"Otou-sama!"
Rias called, concern and fear clear in her voice as she pushed open the office doors and entered. Asia and Akeno, who had rushed to their house as soon as she heard the news about Issei, followed closely behind her, looking just as anxious and worried as their master.
Zeoticus, who was sitting at his desk and having a serious discussion with his secretary and Horace Winston, the senior evaluator of the Emporium, acknowledged their arrival with a nod. He seemed calm, but a flicker of uneasiness in his eyes as he looked at Horace and exchanged a few more words with the senior evaluator was enough for Rias to know that he was just as deeply troubled by the event.
After a moment, Zeoticus finally turned his attention back to them, raising a hand to beckon Rias and her servants toward him as he stood up from his seat. "Come. We need to leave—now."
Saying that to them, the man then dismissed his secretary with a quick nod of her head, making her bow her head respectfully to him and Rias before taking her leave from the room. Wasting no more time, Zeoticus, with Horace following closely at his side, then led Rias and her servants over to the large magic circle that had been set up for them beforehand on the other side of the room. Once they had all stood within it, Zeoticus activated the magic, illuminating his office in the signature color of his household before all five of them were teleported away.
In a flash, the Gremory devils arrived at the site where the C-rank Gate, which Issei had come to work at, had suddenly transformed into a Red Gate. It was an unprecedented event, the first of its kind, since it was believed that only B-rank Gates and above could turn into Red Gates, which would remain sealed until the boss was defeated, the entire raid party was dead, or a dungeon break occurred.
Upon arrival, the devils of the Gremory devil household could immediately see the Red Gate, looming ominously in the center of the clearing. Its surface seemed to blaze with crimson energy, while a mixture of red and blue swirled violently within. The outer edges of the gate crackled with dark, jagged electricity that spread like roots, as though something within was trying to break free from an invisible restraint. The blue center radiated an otherworldly light, creating an unsettling contrast against the sinister red aura surrounding it. The Gate pulsed, almost like a heartbeat, each throb emitting a faint, eerie hum that seemed to echo across the clearing.
Rias felt her heart sink as she took in the scene. High-ranking devils and heroes had arrived and cordoned off the area, setting up a wide perimeter around the Gate to keep themselves at the onlookers at a safe distance. Multicolored magical glyphs crisscrossed the ground, forming barriers in the case of a Dungeon Break. At the same time, patrols of guards, a joined force of devils and heroes alike, stood watch, their expressions tense as they kept a wary eye on the Gate.
Zeoticus, with Horace close by, moved forward, drawing a few nods of respect and acknowledgement from those nearby devils as they eyed the Gate before them in bewilderment and shock, an expression mirrored by many in the area. A captain of the hero party guarding the perimeter recognized them and allowed Zeoticus and Horace to cross the barriers they had set up around the Gate. As they approached, the Gate emitted a sudden wave of red energy, seemingly keeping them from entering and forcing Zeoticus and Horrace to step back while shielding their eyes against the intense aura.
"It's completely sealed off."
"But this level of mana... this Red Gate has to be at least high A-rank. No, it might even be higher than that." Horace murmured, his voice laced with disbelief while Rias and numerous others in the area widened their eyes in shock. Even though mana had stopped flowing out as soon as the Gate had turned red, making it impossible for normal mana meters to determine its level, those who were particularly sensitive to the energy like Horace could still determine its level, and his evaluations were rarely, if ever, wrong.
"How could this have been a C-rank?"
"That's something we're trying to figure out as well, Horace." A familiar voice interjected them, and the devils all turned their heads to see Sirzechs Lucifer walking toward them with Grayfia and Beowulf at his side, their presences providing a sense of reassurance, even as the situation remained dire.
"Sirzechs." Zeoticus nodded his head to his son, who had arrived at the scene minutes before him to handle the situation. As the other devils lowered their heads to their current Lucifer, they soon noticed the blonde woman in a white suit who stood beside Beowulf and Grayfia. Much like everyone else, she wore a somber expression on her face.
"Otou-san, everyone, this is Alicia Blanche. She's the supervisor of the Raid. Alicia, this is my father, Zeoticus Gremory. He's also the current head of the Crimson Emporium." Sirzechs introduced her. Alicia gave a respectful nod to Zeoticus before shaking hands with him and Horace, leaving Sirzechs to continue as she turned her attention to Rias and the others "These are my little sister, Rias Gremory, and her family. One of the devils currently trapped inside the Red Gate, Issei Hyoudou, is her servant."
