REVIEWS:
: Wise words, but Ignium never claimed to be the hero, has he?
Ezoren: We are returning to the cannon timeline, actually. I am following more the manga route, so to say, so no Loki attack or Kuroka attack, obviously. And yes, Ignium has been collecting some crazy people over the years.
An Anonymoose: HEhehehe.
Heliel42: To be fair, I pinned them against opponents with stronger hacks.
Xerzo LotCN: What?
Devilscreed: Thank you! I will update the previous chapter using those translations at once! If you are on the Discord server, I might hit you up for future translation work!
Discord Link: /FVXgdXtMUv
And if you want to support me further, as well as enjoy the next chapter early, go to my Coffee page here: Coffee (You know how to edit this) Dot Com/Horns
The bells tolled as the crowds walked slowly. Clouds hovered above them all, painting the sky grey in the depths of the Underworld, above the city of Dis. The HQ of the Snake of Adam. And today, the fallen were being taken on their last road. Their final destination. A road was kept clear, and through it, the ones who survived and could do this task were carrying their fallen. Each body was placed on a bed of dry wood, a veil drawn over their bodies as they were being carried toward the Last Pit.
The Snake did not grant anyone, regardless of rank and social standing, a fancy funeral. This ritual is theirs. They were carrying the deceased to a giant hole that was dug in the ground for this very reason. A spiraling road led down, and one by one, the bodies were placed before the waiting ones. The crowd gathered around the edges of the Last Pit, and at the very bottom, standing on a rock above the bodies, but below the crowd above, stood Ignium.
His colonels were at the top, dressed in their official attire and looking down with regret. And standing before all the bodies, Ignium knew the pile. He went down to it and slowly removed the veil from Darium's face. The demon placed his hand next to the man's head and wept as he spoke. "Darium…You old fool…You could have had so many more years left. But you chose, didn't you? You chose eternal glory through warfare."
He covered his face again and whipped his tears, looking up, his voice carried by magic. "Today, we say our final goodbye to those valiant souls! To the warriors who fought for tomorrow. To those of you who shed tears today for your lost brothers…Your lost fathers, mothers, and even sisters…I can only tell you that I am sorry for not bringing them home safe and sound. But when I created the Snake, this was the ultimate truth I knew we would all face. Many of us will fall over the years, but the end of our life is not the end of our memory! For as long as they are remembered, spoken through tales of their bravery, their kindness, and their will, they will be eternal!"
"My brothers! My sons and daughters…We say goodbye now so that in another life, we may say welcome. Now, offer the fallen their last gifts." From above, many items fell into the Last Pit. From things of value to trinkets anyone has but which carried great importance to the ones that were lost. The Snake does this to send those deceased off with a final gift from their loved ones. To know that despite being gone, they will never be forgotten.
Ignium went to Darium's side and took out a medal from his pocket. "You earned it." Placing it on the chest of the fallen devil, he eventually went to the center of the pit. "Let the flames release your souls from this world!" He ignited his entire body, the fire spreading to the surrounding bodies and burning them. "My soldiers! My friends and trusted allies! I, Ignium Ophirius, salute you!"
The fire burned for hours, and throughout the entire process, Ignium didn't move from there. He remained still, saluting the ones around him as their bodies burned to ashes. He didn't move. He didn't flinch even a bit despite the horrid smell of burning flesh. Ignium stood there until the last ember died off, making sure he sent everyone off to their final destination.
The Snake also released the cure for the virus in India. Disguised as medics conducting research, several of the Snake's agents offered this cure to people, allowing them to eliminate the virus completely. While the virus was successfully eradicated, it didn't fully appease the wrath of the Hindu Pantheon.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT, SIRZECHS!" Indra shouted from the top of his lungs, despite his grave injuries, still visible on his body, causing him pain by simply being on his feet! He was speaking with the devil through a pool of water, a magic he was privy to. "Devils attacked us! They had combined magic and tech, creating mechanical abominations, the likes of which were never seen before! Worst yet, all the Sacred Gears my faction had confiscated were lost, and we are unable to recover them at all! How do you plan to compensate us for this humiliation, Sirzechs?"
