"Boring… boring… this one also looks boring. Next!"
Aphrodite remarked as she strutted through the marble showroom, each word soaked in disinterest as she walked past a series of priceless vases, each one more expensive than the last. The curator laughed nervously as he fumbled to follow her and tried to advertise his wares with the desperation of a mortal salesman hoping to impress a goddess notoriously known for being hard to please, and it was clear that nothing had impressed her so far.
"Hmm, this one looks…" She continued, coming to a stop at a crystalline vase etched with constellations that shifted and glistened as if they were real. The look on the face of the curator lighted up at that, but Aphrodite had already cut him off before he could say anything "… kinda lame. Next!"
With that, she continued to move through the showroom, her heels clicking against polished marble while Aglaea followed a step behind. They passed over a vase enchanted to sing arias of old cities, complete with a visual illusion of rising mist. Aphrodite barely even blinked at it. Another vase, this one covered in floral patterns of blooming roses, lavenders, tulips… earned nothing but a brush over the shoulder as she walked past it.
"Seriously, why is it so hard for a love goddess to buy a passable new flower vase to put in her bedroom? Is this really the best showroom we have here on Olympus?" Aphrodite complained as she threw her hands into the air, making her handmaiden giggle softly as she trailed behind her mistress. The poor curator, meanwhile, looked like he might pass out from stress. His smile was frozen, eyes darting to his assistants for help that would never come. He cleared his throat and gestured toward a hallway roped off with velvet cord.
"If the lady would allow." He said quickly. "We do have a few more exclusive pieces in our private quarter, crafted by the finest artisans of our generation and reserved only for the most exquisite client, one such as…"
"AAH!"
Before the man could finish his flattery, a pair of figures suddenly appeared next to Aphrodite, making a few of his assistants flinch and gasp in surprise at their sudden appearance. One of them accidentally knocked her left shoulder on a nearby display case, sending the vase worth over ten millions drachma tumbling from its pedestal. As the curator of the showroom and his assistants watched in horror, desperately scrambling to save it, the second individual shot his hand out and caught the vase with a spin just before it could hit the floor, almost falling over in the process.
"Ise!?" Aphrodite exclaimed in surprise as Issei steadied himself on one foot before picking himself back up to turn around to face her.
"Oh hey, hello there, Aphrodite-san." Issei grinned, holding the vase in his arm with all the casual indifference of someone who had no idea of its price. "Hope you don't mind us showing up here suddenly like that… uh, where is here, anyway?" He asked, looking around the showroom before settling his gaze on the group of formally dressed salesmen who were still frozen in shock.
"It doesn't matter. Since when you can just teleport like that? I didn't sense any…" Aphrodite started, then trailed off as her eyes shifted to the girl standing just behind Issei. "And who's this?" She asked, tilting her head as a hint of intrigue colored her voice.
Issei blinked before introducing. "Aphrodite-san, this is my friend, Ingvild. Ingvild, this is… uhm, also a good friend of mine, Aphrodite."
"Oh, hello there, dear." Aphrodite beamed, waving a hand at the girl, who was in awe at her beauty.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Aphrodite." Ingvild said, lowering her head a little to the goddess before she raised her head and asked "Are you really…"
"That Aphrodite? Goddess of Love, Beauty and all that related? Why yes, I am." Aphrodite replied with a playful smile, striking a quick pose as if a spotlight had just shone on her "I take that Issei has told you a whole lot about me?"
"Yes, he did, milady."
"Uhm, Aphrodite-san," Issei cut in, raising a hand to get her attention. "I have a small favor to ask of you? Do you…"
"Later, Ise." Before Issei could finish, Aphrodite held up a hand and cut him off "Because I'm not letting you two do anything before you go wash up. You, and this poor thing, look like you both need a hot bath, and a proper meal."
With that, she folded her arms under her chest before giving a small nod to Aglaea, who walked forward and took the vase from his hands with care, offering him a kind smile as she did. Issei opened his mouth to speak again, but Aphrodite waved a hand dismissively at both him and Ingvild, wrapping them in a soft pink aura. In the blink of an eye, the two vanished from the showroom.
Finally, Aphrodite turned her full attention back to the stunned curator and his assistant with one hand pointing at the vase Aglaea was handling back to one of them.
"I will take that vase." She said absentmindedly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear "Have it delivered to my estate on Olympus. And do try not to drop it."
"Y-yes, of course, my lady. Right away."
Aphrodite let out a small smile before she turned to leave with Aglaea. "Well, at least something about this shopping trip wasn't a complete disappointment."
After having a hot bath in the walk-in water wonderland that was the bathroom of the goddess of love, Issei found himself sitting in her Dining Room with Ingvild, enjoying a grand feast that she had had her personal chefs prepare for them. After surviving on convenience store food for five days straight, he hadn't realized just how hungry he was—until the first whiff of the dishes hit him.
Sitting next to him, Ingvild ate with far more reserve and proper table manners. Thanks to Aphrodite's lunchbox, his friend was nowhere as nearly as ravenous as he was, but it was clear she was still enjoying every bite of the feast in front of them.
"Alright, here we are."
As Issei finished another dish, the door on the other side of the room swung open, allowing the goddess of love to march in. Behind her followed a strikingly handsome man with long golden hair tied back in a manbun, his golden eyes gleaming with a radiance and confidence. He wore jeans, loafers, and a simple white T-shirt, a look that was effortlessly casual yet radiated a carefree, almost charismatic air.
"Issei, Ingvild, can I have a moment from you two?" Aphrodite asked, making Issei nod his head to Ingvild and wipe his mouth and hands with a napkin. After the two had risen from their seats and walked over to them, Aphrodite introduced, with a hand gesturing to the man standing next to her "This is Apollo, the god of the sun, light, healing, and many other things. In short, he is the best doctor you can find here on Olympus."