Alicia lowered her head to Rias, her gaze softening with empathy. "Miss Rias, I'm very sorry. I understand how much your servant means to you."
Rias managed a nod as she exchanged a worried look with Akeno and Asia, her jaw tight as she struggled to hold back her worry. "Thank you, Alicia-san. Just... please, let me know if there's anything we can do..."
"The Heroes are doing everything in their power to figure out what went wrong with the Gate. We have teams on standby, and..." Alicia looked down, voice trailing off as she was unable to bring herself to continue. Everyone knew what a Red Gate was. They all knew what horrors awaited those trapped inside, and Alicia knew, deep down, that there was nothing she could say to improve or change the situation. Nothing that could ease the fear and worry etched on the faces of Rias Gremory and her two servants.
All they could do now was wait.
"This is all my fault..." Beowulf muttered, clenching his fists as he hung his head to Rias in shame. "I should've been there with Issei. I told him to go ahead with the others... If I had just come with him..."
"Beowulf, we have talked about this." Sirzechs said as he reached out with one hand and put it on Beowulf's shoulder, making him raise his head while Rias gave him a soft smile in understanding "This is not your fault. You couldn't have known what was going to happen. No one could."
"But what are we going to do now, Sirzechs? We can't just stand here."
"Well, if you have a better idea, Lord Gremory, I'm all ears."
A deep, gruff voice cut through the air, causing the devils and Alicia to turn their heads to the side to see a man standing with his back leaning against the wall of a nearby building, lighting up his cigarette with a snap of his fingers, which seemed to generate a brief spark of purple color electricity. He was quite tall, and his build was similar to that of Sirzechs, despite having the look of a man in his middle-ages, with a stubble beard that framed his sharp jawline, and light brown hair that was swept back. His clothing was a black business suit with leather gloves and two belts that slung over his waist, one black one cyan.
"Cid." Zeoticus acknowledged the man, who exhaled a cloud of smoke, the tendrils curling upward in the still air before he began to approach them with a beautiful young woman following closely behind him, looking to be in her early twenties with long, dark purple hair that fell down her back in waves and matching eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
She was dressed in a sleek, dark purple two-piece business suit that matched her hair and hugged her amazing, voluptuous figure in all the right places. The blazer cinched at the waist, accentuating her hourglass shape, while the white blouse underneath was fully buttoned, giving her a polished and professional appearance. Her pencil skirt clung to her hips and thighs, highlighting the curves of her wide, womanly hips as it tapered down to just above her knees. The fabric was smooth and snug, emphasizing the graceful lines of her legs, which were further elongated by a pair of elegant black heels.
If there was anything that looked out of place, it would be the veil she wore at the back of her head. A golden headpiece held it in place as the veil cascaded over her shoulders and fell to the small of her back, swaying gently behind her with each movement, giving her the image of a nun...
... or a fortune teller, with the tarot cards she was holding in her hands as she followed the man that had been addressed as Cid.
"I came as soon as I could, Zeoticus," the man said, shaking hands with Zeoticus before doing the same with Sirzechs, who gave a respectful nod. Cid then turned his attention to Rias, offering a courteous introduction to those who hadn't met him before. "Cidolfus Telamon, at your service."
"Cid is the current leader of the Japanese Branch of the Hero Faction." Zeoticus explained, making Rias and others nod their heads in understanding before exchanging puzzled glances.
"My great-great-great-grandmother is Japanese." As if he could read their minds, Cid replied with a dry chuckle, shrugging off the confusion. He gestured toward the young woman standing beside him. "Anyway, this is Isla Wright, my new assistant."
"Nice to meet you, everyone." Isla said with a polite smile.
Cid looked at his assistant with a small smile, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder as she kept her head bowed, as if trying to avoid the gaze of those standing in front of them. "It's her first day on the job." His expression grew serious as he turned his focus toward the Red Gate, inhaling deeply before removing his cigarette from his lips to hold it at his side. "How many are in there?"
"Including the supporters, thirty, sir." Alicia answered.