"Simple, Indra. We won't." Sirzechs replied with a steadfast tone.
"Just because we were defeated doesn't mean you get to tell me no, Sirzechs. Do you want to fight me?" Indra said, blatantly threatening the man.
"Oh, I have no doubt you will rather wage war than talk, Indra. But, like it or not, the others in your faction do not share the sentiment. I already discussed it with Brahma." Sirzechs revealed.
"What?!" Indra gasped, having been unaware of that detail. "You already spoke with Brahma?! When?! Why wasn't I informed of this?!"
"Lord Brahma, in his wisdom, realized that the New Satan Faction had no hand in this. I told him who was it that attacked them instead: Their name is the Snake of Adam, a military faction of devils led by the Demon, Igniun Ophirius. We do not know for sure how long they have been operational, but I can tell you this from what I know: They possess magical technology that is far more advanced than anything we currently possess. I think you had a taste, have you not?"
"Yes…" Indra replied bitterly. "Their tech was able to stand up to us well. However, only their higher-ranked officers faced deities in battle. What does your faction know of their leaders, apart from this demon?"
"Only what we learned from what Brahma shared, which he learned from the deities that fought them. From what he told us, we have deduced they are part of the Six Great Officer families. Six distinct families served the original Lucifer directly and were, by all means, above the 72 Pillars in terms of power. We will make sure to share what we know of those bloodlines, but until then, tell me, Indra, since you faced their leader directly…How powerful was he?"
Indra's breathing hitched, the deity hesitating to answer. However, eventually, he did. "He is…A monster. Fuck Satan Class, Super Class, or whatever! That man is in a league of his own."
"Even you fear him…" Sirzechs noted that Indra's reaction was worrying him severely. "Tell me…Do you think I stand a chance against him?"
"No," Indra replied quickly, which Sirzechs didn't like at all. Indra was not even arrogant as he spoke of the demon's power now, meaning everything that was coming from him was not laced with hollow cockiness. "Sirzechs…Whatever you do for the sake of your faction, do not fight that monster head-on by yourself. I barely survived when he stopped holding back…He didn't want to kill me…That is the only reason I am still here. You do not hold a candle to him."
"I see…I will take your words to heart, Indra. But now, tell me: Does the Hindu faction require any additional aid? Brahma already requested aid from us, but I am asking you as well in case you might have some additional additions."
"Lord Brahma is wise. I will trust his call. Still!" He punched the edge of the water pool. "All those Sacred Gears…"
Sirzechs remained silent, not wanting to mention that the Hindus had no right to the Gears in the first place. The deity was humiliated and angered enough, and another argument might have caused him to act rashly. As such, the devil remained silent, letting Indra process the loss in his way. "I have lots of work ahead of me. Goodbye, Indra."
Sirzechs cut the connection, leaving Indra by himself to wallow in his misery.
"Ignium…" He muttered the demon's name. "The next time we meet…I swear on the blood of all who have died because of you, I will kill you!"
"Sir…" Grayfia called out to her husband as soon as the connection was over. "Michael is here."
"Let him in," Sirzechs said, and sure enough, the current leader of Heaven came into the room. "Michael."
"A surge of Sacred Gears have re-entered the System. Gears that have not returned for centuries, even! I figured something had happened to the Hindu, and I checked already. I know what happened, Sirzechs."
"Then I need not explain. Tell me, what do you make of this? What Ignium did is nothing short of an unprecedented event. No one dared attack the Hindu head-on like he did, yet he not only defeated them but took away their influence over the Sacred Gear system." Sirzechs said.
"That he did. However, it is more than just what was seen that is worthy of worry." Michael replied. "I checked the system logs shortly after the Gears began returning. Sir, Ignium is registered into God's System as a Minor Admin."
"He is?!" Sirzechs was shocked to hear such a thing. "Who registered him?"
"God," Michael replied. "I cannot remove him as one, either. Still, using whatever influence he has in God's System, he removed Indra's ability to take Gears."
"Did they make demands to restore this ability?" Sirzechs asked, to which Michael actually smiled.