"It's an honor to meet you, sir." Issei smiled as he shook hands with Apollo, who was definitely not the one Issei had expected to see when he asked Aphrodite if she could bring a doctor to check on Ingvild. Not that he could complain, since Apollo was the literally patron god of healers. He highly doubted anyone in this world could do the job better than he was.
"The pleasure's mine, Issei. After all, the gods have been dying to meet the Sekiryuutei of this generation after hearing so much about you… but it's clear that Aphrodite has been hogging you for herself." Apollo said with an amused chuckle, making Aphrodite roll her eyes at him but wink at Issei. With a smile, Apollo then turned his attention to Ingvild and asked her with a smile "And you must be Ingvild. It's a beautiful name for a lovely young lady."
"Thank you, sir." Ingvild smiled politely, making Apollo return her smile.
"Alright, just hold on a second while I check you over, okay? Aphrodite has briefed me on your condition, but I want to make sure, is that okay?" Apollo asked, his voice calm and reassuring like that of a doctor. After Ingvild had nodded her head to him, Apollo held his hand out toward her forehead and a soft golden light began to envelop Ingvild, though it was not long before the smile on his face turned into a frown. "Hm, you do have the Sleep Disease. Strange… if I'm not mistaken then it is also fully developed, yet here you are, fully awake."
"More like… I woke up, sir." Issei answered, with Ingvild nodding her head in confirmation. Apollo did not look surprised despite how unbelievable that sounded, though Aphrodite, who Issei had explained the reason he wanted a doctor to check on Ingvild, had told him beforehand. "The doctors at my hospital told me I had been asleep for a hundred years. I woke up the same day I met Issei, which was five days ago."
"I know about the disease, but I have never treated a case before… Anyway, if you still want my professional opinion, I think something inside you might have triggered your awakening, something strong enough to overcome even an uncurable disease." Apollo said, nodding his head with a thoughtful look about him before looking at Ingvild with an apologetic smile "Oh, and I am sorry, my dear, but you are not cured. You still have the disease inside you."
"Does that mean she will eventually slip into another slumber if we don't do something about it?" Aphrodite asked, her voice losing its usual playfulness.
"She might be. The disease is known for causing patients to slip into longer and longer periods of sleep until they fully succumb to its effects and fall into a permanent coma. If it continues to get worse over time, I can only imagine how dangerous it could become if a slumber that has lasted for a hundred years is just a symptom. We cannot rule out that possibility either." Apollo shook his head. "But, if something inside her did manage to help her wake up, then it might be enough to keep the disease from taking over again forever."
"I'd rather have it permanently removed from her, sir." Issei said, making Apollo nod his head in response.
"And I don't blame you. No one wants to see their loved ones go to sleep forever." Apollo smiled, making Ingvild blush faintly "I don't think there's much we can do immediately, but I'll start looking into it. Now that the Devil Faction is our ally, curing a disease that's haunted their people for generations would do wonders for inter-faction goodwill, and my own reputation... should keep the big old eagle from breathing down my neck for a while as well."
"I'll contact Serafall and get you the documents you need." Aphrodite chimed in. "One of the top hospitals in the Underworld is named after her and run by her family. If anyone has the records and research you're looking for, they do.
"Well then, I'll await good news from you, Aphrodite," Apollo said with a playful bow before flashing Issei a smile while patting him on the shoulder "Feel free to contact me if you want some help in the medical department. I've heard rumors you are looking to start a career as a Hero. When you do become one, you'll need a patron god. Keep me in mind when that time comes, yeah?"
"Yes, sir." Issei nodded with a smile, exchanging another handshake with Apollo before the sun god turned to offer polite farewell to Aphrodite and Ingvild before taking his leave. Issei could have sworn the sunlight grew just a little brighter as he heard the unmistakable engine of a sports car – not driving down the road, but soaring overhead.
"Uhmm, so I guess that's it then." Ingvild said, stretching her arms out a little before letting out a small yawn. Seeing that, Aphrodite clapped her hand once and a maid entered the room, bowing her head respectfully to the goddess before she awaited her command.
"Take Ingvild to my room so she can rest," Aphrodite instructed. "Make sure she's comfortable."
The maid nodded and gestured for Ingvild to follow her. With a small smile and a wave to Issei and Aphrodite, she headed off, leaving the two alone together in the Dining Room.
"Can you help me return this to Lady Ariadne with my utmost gratitude?" Issei said, breaking the silence that had settled between them as he summoned the Yarn of Ariadne and handed it to Aphrodite, who gave it a quick glance before shaking her head.
"No, you keep it. If you ever run into another sentient, self-expanding underground maze, I'm sure it'll come in handy." Aphrodite said with a teasing smile, making Issei chuckle nervously in response.
"Besides," She added, folding her arms as her gaze softened, "I have a feeling Ariadne doesn't want it back either. Maybe it's a good thing I asked her to lend it to you. Maybe now she can finally start letting go of her past with Theseus."
Issei looked at the yarn in his hand for a moment before nodding. "I'll take good care of it."
"Maybe don't, but you know what I meant." Aphrodite said with a wink before she asked "So, want to start telling me how you managed to pick up Ingvild while you were… you know, down there?"
"I already told you, Aphrodite-s—"
"The first thing I'm going to ask in return for all the favors I've been doing for you," She interrupted, narrowing her eyes at him, "is to quit using formal or honorable suffixes when you address me, Ise."
He blinked in surprise. "You want me to just… call you Aphrodite?"
"Yes." She said, arms crossing with a playful smile.
