REVIEWS:
UnseenUrge: The golems will come into play someday, trust me.
ZenithSerac: Ok, gonna dissect this. No, Great R and Ophis do not know of the System, nor do they know the Devs. As such, Ophis ain't the O in VOID. Additionally, Issei is not gonna steal the power of the Divine Dividing this time, I said this before. Lastly, Errgo's cannon has a role, just wait.
Iceflame55: Nah.
Walker300: All in all, Szeka is not there to actually train Issei, but only to pass down some of his abilities to help him manage even without the BG.
Xerzo LotCN: You will be going to my PM to discuss your review.
.torralba: Dunno if you are the same person who joined the server and went on a Ignium-love rant or not XD.
Guest: If you PM me, I will tell you Szeka's story. It is not meant to be explored in this Fic, so why not?
As always, if you guys wanna support me, head over to me Ko-Fi. Here are the links for the discord and whatnot.
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
While Issei was training with his two teachers, and everyone was essentially off to their training areas, the Gremory Estate was left almost empty. Well, sans for a few souls here and there. "What boredom…" Leon whined as he lay stretched on a couch. In the backyard, Kuroka was giving lessons to her sister. It turns out Kuroka was her teacher, and Shirone, AKA Koneko, was going to stay there. Rias Gremory went to the Bael house to be trained in better uses of her ability, and Leon?
Well, he had no one. But that was alright. The Gremory family agreed to house him until Issei was back, given that he and Kuroka were both criminals under house arrest. The only way they were allowed into this realm without being arrested, really. But at least. Leon had some company.
"Mister Leon!" Millicas Gremory ran up to him. "Here!"
"Lemme see," Leon said, taking the drawing the kid made. It was a little game they came up with. Millicas would draw an animal, and if he did a good enough job, Leon would use his Sacred Gear to turn into that animal. One might argue this was a gross abuse of his Sacred Gear for such a silly reason.
But the kid's grandparents liked it, and so did the kid's mother whenever she was around. He was in the lion's den, so sue him for having the common sense to earn positive points with those people!
"Is this a giraffe?" Leon asked.
"What? It is a jaguar! I read about them in a book!" Millicas argued, and Leon replied with a smirk.
"Keep drawing, kid," Leon told him, returning the drawing to him.
"I don't know if I have the time. It is almost time for my lessons." Millicas said, saddened. This is another thing Leon came to know about the kid. He had a busy schedule. Real text-book rich kid from a noble family-type deal. He was home-schooled, but his schedule was taking almost an entire day. Luckily, he did have a free day. One per week, he gets a day where he gets to be a kid. Wait a second…
"Nice try. I know today is your free day," Leon said with a smirk, almost falling for the kid's trick. Millicas pouted, seeing that his trick had been discovered. "Not yet a sly devil, are ya? Too young to know how to fool a man properly. Still, you did put in the effort, so…Rawr."
Millicas smiled as Leon's gear activated, and before the boy's eyes, an actual jaguar appeared, roaring with strength. "Woah! Amazing!"
Leon turned back, laughing. "Don't think I will break the rules all the time, ok? Now go. Choose the next animal you want me to turn into, and try to put a bit more effort into your drawing skills, got it?"
"Yes, Sir!" Millicas ran off.
"And drop the 'Sir' stuff! I ain't old man!" Leon half-shouted but let Millicas run off to his room, likely to keep drawing. "And to think that kid is that guy's child." He sighed. "Dunno if he takes after his mother or father."
"I actually think he takes more after Sirzechs," Zeoticus said, surprising Leon as the older devil crept up behind him. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to spook you."
"You have been there long?" Leon asked.
"Not long, I just got here." Zeoticus took a seat on one of the chairs. "I must say, Millicas does seem to like you quite a bit."
"What can I say? I know how to make myself liked." Leon replied in his usual cheeky way.
"Really now? Well, how about you tell me how you learned to be liked." Zeoticus asked, which seemed to catch Leon off-guard. "Mister Leonardo Valero." Suddenly, at Zeoticus' words, ink surrounded Leon's body, and a giant bear stood before Zeoticus, staring him down. Zeoticus, however, just put his hands up. "I mean no harm." Leon turned back slowly.
"How did you find out my real name?" Leon asked.
"Do you really believe I would house a criminal without running an in-depth check? I admit, I didn't find anything about you after you left your previous master, but before then? I heard some interesting things. A con man, a thief - a bastard who ran amok the streets of Madrid since he was five, correct?"
"I survived," Leon replied.
"I am not here to accuse you or judge you, Leon. I can tell you are not some ruthless killer or sociopath." Leon snorted at his words.
"You are partially wrong on the former. I killed before."
"Within reason." Zeoticus pointed out. "You never killed for the sheer pleasure of it, have you?"
"Fuck you…" Leon said softly.
"Hey now, my grandson might be around!"
"You really wanna know so badly, ey? How did I come to be, and who exactly I am?" Leon asked.
"If you are willing to share," Zeoticus said, and Leon leaned back on the sofa, recounting his past.
