Abruptly, a new presence permeated the dimension, stirring an intense, unexplained rage within Issei. The ongoing battle ceased as all attention shifted towards this mysterious arrival.
Issei's gaze shifted to Siegfried and Pluto, anticipating relief from the newcomer. However, Siegfried's expression betrayed doubt, and Pluto's masked face concealed any readable emotions.
Within Issei's mind, thoughts swirled, questioning the unfamiliar presence. "Unaware of the newcomer? Does this imply a potential intruder?" he contemplated, seeking answers amidst the unfolding uncertainty.
A rift tore open in the sky, capturing the collective gaze of everyone present. From this rift emerged a man with long brown hair.
Shalba, with a menacing glare, addressed both Vali and Issei, declaring, "It's been a while, Red Dragon Emperor and Vali."
Narrowing his eyes, Azazel identified the intruder, stating, "Shalba Beelzebub. The leader of the Old Satan faction." His words hung in the air, adding a layer of tension to the already-charged atmosphere.
--
Name: Shalba Beelzebub
Race: Devil
Affiliation: Khaos Brigade (Old Satan Faction)
Rank: Leader (Old Satan Faction)
Relationship: None
Type: Caster (Sorcerer)
Stats:-
Vitality: 70
Strength: 60
Agility: 80
Intelligence: 90
Senses: 70
Dexterity: 80
Luck: 50
Overall Power Level: 71
Abilities: Magic (Defensive, Teleportation, Summoning), King of Flies
Gear: None
--
Issei gazed mockingly at Vali. "So that effeminate Devil survived my Juggernaut Drive?" he taunted, eliciting a chuckle from Vali.
Siegfried, with a hint of curiosity, inquired, "Shalba. I did receive a report, but I never thought you were acting by yourself."
Shalba descended between the two opposing groups. "Hey Siegfried, I certainly did get lots of assistance from you people. You have my gratitude. Thanks to that, my wounds have healed. Though I did lose Ophis's snake, and my powers are lower than before," he replied.
Siegfried, suspicion evident in his tone, asked, "And the reason for you to come here is?"
"Nothing much. I thought I would declare war on you," Shalba declared with confidence, a sinister smile playing on his lips.
As he revealed what he hid under his coat, a boy emerged. The shadows in his eyes hinted at his being controlled by Shalba.
Siegfried, horrified, shouted, "Leonardo!" catching the attention of Georg, concealed in the mist.
--
Name: Leonardo
Race: Human
Affiliation: Khaos Brigade (Hero Faction)
Rank: Unknown
Relationship: None
Type: Pet (Summoner)
Stats:
Vitality: 30
Strength: 10
Agility: 20
Intelligence: 40
Senses: 30
Dexterity: 40
Luck: 20
Overall Power Level: 27
Abilities: None
Gear: Annihilation Maker
--
Rias, puzzled, questioned, "Who is that?" referring to the mysterious boy, Leonardo, under Shalba's control.
Issei, nonchalant, answered, "The user of Annihilation Maker, he is also a part of the Hero Faction."
Vali, confused, asked, "You know him, but you don't know Siegfried?"
"I only acknowledge him because of his Longinus. I don't waste time on the weaklings," Issei dismissed with a huff, casually shrugging his shoulders.
Georg, outraged, demanded, "Shalba, why did you bring that boy here? No. Why is he with you!? Leonardo was supposed to be on a different mission! Did you bring him here!?"
"I thought I would have him assist me for a bit. –Just like this!" Shalba replied with a wicked grin.
Shalba activated an ominous small magic circle within his hand and brought it closer to the boy called Leonardo. Devil letters within the magic circle moved swiftly, causing the boy to scream in pain. Simultaneously, his shadow expanded, covering the entire field. Shalba flew up, laughing loudly.
"Annihilation Maker is a very splendid and idealistic ability! People say that he specialises in creating anti-monsters! I kidnapped him, who was on a mission with another group from the Hero Faction! Now then! I will have him create it! A monster that can eliminate the current devils of the World!" Shalba declared amidst laughter.
Something colossal from the boy's shadow emerged—a head of immense proportions creating waves in the shadow. A monstrous creature, about 200 meters tall, roared deafeningly, dwarfing even Great Red. An enormous magic circle appeared below the monster's feet—a transportation magic circle. Shalba shouted triumphantly amid his laughter.
Shalba declared with sinister delight, "I'm planning to transport these monsters to the Underworld to have them wreak havoc! It's a humongous anti-monster! It will certainly eliminate lots of Devils in the Underworld!"
Issei, frustrated, muttered to himself, "Every moment seems to add another layer of complexity to this day."
The magic circle glowed, enveloping the monsters in the light of transportation. The field started making a strange noise, and upon closer inspection, Issei noticed a scar in the white sky. The buildings, including the hotel, began to collapse as the dimension became unstable due to the forceful birth of monsters and their transportation.
Georg shouted to Siegfried, "The device won't last long! Damn, Shalba! Did he use the ability that surpasses the capacity of the possessor by force!?"
Siegfried acknowledged the urgency. "We can't help it. Looks like it's time for us to leave. Let's retreat at once after retrieving Leonardo. Pluto, how about-" he was interrupted as he saw Pluto and the other Grim Reapers had already left.
"I see. So the one who was helping Shalba from the shadows was-. It's something that skull-god would think of. So he won't choose any sort of method to annoy us. Did he also tell the method to forcefully use the Balance-Breaker of Annihilation Maker? We don't know what kind of price or side effect it could have to do a temporary Balance-Breaker like that. We were trying to increase the power of Leonardo slowly. Now this boy is..." Siegfried said solemnly before he and Georg grabbed hold of Leonardo and disappeared into the mist.