"Uhm, alright then." He said, earning an approving smile from her "So, as I was saying… I had no idea how she ended up down there, Aphrodite. I just… found her and told her to come along as I left."
Aphrodite raised an eyebrow. "Is that it? No heroic rescue? No 'I shall protect you to my last dying breath' moment? You just found a girl in an underground maze and just asked her to tag along?"
Issei rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. I did rescue her, but that's pretty much it. I couldn't just leave her down there."
"You really are something else, you know that?" Aphrodite asked him with an amused smile "Anything else you want to tell me?"
"Just a couple other things." Issei answered, making Aphrodite raise an eyebrow at him as he beckoned her to follow him outside to the balcony of the Dining Room. He had, after all, left out a lot of details when he asked Aphrodite if he could bring a doctor to check on Ingvild mostly because he was worried she might accidentally let something slip, despite knowing he could trust her. It turned out to be the right decision anyway, since she had brought Apollo himself instead of just a regular doctor.
"Go on, Ise." Aphrodite said after closing the door behind her.
"Ingvild's last name is Leviathan."
"Leviathan? Like… Katerea Leviathan?" Aphrodite asked, her eyes widening slightly at the realization "Ingvild is…"
"A descendant of the original Leviathan? She is." Issei nodded his head "I will have to introduce her to my friends down in the Underworld soon anyway, but I don't think a lot of devils know about her. Did you tell Lord Apollo how we met?"
"Don't worry, I just told him she's a friend of yours. I'm a diplomat who know what information to give and what not. Give me some more credit, yeah?" Aphrodite replied with a teasing smile, nudging him gently on the arm with her elbow before she continued "You're gonna need me to write another cover-up story for how you and Ingvild met, aren't you?"
"Well, I did tell everyone I'd be hanging out with you here, so if I was the first one to meet Ingvild, you'd have been the second." Issei answered with a chuckle.
"Hoh, playing that game, aren't you?" Aphrodite giggled. "I guess that's another favor added to the list. Maybe I should start collecting soon before there's no space left."
"And I promise I'll pay back every single one." Issei replied firmly.
"You better be, dear, or there is gonna be a big problem." Aphrodite giggled, making Issei chuckle nervously in response. For some reason, he didn't quite like the way she stretched that sentence out. "Alright. Now, are you gonna tell me how you were able to teleport to me like that?"
As Issei had expected, the moment he returned to Gremory Residence in the Underworld later that morning and introduced Ingvild to everyone at her request to meet his friends and family, news of a secret living descendant of the original Leviathan soon reached the higher-ups of the Devil Faction. Sirzechs and Serafall were the first to arrive to meet her, with the latter looking visibly thrilled at the chance to spend time with a Leviathan that didn't hate her the way Katerea had, though an organization called the Great King Faction also sent their devils to confirm her identity.
As he had little interest in politics, Issei knew very little about the Great King Faction other than the fact that they had been sometimes at odd with the new Maou a few times in the past due to their ideologies, but he was aware that their leader was a devil named Zekram Bael, having learnt about him while studying for his Middle Class Promotion Test. A staunch traditionalist who took great importances in traditions of Devil Nobles and values such as blood purity, according to Azazel, Zekram was the very first Head of the House of Bael, as well as supporter and the de-factor leader of the Anti-Maou Faction during the Devil Civil War. Because of those reasons, some even considered him to have greater influence and political powers than the current Four Great Maou themselves.
"Although he was quite flexible with his ideology, Zekram also has great reverence and respect for the Four Original Maou and relatives due to being one of the first generation Devils. We met once after the Peace Treaty was signed. I don't think he cares that Vali's now a member of the Khaos Brigade. He'll probably feel the same way about Ingvild."
That was what Azazel had told him when they discussed if Zekram and his organization would trouble Ingvild for her blood, and that was all Issei needed to know. It might be stupid of him to think that he could stand up to an entire Faction, Issei had to admit, but at the same time, there was a reason Ingvild's parents had kept her hidden from other devils, including those from the Great King Faction.
As Ingvild was a descendant of the original Leviathan who had inherited her talents, and quite clearly had no allegiance to the one who died fighting with terrorists while being one herself, it was obvious what their intentions with her were. He could already imagine more than seven different ways they might try to use her for their own gain, but as long as they didn't try to manipulate Ingvild and put her through whatever political games they intended to play, they would have no trouble with him.
Issei knew he needed to get stronger... stronger than he was now, stronger than he would ever be so that he could protect Ingvild.
Clearing the entire Demon's Castle to obtain the final ingredient for the Elixir of Life so that he could cure her of the Sleep Disease was no longer a goal… it's only the first step.
And speaking of getting strong...
"Woah, hey. Easy there, Koneko-chan!"
Issei called out in concern as he rushed into the home gym, having spotted Koneko collapsing just as he crossed over the training space at the Gremory residence that evening. She'd been the only one missing during dinner, and if she'd been training that whole time, then she must have been at it since the afternoon, which definitely wasn't good at all.
"Here, let me help you up," He said, lowering himself down to gently grab her arm and guide the white haired girl to her feet. "I know you're strong, Koneko-chan, but pushing yourself this hard won't help if it ends up hurting you."
Koneko didn't protest, but she didn't look at him either. Her breathing was shallow, her gym uniform drenched in sweat, and her usually sharp eyes seemed unfocused.
"I have to get stronger." She mumbled. "You and everyone else are moving forward so fast, senpai. I can't let myself fall behind."
"I mean..." Issei said as he looked over to the punching bag beside them, which was torn down the middle, letting the stuffing inside spill out and scatter across the floor. On top of that, the bag had been reinforced with slabs of metal—every single one of them bent inward from the force of her strikes.
