Issei was finding himself in a predicament before him, as currently, he was still before Yuma Amano, or rather said, Raynare. A fallen angel, and this time, a pure one from the looks of things. Ddraig got to reminding Issei in his head about the dangers they come with, all the while she seemed to wait for their reply. Issei, for his part, has been silent for a few seconds, thinking and communicating with the guys inside his head. However…
"I am telling you: Balance Breaker, quick fight, death fallen." Ddraig was insisting they take her out right where she stood.
"Ddraig, I do believe we should first learn what she wishes to earn from her deception." Solomon reasoned.
"Are you deaf? I told you, from my previous experiences, that all Fallen Angels do with Sacred Gear users is kill them and/or rob them of their gears!" Ddraig repeated himself. "What do you even think you can do with her? From the looks of her level, she is around Issei's level, true, but we both know that is not for long."
"That should be a reason to take the other route, and USE her!" Solomon pointed out, then, suddenly, Ddraig looked like he remembered something.
"I see…Issei, do what you think must be done." After that, Ddraig went silent. He didn't seem sour or angry about the talk, more like…Strange. Issei never saw him like that before, like he knew something.
Regardless, now Issei was met with a decision. Oh boy, this was going to be awkward to explain to the girls later. He hopes they won't kill him. "This is…sudden." He said, trying to act natural. "Look, Yuma, right? It isn't that I am saying no to your confession yet, but I need a bit of help to understand things a little better."
"Oh! Ummm, what would you want to know?" 'Yuma' replied, but on the other hand…"Just say yes you stupid teen!"
"Well, as I said, this is kinda sudden, but may I ask how you came to choose me out of all boys in Kuoh? I am not what you'd call the most good-looking, I think that title goes to Yuuto Kiba." Issei replied with honesty, but that was when Yuma made her reply.
"True, but then again, you are not him." She said, playing her cards well. "That Kiba guy is just always chased around by girls, and I feel that one more trying to get close to him would annoy him more than anything. That, and I am not into the overly pretty boy type."
"Oh?" Issei replied, hinting at her to keep going.
"I usually tend to watch from the sidelines. We have some common courses we take here, and I always sit in the back of the class, watching. I just, well, noticed you. I have been watching you for a bit after that, and I know this sounds creepy, but I never did this before, so I don't really know what to do." She replied, faking a blush. "Right, as if. I am no virgin, and even Dohaseek can attest to that. I know my way around a man's body, but with that being said…He doesn't quite give the same air a virgin teen does."
Issei thought of her words for a bit, trying to decide. Solomon was staying out of it, leaving Issei to decide this one, and Ddraig was also staying silent on the matter. He knew for a few facts she was lying, mainly because he would have sensed a Fallen Angel aside from Akeno a long while ago if they had any common classes. And the way she acted, trying to fake so much innocence and purity was just…unnatural to him. Maybe it is his WIS and INT stats working here, but he was seeing right through her lie like a transparent veil. And THAT is when Solomon perked up.
"Issei, I have an idea. We will talk more back home." The wise king told him, and Issei, continuing with his thoughts, made his answer.
"Well, I won't deny how creepy stalking is, but…I guess I can give you a chance." He replied, watching her seemingly rejoice.
"Really? You mean it?"
"Sure, why not, right?" He replied, trying to be convincing. "How about…Tomorrow after classes, we can meet up in the park at the fountain? We could enjoy a date in town and have some fun."
Yuma immediately agreed. "Of course! Thank you so much for accepting my request, Issei! I look forward to tomorrow."
"Alright. Well, how about we part ways for now? I think we both have some work to be done."
"R-right!" Yuma said, skipping past him. "Bye, Issei!" She said as she went away. "I have you now…"
As soon as he was sure 'Yuma' left the area, Issei released a breath and ran a hand over his face. "What have I got myself into?"
Quest Updated!
"Oh no…"
Fallen Femme Fatale!
You went and got yourself a date with a Fallen Angel which likely is in it to trick you and kill you. You sure have luck with the ladies.
Main Objective: Deal with Raynare without the Gremory or Sitri peerage learning of this.
Additional Objective: Do not kill Raynare.
Quest Time Limit: N/A.
Main Objective Rewards: 100K EXP, Unlock the Relationship Tab for Raynare, 50K Y, Arcane Adhesive.
Additional Objective Reward: 50% less RP loss with Raynare, No RP change with any person you have an active RP Tab with, 50K EXP, 1 Additional Quest.
Failure Penalty: Death.
And he needs to take her alive? AND keep this a secret from Rias and Sona? Talk about a whole new can of worms…He dreads what is to come because of this. Still, Solomon did say he had an idea, so that was worth checking out, meaning he made his way back home, on the part to listen to what Solomon had to say, and on another to tell what happened to Ingvild and Kuroka. Hopefully, they won't be mad at him.
He hates his life at times. While he didn't lose any RP with Kuroka, he did lose 4 points with Ingvild. "Nya! Are you insane? Fallen angels are hardly beings you can trust!"
