Hmmm. sips tea then sees the reviews, making him spit it Fucking Hell guys! Ok, time to answer and clarify some shit.
SpartanKing J: I like your idea, but that would be WAY too broken here. Kinda defeats the purpose of the entire leveling concept.
ShadowStalker3424: Ima use this opportunity to answer both you and Hollow Seven; you see, the Party System is NEEDED, unfortunately, BUT it doesn't give the ones who join the same amount of benefits as the gamer. They only get, like, a 1 dollar version of it, which doesn't give the same type of benefits as Issei's, and which is more informative than anything. Also, I will state this now, the main reason it is needed is that the Party System will EVOLVE later on.
Frankieu: Yeah, there really weren't any other escape routes than the sewers. Thankfully, Akeno and Rias are too pristine to get into such a filthy place.
Sandford9687: Look man, as far as the Party system goes, I said it all already. Also, I think you misunderstood some stuff. 1. Issei doesn't have 2 Sacred Gears, only his Boosted Gear which can look like a Twice Critical when in its earlier stages of development, and 2. The Stray only stated that Issei cannot defeat it yet, which has a reason behind it. You see, Danbooru plays an important role in the overall scheme of things, but I will reveal this: He, along with others, are able to disguise their stats, which includes their levels and ranks. From all, you guys know he could be an S rank 100 level boss mofo, really.
Chris Ketchum: I will try not to leave any possible girl behind, but I cannot give Issei ALL the pussy out there just because he is the main character.
Jehu: Oh, she did. Thing is that Issei was not expecting to find a Stray like Kuroka so soon, let alone one so powerful. As you might have seen, Danbooru is even more powerful than Kuroka, who is stated in DxD to be able to face against High-Ranking Devils and such.
The next day continued with the usual routine, first studying then going out to hunt Strays and, just maybe, finding a dungeon as well while they are out there. Since Solomon wanted Issei to pick up the slack a bit, and given how much the boy hated math, the wise king decided to have Issei power through that subject that day, finishing the last nine hours. Starting from 10 AM and finishing at 7 PM, Issei was able to go through the entire math section of the quest. Since he and Kuroka were going out now, they decided to have dinner at 8 PM then head out for the rest of the evening and hunt until 2 AM, after which they will return home.
Kuroka also messed around a bit with her mini System, accessing her own Skill Page and looking at her abilities and their levels. Granted, it stated she did not get the benefit of gaining skills as easily as the true Gamer, which was Issei, meaning she couldn't even use the Skill Books to gain new magical capabilities. In short, she was using a 1 Dollar version of the System.
There were other differences between their systems, but that was going to need to wait. Issei spent the last hour before dinner studying a bit of English since that was now his lowest subject, bringing up to 5 hours along with Social Studies and History. He and Kuroka ate and then went out, Kuroka making sure to hide her Nekoshou traits and presence while Issei made sure to put on the clothing from yesterday. It was a bit damaged, but still good enough.
The two of them walked towards the area where Issei got the dungeon notification before, searching for any other possible targets. Issei was also keeping an eye out for Danbooru, as something didn't quite seem to add up. He could sense through [Aura Suppression] and was able to tell he had a Longinus, leading him to believe he was very powerful, but something was different with him, but he couldn't understand what. Still, that was something he could worry about another day, as today he and Kuroka were hunting.
And they didn't need to wait for long.
They didn't find those Strays necessarily in the alley, but walking down the street. Kuroka, unlike Issei, was able to pick up on their presence easily. The barrier deployed as soon as Issei and Kuroka went past the Stray, who likely tried to walk past them without being noticed. Why? Well, when Issei observed it he noticed how it was not really an overly powerful Stray, at least now that Kuroka was with him.
[Stray]
[Level 10 D]
[Health: 5000/5000]
[Reincarnated Stray Devil (1 Pawn)]
Not a real challenge for her. "Mind if I take care of this one, Issei?" Kuroka asked and he let her. The Stray got ready and pounced, shredding off their top clothing to reveal multiple scales on their torso. Early mutations. However, it didn't get far as he suddenly fell to the ground. Issei also noticed why; a mist, deep purple, and everywhere within their little area. Kuroka giggled. "Like that? This is a little something I prepared, a poisonous mist that should be pretty painful to Devils."
"Can't...breathe…" The devil said, and Issei used [Observe] on them.
[Stray]
[Level 10 D]
[Health: 4700/5000]
[Reincarnated Stray Devil (1 Pawn)]
[S.E: Poisoned (-100Hp/S)]
Damn, that was nasty stuff! "Let's finish them quickly, Kuroka." Issei said, going to her. This poisonous mist was really nasty, yet useful stuff. Issei was going to have to ask her about it, since it didn't affect him, but for now, they had another piece of work before them. He deployed his Sacred Gear, then he put his hand before the Stray, watching their HP drop quickly from the poisoned mist. However, one [Dragon Shot] later to the head, they were dead. The Stray Devil dropped on the ground, and Issei dismissed his Gear. He checked the EXP he gained, noticing that this Stray offered him and Kuroka 600 EXP each, meaning this Stray gave them around 1200 EXP. He brought up his Stat page again to look at his stats.
He was Level 11 now, meaning that he was one step closer to his goal of Level 15. However, he noticed the EXP curve, meaning he still needed to put effort to level up again. However, with Kuroka by his side, he was confident he could pull it off in the end now! Take the Stray just now as an example, they were easy prey!
"If we use this strategy of using your poisonous mist to trap them and then finish them off we should be able to easily get the necessary EXP." Albeit a bit slower since they needed to share it, but hey, it only meant they could go after bigger targets as well! Kuroka seemed delighted by the news, giving him a smile.
"That sounds like a solid enough plan. So, Ise, shall we continue our evening stroll?" She asked and he went to her, the raven-haired female wrapping her arms around his. The night was still young and they had more Strays to kill, after all. Issei was somewhat confident that by the end of the night he might level-up again or at least come close to it!
However, despite that, it was not like they were being subtle for the most part. The next day, the body of the Stray was discovered, which led to the police, who were later brainwashed by the Sitri peerage who also took the body, to get involved, which indirectly got another person's attention.
"I lost count already, Rias." Sona Sitri, the Heir of the Sitri House and a High-Ranked Devil, a bespectacled woman with a slim figure, black hair styled in a short bob cut and violet eyes, wearing a pair of glasses over them. She was currently in the Occult Research Club's building, located at Kuoh Academy, talking with the other Peerage King and pure-blood there.