"I was never anyone's, you know? Even my mother, smite her eyes, was no mother. All she gave me was a last name, and that is that. Since I've known myself, I had to survive relying only on myself. I never relied on anyone, and that attitude got me far. When I was young, I'd steal, get beaten black and blue, and repeat. Then, my gear activated, and everything changed. My first kill was some rich asshole."
"You emptied his accounts and used his money to help your old neighborhood," Zeoticus said.
"You sure know a lot…" Leon said, annoyed. "But yeah. As you said, I never killed without reason. My gear gives me everything my victims had. Memories, their face, their voice - I become them in every way. And my Balance Breaker? I can become anyone, or almost anything, without needing to kill, but I do not get memories. Useful as well."
"Why did you hide your last name?" Zeoticus questioned. "You said your mother never gave you more than your last name, so what's the issue?"
"The issue is her whore ass suing me for everything I had, that's what!" Leon replied angrily. "After I managed to earn a living - a crooked living, but a living no less - she stormed into my life making demands. She wanted the money I stole, and she was one cunning bitch. Made me take a swing at her, and I broke her nose, and she wanted to settle in court for ownership of all my assets."
"I can hardly imagine a mother who'd do this kind of thing to her children," Zeoticus said, disturbed by Leon's tale.
"Well, every child deserves a parent. But not every so-called parent deserves a child." Leon said, putting his point into perspective. "Long story short, however, she wasn't done there. She included a clause that would give her everything should something happen to me. Hired a fucking assassin to kill me. Unfortunately for her, one big ass rhino later, the assassin was down for the count, and I used my gear to learn everything. Solution? I faked my death and posed as the assassin in court, confessing to everything. She got nothing but a 20 to life sentence, and while I was taken in under the guise of the assassin, I did escape. Started calling myself Leon for short and tried to build my comfortable life again…"
"But?" Zeoticus said, feeling it coming.
"I had an accident…" Leon admitted. "I was driving on a rainy day one night, and someone appeared before me. I turned the wheel and crashed into a street light. I was bleeding from my head, but I remember my former master coming forth with his offer."
"So that is how you were recruited. It sounds like your previous master orchestrated the event." Zeoticus said, leaning back.
"I swear if I ever see that cunt-face, cock-sucking son of a-"
"Umm. Grandpa?" Millicas appeared, making Leon cut his swearing off in time to save himself.
"What is it, Millicas?"
"Umm. There is someone here who wants to talk with you." Millicas said, and Leon had a bad feeling about things.
"Strange, I didn't hear the door."
"I did use it." Suddenly, the man in question revealed himself, and Leon jumped. The man was Darum Satanachia.
"I know that uniform. They are the Snake of Adam!" Leon said, raising the alarm as he morphed into a tiger, lunging at Darum. However, Darum used the Time of Saturn and positioned himself just right. When time resumed, he struck Leon in the stomach hard, causing the man to lose his animal form. "Why…You…" Leon collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"You-"
"Stand down, Zeoticus," Darum warned.
"Zeo!" Suddenly, soldiers of the Snake showed up, with another Colonel, this one being none other than Marakus Aim, holding Kuroka while two other soldiers were holding Shirone. However, one soldier was holding Venelana, Zeoticus' wife.
"Let them go!" Zeoticus shouted.
"We won't harm them so long as you cooperate with us," Darum said. "You have mine and our General's word."
"Your General?" Zeoticus asked, scared out of his wits. "You mean that…He is coming here?"
"Our General is on his way," Darum stated, but suddenly, he felt the temperature in the room drop sharply. In the next moment, the soldier and Marakus dodged as the ice was launched at them. Darum held Millicas, however, keeping the boy hostage. "My, that was a bold attack, Grayfia Lucifuge."
Grayfia showed herself with a magical circle before her as she stared down the intruders into the mansion. "How did you get in?" She asked, a dangerous edge over her voice.
"We have our ways," Darum replied.
"We took out the guards in the back and slipped in through the servant entrance." Marakus clarified. "No need to be so secretive, Darum."
Darum clinched his tongue, but then he held Millicas more closely. "Stand down, Grayfia. We may have given our word no one will be harmed, but I cannot hold that promise if you fight us."
"Grayfia…" Zeoticus looked at her, and Grayfia did as told. Before long, Millicas was given to his grandfather, who was taken next to his wife while Marakus moved to keep Grayfia restrained.
"I'd have rather not met you again under such circumstances," Marakus told Grayfia.
"Marakus Aim…I remember you from the days of conflict." Grayfia said. "You always followed Ignium with loyalty."
"Loyalty is not the only thing at play here, Grayfia. General Ophirius has plans, and you are crucial for one such plan." Marakus stated. "You are precious."
"And the Gremory?" Grayfia asked.
"Zeoticus fulfilled his duty. There are not one, but two who can carry on the Gremory bloodline if need be." Marakus replied coldly, which worried Zeoticus and his wife.