Disdainful, Issei scoffed, "They scurry away like the pests they are, much like the other Hero Faction fools. Mere frauds."
Issei taunted Shalba with a sly grin, "Back for another round, are we? Ready to meet your death once more?"
Shalba, addressing Issei, remarked, "I am surprised you survived the Devil attack I orchestrated over a month ago, Red Dragon Emperor."
Everyone's eyes widened at this revelation. Shalba was the mastermind behind the attack that targeted Issei outside of the ORC clubhouse a month ago. He was responsible for Issei's current state.
Rias, furious, thought, "He's the one who dared to dispatch those Devils after Issei? Unbelievable. It's entirely his responsibility for the current state of Issei!"
Akeno, crackling with electricity, thought, "It's his fault for Issei's suffering! I'll make him pay."
Issei, seemingly nonchalant, asked, "Oh, so that was your doing?" Surprising everyone was his indifferent tone as if he did not care about Shalba's actions against him.
Shalba expressed his disdain, saying, "You aren't upset? I made sure to tell those Devils to make you suffer!"
With an air of indifference, Issei responded, "I'll admit, trying to defy me is a bold move. I do intend to inflict pain upon you for such audacity. However, I suppose I am thankful in my own way."
The unexpected reply from Issei left everyone in the car park perplexed. Shalba's confidence turned into confusion as he tried to comprehend Issei's seemingly indifferent attitude.
Shalba sneered, puzzled, "Thankful? For what?"
"If it weren't for your little games, I wouldn't be the force that I am now. Your interference moulded me into the unstoppable juggernaut standing before you. Yet, your feeble attempts to harm me will only lead to your own death. The monster you created is the one that will end you," Issei declared, a sinister grin crossing his face.
Shalba's confusion transformed into frustration as he clenched his fists, growling, "You insolent fool! You should be seething with rage, not thanking me!"
"Fret not, for I intend to exact my vengeance," Issei retorted with a malevolent edge.
Shalba, in an attempt to gain the upper hand, pointed his hand towards Ophis, using a spiral demonic power to wrap her up like a rope.
"Just like the information I gathered said! The current Ophis has unstable power, and even my current self can capture her! This is a gift to the cooperative partner of this I, the True Devil! I will have her give me a snake again since my powers are down! I will be taking her now!" Shalba declared as he grabbed onto Ophis.
He continued with madness in his eyes, "A curse! This is a curse! I shall become the Poison who will devour the Underworld! Those devils who declined me! I have no business with such an Underworld! I don't care about them anymore! I don't care about the authority and possession of the Underworld anymore! This Shalba Beelzebub shall use his last bit of power to destroy the Underworld together with the monsters!" He laughed manically.
"Yes. The children you care deeply about will be terminated by my curse, my monsters, Red Dragon Emperor! Suffer receiving my curse! Struggle! Die while coughing out blood! This is a masterpiece! Including the inferior low-class and mid-class children of Devils, even the offspring of elites will die in the same way! See!? This is the World you guys have been hoping for. The World where there is no discrimination," he proclaimed, his expression covered in madness.
Issei commented to Vali, "This guy must like the sound of his own voice."
Vali, responding sarcastically, said, "You think?"
As they bantered, the field continued collapsing, and holes appeared, sucking in the remnants of the dimension.
Rias urgently asked Issei, "Issei! What will we do now?"
Issei, confident, declared, "You people will do nothing; I'll handle things from here."
Opening a portal to his pocket dimension, Issei addressed everyone, "That's a portal to my dimension; all of you will enter. Me, on the other hand, will fight Shalba and save Ophis."
Rias rebuked, "Issei! We are not leaving you here."
"Listen, the Underworld is under attack; everyone here needs to leave to go there to help out. I'll meet up with you after I finish things here. You will have ample time to recover and fight again in that time. Do I make myself clear?" Issei stated sternly.
Reluctantly, everyone nodded in agreement, entering the portal one by one. Before leaving, each member conveyed their sentiments to Issei.
Ravel wished, "Issei, please be careful out there. We'll be waiting for you on the other side. Don't do anything reckless!"
Koneko cautioned, "Issei, make sure you come back in one piece. I won't forgive you if you don't, you know."
Kuroka added playfully, "Issei, take care of yourself. I'll be waiting for you, ready to conceive a new Nekoshou race, nyaa."
Asia said with concern, "Issei, stay safe. We'll be supporting you from the other side. I believe in you."
Kiba encouraged, "Issei, you've got this. We'll handle things on our end. See you soon."
Akeno expressed affectionately, "Issei, darling, don't you dare forget that we're all eagerly anticipating your return. Come back to us, and let's revel in a joyous celebration together, won't you?"
Rias urged, "Issei, darling, exercise caution. I have unwavering faith in your prowess, but please refrain from unnecessary gambits. Our hearts impatiently await the moment of your triumphant return."
Azazel assured, "Issei, you stand as our trump card. Manage affairs on your front, and we shall handle the rest on this end. Guard yourself well."
The last one remaining was Vali, who defiantly smirked.
Annoyed, Issei said, "That includes you too, Vali."
"I was planning on sticking around anyway. Don't think you can have all the fun without me," Vali declared, crossing his arms.
Issei, irritated, back-fisted Vali in the chest hard enough to shatter his entire Scale Mail, sending him flying through the portal. The last image on the other side was Issei closing the portal and walking towards Shalba with determination.
X
When the group arrived in the dimension, they were met with a sight that left them utterly shocked. It stretched infinitely, a vast, flat land suspended in the depths of space. The once-empty void had transformed into a realm of essential infrastructure, emanating a dark academia aesthetic reminiscent of ancient eras. The sky remained ominously red, with a black sun hanging above. Towers and castles punctuated the landscape, while a deserted town, ghostly and abandoned, lay nearby. Beyond the town, a dense forest enveloped the entire area of castles and town.