Her hair was of the brightest shade of crimson, reaching to her thighs and having a cowlick sticking from the top of her hair with her bangs loose and covering her forehead, with two strands framing her face. Her eyes were a contrasting color to her hair, being blue, and her overall figure was...buxom. Her assets were nothing if not mesmerizing, with her prominent chest sticking out. Her skin was pale, yet not sickly so, and one could tell she was quite the tall lady.
However, next to her stood another rare beauty, with a figure many would contest rivaled hers in all possible ways. The one next to her had a voluptuous figure with plentiful assets, arguably larger, but she had long black hair tied in a ponytail that reached to her legs, with two strands sloping backwards and having an orange ribbon keeping it in place. Her eyes were of a deep violet, and she was currently dressed in a simple attire consisting of a sweater and jeans, while the one in the chair was dressed in more loose clothing, being a simple shirt and pants.
Those were Rias Gremory, and her Queen, Akeno Himejima. "Sona, I told you before, my peerage has nothing to do with any of those murders."
"Who else would have a reason to kill so many Strays?" Sona asked back. "Our combined duty in Kuoh is also its protection, which is why we take care of the Strays lingering about, but that is no longer the case from what I can see as it looks to me like you are lazing around."
"I assure you, Sona, that is the last thing I am doing!" Rias replied back, slightly irritated about the accusation of sloth. "However, we do not know where to even begin searching for whoever is killing all of those Strays. I had Koneko inspect some of the places, but that didn't yield us any information of use."
"This problem cannot be overlooked, Rias, and it falls on you and your peerage to find out just what is causing those murders." Sona looked straight at Rias as she said that. "The cover-ups, combined with the already busy schedule of the student council, makes it impossible for me or the rest of my peerage to start a proper investigation."
"Forgive me for speaking out, but is killing the Strays really a bad thing?" Akeno said, pointing out the obvious. True, the person is targeting Strays, not random people on the street, meaning that their efforts were working to their benefit. Except that is not how Sona and Rias saw it.
"No, it is not. However, when we go out and kill them, we do so with permission from their former masters, if any, or from the duke. What they are doing is, by supernatural law, illegal and they must be stopped." Rias stated. "However, that is easier said than done, looking at the facts presented before us. We haven't found even one clue that might lead us to them!"
Sona fixed her glasses. "In that case, since we seem to be on the same page now, I think I might have some things that might help." She reached for her bag, pulling out an envelope. "Evidence found by the police at the crime scenes. The earlier ones do not present many particularities, but the most recent ones did bring some clues that I personally find rather peculiar."
"Peculiar?" Rias said as she took the envelope, opening it and reading the reports. However, she found something that stuck out almost immediately. "Hair? A DNA test?"
"Yes, I allowed it in the hopes it will yield us more results. Of course, they never found a match in their own systems, but when I took it to ours…Rias, I say this, it is a good thing Koneko is not here right now, because what I am about to say might have affected her." Sona said. "But the DNA is female, the hair black, and that is everything humans can find out about this culprit. But the other information, accessible only with supernatural help, is that the culprit is a Nekoshou. A wanted one at that."
"Kuroka?!" Rias gasped in shock. "She is in Kuoh?"
"Oh my. I see why you didn't want Koneko here now." Akeno added. "If she knew her sister was in town, there is no telling what she might do."
"Yes, but the evidence didn't point to her only." Sona continued. "The wounds on the earlier victims left some marks on the bodies, but they were physical. As far as we are aware, Kuroka is strong, but she is not the type to get close and personal that often."
"So she is working with someone else…" Rias said, putting two and two together. "I swear, this is the last thing I needed today. If it's her, then this only complicates things as she is known for her teleportation magic."
"However, it also narrows down on the list of possible suspects." Sona continued. "You see, Rias, Kuroka and her partner, presumingly a male, seem to act during the night most of the time and prefer to stick with alleys where they are likely not to be seen by the general public. I also believe they might be hiding somewhere around the zone where the murders are happening, so I narrowed down the possible places where they are hiding."
"Did you check any of them?" Rias asked, but Sona shook her head. "How many?"
"By my assumptions and guesses…3 possible locations. But given the possibility of teleportation, I am not 100% confident in them. Still, the zones I narrowed down are the industrial area, where they seemed to have an increased rate due to Strays usually taking refuge in the warehouses around; the residential area, since the distance is favorable to the murders and they might be living in it; and lastly, the pier. There are a couple of old warehouses and abandoned buildings around there which can serve as good hideouts."
"I see. We will prepare ourselves and check them tomorrow, for now I need some time to think." Rias replied. "Since this situation includes Kuroka, I am tempted to leave Koneko here while we search, but I never liked keeping secrets from my peerage members."
"You are wondering how to break the news to her." Sona said, figuring Rias out. She could always read her quite easily. "Very well then." She got up. "I will leave you to it, then, and I will be on my way. Good luck on your search for this individual."
"Have a good day, Sona." As soon as Sona walked out the door, Rias let out a long sigh and leaned on her desk. "Akeno, please prepare me some tea. I feel like I will need it."
"At once, Rias."
"Mmmmm."
"This is life…" Issei said to himself softly as he and Kuroka were in bed together. No sexy time, yet, unfortunately, only sleeping and cuddling together. Currently, Kuroka was clinging to him, who slept shirtless, so he could feel her knockers at maximum efficiency as her kimono slipped during the night. He knew they always spilled, which is why he sleeps shirtless! They were relaxing, having returned from their hunting and going to bed afterwards.
He had to admit, forming a party with Kuroka was the best decision thus far! They didn't find that many Strays yesterday night, but what they did find further reinforced Kuroka as a powerful opponent to face due to her level. After the D rank they killed, they continued on, eventually finding another Stray, although they were higher in level than the last. They were level 17 D, but just like before, they fell easily once they took a whiff of Kuroka's mist.
This was cheating, it had to be! Kuroka was so high in level that Strays did not stand a chance in hell, not to mention he could use his Boosted Gear on her as well! He felt somewhat like a support, but not that much considering they needed to finish the Strays quickly. Luckily, Kuroka made sure to let him know that her mist works mainly against Devils and Youkai, where it has the most effect, but herself and dragons, or people with dragon Sacred Gears like him, were immune to it.
Good to know.