"Maa Durga came over, yes, making such a demand. However, I pointed out that they were supposed to return this ability after the purpose God gave it to them, namely to deal with Viitra, was over. However, they threatened war if they were not allowed to keep it. At the time, we were stuck in the midst of the Great War, so God let them keep it so as not to open a fourth front." Michael said. "We denied them completely. They returned to their own with nothing to show for it."
"Good. As tragic as this attack was, not to mention the loss of life from the virus, the only good thing that came from it was the loss of the Hindu problem. Namely, the issue of their wanton collection of Sacred Gears." Sirzechs pointed out. "Still, I do not assume they are going to take this and leave it as is."
"We will keep a careful watch on them for any reckless actions. The Hindus are anything if not prone to arrogance-fueled actions. Countless years of enjoying the privileges of power led them to grow arrogant."
"Sir, but…They are far from the strongest deities. You and I both know there is one deity out there stronger than the entire Trimurti and Indra put together." Michael reminded his friend.
"The Egyptian God of Chaos, Seth," Sirzechs spoke the name. "Lord of the Desert, Killer of Apophis, and Guardian of Ra."
"Should we perhaps try allying with the Egyptians? The world is changing, my friend. We need to gather ourselves under one united banner. The threat of the Chaos Brigade alone should serve as a good reason to negotiate with them. I am confident Ra would understand our worries." Michael said, bringing the proposal forth.
"And what could they do?" Sirzechs faced Michael. "It is true that Seth stands as one of the true strongest beings there are…The list is updated every 70 years, yet many never make themselves known. It is unreliable. Another prime example is whoever created the technology the Snake is using. They are clearly above Ajuka and Azazel themselves in some areas if they are capable of such creations. But the Egyptians…They barely act anymore."
"If the entire world is at stake, I doubt they will remain complacent within their hidden oasis." Michael pointed out again, strongly this time. "I have faith that should the need for their aid arise, they won't hesitate to come forth."
"I can only hope that is the case, Michael. But I won't hold my breath and wait for them to make a move in our favor." Sirzechs pointed out. "What we will do next, in light of this event, is critical. We already agreed to send aid to the Hindus to help them rebuild, both in the supernatural shadows and the human light."
"Were the humans not receiving aid before?" Sirzechs shook his head.
"The Hindus were refusing any aid we were offering. I also suspect that the Snake of Adam was somehow keeping humanitarian aid from reaching India as well. Riots will spark due to this manipulated inaction."
"Those are hard times, Sir…Tell me, however, what next? What are we to do next?" Michael asked, and Sirzechs finally gave him one answer.
"I spoke with Rias recently. Issei's Gear has yet to recover, yet he has not remained stagnant. Still, she suggested that we provide some support for them, as they plan to come here over the summer for training." Sirzechs stated. "For this reason, I even got a special permit for Kuroka Toujou, which should allow her to stay here, provided she follows a form of house arrest at the Gremory estate."
"I see. We indeed need to help the younger generation develop as well. Also, speaking of the Boosted Gear, I have noticed certain readings within the Sacred Gear system coming from it. While the Gear remains inactive for the most part, there does seem to be some activity within it." Michael stated. "I cannot tell at present if this activity is good or not."
"So, his status is still in the air…Does anyone else know that the Boosted Gear is out of commission?" Sirzechs asked.
"It is a well-kept secret, Sir; do not worry," Michael said, reassuring him. "But on another note…Ignium was in Heaven, Zechs."
"Long before, you told us."
"No. Recently."
"What?" Sirzechs leaned over his desk, wanting to hear the story from Michael.
"Gabriel was the one to meet him when he reached the gates. He had taken the old route through Purgatory."
"Michael, why were we not notified of this sooner? This is clearly an act of direct aggression, and per the treaty, we are meant to-"
"Let me stop you there, Sirzechs, and clarify this detail: Ignium was not there for war. He was there at a request from a brother. Both his…And mine." Michael said. "Trion Marchodias, one of the demons, was dying, Sirzechs. From what Gabriel told me, it was holy poison, which was used during the Great War before it was outlawed. Ignium brought Marchodias to Heaven to fulfill his last wish. To see Heaven one final time."