"I have to agree with Kuroka here, not to mention that Raynare IS trying to trick you by pretending to be someone else." Ingvild added, being equally worried. "What if she wants to take your gear? What if she wants to take both our gears?"
"I know you are worried, girls, but when I checked her she didn't have a level that high compared to mine. I should be able to fight her and win if push comes to shove." Issei told them, trying to calm them down a bit. "Besides, Solomon and Ddraig had been acting strange in the back of my head since, so they might have a plan."
"More like a backup solution, I remembered when looking at Solomon." Ddraig said, sounding awfully smug for some reason. "Tell them, old friend."
"Oh boy…Issei, Kuroka, Ingvild; do you know HOW I enslaved the original 72 houses?" Solomon asked, and true enough, Kuroka answered that question.
"The Seal of Solomon: A powerful ring gifted to you by God able to bind dark beings to your service. With it, you bound demons and fallen angels to your service." Kuroka replied, which pleased the ancient king. "But how does that help us, exactly? Last I remember, you lost it when you performed that sacrifice of locust to another deity."
"Correction: I lost power. In actuality, I kept the ring, as it was now a useless trinket. Or rather, an almost useless trinket." Solomon replied. "Although I lost my gift from God, I memorized the patterns on the ring. I remember them even now." Heating this, everyone in the room felt realization strike them hard.
"You mean that Issei could-"
"Oh hell!" Issei shouted, interrupting Ingvild by accident. "Sorry Ingvild, but holy fuck, SOLOMON!" Shouting the name of the king, Issei turned to Kuroka, who was covering her mouth a bit in surprise.
"Oh my…" She said slowly. "This means the Seal of Solomon can be recreated."
"Exactly!" Solomon exclaimed.
"Which is what I was thinking; we could use it on that Raynare bitch." Ddraig said, putting the plan forward. "We give her the date she wants, then when we reach the climax, the moment she'll likely act, we blast her with the seal and turn her into our slave!"
"I was gonna say as well if that counts as forced slavery, but that confirms it." Ingvild added. "I don't know what to think of this, really."
"Neither do I." Issei replied. "Trust me, I detest stuff like this just as much as anyone, and I doubt Raynare herself will be any happier about this, but…Is there no other way, Solomon?"
"Maybe if you try to convince her nicely?" The wise king replied, sarcastically, of course.
"Point taken…" Issei sighed, accepting the situation they were in. "So, what do I do?"
"Technically, you are already halfway there. Your magical circle seems to have been affected by me, and as such, as part of the design already." Solomon told him. "All you have to do is further modify it and add in the necessary alternate details to it to make it into THE SEAL. Should be easy enough, all things considered."
"Alright…Alright, let's get to it then." Issei replied. "Do we have any rooms in the house to have Raynare in?"
"I don't know, and I don't think any of us would feel like sharing a room with her." Kuroka replied. "And definitely, she is not sleeping in the same room with you, nya!" Of course, she won't be. Sexy women are hot, but Raynare is a fallen angel. Who knows what she may do to him during sleep? Or when he is awake. "She'll be sleeping on the couch."
"I also agree with Kuroka on this." Ingvild added.
"Well, she will be a prisoner, more or less. I guess accommodations are not something we need to provide." Issei replied to them. "Still, I don't think placing the seal on her will be as easy as that. What if she tries to escape?"
"Nya! I will follow you around then!" Kuroka added. "That way I can make sure she doesn't bail out on you, not to mention I can keep an eye on you two."
Somehow, he feels like Kuroka just targeted him as well. Come on now, he might be a pervert, but he was a loyal pervert! He'd never go after other women behind their backs! Regardless, he accepted those terms, and Solomon took him into the dungeon to prepare the seal. This was going to count as a training session as well, but all they were doing was creating, or rather, re-discovering a skill. Yet, the result will be a new level for him, which was always nice.
The design for it was pretty simplistic all things considered. He generated a magical circle first, a blank one, and listened to Solomon's instructions, drawing out a pentagram with six tips, like the star of David. Then, between each of them, he placed a dot. Until now it seemed simple, but then Solomon told him the hard part just beginning.
It took him a few good hours to figure out and memorize all of the extra symbols needed, engraved into the inner section of the double circle before them. He honestly got a headache, but eventually, after 5 entire hours of trial and error, the seal turned itself from white, to golden, then to crimson. And sure enough, the system rewarded him.
Skill Acquired! [The Seal of Solomon]
(UNIQUE) [The Seal of Solomon] (MAX): The ultimate power over Devils, Demons, Fallen Angels, and evil ghosts/spirits if you ever find any. This skill requires 1000 Mana and Stamina to cast, a target that fits the race requirements, and a permanent upkeep cost for every being under this seal, reducing the caster's MAX Stamina and Mana supply by 100 until they remove the seal. Upon being placed upon a being, said being will become unable to defy the caster in any way, run from them, or harm them! This seal can only be removed via the use of Holy/Divine Magic, and is completely unaffected by the powers of the mentioned races.
And true enough, he also got his level-up since this concluded his training for now.
