot his hand up and caught her katana, locking her weapon in place before twisting around to strike with Ascalon. She barely managed to avoid the blow, having to let go of her weapon to do so by leaping back from him.
"Tomoe!" Saji called out as he threw his arm with Absorption Line from inside the clothing store, with Issei sidestepping to avoid it easily. The line, however, wasn't aimed at him, and instead latched onto the lamp behind his back. "How do you like this!"
A surge of cursed energy rushed through the line, instantly overloading the lamp, which detonated like a flashbang, a sudden burst of blinding flare that caught Issei in it, while Saji and Tomoe both put on dark sunglasses they had prepared beforehand. Issei flinched as his vision went white, momentarily blinded.
Saji didn't waste the opportunity as he rushed back in after tossing Tomoe his sword, his fist coming toward Issei's jaw in a devastating uppercut.
What he didn't expect, however, was for Issei to catch his fist mid-swing and punch him across the face with his other fist, sending him tumbling across the floor. Tomoe came in quick with the Blade of Phoros, but he twisted his body out of the way just in time, grabbing her by the back of her shirt and using her own momentum to hurl her at Saji, crashing the two together with a thud.
Issei exhaled slowly as he repeatedly blinked, his blurry vision slowly focusing. "I must admit. That was quite clever… at least for someone like you, Saji." He taunted, smirking as he looked directly at the pair scrambling to their feet.
"What kind of kung fu nonsense was that? Weren't you supposed to be blinded?!" Saji snapped, rubbing his jaw with a mix of disbelief and irritation.
"Bloodlust. You two are reeked of it." Issei answered coolly before his voice became more serious. "I have learnt to fight without relying on my eyes to deal with enemies that are completely invisible, so you gotta try better than that."
Never again, Issei thought to himself as he tightened his grip on Ascalon.
He would never let anyone sneak up on him, or any of his friends, ever again.
"Alright, any more tricks you have up your sleeves?" Issie asked as he straightened himself. His vision had completely recovered. "You better get serious now, or I will eliminate you both within the next minute."
"Tch… You are really pissing me off with that attitude of yours, Hyoudou." Saji scolded as he held out his hand "I'm taking this very seriously. I'm here to beat you!"
With that exclamation, Saji fired an orb of concentrated energy like a bullet at Issei, but he had no trouble avoiding it by dodging to the side while running at him and Tomoe. The Knight of Sona Sitri summoned a second katana, which seemed to emit some kind of energy, and charged forward to meet him, her blades ready to clash with Ascalon.
[Skill activated] – Phoenix Shift
[Skill activated] – Vital Slash
Before it could happen, Issie suddenly disappeared from sight, moving at the speed that barely left her time to react. In a burst of flame, he reappeared behind the reddish-brown haired girl, not just with Ascalon, but also her normal katana.
"One down."
As he said that, Tomoe came to a stop behind him, her eyes widening in shock and realization before crying out as a sharp pain cut through her entire body. The girl collapsed onto her knees as blood shot out of the X-shaped cuts Issei had carved across her torso before disappearing in a flash of light.
'Sona Sitri-sama's Knight has retired.'
"Tomoe!" Saji shouted as he watched Tomoe disappear and listened to the announcement from Grayfia. Gritting his teeth, he quickly turned back to Issei and fired multiple energy orbs at him, some burning with the same black flame that had coated his sword earlier. Each shot was fast and strong enough to leave a hole in the wall behind him, but Issei dodged them all with fluid ease, moving closer as he prepared to confront Saji head-on.
"I know you can easily get better at swordsmanship in two weeks, but how are you pulling off these strong attacks?" Issei asked as he swung his blade at Saji, who blocked it with his own as sparks flew between them "Last I checked, your magic power wasn't supposed to be this strong..."
It was then that Issei noticed a line that connected Saji's right Sacred Gear to himself, making him widen his eyes in realization.
"That's right." Saji said while struggling to hold his ground in their sword lock. "I'm converting my own lifeforce into magic power. How else do you think I'm using this sword?" At that, the blade caught in blade flame once more, forcing Issei to break the lock by pushing both weapons upward to disengage.
With a look of determination, Saji immediately swung his blade back down, but Issei already dove to the side to avoid it. The cursed weapon struck the floor with a sharp clang, sending spiderweb cracks racing across the tiles from the impact. Before Saji could swing his blade back up, Issei had launched himself back at him, flashing directly before him in a burst of flame.
"You fucking dumbass." Issei scolded and drove his fist into Saji's face with the Phoenix Strike, sending him soaring backward. The blow detonated in an explosion of dragon flame and a thunderous shockwave, shattering every window and storefront around them as the blast rippled outward.
At the same time, Saji was launched like a missile, soaring through the air before crashing through the shattered remains of the café across the street. The wall crumbled on impact, burying him in a cloud of dust and debris.
It was quite clear that he could still fight, because there was no announcement of him being retired from the match.
"Burning away your lifeforce to fuel that sword I can understand, but doing it simultaneously with your Sacred Gear absorbing it too? You trying to kill yourself? Do you have a Deathwish?"