"Why you-"
"Hey now…" Suddenly, the room grew heavy as the front door was effectively thrown open. Everyone stared as he walked inside the building, walking like he owed it. Walking toward them, and with the soldiers that could salute him, Ignium went all the way up to them, looking down at them with his golden eyes. The heat radiating from him was enough to make them start sweating.
"This is…" Shirone stared at Ignium, getting a good look at him. But she was freaking out. The demon's power and presence were driving her up the wall. "No…No!"
"Shirone, calm down!" Kuroka told her sister. "Control yourself!"
"No, he is…I can feel it! This is a demon's Ki! It's so…So foul!" Shirone said, and Ignium took notice of that. Signaling the soldiers holding her, they struck her behind the neck, knocking her out.
"Shirone!"
"She is fine," Ignium said. "She is just knocked out. Considering how she was acting, I think this is for the best."
"Why are you here?" Kuroka shouted, demanding answers from Ignium. "And why not…Did you wait until Issei was not here to attack?!"
"Calm yourself, pussy cat. Trust me when I say I am not here to harm anyone in this house. Oh no, I just have a message for Sirzechs, that's all. And, well…To talk with our lovely lady here." Ignium turned to Grayfia, leaning to her. "It's been a long time, Grayfia. When was the last time I saw you this up close? Ah, right! I remember." Ignium chuckled. "Back then, you used to call me Uncle Iggy."
"Those are dead times!" Grayfia spat. "You and I are not family, let alone allies!"
"Arguably, all devils are related to us demons. I am everyone's uncle, really." Ignium shrugged. "Well, maybe not everyone's. The reincarnees are a big exception. But that does bring me to my concern. Graydia Lucifuge…I am here to ask you to fulfill your duty."
"What duty are you talking about?" Grayfia asked the demon.
"Why, to continue the Lucifuge name, of course! If not you, considering your status as the maid of the Gremory, then surely you would have no issue bearing a child to restore the Lucifuge house in your place, right?" Ignium's words sent words of shock through everyone awake and unaware of his plan.
"Leave mom alone, you meanie!" Millicas suddenly shouted, and Ignium, for the first time in a long time, seemed to pause. He turned to Millicas, and before anyone in the house could protest or argue, he was right in front of the kid, looking at him closely. Millicas tried to hide behind his grandmother, but Ignium did not have it.
"Boy…Come forth. Look at me. And let me look at you." Ignium said, but Millicas was not coming forth easily. "Come on. I promise not to harm your family here if you do."
"You…really promise?"
"No, Millicas, do not trust him!" Zeoticus warned his grandson, but Millicas still stepped forward, and Ignium's eyes went wide like plates.
"By Father's beard…" Ignium said slowly, then began breaking out in laughter. The soldiers were confused, but slowly, Marakus seemed to grow tense. He saw this before. And it was not a good omen. "Oh, my days…You three, take the kid and his grandmother upstairs. Don't lose sight of them."
"Y-yes, Sir!" The soldier did as told, leading them away.
"Do not worry, young one. I promised not to harm your family, and I hold my word." Ignium told Millicas, and once he was away, he turned to Grayfia and burned her clothing away. Only enough to protect her modesty was left, but Ignium looked closely, very closely, at her stomach area. His eyes turned to serpentine slits as he stared, and Grayfia kept her teeth girth tightly. "Who was it…"
"Umm. Sir?" Darum asked, feeling uneasy about their leader's sudden change in demeanor.
"Who was responsible for gathering intel around this area?! Tell me!" Ignium grabbed Marakus, shaking him as his body seemed to grow black scales and emitting unbearable amounts of heat. Heck! The walls were starting to emit smoke!
"I will look into it! Sir! Please, calm yourself! What has angered you so?" Marakus asked, and Ignium let him go, calming himself and reducing the heat in the room.
"That kid is not Zeoticus' and Venelana's, you idiots!" Ignium shouted, and Grayfia and Kuroka, as well as Zeoticus, seemed quite surprised to hear Ignium was unaware of Millicas' bloodline. "You don't I don't see it, Grayfia? I dismissed it at first, but the smell is also impossible to mistake! Mothers emit a certain smell…" A forked tongue came out of his mouth. "I am especially sensitive to such chemical receptors. Both from your breasts, which produced maternal milk, and your entire body. Then, even if they faded for the most part, my eyes do not deceive me. Stretch marks from pregnancy! Fuck me jogging in a bloody marathon…" He began laughing again. "You had a kid! That kid is the spitting image of his grandfather as well!"
"Why, thank you," Zeoticus said, flattered by Ignium's words.
"Not you, man whore." Ignium shot him down. "I am speaking about your father, Grayfia. That kid…Millicas, was it? He resembles your father well. Except for the hair, that is."
"I am Millicas's mother; I won't deny it. He is mine and Sirzechs'." Grayfia told the demon.
"The heir to the Gremory name is also a Lucifuge." Ignium pieced things together. "This is oh so perfect, but also so complicated. But also perfect!"
"I am lost…" Zeoticus said, feeling confused by the demon's demeanor. "What are your dealings with my daughter-in-law?"