Congratulations! You are now level 24!
Level 24 - a nice number. Still, he was currently a man with a mission. And the mission is to use the seal on Raynare to find out what she wants, who her superiors are, what is her ilk doing in Kuoh, and pretty much as he can get out of her. Meaning that for now, he had to go on a date with Yuma Amano, and wait for her to blow her own cover. If he hints that he knows too early, he might end up spooking her and causing his entire plan to backfire.
He also needed to keep things a secret from Rias and Sona, just as he was starting to form better relations with the former. Great, and he thought running dungeons was a chore before, this is times more annoying. At least he won't feel like he is cheating on his own girls. But to be safe, he may need to think about planning some dates for them soon to please them. He did lose some RP with Ingvild, which he wished to get back, and maybe earn more as well.
Exiting the dungeon, he and the girls had dinner, discussing the plan yet again to make sure they didn't have any blind spots or issues. After that, he went to sleep, preparing for tomorrow. Yuma, or Raynare, would wait for him at the fountain. The plan was set into motion.
The time had come, and Issei, with a bit of emotion, walked towards the park at the fountain. Kuroka was going to be hanging around, using her more feline form to do so, so she doesn't stick out too much and spook Raynare. He was not nervous, but more worried and scared. This woman may want to kill him or something, but his worry was somewhat helped by the fact he was not alone.
Ingvild, for her part, was actually going to remain home. Since she too had a gear and a powerful Longinus-Tier one at that, she could easily become a target if Raynare has allies. She needed to stay out of the line of fire for this one. And so, Issei entered the park, looking around for Yuma, AKA Raynare, and eventually spotting her sitting down at the fountain. He went to her, trying to play his best cards. "Hi, Yuma, hope you didn't wait for long." He began, trying to act casual.
Yuma turned her gaze to him, making her sit up. "Not at all! I only just got here a short while ago." She replied, offering him a fake smile. She was dressed in a different outfit compared to the one from before, wearing a pair of blue jeans instead of a skirt, along with a shorter shirt that left her arms and midsection exposed. The shirt she wore was yellow with purplish accents on the front, having a model that resembled feathers. "So, where should we head first?"
Issei thought a bit about it, deciding to be casual about it. "How about we go grab something to eat, then we can spend some time around town." He suggested.
"Hmm. Ok." She then went to him, locking her arms with his and leaning on it, pressing her chest onto his arm. At that moment, she looked to her side, hearing a cat hiss. "What was that?"
"Maybe a stray cat?" He replied back, all the while cursing internally. "Damn it, Kuroka! Keep calm! Please!"
"Maybe…Let's just go." Yuma then urged Issei forward, and the two continued on with their small date. "Strange, he is not as reactive to my chest as others like him would be. Damn it, this guy may not be a virgin in the end. This makes things a bit more difficult, but not impossible. All I need to do is be patient and wait for the right moment." Raynare thought to herself, suppressing a wicked grin.
Granted, even Raynare would admit Issei was not a bad date partner. Their date, while not extravagant, was admittedly a good first date. Issei took her to a small cafe where they had some stuff to eat, the boy offering to pay for everything. Then, Issei and Raynare walked around town for a bit, exchanging some small talk and getting to know one another better.
Or rather, she was getting to know him better. She noticed the scar on his arm, and asking him what was with that, to which he answered with the truth about the incident that took his parents, excluding the part about Solomon and the System, naturally. She faked feeling sorry for his loss but did ask what he was doing back in Kuoh. Being back in the same town his parents died in must have been taking a small toll on his mental health.
But something else bugged her, more out of curiosity. "Have you visited the grave of your parents since you returned?" That question seemed to have struck true, as Issei froze for a bit, the boy realizing that, in truth, he had not. A cold sweat ran down his face realizing that.
"I…I didn't." He said slowly, and genuinely. "After I was moved to Mei, and adopted, all to prevent a bad reaction, I guess I was never informed about the location of their grave. Now that I think about it, I don't know where they are buried at all."
"I see…Do you want to see their graves?" Yuma asked, faking sympathy for him. "Killing him before the graves of his parents would be very poetic. Why not? Not like they can save him now, from beyond the grave."
"I don't know. It has been so long. I could have gone to their graves - search for them, but somehow I never even thought of that." Issei replied, starting to blame himself a bit. What kind of son was he? He forgot about his own birth parents.
But then the remainder came to him in the form of Solomon's voice. "Do not despair, Issei. During this entire time, your goals were elsewhere, and as such, you simply forgot and focused on other things. You are the Red Dragon Emperor, a burden far greater than that of a simple son. Your parents, if they can see you now, understand that. They understand why you couldn't visit them. There is still time to do it, my boy."
Yes, Solomon was right. He was distracted by other things. Training, grinding, the dungeons, Kuoh, avoiding Rias and her lot; he simply forgot. "Do you think we can go to their graves? I know it is not much of a final date destination or a date destination at all, but I would like to visit them."
"Sure, Issei." Yuma replied, being understanding, but in truth, she was just desiring to kill Issei before his parents. A greater death for the boy could not present itself.