But that aside, Issei looked at his EXP. The Stray they killed before granted them 1400 EXP, which split up became 700 EXP each. Not bad. He was roughly at the half-point regarding his level up, and he still had a good time before Kuoh began. This was going to be a breeze! But then his thoughts traveled to what the Stray, Danbooru, said…Strays that deserve to be spared, huh?
How would he even begin to find them? Sure, the mutations and insanity might not be instant results of becoming Strays, but developing overtime without the presence of their master unless they achieve self-control, but finding those sounds like finding a needle in a haystack. It won't be easy, so to say, as he either needs to find a powerful Stray which wishes to return to their relative normal or one that was a fresh runaway. Not murderers, since those tend to be more greedy unless they had good reasons.
Solomon was with him, and he could read people well enough to tell when someone was lying.
Still, that Stray spoke with an air of wisdom and knowledge. Maybe it was worth trying?
Quest Received!
Danbooru's Wisdom.
Main Objective: Listen to and rightfully spare 5 Strays who deserve to be spared.
Quest Time Limit: N/A
Main Objective Reward:10K EXP
Failure Penalty: None.
Or simply leave it to the system to make a must and give him a FAT reward for it. That was enough EXP for him to level-up! Ok, now he was pumped to get up and start another day of grinding!
"Mmmm. Nya…"
Or maybe he will laze around in bed until Kuroka wakes up. On one hand because he doesn't want to wake her up and on another because he doesn't want to stop feeling up her knockers pressing against him. Win-win situation.
"Did you call, President?" Kiba, the young devil Issei had identified before with the use of his [Observe] Skill, asked as stepped within the dimly lit room on the grounds of Kuoh Academy, and he was not alone. Beside the young blonde was also Koneko, also known as Shirone, but that is not all. Behind the desk, sitting in a chair and currently looking over them, was Rias, seemingly having waited for the two of them to arrive.
"Indeed. Take a seat." She told them, which they did, Koneko pulling out a bar of chocolate for herself. "Now, as you might have heard, there have been multiple murders going on around Kuoh. Let me reassure you right now that no civilians were being harmed, but rather, the victims had something specific in common: They were all Stray Devils."
"Strays?" Kiba muttered, looking at her. "You mean there is someone killing the Strays?"
"Yes, and they have been at it for a short while now." Rias continued. "The first murder was a small time Stray wanted for running from their master. However, it was better this way. They were a cocaine addict, something the master was unaware of when they recruited them. They apparently robbed their master and ran to buy more drugs and, later, use their new-found abilities to rob people on the street to ensure his next fix." She explained. "They were found dead in the alley where the most robberies were reported. As you know, they were on our list to be killed the following day, but our culprits took care of him before us."
"Nasty. He deserved it." Koneko muttered, then she returned to her chocolate.
"Quite. However, take notice of the plural terms; 'culprits'" Akeno pointed out, which got their attention. "We are dealing with a pair, as evidence is showing, a male and female."
"Anything else that can be of use in finding them?" Kiba asked.
"No, nothing. Whoever they are, they are efficient. The most recent murders even more so as there seem to be no more signs of a struggle like before, indicating that they are learning quite quickly." Rias said, but her eyes were mainly on Koneko. She didn't wish to reveal the fact it was Kuroka they were chasing, and she did hate keeping secrets from her peerage members, but because of that she will tell Koneko in private. "As a result, Sona left the duty of finding and capturing them to us."
"What about their area of killing? Any particularities?" Kiba asked further.
"Apart from the locations, not quite. You see, the first murders were reported more towards the edge of the town, but the most recent ones are closer to this location." Akeno stated. "They must be quite brave to move deeper into our territory."
"Or foolish." Rias added. "So far we have only Sona's guesses regarding their possible location. They are either in the industrial area, using a warehouse there, in the residential area, possibly living in a house, or at the pier, using one of the abandoned buildings there."
"What are you proposing, President?" Kiba asked, to which Rias replied simply.
"Checking out those locations by splitting up is an option, but not a wise one in case we encounter them. They are clearly trained individuals, and I do not wish to expose anyone to risks, so we will be starting the search of the locations at once. Today."
"So soon?" Kiba gasped slightly.
"Kiba, they are killing Strays on our territory!" Rias said, stressing the point. "Their actions do not only go against supernatural law, but they also indirectly insult us and our ability to protect the town. Sure, killing Strays is ultimately beneficial, but what if the news gets back to the Shinto Pantheon or my brother? I cannot afford to look weak or unable to manage my own town."
"I see…I understand, President. Where do we start?" Kiba asked.
"We will start with the residential area." Rias stated, looking down at a map laid down on her desk. "We will be trying to detect any trace of magic or Ki in the area, then repeat the same at the other locations as well. Do not split, stay together. Akeno, ready the teleportation circle."
"Right away, Rias. Give me just a moment. Kiba, dear, mind if you accompany me?" Akeno asked, looking at the blonde in the room.
"Huh? But why?" He asked, finding it strange. However, one look into Akeno's eyes then at Rias' had answered his questions. Rias wanted a private talk with Koneko. "Right away." He left the room together with Akeno, leaving Rias there with Koneko.
"Odd." Koneko said, but then she looked at Rias.
"Koneko, I have something to tell you…It's about the female culprit." Rias said, getting her attention. She got up from the desk, went to Koneko and, confusing the girl, hugged her. "Before I say anything more, know that I won't let you be hurt. You are safe with me, and with everyone else. But please, Koneko, try not to freak out too much."
"Rias? You are worrying me." Koneko replied, then Rias said it bluntly.
"It's Kuroka. She is the female culprit." Koneko's eyes widened hearing that, and Rias could feel her hands tighten around her arms.
"My sister…Is in Kuoh?" Koneko said slowly, shaking slightly. "Impossible, I would have felt her Ki, how did she-"
"Koneko, calm down." Rias said, trying to keep Koneko from reacting too badly. "Yes, she is in town, but so far she has kept her distance from you. If she wanted to do anything she would have acted already, you know how she is."
"But…If she is around, then we need more help!" Koneko stressed, tears forming in her eyes. "W-we cannot defeat her, she is- she's-"
"Koneko!" Rias called out her name, keeping her close. "Calm down. Everything is alright. As long as I am around she cannot do anything to you, or anyone else. If need be Sona will help us as well."
"I…Ok, Rias, I will trust you." Koneko replied, calming herself. "But…If she is back, then the other culprit must be strong. I know my sister, she would never team up with a weakling"
"I know, which is why I'd prefer not to fight them. We will keep our distance." Rias replied. "We only need to confirm the identity of the other person with her, then we can begin taking more serious measures. I will even go as far as calling my brother for you, Koneko."