Rias, taken aback, asked Azazel, "Azazel, where are we?"
With a knowing expression, Azazel explained, "This is Issei's pocket Dimension, where he lives and trains. This is where his life changed, and he became the person he is today."
Koneko, puzzled by the eerie ambience, questioned, "Why does it look so eerie and evil?"
Akeno, observing the surroundings, remarked, "Oh, indeed. This is quite reminiscent of how many portrayals of Hell unfold."
Azazel shed light on the situation, saying, "I was confused at first, but I then realised why it is such a way."
Vali inquired, "Which is?"
"This is a physical world of Issei's mindscape; this is his inner world," Azazel explained.
The group took a moment to absorb the information, realising they were now within the fabric of Issei's consciousness. The surreal landscape surrounding them symbolised Issei's thoughts, memories, and emotions.
Still trying to grasp the concept, Ravel asked, "So, we're inside Issei's mind?"
Azazel clarified, "Not exactly. This dimension is a reflection of his psyche. It changes based on his emotions, experiences, and inner struggles."
Examining the ominous scenery, Kiba remarked, "It's both fascinating and unsettling."
Asia, concerned for Issei's well-being, commented, "Issei must have a lot on his mind to create such a place."
Azazel elaborated, "Indeed. Issei's mind is a complex amalgamation of various emotions, memories, and experiences. This dimension serves as a manifestation of his inner World, and it adapts based on his mental state."
As the group navigated through the eerie landscape, they noticed various structures representing different aspects of Issei's psyche—towering structures symbolising his determination, serene gardens representing moments of peace, and ominous castles portraying his inner struggles.
Rias, awestruck, said, "This is incredible, but it feels like we're walking through the depths of Issei's soul."
Azazel cautioned, "It's a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a powerful being's mind. We must proceed with caution and be mindful of the shifts in this dimension. Issei is confronting Shalba, and our presence here might influence the outcome."
X
Meanwhile, Issei and Shalba engaged in a tense stare-down in the unstable artificial dimension.
Shalba, displeased, remarked, "For a failure of a Heavenly Dragon such as yourself to come after me! How much do Dragons have to look down on me?!"
Continuing in a challenging tone, Shalba questioned Issei, "What is your reason for coming after me!? Are you also trying to ignore me, one who carries the blood of the real Devil!? Or are you trying to obtain power by having Ophis!? It's you who is a Heavenly dragon! You must be hiding the desire to dominate the human World and Underworld!"
Issei, admitting a truth, conceded, "Indeed, you speak the truth; within me lies an insatiable craving to annihilate and reign supreme over all that crosses my path. Since my emergence from that dimension, my compulsion to do so has grown immeasurably over the course of two years."
However, he clarified with narrowed eyes, "But I draw the line at innocent people."
Shalba retorted, his eyes gleaming with madness, "Innocent people? What a joke! There's no such thing in this rotten World. Everyone has their sins and desires. They're all stained with darkness!"
Issei, challenging Shalba's perspective, retorted, "And people like us aren't?"
Shalba, frustrated, shouted, "Don't act high and mighty! You, the Red Dragon Emperor, are no different! You're stained with the blood of countless battles and the desires for power and recognition!"
In his principles, Issei firmly stated, "You said you would kill the kids earlier, right? I can't allow that."
Shalba, unyielding, responded, "What about it!? This is natural! Devils that grew up in an Underworld managed by the fake Devil! They are lower than bugs! Even if I did allow them to grow up into adulthood, they still wouldn't show me, the true Devil, the respect I deserve! So, Devils like them should all just disappear! That is why I will use those gigantic monsters to return everything to zero! Those monsters are anti-monsters created by Annihilation Maker, so they are insanely strong! They will cause overwhelming destruction! A pure Underworld will be reborn in the wake of its destruction! That is what the Underworld should be!"
Shalba pointed his hands towards Issei; a warp was created, and a large swarm of bees emerged, surrounding the entire area.
[Due to powering up, Shalba's Stats have been doubled]
--
Name: Shalba Beelzebub Powered Up
Race: Devil
Affiliation: Khaos Brigade (Old Satan Faction)
Rank: Leader (Old Satan Faction)
Relationship: None
Type: Caster (Sorcerer)
Stats:-
Vitality: 140
Strength: 120
Agility: 160
Intelligence: 180
Senses: 140
Dexterity: 160
Luck: 100
Overall Power Level: 143
Abilities: Magic (Defensive, Teleportation, Summoning), King of Flies
Gear: None
--
Shalba proclaimed, "I will show you the power of the real Beelzebub!" with a shout.
With a sneer, Issei remarked, "In the eyes of one who deems others as mere insects, you certainly display a fondness for their utilisation."
[Blood Lust has increased]
[All Stats have been increased by 35% due to blood lust]
--
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil/ Dragon/ Unknown
Affiliation: None
Rank: None
Type: Hybrid (Battlemage)
Stats:-
Vitality: 230
Strength: 206
Agility: 193
Intelligence: 244
Senses: 201
Dexterity: 206
Luck: 194
Overall Power Level: 210
Abilities: System and its Abilities
Gear: Mutated Boosted Gear
--
Shalba sneered as the bees unleashed demonic energy towards Issei through magic circles. Issei, smirking, effortlessly dodged the demonic power. He disappeared instantly, reappearing next to Shalba, delivering a powerful shin kick across the rib cage that shattered a few bones on impact. Shalba was sent flying across the crumbling dimension.
Shalba, screeching while coughing out blood, exclaimed, "You low life!"
Utilising his elemental magic, Shalba sent out a massive barrage of elemental magic towards Issei.