"Promises made in vain," Sirzechs said.
"Promises kept, Sirzechs. Ignium stepped into Heaven, through the gates."
"WHAT?!" Sirzechs leapt from his seat. "Michael, how could you allow such a thing?"
"I was not present, Sirzechs. Gabriel was. She made the call." Michael clarified. "And nothing happened to her. You'd think letting the consecrated enemy of Heaven pass through its gates would result in her falling, but no angel fell as a result of that decision. And Ignium told Gabriel as much…" The seraph seemed more than a little conflicted, and as Sirzechs tried to speak again, Michael continued. "Sirzechs…Forgive me, but…I do not know if I can battle Ignium if it comes to it."
"What do you mean, Michael?"
"Sir, understand this: The Demon race is not a race that came from nothing. They were once angels, like me, created by the Heavenly Father himself. Despite their sins against God, we…" Michael's eyes began to grow moist, and he inhaled deeply to keep his composure. "They are my brothers and sisters, Sirzechs. Every single one of them are my siblings. Gabriel even invited Ignium back to Heaven after Marchodias faded, but he denied it. From what Gabriel told me, Ignium said he chose his path. She cried for hours after he left…That is how much we miss our fallen siblings."
"Michael…I never realized." Sirzechs replied. "So, you do not want to fight Ignium because you'd feel like you are fighting your brother."
"I wouldn't just be feeling like that, Sirzechs. I would be fighting one of my brothers. I already killed enough during the Great War as is…Lucifer's Fall…We lost friends and loved ones we cherished deeply close to our hearts."
"There are some demons still around, Michael…Would you…Would you like me to arrange a gathering?" Sirzechs offered. "If you miss them so dearly, I could arrange for a gathering between you and them. You deserve to have such closure."
"No." Michael shook his head. "I do not want to force them to reconcile with us. If they wish to reunite, I'd rather know it was their choice."
"Michael…Was He as torn about them?" Sirzechs asked.
"There was not a day Father wasn't sad when he saw us fight. The Great War broke his heart the most." Michael replied. "How I wish he could have lived to see the peace we finally achieved."
"The Snake attacked the Hindu Pantheon?!" Issei replied in absolute shock. One day after his talk with Michael, Sirzechs was inside the Dragon's Fortress, speaking with Issei directly. "Ignium Ophirius…Is he really that powerful?"
"To think Indra was defeated…" Kuroka said, clear concern etched over her face.
Everyone was there. Issei's group, Rias' peerage, and Sirzechs didn't come alone either. Grayfia was with him, along with Azazel himself. "Can't say the bastard didn't have it coming." Azazel suddenly said. "As you might be aware, the Hindus had essentially tricked the old man into giving them the ability to claim Gears like that. They might have called it confiscation, but the truth was that they were thieves and nothing else."
"Azazel…" Sirzechs called out to the Fallen Angel, giving him a clear warning regarding the subject.
"I am not taking back what I said," Azazel said, not intimidated by Sirzechs. "But this does raise concerns. The Snake of Adam is clearly more capable than we originally thought. To be able to challenge a Pantheon with four of the ten strongest beings is no easy feat."
"What about casualties among the divine?" Rias asked.
"No one was killed. However, they were severely harmed." Sirzechs answered her. "Somehow, the Colonels of the Snake possessed enough power to challenge deities, but that is no easy gap to close. We suspect they underwent some kind of procedure, given that they were seen changing forms to some degree."
"They transformed?" Kiba asked. "Sir, forgive me for speaking out of terms, but didn't their leader also change forms during the battle where we first saw him?"
"Sharp mind, kid!" Azazel said. "Indeed, demons seem to keep most of their power away behind a transformation. When Ignium turned, he essentially took his real, grotesque form. Every demon has one, and when they take it, it is like taking off the lid of a bottle of champagne. It pops and spooks."
"Issei, tell me, what do you think this is?" Sirzechs asked him, but Issei was not exactly an expert on this. However, something came to his mind.
"They took demonic DNA," Issei said, which caught Azazel's attention.