"Thank you, Rias." She replied, but then she put her chocolate down. "When are we going?"
"Right away."
Issei and Kuroka spent their day as usual, with Kuroka doing whatever she wanted around the house, including the food, and Issei studying. Once he was done with this arduous part of his quest he would start helping with the chores some more as well, but for now, he had to get this done and move on from it. He began to study at 12 in the afternoon, which was quite late, but he and Kuroka had spent a good amount of time cuddling in bed. Late nights mean late mornings.
As a result, they only had 8 hours to study before taking one hour to rest and then heading out for the evening to hunt the Strays some more. As a result, Solomon had Issei study for 2 hours in all remaining subjects, putting him close to the finish of this quest. Seriously, his brain felt like it was melting from the amount he had to study, and his INT stat was not going up from it.
But as the clock struck nine in the evening, Kuroka and Issei left their home, making sure to choose some casual clothing to go out in. They ventured deep into Kuoh once again, looking more like a simple couple to the population. Issei also took the chance to [Observe] as many people as possible in order to level up this Skill more. However, Issei had a clear place he wanted to go to; the pier. He told Kuroka about the paper he found, so the two of them were going to it, unaware of what was expecting them.
He was also leveling up his [Aura Suppression] as much as possible as they walked.
By the time they reached the pier it was already well into the night, but that didn't discourage them. Kuroka then sensed around, trying to feel about anything of interest. And eventually, she did. There was a building there, which looked like an old office. Of course, there were people working there, so there was quite a bit of sneaking around. And sure enough, that translates into a skill.
For sneaking around you have gained the Skill: [Stealth]
Solomon explained the skill yet again. It was a freebie like [Aura Suppression] that was always active, apparently, and enabled him higher chances of not being detected while trying to sneak around. Additionally, the bonus odds it provided increased at every level. Nice.
However, despite the Skill leveling up once while they were sneaking about, getting to the office was pretty uneventful in rest. Not to mention no one looks to have been in there for a while. It was completely abandoned, but then again, based on the evidence they found at the last one, that is how they all were. Now, they only needed to find the entrance, which took a bit of searching.
This entrance was more hidden than the last, but luckily the place still had electricity, so they were able to turn on the lights. Issei checked under the desk, finding nothing akin to a switch there, and Kuroka checked the shelves for one as well. The entrance was hidden, he just knew it! Kuroka could feel slight traces of Ki coming from here, but even now they were weak. Issei rattled his brains quite a bit, trying to find the switch to open the door of the dungeon, but then Solomon suggested that he calms down and tries to think.
And sure enough, he recalled a trick from a show he once watched where the switch to open the secret door was located inside the drawers of the desk. Namely, on the top one, as the desk had wires going through it. Issei checked it, and sure enough, the first drawer was not opening, indicating that it was fake. He opened the one below and looked inside, and sure enough, he found a button. "Bingo."
Issei pressed the button and the wall behind the desk opened up. It retreated back, revealing a set of stairs going down underground, like last time. This dungeon was bound to be a bit more humid, seeing as they were close to the ocean.
Alert! You are about to enter the Dungeon: Abandoned Hideout. The Recommended Level for this Dungeon is 10. Do you wish to enter?
Y/N
The level recommended was double compared to the last dungeon, meaning this won't be as easy as last time either. However, Issei pressed the 'Y' since Kuroka was still more than powerful enough to make this a breeze. "After you, My lady."
"Nya, what a gentleman." She replied and walked to the stairs, however, she found a notification appeared in her face.
Level cap exceeded! Individuals above level 55 cannot enter this dungeon!
"What?!" Kuroka gasped, looking at the notification, and Issei was also not pleased with it. "I cannot enter the dungeon, nya?! That is unfair!"
"Of course, the system won't let us cheese it." Ddraig said, pointing out the obvious. "It is very possible that due to her high level, the system either implemented those measures or they were there beforehand. Either way, this means we cannot really cheese it as we'd like. Crud."
"Indeed." Solomon added. "I will read on it for a bit, but for now, Issei, go in. We better not waste any time."
"Sorry, Kuroka. Maybe you can accompany me on the next one?" Issei said, trying to make her feel better.
She sighed. "I will stand here and keep watch. You go in." She replied, then she went to the desk, and sat down at it. She let out a yawn. "If anyone comes I will make sure to erase their memories."
"Alright." Issei replied, then he descended into the dungeon. Solomon checked some details about it, finding out that there were a total of 4 floors to this dungeon in total, but he did something else as well. It turns out Kuroka will be able to enter the dungeon once he clears the first floor, but she cannot step into active floors with enemies in them.
Go figure the system was a big tease.
Still, he deployed his Sacred Gear, his [Night Vision] active as there was no light down here. He walked down, noticing similar details with the other place, namely the stairs. Those people really liked going down the drain, huh? However, that is as far as resemblances went as he got to the bottom of the stair which opened up in a relatively large room with multiple crates scattered about. However, many of them were empty or likely didn't have anything really worth it in them.
Like last time, this place was cleaned before they left. This led Solomon to believe they didn't leave in a hurry, but more in an organized manner. Still, Issei walked inside the room, looking around at the boxes and, to be sure, above. The ceiling was clean, except for cobwebs. He didn't want enemies dropping on him. And speaking of enemies, he could not see their numbers. Another perk only for his only dungeon was likely the ability to see the number of enemies, now he was going in not knowing how many he might be facing.
With his Sacred Gear at the ready, he continued to walk around, trying to find the stairs or door to the next floor. But something was strange…The crates, when compared to the rest of the room, seemed different. He looked at the floor, noticing traces in the dust. The crates were moved around, but why?
Wait, no, he knows why! "Damn it!" He swore as he fired a [Wyvern Shot] at one of the crates, hearing the sound of wood breaking but also the announcement for when he deals critical damage. The dust got kicked up, but it settled quickly, allowing him to see another one of the golems from before. But they were different now. Namely, he noticed more detailed hands, with their fingers having multiple segments, making them resemble real ones. However, his attack seemed to have taken out an arm off this one, but that didn't help as he saw it raise a sword at him.
Then, multiple of them came out of the crates. Issei used his [Observe] on them, getting some information.