"Right! Forgive me, I lost track of the main subject. You see, one of the objectives of the Snake is the restoration of all 72 Houses, and this plan includes the Six Great Officers. But your grandfather, Grayfia, disbanded the Lucifuge House when the Civil War was lost…I don't blame him. What he failed to account for, however, was how a house can be re-instated."
"You want to restore the Lucifuge House?!" Grayfia gasped, and then Ignium grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks between his fingers.
"Indeed. As you know, the Six Great Officers wield powers unmatched by the 72. Satanachia - Celestial Arsenal. Fleurety - Copy Devil. Agaliarept - Primordial Terror. Naberius - Analysis. Sargatanas - Memory Control. And lastly, Lucifuge - Null Light. It is a great shame to let those powers fade to oblivion. Which reminds me, you never used Null Light much since your treachery, have you?" Ignium asked, then let go of her. "Regardless, as I said, I have a message for Sirzechs and a request for you."
"And what makes you think I will honor any request you make of me? In fact, why not seek out my brother? Surely, your plan requires only a willing Lucifuge." Grayfia replied.
"You think I'd be here if your brother were an option?!" Ignium replied sharply. "Your brother, Euclid, is loyal to someone I currently consider an enemy of the Snake of Adam! And I've no doubt he'd use every chance presented to him to seek vengeance for our treachery to the Old Satan Faction. No, you, Grayfia, are the only real option."
"You want her to bear a child to inherit the Lucifuge name," Zeoticus said, figuring things out. "Grayfia gave away her rights to inherit the title when she married my son. Euclid is not an option, and even then, the Lucifuge house is no more."
"But a descendant who bears the Lucifuge name can bring it back. It is the old law, which your son has yet to touch." Ignium told Zeoticus. "Something I am very grateful for."
"I repeat my words: Why would I honor any request you make of me?" Grayfia asked the demon again.
"You have a point." Ignium shrugged. "I meant it when I said I won't harm anyone here. As such, I won't do something as low as kidnap someone and hold them hostage until you pop another bundle of joy. Why? Because I don't need to."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Grayfia asked.
"Try as you might, Grayfia, you cannot fool good old Uncle Iggy." Ignium grinned before her. "I can see it in your soul. You miss the old days. The days of glory of the Lucifuge House! But, at the same time, you don't wish to betray them. Your in-laws. Your husband. Your child. Yes, as a mother, Grayfia, I say this…You are more powerful than me. Mothers just seem to draw power from a place those like me with no offspring can never understand. A limitless well of power…I do not wish to challenge that power. Not today. But you desire the return of the Lucifuge House, not for yourself, but for another reason. Come on, dear. Be honest."
Grayfia seemed to try to find her words, and Zeoticus noticed this. He was worried Ignium might not be lying as much as they thought he was. If he was lying in any way so far, that is. "Gray-"
"I do." Grayfia suddenly replied, surprising Zeoticus. "I want to restore the Lucifuge House."
"Grayfia…" Zeoticus was shocked to hear such words from her.
"Being honest with yourself is good. Why do you have such a desire, though?" Ignium asked further.
"I…I miss my brother. I always believed that if I had restored the Lucifuge House, he might reconsider and come back home. I know he is wanted as a War Criminal, but I can talk with Sirzechs! Get him a deal! House arrest! I just…He never met his nephew." A tear flowed down her face, yet before it landed, Ignium caught it with his finger.
"A brother who makes his sister cry…How pitiful." The demon held the tear on his finger; then, suddenly, he threw it. But to everyone's surprise, it froze mid-air, turning into a snowflake that fell on Grayfia's nose. "Grayfia, know I cannot bring your brother home. Not now. I wish I could. Believe me when I say that, out of everyone in this room, only you want to see Euclid back more than me. Unhand her." He ordered the soldier.
"But, Sir-"
"Do not disobey me, soldier."
"Yes, Sir." The soldier let go of Grayfia, but the woman didn't fight back. Instead, she collapsed to her knees, but Ignium moved to support her. He took his uniform jacket off, using it to cover Grayfia and help her up on her feet.
"There is something I wish to give you, Grayfia," Ignium said, then snapped his fingers, one of his men bringing forth a secured box with something inside of it. Once it was opened, it revealed itself to be a cryogenic box with three vials inside of it. The liquid inside was cherry pink, and Ignium closed the box, took it, and gave it to Grayfia. "This is an experimental drug being developed by the Snake of Adam. This latest batch has proven an 80% success rate, with a 0.01% risk of complications."
"What are these?" Grayfia asked.
"We call them Fertility Shots," Ignium replied. "You inject one into your body, and after five minutes, your fertility levels are increased greatly. You can also give one to your husband. If you do, the odds of a child are, as I said, 80%."
"Hold on! You have a substance able to improve fertility rates among our kin?" Zeoticus asked, utterly surprised by the revelation.
"Currently, the production of the drug is not cost-effective," Ignium replied. "Those three vials I am giving you cost as much as this very estate! And the ingredients? Top secret for now."