"That is not very probable. Trust me, experiments we ran on them during the Great War attest to that. Demonic DNA is similar to that of angels but different at the same time." Azazel said. "But that was then, and today, we have made great strides in technology and so on. But DNA is still not there…I am willing to wager they used cells."
"Cells?" Issei echoed.
"The Grigori is conducting similar research," Azazel confessed. "We are trying to take cells from stronger angels to give to weaker ones, but so far, the results have been somewhat conflicting."
"This is the first I hear of this, Azazel." Sirzechs pointed out.
"Well, it is super secret. Not exactly something I wished to share until it was finished, and when it was finished, I would have shared it. Honest." Azazel replied. "Still, we find ourselves unable to get a positive result that satisfies. In order to get any results, we have to take cells and implant them into another, yes, but the amount needed is quite high. The bodies of the recipients suffered from the effects of rejection, forcing us to take the cells out."
"And in smaller amounts?" Issei questioned.
"Rejection becomes less likely the smaller the amount of cells implanted is, but it also results in the recipient not getting that much power," Azazel explained further. "We even tried it with direct family members, but no luck. We are missing something."
"And the Snake has what you are missing." Akeno pointed out. "What do you intend to do now, Sir?"
"We will send aid to the Hindus," Sirzechs replied. "And…Prepare. Ajuka has been working hard to develop our arsenal, but the recent event caused his pride to take a hit. To think the Snake is so advanced…Ajuka admitted to me that he might be ten years away from catching up."
"What about the bits we recovered when they attacked Kuoh?" Issei asked.
"He has been researching it, yes, but to no use. The complexity and intricate mix of magic and technology result in something unique. New. He has been unable to understand their technology fully."
"If they are to attack, then…" Issei said slowly.
"We need not allow them the chance!" Ravel suddenly spoke up. "Surely, after such a major battle, they are in need of recovery! Do you have any idea where their HQ is?"
"The City of Dis," Sirzechs said. "Azazel shared the information with me some time back, and we sent scouts. However, they never returned."
"That confirms that Dis is where they are hiding," Azazel added.
"Still, you won't attack them, are you?" Issei asked, confusing everyone in the room except for Sirzechs, Grayfia, and Azazel. "If you were, you would not be here but preparing for war. Of course, you could have been coming here to ask us to join, but truth be told, no one here could stand a chance against them. Considering they defeated the Hindus, then…"
"You are right," Sirzechs admitted. "We do not plan on attacking."
"Brother!" Rias raised her voice. "As Ravel said, this is a prime chance to attack them!"
"What we saw was their offensive capabilities only!" Sirzechs pointed out. "We know nothing of their defenses. I cannot risk it."
"I understand how this must sound, Rias." Grayfia suddenly said. "To all of you. It makes it seem like we are cowering. Avoiding a direct fight. However, Lord Michael already said he won't battle Ignium Ophirius if it came to it."
"What?!" Raynare gasped. "Is he out of his damn mind?! That Seraph…Have years of office work dulled his spirit as a warrior? Michael was the leader of God's divine army! Out of everyone there is, he is the most suited to face him! Being a Seraph, his sheer presence would cause the demon pain!"
"He knows that well, Raynare." Sirzechs pointed out. "But there is more…Michael doesn't wish to kill any more brothers and sisters."
"What?" Raynare replied, now fully confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Honestly, you wouldn't get it, Raynare." Azazel pointed out to her. "You are of a younger generation of fallen angels, so let me educate you: The older generations of beings created by our old Father often viewed themselves as siblings. It was made clear we were not made as such, but the bonds are still there. It was not easy on anyone when Lucifer rebelled, nor was it easy when the members of the Grigori fell."
"We decided to honor Michael's decision, but only if we are not the ones being attacked. He won't aid in an attack against the Snake but will aid us if the Snake attacks us." Sirzechs clarified.
"Bullshit!" Raynare shouted.
"Easy there, girl," Leon said, finally speaking up. After losing his Evil Piece, he returned to a more humane look, albeit he was a bit pale. "They are the ones calling the shots, not you. Nor us. Still, the fact remains they didn't come here to recruit us, so that's a plus!"