"Sieghart is with them?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hmmm, if this were a typical Red Gate, I wouldn't be too worried." Cid said thoughtfully. "Strange as he is, Sieghart's just as capable as he is a reliable leader. That man knows how to keep people alive, and I mean it." He nodded confidently, causing Rias and the others to sweat-drop at his casual tone. "Isn't the Red Dragon Emperor kid in there too?"
"Yes." It was Rias who answered the question, making Cid nod his head in response.
"That increases their odds if the kid can take care of himself... with luck, they might be able to hold on long enough for the Dungeon Break to occur so we can get to them." Cid mused; his gaze fixed on the ominous Red Gate. "As much as we always try to avoid it, the Dungeon Break is the only way we have right now to tell for sure if everyone in there is still alive or not. For now, there's nothing we can do but wait."
A heavy silence fell upon the group as they gaze at the enormous portal of swirling red and blue energy before them. There was no telling how much time had passed inside; time was known to dilate in Red Gates, where one day inside could equal only an hour in the outside world. It had almost been an hour since it turned red, and a whole day could have passed within the Gate.
"Rias, don't you and the girls have school tomorrow? You should..." Sirzechs began, breaking the silence as he looked at his sister.
"No, I'll stay here, nii-sama." Rias shook her head, her resolve clear as Akeno and Asia joined her, nodding in agreement. "I won't leave until I know Ise is safe."
"If they want to stay then let them. It's always fine to skip school for a day or two." Crushing the cigarette under his boots, snuffing the glowing ember with a swift motion, Cid then turned to the blonde mage and spoke to her "Alicia, take the girls to your post and make sure they're comfortable. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."
"Yes, sir." Alicia nodded and turned to Rias and the others, her expression softening slightly. "Come on, let's get you three settled." She motioned for them to follow her, and without a word, they moved toward her post, where temporary accommodations had been set up.
"Are you alright, Isla-san?" Grayfia asked in concern, having noticed the troubled expression that Isla had on her face the moment she lifted his head. Her face was rather pale. Her brows furrowed in nervousness, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Don't mind her. Isla believes all the misfortune in this world is because of her. Probably blaming yourself for that Gate, aren't you?" Cid asked with an amused chuckle as he lit another cigarette.
"I-I... It's as you said, sir. This is my first day at work, and... that happens." Isla replied, trying to force a smile but failed almost immediately as her gaze drifted toward the ominous Red Gate looming before them. "A-And also..."
She then glanced down at the stack of tarot cards in her hand, her fingers trembling slightly as she brushed over the top card.
"...the card I drew just before we got the news..." Isla then pulled the card from the deck and held it up for Cid and the devils to see. The card was clearly self-drawn by a child – or someone who's just bad at drawing, featuring a chibi depiction of Isla herself in the frame. However, with the skulls floating around her, the scythe in her hand, and the black cloak she was wearing along with the letters for YOU DIE written at the top, it was quite clear what tarot card it was supposed to be.
Death.
"Oi! Why didn't you tell us there was a fucking snow storm in here!?"
One of the supporters shouted over the howling winds, their voice barely cutting through the chaos of the storm.
Issei gritted his teeth as the snowstorm raged around him, using his arm to shield his face from the frigid wind that whipped against his body, making it nearly impossible to keep his eyes open. He glanced over his shoulder toward the other supporters from the Crimson Emporium, seeing them all struggling to move through the deepening snow. Their hands were tightly gripping the carts transporting their tools, their movements slow and labored as the snow reached all the way up to their knees.
The massive trees of the forest around them fared no better. Tall, snow-dusted trunks loomed ominously against the white landscape, their branches creaking under the heavy weight of the snow. Snow piled up on the ground, making each step a struggle as their boots sank into it like a thick, suffocating blanket. Visibility was nearly zero, the swirling flurries reducing the already dim light to little more than a dull, gray blur.
"Someone head get back out there to grab some more warm clothes, or we're going to freeze like popsicles." Another shouted, his voice was just as barely audible over the roaring winds. The man nearest the Gate responded by waving his hand over his head, ready to rush outside for additional supplies.