"You want me to bear a child that will inherit the Lucifuge name and re-establish the Lucifuge House," Grayfia said again, recalling his words. "And you even gave me the means to do so…But we would not be serving you. What have you to gain by doing this?"
"It is not what I have to gain, Grayfia. It is what devil society has to gain." Ignium replied. "I hope you get to work…Oh! And before I forget…Tell Sirzechs I will be waiting for him during Halloween Night in the ruins of the Golden Castle of Limbo! He is to come alone. No other Satans. No army. Just he and I."
"What are you planning with him?" Grayfia asked, but that was when Ignium put a finger to his mouth.
"That is a secret between me and him. Snake of Adam!" He suddenly shouted. "Retreat." And with those words said, the Snake began to retreat. Even the troops upstairs went with their leaders, and Millicas and Venelana swiftly came downstairs.
"Zeoticus! What happened? What did he want?" Venelana asked, scared out of her wits.
"Mom, are you alright? Did he harm you?" Milicas asked Grayfia, but then he noticed the jacket around her. "Mom, what happened to your clothes?"
"I…Nothing, Millicas. Everything was fine. He didn't harm me or your grandfather." Grayfia said to her son, then faced Kuroke, who was tending to Shirone. She then saw Leon passed out in the living room. "We need to attend to the ones who were knocked out."
"I will contact Sirzechs at once!" Zeoticus said, alarms blaring in his mind. "And throw away those things! It could be poison-"
"Do not dare, Zeoticus!" The voice that cut through the room was of another demon. Zeoticus knew that well. It came from nowhere, yet everywhere at once, and he knew it well. "My brother might be lost, but I do not believe he'd jeopardize his goal."
"Runeas Gremory…" Zeoticus said slowly. "Of course. I will still contact Sirzechs, however. He needs to know."
"That is enough for today, Issei," Tannin said as Issei finished another day under him. "You are growing faster. Stronger, too. The other day, when one of my projectiles struck you, you not only survived but healed in record time."
"Just a bit of healing magic," Issei replied casually, heading back to the cave where Szeka was waiting. "And progress, really."
"They were right. Whatever ability you have is causing you to progress at an accelerated rate. It has only been two weeks so far, yet the progress is there." Tannin said, stating how long the training had lasted so far. But truth be told, Issei himself was not pleased with the progress. He trained with Tannin every 2 days and gained 300K EXP after each day. However, even with his EXP bonuses, he only got one level during this entire time. The EXP curb was too big. Additionally, he was not using all bonuses. He was not in his dungeon, nor had the event active, which would have increased his EXP greatly.
That being said, he did make progress with some other objectives on his quest, namely, with his archery. He managed to develop some skills for it.
[Piercing Arrow] (Level 1 000/400): An arrow meant to pierce through enemy defenses more easily! Ignores 10% of the enemy's DUR. 30 Stamina each use.
[Arrow Volley] (Level 1 000/400): Launch a volley of 5 arrows at once toward your enemies! Works best with a large crowd! The main arrow deals full damage, but the additional arrows deal only 70% of the damage the main arrow inflicts. 100 Stamina per use.
[High-Impact Arrow] (Level 1 000/400): An arrow that packs one hell of a punch! This arrow deals only 50% of a normal arrow's damage output but applies a strong knockback able to see opponents flying! 100 Stamina per use.
[Quick Draw] (Level 1 000/400): Upon activation, this skill drains 5 Stamina per minute, but in exchange, it grants you the ability to draw your bow and fire quicker depending on your AGI stat but reduces your movement speed by 90% during this time.
[Charged Shot] (Level 1 000/400): By channeling extra Mana into this arrow, you can release an empowered arrow that deals additional damage! 100 Stamina to activate. Every 50 Mana used increases the damage by 1.
A good, basic set of skills to start with when it comes to archery. That being said, he has been training them hard. Szeka said that before he ought to send Issei into the dungeon he revealed to him, he was best to clear the objective focused on his archery first. Then, he told him he was going actually to teach him those skills.
Yup. Truth be told, all Szeka had been doing was continuing Tannin's training. He said that until he finished his archery, he couldn't focus on what he was going to teach him, so first things had to be taken care of. But progress has been smooth. Very smooth.
{Proficiency Skill] [Archery - Competend] ( Level 9 200/102400): One of the first long-ranged weapons used by humanity, making use of their accuracy and skill to hunt any prey.
[Piercing Arrow] (Level MAX): An arrow meant to pierce through enemy defenses more easily! Ignores 20% of the enemy's DUR. 30 Stamina each use.
[Arrow Volley] (Level MAX): Launch a volley of 7 arrows at once toward your enemies! Works best with a large crowd! The main arrow deals full damage, but the additional arrows deal only 75% of the damage the main arrow inflicts. 80 Stamina per use.
[High-Impact Arrow] (Level MAX): An arrow that packs one hell of a punch! This arrow deals only 60% of a normal arrow's damage output but applies a strong knockback able to see opponents flying! 80 Stamina per use.