[Ability Used: Elemental Manipulation: Elemental Creation: Fire, Lightning, Water, Air. Earth, Ice]
[Ability Used: Elemental Manipulation: Elemental Constructs: Projectiles]
Issei countered with his own Elemental Abilities, nullifying and overpowering Shalba's attack. The Elementals rushed towards Shalba, who could barely dodge the barrage of elemental projectiles, his cape and the right side of his body severely damaged.
Shalba, gritting out, "You lowly devil!"
Issei, tauntingly and bored, asked, "Is this it?"
Confused and frustrated, Shalba asked, "What?!" as veins appeared on his face.
Issei, mocking him, stated, "You look so pathetic; I haven't even used my Balance Breaker; you're so weak."
Shalba, laughing loudly, retorted, "You sure say a lot! A mere rotten Dragon! A former human who is the same as garbage to make a fool of this real Devil!"
Issei, taunting him further, said, "Former human, yet you are at the mercy of said former human. If I'm the same as garbage, what does that make a weakling like you?"
"Nonsense! You rotten Dragon!", Shalba shouted, continuing to shoot out more elemental magic.
Issei, deciding to flex, poured some energy into his fingers. As the magic approached him, he flicked his fingers, dispersing the attack on impact.
With a hint of impatience, Issei remarked, "Sending Akeno and Kiba away was a calculated move on my part, expecting this battle to provide some much-needed excitement. It could have served as a valuable test for the training I've imparted to them."
Shalba, infuriated by Issei's dismissive attitude, charged at him with all his remaining strength. Issei, however, stood his ground calmly. Shalba attempted to punch Issei with all his might, but Issei effortlessly grabbed his fist and broke Shalba's arm from the elbow.
Shalba let out a scream of pure agony as he dropped from the sky onto the ground. Issei landed near the thrashing Shalba, who was grovelling on the ground.
[Due to pain, Shalba has been depowered, and all Stats have been reduced to base]
Issei, casually perched upon Shalba's back, restrained his futile attempts to move and uttered, "In your boastful claim as a 'True Devil,' you prove to be pathetically weak. Your incessant chatter, elevating yourself to the status of a Super Devil Class being, is nothing but empty noise. Yet here you are, a mere shadow of what you claim, barely worthy of the Ultimate class."
Shalba, writhing in pain, looked up at Issei with a mix of anger and desperation.
Shalba defiantly spat out, "You... you can't defeat me! I am the true Devil! I won't be defeated by the likes of you!"
Issei's thoughts revealed his internal reflection, "Now, what's my move? Originally, my plan was for him to engage me enough to give me a reason to crush him. However, I find myself feeling more pity than malice. He's not even in the same league as Sairaorg, and by extension, he's beneath Cao Cao."
Issei sighed, contemplating the disheartening outcome: "I refrained from unleashing my full potential during the earlier confrontation with Cao Cao, considering the potential harm to the others. Consequently, I made the strategic decision to have them withdraw, anticipating that I would have to exert myself without constraints in the showdown with Shalba. The outcome is quite dissapointing."
His musings continued, "In all seriousness, much like his knack for bugs, he's akin to an annoying insect—existing without purpose yet managing to be an irritating presence. I can't even summon the enthusiasm to kill him," Issei reflected with audible exhalation.
As Issei contemplated his next move, Shalba continued to writhe in pain beneath him, cursing and spitting venomous words.
Shalba snarled, "You think this is over, you filthy Dragon? I'll find a way to break free from your grasp, and when I do, I'll unleash Hell upon you and your precious Underworld!"
Issei grumbled with disdain, "Worthless insect, your existence is not even worth the slightest exertion," as he casually stood up, releasing his grip on Shalba.
Issei scoffed, his disinterest evident, "You're not even worth the effort of ending your miserable existence," as he casually averted his gaze from the defeated Devil.
Shalba, fueled by wounded pride, attempted a desperate attack, summoning the last ounce of his remaining strength to launch an attack on Issei.
He screeched, "You shitty Heavenly Dragon! How about this?!" as he created a magic circle in his hand, producing an arrow.
Issei felt a familiar sensation from the arrow, recognising it as one of the weapons imbued with Samael's Poison. Boredly, he allowed himself to be hit in the arm by the arrow.
[WARNING! YOU HAVE BEEN POISONED!]
Shalba taunted, "It's painful, right!? It's hard to endure, right!? Of course! The tip of that arrow is covered with the blood of Samael! I received it from Hades! I kept it to use against Vali, just in case. But for me to use it against garbage like you. No matter now. With this, the situation is reverted. If you have high demonic powers like Vali, then you could have endured it a bit. But for someone like you who seems to have no talent in demonic powers, then you will die," he laughed.
Issei sighed and effortlessly pulled out the arrow, unfazed by the Poison.
Shalba, in disbelief, exclaimed, "What?! You should be grovelling on the ground in pain!"
Issei mockingly retorted, "Like you were doing moments earlier?"
Shalba snarled, hearing Issei's mocking tone and words.
Annoyed, Issei stated, "But to answer your question, I've been hit with that exact poison so many times now, and you don't think I've already found a way to counter it?"
Shalba's eyes widened in shock as the Poison that should have spread quickly through Issei's system started receding.
Shalba stammered, "What... What is this!?" realising that his trump card had failed.
Issei smirked, revelling in Shalba's frustration.
Issei gloated, "Oh right, it was you who sicced those Devils on me, wielding those Samael Poison Imbued blades. And speaking of which, I'm still owed my pound of flesh," he sneered with a malevolent grin, advancing menacingly towards Shalba.
Issei, with a sadistic tone, uttered, "Gloat, Shalba. You've managed to pique my curiosity."
[Fear has been Induced]
[Opponent's Stats have been decreased by 53%]
Shalba pleaded in fear, "No, No, No! Stay back! Stay back, you monster!"