However, just as he was about to crossover, the portal abruptly flared up in an ominous red hue. The harsh winds seemed to howl louder as the once stable looking portal exploded in a wave of crimson and black electricity, casting an ominous, bloody hue across the stormy landscape. As they stood there, watching in disbelief with many having their eyes widened in horror and realization, the portal shrunk and disappeared with a violent, thunderous crack, leaving behind nothing but a hollow space where it once stood.
"Now way!" One of the supporters near the Gate shouted, his voice trembling with disbelief. "It's gone!"
"What in the world?! Does that mean we..." A sorceress from the main strike team stammered, her staff gripped tightly against her chest. Her face was pale, but it was clearly not just from the cold, but also terror.
"We're in a Red Gate!?"
The warrior standing closest to Issei shouted, confirming his suspicion. Panic began to spread like wildfire as the full weight of what had just occurred set in as everyone exchanged frantic, confused looks and questions. A C-rank Gate wasn't supposed to turn red, yet it had just done exactly that right before their eyes.
"Issei, what're we going to do now?" Frank, the leader of the mining unit, who Issei had become good friends with, asked him. Issei opened his mouth to answer the question, but no word came out of him when his inner alarm blared loudly in his mind. Instinctively, he shot his hand out, catching a large spike of ice that would have pierced Frank through his chest, his eyes widening briefly before he snapped his head to the side to see numerous humanoid figures running at them from the distance.
"HEL-WALKERS!"
A warrior from the main strike team yelled, quickly raising his sword to deflect an ice spike hurled at him. The spike shattered into pieces upon impact, but the oncoming creatures Hell-Walkers – all level 30 – tall humanoid creatures with glowing, icy blue eyes and frozen skin, some with jagged spikes protruding from their shoulders, did not relent as they continued the charge. Some raised their hands high into the air before slamming them down onto the snow-covered ground, unleashing violent, powerful waves of icy winds at the Raid.
"Worry not, my beautiful friends. We shall not die here today!"
"Shielders, with me!"
Sieghart commanded, his dramatic voice cutting through the chaos as he ran forward while removing his shield from his back. With just one hand, the man slammed his shield down into the snow, using it to shield himself and the Raid from the first wave of icy winds before other shield-wielding members of the strike team joined him, linking their defenses together to form an impenetrable wall that protected the less defensive-oriented members of the Raid from the storm of ice and wind.
"Mages, use your fire spells!" Sieghart shouted another command, standing his ground and holding his shield firm even as the Hel-Walkers came at him like violent, wild beasts. "Now!" The blond barked, moving his shield just a little to the side to punch the Hel-Walker in front of him in the face, knocking it back before it was struck by a fireball, striking its body with enough power and heat to blow it to pieces and melt it away on the spot.
More and more fireballs started soaring over the wall of shields, erupting from the hands and starves of the three mages standing in the back, their flames slicing through the howling winds and striking the charging Hell-Walkers. Each impact left a trail of scorched earth, momentarily forcing the relentless ice creatures back, but the onslaught of enemies only grew stronger with each passing moment. There was only so much that three mages could do in a snowstorm like this.
More Hell-Walkers continued to emerge from the woods, looking far stronger than the ones that had come first. Some wielded weapons in their hands like swords and hammers, others cladded in armors that was so sturdy it let them withstand the full force of multiple fireballs with little damage.
The sheer numbers were overwhelming.
But Sieghart was unfazed. His eyes narrowed as he unsheathed his sword and declared with his usual flair.
"Warriors, it's your turn!"
The warriors let out mighty battle cries as they charged into battle, with Sieghart himself also removing his sword from his sheathe to join them. With a sharp swing, the blade uncoiled, slicing through the air like a whip. It slashed through three Hell-Walkers in a single, sweeping arc, their frozen bodies torn apart by the force before wrapping around the neck of another. Smirking, the man yanked the creature toward him, pulling it off its feet. Before it could react, he slammed his shield into its whole body, bashing it with such force that the surrounding snow was blasted away while the creature crumpled beneath the impact.
The battle raged on as the heroes fought fiercely against the relentless horde of Hel-walkers. One warrior parried a blow from a sword-wielding monster before driving his own blade deep into its chest. Another swung a massive axe, cutting down two at once, his muscles straining as he cleaved through the monsters.
For a moment, it seemed they had it. The clang of steel and bang of fireball explosions filled the air as they pushed the horde back, reducing their number slowly but steadily. But then, a massive Hel-Walker emerged, towering over the others as it came charged at Sieghart while wielding a colossal hammer.