So shortly after that conversation, they went out to search for the graveyard they were buried at. From his memory, Issei knew there were two graveyards in Kuoh, located on the far ends of the town, on the outskirts. He did a quick internet search about the incident 10 years ago, and sure enough, after doing some more in-depth searching, found the graveyard they were both buried at. They were cremated and their ashes were placed inside of the Hyoudou family grave, including his mother's.
Truth be told, the reason this is the case is mostly because his parents didn't really have that many relatives. Or any at all. Issei was, as far as he was concerned, the last Hyoudou in Kuoh. Luckily, this plot of land was completely bought by his family, meaning that as long as he was alive, the town could not give it to someone else.
Still, it took them a small while to reach there, as when they did, it was early evening and the sun was starting to set. Yuma stuck close to Issei, and all the while the boy searched for the grave of his parents. Kuroka was also nearby, having climbed up into one of the nearby trees. Shortly after, Issei spotted the large stone with the name 'Hyoudou' engraved on it, and he went to it. This is where both of his parents were buried. "Hello, Mom, Dad. Sorry, it took me so long." He began, greeting his parents while Yuma remained behind him.
"Take your time, Issei." She said, all the while slowly preparing herself. "Not long now."
"I know I must be a bad son for only now coming to see you, but I hope you are proud to see that I am doing well." He continued. "I got into Kuoh Academy, first place in the exam, although they suspect me of cheating. I proved myself innocent, so all is good. Oh! I am also doing well financially, and I am living with my adopted family now. I am eating, sleeping, and - this is for you Dad - doing well with the ladies."
He turned to her. "This is Yuma, a girl I am currently on a date with. I know, Mom, you would scold me for bringing a girl to such a place, but it was her idea." he continued, turning to the grave fully and then bowing his head. "I hope you are doing well, Mom, and Dad, and that you are smiling down on me from above."
Now was the time. As the sun slowly set, Yuma went closer to Issei, a large smile on her face. "Issei, you really miss your parents, don't you?" She asked, and Issei, with his [Danger Sense] skill, knew what was coming.
"Yes…"
"Then how about I sent you to embrace them?" She said as she summoned forth a spear made of light, attempting to throw it at Issei. However, much to her surprise, as she threw her spear, Issei suddenly spun around, deflecting her spear of light using his gear. And when she laid eyes on it, she stopped breathing. "That's-"
"It's over…Raynare" Issei said, and Kuroka knew that was her time to jump in, taking her real form and casting a barrier around them. Raynare, seeing this, dropped the illusion she was using to mask her true appearance. She revealed her true appearance, looking not just a bit older, but more vulgar as well through her suit.
"The Boosted Gear…" She said through gritted teeth. "You little shit! How did you know who I am?"
"I have my secrets." Issei replied, clenching his fist. "More than that, I knew from the start."
Raynare was stunned. Never has she been caught in such a situation, NEVER! This boy before her, even if he had a Longinus, should have not been able to tell who she was! Fuck, how did he even know her name?! She was growing angrier by the second, standing in front of him, cursing Mittelt for not properly checking. From the looks of things, Issei clearly unlocked all stages of his Longinus, and Raynare was willing to bet the Balance Breaker was not far away either. Still, he was only HUMAN.
"No matter!" She said, summoning forth multiple spears of light. "You think simply having a Longinus makes you able to take me on? Ha! Keep dreaming? I will kill you right here, before your parents!"
"You are wrong, Raynare." Issei replied to her, holding his left arm up. "No one is dying here. Mom, Dad, watch me! Ddraig, now!"
[BALANCE BREAKER!]
Issei was blinded as Isse deployed his Balance Breaker, the boy using his [Aura Flare] as well to inflict the [Intimidation 2] Status Effect. This let him know she was genuinely scared of him, but not likely to run and hide. And true enough, she tried to charge him, still thinking she had a chance. But Issei was not giving her the chance. "NOW ISSEI!" Solomon shouted, and he knew what he meant.
As Raynare charged at him, he put forth his arm and focused. Then, the seal formed before him. Raynare, worried about this, tried to dodge by flying away, but Kuroka used her abilities to summon forth multiple roots from the ground, making Raynare unable to dodge. "What?!"
"Not going to work, nya!" Kuroka said, revealing herself.
But that little act was all the time Issei needed. Before Raynare could try anything else, he cast the seal on her, and he watched her scream out as the seal burned itself into her flesh, being placed on her collarbone. Then it glowed a crimson hue, and chains appeared all around Raynare, binding her body. She collapsed on the ground, the chains vanishing, and the girl before them holding herself by her hands. "What was that?" She asked slowly, panting. "What did you do to me?!" She charged at Issei, trying to once again attack, but this time she felt her body suddenly go numb and she collapsed face-first into the ground.
"I will be truthful with you, Raynare." Issei told her as he came out of his Balance Breaker. It was more or less used for extra caution. "Tell me, do you know what the seal of Solomon is?" Hearing that, as she got up, Raynare widened her eyes in recognition and fear. "You do."