He had to admit, doing that with just raw punches was incredibly impressive. But even without using his Observe skill, Issei could see that Koneko hadn't actually gotten any stronger than when they started their training for the upcoming Rating Game tournament almost a week ago.
"You know, you can train with my shadows if you want, Koneko-chan. They make great sparring dummies. You can hit them all day and they still won't say a word… well, not that they can anyway." He turned back to her with a dry smile, trying to balance his concern with a bit of humor, but Koneko didn't even crack a smile, and she definitely wasn't acting all emotionless like she usually did. Her shoulders were still tense, and her hands clenched tight at her sides.
Something was clearly eating at her, and it wasn't that hard for Issei to figure out what.
"Look, I get it," Issei said as he stepped away from her, walking over to the torn punching bag and unhooking it before it could make more of a mess on the floor. "Being surrounded by strong people can make you feel like you're the one falling behind, like you have to push yourself as hard as you can just to keep up. But this? This isn't the way, Koneko-chan. You're not weak. You're just holding yourself back."
"I won't use that power." Koneko murmured. Her head hung low, and there was a sadness in her eyes as if she carried a weight too heavy to bear.
"The choice of whether or not you'd use that power is yours, Koneko-chan, but you know what they say – emotional burdens are usually much heavier than physical ones." Issei smiled. "You don't have to carry it all alone. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is let someone help you."
"But… I'm scared." she admitted in a low tone as she flickered his eyes over to him "What if I… become like her?"
"I'm confident that you won't, Koneko-chan." Issei grinned, smiling a little as he continued "Believe it or not, I know how you feel. You know… it wasn't fear that was holding me back, not exactly, but for a while, I was weighed down by guilt—the guilt of not being able to save the man I saw as the older brother I never had. It ate away at me, made me doubt if I'd ever be strong enough to protect the people I care about… to protect all of you."
Issei said, making Koneko turn her gaze fully back to him, knowing exactly what, and who, he was referring to. She hadn't been there when he got out of the Snow Forest Red Gate, but she'd heard the story of the fallen hero Sieghart and knew how deep the bond between them had run.
"But… I was able to let that guilt go. It's… freeing, in a way. Like a weight I didn't even realize I was carrying was lifted from my shoulders." Issei smiled, lowering himself slightly to meet her eyes. "Because of that, I was able to reach a new power… the same one you saw me use when I fought Vali Lucifer."
He paused for a moment, letting the silence settle between them before continuing.
"I'm not saying you have to use your power, Koneko-chan. But maybe… maybe just try letting go of your fear of it. I'm sure that alone would do wonders for your growth."
Koneko looked down again, silent. But this time, it wasn't the silence of fear or doubt, but one of thought. Her fists had unclenched, and her eyes seemed to relax a little, making Issei smile and rise up, his hand reaching out and patting the girl gently on her head.
"And besides, if anything does go wrong. I'll be right there. I'm pretty strong, you know." Issei said, grinning smugly.
That earned him a small, barely noticeable twitch at the corner of her lips. It wasn't a full smile, but close.
"You know… I like you more when you're still a shameless perv, senpai. It's much easier to make fun of you…" Koneko spoke nonchalantly, making Issei chuckle as he took his hand back.
"Hey, I was not that bad, was I?" Issei asked before summoning three Shadow Berserkers beside them "Here. I'll leave these guys here for you to train with. They're stronger than the troopers that trained with you during the match against the Phenex, but they're still manageable. Just try not to push yourself too hard again, okay?"
"I won't, senpai." Koneko said, nodding her head before continuing, speaking slowly "And thank you… for everything."
"Glad that I could help." Issei replied with a small grin, giving her a reassuring nod before turning to take his leave from the gym.
As he stepped outside, Rias and Akeno were there waiting for him. Each girl had a small, but warm smile on their faces as they gazed at him. Before either of them could say anything, Issei put a finger to his lips and gestured silently back into the gym.
As they peeked their heads in, they could see Koneko training with the three Shadow Berserkers, who were all fighting with their fists instead of their weapons. Koneko weaved between the Shadow Berserkers, her fists slamming into their chests and abdomens in rapid bursts. All three held their ground before rushing back, making Koneko dodge their attack before countering with a series of counters.
As the shadows staggered back and regrouped, Koneko took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Then, after a second, a pair of white, feline ears appeared atop her head, before a matching tail extended out from behind her. As the Berserker in the middle rushed forward—only for the small cat girl to charge straight in and drive a palm strike into its chest. Instead of being knocked back like before, the shadow was blown apart on impact.
"Whoa," Issei whistled, watching as the other two met the same fate moments later before all three slowly regenerated.
"Thank you, Ise." Hearing Rias whisper into his ear, Issei shifted his gaze to the side to see Rias smiling at him, her head leaning slightly onto his shoulder before Issei closed the door and let Koneko continue her training in private.
"O-Oh wow, there are so many devils here…"
Usually, the one who made that kind of comment was Gasper.
But this time, it was Ingvild, who was currently walking next to him. Dressed in an elegant evening gown with the same soft hue as her flowing lavender hair, she looked every bit the noble young lady that she was, though the awe in her expression made her seem more like a nervous girl at her first big event.
Likewise, Issei was dressed to match the occasion, wearing the custom-tailored suit gifted to him by Aglaea, the divine seamstress in service to Aphrodite. Together with the rest of the Gremory Peerage, the two stepped into the grand ballroom of Lucifaad Castle to attend the party reserved for the young devils that would attend in the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament.
The place was already packed with guests, from the members of the seven aforementioned Peerages to the high-ranking nobles and prestigious guests. Among them, more than a few turned their attention to Ingvild the moment she stepped through the grand double doors, her arrival commanding a ripple of murmurs of acknowledgements among the crowd.