Issei corrected, "Oh no, don't call me a monster, not yet, at least," with a sadistic gleam in his eyes.
As Shalba tried to back up, he tumbled over from the rubble from the earlier battle with the Grim Reapers.
Issei approached the fallen 'True Devil,' looking down on him.
[New Task]
[Break Shalba Beelzebub]
[Interrogate Shalba Beelzebub]
X
In Issei's Dimension, everyone explored the castle where Issei lived. Azazel, Vali, and Kiba were in Issei's armoury, examining the weapons adorned everywhere. Kuroka and Koneko were sleeping on his living room couch like cats. Ravel and Asia were in the kitchen, looking at the sink filled with dirty dishes and cooking utensils. Rias and Akeno, on the other hand, were looking around the castle for Issei's room.
When they finally found it, they knew it was Issei's room. Seeing his belongings inside, they observed that the room was even bigger than the one in the Hyoudou residence, along with the bed, which was much more substantial than the one they slept on.
While Akeno went through Issei's walk-in wardrobe, taking some of his clothes, she hit the jackpot when she entered his bathroom and found his dirty clothes in the clothing bin.
Akeno purred, "Oh, Issei's scent on these clothes... It's so intoxicating," holding one of his shirts close to her face.
On the other hand, Rias looked through the main bedroom, specifically the left side of the bed. She examined the bedside table and saw perfume bottles and a ring, which appeared feminine. This discovery made her livid, convinced that Issei had a secret lover who wasn't her. Unaware that these items belonged to Rossweisse during her time with Issei in his Dimension when he trained her, Rias fumed over her imagined rivalry.
As Rias glared at Akeno, still caught up in her jealousy, Akeno approached with a playful smirk and a handful of Issei's dirty clothes.
Akeno teased, "Look what I found, Rias. Issei's dirty laundry. Perfect for some... fun, don't you think?" raising an eyebrow.
Rias, feigning indifference, huffed, "Why would I be interested in Issei's dirty clothes?"
Akeno chuckled and continued to sift through the clothes.
Akeno said mischievously, "Oh, I don't know, maybe for some... intimate moments? You seem to have quite the collection already," gesturing to the perfume bottles and the ring on the bedside table.
Rias's eyes widened in realisation, and she blushed slightly. "Th-that's not what you think. I was just... checking his room.", she said stammering
Akeno grinned, "Checking his room or checking up on his romantic life? You've always been curious, Rias."
Frustrated, Rias huffed, attempting to deflect the conversation.
The duo then moved to the bathroom area where Akeno was; they saw how big the bathroom was. There was a tub separate from the shower, and speaking of the shower, the shower room was extra large, enough to fit a few people at once. On further inspection, they could see feminine hair products; they knew it wasn't Issei's, but they realised it belonged to Issei's secret lover. Seeing this, Rias started to seethe in rage. Then they turned to the sink area and noticed his and her sink; both sinks had been used, only adding more fuel to the fire, which was Rias.
As Rias fumed over the evidence of Issei's apparent romantic involvement, Akeno couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her further.
Akeno remarked with a sly smile, examining the his-and-hers sinks, "Looks like Issei's love life is more complicated than we thought."
Rias clenched her fists, trying to maintain her composure. "It's none of our business. Let's just focus on why we're here." she insisted, attempting to redirect their attention,
Akeno, however, continued to playfully prod at Rias. "Are you sure about that? You seem quite interested in this 'secret lover' of his. Who do you think it could be?" she playfully taunted,
Rias shot Akeno a sharp look. "Well, we know her name is Rose," she replies with a growl.
Akeno playfully taunted, "Oh, my, my, does it bother you that he harbours a secret lover, or perhaps the resemblance between Rias and Rose has caught your attention?"
Rias gritted her teeth, frustration evident in her expression. "I am not jealous, and I don't care about some petty similarity in names. Let's just finish our business here and leave." she insisted, her tone firm,
Akeno chuckled softly, enjoying Rias's discomfort. "Alright, alright, no need to get defensive. Let's just grab what we came for and go. But you can't deny this is quite the unexpected twist in Issei's life." she said, still smirking.
The duo then walked out of the bathroom into the main bedroom; Akeno then looked towards Issei's bed, and a mischievous idea popped into her head.
Akeno moves to the bed, grabs hold of Issei's pillow and hugs it against her chest, inhaling the scent from the pillow.
Rias raised an eyebrow, watching Akeno with amusement and disbelief.
Akeno grinned, enjoying Rias's reaction, "Are you seriously going to start sniffing his pillow now?"
Rias sighed, shaking her head. "Akeno, really? Are you that infatuated with Issei's scent?" she asked, unable to hide the incredulity in her voice,
Akeno, still holding the pillow, smirked playfully. "Oh, Rias, you're just too uptight. You should try it sometime; it's quite... stimulating," she said, winking,
Rias said, smirking, "Well, if we're playing this game, then let's make it more interesting."
Akeno raised an eyebrow, curious about Rias's sudden change in demeanour. "Oh? What do you have in mind?" she asked.
Rias gestured toward the bed. "I think Issei's bed could use a touch of my signature fragrance." she declared, summoning a small bottle of her perfume,
With a mischievous grin, Rias began to spray her perfume all over Issei's bed, creating a fragrant cloud around it.