[Superior Wooden Golem]
[level 10 D]
[HP: 3000]
This was an ambush, and he fell right into it! They were hiding in the crates, either ready to be transported or waiting on him. Likely the first, seeing as those golems did not have actual brains. Solomon theorized before that they were triggered by his presence, which is what activates them. Regardless, they were too many in number, so he needed some form of strategy to deal with them.
But he was not given the chance to think as one of them tried to attack him using their short sword, but Issei was luckily able to block using his armored arm. Go figure, he can use his Gear as a shield! He pushed it back, then he delivered a [Wyvern Shot] to it, striking it dead on the chest.
But that didn't change the situation he was in. They were closing in, all armed with spears, short swords, and so on. This is one of the moments he wished he had a flamethrower or something. Wait…
[Fire Magic - Novice] (Level 1| 000/400): One of the most used types of magic out there, renowned for its highly offensive capabilities all around! This Skill enables you to use basic fire magic, enabling you to light up a small spark in your hands!
Hopefully, it was joking with only the 'spark' part because he needs something a bit stronger now. He extended his other hand forward, trying to remember the lessons from the past and he imagined a ball of fire appearing and then launching at the golems. Sure enough, it seemed to work as fire gathered in his palm in the form of a sphere, then, at the moment it was ready, it shot at the golems, hitting one dead on and giving him a critical announcement.
Skill Created! [Fireball]
Fire burned wood, duh.
Curious, however, Solomon checked and informed Issei that since fire is counter to wood, it seemed like he was doing more than he realized. Fire dealt an extra 100% percent damage to the Wood Golems, not to mention that combined with a higher critical chance made fire magic perfect to run an entire genocide on those enemies.
Message received. Issei began to spam his new spell like there was no tomorrow. He struck multiple of those golems, seeing them collapse on the ground and continue to burn afterward, making things somewhat easier. Granted, some got in a bit too close, but he took care of them by either using [Power Kick] or [Power Punch] to push them back, then he killed them using the [Fireball] spell. That being said, the spell was leveling up nicely.
Both of his power strikes leveled to level 2, and his fire spell was also level 2. Although it took more since he was getting less EXP than normal due to his perk. One last [Fireball] took out the last of the wooden golems, and Issei watched it collapse on the ground and just burn. They were receiving the appropriate Status Effect, so the wooden golems really were unlucky. Plus, if those were the superior breed then he doesn't know what the challenge was with this dungeon.
Anyway, in the end, he took out about 9 of them, all of them being the same level and rank, so he received 1100 EXP from all of them. Since Kuroka was not in the dungeon, and could not enter as a result, she was not receiving any of this EXP, which was unfortunate, but then again, he needed it more than she did. In total, he got 9900 EXP, which meant only one thing.
Congratulations! You are now Level 12.
He leveled up, let's go! Issei checked his new stat page, looking over the changes.
Nice, that also refilled his Mana and Stamina. Still, he needed to keep going. He looked around, then he twisted himself as the sound of some crates falling caught his attention, but instead of another enemy, it showed him the entrance to the next floor. Contempt, he then received the option to loot the golems he had killed, and he received their weapons. They were using 'average iron-' weaponry and the like, ranging from short swords to spears, and knives. He sold them for 4500 Yen.
He let out a deep breath. "Here we go again." He went down again, going further down below the surface. Once again he was met with stairs going down deeper underground, but when he arrived at the bottom he found a safe to say, worrying sight.
A long, large hallway. It was quite big as well, with multiple Wood Golems laid on the ground. However, he didn't rush in. Solomon theorized they were activated by his presence, meaning that if he got too close they would activate and attack him. He noticed multiple weapons laid on the ground around them, likely their own. However, he recalled his [Sneak Attack] skill and got himself into position as a result, bringing forth a [Fireball] and firing it at one of them, striking its head. It also helped that it rolled on the ground and onto another golem, spreading the [Burn] Status Effect.
For striking your opponents using only projectiles, you gained 1 ACC.
That golem was done for, but the others were not. They got up, Issei counting 4 more wooden golems like the ones from before. However, there was a bit of distance between him and them, which allowed him to simply use [Fireball] to strike them down before they reached him. That was another 4400 EXP for him. His main [Fire Magic - Novice] Skill also gained a level, which was a welcomed bonus.
Issei then went forward, looking down at the bodies of the killed golems. If this hallway was the next floor, it was quite easy. So he continued to walk forward towards the door he saw at the end of the hall, but as he did, something came out of nowhere and struck him in the face, sending him flying to the other end of the hallway and dealing around 1000 clean points of damage to him! Holy shit, that thing was strong!
The strike had him dazed, but not stunned, allowing him to get up and see what was it that struck him…And he didn't like what he was seeing.
[Concrete Golem]
[level 10 D]
[HP: 8000]
Fucking hell, now they were made out of concrete! The golems before him for the classic look well, as their bodies were made out of, well, concrete! He didn't notice them before because they were in some kind of gaps in the walls, and as he got too close, they activated and one of them delivered him a haymaker to the face! His nose hurt. They had bulky bodies and thick limbs that looked like they were made of one singular chunk, then all pieces connected together via some kind of magic. Their heads were located atop their giant builds, with one, green orb in the center that likely allowed them to see or something.
Still, as he noticed, they were moving slowly. Looks like their superior strength came with a price. Additionally, there were only two of them, meaning he didn't need to worry about some kind of army, not to mention they didn't have fingers at their hands. It was like whoever made them didn't think much about giving THEM weapons, but then again, being made of concrete, it didn't matter much.
But what did matter was how the fuck he was supposed to take them down! He tried to use [Fireball] first, but as it connected, it did literally nothing to them. They easily shrugged it off and continued to walk towards him, so Issei switched to his other projectile, namely his [Wyvern Shot], and fired, receiving the same result. Whatever their DUR stat, it was clear to him now he will need to use his [Boost] if he wanted to get past those guys.
So that is what he did, activating two of them even! That should put his STR at 100 or something, and his AGI at roughly the same level. Using his amplified power he made a dash and managed to slide underneath one of the golems, getting behind them, then he aimed his armored arm and fired a [Dragon Shot] at the head of one of them. However, it was able to block using its hand, which reduced the damage a direct hit to the head would have done. Still, he still delivered a solid 1600 damage, putting one of them at 6400. It progressed. If he could keep going like this, dodging their slow strikes and striking back using his own attacks to chip away their HP, then he could take them on.
Skill Level-up! [Dragon Shot] is now level 3!