The blond reacted quickly, raising his shield to block the strike as the hammer came crashing down on him like falling mountain the moment the Hel-Walker was upon him. The impact forced him on one knee, but Sieghart was able to regain his footing. With a flick of his wrist, his sword-whip snapped itself back, and the blond slashed at the towering monster while dodging its hammer. His blade cut deep, but it seemed to barely affect the monster as it raised its weapon for another swing...
A thunderous blow rocked the area, but it did not come from the impact of Hel-Walker hammer against Sieghart's shield, but from Issei's metal gauntlet meeting the monster square in the jaw as he leaped into the air and punched it. The force of the hit cracked its skull and blew its jaw clean off, but the Hel-Walker showed no sign of pain, even its body twisting unnaturally to the side. With a screech, it snapped itself back into position and hurled its massive hammer at Issei.
[Boost!]
A surge of blue, dragon fire erupted from his hand, consuming the Hel-Walker entirely as it surged upward, melting through its armor and frozen flesh. The intense heat caused the snow around them to instantly evaporate, sending up a cloud of steam that clouded the area. The surrounding trees groaned and cracked as their leaves were set on fire, while the bark around the trunks were scorched and charred. The blast of flame almost knocked Sieghart on his back, but he stood his ground and smirked as he looked at Issei, who slowly raised with what remained of the hammer wielding Hel-Walkers falling and crumpling at his feet.
"Can I trust you to watch my back then, Issei Hyoudou?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" Issei asked, standing back to back with Sieghart as more Hel-Walkers surrounded them, making the blond smirk in response, his grip tightening on his shield and sword before the two of them set off. Blue flames erupted around Issei, enveloping his body as he dashed forward, the heat melting away the snow beneath his feet that would have otherwise slowed him down. His Sacred Gear glowed with a searing intensity as he pummeled into the first group of Hel-Walker, the powerful blows of sheer brute force and blue fire shattering and vaporizing the monsters before their armors collapsed into a smoking heap of ice and ash.
Sieghart was right behind him, his sword-whip a blur as he swung the weapon in a wide arc, making the blade unfurl and slash through two Hel-Walkers sneaking up on Issei with one smooth strike. An armored Hel-Walker was able to intercept his weapon with its mace, but Issei didn't waste any time to take care of it, sending the monsters flying into a nearby tree with another punch. The impact was so powerful that the tree splintered, the sound of cracking wood echoing through the battlefield.
"What beautiful flame, Issei! Truly a worthy warrior to fight by my side."
"Uh... thank you?" Issei replied, unsure to how he should react as Sieghart spoke while extending a hand at him, as if waiting for him to take it. Just before Issei could even understand what he was really trying to do, the blond pulled back and twirled around to punch the back of his shield. The impact sent a shockwave that tore through the charging group of Hel-Walkers, knocking them off their feet and scattering them like pins in a bowling alley.
Issei took the opportunity to dart forward, his blue flames blazing around him as he tore through the fallen monsters, blasting them away with explosive force. At the same time, Sieghart swung his sword-whip, cleaving through the air and dispatching any remaining foes in his path.
[Partner, watch your mana.]
"Got it, Ddraig." Issei replied, turning his attention to the side just as the Hel-Walkers in that direction launched their ice spears at him.
"Worry not, my beautiful dragon friend!"
Before Issei could dodge, Sieghart descended before him from above and used his shield to block the spears, letting Issei use his back as a springboard to boost himself into the air, launching a quick Dragon Shot at the group of Hel-Walkers, blasting them off even as they created ice-walls before them to shield themselves from the attack.
"Let's end this here. Come on out, boys."
Issei said as he landed in front of Sieghart, who turned his gaze down and watched in awe as his shadow troopers, wolves and panthers started emerging from his shadow, leaving those who hadn't seen them gasping as they looked on in awe and bewilderment. Before long, his shadow soldiers, with the exceptions of Lycaon and those that Issei had left behind to protect his friends in Kuoh, took their positions behind him, their weapons ready as they gazed at the monsters before them.
"Don't make me look bad in front of these heroes. Go."