Akeno laughed, finding the situation amusing. "Well, well, it seems we're turning this into a scent battle. Issei's room might never be the same again," she said,
Rias finished spraying the perfume and admired her handiwork. "There, now it has the perfect blend of Issei's scent and a touch of mine. Let's see if his secret lover can handle that." she declared,
Akeno chuckled and placed Issei's pillow back on the bed. "I must say, Rias, you're more playful than I thought. I like it. Does that mean you're trying to sabotage Issei's current relationship? Do you want this Rose person to think that Issei cheated on her with you?" she asks with a smirk,
Rias smirked back, the playful glint in her eyes matching Akeno's. "Oh, I wouldn't say I'm trying to sabotage anything. Just adding a little spice to their love story. After all, a little competition never hurt anyone, right?" she replied, spraying a bit more perfume around the room,
Akeno laughed, appreciating Rias's boldness. "Well, well, looks like someone's feeling competitive. But be warned, Rias, Issei's scent is unique. You can't just replace it with any perfume." she said,
Rias chuckled, confident in her own playful retaliation. "I'm not trying to replace anything. Just adding a little personal touch," she replied, spraying a bit more perfume around the room.
As the fragrances mixed in the air, the two devil girls couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of their impromptu scent war.
Rias smirked, feeling a sense of satisfaction in this playful competition, knowing she may sabotage Issei's relationship so she could keep him for herself. After a while, the duo left the room. Had they looked a bit more at the bedding, they would've noticed a few strands of silver hair, which belonged to the mysterious 'Rose' who is, in fact, Rossweisse.
Meanwhile, Azazel, Vali, and Kiba were engrossed in examining various weapons and artifacts in Issei's armoury. Vali, in particular, seemed fascinated by the diversity of weaponry.
While examining a particularly ornate spear, Vali commented, "Issei has quite the collection. I didn't expect him to be this invested in different combat styles."
As he selected a blade that seemed to resonate with otherworldly energy, Azazel explained, "Issei has always been adaptable. He understands the importance of being versatile, especially in our line of work."
Meticulously inspecting a set of gauntlets, Kiba added, "He's not just a brute force fighter. Issei values strategy and precision. It's evident in his choice of weapons."
As they delved deeper into the armoury's treasures, Vali couldn't help but appreciate the intricate craftsmanship of the weapons. The weapons whispered tales of battles and conquests, each imbued with its unique aura.
He admitted, realising that there was more to the Black Dragon Emperor than met the eye, "Issei's world is far more complex than I initially thought."
X
In the crumbling dimension, Issei looked down on Shalba, his glowing red eyes baring into Shalba's soul. In contrast, Shalba looked up at Issei as if prey had finally been caught.
Issei's thoughts echoed, "How should I break him? I did unlock a new ability, didn't I? Let's try that."
Issei opened his ability menu to explore his new power, "Hexes & Curses."
"Users can create, manipulate, and control curses, which are expressed wishes for adversity or misfortune to befall individuals, places, or objects. This includes the power to manifest curses as energy or forces with diverse effects. Common outcomes of curses include misfortune, illnesses, infertility, and physical defects for individuals, as well as malfunctions or problems for objects."
Curse Inducement: Users can cast curses, imposing negative effects on people, places, and objects, ranging from minor inconveniences to severe outcomes such as extended death. These curses may cause misfortune, sickness, infertility, physical defects, and disasters. Traditional curses can lead to transformations, blood-lust, insanity, and other supernatural anomalies like dimensional rifts.
Curse Detection: Users can detect the existence of curses and may acquire a comprehensive understanding of the curse they detect, including the quantity/extent of elements they perceive and whether it is concealed.
Curse Immunity: The user remains impervious to all or specific curses and their associated effects, though indirect curses may still exert an influence on the user.
Curse Removal: The user has the ability to eliminate or reverse curses and their associated consequences on any affected subject, ensuring their well-being.
"What an interesting ability.", Issei's thoughts continued
He further considered, "I gained 15 A.P from the task of sealing Samael, and I had 5 A.P in reserve, meaning I can invest 5 A.P in every four categories."
[Ability Points Used]
[Sub Abilities Upgraded]
Issei declared, "Hm, let's try it out," as he pointed his hand towards Shalba.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
Shalba attempted to speak, "What are you doing?" before his scream abruptly cut him off.
Suddenly, Shalba began vomiting razor blades, each one bloody and bearing chunks of flesh. He tried to scream, but each attempt resulted in searing pain emanating from his throat. More blades ripped through his throat, killing him slowly and agonisingly.
Issei observed the gruesome scene, pondering, "I killed him. Does that mean I failed my task to interrogate him? No, the task notification is still there. Does that mean I get more than one chance?" he mused aloud.
Deciding to explore his newfound abilities further, Issei employed another skill.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Removal]
Everything that happened to Shalba was instantly reversed, and he was brought back to life.
Shalba, visibly distressed, questioned, "What did you do to me?" through gritted teeth.
Perplexed by Shalba's seemingly impossible revival, Issei thought, "He came back to life? Can I resurrect people?" His mind raced for an answer.
Examining his curse-removal technique closely, Issei deduced, "'The user has the ability to eliminate or reverse curses and their associated consequences on any affected subject, ensuring their well-being.' Does that mean I can reverse the effect of any curse and its outcome? Meaning that in order for me to resurrect someone, they need to die by a curse?"
Recalling that Samael's Poison, a curse, still infected him, Issei decided to test his theory by using his curse removal ability on himself.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Removal]
[Poison has been purged!]
As the Poison was purged, Issei's face turned back to Shalba, who continued to hurl insults. Annoyed, Issei silenced him.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
Shalba's body started to burn up this time, his blood boiling. Red mist flowed from every pore as he screamed in agony. Eventually, the blood vessels in his body popped, and he exploded into a splatter of blood.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Removal]
Once again, Shalba reverted to normal, now wearing a palpable fear etched across his face.
Trembling, he pleaded, "Stop this! I demand you!" in a shaky voice.
Issei, sporting a sadistic smirk, continued pressing on with the interrogation.
"Then tell me, what was the reason why you sent those Devils to attack me?" Issei demanded.
