It was a new day at Kuoh Academy, and Issei, together with Ingvild and now Asia as well, were hanging around the Academy's inner yard. They were just talking, laughing, joking about that kind of stuff, really. They were even joined by Koneko as well!

"So, I walked through the house one night, thinking Kuroka was asleep. I was around 15 at the time, and Kuroka, as much as I was telling her at the time there was nothing wrong with her, seemed worried about her figure." Issei was recounting a story from a few years back about Kuroka. "I kept telling her she was not getting fat or anything, and even if she was, at the time, I was certain everything went to her breasts."

"Which, by the way, is a lie." Koneko added, doing so quite bluntly.

"Right. Anyway, as I walked through the house, I noticed a light in the kitchen. I initially believed we had a burglar, but I quickly recalled the barriers set in place. I understood why Kuroka worried about her figure the moment I set foot in the kitchen! She was indulging herself in some nightly snacks for a while now, and because of that, she believed herself to be getting fat."

Everyone shared a light laugh at that, especially since Kuroka's worries seemed unfounded, considering her figure today. "I wouldn't have imagined her as a glutton." Ingvild said.

"I mean…" Issei said slowly, trailing his eyes to Koneko, who caught his gaze and sighed with a slightly annoyed tone.

"We are sisters, yes, but I prefer sweets. Kuroka is more of a grease-lover." Koneko added.

"The kind of food she enjoyed was the more unhealthy one. Especially meat-based stuff." Issei added.

"It is amazing she maintained such a figure." Asia said. "She must take real good care of her body, somehow."

"Or cheat using her abilities." Koneko added.

"Or both." Issei said as well. "Anyway, Koneko, how are things going with the Occult Club? I and Ingvild haven't visited in a while."

"Things are going as you'd expect, but Rias has been growing more and more anxious by the day." Koneko replied, and Issei understood what she meant. Riser. With each passing day, the end of the Semester was growing closer as well, meaning he'll come to claim his fiancee. While Issei was confident in his power, he still had the feeling he had to keep himself in top shape. Not to mention there was the fight against the White Emperor as well to consider. "However, she has grown to be more confident, especially knowing you have her back in the upcoming battle."

"I will give everything I have." Issei replied with confidence. "I am already excited to see the expression that fire chicken makes when I pound his teeth down his gullet."

+2 RP with Koneko(Shirone) Toujou.

"Bold as ever." Ingvild remarked. "But, fair be fair, this should prove an interesting fight. The Phenex are known for their tenacity, which springs from their ability to regenerate."

"True, making them fearsome opponents to face in battle, but aside from that, their abilities over fire and wind are not that special. Don't you have magic as well?" Koneko asked, looking at Issei.

"I do." He replied. "I have fire, water, shadow, and healing magic along with some other spells. Maybe I should prepare my water magic for this? I don't imagine wind can do much against a raging torrent."

"If strong enough, it cannot." Ingvild said.

"What about his peerage?" Asia asked, getting Issei's attention. "I get this Riser might be the bigger issue, but doesn't his peerage have other, possibly problematic members as well?"

"I…I actually forgot about his peerage." Issei admitted, feeling awkward. "Koneko?"

"His Queen, Yubelluna. She possesses the ability to cause explosions using raw demonic power." Koneko explained to them."We know this due to her reputation alone, earning her the nickname of Bomb Queen."

"Most likely a fire magic user as well, then." Issei deduced. "High possibility."

"She has been known to also use fire magic, yes." Koneko confirmed. "She and Riser are a perfect match made in hell. His regenerative abilities combined with her powerful attacks allow them to usually have Riser fight his opponents to lure them into a trap, where his Queen would then blow them up along with himself, but his regeneration always kept him in the game."

"Ultimately, from what I recall, they caused the rules to change." Ingvild added. "Normally, in chess, if the king remains without other pieces alone on the board, it is a difficult situation, but not an instant loss. If the two kings remain alone, it is a draw. It is the same in rating games as well, as one of the conditions for a draw is the two kings being the only ones left, but later the rules were changed, making it so if a king is left alone in the game, they lose."

"So, you don't even need to fight Riser, but take his peerage out, correct?" Asia asked, receiving a nod from them.

"No worries, I am certain I can take them!" Issei proclaimed again. "I am not even going in by myself! Remember, I am the bonus addition here, and I am sure to give that scumbag the surprise of a lifetime!"

"Always so…bold…" Suddenly, Koneko slowed down in her talking, looking around. "We are being watched."

"Watched?" Issei echoed, trying to then utilize his skills. [Aura Sense] picked up nothing, meaning that whoever was out there was likely outside his range. But then again, [Danger Sense] was not reacting either. Usually, the latter of the two triggered whenever he was about to be attacked, but he noticed how the skill doesn't quite follow the description. It also went haywire when he entered a dangerous place, most likely as a warning that within the said place he could be attacked at any time.

Yet, silence. Damn it, he should have thought about training those two more, the environment of Kuoh Academy would have proved perfect for it. Something to keep in mind later, he supposed. Still, the fact Shirone COULD sense them meant her abilities were still greater than his in that department, and as such, he will need to rely on her.

"Devil…Judging from the nature of their presence, a Stray." Shirone continued, then she turned in a certain direction. "That way!"

"Got it!" Issei said, and true enough, the system deployed the barrier, hiding anything supernatural from the other students. "Your girls stay here. I will take care of the Stray."

"Alright."

"Be safe, Issei."

"I will try and notify Rias."

The answers of Ingvild, Asia, and Koneko - in that order.

"Very well. This should only take a second." Issei replied, then he used his [Power Jump] to swiftly close the distance. Call it a smart way to use his skill, [Power Jump], since he has yet to get any skill that increases his speed or makes him run like mad. Maybe that was another thing to focus on next, but right now, he had another target in mind. Except, there wasn't any.

Don't get him wrong. There was definitely someone there. They were now in range of his [Aura Sense] skill, and he could sense them rapidly running away from the Academy itself. He didn't feel right skipping class, but to be honest, he also didn't feel right about leaving a Stray to do what it wants. Who knows, maybe they were one of the good ones who wanted out of their tricky situation.

Except, once he was about one street away from Kuoh, his [Danger Sense] activated, and the entire area around him seemed to go dark. "What the fuck?!" He shouted aloud, then he was met with a notification.

The event has begun! Stray Raid! Right now, a small army of 200 Strays, 2 Fallen Angels, and 1 Boss Stray have begun a last attack to take down the Red Dragon Emperor! The Strays have various levels and ranks, but the event will reward you with 5000 EXP for every kill!

The Fallen Angels and Boss grant different EXP values.

Currently, a barrier was erected to create a separate space, having been deployed by the Fallen to keep the supernatural secret.

"This is not good…" Issei said.

"I agree!" Solomon added, equally as worried. "We fell into a trap!"