She began to shake in fear. "T-the seal of S-Solomon? Impossible! It was lost! No one has ever even come close to recreating it!" She half-shouts, trying to back away from Issei, crawling shamefully on the ground. "H-how?!"
"That is my secret to know." Issei replied again with a cocky tone. "But I guess you could say Solomon's magic is back with the living!"
"You are not just the Red Dragon Emperor, but you also wield the power of the Wise King himself…" Raynare muttered, weighing the situation in light of the new information. Fuck coming alone! She needed her entire crew here, and more! Even Kokabiel! Otherwise, she doesn't even think they stand a chance against this kind of combination. There was simply too much power in the hands of one mortal boy, not to mention he had allies of his own!
That Nekomata next to him, she could sense the power she had…She was strong, way stronger than she was. She went in, and attempted to murder him, yet now the tables had been turned on her completely! She was no longer the one in control, he was, meaning her life was at his mercy. Something she realized. "P-please, Issei, I was - I was just joking earlier about killing you. I didn't mean to-"
"Cut the bullshit!" Kuroka shouted at her, making her flinch. "We both know what you meant to do, so don't try to deny it, nya! You tried to kill MY MAN, and don't even try to deny it! You are lucky Issei here is a kind enough man, otherwise I would kill you with my own hands, nya!"
Damn! He never saw her this heated up before. "That being said, we won't be killing you, so you can rest easy regarding that. However, we will be taking you, prisoner, with us, and you WILL tell us everything we want to know, and more."
"Y-yes…" She replied weakly, accepting her defeat. She was under the spell of the seal, meaning she was HIS ABSOLUTE SLAVE. She cannot harm him or run from him, meaning her only choice now to ensure her treatment was as good as possible was to comply with any requests or questions he asks. But WHAT he may ask is what is making her worried. But at the same time, she did have her own thoughts. "Red Dragon Emperor or not, Solomon's magic or not, there is no way he may stand a solid chance against Lord Azazel as he is now. If I just bide my time, I am sure Lord Azazel will come to my rescue."
"We will now return back to my home." Issei told her, then he turned to the grave of his parents. This was not part of the plan, the location, but he hoped they would be able to understand. "Forgive the commotion, Mom, Dad, but I hope this can show you I will be fine. And Dad? I AM GETTING MYSELF A HAREM! SO POP A COLD ONE WITH GRANDPA, I AM GOING TO FULFILL THE DREAM OF 3 GENERATIONS!"
That last part had Raynare sense a chill go down her spine. "Shit, he's a pervert."
At her words, Kuroka chuckled. "He is of the good kind." She replied to Raynare. "Now, let's depart." With a quick teleportation circle, they were out, the barrier previously set by Kuroka falling to pieces.
Back home, the moment they were out of the teleportation circle, Ingvild met them home. "Issei, Kuroka! How did it go?" She asked, then looked behind them, seeing Raynare there giving her a nasty glare before averting her eyes. "I see it worked…"
"Yeah. Now comes the next part." Issei turned to Raynare. "Raynare, get to the living room."
"Fine." The fallen replied, going to the living room as everyone gathered around her, feeling under her judgment. However, she looked at Ingvild and felt curious enough to ask. "Who is her?"
"Unless she wishes to introduce herself, I won't do it for her to you." Issei told Raynare.
+1 RP with Ingvild Leviathan
Raynare sneered." Fine then. Let's get this over with."
"Very well. Now, first things first, some orders." Her seal glowed, indicating that it was good to receive orders. "From now on, you are to listen to Kuroka and Ingvild here as if they were me, meaning the same rules apply to them. You cannot harm them and must listen to any of their orders." Raynare did not reply verbally, and she simply glared. However, Solomon assured him the order got through. "Now, onto my questions: Who are you?"
The seal glowed, and Raynare was compelled to reply. "My name is Raynare." She said, answering the question. Solomon did tell Issei that he needs to be detailed with his questions to get as much information as possible.
"Who do you work for?" Issei asked again.
"I serve the Grigori, which is led by Lord Azazel, and currently, I am employed under Cadre Kokabiel." She replied, giving Issei some better information this time around.
"Under whose orders are you in Kuoh, and for what reasons?" He asked, making sure to be vague on the reasons in a way to have Raynare tell him everything.
"We are hunting Sacred Gears users to either exterminate or extract their gears." She replied, confirming their initial worries, but there was more. "But, on Kokabiel's orders, we are to conduct a purge of all Devil-allied individuals in Kuoh, and for that reason, a rogue exorcist priest named Freed Sellzen, who was kicked by the church due to his mental instability, will be joining us in a few days. Along with him, another target is on her way to Kuoh, an excommunicated nun named Asia Argento. She, however, is too pure and doesn't have what it takes to kill, making her a liability. We intended to torture her and extract her Sacred Gear, which is Twilight Healing."
"I heard of that one before!" Ingvild spoke up. "It is one of the rarest and most powerful Healing-type Sacred Gears there is! It has the ability to almost instantly heal anyone, regardless of race!"