"Miss Ingvild, it's an honor to finally meet you." A well-dressed devil approached her with a respectful bow, and soon enough, more and more devils closed in, eager to meet and leave an impression on the last descendant of the original Leviathan. Rias also drew plenty of attention, though she seemed used to it, effortlessly slipping into her role as a noble heiress as she greeted them and introduced each one to a nervous Ingvild.
Soon enough, Issei found himself standing in the back with a glass of soda in his hand, watching Ingvild as she nervously greeted the devils that had come to greet her. He caught her glance once or twice, offering a reassuring nod to remind her she wasn't alone.
"Oi, Hyoudou." Hearing his last name being called, Issei turned his head to the side and saw a formally dressed Genshiro Saji walking toward him, throwing a thumb over his shoulder when their gaze met. "There's a dragon looking for you outside."
"He's purple?" Issei asked, with Saji nodding his head in confirmation "Ah, that must be Tannin then."
"He's Tannin? The former dragon king Tannin?" Saji asked in surprise. "What business does he want with you?"
"Beat me, but I did promise to become his student a week ago." Issei answered with a shrug as he walked across the ballroom toward the balcony where a few devils were gathering to look outside. "Azazel-sensei arranged for me to train under him to prepare for the match against you guys, but I was busy so I couldn't train with him till now."
"Wait, does that mean you haven't been training at all?" Saji asked, smoke coming from his ears in annoyance "Hey hey, it's clear that you're hella strong, but are you taking the fight against us seriously? I'll let you know that I've gotten quite strong myself from my training."
"Good for you, Saji. Just know that I have been spending some quality time with the Greek goddess of love herself while you've been busting your ass hoping to maybe last more than a few seconds against me next week." Issei said smugly as he finished his drink and gave the empty glass to a passing waitress to head outside, leaving Saji behind, jaw slack and eyes twitching with red-hot envy.
As he pushed past the crowd of devils gathered near the door to the spacious balcony, Issei stepped outside and was immediately greeted by the sight of the towering, imposing form of Tannin. The former Dragon King known across the Underworld as the Blaze Meteor Dragon stood tall under the night sky, his massive wings folded behind him and violet scales shimmering faintly in the light of the Lucifaad castle.
"Took you long enough, Hyoudou Issei." Tannin said as he shifted his gaze to Issei, who raised a hand to greet him. The Blaze Meteor Dragon then paused a second, his eyes casting over Issei as it sizing him over before commenting with a hint of impress in his tone "It seems you have become even stronger than when we first met last week. I take it you didn't spend the entire week just lounging around with the Greek goddess of love, then?"
"I told you and everyone I would not slack off." Issei smiled. "It's good to see you again, Tannin."
"The feeling is mutual." Tannin nodded. "My offer to you still stands, by the way."
[Hoh, Tannin. Did you really come all the way here just to remind my partner of his promise?] Ddraig spoke up in amusement as Boosted Gear appeared on Issei's arm in a flash of red light. Tannin narrowed his eyes slightly at the sudden appearance of the red gauntlet, while Issei just grinned. Ever since he and Ddraig achieved Soul Link, the dragon could make the Boosted Gear on his own. Issei didn't mind, but he couldn't help but wonder whether it was a result of the Soul Link or the Level 3 Pact Bond they now shared.
"Tch." Tannin scoffed, folding his arms. "Your host has amazing potential, Ddraig. It'd be a damn waste to let anyone but a fellow dragon be his teacher."
[That, I agree. No one is more suited to teach him the way of a dragon than you.] Ddraig chuckled.
"We can start tomorrow, if you want, Tannin," Issei called out, prompting a smirk from the towering dragon.
"Good." Tannin rumbled in approval. "I'll come pick you up then. There's a vast canyon in my territory here in the Underworld—plenty of space for the two of us to go all out without worrying about collateral damage. You might be strong, but I'm sure I can teach you a thing or two on how to be a dragon."
"Great. See you then." With a parting grin, Issei turned and made his way back into the ballroom, the heavy doors closing behind him with a muted thud. The contrast between the cool night air outside and the lively atmosphere within the ballroom hit him instantly, with music playing in the background, blending with the low murmur of conversations and laughter.
A passing waitress passed by and offered him another drink, which he took with a grateful nod. Issei then spent the next twenty or so minutes casually mingling with the crowd, chatting with familiar faces like Sairaorg and his Peerage, who would be having their first match against Zephyrdor and his group a day after their match against the Sitri. It was safe to say that the Glaysa-Labolas heir was eager for a chance to payback what he considered to be his humiliation by Sairaorg the other night, but the current Strongest Youth Devil seemed completely unbothered.
After a bit more small talk and banter, Issei excused himself and made his way toward the table filled with finely arranged hors d'oeuvres and numerous other Underworld delicacies, feeling a little hungry. Grabbing a small plate, he picked at a few dishes and ate while his eyes wandered across the ballroom. Dancers spun to the rhythm of the music, nobles gathered in tight-knit circles, and bursts of laughter occasionally rose above the clinking of glasses and chatter.
"You know," came a familiar, teasing voice from beside him, "with how many girls I've heard talking about asking you for a dance, I'm surprised you're still over here eating."
Quickly swallowing the food in his mouth, Issei turned his attention to the side and found himself looking at Aphrodite, who was dressed in a flowing gown that shimmered under the chandelier light, looking every bit the goddess of love and beauty that she was. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she beamed at him, making Issei return it with a smile of his own.
Aphrodite was radiant, so radiant that Issei almost didn't see the devil currently standing beside her. He had the appearance of a middle-aged man with black hair and peaceful violet eyes, dressed in an elegant attire fitting for a nobleman. The strong aura of dignity around him gave Issei the impression of a scholar or a wise teacher.