Unfortunately, such a strategy would take too long, but it was everything he had! He kept using his boosted AGi to dodge their strikes, then he fired off his own projectiles at them to slowly chip their HP. He managed to get one of them to 3400 HP and the other to 4500 HP, which was good progress, but he cocked it.
And with that, we understand the fact that Issei involuntarily cornered himself in one of the places where the golems were staying when he entered the room. There was not enough room to maneuver, meaning he was trapped. Ok, not his brightest moment, not to mention the first hit he took out almost half of his HP. He was boosted now, but who knows what kind of damage those golems can still do? Not to mention his [Boost] was not forever.
They had a time limit, even if he could just apply them again and reset the timer once it ran out, it still consumed more Stamina than he could recover. The golem drew closer to him, likely to finally squash him, and Issei aimed up his arm at it once again in defiance, using a [Wyvern Shot] on its arm, striking the upper part of the shoulder. A futile effort.
Except, it wasn't. He heard the ding that indicates he struck a critical. HOW?! The wooden golems were easy, they were made of wood, but how come he inflicted a critical on those guys? But then he noticed the golem stumble back, and a loud thud echoed in the room. Its arm fell off. He quickly checked its HP, seeing it at 1900. That was critical, alright, but how did he inflict it? Less time to think, more to move! Using this opportunity before the golem could recover he moved from that place, once again getting past the golems.
How did he inflict a critical injury? Those guys had no places where he could- Or wait…Concrete…Cracks! He looked back at them, seeing multiple cracks on their bodies. Not just small ones inflicted by him, but some which were larger and seemed focused on a certain area. That's it! Those are the weak points. However, his Stamina was taking a beating from all the skills he was using so far, so he had to be smart about it. He charged in, going to the golem which had the most HP currently. He barely stopped himself as the golem brought its arm down to squash him, but it kicked up the dust. When it pulled back the arm, Issei grabbed onto it and began to go to the golems head first, using his Sacred Gear to deliver a [Power Punch] to the spot that had an orb in it.
Another critical announcement played out, but this time when he checked the golem he was surprised to find something else. He only struck that place because he noticed the cracks on its head, thinking it was a good place to inflict a critical.
[Concrete Golem]
[level 10 D]
[HP: 3200]
[S. E: Blindness]
The orbs were how they were capable of seeing! That made a lot of sense, actually, he didn't think about it until now. Granted, with one golem being down an arm and another unable to see, he thought the fight would be easier now, except he failed to predict the blinded golem striking left and right randomly, even striking its comrade powerfully in the head, which caused it to break into hundreds of pieces. He learned this before, but if his enemies kill each other, creating an indirect kill, he does NOT get EXP!
Well, at least he can still hope to take down this golem. Without its sight, it could not see Issei, meaning it could not figure out where he was. Time to abuse this, so Issei put both arms up. He charged up his [Dragon Shot] in both, which resulted in another new Skill.
Skill acquired! [Dual Use]
For simply trying to use a Skill in both hands, huh? Still, he had nothing against it. He aimed and fired the first one, striking the Golem's chest, which made it stumble back and collapse. Then, with the other one still charged, he decided to get creative again. He focused a bit and put a bit more power in the sphere, but then, instead of launching it, he improved the stability of the energy, just a bit, and threw it.
Skill Acquired! [Dragon Grenade]
When the sphere landed, next to the golem's head, it immediately exploded, which was a bit bigger than Issei expected it to be.
"Nya!" Kuroka perked up as she felt the building shake, looking down at the stairs with a worried expression. "What was that? I hope Issei is ok, nya…It's so boring here!" She whined, unaware things were going to get better soon enough.
For the Concrete Golem he had gained 1200 EXP. Seriously?! All of that and he only got that meager amount, it was barely better than the wooden ones! Damn it, he guessed this was what happened when going into higher-level dungeons, enemies are stronger and gains lower or something.
Regardless, Issei checked his current values, mainly to be sure he still had enough to get to the next room.
HP: 1872/2860 (1HP/Min)
STA: 1350/2320 (1STA/Min)
Mana: 1550/2420 (1 Mana/Min)
Ok, he can work with this. Worst case scenario he will bust out the Balance Breaker for the boss. Still, he repeated the process from last time, and he looted the golems for their weapon to sell them, but he did get the 'Golem Eye' from the concrete one, which sold for a whooping 2000 Yen alone! In total, they got him 7400 Yen.
He opened the door to the next room, seeing three or so wooden golems with their swords drawn, but also a sight he hoped he wouldn't be seeing too soon…5 more concrete golems. Fucking-A, why again? His [Boost] also vanished not long ago, meaning he had to apply new ones, which cost him Stamina.
Still, without any way to take them out otherwise due to their higher stats, he used his skill to the max, which was five whole [Boost], which he put to work creating another [Dragon Grenade] and he threw it in. The wooden and concrete golems were all inactive inside there, likely waiting for him to enter so they could activate. Too bad that won't happen anymore!
The grenade exploded, and due to him being at maximum capacity with his [Boost] the wooden golems were blown to splinters. That was a free 3300 EXP, but the concrete ones, despite being damaged, were not taken out. He checked their stats, and he found that their HP values were around 6500-7500. The Grenade still did some nice damage. But his cover was blown. It was likely that the [Sneak Attack] Skill also helped him with some bonus damage, but the concrete demons were tough opponents by default.
They were coming towards him, so Issei got away from the door, but that didn't stop one of them from breaking down the wall. Damn it, here it came round 2. However, he was prepared. He saw some cracks on their bodies, so without thinking much, he aimed his arm at one and fired a [Dragon Shot] yet again, then he switched to using his [Wyvern Shot] with his [Dual use] skill to shoot out two projectiles at once.
Skill level up! [Dual Use] is now level 2!
Skill level up! [Dual Use] is now level 3!
Skill level up! [Wyvern Shot] is now level 5, and as a result of it, it has grown!
He didn't have time to check the changes to that skill as he fired upon the golems, hitting their weak spots to the best of his ability. He was also mixing in his [Dragon Shot] every time the cooldown on it was done. Luckily, striking the weak points seemed effective, not to mention he managed to strike another one in the eye, blinding them again before a lucky [Dragon Shot] took their left thigh, causing them to collapse over another golem. He got the EXP only for the one he shot since indirect kills did not count. Damn it again.