"Ha! As if a bunch of Strays can take us down! Sure, this will be challenging, but that is perhaps what we need right now. I was starting to get bored…"

"Something tells me you will get your wish, Ddraig." Looking around, Issei was quick to spot several eyes looking at him within the dark areas surrounding him now. The area he now found himself in resembled the street he was in previously, but there was a thick, black mist blocking his view further. His sensorial skills, though, seemed to still have an effect, as he could sense each Stray in the mist.

This was bound to be a fight to remember…

"He disappeared?!" Rias shouted, hands slamming down on her desk and looking at the ones before her. Asia and Ingvild, two of Issei's little team, and Koneko, her rook, stood there, bringing her troubling news. "What do you mean by that?"

"I sensed his presence as he chased down what I assumed to be a Stray devil, but after a while, it vanished entirely." Koneko replied. "Something is not right."

"What was a Stray even doing here?" Kiba asked, coming up from behind Rias. "Coming to the Academy itself is clean suicide. But that being said…"

"We also didn't sense them." Akeno remarked, sounding troubled. "That should have been impossible, considering the security barriers we have in place. They are set up in order to detect any form of Strays and inform us directly of their presence and location. Even one Stray slipping past it is hard to believe."

"Yet, it is true." Rias said, crossing her arms. "But Strays do not run…Not like this."

"Do you believe it is a trap?" Ingvild asked, bringing the possibility to the table. "Issei has already made enemies of the Fallen, and he was never a friend of most Strays, so is it possible they-"

Suddenly, a loud, explosion-like sound echoed from outside, making everyone turn their attention in the respective direction. They rushed outside, only to see that the surroundings of the Old School Building changed…They were within a barrier, and before them, there was a small force of Strays gathered.

50 Strays stood before them.

"This is no simple trap…" Rias remarked, letting her aura flare ever so slightly. "This is an all-out attack on all fronts."

"Eat this!" Issei shouted as he swung his blade, sending the long-ranged slash across the gathering of Strays. His strike took out two more of them, killing them, but he was still pretty much surrounded by at least 100 Strays. He knew because he had a counter in his vision, showing him the number of Strays left. 112, to be exact, were still standing.

So far, he's been holding off using his Sacred Gear. As much as the bonus of power would aid him, he knew it drained his Stamina the fastest, especially if he used Balance Breaker. Instead, he simply used his sword to cut down as many of them as possible, which helped level up his swordsmanship. Still, he felt something was off.

And then, he heard it. Clapping. Slow and hard, sarcastic clapping. Looking in the direction it was coming from, Issei came face to face with the supposed leader of this. The Stray in question had bluish skin accompanied by fully blacked-out eyes, most likely a mutation, wearing a fancy, white 3-piece suit with leather shoes. If anything, this Stray had some sense of fashion. But when Issei checked them, he knew this was not an ordinary Stray.

[Malachi]

[Level 43 B]
[HP: 37000/37000]

[Stray Devil (5 Pawns)]

(BOSS)

This was the boss.

"Bravo, Red Dragon Emperor. I bow to your success thus far in slaughtering my troops." The boss said, offering a bow in mockery to Issei. "Allow me to properly introduce myself! I am Malachi, a former pawn of the Raum House. I hold 5 Pawns within me, and it is I, along with some associates, who brought this army here! Although…" He looked at the fallen Strays. "It looks like I severely underestimated their worth."

"And you show yourself before the others are down?" Issei said, his words sounding more like a question than anything.

"Perceptive! You see, Red Dragon, my specialty was never on the front lines, but rather, in the backrooms of scheming and planning. Even now, as we speak, I don't intend to do battle, although I feel nothing is stopping you from attempting to break my face right now." Malachi said, and Issei had to give it to him. He at least spoke the truth.

"How right you are…" Issei muttered and dismissed his sword, putting both arms forth, and launching a double [Wyvern Shot] at Malachi. The result was a direct hit, but when Issei checked, he was left stunned. No damage whatsoever on him! "How?!"

Issei's gaze fell to the side, seeing two strays collapsing on the ground, dead. "It is my secret." Malachi said, finally letting traces of his arrogance show themselves. He spread his wings, taking to the sky to avoid direct combat. "While you could attack me now, I won't be damaged any time soon. But the question is, how long until YOU are out of steam?"

"Coward…"

"Coward?! Who, me?! No, no, no. You see, I am merely using all the tools available to me." Malachi replied, angering Issei more. "You see, those Strays are…Quite honestly, I am disgusted to even lump myself in the same group as them. But alas, my employer wanted to put on quite the show, and that is what I intend to do, fully."

"Employer?" Issei echoed. "Wait…The Fallen!"

"Right on! They want you out of the picture! You messed up their plans quite a bit, I admit, and I respect that, but oh well…Things are as they are, Red Dragon." Malachi then extended his arm, the Strays getting more riled up. "Better be ready…I will not hold back."

"Ddraig!" Issei shouted, and sure enough, the dragon knew what to do.

[BALANCE BREAKER!]

Balance Breaker deployed, Issei took to the skies after Malachi, trying to strike the Boss, but found himself blocked as two other Strays blocked his way to him, delivering a combined kick that forced him to block. However, Issei didn't let that stop him. He activated his [Scorching Touch] skill and grabbed the two of them by the ankles, burning them at the same time. He swung the two around, then threw them at the ground, gaining some EXP as one of them perished from the impact.

With them out of the way, he charged at Malachi once again, but the Boss simply grinned. "Promotion to Queen!" He shouted, surprising Issei, but then he watched Malachi fly down towards the Strays and into the mist, hiding once again. He could promote himself?! Shit, this added some issues, but nothing he couldn't deal with. "Find me, Red Dragon! Before it is too late."

Back at the Old School Building, the Strays that were tasked with attacking Rias and her peerage found themselves quickly taken care of, mostly thanks to Akeno and Rias who had the biggest kill count out of everyone there. Currently, they faced the final handful of Strays, who stood defiant before them. Rias stepped forth, looking down at them. "Looks like you lost. A predictable outcome, but that brings me to ask you something. Answer right away, with no smart comments, and I might just let you run away from here. What is going on? What is with this attack, and where is the Red Dragon Emperor?"

"Fuck you, Gremory bi-" No sooner had that Stray opened his mouth than it stopped, looking down to see a hole in its chest where its heart was supposed to be. Rias had a hand stretched in their direction, and in a second, they fell dead on the ground.

"Anyone else has anything like that to say?" She asked, and sure enough, one of them began to talk.

"We were gathered by Malachi." He said, getting Rias' attention. "In total, we counted 200."

"There couldn't be more than 50 here." Akeno remarked, then realized. "The rest must be-"

"Where is the Red Dragon?!" Rias asked again, this time, with a greater sense of urgency.

"We were not told…" The Stray replied. "We were separated from the others and told to attack here. The barrier is deployed by one of our allies, however."

"Allies?" Kiba echoed. "You mean there are others helping you?"

