I'M BACK BITCHES! To the Haters: Kiss my southern cheeks! To the ones who've waited for my return, wait no more! I am here! I know it has been a while since I've graced this website with my goodness and quality writing, but my only excuse...It is burnout. Legit, I had no muse during those months, no drive to break another keyboard, and no time. But not anymore. Well, I am still a wee bit swamped, but I am back, right? This is the next chapter, and I have something special ready for you. But you will need to wait a wee bit more for it.

Discord: /E9ep6d4Ku4

Things did get bloody—quite a bit as well, as Issei was dealing with a slight bit of anemia. Training blood magic using ONLY his blood took more out of him than he initially expected. Now, he was resting on the edge of his training grounds, Dummy mirroring his position as the boy rested.

He had been training his blood magic and trying to generate new spells to make it easier, which he managed in about a few hours. He had created two new spells, [Blood Spear] and [Blood Blade]. Both of them created blood-made constructs, the shapes of which are evident by their names.

[Blood Spear] (Level 1 | 000/400): Shape your blood like a spear, solidifying the liquid of life into a deadly weapon. This spear deals +5% damage based on your MGI. Cost 70 Mana and 50 HP to create one spear.

[Blood Blade] (Level 1 | 000/400): Shape your blood like a blade, solidifying the liquid of life into a deadly weapon. This blade deals +7% damage based on your MGI. Cost 50 Mana and 50 HP to create one blade.

Which he, of course, trained like all heck. They were the kind of skills that grew in level as he kept them active and in use, which, to his luck, did not require an upkeep cost, but they were not that durable. As such, he had to summon new ones repeatedly when they broke. But progress was there. He managed to get his [Crimson Barrier] to level 8. He also brought his latest skills to levels 6 and 7. The result was that both skills were getting cheaper to cast. HP-wise, that is.

Still, Issei reckoned that getting his blood magic up would take a while; so after some back-and-forth with Ddraig and Solomon, they agreed to use a little something from his inventory: a MAX-L Orb. According to what the system told him, using MAX-L Orbs on a proficiency will only take that proficiency to the next tier. But that was EXACTLY what he needed now. He was worried that he might lose his progress in blood magic, but the system assured him that was not the case.

He will grow one tier but be at level 8, with the same EXP he is now in that new tier. This means that, if timed right, they could quickly grow two tiers in one day. So, without hesitation, he put the MAX-L Orb into his Blood Magic, and the effects were instant.

{Proficiency Skill} [Blood Magic- Novice] has reached the maximum level as has become {Proficiency Skill} [Blood Magic- Advanced Beginner]

Along with the skill growing, he was pleasantly surprised to see a specific skill. One he recalls somewhat well.

[Blood Substitute] (Level MAX): A spell with the power to transfer all damage you take onto another if said damage would have been lethal, making that person take the fall for you. You must get your blood in their body to activate this spell. 100 HP is required to cast.

He remembers this one. This is what Malachi used back then. Even today, the memory of that boss remains. He was indeed a dangerous foe, the likes of which he is lucky he is gone. Luckily, although he doesn't know if he will ever use this skill, he did get other skills.

[Blood Arrow] (Level 1| 000/400): Turning blood into a deadly projectile! Those projectiles deal +20% damage based on your MGI and a possible bonus of 3-10% damage based on your ACC. This skill has a cost of 50 HP and 30 Mana per projectile.

Now, that was a skill he could train, which he immediately did. It took him a bit, but he was able to take that skill all the way to level 9! Granted, he did use a fair amount of Phoenix Tears to help with the blood loss and subsequent anemia. At level 5, however, this skill gained quite the ability.

[Blood Arrow] (Level 9| 64000/102400): Turning blood into a deadly projectile! Those projectiles deal +20% damage based on your MGI and a possible bonus of 3-10% damage based on your ACC. This skill has a cost of 50 HP and 30 Mana per projectile. As of level 5, if you manage to hit a living target, you can pay an additional 30 Mana to induce a temporary paralysis in them that lasts up to 5 seconds.

He is so using that. Still, at that point, he was so close to getting to where he needed to be that he pushed for one last time. He got [Blood Spear] and [Blood Blade] up one more level. And that did it.