Seeing that Issei was already looking at him, Aphrodite introduced. "Ise, this is Zekram Bael. He's been looking forward to meeting you."
"Oh, how do you do, sir?" Issei acknowledged, lowering his head a little to the man as he extended his hand forward. Zekram took it with a friendly smile, shaking firmly and nodding in return.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hyoudou Issei. I've heard much about your recent accomplishments." Zekram nodded, his voice calm. "I also would like to thank you for finding Miss Ingvild and bringing her to us. After what happened to Katerea and the choices she and the other descendants of the original Maou have made, her presence among us and safety became the priorities for many,"
"I didn't do much, sir. Ingvild chose to come of her own free will." Issei shook his head and said firmly. "She's strong… and more than capable of making her own decisions. I just made sure nothing stands in her way."
"And you have my respect for that." Zekram nodded before he continued "Katerea is unfortunately no longer with us, something you know better than anyone…"
Issei became a bit tense at that. He had wondered if Zekram and the Great King Faction would hold any grudge against him for killing Katerea and bringing her back as a shadow, having been told how much respect they had for the original Maou and their living descendants.
Still, he chose to say nothing and let the man continue.
"But I have a feeling that Miss Ingvild will soon become a target for other descendants of the original Maou. They'll want her to join their cause, and if she refuses, they'll likely try to take her life for making that kind of choice." Zekram said before he looked at Issei and asked. "For that reason, may I ask you to continue watching over her? I could send my own men to protect her, but I believe she'd feel more comfortable with someone she knows. Besides, if anything happens, you'd be able to respond more effectively than anyone I could send myself."
Issei nodded his head firmly "I intend to do exactly that. No matter the threats, you can count on me to keep Ingvild safe."
The corner of his lips curled up, as if Zekram could tell the hidden meaning behind the words Issei had just spoken as he met his gaze confidently.
"Good." Zekram smiled. "It puts my mind at ease knowing that Ingvild Leviathan is in capable hands. I'll also be watching over you, Issei. I look forward to seeing how far you'll go."
He gave a small nod, then turned slightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me... there are a few other faces I must greet tonight."
With that, Zekram offered a final courteous glance before stepping away, disappearing into the crowd with the quiet grace of someone long accustomed to commanding respect without raising his voice. It was only after the older devil vanished from sight that Issei allowed himself to relax. A soft nudge to his arm pulled his attention over to Aphrodite, who stood beside him with a knowing smile.
"Hey, you did good there." She said gently, her tone warm and encouraging.
Issei chuckled under his breath. "You know… I was half-expecting him to be angry for what I did to Katerea."
"Well, if it helps… I don't think he was." She replied, tilting her head to look at him with a warm smile. "Plus, I think you've left quite an impression on him. I've known Zekram since long before the bridge between Olympus and the Devils was ever built, and he's never been the type to waste time on someone he doesn't see potential in."
"Guess I'll take that as a win, then." Issei said with a small smile, his shoulders loosening as the tension he'd felt earlier finally faded. It was after that the music shifted to a slower melody, and couples began to drift toward the center of the ballroom, filling the dance floor with graceful movements.
Aphrodite followed his gaze, then looked back at him with a knowing smile. "Well, don't you look at that. Looks like it's that time of night."
"Uh, well, I…" Issei chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck somewhat nervously. He didn't need to be told outright to know exactly what she was getting at.
Aphrodite stepped a little closer, her expression softening into something more playful. "Since you've never really done something like this before, just this once—I'll take the lead. So, how about it? Will you treat me to a dance?"
She extended her hand toward him, her smile inviting.
Issei smiled awkwardly, but he didn't hesitate. Slowly, he reached his hand out and...
[!] Alert – An Emergency Quest has arrived!
Rescue Koneko Toujou from her sister.
Issei's eyes widened as he stared at the notification that had suddenly appeared in front of him, his hand still hovering just inches from Aphrodite's. A split second later, his gaze shifted sharply to the side—toward the forest beyond the ballroom's windows.
"Ise?" Aphrodite asked, her voice tinged with concern as she caught the sudden change in his expression.
[Skill Activated] – Shadow Exchange.
Without wasting any time, Issei instantly activated his newest skill. Aphrodite and several other guests who were standing near them could only widen their eyes in shock and bewilderment as shadows wrapped itself around Issei before he disappeared, leaving in his place a shadow trooper who he had switched his place with. The figure glanced around at the stunned guests and gave a sheepish wave.
"So that's how he does it…" Aphrodite murmured, folding her arms with a thoughtful nod. But even as she spoke, her smile faded slightly, her eyes looking in the direction he had looked toward earlier, realizing that something must have happened there to draw his attention.
"It's been a while, hasn't it, Shirone-chan?"
Koneko widened her eyes at the woman currently reclining lazily like a spoiled cat on the tree branch above her. She had black hair, yellow eyes with slit pupils like those of a cat, and additionally, a pair of cat ears on the top of her head with matching. Her clothing was a simple kimono with yellow obi that hung loosely off her frame, leaving her shoulder bare and exposing a luscious amount of her impressive large breasts. Her look was finished with a set of golden beads that hung from her waist, an ornate headband that sat upon her head, and a pair of black cat tails that matched her feline tails coming from under behind her kimono.
"You…"
"Hello, Shirone. It's me, your sister." The woman greeted with a casual smirk as she waved a hand at Koneko before jumping off the tree branch to land in front of the black cat she had sent to lure her sister to her. "You were able to follow my familiar, nya. I'm so impressed."
"Kuroka-nee-sama… What is this about?" Koneko asked while narrowing her eyes at her sister.