"The Fallen…" Akeno muttered. "They are aiding you in this attack."

The Stray remained silent.

"They don't seem to know anything else…" Ingvild remarked, having aided in the fight, but she mostly stood back to protect Asia. "Issei must have been their main target."

"That means this is but a diversion meant to buy time for their other forces to potentially finish him off." Rias said, catching on. "He might be powerful, but a force so large is not something he is ensured to win against."

"We need to find and help him!" Asia shouted. "Miss Koneko, can't you do anything to locate him?!"

"I tried, but this barrier we find ourselves in right now is adding to the challenge." Koneko replied. "We must first get this barrier taken care of."

"Once it is down, I will phone Kuroka to come help as well!" Ingvild added. "She might be able to help locate Issei!"

"Very well."

"W-what about us? We can leave, right?" The Stray asked, Rias turning back to them.

"Sure, you can try and run. I certainly won't be stopping you, but…" Suddenly, Kiba and Akeno prepared themselves, getting closer to the Strays. "I did not promise anything regarding my two servants here."

"Gah!" Issei shouted as he was pushed back, his armor showing a bit of a crack. He's been fighting the Strays still, trying to reach Malachi, but the bastard was evasive. He remained in the clear section, where there was no mist, but that made him a sure target for all the Strays around. Malachi was right, those Strays were not anything he had not faced before, but their numbers proved to be the challenge here.

It was a challenge to his Stamina.

Some Strays who were on the heavier side got some lucky strikes in as well, but unknown to them, they helped him. So far, since the last check, he's killed at least 30 more Strays. Thanks to the physical strain he was getting from this battle, he also got one more stat in his DUR, which improved his perk. He was also getting more EXP for his skill as this went on, but he needed to finish their numbers, quickly!

Taking flight once again, Issei saw how multiple Strays attempted to fly after him, but he was quick to deliver multiple volleys of his [Fireball] to them, doubled in amount by his [Dual Use] skill. He lost count of how many attacks he let loose, but he knows that by the time he was finished around 20 more Strays were down for the count.

Even striking blindly in the mist proved to do SOME damage.

"Hmm." Then Malachi's voice was heard. "Mutant Pieces, go!"

Mutant Pieces?

"Wha-UGH!" Issei didn't have a lot of time to process what he heard as he found himself punched into the ground below by someone, unable to even SEE who struck him. As he attempted to get up, however, his [Danger Sense] activated, and he barely dodged as a Stray crashed into the ground where he previously stood.

The Stray in question was lean, wearing a white boney mask, but something told him that was its face. His skill also revealed some bad details about them…This Stray has 2 Paws within them, but they were both mutated paws, making this Stray very powerful. But that speed was off the charts for a simple pawn, leading Issei to believe that Stray might be able to promote as Malachi did. But what he heard next blew that out the window.

"Promotion Copy: Queen!" The Stray said, then spun around, trying to kick Issei, but he caught their leg. That allowed Issei to focus and summon forth his [Firestream]. It enveloped the Stray briefly, doing heavy damage and lighting them on fire.

"What the fuck was that?!" Issei asked aloud, then spread his wings, taking to the skies again to dodge another bunch of Strays that attempted to strike him. He then began to deliver multiple volleys of his [Wyvern Shot] toward them. "Mutant Pieces?! There are mutant pieces among those Strays?! And what was with that ability from that Stray?!"

"Hehehe." Malachi laughed from the shadows. "Surprised? While most Strays who hold paws cannot promote anymore, I took the liberty to offer two of the ones with the potential the power to copy MY promotion!"

"Yours- You are currently a Queen!"

"Exactly."

"And…Two? I already saw one, but where is the other-"

Suddenly, Issei heard a thunderous sound as he turned around, just in time to see a large magical projectile coming towards him. "ISSEI!" Solomon shouted, then Issei used his [Boost], maxing it out to be able to survive the strike. He had no time to dodge, and his [Power Jump] didn't work while he was in the air, so he was forced to take that strike head-on.

Thank the System for that newly unlocked function, as after the strike was over, 3 bottles fell from him, striking the ground and shattering.

"Bottles?" Malachi muttered, seeing the strange occurrence. "Why did bottles fall from the sky- Well, isn't this interesting." Looking up, Malachi saw the Red Dragon, but he also noticed something else. In truth, one of Malachi's biggest skills was called [Aura of Analysis]. It allowed him to see the amount of magical power and vitality within a target, in addition to their stamina. And right now, he noticed how Issei's increased, which was not really possible.

Such a thing would require rest, and he just took a heavy strike head-on. The Stray which struck was his other Mutant Piece, a Stray holding 1 Pawn, and 1 Rook. Their build was heavy, making them unable to fly, but they mutated a large fleshy cannon-like construct on their shoulder, allowing them to focus magical power in it to then shoot it out in powerful, heavy strikes.

"Something is not adding up right." Malachi thought, watching as the Red Dragon dived bombed into the Strays and brought out that sword again, slashing and cutting his forces down to bits. "That sword as well and the way he keeps bringing it up. I heard the Boosted Gear can store items inside, but that doesn't seem like it. The amount of abilities he displayed is also too variable and too expanded over multiple categories. Even if he was a protegee, a true genius, it still wouldn't add up."

"Judging from the intelligence provided by the Fallen, and what I gathered from other Strays, he was not this powerful a few months ago."

Issei charged at the mutant who shot him, taking advantage of their slow speeds, but the other mutant blocked his strike. But he didn't stop himself, and his arm went right through that Stray, killing them.

"Those bottles…This fast of a progression…"

The heavy Stray aimed its cannon at Issei, but the Red Dragon aimed his strongest attack and shot it down the barrel, causing an explosion between the two that saw the heavy Stray killed as its cannon blew to pieces.

Congratulations! You are now level 29!

"Wait…What was that?" Malachi once again thought to himself as he just noticed something even odder about his enemy. "His aura just changed - it grew! It was not replenished, but rather, he just grew stronger than he was just a moment ago. It happened just as he killed that one! Impossible, is he somehow draining the power from those he kills? No, if so, I would have noticed a faster growth rate."

"Yet, I cannot deny that killing the Strays might have been what triggered this. Almost like…No…It makes the most amount of sense, yet, something like that is just…Bullshit!"

Back to Issei, the Red Dragon was panting a bit as he barely just leveled up and took care of the mutants. There were not many Strays left, and it seems most of them were now too wary to attack him head-on anymore. If he was right, there were under 50 Strays left around, making it a manageable number. He was about to strike again within the mist, but that was when he heard a laugh coming from behind him, forcing him to turn just in time to intercept a strike from Malachi himself.

The Boss pulled out a blade from somewhere, and Issei was using his Gear as a shield yet again. "You are so interesting, Red Dragon! No…Issei Hyoudou!" He shouted, then he pushed a bit, but Issei pushed back. "Don't think I didn't notice! Those bottles that fell, the way your aura replenished itself, and more…"

"What?" Issei replied, partly confused, and partly scared.