{Proficiency Skill} [Blood Magic- Advanced Beginner] has reached the maximum level as has become {Proficiency Skill} [Blood Magic- Competend]

Quest updated!

"Fucking finally…" Issei said as he lay on the ground, Leonna standing beside him. She kneeled, offering him another bottle of Phoenix Tears, which he took, drinking the contents. He found the potion itself tasteless, yet, somehow, it was better than even water. "Thank you, Leonna."

"There is no need to thank me, Master. I am merely fulfilling my duties. I am informing you that it is currently 7 AM in the real world." That surprised Issei, and it was not a simple bit.

"I-I trained the entire night?!" He gasped in shock.

"You did. However, I see no issue with this; you can rest yourself. I am sure the Mistresses won't mind you sleeping in if I explain to them the situation." Leonna offered, but then she saw Issei getting up. "Master?"

"I am afraid there is little time to rest, Leonna. I promised Gasper Vladi, Rias' other bishop; I would offer him some training today! I cannot go back on my word." Issei stated, but it seems Leonna had a reply to that.

"That is another issue I wished to tell you. That training session was moved to the next day after this one." That had Issei stop in his tracks. "Mistress Rias called while you were training, and Mistress Kuroka told me to tell you that, in light of a new event, Gasper's training will be put on hold. Your presence, however, is being requested later tonight."

"A new event?" The memory of Xenovia and Irina from yesterday flashed in his mind. "Of course…So they were here with a reason."

"Master?"

"Nothing, Leonna. If the situation truly is so, then prepare me my chambers. I will have a long, and hopefully uneventful, sleep."

"At once, Master."

Come the evening, Issei washed and departed for Kuoh Academy almost immediately since he had been called there. He decided to use his skill for once to get there faster, which he did. He arrived just in time…To see Kiba engaged in battle with Xenovia and subsequently get his ass handed to him. "What is going on?!" Issei demanded, stepping forward.

"The Red Dragon…" Xenovia muttered, seeing him, putting her Excalibur away. "The Knight of Rias Gremory challenged me for my sword, for the right to destroy it."

"As it should!" Kiba barked, surprising Issei. "Those weapons…Do you know what was done to ensure people like you get to wield them!"

Irina remained silent, letting Xenovia handle this. "We do. However, the person in charge of that project has been long since excommunicated and exiled from the Church."

"But you still use his research, don't you?" Kiba asked, further pushing his accusations.

"A modified, non-lethal version," Xenovia added.

"Yet, you still use the fruits of his rotten labor. DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANY REMORSE FOR THE LIVES THAT WERE THROWN AWAY JUST TO-"

"Enough!" Both Issei and Rias shouted at once to stop the two of them. Once she realized it was not just her who shouted, she allowed Issei to step forward and speak.

"I do not know what this is about, but I desire answers from both parties involved," Issei demanded, then Kiba stood up and began to speak.

"If you want answers, Issei, here is what you need to know." He pointed at Xenovia. "The agents of the Church and all who wield holy swords can do so only because they are harvesting innocent people for their potential to do so. I'd know…I was a lab rat for the man who developed this method. In their attempt to create individuals able to wield swords like the wretched Excalibur, I and others were used for their experiments. We were discarded as if we were nothing when no longer needed! Harvested for what we had and left to die…That is when Rias found me and brought me into her peerage. Not long after, I escaped through my friends' sacrifice."

Issei turned to Irina. "Is this true, Irina?!" He was scandalized to hear such a thing, and as he looked at his old friend, she seemed almost ashamed to admit it because she was.

"It is…" She said slowly.

"The name of the person who did that is Valper Galilei, also known as the Genocide Archbishop. When they learned what he had done, the Church, as mentioned, excommunicated him and devised a new method to extract the light attribute from willing donors to create new holy sword users." Xenovia stated, then she turned to Kiba once more. "I read the file, and it is said that the one who escaped was named Isaiah."

"That was my original name, yes," Kiba confessed. "But I now wear the name given to me by Rias with pride. Regardless, however, the Church cannot repay their ruined lives by allowing such an experiment in the first place! And everything to make individuals able to wield Excalibur…That is why I made it a life goal to one day become powerful enough to destroy all seven fragments of that wretched sword, which has brought me and my friends NOTHING but misery!"