The Hel-Walkers were unprepared for the onslaught. Before they could even react, the shadow soldiers tore into them, their claws, fangs and weapons rending through frozen flesh like butter. Their enemies fought back just as fiercely, but any damage the Hel-Walkers managed to inflict on the shadows was swiftly healed, allowing them to continue their onslaught with brutal efficiency.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
'That's way more experience than I expected... is it because they are Red Gate's monsters?' Issei pondered as he stood back and watched the battle with Sieghart, paying close attention to his mana reserves to make sure that he wouldn't completely deplete himself by automatically healing his troops.
A sudden, deep screech tore through the air before another Hel-Walker emerged from the wood. This one was massive, towering over every other as its cold, glowing blue eyes seemed to burn with fury, contradicting its frozen flesh. In its hands were two massive battle axes, their jagged, icy edges gleaming menacingly as it entered the battle in thick, spiked armor. As it stepped onto the battlefield, the ground beneath its feet seemed to freeze, sending ripples of frost spreading outward with every movement as it hacked and slashed through the shadow troops.
"I don't suppose that's the boss of this Gate?" Issei asked Sieghart, even though he could answer that inquiry himself thanks to the System. Before him was only an elite monster that was a couple levels higher than the other Hel-Walkers.
"No. This one is only the strongest of these Hel-Walkers. They're quite common in Gates like this." Sieghart answered, ready his weapon. Before he could join the battle since the shadows were clearly no match for the new enemy, Issei held his hand out and stopped him.
"Gladio."
On his command, the shadow who had been standing idly at his side removed his sword from the ground and walked forward, his presence dwarfing that of the Elite Hel-Walker itself. The two stood facing each other for a split second, before the monster let out an animalistic screech before raising its battle axes high.
With a vicious roar, it swung the weapons down toward Gladio, aiming to cleave him in half.
But the shadow was much, much faster. His blade was nothing but a blur as he parried both axes with effortless precision. In the same fluid motion, he swung his giant weapon in a wide arc, decapitating the Hel-Walker before it could even react, generating a powerful gust of wind that blew up the snow around them. The monster let out a final, silent scream, its body trembling before it collapsed, headless, to the ground, with Gladio swiftly snatching its head from the air as he turned around and made his way back Issei to get down on one knee before him, blade at his side as he presented his master with the head of his enemy with a stoic, yet respectful posture.
'Wow… I thought when they died and became my shadows they would get weaker to start scaling up with me, but it seems it's not the case for Gladio...'
Issei thought in amazement as he looked at his, probably, strongest shadow. Since acquiring Gladio, Issei hadn't had a real battle where he actually needed to use his strength, so this was his first time witnessing the shadow in action. The level difference between Gladio and the other shadow troopers was immense, and it showed in the way he handled the Elite Hel-Walker like it was little more than a nuisance.
"Well..."
"That was beautiful!" Before Issei could probably praise Gladio, Sieghart exclaimed, his voice booming over the battlefield as the last of the Hel-Walkers was swiftly dispatched by Issei's shadows and the other heroes.
Soon enough, the Raid found themselves taking refuge inside a cave that had been marked on their map by the scouts. The jagged, dark entrance provided a safe shelter from the brutal snowstorm that had been wreaking havoc outside. Inside, the temperature was far more tolerable as the chill of the storm was replaced by the comforting warmth of several campfires that Issei helped set up with the mages. The howling wind became a distance noise as the soft crackles of fire and the low murmurs of conversations filled the space.
"How's the wounded, Sieghart-san?" Issei asked, glancing over his shoulder to look at Sieghart when he noticed the man approaching him he guarded at the entrance with his shadow troopers, having volunteered to take the first shift since everyone else who could effectively fight was exhausted after the battle against the Hel-Walkers.
"Our healers are tending to them. They'll be fine." Sieghart replied, his usual flamboyant tone softened as he came to stand beside Issei, who resumed his watch over the swirling storm outside the cave. "You fought well out there, kiddo. Why they left you a supporter is beyond me… but if you hadn't been with us, we'd have left that battlefield with far worse than a few scratches and bruises."
"Glad I could help, Sieghart-san." Issei answered with a smile, making Sieghart reach out and pat him on the shoulder "So... what now? We can't stay here forever, can we?"