"Impossible…Did he figure out Issei's System ability?!"

"You're right, Solomon, that IS impossible! Let alone from observation alone! This Stray must have some sort of additional ability, a good head on his shoulders, or…both." Ddraig said, analyzing the situation as well. "We always presumed Strays to have a lower intelligence level than most other beings out there, but here, before us, might be an exception."

Issei narrowed his eyes underneath his helmet. "So…You know-"

"You are like a video game character!" Malachi said, confirming their fears. The Stray pulled back, taking some distance. "The speed at which you gain abilities, the bottles - everything connects! That kind of power could grant you limitless potential, and a growth rate that matches! Tell me. Oh, Lord, TELL ME!"

"What do you hope to learn?" Issei asked, already aiming another set of shots toward the Stray.

"Everything." Suddenly, Malachi vanished, and before Issei had the chance to figure out where his skill went off, and he leaned back, narrowly dodging a blade that glided just above his face.

"He's fast!" Issei remarked, then he straightened himself quickly and turned to face Malachi, using his gauntlet to once again shield against his blade. However, he used this chance to charge up his [Dragon Shot]. Malachi noticed it too late, and the attack struck him dead-on, earning a scream of pain from the boss as he was sent flying back. "Bullseye!"

"GAHHH!" The scream of one of the remaining Strays got Issei's attention, seeing them dropping dead on the ground.

"That again?" Looking back at Malachi, the Stray was nowhere to be seen, but that is when [Danger Sense] went off again, and he was forced to dodge…If only it was that easy. As he attempted to lift his leg to spin around for the dodge, he found it stuck to the ground with some kind of sticky substance, like slime. To his right, a Stray snickered. Damn it, he forgot he was fighting multiple enemies!

"HOW?!" Malachi shouted as he brought his blade and slashed Issei across the shoulder, leaving a deep mark in his armor, and doing little damage, but still, this was not good. "Promotion to Knight!" Malachi went crazy, making multiple chips at his armor, and Issei found himself barely blocking his strikes! If he left himself too open, Malachi could exploit one of the vulnerable spots of his Scale Mail, which he could not afford! "How are you able to use this power?! Who gave it to you?! WHERE do you HAVE IT?!"

Malachi raised his blade again to deliver a more powerful slash, but Issei saw his chance and thrust both arms forth, launching a double [Wyvern Shot] that sent the boss reeling back, allowing him to escape the substance holding him down. However, Issei noticed how one more Stray fell, and when he checked, he found that Malachi took zero damage despite that being a direct hit!

"This man…" Solomon said slowly, analyzing Malachi's strange ability. "He is not transferring the damage over to the Strays around us, but rather, he is outright negating any amount of damage we can do by sacrificing the lives of his very comrades!"

"I know this magic. It is forbidden stuff, alright, one of the worst out there." Ddraig said, recalling the spell from another host. Issei was flying through the air, overlooking the battlefield. He needed more power, and as such, he took out something from his inventory.

"Issei, what are you doing?" Solomon asked, seeing Issei extract the MAX-L orb from his inventory, an item capable of instantly maxing out any of his skills. A VERY rare item, indeed, and powerful.

"If we want to take this guy out before he wears us out first then I need a serious bonus in power. Simply increasing my stats won't cut it. Even if I try to kill Malachi, the other Strays will be the ones to perish in his place, dragging things out. My stamina still cannot handle too long of a battle, so my only choice here is to use the MAX-L orb on my [Dragon Shot]"

"That can indeed result in something, alright. As we have seen, skills always seem to evolve when they reach level 5 and the maximum level, and evolving that one might give it enough of a power boost to kill this punk before he has the chance to negate the damage." Ddraig added as well.

"I cannot really argue in the current situation…Very well. Let us achieve the maximum level for our skill." Solomon gave his agreement, Issei offering a nod as he held the orb, noticing the glow it emanated and a small screen popped up.

MAX-L orb use detected! Which skill do you desire to upgrade to the maximum stage?

He received a list of all his skills, and Issei scrolled through until he found [Dragon Shot], preparing to use his orb on that. However…

"No, you don't!" Malachi suddenly shouted, and threw his sword like some kind of spear at Issei, forcing the dragon to dodge as the sword narrowly passed him, scratching his arm. However, during his dodge, he accidentally tapped on another skill other than [Dragon Shot], that being his [Dual Use].

Skill Level-up! Your [Dual Use] is now MAX level!

"FUCK!" Issei shouted from the top of his lungs, angry that he wasted such a precious item.

Or did he?

Conditions have been met!

"What?" Issei asked, hearing a voice instead of seeing text like usual. The voice was masculine, yet with a strange, female echo in the background of it. Issei was confused as to what was going on, even more so as time seemed to slow down to a halt all around him, the dragon seeing Malachi frozen in time.

"What in the blazes is going on? I feel funny."

"You and I both, old friend." Solomon added, feeling strange.

The following Skill will now be merged:

-[Dual Use]

-(ULTIMATE/UNIQUE) [Solomon]

-[Mindscape]

Processing…Processing…

Skill Merging Complete!

The (ULTIMATE/UNIQUE) Skill, [Parallel Mind] was added to [Issei Hyoudou]. The skill incorporates all the abilities of the previous skills and more.

Do you wish to quickly look at the Skill?

"Yes!" Issei shouted, feeling excited as he heard the voice talk. His skill combined into a new skill?! Awesome!

(ULTIMATE/UNIQUE) [Parallel Mind] (Level 1 | 000/400)

This Skill enables the user to make full use of the additional beings within them, or create 'copies' of their own minds in order to increase cognitive capabilities. This Skill contains a combination of Passive and Active effects. This Skill has all capabilities of the Skills [Dual Use], [Solomon], and [Mindscape], in addition to the following:

-For each registered Extra Mind, you can create additional magical circles to cast different spells at the same time.

-Each Extra Mind provides the user with a +10% EXP bonus.

Registered Extra Minds:

-Solomon (Offers the Perk: Wisdom of the Old. Skill granted by this Extra Mind: [Switch])

-Ddraig (Offers the Perk: Dominance. Skills granted by this Extra Mind: [Draconic Pride])

Issei had to check the new skills as well, there was no way around that!

-[Switch] (LVL MAX): When activated, the user can switch bodies with Solomon. Solomon gains the same stats and abilities as the Gamer, however, while active, Solomon emits an aura that intimidates devils.

-[Draconic Pride] (LVL MAX): When activated, this skill speeds up the user's regeneration of HP to 10 HP every 30 seconds at the cost of 10 Stamina per minute. Additionally, if the user is below 50% of their total HP, they can deploy a draconic aura of protection around their body which lowers both physical and magical damage by 50%.

"Looks like I can come out and play for once!"

"Hey, no fair Solomon!"