[Quick Draw] (Level MAX): Upon activation, this skill drains 5 Stamina per minute, but in exchange, it grants you the ability to draw your bow and fire quicker depending on your AGI stat but reduces your movement speed by 50% during this time.
[Charged Shot] (Level MAX): By channeling extra Mana into this arrow, you can release an empowered arrow that deals additional damage! 80 Stamina to activate. Every 30 Mana used increases the damage by 2.
He completed it yesterday. As Szeka told him, it is easy to master any kind of skill he wants when he is at such a high level. He has the stamina to spend training the skills, not to mention none of those had any form of cooldowns, which was good, but he also stated those skills were pretty basic. Perfect tools for the grind. But he also told Issei something else.
Ultimate Skills, like [Solomon] or [Parallel Mind], essentially combine multiple skills into one and are the real prize. Skills like the ones meant to help him master a weapon were good, but he told Issei there were ways to get better skills. In what ways? He didn't say. Likely another challenge for him to figure things out by himself.
Still, Szeka ordered him not to collect the reward until he got back to the wolf, and it was their day to train. Why? Szeka didn't say. However, considering the display of power he showed when they met…He wasn't willing to disobey the guy. He was willing to bet he could do a lot more than break some mountains, and he was not about to mess around and find out.
For now, he went to sleep. The next day, it was Szeka's turn.
"Two weeks ain't really that fast, but meh." Szeka shrugged, partially insulting Issei's pace in the process. However, they were not alone. Tannin was there as well, and he looked quite nervous.
"Szeka, I understand Issei's role of being here, but why am I here? Also, what are we doing here in specific?" Tannin asked.
"You know this place, Tannin?" Issei asked his other teacher.
"This is where they rest," Tannin said, looking toward the cave entrance with a somber look. "Before the Dragon Kings, our kind was ruled by the Dragon Lords. Arguably, they were just as strong as us, but things were different back then."
"Keep going," Szeka said, getting their attention. "The kid could use the history lesson."
"Right. The Dragon Lords didn't rule by power alone but also by wisdom. I'd know…One of them is a dragon to whom I owed my life." Tannini said. "In total, there were six Dragon Lords and one High Dragon Lord, who was the leader among them. When I was just a hatchling, I was chased by two older dragons, angered by the fact I accidentally stepped into their territory. I would have died that day, but one of the Dragon Lords took pity on me. Her name was Alena, Dragon Lord of the Sky. She was like a mother to me…"
"What happened to them?" Issei asked, curiosity high in his soul.
"The Blood of Samael," Tannin said darkly. "At the very start of the Great War, the Three Factions used this poison tailored against us dragons to raze us. They all feared we'd side with the enemy and decided to eliminate us before that happened. However, God put an end to it. He may have disliked our ilk, but even he was against mass genocide. Many still perished, however…Including the seven Dragon Lords, who sacrificed themselves to cast a spell that saved hundreds of dragons. Their remains are laid to rest in this cave."
"Hold on, but if I am to go in, wouldn't that be an insult to them? For me to disturb their place of rest?" Issei asked, and Tannin was quick to reply.
"It is! This is why I wanted to know why Issei is being sent there. For us dragons, that is a sacred place!" Tannin raised his voice at Szeka, and the man replied easily.
"Know I won't reply to how I know it, but trust me, something else is desecrating the very bones of your heroes as we speak," Szeka replied, which had Tannin react strongly.
"WHAT?! And you tell me this now?! How long has this been going on? Since we began?" Tannin asked, receiving only a nod.
"Likely. However, they are taking their time. My guess? A necromancer." Szeka said, which really had Issei feel uneasy.
"Wait, like the kind of magicians who specialize in magic that brings back the death? Will I have to fight zombies and stuff in there?" Issei asked, nervous.
"Possibly," Szeka replied.
"This is an outrage! What are they trying to do, resurrect them?" Tannin asked mockingly. "Impossible. The souls of dragons do not have an afterlife. Instead, our souls become…No…No! That blasphemer!"
"What is it, Tannin?" Issei asked with urgency.
"Looks like he figured it out. The aim of the man inside that cave right now is not to resurrect your Dragon Lords. He wants the Dragon Gems." Szeka replied.
"Dragon Gems?" Issei asked.
"When we dragons die, if we held considerable power, our souls can become something called a Dragon Gem," Tannin replied. "Containers of our might after death. However, wielding them is a great offense to us. Still, some magicians do not care about our views on such objects and desire them regardless of the consequences."
"And would the gems produced by the Dragon Lords…" Issei trailed off.
"If he gets all seven of them, odds are he will have enough power to challenge us, Dragon Kings," Tannin said, worried. "Szeka! You desire to send Issei in there to stop this man, correct?"
"That is one of the objectives, correct?" Szeka replied, confirming Tannin's words. "Granted, whatever happens in there is all on him. The two of us will need to stay out of it."
"I see."
"Hold on! But I haven't grown in power that much! If I am to face such a dangerous enemy in there, shouldn't I be more prepared?" Issei asked, but that was when Szeka sneered.