"No. This cave should do it for us in this storm, but we can't stay here. This area is far too open." Sieghart shook his head and answered, making Issei nod his head in understanding "We need to find another location, somewhere we can take shelter for an extended time and keep everyone safe until we find the boss and beat it. Waiting for the Dungeon Break as our only way out isn't an option. This Gate's only been open for a day in our world, but since one hour outside is equal to a full day here, we could be looking at several weeks—or even months—if we don't kill the boss soon."
"So, we really are trapped here." Issei sighed, glancing back at the exhausted Raid members. Some were sleeping, others sat in their spots and stared grimly at their weapons, but most were huddling around the fire, finding comfort in the flame and one another.
"Cheer up, kiddo. I know that this is a lot for you to take in, but you have this beautiful man here to lead you. Everything will be fine." Sieghart grinned, resting his hand once again on Issei's shoulder, making the young man chuckle back in response. In his mind, he could tell that Ddraig just rolled his eyes. It was clear that Sieghart's flamboyant attitude had started to get on his nerves.
But he didn't mind it that much.
"By the way..." Issei began, remembering something that he had noticed in the battle earlier "Can I talk to you about something?"
"Is it how to look as spectacular as I am?"
"Uh... no." Issei chuckled forcefully, making Sieghart drop his shoulders as if he actually believed that Issei was about to discuss that topic with him. "It's about those Hel-Walkers back then..."
"What about them?"
"Uhm... do you know how my power works?" Issei asked, his hand reaching out to stroke the fur on the head of the wolf who had laid down at his feet. Sieghart could tell he wasn't referring to his Sacred Gear's main ability.
"Well, I read your files. You are pretty much a necromancer, right?" The blond asked, making Issei nod his head in response.
"Yeah, so basically, I can extract the shadows of slain foes and bring them back as my soldiers. The stronger they were in life, the harder it is for me to revive them," Issei said, finding the right words to explain it to Sieghart without revealing anything he shouldn't. "So basically, I couldn't revive those Hel-Walkers. Like... it's not because they were too strong. It's more like there wasn't anything there for me to bring back."
"Okay, I must admit... that sounds a bit creepy." Sieghart admitted honestly with a gesture of his finger. After a second, the look on his face became serious.
"So, you are saying that those Hel-Walkers..."
"This is just my guts feeling, but I think those enemies are just minions created or summoned by someone to attack us, or maybe to gauge our overall strength. Their attack patterns might make it look like they are mindless monsters, but they went for our weakest members, the supporters, right from the get go. They wanted to thin us out right from the start to overwhelm the fighters with their number.." Issei said, making Sieghart furrow his brows as he crossed his arms over his chest. "If you ask me, it's like someone was controlling them, constructing them from our images, just... dead."
Sieghart nodded his head. Indeed, the name 'Hel-Walkers' had been given to those monsters due to their resemblances to the undead monsters born from the wandering souls of those who were condemned to Helheim of the Norse Pantheon, not because they were actually those reanimated corpses. There were plenty of Gate monsters that looked like humans, but when Issei put it that way, Sieghart had to ask himself why he had ever considered them in that manner before.
It was a truly unsettling thought, one that Sieghart hoped would stay as it was... speculation.
To be continued...
Current Stat:
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil
Class: Level 38 Dragonsworn / Level 12 Shadow Monarch
HP: 8915 / 8915
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic: 2815 / 2815
Title: Shieldbreaker [Add 10% Armor Penetration]
Strength: 172
Vitality: 141
Intelligence: 136
Dexterity: 146
Perception: 126
Charisma: 116
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV1), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling, Transfer, Penetrate, Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV1), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV1).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV2 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV2 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV1), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV1, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1
Current Active Pact [2/4: Chaos Karma Dragon, Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1
Current Shadows: 100 / 100
Elite Rank Shadows: Lycaon (Knight), Gladio (Knight), Unnamed Coeurl (Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV4), Abyssal Cloak (LV25), Razan's Blade (LV10), Magitek General's Helmet (LV7), Palace Guard's Boots (LV15), Metal Gauntlets (LV10 – Only one currently in use -Stats Reduced), Kamish's Slumber (LV?), Blessed Random Box (x1)…
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 1,930,250 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Armaments (LV. 1 – Pact Affected)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear - Tank.
End of chapter 14