The two old friends bickered since Solomon was going to be tasting the air once again with his own mouth, in a way, but that was unimportant right now. Issei checked the perks he gained as well.

[Wisdom of the Old]: This perk provides a permanent +1 level in WIS per level-up.

[Dominance]: As the Red Dragon's power grows within you, so does your presence against the fairer sex. When using your [Aura Flare] skill, you have a random chance of inflicting the [Arousal] Status Effect on members of the opposite sex.

DAMN! This skill was truly broken! Who knew seemingly useless skills, minus Solomon, could combine and evolve into something so powerful?! Thanks to this skill, plus his ring, this meant he currently had a 27.9% EXP bonus! This was one of the rare moments he LOVED this system! But how does this aid him in his current predicament? Well, the answer to that question was simple.

He had the capabilities of [Dual Use] in this, which he checked the newly upgraded form of. For using the same skill twice, he can now do it at the price of one, and using two different skills has the second one reduced in price by 70%. Now, this pretty much also means he can use the same skill four times at the price of two, and so on, add in the bonus magical circles of the new skill, and…

Oh…Ohohohoh.

Issei now saw how he could fully make use of this skill. Currently, there were 36 Strays left around him, not including Malachi. Let's see how many remain once he unleashes true hell upon their heads.

Have a good day.

Time resumed as Malachi looked at Issei, his eyes widening as he noticed another change in his aura. "Something happened, but what?" He asked himself, but then Issei focused himself, reaching out to Ddraig and Solomon, using their power.

[Parallel Mind] was something truly new and powerful, but now it was time to test its full capabilities. He summoned forth the maximum amount of magical circles he could muster, four in number, all of them pointed in different directions. Although it was not an actual skill, but rather his doing, the circles began to rotate around him, and then, slowly, he chose his skill.

"Omni-Directional Fire Barrage!" He shouted, naming his little trick, which in reality was him spinning the circles fast and using [Fireball] constantly. But oh boy, did it do the work! The fire shot from his circles all around him, the Strays entering a full-blown panic as fire rained down on them from above, some of them putting up barriers for protection, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of fury projectiles that went their way.

Malachi, for his part, drew another sword and used it to repel the projectiles to the best of his ability while dodging them as well, jumping back and spreading his wings to fly to avoid the onslaught, but to little use. With a small change in the position of his circles, Issei was able to also strike Malachi, who received a couple of strikes to his limbs as the onslaught dragged on.

The screams of the Strays below echoed high as smoke rose from the now-burning ground, Issei stopping his onslaught to look at the damages and the number of Strays left. Except, he got them all. There were no Stray devils left below. They all burned, dying from the might of his onslaught. Only Malachi remained, looking below with his eyes glued to Issei.

"That kid is a monster…" He muttered, teeth clenched together. The Fallen did not mention anything of this, but then again, they were likely unaware of the true power of the Red Dragon Emperor. He gulped, feeling fear wash over him. From his observation alone, the Red Dragon had increased his magical and, potentially, cognitive abilities to new heights in the span of a few seconds!

Skill Level-up! Your [Fireball] is now level 8!

Skill Level-up! Your [Fire Magic - Novice] is now level 7!

For hitting multiple targets and killing them successfully, you were awarded 2 ACC.

It was nice to see his skills leveling up too. Issei descended slowly, looking for Malachi. The mist was still there, likely generated by the barrier at this point, meaning he had to find a way to break it. But, he may as well use it to his advantage. "Malachi! Come out!" He shouted, making the Stray Devil flinch. "All of your Strays are defeated, and you cannot hope to use your tricks anymore! Come out and face me!"

"FACE HIM?! IS HE SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" Malachi knew he couldn't go out there without his sacrifices helping him negate all the damage the Red Dragon would have done to him, it was impossible! All of his bravado from earlier was washing away under the prospect of facing the Red Dragon Emperor by himself, not willing to take such a huge risk! He originally believed he could wear him down, sent a message to the Fallen, and once the damn kid was tired enough they'd finish him off and allow him to slip away to establish his power base in Kuoh.

Yet, everything was going according to plan until their ability acted out a mere few minutes ago, destroying all of his cannon fodder. But perhaps…They were still useful to him.

"Very well, Red Dragon." Malachi said, coming out of his hiding spot to face Issei, the Stray was unable to hide the slight tremor in his hand as he faced the Red Dragon Emperor in the flesh head-on. But currently, he was re-planning on the fly. There was still a chance he could tire out the Red Dragon enough for the Fallen to take out, meaning all he had to do was survive.

Something he intended to do, even if first he has to sense pain a bit.

Issei's fist connected with his abdomen almost instantly, Malachi allowing the hit to strike, then he was punched down on the ground. He was waiting for something, then he noticed Issei pulling out his strange sword. Bingo. As Issei went to stab him while the Stray was down, Malachi put his hands before the sword, managing to catch it. His hands bled as he held the blade, not letting it make contact with his neck, but at the same time, a smile crept on his face as his blood dripped onto his neck, then off on the ground, then towards the bodies of the burned Strays, as well as the others which were cut or killed in other ways.

"Hehehe…" Malachi chuckled slightly, confusing Issei, but then the dragon noticed how Malachi's strength seemed to be increasing, the Stray managing to push back his sword. "HAHAHAH!" He let out a burst of maniacal laughter as he fully pushed Issei back, making him stumble a bit before he saw what was the reason behind Malachi's laughter.

ATTENTION! Second Stage Boss initiated!

"Oh, this can't be good."

Before Issei, multiple blood tendrils shot out of Malachi's body, latching onto the bodies of other Strays around and pulling them closer, breaking them apart and sewing them on Malachi's own body. Like a self-building Frankenstein's monster, Malachi's frame grew until his legs could no longer fully support him, yet a pair of large arms that connected with the ground helped him not fall over, just as three more arms sprouted forth, the facial features of the Stray being covered in a twisted mask made out of blood and flesh from the killed Strays. Malachi easily doubled in size with this trick, and now just that.

[Malachi]

[Level 46 A]
[HP: 52000/52000]

[Mutated Stray Devil (5 Pawns)]

(BOSS: Second Stage - The Amalgamation)

"This is where the fight truly begins!" Malachi's voice became distorted as he spoke, then, with one move, he clapped his hands and released a powerful shockwave that had Issei knocked back to the edge of the barrier but also dispelled the barrier of mist from around them, fully revealing the mutated being to Issei. Then, he began to stretch two of its now total of five arms, summoning forth 3 magical circles on both sides. "Taste this! A part of your own medicine!"

Multiple attacks rushed toward Issei, but the Red Dragon took to the skies once more to dodge, but it proved fruitless as Malachi changed the direction of his attacks toward him, forcing Issei to fly around to dodge the deadly strikes, but one did graze him, causing him to hiss in pain. Looking down, he noticed how one of them seemed to have cut right through his Scale Mail, leaving a greenish mist behind.