"Kiba, calm yourself!" Issei half-shouted. "I understand how you feel. As someone who lost people close to him, I can relate to your grief and desires, but right now, you are directing them at the wrong people."

"Are they the wrong people?" Kiba turned and asked. "If I am not wrong, they both wield Excaliburs. That one even said she knew you from when you were young." He pointed at Irina.

"It is true," Issei confirmed. "She is Irina Shidou, an old friend of mine. But with that being said, Irina…Did you receive such a boon from the Church to wield your weapon?"

"We all did…" Irina confessed. "To join the ranks of holy sword wielders, we all must take in a capsule filled with the light attribute donated by the most devout of followers."

"I see," Issei stated, then he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I certainly didn't wish to stumble into an argument when I came here, but I guess it cannot be helped. By the looks of it, this fight was also Kiba's defeat." The boy in question averted his gaze in shame. "However, something tells me this is not the matter you two are here for."

"Perceptive, Red Dragon. Indeed, the matter we are for is of another nature. As your friend here, Yuuto Kiba stated, there are seven fragments of Excalibur. The one I wield is called Excalibur Destruction, and it has the most destructive potential out of all seven fragments."

"The one I have is called Excalibur Mimic! It has the power to turn into almost anything." Irina stated.

"We are here because three other fragments have been stolen," Xenovia stated, catching Issei's attention. "Namely, Excalibur Nightmare, Transparency, and Rapidly were stolen from the Church. The Church had traced the thieves to those lands, but we lost them shortly after."

"So, those holy swords you speak of are somewhere in Kuoh?" Issei stated in a simplified manner. "And I think you are also here to ask permission from Rias to act on her turf, is that correct?"

"Yes. To avoid any incident between the Church and Devils, we have come to ask permission from Rias Gremory first," Xenovia confirmed.

"Then I fear we have a problem," Issei stated. Then he went close to Rias, who was standing next to her. "You see, although Rias does own half of Kuoh, the other is owned by Sona Sitri. I assume you already got her nod, though, so that is cool. However, what is not cool is that you seem to disregard certain factors here."

"Such as?" Xenovia narrowed her gaze at him.

"This is also MY territory," Issei stated, catching them off-guard. "Rias Gremory has sworn her allegiance to me."

Xenovia and Irina were taken aback by such news, with Irina being the first to speak up. "B-but then, wouldn't that mean you see the importance of our task, Issei? Please understand that the Excalibur is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands! We must recover it!"

"I see it, make no mistake, Irina," Issei replied. "It's just that…You haven't made the best impression on me yesterday and today counting together."

"If you are angry about how I acted yesterday, Red Dragon, I apologize." Xenovia bowed, but then she raised her head. "But that does not change the situation. Recovering the Excalibur fragments is a priority mission from the Pope. We must carry out our mission."

"Which you will, but on our terms," Issei stated. "You will work together with us, not detached from us. That means the two of you must abide by our rules for the duration of your assignment."

"Does that include offering us some lodging for the duration of this endeavor?" Xenovia asked, making Irina perk up before she seemed to deflate awkwardly. "I am afraid my co-worker here made the mistake of wasting our funds."

"I didn't know it was a fake. I-" Irina stopped herself when Xenovia fixed her a glare.

"If you need a place to stay, I can provide that. You may stay at my home." Issei stated, but then he turned his attention to Kiba. "And Kiba…I need to know you will not act recklessly."

"How so?" The boy asked.

"You are involved in this, whether you realize it or not. This task affects you, and I am tempted to sideline you completely. But I know better. You would go behind my back and act as you wish, so I at least ask that you pair up with me during this."

+10 RP with Yuuto Kiba.

Kiba smiled broadly, bowing to Issei. "Thank you for letting me partake in this." Despite his somewhat strained words, Issei could still tell they were genuine. That was good.

"Good. Now, I think you are all tired. Tell me, Rias, where is Gasper? I still have time to uphold my promise, even for a bit, before we call it a night."

"Inside the building," Rias replied, then watched as Issei stepped into her shadow and vanished. Irina was especially surprised by this.

"Since when can Issei do magic?" she asked slowly, looking at everyone present. Looking back now, she began to think about several things. Ten years is a long time, and it seems that what they say is true. Time does change everyone. In those ten years, Issei became an orphan and their generation's Red Dragon Emperor. And now she saw him using magic to teleport away.