"Ehh, don't make such a scary face, nya. I heard that the devils are all holding some big party, so I came to have a look. Let's just say that curiosity got the better of this cat nya." Kuroka giggled while waving her hands in front of her like a cat.
"We both know that's not the reason you came here for, nee-sama." Koneko asked cautiously, her eyes casting to the side when she heard a ruffle and saw Bikou making his presence known, his staff resting on his shoulder as he walked toward them.
"Oi, Kuroka, isn't this girl a member of the Gremory Peerage?" He asked, looking around. "Then that means the Sekiryuutei is around as well."
"What? You want to fight that guy or something?" Kuroka asked with a disinterested look before shifting her gaze over to Koneko, her playful expression returning as she spoke "Anyway, I couldn't help but notice that you seem to have let yourself loose, Shirone-chan. Big sis is so proud of you for finally embracing your true self."
Koneko tensed, eyes narrowing as she took a step back nervously as Kuroka drew closer to her.
"That's why I sent Kuro to get you. I've made a promise to myself that I'd personally teach you how to use our powers when you finally embrace it. That's the true reason I'm here tonight." Kuroka said playfully as she skipped happily over to her sister, one hand reaching toward her "So come, big sis has so much..."
Before her hand could find its mark, another suddenly shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her firmly. While Bikou became fully alerted, Kuroka widened her eyes in surprise as she looked up and found herself gazing into the glowing red eyes of Issei Hyoudou as he stood over her and held her wrist firmly, having literally appeared from nowhere to her and the fellow Youkai.
"Issei-senpai!" Koneko called out in relief, though confusion flickered across her face as she, like her sister and Bikou, was still trying to process how he had appeared like that.
"That's close enough." Issei said coolly, his eyes glowing brighter with a warning intensity as he tightened his grip around the wrist he was holding. He didn't need to ask who Kuroka was, the distinctive cat ears atop her head made it clear.
"Hey hey, that hurts, nya!" Kuroka whined as she struggled to free herself, but Issei's hand didn't even bulge no matter how hard she struggled. With a snarl like that of an annoyed cat, she swung the claws of her other hand at him, and Issei just released her wrist to lean himself back, allowing Kuroka to jump back to land next to Bikou, who smirked, but sweated a little at the overwhelming aura Issei was unleashing.
"Fuck, so this is what Vali had to deal with…" He said, his voice was barely above a whisper as he subconsciously took a fighting stance with his staff.
"Hey, monkey, how's Vali?" Issei asked while standing in front of Koneko, making his intention known to her sister, who had also realized what she and Bikou were facing.
"Ah, well… he has been training nonstop to beat you. He's gotten a bit stronger." Bikou answered with a chuckle, though it was merely to maintain a confident front. "My friend here just wanted to check out you devils and your fancy party. She was gone for a while, so I came to bring her back. We can forget this and move on with our life. Is that okay with you?"
"Hey hey, what are you saying, Bikou? I'm not leaving here without Shirone-chan!" Kuroka protested in annoyance.
"You two will not lay a finger on Koneko-chan. Try and see what will happen." Issei interrupted before Bikou could open his mouth to speak to Kuroka, who narrowed her eyes as she turned back to him.
Before she could do anything, however, a sudden, powerful gust of wind swept through the forest clearing, rustling the trees and sending leaves scattering. The ground shook slightly beneath their feet, and a deep, commanding voice rumbled from above.
"I thought I felt a strange aura… I guess we do have some unwelcome guests at this party."
With that said, Tannin touched down behind Issei and Koneko with a thunderous impact, causing the ground to groan in protest of his landing. His massive wings folded behind him, and red eyes blazed beneath the moonlight as he stood up straight and gazed at the two intruders.
Kuroka blinked, her playful smirk faltering for just a moment. "Nya, I knew the Devils had security, but I didn't expect a former Dragon King to show up."
Bikou clicked his tongue in annoyance, his staff shifting in his grip. "Tch… now we have two of them. Talk about overkill."
"Hmm, so a Nekoshou and the descendant of Sun Wukong himself. I heard the Hakuryuukou has formed a team of extraordinary individuals, guess you two were among them." Tannin acknowledged them before shifting his gaze over to Issei "Need me to help you bring them in, Issei?"
"No. You just stay back and watch over Koneko-chan for me, Tannin." Issei shook his head and said calmly. "There's no need for someone like you to trouble yourself with these flies."
"What did you just call me, nya?!" An angered Kuroka asked with a tick mark appearing on her forehead.
"Seriously. Vali said you were strong, but don't get ahead of yourself? I'm pretty strong too, you—"
Bikou never got the chance to finish his statement.
In an instant, Issei moved. He wasn't an assassin type, but still there was no sound to his movement, no warning. One moment he was standing in front of Koneko and the next he was already upon Bikou, his form a blur even to the sharpest of eyes. His hand seized the Youkai mid-sentence by his face, and without a word, he drove him straight into the ground, head first.
The forest floor erupted in a violent explosion of dirt and stone, a crater forming instantly beneath the sheer force of the blow. Shockwaves rippled outward, trees creaking and leaves tearing loose from their branches. Even Tannin had to shield his eyes away from the flying debris as he took off into the air with Koneko in his arm, having known something like this would happen the moment he saw Issei appearing in front of Bikou.
Kuroka, meanwhile, had her eyes widened in shock while nervous sweats trickled down her face as she leapt back, narrowly avoiding the full brunt of the shockwave. Her instincts screamed at her to retreat, but her body froze when she saw the look on his face. Issei stood unmoving in the heart of the crater, his hand still planted firmly on Bikou, pressing him further into the dirt. Time seemed to slow down as he turned his head around to look at her from her his shoulder, just enough to cast one glowing red eye back toward her.