"Heh." Azazel laughed a bit. "I like this guy. But yeah, that is true. We are here for something different entirely, and informing you of what went down in India is just the tip of the iceberg."
"You have a proposal for us?" Issei asked.
"We do. It has become clear with the rise of the Snake of Adam and the now looming threat of the Khaos Brigade that we need to reinforce our ranks. That includes you, Rias. As my sister, I expect you and wish for you to be able to defend yourself against such foes."
"You too, Red Dragon. Despite your Gear going out of commission, that is no excuse to be slacking off." Azazel added. "We are even in the process of getting your pussy cat here special permission to come to the Underworld with you."
"The Underworld?" Issei echoed. "Wait, you lost me."
"Allow me to get it from the top. You all will be getting special training." Azazel continued. "Sir and I, and even Michael, have taken the liberty of finding you all some pretty good teachers to help you further develop your skills. That being said, you are unlikely to see one another each other during this time."
"During what time, exactly?" Mit asked. "And am I included in that offer?"
Azazel shrugged. "If they want to include you, then that is on them. You can join Raynare in her training, which I am happy to announce will be handled by me. No worries, I won't seduce any of you. I know better than to anger our friend here."
"Direct training from Lord Azazel himself?" Raynare seemed quite excited about it. "When do we start?"
"Considering most of you need to finish your studies here, in the human world, at Kuoh Academy? Summer Break." Grayfia told them. "Kuoh Academy operates on a Western schedule. As such, you will have at least two months. Maybe more if we pull some strings to have you admitted to special exams to allow you to be promoted faster."
"No more than a month, however." Sirzechs pointed out. "What do you say, Issei? Rias?"
"Apart from being the leader of my peerage, I am also part of Issei's peerage, brother. I will follow my king." Rias said, and as such, the decision was solely placed on Issei.
"What can I do, however?"
"Don't act oblivious," Azazel told him. "You are slowly turning into a dragon, correct?"
"Correct," Issei replied. "Each time I reach my body's current limit, I perform a special ritual to convert myself into one slowly."
"Then you need to be trained as one," Azazel added. "For that reason, we have managed to get Tannin to train you."
"Nya! The former Dragon King?!" Kuroka gasped.
"The one and only!" Azazel confirmed. "He is excited to meet you, Issei, as this generation's Red Dragon Emperor, but when he heard you are slowly converting yourself into a dragon, he was even more adamant about being the one to train you. He believes he can bring you closer to the dragon ideal."
"A very generous offer," Issei said. "One we will take. At the end of the day, we all benefit from being trained, but I need to know everyone here will be protected as well. How do I know our enemies won't attack us when we are apart?"
"Good question!" Azazel said. "One I prepared an answer for. The locations of each of your training grounds are known only to me, Sirzechs, Grayfia, Michael, and your trainers. Everyone is trusted, so there shouldn't be any issues."
"In that case…What do you propose we do in the meantime?" Issei asked.
"Improve as you can," Azazel replied. "This training expedition is still a few weeks away. Plenty of time for you to increase your power quite a bit on your own."
"That is true. I wanted to focus more on living normally for a while, so my progress stopped. Guess this is a good chance to start growing in power again." Issei said, getting up. "Alright! We will be ready!"
"That's the spirit!"
Within the Boosted Gear, Solomon was still standing before the previous users. And now, he was not standing alone. Behind him, many of the past wielders had yielded to his words and joined him. He kept true to his words. He was fighting them in this verbal war and dealing great blows at every syllable.
"You are out of your mind, Solomon!" Another user shouted, raging at Solomon. "Undo the curse of the Juggernaut Drive? Never! Issei Hyoudou deserves to die for using it! The simple fact he is alive SPITS in our face!"
"He is right! Why does he get to survive, and we get to die by this curse?!"
"This is not fair! He should share in our fate!"
Yet, the talk switched to a more maddening tone. Now, they were blaming Issei for surviving the curse of the juggernaut, as if he had a direct hand in their deaths! Solomon felt his patience run thin with every shout, but when he smacked the floor with his cane, bringing momentary silence, he spoke with great volume.