'Issei! Your [Poison Resistance] has gained more EXP! That attack was poisonous!" Solomon warned him, and Issei immediately used [First Heal] on the wound, trying to stave out any potential poison from spreading too far into his system to cause issues. But for safety, he also used [Ailment Remove].

Malachi's onslaught stopped for now, likely so he could conserve his own reserves of mana, but then the boss sprouted multiple pairs of wings and leaped towards Issei with a maniacal grin. Now, multiple wings usually indicated a higher-ranked devil, but in this case, they were stolen from the other Strays. Malachi was fast in the air, certainly faster than Issei, which resulted in him crashing right into Issei and grabbing him roughly with his arms, trying to pry his Scale Mail.

"Get. Off!" Issei forced those words out of his mouth as he placed a hand over Malachi's face, activating his [Scorching Touch], the sound and smell of the sizzling flesh indicating the skill was working, but Malachi barely flinched. Instead, he drove Issei right through a building, his HP dropping drastically from the impact as Malachi had him take most of the damage, and when they were out on the other side the Stray let go momentarily, but Issei was dazed, allowing Malachi to quickly pull out two swords and slash at his wings, shredding them and running his ability to fly, making Issei collapse to the ground.

'Fuck!" Issei swore internally, then quickly used one more HP potion to help with his reserves, as well as a stamina potion, the bottles fell to the ground.

"Ha! More healing and recovery items? Am I really that frightening now?" The boss mocked, then brought forth its arm, forming a spear of fire that he then launched at Issei, the Red Dragon dodging it narrowly. He then brought forth multiple magical circles, Issei shooting forth his [Firestream] from all of them towards Malachi, but the Stray simply powered through them all towards Issei. However, the fire produced light, which caused Issei's shadow to extend. Using it, he used [Shadow Walk] to escape from the strike, appearing a safe distance away. Malachi, however, noticed him and cast a spell that sent out a lance made of ice towards Issei, which he met with a [Fire Arrow] from his own magic, causing the two attacks to clash and destroy one another. The steam produced allowed Issei to then charge at Malachi, wielding his sword once again and to [Stab] the abomination into the shoulder, then he quickly pulled it back and launched one of the long-range arcs of energy at the distance he found himself at, making Malachi stagger back, but he was barely hurt.

The wound Issei left behind was shallow, not deep enough to cause fatal bleeding.

Malachi used the reduced distance to pull his fist back, striking at Issei, who managed to block the attack using his sword but still resulting in him being pushed back quite a bit from the sheer force behind the strike. He put his sword away as he focused, bringing out his magical circles once more.

"Oh no! You won't get that chance again!" Malachi charged at him, believing that Issei was preparing another onslaught of fire, but in reality, Issei shot out multiple tendrils made of shadows to restrain Malachi's body as best as they could, wrapping around as many limbs as possible. Despite being in a barrier, there weren't many shadows, meaning his shadow magic was limited, but this was still good! Using his tendrils, he slammed Malachi into the side of a neighboring building, taking some payback for the move earlier as he ran the devil through various layers of concrete.

Then, he suddenly threw Malachi away, releasing his tendrils which he converted to their spear-like variant, and shot at the boss, trying to skewer them for a CRITICAL. However, Malachi's head shot up, then he summoned his own magic. "Shining Beacon!" He shouted, blinding light coming from him, causing Issei's shadows to vanish instantly. It even blinded Issei a fair bit, which allowed Malachi to get closer once again, being less than 2 meters from Issei. The Red Dragon, however, reacted in time and managed to bring a [Wyvern Shot] to Malachi's face, sending him back. He then threw a [Dragon Grenade] toward Malachi, the boss not able to react in time to the explosion and getting himself flung back into the street as one of its arms flew to the side, leaving a bleeding stump.

"Shit!" It swore, but then Issei noticed how the blood seemed to bend and take the shape of a tendril of shorts, which the boss then shot at Issei, the boy having barely enough time to react and [Power Jump] back to avoid it. Yet, he was unable to avoid the multiple, small pellets of blood that shot from the length of the tendril, piercing his armor in several places and sending messages of pain through his body, indicating the multiple wounds he just received.

It was like a shotgun of some kind, and Malachi didn't seem to be done as he swung the tendril upwards, bringing it down towards Issei from above, yet Issei simply summoned forth two sets of magical circles, two of them bringing out his [Water Whip] which crossed itself before the incoming strike, the two liquids colliding and causing both constructs to fall apart onto the ground, the crimson blood and water mixing and flowing down into the drains. The other two circles, however, send out several [Water Blade] attacks at Malachi, slashing all over his body.

And during all this time, his new ultimate skill already advanced to level 3. It was rapidly growing through being used constantly, and Issei was starting to think the skill was more of a passive than an active skill.

Malachi roared out, the cuts on his body bleeding and covering him in crimson blood, but his grin indicated to Issei that the mutated Stray was anything but done, as the blood on him seemed to act more as a source of fuel. This was [Blood Magic], one of the forbidden arts of magic. Instead of using magical power/mana, it utilizes blood as both the fuel for the magic as well as the medium for a myriad of effects, the likes of which Issei was witnessing first-hand.

Malachi took some blood from his wounds and quickly drew out a symbol of some kind on his palm before slamming it into the ground. "Rise! Sanguine Eruption!" The earth below Issei, who was luckily able to fly up, rose and eventually exploded, revealing several tendrils of blood coming toward him. Most likely, the blood that entered the drains from the fighting so far against the Strays, and it was rushing to him.

Issei tried to avoid it, but once a tendril caught his ankle, the others followed suit, enveloping him. "Gah! Let go!" He shouted, even going as far as maxing out his [Boost] for its current limit, but the tendrils were not solid, but liquid. No matter how many he breaks, they can just re-make their shape.

"Partner, your HP is dropping at an accelerated rate!"

Ddraig's warning had Issei check his HP, seeing it indeed drop. But other than that, he also took notice of something else, namely one of his skills.

Skill Level-up! Your [Poison Resistance - Minor] is now level 5 and as a result of this, it has grown!

Poison…The tendrils were poisoned, simply being in contact with them poisoned him! Realizing this, Issei decided to switch to his Ki-based skills, namely using [Ki-Pulse] to push all the tendrils back at once, allowing him to drop towards the ground where Malachi stood, a hand over the ground to control the tendrils. He then activated [Ailment Removal] to get rid of the poison in his body.

However, multiple tendrils began to shoot out, approaching him. Well, two could play at that game, so Issei once again deployed his circles and summoned forth multiple instances of [Water Whip] to counter the tendrils, but four was as much as he could currently summon. He had to get to Malachi, and have him distracted to undo the spell before his HP began to drop again like crazy!

So he took flight, charging at Malachi whilst dodging the tendrils and preparing to use his sword to finish the job. But during all of this, Issei forgot something. His timer on [Boost] has effectively reached zero, meaning that his boosted stats vanished just as he got his sword out and struck Malachi, delivering a strong [Slash] across his torso. On the good part, it worked to make the tendrils vanish. On the other hand? Issei's reduced AGI allowed Malachi to score in a hit Issei would have rather avoided.