The moment their eyes met, a cold chill ran down her spine. Kuroka felt her breath caught in her throat, and every instinct screamed at her to retreat, but before she could do anything, Issei had appeared behind her in a blur and launched his fist into the side of her face.
The blow took her head clean off, but Issei knew instantly he wasn't hitting the right target. He spun around in an instant, finding a dozen clones of Kuroka rushing at him from all sides, each one casting spells of various effects. The ground around him erupted as pillars of stone burst upward, all of which descended toward him before thick tangles of enchanted vines came slithering from the earth.
At once, they surrounded him, but before they could find their targets, thin slashes carved through the air, severing stone and vine alike with ease. The pillars shattered mid-descent, crumbling into harmless fragments, while the enchanted vines were sliced apart before they could even reach Issei, who dashed out of the crumbling spells to head straight at the real Kuroka while ignoring all of her clones and the bursts of energy they flung at him with the Kamish's Awaken Daggers.
"Hey hey, don't look down on us, will you!"
Before Issei could strike her, Bikou, with blood dripping from the back of his head, appeared behind him with his staff raised high while riding on a cloud. In a flash, Issei spun around and grabbed his staff midair, stopping Bikou before immediately slashing him across the chest with his blade. The monkey Youkai reacted just fast enough to avoid a lethal cut, but still his eyes widened his eyes in shock as blood gushed out from the wound across his chest before Issei headbutted him in the nose, knocking him off his kintoun and sending him plummeting through the trees beneath. Branches snapped and leaves were snapped and broken as Bikou fell through them before finally slamming into the ground with a dull thud, and a bloody nose.
Before he landed, Issei spun back to Kuroka and flung one of his daggers straight at the real her. She quickly raised a barrier to block it before casting another spell, causing the ground to erupt around Issei while her clones fired empowered orbs of energy at him from every direction.
Recalling the dagger with a swift Ruler's Hand, Issei flipped around and flared out his wings to maneuver through the air, avoiding everything coming his way before launching himself forward. In a blink of an eye, Issei cut down all the clones and illusions in his path as he headed straight toward Kuroka. As a last-ditch effort to defend herself and fend him off, Kuroka summoned twin magic circles in her hands that unleashed a wave of thick purple mist at Issei.
[Passive] Dragon's Physiology: Grant immunity to all diseases, poisons, and status ailments. Greatly improves health regeneration when the Player is asleep. This passive won't be lost when Pact Switching.
But whatever effect the spell was meant to have, Issei didn't so much as flinch thanks to his dragon passive. And as the mist surrounded him, he pushed straight through it, unfazed, and used a quick Phoenix Shift to appear before her in an instant—his blade already swinging for her neck.
For a brief moment, the black cat woman thought she had been decapitated, but as the moment stretched on, she finally realized she could still breathe. Her golden eyes slowly focused, casting its way down to see the gleam of Issei's red dagger hovering mere millimeters from her throat while he just stood over her, calm and composed, his glowing red eyes locking onto hers without a hint of mercy behind them. His other dagger was at his side, ready to strike if she so much as twitched the wrong way.
"I could just kill you." Issei said as he held his dagger a little closer to her neck "But I doubt your sister will want to see your head rolling on the ground right now. So consider this your chance to walk away, because the next time you show up near her, I will not show you the same mercy."
Kuroka swallowed hard, but she didn't dare to do anything else as her eyes were filled with fear. After a tense moment, she slowly nodded her head in reluctant agreement.
With that, Issei finally lowered his blade, allowing Kuroka to exhale in relief as she stumbled back from him. "Good. Grab Bikou and get out of here. Don't come back."
Quietly, Kuroka rushed away, running as fast as she could over to Bikou, who was also starting to pick himself up while clutching his bleeding nose. As she left, Kuroka didn't notice Issei glancing at her from over his shoulder, mouthing a simple command before a pair of shadows, both of whom were magicians adept in the art of concealing their own presences, slithered out from his own to merge seamlessly with Kuroka's while she fled with Bikou. It didn't take long for a flash of purple light to signal the departure of both Kuroka and Bikou as they vanished from the scene.
This should give him and the Alliance an advantage against Khaos Brigade, or Vali and his team, at the very least.
[!] Emergency Quest Completed!
Reward: 10 Bonus Stats.
"Issei-senpai!"
At the sound of her voice, Issei turned just in time to catch Koneko as she threw herself into his arms, wrapping tightly around his waist. Months ago, the strength behind that hug might've snapped his spine in two—but now, he simply smiled in response.
As she held onto him, he looked up to see Tannin approaching them, his heavy footsteps shaking the forest floor with each stride. In the distance, the devils attending the party were already rushing toward them, their voices faint against the sounds of their footsteps beating against the dust.
Aphrodite or Tannin must have informed them of his disappearance. Obviously the destruction he had caused had drawn more than enough attention.
"You'll be fine now, Koneko-chan." Issei said, smiling softly as he repeated the same words Sieghart had once told him. As Koneko pulled herself back to look up at him, Issei reached his hand out and placed it on the top of her head, gently ruffling her hair with a warm smile. "Come on, let's head back."
"Yes, Issei-senpai." Koneko nodded before taking his hand and walking with him as they turned to meet the approaching devils, led by none other than Rias and the rest of the Peerage.
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: 256 (26)
Vitality: 215 (22)
Intelligence: 233 (23)
Dexterity: 220 (22)
Perception: 200 (20)
Charisma: 190 (19)
Unassigned Stat Points: 10
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV2), Shadow Exchange (LV1).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1.
Current Active Pact [3/5] : Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3
Current Shadows: 281 / 490 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troop 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13.)
Elite Rank 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 Ice Bear -Tank.
End of Chapter 30