Still, that meant three were left, and those were not going down as easy! However, he managed to throw another grenade at one of their feet, taking out the legs of the one up front, causing the other to half their advance as their path was somewhat blocked. They could still block some of his strikes, as they did so far, but damage was beginning to show. Eventually, another heavy strike took the shoulder of another golem, followed by their sight, which reduced their HP to zero.
Issei felt the pressure, however. He was burning through his Stamina like crazy! But it paid off once the last golem was down. Granted, out of 5, only 4 counted as his kills. That translated into 4800 EXP. That put him literally one kill away from leveling up! He was so close, he could taste level 13!
He proceeded to go into the third room, seeing what was there. He found it to be pretty large compared to the others, and he saw a door on the other side of the room as well, likely leading into the last section of the dungeon. Since he defeated the other golems already, with damage done to the overall entrance and leaving a gaping hole in there, he thought he can just go in, fight the boss, and then come out and return to Kuroka so they can return home.
But he couldn't open the door, which confused him. It said that the floor was not clear, which got him to look up, and luckily for him, he did so in time to dodge an entire projectile that was coming for him. He coughed as he then looked back, and then he saw it drop from above. It was a concrete golem, but at the same time, it was not. The entire left arm of the golem was different, looking more like some kind of cannon and it had a strange gem in the center of its chest as well.
[Observe] told him the rest.
Boss
[Armed Concrete Golem]
[Level 20 D]
[HP: 18000]
Crud…This was not good. The golem let out a loud roar of sorts before aiming its cannon once again at Issei, forcing him to dodge. Checking his Stats, Issei found himself a bit stuck. His Stamina was pretty low, but his Mana was holding up nicely still since he barely used his magic. However, the after-blow from the cannon shot got him, and he was sent flying for a bit and losing around 600 HP. Ok, the splash damage was the devil's work!
With the little time that remained on the clock for his [Boost], he fired off a [Dragon Shot] at the boss, trying to inflict some damage, but after the smoke cleared itself he noticed the golem being barely scratched. That was not good, especially as it shot him back again, forcing him to dodge once again, which resulted in another explosion and splash damage. His [Dragon Shot] did level up to level 4, but he needed something better to take it out. He needed…
He needed his Balance Breaker.
Sure he doesn't have experience with it as he never used it before, but if he remembered correctly it increased his Stats by a certain percentage, which can be later used more with his [Boost] to achieve the necessary amount of power. Granted, his Stamina was on the low, being only around 860 left…If math helps him, he has 17 minutes with just his Balance Breaker, less if he uses other skills. He needs to finish this guy quickly.
The effects of his [Boost] expired, reaching the time limit, but he stood tall, his Gear still deployed. "Ready, Ddraig?"
"Are you joking? I have been ready for weeks now!" The Heavenly Dragon replied as he knew what Issei was going to do, a decision all three of them found wise in this current moment. They had to gamble, and finish this quickly enough, but it was worth it.
The golem aimed its cannon at him, readying another shot. "NOW! BALANCE BREAKER!"
[SCALE MAIL!]
The announcement resonated throughout the dungeon and Issei found himself surrounded by crimson light so powerful it even seemed to blind the golem! Slowly, his Gear extended, covering his entire arm, then an identical gauntlet expanded on his other arm, followed by a piece manifesting on his chest which extended as well, then his legs, and finally his head was covered by a helmet. The armor was red in design, with the eyes being green and with green jewels decorating various spots of it. He grew out a pair of red dragon-like wings from his back with yellow skin in between the segments, and a tail extending from his back as well. As soon as the Balance Breaker was fully deployed, he used his [Boost] again, maximizing it. It cost him 250 Stamina, meaning he had around 12 minutes or so, but it was enough.
Issei flew up, aiming his arm at and shooting his [Dragon Shot] at the golem, but the boss blocked it with its other arm, which reduced the damage. It took only 1200 damage from that. It then aimed its cannon at Issei, but now that he was able to fly, he had an easier time avoiding the cannon's projectiles, but the boss was shooting it quickly, trying to catch him. He couldn't afford to be evasive, so he charged right at the golem, narrowly dodging one projectile as he crashed into it, his shoulder pushing into its chest.
That dealt some damage, but not a lot. He dug his clawed hands into the golem, then he began to repeatedly use [Power Punch] on the golem's head, dealing good damage, but he was unable to destroy the orb in its head that allowed it to see. The golem took about 5000 damage from those strikes alone before it grabbed Issei and threw him off, then it once again shot its massive cannon at him, this time hitting a direct strike.
"GAH!" Issei let out a painted scream as he found himself digging into the wall with his body, and his EXP was not looking any better. He was at 670 HP left, but that didn't discourage him. The golem charged another shot, but Issei managed to fly away before it connected with him, instead striking the wall yet again. But then Solomon chipped in.
"Issei, look at the gem in the golem's chest!" The wise king pointed out, and indeed, Issei did see it. Every time the golem seemed to fire the gem pulsed. "It is likely a Mana Gem! I used those before! They are used to power various magical constructs, and right now it seems like the golem is using them for its cannon! But just by looking, I can tell it is a low-quality one."
"How does that help me right now? I am running low on fumes here!" Issei replied, trying to be mindful of his Stamina, which he didn't have a lot of lefts. 310 and dropping.
"If you use [Transfer] on it and pump more Mana into it, then chances are it will overload and explode! The damage it will inflict on the golem is likely to be fatal, and it will disable that pesky cannon as well!"
This is why Solomon was the smartest out of all of them. Issei listened to his words and went for another close-up encounter with the boss, this time, aiming for the gem in its chest. But one of its projectiles got his wing, which affected his direction, making it difficult for him to get it right, but he managed to do it and he put his hand over the gem. He was going to [Transfer] all Mana he had left.
[TRANSFER!]
As the announcement played out, Issei saw his Mana empty out completely. Luckily for him, it looked like this skill worked for Mana as well. Eventually, the golem began to move strangely, jerking around wildly, and Solomon shouted to Issei to get away from the gem as it was about to explode. And true enough, not long after they took some distance, they saw it crack and eventually…
Boom.
The gem exploded in the chest of the golem and a critical announcement played out. A FATAL even! The dust got kicked up by the explosion, but once it cleared out, Issei saw the golem, still ALIVE, but barely. It seemed the explosion spread to the connection, as its entire cannon was missing, now being nothing more than a piece of rubble on the ground. The golem itself had a giant hole in its chest which opened to its left where the cannon was, and it was still willing to fight, but…A fatal strike, as the system told him, can result in the opponent still being alive, but their HP drops constantly.