"You blame a soul that was not even born during your times! You are acting like spoiled pigs who got their myre taken from them!" Solomon shouted.
"You dare insult us?!" Another user rose from their seat and walked to Solomon. Large and imposing, a bald man with skin black as coal. "I am Duma! From the land of Africa! I cannot tell you when I was crowned Red Emperor, for I do not know the precise time in the calendar of the Romans. But from my memory, I recall riding for the Romans in a campaign against one who seeded fear into Rome."
"Fear into Rome? A great feat. Could the one you are speaking about be the great Hannibal Barca? And the one you fought for be the one who bested him, Scipio Africanus?" Solomon spoke the names, which seemed to light a flame in Duma's eyes.
"Yes! The name Scipio echoes in my memories. He is the one I fought with!" He confirmed.
"Then you were Emperor back when Rome was still young," Solomon said. "Tell me, who was the White One of your time?"
"I do not know. I never met them." This reply, however, stunned Solomon. For the first time in all the debates he waged on them, he was left almost speechless.
"How can that be? Why'd you use the Juggernaut, then?! If you have never encountered the White Dragon Emperor, why?"
"I was tricked!" Duma spoke. "My memory, however…I cannot remember many things, oh wise one."
"Your memory has holes in it?" Solomon asked and scanned the crowd. "The dragon's rage."
"What?" Duma asked.
"My boy, something happened to you. Something that drew your rage out and caused you to lose control." Solomon explained. "That is the same thing that happened to Issei."
"I do not remember what caused it…But if what you say is true…" Duma turned to the others. "The Juggernaut Drive took my life simply because I lost my temper?"
"Lies! Do not listen to him!" Mikail, the one who spoke the harshest against Solomon before, shouted. "You activated it willingly!"
"Willingly? Willingly?!" Duma shouted. "I lost my temper, and you hyenas saw it as your chance to make me go into it! I stand by Solomon! The Juggernaut is a curse, and those forcing the user to use it are insane!"
"Traitor! You and all other traitors will know our wrath!" Mikail continued.
"Stay in your seat, shade!" Solomon shouted, keeping him at bay. "Hmm. Not so confident anymore? Before, you lashed out more sharply, Mikail. Yet, with time, I have convinced more and more to see truth over lies of hate. So what say you, now?"
"This is not over, Solomon! Currently, you haven't gotten even half of us!" The man pointed out.
"But a quarter of your numbers?" Solomon added, seeing the man rage. "Our battle is not yet done, yet I will keep fighting. Now come! Who wants to challenge me next? I welcome all of you."
During the late evening, inside his dungeon, Issei had prepared the ritual to extend his limit once again. "Alright…Time to do this."
Having gotten more blood from their dragons, Issei had prepared the ritual in the training grounds of the dungeon.
"Are you ready, partner?"
"Ddraig? It's good to hear from you, partner. How are you feeling today?" Issei asked, having not spoken with Ddraig in a good while.
"I am feeling somewhat more energized today, but that is not to say I can speak for long. Going to extend your limits again?" Ddraig asked.
"Yeah. If we are going to go training with someone like Tannin, then I need to be ready."
"Tannin?! Now, there is a fine teacher. I kinda resent him, however, for becoming a devil and renouncing his title of Dragon King. But he remains a powerful dragon." Ddraig replied. "Now, go ahead, partner. Don't let me slow you down."
"Here we go then."
And so, the ritual began.
Racial Alterations Recognized! The user is now 20% dragon! Warning! Due to the user's racial change, a draconic trait has been added to their being!
The Perk [Dragonic Scales] has been added.
[Dragonic Scales: You possess the scales of a dragon! They provide natural armor against all kinds of damage, but due to your physiology, this perk offers a 20% resistance bonus to all of your Resistance-type skills!
Your [Enhanced Condition 1] has evolved into [Enhanced Condition 2]!
[Enhanced Condition 2: You are very close to being like the average supernatural being. You regenerate 10 HP and 5 Stamina every 30 seconds. Additionally, you take 10% less physical damage!
Your new Stat Limit is at 500.