Defiant, Shalba retorted, "I'll never tell you! You shitty dragon!" and spat out the words.
"So be it.", Issei responded unfazed
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, a mysterious force began tearing Shalba's entire body apart, starting from his fingers and toes, progressing to his limbs, and then his eyes, tongue, teeth, and hair. Throughout the gruesome process, Shalba screamed and cried for his life until he dropped dead from blood loss.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Removal]
Once again, Shalba was brought back to life, unharmed.
[Fear Inducement has been increased, opponents Stats have been further decreased by 3%]
In a desperate state, Shalba pleaded, "Please! Stop!"
Issei seized the moment, demanding an answer to his pressing question.
"Then answer my question. Why did you send those Devils to attack me?" Issei reiterated.
Driven into a corner, Shalba blurted out, "We wanted a piece of your soul!"
Confused, Issei sought clarification, asking, "Piece of my soul?"
Now fearful, Shalba responded, "Yes! They wanted a piece of your soul!"
Issei probed further, questioning, "Who's they?"
Reluctantly, Shalba confessed, "Qlippoth!"
Undeterred, Issei pressed on, inquiring, "What's that?"
This time, Shalba hesitated to answer, and in an instant, Issei unleashed his ability once again.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
Shalba's skin began peeling off slowly, as if invisible hands were meticulously stripping it away. With each agonising second, Shalba's screams intensified. Eventually, Shalba was reduced to nothing but raw flesh, the air around him causing every nerve in his body to burn, and he succumbed to death.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Removal]
[Fear Inducement has been increased, opponents Stats have been further decreased by 3%]
Once again, Shalba found himself returning to life, gasping for breath like a man possessed. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, "Please, I'm begging you, stop!"
Issei remained stern, responding, "Not unless you answer my questions."
Desperation filled Shalba's voice as he cried, "Please, I have nothing more to say!" Tears continued to flow uncontrollably from his eyes.
Dismissing Shalba with a wave, Issei declared, "It's fine then."
Shalba's hope surged upon hearing this, thinking he was now safe from further torment.
However, Issei's following words shattered that hope. "I'll just keep tormenting you, toying with your feeble existence, until either I am sated with the knowledge I seek or simply grow bored of your suffering," he uttered with a sadistic glint in his eyes.
[Fear Inducement has been increased, Opponents Stats have been further decreased by 3%]
[Total Fear Inducement is at its max; opponents' Stats have been decreased by 60% in total]
[Requirements have been met, due to Fear Inducement Flee has been activated]
A look of horror appears on Shalba's face as he turns around and starts running away in fear.
In his panicked thoughts, Shalba screamed internally, "This man! He is a True Devil!" as he fled.
Amidst the crumbling dimension, Shalba desperately called for aid, shouting, "Rizeviem! Euclid! Rylan! Someone! Please! Save me!"
Seeing Shalba's pathetic state, Issei scoffed and said, "What is he blabbering on about?"
Chuckling, Issei decided, "I suppose this is a good moment to get these words out."
With determination, he shouted, "GET BACK HERE, SHALBA!" as he chased after the fleeing Devil.
"SHALBA!" Issei's voice echoed, putting fear into the very core of Shalba's being.
"YOU CAN'T ESCAPE ME! I'LL CHASE YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!" Each word from Issei intensified the terror that gripped Shalba as he ran for his life.
As Shalba continued to run, the haunting words of pursuit grew louder, drawing near. Unbeknownst to both of them, an unseen observer, not Ophis, monitored their chase. The artificial dimension's collapse had transported each participant to the Dimensional Gap.
While Issei relentlessly chased the terrified Shalba, an alternate perspective unfolded—a brown rabbit pursued by a black wolf with glowing red eyes. Shalba embodied the rabbit with his brown hair, and Issei personified the wolf with his black hair and fiery red eyes.
Ultimately, the wolf caught the rabbit, mirroring Issei's capture of Shalba. Both pairs of eyes locked onto each other, one fueled by a thirst for destruction, the other clouded with fear.
Issei began to articulate his transformation, "When we first crossed paths, I vowed not to succumb to the ways of typical Devils. I aspired to emulate figures like Sirzechs or Ajuka. I loathed Devils like you and vehemently opposed the entire ideology."
Revelling in his indifference, Issei asserted, "But now I've reached a point where I couldn't care less—not about you, not about them, and certainly not about anyone else. I embrace being a 'True Devil,' navigating life based on my own desires and aversions, with little regard for others. Every action is measured by its impact on me, and anything else is simply inconsequential."
He smirked and continued, "And right now, your suffering brings me benefit."
He then exposed the irony to Shalba, claiming, "In all of this, Shalba, the irony is crystal clear. Your suffering lies squarely on your shoulders. If you hadn't chosen to challenge me, you might have emerged victorious or met an honourable death. Yet, due to your own actions, you're destined for suffering. You forged the person I've become, transforming me entirely from my former self, and now it's time for you to bear the consequences."
Trembling, Shalba managed to choke out a response amid his fear.
"You've... you've lost yourself, Red Dragon Emperor. What happened to the Red Dragon Emperor I knew? The one who fought for justice and the safety of others?" he pleaded, attempting to reason with Issei, even if it meant challenging everything he believed.
Smirking, Issei dismissively replied, "Oh, that guy? He's gone. You know, the World isn't as black and white as I once thought. The ideals I held onto so tightly they're just illusions. In this world, power and desire rule. And right now, my desire is to see you squirm."
Despair weighed heavily on Shalba as he exclaimed, "No, this can't be happening!"
Issei callously stated, "But it is, Shalba. You gambled, and you lost. Now, you're at the mercy of the monster you helped create."