"Extracting a gear kills the victim, does it not?" Issei asked, to which Kuroka nodded her head. "And this Asia girl…She did nothing wrong, did she? Why did she get excommunicated?"
"You think I know everything?" Raynare replied rudely but proceeded to then tell them what she knew. "I don't know the details. I just know she was branded as a witch for healing a devil."
"If she is as pure as you claim her to be, that doesn't surprise much." Kuroka noted. "And knowing the Church, they'd certainly do something that rotten, nya."
"She was previously a saint too, a treasured girl." Raynare continued. "And now, she is a runaway witch."
"When is she set to arrive in Kuoh?" Issei asked once again, and once again, the seal glowed, and Raynare chirped like a bird.
"One or two days after Freed." Raynare replied.
"That is not a large window of time." Ingvild noted.
"Okay, let's move on to another subject; your allies. Who are they, their strengths, and weaknesses, and where are they located?" Issei asked, and Raynare feared he might ask such a question, hence why she tried to resist, but she was unable to do so.
"Mittelt, Kalawarmer, and Dohaseek. They are the same rank as me, each with their own specializations, but I am the strongest of them. Mittelt and Kalawarmer are both the type to attack from afar, but Dohaseek likes to go in close with his fist." She said, already hating herself for spilling the beans so easily. "I don't know a lot about their weak points, but our base is located at the abandoned church up on the hill overlooking the park. There is also a hidden room underneath the altar."
"I see." Issei replied, thinking it over. If they were only around her power level, that meant they were not particularly strong. Easy picking, for the most part. They were obviously not strays or golems, and he may not have the same element of surprise as he did with the base of the Snake of Adam. "I think I can confidently say we are done here."
Raynare sneered. "So now what? Are you going to lock me up in the basement or something?" She asked, which Kuroka did find very appealing, but Issei was not like that.
"No, instead you will be sleeping on the couch." He told her.
"Huh?"
"You will be sleeping on the couch, and while you are around this house, you will hide your fallen angel features and - and trust me, this hurts me as much as it does you - you will wear more decent clothing, especially to cover up the seal." He ordered her, listing out her conditions. But he was not done. "Additionally, you are to help with the chores around the house, do whatever Kuroka tells you to do, cook, clean, that kinda stuff."
"So you are turning me into your fucking maid?!" Raynare raged, feeling insulted.
"See any other alternative?" Issei told her, crossing his arms as he leaned on the sofa. "Additionally, you are not to try and contact your allies in any way. And I mean, in ANY way."
Raynare growled. "Fine! Didn't like those three anyway. Fuckin' Mittelt, messing up recon this bad. I will kill her if I get my hands on that underdeveloped blonde shit!"
"Good to see we have an agreement." Issei finished, then he changed the subject. "Alright, how about we all prepare to eat? After that, I think I will head into you know what and train, then shower and go to sleep."
"Nya! Very well, Issei." Kuroka turned to Raynare, an evil grin already spreading on her face. "Now, Raynare, I think it is time we evaluated your culinary skills."
The fallen angel once again growled as she complied, putting away her traits as a fallen per Issei's orders, and going into the kitchen with Kuroka to help her cook. Not that she had any other choice. At least the treatment didn't seem that bad compared to other shitholes she was a prisoner in. After a bit, they finished making dinner, Raynare being allowed to eat at the same table as them. Kuroka, unfortunately, did order her not to try anything funny, like poisoning the food. Damn, that cunning cat.
After they ate, Issei seemed to walk to the door at the exit before he pulled out a key and put it in the keyhole, opening the door to an entirely different place than the outside, which surprised Raynare. She began to wonder just how many secrets the Red Dragon had, and how powerful he actually was. She made the critical mistake to underestimate him, and now she was paying for it, but maybe she can learn something by living here to help her escape. Surely, there was a loophole in his orders.
Arriving back in his dungeon, Issei let out a sigh of relief. At least this entire deal with Raynare was done swiftly and quickly. Rias and Sona may need to be kept in the dark about her for some time, mainly so they don't learn of the Seal of Solomon. God knows what they might do out of paranoia against him if Raynare's reaction is anything to go by. Now, he was back inside his dungeon, but that was for multiple reasons.
He has yet to collect his quest rewards.
His quest completed itself, and now he could collect the rewards, but doing it in his dungeon was going to increase the EXP reward if his Title bonus worked as he believed it did. It did work before with the daily quest, which, for the record, has in fact reset again for this new day. But Issei didn't think he'd be using it, at least not now, since he had this quest.
Fallen Femme Fatale!
You went and got yourself a date with a Fallen Angel which likely is in it to trick you and kill you. You sure have luck with the ladies.
Main Objective: Deal with Raynare without the Gremory or Sitri peerage learning of this. -Complete
Additional Objective: Do not kill Raynare. -Complete
Quest Time Limit: N/A.