Issei asked in frustration as he made his way over, boots crunching over the shattered glass. Saji coughed and grunted in pain pulled himself out of the rubble, blood trickling down his face just while wisps of black flame from his body. From the look of it, it seemed he had covered himself in his black flame to soften the blow.
"I've already told you, Hyoudou. I'm ready to die if it means beating you here." Saji scoffed as he used his sword to push himself onto one knee "You got any idea how much it hurts to have your dream, the dream you have been chasing together with those you care about, ridiculed? This fight is airing throughout the entire underworld, we of the Sitri Peerage have to show everyone who mocked us that we mean business."
Issei paused, his gaze fixing on the other Pawn as he watched him struggling to his feet. The weight behind the words he just said wasn't lost on him.
"I get it." Issei said, his hand lowering Ascalon just slightly "You're fighting for your friends, for your pride and dream, but that doesn't change the fact that you are killing yourself. You're gonna die long before you get the chance to prove anything at this rate."
Saji smirked through the blood on his lips. "Then I'll die standing, with my head up."
Without hesitation, he charged forward, both hands gripping the hilt of his sword that wreathed once again in black flame. Issei met his charge head-on, Ascalon igniting in crimson fire as he raised it to parry. Their swords clashed with deafening cracks, paying no heeds to the repeated announcements from Grayfia as sparks and flame burst out with each strike.
Saji poured everything into his swings, moving with burning determination while his blade fed off his life force and infused itself with the flame of his second Sacred Gear. However, Issei parried, dodged, and countered every time, always keeping himself one step ahead, letting him wear himself down before leaning to the side to dodge a desperate overhead swing to throw his fist across his face, sending him tumbling through the air before he hit the ground hard, bouncing once before sliding across the broken tiles. The cursed sword clattered from his hands, its flames flickering weakly as it landed next to him.
And still, he reached for the weapon.
"You know… all this time, I've been jealous of you… you, the Red Dragon Emperor… you got to hang out with Rias-senpai, Akeno-senpai and even the goddess of love herself." Saji said, wrapping his hand around the hilt of his sword and stabbing it down to push himself up again "You're particularly a celebrity at this point… meanwhile, I'm still a nobody. I have nothing, not even the talent to use this sword properly."
"You think I got it easy!?" Issei snapped, and Saji widened his eyes as he saw Issei coming at him in another burst of flame, raising his sword just fast enough to block a strike that sent him crashing into the wall in the back. "Do you have any idea how much I've lost to get here? Who I lost along the way!?"
Issei pressed forward, throwing his fist at Saji. He quickly dove to the side to dodge, letting Issei's fist soar past him and collide with the wall, which cracked under the force.
"And you're wrong if you think you have nothing. You have Sona-kaicho, and everyone who shares your dream." The Sekiryuutei continued as he spun around and kicked Saji, who raised his sword to block his boot. The force of the kick was still strong enough to send him sliding back several feet before he regained his footing. "You're here because of them. So fight with everything you've got."
Saji swallowed hard, breathing heavily, his grip tightening on the sword as the smirk on his face widened. "Then stop holding back and show me what that means."
Issei narrowed his gaze, his expression hardening even further as he locked eyes with Saji, who straightened himself. Wrapping his other hand around the blade of his sword, the Pawn of Sona Sitri held up the weapon, with the black flame burning along its blade flaring more violently than ever before, distorting the air around it.
"So be it…"
Issei muttered, holding up his sword for a split second before sweeping it out to the side, igniting the air around him in an explosion of flame. Saji, and those watching the duel between the two Pawns, looked on in astonishment as Issei took on his Soul Link form with Ddraig. Floor and walls cracked, glass shattered before the entire mall trembled under the crushing pressure of the energy he released. Storefronts groaned and buckled with shelves and clothing racks falling over as if the building itself was afraid of what was coming.
"Alright, Saji. This is me at my strongest."
Issei spoke in the dual-tone that echoed with that of Ddraig, whose spectral form took shape within the flame burning from his body and loomed over him to stare directly at Saji. His eyes widened in fear as he stared at the figures before him, but he was quick to shrug it off and replace it with an expression of confidence.
"Tch, I was hoping you would bring this entire building down and cause your team to be disqualified." He said, the corner of his lips curving up into a smirk as he readied himself. "But still… this is more like it, Hyoudou."
"Old man Tannin taught me how to contain the energy output of this power within myself. I still had some trouble, as you can see… but I'm not dumb enough to unleash it if I don't know how much collateral damage it will cause." Issei said, taking a stance with his blade "Let's finish this, Saji."
"Just know that I also respect you, man."
"Well, I guess that means the feeling is mutual."
For a moment, the two just stood there, locked in a silent standoff as the mall continued to tremble beneath their feet.
Then they moved.
In an instant, both shot forward, crimson and black flames trailing in their wake, power surging with each step. There was a single slash, a flash of light that seemed to split the air as Issei appeared on the other side of the battlefield, his sword lowered while he powered off to save his Link Gauge. Behind him, Saji froze mid-swing. His sword clattered to the ground a heartbeat later before he fell down and was teleported away.