Begging for mercy in a low tone, "Please, have mercy.", Shalba implored
Coldly, Issei replied, "Sorry, all out of mercy."
Issei continued his relentless torment, utilising his newfound ability in Hexes & Curses to subject Shalba to a series of gruesome deaths, each more horrifying than the last.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, Shalba started to vomit out his organs, from dietary organs to respiration organs; each time he lost an organ, he became weaker and weaker until he died.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, an entire nest of spiders spawned into Shalba's body, each biting their way out of Shalba's body, eliciting a blood-curdling scream from Shalba as the spiders started to eat him bit by bit.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
Shalba's senses were heightened to a Godly level this time, meaning his Perception of time has increased, and his pain receptors have become even more sensitive. Issei then lit a fire on Shalba's leg, which slowly consumed him. Although to Issei, it was only 10 seconds before Shalba was burnt alive, for Shalba, it felt like ten years due to increased Perception of time.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
The following death involved Shalba's internal organs liquifying; black liquid leaked out through every crack in his body until he became a saggy bag of skin.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, Issei had spawned flesh-eating maggots into Shalba's brain; he felt a bad headache as the maggots were eating his brain from the inside. Suddenly, a multitude of worms burst from his skull, and he falls lifeless once again.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, Shalba's entire torso is cut open, his organs start to move on their own, the organs begin developing mouths and start biting and eating everything around the organs until only the organs remain, but even after that, the organs begin eating itself, this all happened while Shalba was alive.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, Shalba's body started to melt slowly; his screams were agonising as one of his eyes fell out of its socket while the other melted in its sockets. After a while, nothing remains but a pool of various fluids.
[Ability Used: Hexes & Curses: Curse Inducement]
This time, Shalba's body started to contort into a ball, bones snapping and breaking to form a perfect sphere. Over time, the ball got smaller and smaller, blood leaking out of his body to compress the sphere even further, and bones started to stick out of Shalba's body the smaller the sphere got. Eventually, Shalba became the size of a meatball and even looked like one.
During the excruciating pain, Shalba's realisation dawned, "I was wrong, we were wrong. We are not True Devils; he is. We believed Devils needed to be malevolent and evil because we thought it was the nature of Devils. Yet, we all forgot what it meant to be a Devil. Living life by your own accord, not caring about what happens to others, this man in front of me is a True Devil," he thought solemnly while screaming in agony.
This cycle of torture repeated, with Shalba experiencing at least 20 deaths, each more agonising than the last. Eventually, he no longer reacted to the torment, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed towards Issei, a mere shell of his former self.
Issei, without remorse, stomped Shalba's head onto the ground.
"Tell me, who are you?" he demanded coldly.
"I am no one," Shalba replied in a broken tone.
"And what are you?" Issei inquired with the same coldness.
"And I am nothing," came Shalba's lifeless response.
[Task Complete]
Issei, after subjecting Shalba to relentless torment, glanced towards Ophis, recalling that he had stayed behind ostensibly to save her. However, deep down, he acknowledged that his true motive was to break Shalba, revealing a complete lack of concern for Ophis. He saved her only to prevent others from obtaining her power.
Observing shock and fear on Ophis's usually emotionless face, Issei approached her, breaking her free from the binds Shalba had used to trap her. Once released, Ophis's expression reverted to its typical impassive state.
"Are you okay?" Issei asked nonchalantly.
Ophis nodded in response.
"I have to get you to the others; come on," Issei said, extending his hand to Ophis.
Ophis grasped his hand, and they walked together to retrieve the broken Shalba, all while a mysterious being, the unseen observer, revealed itself.
"Baka-red," Ophis said with narrowed eyes.
Issei looked up to see the Dragon of Dreams, Great Red, before them. Swiftly, Issei utilised his dimensional inventory ability, drawing his new Dragon Slaying Odachi and aiming it towards Great Red.
--
Daten-shi Ryū Samaeru no Kusari
Rarity: Legendary
Classification: Odachi
Stats: 20 Strength, 15 Intelligence, -5 Agility
Ability: Daten-shi Ryū Samaeru no Kusari (Chain of Fallen Angel Dragon Samael) is a 2.5 meter-long Odachi that has the Dragon Eater "Samael" sealed inside it. The wielder can use all of Samael's abilities, such as the poisonous curse that kills all dragons, making this sword the ultimate Dragon Slayer unrivalled by none. Due to Samael being a Fallen Angel, it can also make Dark Light, which can kill entities of the Dark, such as Devils, vampires, etc.
--
Perceiving the threat, Great Red blew a gust of air to destroy the sword. However, Dark-sei materialised next to Issei, grabbing the Odachi's handle and stopped Great Red from destroying the sword. Only Issei could perceive Dark-sei, leaving others bewildered by how Issei seemed to overpower Great Red's ability.
Issei pondered, "Just how powerful is he?" witnessing the feat Dark-sei performed before the shadowy figure disappeared into the shadows.
Great Red landed before the trio, his entire body glowing red as it shrank. The red light transformed into a humanoid figure—an attractive middle-aged man with long red hair, a neatly trimmed red beard, and glowing yellow eyes. He wore a black leather jacket, a red undershirt, and black biker pants and boots.
--
Name: Great Red
Race: Dragon
Affiliation: None
Rank: Dragon God
Relationship: None
Type: Unknown
Stats:
Vitality: X000
Strength: X000
Agility: X000
Intelligence: X000
Senses: X000
Dexterity: X000
Luck: X000
Overall Power Level: X000
Abilities: Dream Manipulation
Gear: None
--
Upon seeing him, Issei couldn't help but think he bore a striking resemblance to Rias's father, Zeoticus Gremory.
"Ah, at last, we cross paths, bearer of Ddraig. It's about time we talk, hatchling," Great Red declared in a commanding tone.