Main Objective Rewards: 100K EXP, Unlock the Relationship Tab for Raynare, 50K Y, Arcane Adhesive. -Unclaimed
Additional Objective Reward: 50% less RP loss with Raynare, No RP change with any person you have an active RP Tab with, 50K EXP, 1 Additional Quest. -Unclaimed
Failure Penalty: Death.
And all claimed!
Relationship tab unlocked!
Raynare
-25/100
She hates your guts, and if not for the Seal, would kill you in your sleep.
He didn't know relationship tabs could go into the negative like that…
On the side note, he checked his EXP requirement for the next level, seeing that the EXP reward of the quest did in fact put him VERY close to leveling up again. Damn, the EXP req just increases by leaps and bounds now. He also got a new item, and quest, the latter of which he will check in a bit. He instead pulled out the item from his inventory to check it out.
[Arcane Adhesive (R)]
[A special adhesive used for various crafting recipes.]
Crafting? He had a feeling he could do that, but what could he craft right now? He didn't have anything-
Necessary items have been detected! Do you wish to craft [Ring of Rewarding Wisdom]?
Y/N
Huh? This was strange. Maybe he did have something he was not aware of. Still, he pressed 'Y' and he noticed how the [Strange Ring] and [Magic Emerald Stone] he got a while ago appeared before him, combining with the third ingredient and slowly forming a new ring. Issei picked it up, looking at it curiously before he used his skill on it to determine its effects.
[Ring of Rewarding Wisdom (UR)]
[A special ring that provides the wearer with a constant EXP bonus from EXP gained from any source (Except the Peerage System) equal to their WIS stat divided by 10.]
He equipped it at once. "This is awesome!" Issei exclaimed, excited about his new reward. He checked out his stats, seeing that his WIS was at 61, meaning the ring was going to provide him a solid 6.1% EXP bonus. Not a lot, but still, it was a value that increased as the stat increased. He needed to put more points into WIS some day. Now, he also received a new quest as well, so he went to his tab to check it.
The Nun
Phew! That bitch sure told you some interesting stuff! Now, saddle up, boyo, this is a big one.
Main Objective: The other Fallen Angels are likely to still want her Sacred Gear; Save Asia Argento at any cost.
Additional Objective: Defeat Freed Sellzen
Quest Time Limit: N/A.
Main Objective Rewards: 200K EXP, 50K Y, +5 RP with Asia Argento.
Additional Objective Reward: +1 to your STR, AGI, and DUR. 100K EXP,
Failure Penalty: Death.
So now he had to save Asia Argento, huh? Ok, that was something he could do. If Raynare was to be believed, and with the Seal she could not lie, then Asia is going to arrive in Kuoh in around a week or so. He needs to keep an eye out for her. Now, as for what to do to end his evening, he could bust a training session and test out his new ring's EXP bonus. Although, Issei had to admit to some aspects, mainly the fact he was becoming busted.
His Boosted Gear allowed him to increase his stats to higher values, he had ways to gain plenty of EXP, not to mention this new ring was VERY sweet and more! So, it was time to haul ass once again until Solomon told him to stop. This was bound to make him level up again.
Oh yeah!
So, fast forward a few hours, and he did his training once again. He trained his fire abilities related to his Youjutsu again, choosing to focus on what he already had instead of what he could create. After those, he once again trained his martial arts skill set. He ground out his harder skills, like his combo. They took a bit and had him work up quite a sweat in the process. He got nice progress, very nice, and as such, another training session came to an end.
Meaning that he was going to get that sweet EXP bonus now.
Congratulations! You are now level 25!
Nice!
Feature unlocked!
Since you reached level 25, the System has unlocked the quick-use tab. With it, you can assign up to 2 Items from your inventory to instantly use them, such as potions!
True enough, two more boxes appeared right underneath his imagination in the corner of his vision. Issei, having met this before, decided to move his Stamina and HP potions there. This was bound to be useful. He was then going to access the shop, and see what new 5 items he got listed there now…Except there were not just 5 items there this time.
The entire shop was re-designed! There were several tabs for potions, armor and weapons, equipment, accessories, and materials, and even one for Skill Books!
Note: Surprise! This update to the Shop was secretly implemented together with the Patch.
He did say he has a love/hate relationship with the System before. This was one of the moments he loved this thing. He had around 120K Yen on him, and although he was trying not to spend them, he couldn't resist the temptation and accessed one of the tabs with Skill Books, trying to see what was for sale. And his eyes widened. There was a book for a kill called [Fallen Star Strike], which apparently was a skill for his martial arts, something the Asura used themselves! Looking around a bit more, he also found one of the skills used by the Asura boss he faced before! Oh man, he wanted to purchase them! Issue was?
They were expensive…The cheapest there currently costs 100K Yen, which seemed to be the cheapest book available. Yeah, he was NOT touching that stuff any time soon. However, he did notice a strange tab called DLC. Downloadable Content. He wondered what that was about, and when he accessed it, he was not met with detailed descriptions, but rather, multiple quotes.
'I died once, and now I live as a Hunter'
'Techno never dies!'
'I will forever be your shield.'
'Forever my master.'