Issei had changed. She realized this now. She did as well, and there are many things she feels they need to talk about. Reconnect and see if the Issei she knows is still there. She had to know and be sure that her Issei didn't become a total stranger to her, even if the truth says otherwise.

After getting Gasper, Issei took him to his home with Xenovia and Irina. The girls had already moved inside the Fortress, inside his dungeon, meaning those two had the entire house for themselves. However, they were curious about the other inhabitants, which resulted in the current situation. Namely, Xenovia and Irina are standing in the living room, and Kuroka, Ingvild, Asia, and Raynare are also in the room. Asia was getting them some tea as Kuroka and Ingvild took the couch, and Raynare stood leaning against the wall.

Issei was with Gasper in the dungeon during this.

"So, Irina, you were Issei's friend before you moved to England, correct? He told me some things about you, although I am sure he said you were a man." Kuroka said, talking to the girls.

Irina blushed a bit. "I know, awkward, but I guess I was boyish back then, so that explains why he might have believed that."

"It does sound like our Issei, making such a mistake," Ingvild stated. "Even now, he tends to make a few silly mistakes here and there."

"At least he knows how to keep a level head when fighting," Raynare stated. "Besides, he is the Red Dragon Emperor! Who can defeat him when he grows beyond his current limits? Ha! I am willing to bet he will one day march to Heaven's Gates and break them down!"

"Hold your tongue before I cut it off, fallen," Xenovia warned dangerously, but Raynare, unknown to her, wanted this. The fallen angel merely wanted to draw a reaction from her for amusement.

"Hey now, there is no need for such behavior, nya," Kuroka said, trying to keep the peace in the house. "We are not enemies here."

"Speak for yourself, nekoshou. The Church is not keen on the Youkai, but at least…" Xenovia looked at Ingvild. "You are not a devil of higher standing."

Ingvild shifted uncomfortably. Of course, when those two came in, they all introduced themselves. A possible mistake, seeing how Xenovia seemed less than thrilled about being in a house where a devil descending from the original Leviathan resides, along with a so-called witch and a Fallen Angel.

"Now, now…" Kuroka leaned forward, her breasts almost spilling from her kimono. "I don't think any of us want to upset Issei by fighting for silly reasons such as race, do we? He was very kind to invite the two of you in as guests, offering you to stay here during your assignment, so please do not insult his kindness by causing problems, okay? Nya."

Xenovia tensed up at the mannerisms of the feline before her. While what she said was true, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was also threatening them. She was powerful, too powerful for them. Ingvild was too much for them to take on alone if she got serious. Asia and Raynare were the only ones weaker and on a relative scale with them human-wise.

"I apologize for Xenovia. She is just not used to collaborating with those outside of the Church," Irina stated, trying to cover for her partner. "But, I must be truthful that I, too, do not feel entirely comfortable, given the presence of so many unholy beings here."

"Unholy, nya?" Kuroka asked, finding that part amusing. However, she decided to leave it be. It was not who knows what kind of insult toward her.

"Especially the witch. I was unsure before, but I am certain. You are whoring yourself to the Red Dragon." Xenovia's statement wasn't left unchallenged.

"Hey!" Raynare shouted. "Watch your words, she is no one's whore! This girl here is more worthy of the title of saint than any of you two-faced hypocrites!"

"Please, Miss Raynare, there is no need to fight on my behalf!" Asia stated, trying to calm Raynare. "I…I honestly do not care what they have to say about me."

"Asia…" Raynare said slowly.

"Ever since I came here, I have learned many things, especially how the Church truly is. I know some of it is not what it claims to be." Irina reacted to those words, standing up.

"Hey, that is untrue! The Church cares only for the welfare of those loyal to the word of God!"

"I was loyal to that word!" Asia stated, facing Irina. "Yet, look at me now. I was excommunicated and left to fend for myself. If not for Issei, I would have been a victim of a tragic fate, but he saved me. In a way, I guess this is what the Lord planned for me: to find happiness in the most unexpected of places, in the most unexpected of times."

"You were kicked out for healing a devil. The enemy." Xenovia stated coldly.