"Kid, this is your test," Szeka told him. "I told you I'd be teaching you two new moves before going in, and I am not one to lie. Still, after you get them, I want you inside there. This would be all, Tannin. Thanks for telling the kid about the place and giving your blessing for us to go in."
"My blessing? Wait…Oh, you sly man." Tannin said, having realized what Szeka just did. "I will overlook this trickery for the sake of maintaining the integrity of the grave. Be swift on your legs, Issei!"
With those words said, Tannin flew away, leaving Issei alone with Szeka once again. Once he was well away, however, Szeka changed his tone. "The skills I aim to teach you are specific. Now, listen here. There is no way to teach you those skills directly, so instead, I want you to use your Touki and ability to read Ki to copy what I am doing."
"Right!" Issei did as he was told and began to focus, summoning forth his Touki. He began to read Szeka's own flow of Ki, and slowly, something seemed to change. His body began to grow colder, and before Issei had time to question it…
Skill acquired! [Blue] has been added to your Skill list!
Issei's Touki gained several blue accents, but that was when he saw his stats. "What?!" He lost focus, which annoyed Szeka. "What gives?! While that was active, my stats were lowered! I thought you were going to teach me something to make me stronger!"
"Check its description, you idiot," Szeka told Issei, making him flinch.
{Sub-Skill} [Blue: This skill increases with your [Touki] level. While [Blue] is active, your stats are reduced by 25%, but in exchange, your Stamina recovery rate is doubled. This skill cannot be used together with [?].
"Hold on! It doubles my stamina recovery rate?" Issei stated, then looked at Szeka. "Can you explain?"
"Easy. You see, the stronger you grow, the more your body has to take. However, what [Blue], as you call it, does is lessen that strain on your body from your higher stats. By reducing them, your body is able to recover quicker. Effectively, you make yourself weaker, yes. But you recover faster as well." Szeka explained.
"There is something weird about the description," Issei noted.
"Best continue to observe. There is one more." Szeka mentioned it to Issei, and they resumed what they had been doing for the second skill. Sure enough, it came easily.
Skill acquired! [Red] has been added to your Skill list!
"What the-" Issei noticed that this time his Touki had red accents to it. "This one does nothing!"
"Wrong." Szeka told him sternly. "That one is the one I wanted to really teach you."
"How come?"
"For God's sake, kid, just check the bloody description!"
{Sub-Skill} [Red: This skill increases with your [Touki] level. While [Red] is active, each time you gain stat points from other sources aside from leveling up or using stat points, those stat increases are stored into this skill instead of being added to your stat total. This skill cannot be used together with [Blue].
"Hold on…Does this mean that when I hit the limit, I can just use this to go beyond it?" Issei asked, to which he got a nod.
"And not only. If you are smart, this can serve to bring forth a nasty surprise for your opponent. That being said, I do not yet know how those two might evolve with you." Szeka stated. "For one, your Boosted Gear is…I will be honest: It is a cheat. Had the System had normal development, it would have likely tried to balance things out better, meaning that its defective state allowed you to keep it mostly unchanged."
"And without it, this is more or less a balanced state," Issei said softly, looking at his hands.
"But at the same time, you were weakened when you lost it. From what I can understand, the Boosted Gear was artificially increasing your skills and abilities. With it gone, you are essentially using the raw power you have amassed so far. Which, frankly, is not a bad amount. However, you could have done better." Szeka added, but then he seemed to look melancholic. Sad, almost. "The skills are tied to your Touki. Keep it up all the way through the dungeon, and you will finish my objective before the day's end if everything goes well."
"Are you alright?" Issei asked the man.
"When I died, kiddo…It wasn't due to some disease or natural causes. In my world, people with powers were the norm. Me? I was the big bad wolf who was only stupidly strong and could recover from any injury. Not as shiny as everyone else. But when the System came in, or rather, when I finally took notice of it, it changed everything. I was admired and seen as the strongest with no equal in the world. But at the same time, I was feared. When I died, it was to an army of super-powered individuals. It took an army of them to put me down for good."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Issei told him, although he had doubts his words mattered much to him.
"In your world, there should exist a version of me."
"Wait, what?" Issei reacted to those words. "What do you mean by that?"
"Something I took notice of when traveling the vast array of realities and universes: Alternate versions of ourselves." Szeka clarified. "For example, I remember a version of your woman, Kuroka, from a previous world, the same as others. I even met an alternate version of you. This world is bound to have an alternate version of me. Maybe not the same name or experiences, but there is bound to be something that makes it obvious we are the same."
"Why are you telling me this, Szeka?" Issei asked, now confused by his words. "Do you want me to find this alternative version of you?"
"No!" Szeka replied strongly. "On the off chance they are dead, then good. If they lived a good life with their wife and daughter, even better!"
"Hold on, daughter?" Issei said, catching on to that detail. "Szeka, you are-"
"Enough foolery!" Szeka said quickly, knowing he was saying too much about himself. "Go. Go and conquer that dungeon; do not dare to come out without winning! That is your final task from me."