"Blood Shotgun!" Malachi shouted, and from the tendril that replaced his severed arm, multiple blood pellets shot at Issei, striking him full on, going through his armor. Issei screamed at the damage being inflicted upon him, seeing his HP drop once again below half!

But knowing this, and recalling his new skills, Issei activated [Draconic Pride], making use of both the protective aura and enhanced recovery rate. Malachi, of course, notices this, and narrows his eyes. But Issei, on the other hand, was not done yet. Tightening the grip on his sword, he swung it down, sending a full-blown arc of power at Malachi, who dodged it, but failed to dodge the follow-up slash that came at him, slashing the wings on his right.

"Gah!" The boss shouted, his ability to fly taken away in mere seconds. "You fuck! You will pay for that!" Once again, Malachi made use of his magic, drawing some kind of symbol on his hand, but Issei was not about to let him, so he charged in again, sword-first to cut down the boss. However, Malachi was counting on that and thrust his hand forth, catching Issei's blade.

"What?!" Issei gasped, noticing that Malachi was not letting go of his sword, and slowly, he saw the cracks. "Impossible! This sword is supposed to be able to fix itself using my mana, how come it is breaking?! It still has plenty of durability."

"Decay." Malachi said, keeping a grip on the blade, despite the metal digging into his flesh. "To force that brings ruin to anything, either induced by something or resulted from the passage of time. I CAN CONTROL THAT!" With one tightened fist, Malachi made his point as Issei's sword broke in two before the eyes of the Red Dragon, but Malachi quickly grabbed one of the shards as Issei jumped back, pumping the broken sword in his hands full of mana to fix it, noticing the blade rebuild itself.

But Malachi was doing something with the other piece of it. "What fine craftsmanship." He said, blood covering the piece and molding itself. Issei could not believe the end result if he was not seeing it first-hand, but just as his sword was fully repaired, Malachi now wielded a new sword. Quickly using his skill on it, Issei got the name of it.

[Mystical Blood Moon Blade]

[A corrupted version of the [Mystical Moonlight Blade] using [Blood Magic], having access to all abilities of the normal variant, but utilizing blood instead of either Lunar Energy or Mana]

"Oh, this is not good…"

"Taste this, Red Dragon! A taste of your own medicine!" Malachi swung his newly acquired sword, sending out the same kind of attack that Issei has been sending out with his sword up until now. The arc of crimson light traveled quickly, and Issei put up his sword, which began to glow its usual blue hue, to protect himself. He successfully managed to [Block], but that was when Malachi was upon him, swinging the sword down at Issei who once again had to [Block] unless he wanted to end up dead!

However, he then activated his [Boost] again, using it twice to even the odds against the boss. He was able to push Malachi back, then Issei sent out another one of his long-ranged slashes at the boss, but they were able to dispel them by slashing with their own sword. Issei clicked his tongue, knowing full well he had to do something about that sword Malachi was using. He didn't have any spells like Malachi had, and to be fair, his strongest magic was by far his Shadow Magic when he was in shadowy or dark places.

But it was still daytime, and the barrier didn't exactly block the sun!

Wait… the sun.

Ok, he had an idea now.

"Die! RED DRAGON!" Once again, Malachi slashed, but instead of one, Issei saw three such slashes coming his way. In the first one he was able to [Block] successfully, but not the other two. No, he got a taste of his own medicine as the slashes struck him dead-on, cutting his armor even further and drawing blood.

"Issei!" Solomon shouted with worry in his mind as Issei fell on one knee, using his sword to support himself. His stats might have been high, but not THAT high to be able to tank two consecutive strikes like that without taking significant damage. His HP was not looking too great either…

In short, a few more strikes like that and he was a goner. His next idea had to work, or else he was toast! "AHHHHHHH!" With a mighty shout, Issei struck the ground below them, using a [Dragon Shot] to completely shatter the pavement, causing it to fall into the sewers below.

Sewers…Good memories of those.

Issei fell inside them, moving towards the undamaged parts of the foul-smelling tunnels to take advantage of the thing he was here for. Shadows. Underground, there was no light, and the artificial light provided by the lamps here was quickly dealt with by his [Wyvern Shot].

"Trying to run? I won't allow it!" Malachi stated, then he jumped inside the sewers after Issei, but the Red Dragon was counting on this. The moment Malachi stepped too far into the sewers, multiple tendrils made of shadows went his way, more than what Issei could produce with his magical circles. They were being generated from the very dark inside the tunnels. Malachi widened his eyes seeing them, but he still had his own trick up his sleeve to deal with those. "Shining Beacon!"

Light once again erupted from Malachi, illuminating the tunnels briefly, allowing him to see Issei, but at the same time, it also dispelled the tendrils coming to him. But they were back quicker than he would have liked. Way too quick…

He used Shining Beacon again, and again, and again, but his reserves were running dry. This was a trap! The Red Dragon's magic which controls shadows was at its peak within those tunnels, something he realized now looking back. That is why he broke the pavement: Not to run, but to draw him into a trap, a place where he could be attacked from every angle, at any time! Malachi had to escape, and that is what he attempted to do, rushing back towards the hole he entered through, where the light shone through.

However, he didn't get to reach it as a tendril wrapped around his ankle, pulling him to the ground first, then slamming him into a wall where multiple other tendrils sprung forth, tying him there. No matter, one Shining Beacon latter and-

What…

What was that presence?

Malachi's senses and breathing went crazy as he sensed something…HOLY near him. No, not holy, it was something more akin to him being overwhelmed by the presence of a predator. Something was wrong, VERY WRONG.

"My, my, my…" Snapping his sight to the side, Malachi saw and heard the old man walking towards him, the voice betraying their gender and age. But Malachi's eyes widened further in pure terror as he recognized the figure. How could he not? He, Malachi, was once a mere low-ranked devil in the underworld, and as all Devils, he knew full well the boogie man of his kin. Standing there with his staff in hand, dressed in royal robes, and currently rubbing his beard stood Solomon himself! "What a mess this turned out to be, no?"

"H-h-how?! Is this part of the Red Dragon's power?" He asked, the wise king answering his question with honesty as well, it didn't matter.

Malachi knew he was a goner now.

"Yes." Solomon replied, growing ever close to Malachi, who was thrashing in his binds, trying to escape.

"Shining-"

His spell never activated, as Malachi found the blade the Red Dragon was using stuck in his mouth, coming out through the back of his neck. He let out a scream of agony, the wise king gripping the other end of the blade.

"Keep your foul mouth shut, fiend!" Solomon ordered Malachi, who was not exactly able to shut his mouth anymore. "To think you'd delve into the forbidden arts of Blood Magic - truly, I expected nothing less from your lot! But this…atrocity, this perversion of nature, and an insult to the arts is truly disgusting to even look at."