But despite that, the golem still tried to crawl to him, to continue fighting. And then the unthinkable happened. "CRITICAL DAMAGE. OBJECTIVE UNCHANGED: PROTECT THE MAIN OFFICE"
It talked. Or rather, it was akin to a robot of sorts. But before it got too close, it eventually died out, and Issei, exhausted, dropped on his butt, dismissing his Balance Breaker. "That…was insane." He admitted, and Solomon was the first to reply.
"Quite. This boss was difficult, I have to say. Its armor could tank a [Dragon Shot] powered by 5 [Boost], which leads me to believe it might have been enhanced with magic more than the others. It was a close call."
"No shit, Issei here barely has any HP left! Stamina is down very low, and his Mana, due to that last effort, is 0!" Ddraig said, giving them a status report. 'If this gamble failed, we'd be pushing daisies now."
"Luckily for us, it did pay off." Issei said as he got up slightly. The dungeon was not complete yet, however, as there was one more room to clear out. The Main Office. The Golem, the boss which he thought he'd see on the very last floor instead of floor 3, was protecting this place for some reason. Oh man, he is so glad he didn't rush in the room recklessly and took out the others. What if the golem dropped while he was fighting those?
Still, Issei approached the door, and this time, it opened, revealing an office to him. The dungeon has yet to reward him, meaning there was an objective to complete here. And he saw what. This place was thrashed, and there was a trash can with ash in it. More burned documents. However, in this case, it seemed like they tried to set fire to the entire office, but the walls were cold and wet as he felt when he touched them. There was water running behind them, which likely prevented the fire from doing a good job.
He went to the desk that was there, seeing an ornate box atop it. He opened it, seeing two papers inside. One resembled a letter of some sort and the other a map. "Surviving documents?"
"They were likely trying to burn them in the office or something, but since that failed…" Solomon said.
"Is there more to discover here?" Issei asked, but a notification cleared that belief.
Congratulations on defeating the boss and clearing the dungeon! Here are your rewards:
-7500 EXP
-15K Yen
Congratulations! You are now Level 13!
"Looks like there isn't." Issei remarked as he did look around the office a bit, eventually his eyes falling on an object within the ash. He went to it and picked it up, curiosity getting the better of him, so he stored it in his inventory for later. It seemed out of place, so maybe it was important. Plus, leveling up refilled his HP, Stamina, and Mana! Let's go!
Another level means another step closer to level 15 and doing that quest. Good. Now to get out of here, return to Kutoka, and teleport out-
"Issei!" Kuroka shouted as she ran inside the third room of the dungeon, looking to be a rush. "We need to move quickly!"
"What is it?"
"The Gremory are here, they are chasing me and-" A loud explosion was heard from down the hallway. "It seems they broke the door I locked with my magic. It was meant to hold them off longer, but it seems they are more resourceful than I thought."
"How did they find this place?" Issei asked, wondering for a moment, but then, with the help of his [Night Vision] he noticed them coming from the end of the hallway. Thinking quickly, Issei decided to reply to his Balance Breaker yet again. "Stay close, Kuroka!" He said as he grabbed her, pulling her close, which surprised her, but pleasantly so as she saw him decked out in armor.
"Scale…Mail…" She muttered.
"Stop there!" Rias shouted as she and her peerage stepped into the room, but they stopped immediately as they saw Issei. Or rather, they were seeing the Red Dragon Emperor, which caused them to have multiple levels of surprise. "T-The Red Dragon Emperor?!"
"Apologies, Rias Gremory, for the short meeting." Ddraig said, speaking instead of Issei to preserve his identity. Kuroka clung to him with a coy smile, likely to tease the Gremory. "However, my partner and I have other places to be."
"Wait, who are you?!" Rias asked, but then they noticed the magical circle underneath them. Kuroka's circle. Seeing that, they charged in, trying to catch them, but it was late as they managed to teleport away before they were able to do so. "Tch. Things just got more complicated than ever…"
"Rias, what do we do now? We didn't even suspect the presence of the Red Dragon Emperor, let alone that Kuroka was working with them." Akeno said, voicing her worry.
"A better question is how we didn't figure out it was the Red Dragon." Kiba added. "Historical records do not speak kindly of their ability to hide. Since the Red Dragon can multiply his power endlessly, they are easy to find."
"Regardless, we have other things to do. Like figuring out what is with this place." Rias said, which earned a nod from Akeno and Kiba. However, the redhead then turned to Koneko, whose fists were tightly clenched. "Koneko, please relax yourself."
"I should have known it would be someone with a Longinus…" Koneko said. "Especially an emperor…Kuroka wouldn't settle for less."
"We know, but that is not important right now." Rias said, looking at the remains of the golem. They saw the golems as they entered, and they sparked the wrong kind of curiosity in her. This was obviously not the work of the Red Dragon and Kuroka, judging by the fact most of them were destroyed. But then who made them and why? She recognized the purpose, likely for an army, but they were not exactly top-quality soldiers.
They have more answers now, but more questions as well to go with them. What is the Red Dragon Emperor doing with someone like Kuroka? How did they meet? How long do they know each other? What is their relationship? Are they an enemy? And most importantly…
Who is behind the mask of the Red Dragon? Seeing the way Kuroka was clinging to them, it was obviously a male, but apart from that the one who spoke to them was not them, but Ddraig, the heavenly dragon himself. Damn it, that was smart of them, using Ddraig in order to not reveal their voice.
For now, however, Rias had to focus herself and set the priorities straight. Right now investigating this place came first, which she will report as her merit. She won't let her brother get involved. If word got out that the Red Dragon Emperor was in Kuoh, then her brother or someone else from the underworld would rush to try and establish relations with them to get them on their side. She won't have multiple nobles start a hunt to recruit the Red Dragon into their peerage on her territory!
Not to mention that this place raised enough questions as is. Once her brother gave the intel to Ajuka, an investigation might be launched, which will keep them busy long enough in order for her to figure out what to do with the Red Dragon. Maybe, just maybe, if she tried to play it better she could be the one to enlist their aid?
No, that was not likely due to their relation to Kuroka. She will not do that to Koneko, no matter how desperate she becomes to get rid of Riser!
One thing at a time.
"Do you feel anything, Koneko?" Rias asked, and Koneko tried to use her senses to see about finding anything else within, but all she picked up were residues.
"Nothing."
"Very well. Let's keep searching. We might be able to eventually find something useful within this place."