They all cost a pretty penny though, but…He could afford the first one, it only costs 90K Yen. He was very curious about what they were, but something gave him chills when he looked over them. "Issei, do not touch them." Then Solomon spoke up.
"Why?" He asked back, confused.
"The DLC's…I am not allowed to reveal their purpose, but I can tell you that you should not waste your money on them right now. Once you get one, it will last for 24 hours, then reset itself." Solomon explained. "You would then need to pay the full price again if you wish to use this."
"It sounds like a complete rip-off!" Issei complained.
"Issei, you don't understand. Once you use one, you will think of them as ANYTHING BUT A RIP-OFF." The wise king stated, being quite stern in his words.
"Aright, Solomon." Issei sighed. "I will trust you." He closed the shop window, then he checked the time. "The girls are likely asleep, so let's go. I need to go shower and hit the hay anyway."
"When you return to Kuoh, you might want to start offering THEM some training." Ddraig suggested. "Your level is rising rapidly, so soon enough you should be able to overpower them if it comes down to it."
"We never did completely remove the possibility of them turning on you at some point." Solomon stated, rubbing his beard. "I know I am biased towards them, and hence I lack trust in most devils, but we cannot overlook the factors still at play."
"I am not sure, guys." Issei replied as he began to make his way out of the dungeon. "So far, the Gremory Peerage has not been bad to us, and the Sitri mostly left us as well. Plus, we have Shirone among their ranks, so that is a plus."
"True, but it is still too early to let your guard down." Ddraig advised him. "Keep vigilant, Issei. Very vigilant."
In the meantime, back at the ORC building, Rias was sitting on the sofa, enjoying some tea in the late evening, dressed in her usual nightgown. She was alone, with no one else around, looking out the window at the moon. She was mainly thinking about the latest developments. Kiba did report to her that Issei had a strange sword with magical abilities, and when he tried to strike him, it was like he was striking some kind of armor in some places. Now, they were sparring, so he didn't go for vital strikes, but still, this only made him more interesting.
Apart from being the Red Dragon Emperor, it was like his entire ability to grow stronger and more skilled was also amplified. Maybe he was lucky enough to be born with a Sub-Species of the Boosted Gear? The thought was almost scary. However, she currently has a few issues on her hands.
Earlier that day, they picked up a spike in power around the graveyard. It was Issei. This did raise a few questions, such as what he was doing flaring his power around the graveyard. She did have Kiba check the place sometime after and only found the grave with Issei's family name on it., where his parents were most likely buried. She could believe he was visiting, but why flare his power?
Was he attacked? It is a possibility, especially recently.
She has received a report from her brother, stating that he was warned by the Grigori about a rogue group of Fallen Angels stationed in Kuoh. Normally, their being there would be grounds for conflict, but the Grigori had flagged them as going rogue, meaning they were now on their own. None of their actions were not going to affect them.
Cheeky bastards.
The trick was quite common, really. They were cut loose to prevent any incident, and Rias knew that the Grigori especially did not wish for the Great War to start again. They, more so than even Devils and Angels, have issues with recovering their population. She did hear that births among their own had been on the rise, but the number of pure-bloods has not been as high as they would prefer.
The Fallen were quite easily mixing with other races. And they were doing that a lot. Still, the loss of purity was bound to affect certain aspects of their race. But that aside, the peace was lasting quite well lately. More so, her brother disclosed to her that he has been making efforts to create a treaty between the Three Factions to create everlasting peace to hopefully prevent another Great War.
The loud sound of a fist smashing against a table echoed throughout the room, spooking the three Fallen Angels there. "She got WHAT?!" The one before them was a man with long black hair and red eyes, and pointy ears, dressed in a black robe with detailed accessories and purple shoulder pads with gold streaks on the side."How could you allow something like this to happen?! Explain!"
"W-we ran a quick recon of Kuoh, finding a boy we believed to possess a Sacred Gear." Mittelt replied, shaking in her boots. "Raynare went in to kill him, but…"
"What we failed to consider is him being a powerful wielder of the Boosted Gear." Kalawarmer continued, sparing Mittelt the need to continue herself. "We don't know how he captured Raynare so easily, but we will mount a rescue operation to-"
"No!" The man shouted, shutting her up. "No…She failed me and proved how useless she was in the end. As far as I am concerned about her well-being, she is as good as dead!"
"But sir, what if she reveals information?" Kalwarmer reasoned.
"She doesn't know anything vital, so I don't care." The man replied. "But this does require a change in plans. Listen here, the moment Freed arrives, I want you to accompany him on every assignment."
"I will take on that task, Cadre Kokabiel." Dohaseek replied, bowing to Kokabiel.
"Good. Furthermore, when that nun arrives, and you attempt to get her Gear, none of you will keep it." Kokabiel continued. "Once it is extracted, I want it delivered straight to me, understood?"
"Y-yes, Sir." They all replied together.
"Dismissed." They began leaving the room, leaving Kokabiel behind to ponder over the recent developments. "The Red Dragon Emperor…This could work out in my favor."