And the effects were immediate! All around his body, dragon scales began to sprout, covering him. They were appearing in patches. He felt them on his arms and back, not to mention on his legs. He even had a few growing on his face, and when he looked at himself, Issei was amazed by the great change.
"Not again!" Yet those were his only words. It took him a bit to learn how to hide those as well…
"The Hindus were struck hard…" Vali said as he stood in a cave with the rest of his group. That is, with a few additions that joined him this time around on their journey.
"That they were indeed, but it was a fate well deserved." The one who spoke was a bespectacled young man with blond hair with a strand of hair across his face. He wore a fancy suit, currently, with two swords laid next to him as he stood in front of the fire. This was Arthur Pendragon, a descendant of the great king who bears the same name. "Their arrogance led them here."
Next to him was a cute girl with a slim body, shoulder-length blonde hair, and blue eyes. His sister, Le Fay Pendragon. She wore her usual attire, consisting of a sorceress-like dress with a huge blue hat with a black bow and yellow stars and a matching cape with pink flowers and a white interior.
"Come on, Arthur, surely they didn't deserve to be beaten that hard, right? They did their best!" She said, but someone had a strong argument against it.
"No, your brother speaks the truth," Bhima said. "I am ashamed to admit, given I hail from them, but the Hindus have fallen over the years, drunk on their power. It pains me to see them humiliated and defeated, but as Arthur here said, their fate was well-deserved."
"Ignium…" Vali spoke the name softly, then smiled. "Looks like there are more monsters out there than I originally thought."
"That guy is bad news," Bikou said, voicing his concerns. "Like, he fought the descendants of two Satans without any issue and still had enough steam left to fight an out-of-control Juggernaut Drive! Not to mention fighting Indra of all people…Scary."
"This demon is indeed concerning," Arthur said. "What do you say, Vali?"
"If we encounter him and he stands in our way, I will fight him," Vali said without hesitation. "Simple as that."
"Woah there! Vali, buddy, I don't mean to rain all over your parade there, but I don't think even you are up for the challenge against him!" Bikou's words drew everyone's attention, especially Vali's.
"Are you calling me weak, Bikou?" Vali asked.
"I am not calling you weak," Bikou replied calmly. "But I am calling you weaker than that demon."
"Bold words, Bikou," Bhima said.
"Look, Vali, I know you like fighting strong opponents. I see you smiling when you do. But this guy? When I sensed his Ki, it was like an inferno. A starving inferno, at that." Bikou added. "And now he took out Indra. I just don't want you to die challenging him."
"I agree with Bikou!" Le Fay said. "Vali, you might be able to one day, but don't you think this demon is out of our league for now?"
"Hmm. And with me, that makes three share the same opinion." Arthur added. "Bhima?"
"Four."
"So, you all think I would die if I were to fight him now, correct?" Vali asked, displeased by their words but not seeming to ignore them.
"They have a solid point, Vali." And now, Albion joined the talk. "I cannot use Divide on that demon, either. Call it an instinct, but something tells me those flames are more than meets the eye."
Vali sighed. "Fine then, I won't fight him if it comes down to it. But I will attempt to defend myself if need be."
"A fair outcome," Arthur replied. "Now, how far are we from our target?"
"Another day's worth of climbing, at the least," Bhima replied. "The Temple is nestled in a valley surrounded by the mountain."
"And are you sure it is an abandoned reliquary site?" Le Fay asked, revealing what they were chasing. Reliquaries. A term used by the church for containers meant to hold certain relics. However, to dedicate an entire building to one meant whatever it was they were seeking was not a normal relic.
"Despite the region, that temple holds several Christian murals. In those lands, especially in such a place, Christianity couldn't have spread." Bhima added. "I saw it once, and my memory doesn't deceive."
"Let's hope it was worth the climb," Vali said, narrowing his gaze at the sky.
"You…" Errgo stood on the ground, his giant body having been turned half into scrap. "M-monster."
"You are an abomination," Danbooru said. "Be grateful I haven't the time to end you." And then left, leaving Errgo alone in the field to attempt repairs. Errgo was simply scouting the area when he found Dan, but now, he regretted letting his curiosity get the better of him.