"I couldn't leave him to die," Asia replied. "If I did, then it would have been just as bad. As followers of the Lord's word, we must also show love and compassion to all beings created by his grace. Even the devils are, to some extent, like that."

"Blasphemy!" Xenovia shouted. "You claim the devils to be made of God's grace?"

"Technically speaking, she isn't wrong," Raynare said, stepping forward. "Everyone knows how Lucifer and his lot were angels before they fell and became the creatures known as demons, the ancestors of the devils. Heck, I daresay the devil race is like a black sheep in the family, nothing else."

"Xenovia…" Irina called out to her partner, who calmed herself. "Anyway, Kuroka, can you tell me about Issei? How was he after the incident?" Looking to change the subject, she turned to Kuroka.

"He was somewhat disturbed for a while," Kuroka remembered the earlier days. "There were nights he'd wake up from a nightmare, recalling that fateful evening. But we were there for him."

"By we, do you mean you and Ddraig?" Irina asked, receiving a nod from Kuroka. "I see. Honestly, I am ashamed to call myself a friend of his. When he needed me the most, I was across the world. Had I known that happened, I would have begged my father to book the first flight to Japan to take him in with us so he'd have a family."

"I can tell you still care about him greatly, Irina. But something is bothering you, correct?" Irina nodded at Kuroka's question. "What is it, nya?"

"He changed," Irina stated. "And not just a little, but a bunch. He is now the Red Dragon Emperor; I can tell he has much power. I don't know if he is the same Issei I once knew."

"Was he a pervert even back then?" Kuroka asked.

"What?" Irina perked up, staring at Kuroka.

"I am asking if he was a pervert even when you knew him," Kuroka repeated. "You know, doing things like flipping skirts or staring at breasts."

"N-none of that! He was eight!" Irina stated, her ears reddening from the embarrassing question. "We even took baths together, and he never did or acted in any shameful way!"

"Oh, but you said he thought you were a boy," Kuroka stated, but then she realized something. "Wait, you bathed together, yet he still believed you were a boy until today?!" Much to Irina's slight embarrassment, the girls began to laugh at that bit of information. "Just how boyish were you?"

"I-I…Oh Lord, what have I done?" She buried her face in her hands from embarrassment.

Xenovia sighed. "How come the Red Dragon had gathered all of you?" She asked.

"Well, Red Dragons are known for their harems, but to be honest, so far, I am pretty sure only me and Ingvi here fucked with Issei, so-"

"Kuroka!" Ingvild shouted, a bright red on her face. At the same time, Irina perked up, looking scandalized.

"ISSEI HAS-?! With you?!"

"Oh yeah, sometimes several times a night, multiple times a week. He has quite a developed libido, and going in together helps tire him out properly, so-"

"Kuroka, for the love of all that is unholy, please stop!" Ingvild begged.

"I don't want to hear this either; please, spare me! Oh Lord, forgive those sinful people for their actions!" Irina replied, even praying for them, which made Kuroka giggle.

"Quite the devout follower of God you are…" She stated slowly, although a glance around the room confirmed that no one here would spill the beans about one of the secrets they hold. Learned from Ddraig, then spread to Solomon and Issei, Kuroka, and slowly, everyone else in this household, except for Rias.

The fact God is dead is somewhat of a secret among them, which they are not keen on sharing willy-nilly. Not because it is important to them but because of the chaos it might cause. Not to mention, the Church is keeping such secrets for a reason, meaning that those who know could become targets to be put to silence.

It's a risky gamble. But for now, they will enjoy themselves with those two believers. Kuroka did wonder how Issei was doing inside the dungeon.

"No…" Issei groaned for the Xth time as Gasper once again proved more than just a bit challenging to train. "No, Gasper, I asked you to use your Gear only to stop the Dummy from jumping up and down; you didn't have to hide! And what are you doing under Leonna's skirt?!"

Sure enough, Gasper went to the only hiding spot he could think of: under Leonna's skirt. The boy was shivering, not daring to look up either. "He-he-he is just so scary!"

"Master, what should I do?" Leonna asked.

"Move aside, Leonna," Issei told her, which she did, letting Gasper out from his little hiding hole. "Gasper, listen to me. You agreed to this training to improve and be more useful to Rias, correct?"