'Sona Sitri-sama's Pawn has retired.'
'Sona Sitri-sama's Pawn has retired.'
"Issei-kun did it!"
Kiba remarked with a beaming smile, his sword resting over the left side of his hips as he followed Rias and the rest of the Peerage up the final flight of stairs toward the rooftop of the shopping mall, where they believed Sona herself had been hiding.
The battle had played out more or less as they anticipated. On their way to the enemy base, they had clashed multiple times with the other members of the Sitri Peerage and their water summons. Using the energy supply they had brought along from the start of the match, Sona and her two Bishops had managed to summon over a hundred water constructs and send them into battle—but despite their numbers, they proved little more than a nuisance against the far more coordinated Shadows.
Admittedly, Kiba found himself a bit unnerved by how powerful those Shadows really were, even if their master was Issei. Even the standard troopers that served as the ground force of the army had to be at least as strong as a mid to low-high class devil. And the fact that they could function independently without Issei having to be there to directly control them was just as unsettling.
Were they truly undead? Kiba found himself wondering that more than once.
Regardless, while they dealt with the water summons, the shadows had given Kiba and everyone else the rooms they needed to eliminate the Sitri members from the game. In return, they had only suffered minor injuries, as Reversal, the Artificial Sacred Gear that they got from their own advisor, Shemhazai, which had the power to reverse any attributes and effects, had proven to be quite problematic. However, it posed no issue for Kiba, whose Holy-Demonic Sword was naturally immune due to already possessing dual-natures that inherently contradicted one another. Akeno's holy lightning was also too much for the Sitri Peerage to try reversing, so it was pretty much a clean sweep for them by the time they had regrouped.
"Only the enemy king remains." Rias spoke to her servants. They had come to the roof after Koneko realized that the Sona they had encountered at her base was no more than a hologram. It was quite clear that she was trying to buy as much time as possible by putting herself far away. "Let's go finish this before Ise arrives."
"Yes!"
With that, they arrived at their destination. The wind rushed past then, and the open, multi-colored sky of the Dimensional Gap stretched far overhead. At the far end stood Sona Sitri—alone yet completely composed. Her glasses glinted in the light as she quietly observed their approach, the calm in her gaze betraying everything that had happened so far in the match.
"You're late." The Sitri heiress said, repeating the same words she had spoken earlier to her childhood friend and rival. Rias stepped forward, her Peerage right behind her, and came to a stop just a few feet away. She crossed her arms, meeting Sona's gaze with equal firmness. "You really should have been here way earlier."
"Your servants put up a good fight. They really did." Rias said before she decided to ask "But you knew they would lose to us, didn't you?"
"It's hard for me to imagine any harm could come your way as long as Issei Hyoudou-kun and his shadows remain, even if he told them to let you guys fight your own battle." Sona said as she adjusted her glasses "Even taking them out of the equation, the strength he has demonstrated made the outcome of this match all but decided from the start."
"But then again, I believe Saji has accomplished what we came for." Holding out her hands, Sona continued with a small shrug. "Believe it or not, I have thought of everything… I hate to admit it, but there is no way for me and my Peerage to even hope to challenge yours now as we are, Rias."
"So if you are going to lose…"
"… we are going to lose graciously, that's right. There's no shame in admitting defeat." Sona nodded with a fearless smile. "I guess what's left now is just how I will go down. We've played chess countless times, but we've never tested our might against each other, have we?"
Saying that, Sona raised her hands and summoned a large wave of water, which flowed around her and took the forms of two large western dragons. Rias looked at the sight for a second before stepping forward, her own power of destruction taking the shape of a black-crimson aura around her.
"Rias-onee sama…" Asia said worriedly, but Kiba immediately held out his hand and rested it reassuringly on her shoulder. His expression then hardened as he turned his gaze forward, locking eyes with Rias, who was already walking ahead to meet her rival.
"If things get rough, Buchou, I won't hesitate to step in to help… even if it's against your wish."
Rias said nothing. She simply kept walking until she came to a stop a few feet away from Sona, the two heiresses locking eyes in a silent, tense standoff while their aura and demonic powers flared around them, mirroring the one their Pawns had just shared moments ago.
And then, without a word, both unleashed their demonic power at once, turning the rooftop of the battlefield into a clash of raw magical force.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 36 Shadow Monarch
HP: 24,245/24,245
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 7250/7250
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 271 (27)
Vitality: 215 (22)
Intelligence: 238 (24)
Dexterity: 220 (22)
Perception: 200 (20)
Charisma: 190 (19)
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1), Shadow Exchange (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 (LV2).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV2 - Water Dragon Pact Affected), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1, Ingvild Leviathan (Water) – Pact LV4
Current Shadows: 281 / 490 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troop 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13.)
Elite Shadows: Asterius (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Lycaon (Elite Knight), Tora (Elite Knight), Blade (Elite Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), 1.[High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), [Obsidian] Jewelry Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 (LV40), Orb of Avarice, Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 15.251.720 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon (Crimson Scale Mail), Twinflare (Soul Link), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow IceBear -Tank.
End of Chapter 32