Malachi stared at Solomon as the king chastised him, seeing the old man slowly raising his staff at the boss. "You put us through quite the battle. I, however, admit you were a worthy opponent, Malachi, in spite of your rotten tactics." The wise king pressed his staff against Malachi's torso. "But that being said, death still awaits you. No worries, I will try to be quick!" Suddenly, a tendril of shadows sprouted from where Solomon had pressed his cane, coming from behind Malachi and tearing through his flesh and bone. The boss screamed from the pain, but then he saw Solomon conjure something…No…

Solomon was holding a [Dragon Grenade].

The wise king placed the explosive on the tendril, seeing it wrap around it and drag it back inside the boss. "Have a good day." Solomon said as he walked away, not desiring to get dirty from that. He has, of course, taken Issei's sword back from the Stray's mouth, and as he walked away, he heard Malachi scream.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

The blast of the grenade echoed far in the tunnels, even causing the walls to crack where Malachi once stood. But now, all that stood there was the monster with his torso blown open, his entrails and organs in tatters all over the tunnel. And his HP…At 0. With no further need for him, Solomon used [Switch] to let Issei take over again, the teen dispelling his Scale Mail and looking at Solomon's handy work.

"Damn, Solomon!" Issei said, looking at the deed of the wise king. "This is…Honestly brutal."

"I took a bit of inspiration from that video game you played before. DOOM, was it?"

"Still, old friend, you sure know how to sow your distaste for Devil-kind."

With that said, Issei grew closer to Malachi, noticing that two things were around the corpse. One was a Skill Book, and the other was the sword created via the blood. Slowly, Issei picked both of them up, and scanned the book.

[Skill Book: Blood Magic -Novice]

[The forbidden magic that relies on blood, able to either grant immense power or corrupt the user and anyone around them.]

"I believe my line in this is HELL NO!" Solomon shouted, making Issei flinch. "Issei throw that book away! That magic is foul, and using it will result in only trouble!"

"Now hold on, Solomon, you agreed before we shouldn't throw away any helpful bits of power. This counts as that." Ddraig argued back.

"Issei, you SAW what this magic can do!"

"Well, yeah, no shit about that!" Issei replied. "But Ddraig also has a point regarding the fact that every bit of power is needed. Plus, I have you by my side to help me regulate it, right?"

"THAT IS NOT THE POINT HERE!" Solomon shouted, trying to argue against them. "Issei, please, do not use that Skill Book!"

"Solomon, like it or not, something like this was unavoidable." Issei argued back. "At some point, the only way to grow stronger would have been to touch forbidden stuff like this, and it is not about showing more dedication to what we already have that will make us stronger, because, eventually, we will reach our limit with those abilities. Our only choice is to take everything in, as Ddraig said, and handle it."

"Hmmmm." Solomon weighed Issei's words in his mind, trying to see a flaw in his logic. True, eventually they'd be left with no other means to grow, and while early, that also provided the bonus of growing this magic alongside the others. But Blood Magic was fundamentally different from most of Issei's magics, requiring more teaching. "Very well, but do not use that sword. The fact it consumes Blood - or HP in our case - makes it more of a weakness than a strength."

"I will store it in my inventory until we can figure out what to do with it." Issei said, putting the sword away. He then put the book up, and opened it, absorbing it and learning the magic. Or at least, gaining the skill for it.

{Proficiency Skill} [Blood Magic- Novice] (Level 1| 000/400): The forbidden magic that relies on blood, able to either grant immense power or corrupt the user and anyone around them.

"That is that, I guess…" Issei said, but no sooner did he take one step that his body screamed at him, and he nearly collapsed. Both Solomon and Ddraig shouted at him to be careful, seeing as he took quite a bit of punishment from Malachi's attacks. This boss was no joke, for real now!

Wait…

If Malachi was dead, then…

Where was the EXP for his death?

"You…Damned Emperor." Issei spun his head around fast, seeing Malachi laying there, defeated, yes, but NOT DEAD. "That…A Skill Book-like mechanic? Explains a lot of your abilities…"

"How are you not dead?!" Issei asked, slowly getting up and summoning forth a small magical circle. Malachi might not be dead yet, but he was not far either. One good shot and he'd be a goner.

"Make no mistake...I am dying." Malachi said, unable to move. "That last brutal…execution…It destroyed my innards. I am paralyzed, my spine having been blown. I am going to die in this place."

"If so, then tell me: What are the Fallen Angels planning?" Malachi spat some blood, coughing as he struggled to breathe.

"Hell if I know everything…I was to only try and tire you out for them." Malachi admitted. "Never imagined I'd die here. I hold no loyalty to them, but here is something else I know and want. Revenge. They want revenge for what you did to them so far, but I also want that now. THEY send me here to die…And now, they are leaving me here to perish. The Fallen Angels, Kalawarmer and Mittelt, are right outside the barrier."

Issei narrowed his eyes after hearing that. "That means they are ready to ambush me…"

"At least I managed to tire you out and weaken you…That is all they wanted…But Solomon? They will crap their panties." Malachi said, feeling his life fade away. "At least, before I go, Red Dragon, tell me. All my life I have been obsessed with knowledge, the truth behind everything! Tell me, how did you get your power?"

"Since you are dying, I guess it will be no harm." Issei replied. "I do not know. It activated the first time when I was a kid, but apparently, it was some kind of error. It fixed itself upon my 18th birthday, and since then, I have been growing increasingly more powerful."

"Ah. I see."

"I can tell one thing: It is not of this world." Those words had Malachi widen his weary eyes. "I am merely one of the possible other beings who used this power before."

"Like a Sacred Gear, but…across realities? Universes? What crazy theories can be proven from that, or dismissed even? Truly, only power out of this world could birth something like you." Malachi said, then, slowly, his vision began to darken. "What…a…wonderful…power."

Congratulations on defeating the boss and surviving the onslaught of Stray Devils! Here are your rewards:

-500K EXP
-1 Random EXP Reward Box

"That is a good amount of EXP." Issei noted, beginning to use [First Heal] to recover a bit more together with some HP potions.

Skill Level-up! Your [First Heal] is now level 4!

Skill Level-up! Your {Proficiency Skill} [Healing Magic -Novice] is now level 3!

He remained against the wall, inside the sewers, slowly recovering. SLOWLY, is the key word here. He was exhausted, and there were still the Fallen Angels to consider. He was in no shape to fight them, Malachi having taken out most of his stamina and HP, not to mention his Mana was low as well. He was running on fumes.

What was worse? The barrier was still out there, meaning he couldn't hope to expect any reinforcements any time soon. His only choice right now, for which he started to get up, constantly using his healing magic to make sure he recovered some HP at the cost of his mana, was to get deeper into the sewers and hide until he recovered enough to stand a fighting chance against the Fallen.

Because for all he knows, he was being hunted.