"Of course!" He replied strongly. "I want to be more useful, but I…I just can't! Everything is just too scary! Even this place is scary! Everyone here is scary!"

"Am I?" Leonna asked, confused.

"Yes!"

"No!" Issei said after Gasper, but unfortunately, this confused the poor girl further. Issei groaned. "Gasper, look. We can do this at your pace, but unless you show me some progress, we can do little. You want to be useful to Rias; I can understand that, as she saved you."

"And you saved her," Gasper said, putting two and two together. "You helped us against Riser…I didn't help that time…I just cowered in my box instead of fighting to help Rias get rid of that guy."

"Do you regret not doing anything back then?" Gasper nodded slowly.

"It's just like they used to say about me…I am nothing."

"Hey now! That is bullshit!" Issei replied strongly. Gasper flinched from the sudden rise in tone, looking up at Issei as he spoke. "Gasper, for crying out loud, you are not useless! You have a kickass Gear, and I bet some kickass powers, too! You are not nothing; you are more than you know! If what we suspect of your lineage is true, you can become one of the most powerful vampires - or dhampir, in your case - out there!"

Gasper looked up at Issei. "Y-you really think I can become that powerful?" He asked slowly.

"I do not think so one bit. I know you will." Issei told him and watched the boy's eyes widen. "If you work hard, you will one day become worthy of calling yourself a man worthy of fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Dragon Emperors. But that won't happen if you hide in boxes and under skirts."

"I…I understand." Gasper said, slowly standing up. "Alright. What next?"

"For now, we will train your abilities, then we might worry about your physical condition. Go, the Dummy is waiting for you."

"Y-Yes, Sir! But…" He added. "May I…I know what I said about blood before, but…You know how powerful the blood of a dragon could be, right? To a vampire."

"Hmm. I heard the rumors. Do you want some of my blood, then?" Issei asked, looking at the boy.

"Y-yes, if you'd be so kind as to share." Gasper finally said, and Issei offered him a small smile.

"Leonna, go grab a small bottle." He ordered her, which Leonna obeyed, and quickly went and grabbed a bottle, handing it to Issei. Then, using some of his blood magic, he extracted some blood and put it in the bottle. It was a small thing, no more than 1L of it. He then gave it to Gasper, the boy holding it slowly.

"It's…still warm." He said as he let his nose sniff the liquid inside. "And it smells…Spicy, with a hint of sweet."

Issei would not ask what he meant by that and watched Gasper sip the crimson liquid. The boy's eyes widened suddenly, and Gasper dropped the bottle. Issei managed to catch it in time, but the boy was gone when he raised his head to look for Gasper. "What?" he asked, then he felt a chill go down his spine—like there were hundreds of eyes watching him.

Looking up, Issei saw why. Bats. An entire flock of them, watching him from above. "Gasper!" But he knew who that was.

"Issei?!" All bats spoke at once, making for an exciting effect. "I am doing it…I am a bat! Multiple bats! This is amazing! I never thought I could do such things!"

For boosting Gasper's confidence, you were awarded 4 RP with him.

Quest updated!

"Looks like consuming some of my blood really has some benefits after all! How do you feel?"

"Powerful," Gasper replied, his bats going to the Dummy. When Issei looked, he noticed how Dummy tried to move, but before long, it was frozen in time. "I can see everything my bats see and use my Gear through them as well. This is amazing!"

The boy was sure excited by this. Issei smiled widely. "So, does that mean you are ready to continue? That boost in power won't last forever, so you best train hard to make sure you can do this on your own in the future!"

Gasper reformed his body before Issei, offering a deep bow. "Yes! I am still nervous, but…I trust you, Issei! I want to feel like that again! I want to be more powerful to be useful to both Rias and you!"

"That's the spirit! Now, Leonna, Dummy!"

"Sir!" Leonna replied.

"Help Gasper train physically. A healthy and powerful body is just as important as anything. Leonna, can you write him a schedule of exercise?"

"Of course, Master." She replied.

"And Dummy?" The being saluted. "Go easy on him, but if he wants more of a challenge, obey his wishes."

The Dummy nodded, then looked at Gasper, giving the boy a thumbs-up, which Gasper slowly mimicked.

"I still cannot believe you have your realm, Issei. And there are so many beings inside!" Gasper said. You really are great!"