"Hold on! I have one final question!" Issei said quickly. "That thing you did when you demonstrated your power…What was that?"
"Something you are not ready for," Szeka said sternly. "That technique implies a high STR requirement. However, it also requires a high DUR requirement as well, and while your gear might cover one, it won't count the boosted value of the DUR stat. Should you attempt to replicate it, you will likely erase half your HP in the process as well. Be warned, Issei. I taught you what you can handle only! Do not push yourself to the point you risk breaking."
"Understood," Issei replied, bowing his head to him, then bowing completely. "Thank you for all of your help so far, Szeka."
"After you are done with that dungeon, I'll be gone. There is no more need for me." Szeka said. "Go! You are on a time limit, and one level out of ten is not good enough."
"Right!" And with those words said, Issei went head-on into the dungeon, leaving Szeka behind.
"He is young…" Szeka said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Too young. Yet, the dangers of this world are such heavy burdens, just when I think about it…I wish I could stay, kid. You could use a brutish mutt like me for what is on the horizon. Hope you like the upgrades coming your way…Valerius! I am done here."
Once he spoke those words, Szeka's body began to crack, breaking into white shards that faded into the light. "Heh.." The man let out a final laugh. "I will miss the air."
"Alright!" Issei shouted, entering the cave and looking around. Despite this place being a high-level dungeon, he didn't see too many enemies, only bones on the ground of some kind of creature.
"Kobolds." Ddraig suddenly said, speaking up for the first time in days. "They are the product of dragons and humans mixing."
"Mixing?" Issei caught on to the detail, inspecting the skulls. They had some reptilian traits but were clearly humanoid as well. "I expected more from the hybrids of humans and dragons."
"And you'd be right to expect that. Kobolds are more or less the product of an unprepared human. The human body is unable to gestate a true dragon unless it is put through a special rite to prepare it beforehand. Otherwise, the result is a kobold." Ddraig explained further.
"You mean I could-"
"Yes. Should you not prepare properly beforehand, you will sire kobolds. The negative side of being a dragon now, partner." Ddraig continued. "Kobolds are also seen as lesser beings by dragons. They also see themselves as such. Kobolds have an instinctive desire to serve dragons, and as such, they had been reduced to just that: Slaves."
"How come I never saw any kobold, then? Or rather, how come you never mentioned being served by them before?" Issei questioned, hearing Ddraig scoff.
"I never would dare associate myself with them. Kobolds were kept around mainly by Low to High-Class dragons. Higher-class dragons, or those of higher station, loathe the kobolds, not allowing them even the honor of being in their presence. Even then, they are an extinct race. The last kobold died during the Middle Ages."
"Wait, what do you mean by that? If they were a slave race and the product of humans and dragons, then shouldn't it be easy to make more?" Issei asked further.
"No. Albion and I made sure of that." Ddraig said darkly. "I am not proud of this, but I partook in a meeting with the Dragon Lords and essentially passed a law that forbade the creation of more kobolds. When kobolds breed, they do produce more kobolds, yes, but each generation that is born is weaker than the previous until they die the moment they leave the womb."
"I see…So, let me guess. Since that day, creating kobolds has been seen as a sign of shame among dragons."
"Precisely. Though, to see the bones of so many here…They must be the ones that served the Dragon Lords back in the day." Ddraig said, and Issei was about to move forward. But his skill blared, warning him of incoming danger.
He was quick to turn around, managing to catch a dagger that was coming right at his face. He activated his [Touki], covering himself in it, and punched the enemy that tried to stab him. His fist met something hard, however, and when he got the chance to look, his blood ran cold.
[Kobold Skeleton.]
Those were the remains of the kobolds, and all around him, they were coming back to life. Bones were connecting, rising from the floor. They were picking up anything that could be used as a weapon. Rocks, most commonly, but there were a few actual weapons as well, likely from individuals who had dared to try and rob the place before.
"Woah there!" Issei leaped back as one of them tried to slash him with a broken sword, then he followed up with a magical circle forming in his hands. But then something hit him. This is a chance to get more experience and train skills. Which reminded him…
He forgot to claim his quest reward! Fuck! He will get it with the first chance he gets. Currently, he was swarmed. There were kobolds everywhere, and he counted at least 30 of them! His skill was useless as well. They were undead, likely brought back by the necromancer Szeka said was here.
But that aside, he had to focus on finishing his quest objectives. This meant he had to rely on his Touki for this battle. Instead of using his magic for an easy clear, he brought out his katana and channeled his Touki through it.
Conditions met! Skill [Touki-Imbuiment]has been added to your skill list.
{Sub-Skill} [Touki-Imbuiment: This skill increases in level as your Touki increases. You are able to imbue your Touki into objects you hold, offering them similar bonuses to the ones you hold! Any weapon imbued, currently, has a 1 in 3 chance not to lose durability when used, and the Touki damage applied to enemies on contacts is applied to your weapon as bonus damage.
"Bring it on!" Issei shouted as he began cutting wildly into the kobold skeletons.