"Thanks. But go on now, Gasper. Work hard!"

"YES!" And so, they resumed training, Gasper now equipped with new-found vigor and confidence, as temporary as those might be. As he trained, Issei checked his rewards for sharing his blood with Gasper. It was time to claim them.

TIME TO HAUL ASS! With a cross-dressing vampire.

Last time you helped Saji, that was good. Now, however, this is more than a favor, this is a responsibility!

Main Objective: Train Gasper until he becomes confident enough to use both his vampiric powers and his Sacred Gear without hesitation!

Optional Objective: Share your blood with him during training. -Complete

Main Reward: 550K EXP, 20 RP with Gasper Vladi, 5 RP with all members of the Gremory peerage.

Optional Reward: [Aid to the Blood] Perk, 100K EXP. -Unclaimed.

Failure Penalty: -30 RP with Gasper Vladi and -15 RP with the members of the Gremory Peerage.

Counting the bonuses he has, that 100K turned into 495 K. That was unbelievable, considering he might gain more bonuses, but he was glad to accept all of this. Now, onto the perk.

[Aid to the Blood]: By sharing your blood with Gasper, you have gained this unique perk! The full potential of this perk will fully unlock when you reach 100 RP with Gasper Vladi! Until then, know that this perk offers you a bonus of +100 Skill EXP to all Blood-related skills.

Another locked aspect of the system, huh? Several things seem to be gated behind quests or other requirements, which Issei found quite intriguing. If those things were locked behind such requirements, they must be worth the grind to get them. That said, Asia, too, granted him something, but it was locked behind one of his quests.

But that being said, it did make him look at his Quest list again and take note of one. The one asking him to create a Sub-Species, which he didn't think was possible at his current level. But then again, he won't know unless he tries. So, with that in mind, he decided to let Gasper handle himself for a wee bit and go somewhere else to attempt to get something going. Stretching his arm forth, he focused, trying to imagine a Sub-Species.

"Sub-Species are not exactly easy to manifest, partner. Sometimes, they come naturally, with the entire Gear being one. Other times, they are Balance Breakers unique to the one wielding them. You have a good first idea: Imagining one. Visualizing the Sub-Species you wish to achieve is already the first step in acquiring one. The second is knowing your limits. A Sub-Species must remain relative to the Gear it belongs to, so that said, I am afraid you cannot exactly make a Sub-Species that halves one's power with the Boosted Gear so easily. That is the opposite of what the Boosted Gear is meant to do. But the abilities you hold can greatly influence the result as well."

Ddraig's explanation made sense to Issei, so he focused on trying to imagine something first. Then he began to think about what he wanted the Sub-Species to do, and slowly, he felt something. The gem on his Boosted Gear began to glow softly, and he could sense a rush of power coming. But then, something just seemed to become interrupted. The glow faded as quickly as it came, and the incoming rush of power faded as well.

Conditions not met!

To willingly create your own Sub-Species Balance Breaker, you must meet several conditions first!

It does not state those conditions either. "Shit," Issei swore as he let the window close. That was a wall. So, he was not yet ready for a Sub-Species Balance Breaker, huh? It made sense to him, as he was pretty swamped with other bits.

It seems the sub-species will have to wait. For now, there are plenty of other things to take care of. Training Gasper, then making sure Xenovia and Irina do not cause trouble, not to mention figuring out what this entire deal with Excalibur is about. And more importantly, what is Kiba's part in everything? Issei was not lying before; he understood Kiba to some extent. But hating the Excalibur, an object, made no sense. It was like saying Issei hates fire because it killed his parents, despite it being the ones behind the fire at fault.

Ramon and whoever made him do this will know his wrath in time.

But Kiba? His hate for Excalibur is raising worries for him, and he has to address this. As soon as possible.

Quest Update!

The Gift of Reason

Help Kiba see the error in his logic, but be aware. This is a thin ice subject for him, and a wrong word can ruin everything you have tried to build so far.

Main Objective: Help Kiba understand where to point his anger.

Quest Time Limit: N/A.

Main Objective Rewards: 300K EXP, 10 RP with Yuuto Kiba.

Failure Penalty: Rp with Yuuto Kiba reduced to 0 and - 10 Rp with all members of the Gremory Peerage.

And the stakes were set.