"Ready for your first Raid?"
"Let's do it!"
With that said, the two stepped forward and vanished into the swirling mass of energy.
The moment that Issei and Cid stepped out of the swirling mass of energy, the two found themselves at the very edge of a forest, where the dense trees thinned out into a single, narrow pathway leading toward what looked like an open grassland. Strong winds swept through the area, rustling the leaves and carrying the scent of earth, smoke, and burning wood. The sky overhead of them was a dull, stormy gray with thick clouds blotting out the sun.
In the distance, a massive fire storm raged. Flames lashed out from its core, twisting and spiraling upward as it tore through the land. The wind howled around it, carrying glowing embers and blackened debris in every direction. From where he was standing, Issei could see that the area around the storm had been scorched black, the trees uprooted and torn from the seemingly burning earth, their broken trunks vanishing into the vortex before being scattered as nothing but ashes.
"So..." Issei began as he glanced over at Cid, who nodded as if he could already tell what he was about to ask.
"Most of the time, you have to look for the bosses." Cid said, his gaze fixed on the raging firestorm in the distance. "But there are also times when their locations are quite obvious. That firestorm sure looks like a boss' lair to me."
"Does that mean we will have to fight the boss there?"
"Good thing you're fireproof, right?" Cid said as he walked ahead—then suddenly stopped to turn back around and ask Issei. "Wait… you are fireproof, right?"
Before Issei could answer the question, a shriek caught their attention. Sensing multiple presences rapidly approaching their locations, Issei turned to the side, just as Cid spun around while drawing his sword, his blade flashing as it met the incoming strike from a set of curved, bird-like talons. A sharp clang resonated through the air as claws met steel, sending sparks flying as Cid planted his left foot back and stood his ground before swiftly parrying the strike, knocking the winged creature to the side.
At the same time, Issei flipped to the side as a second winged monster flew at him, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Its own talons slashed through the air, narrowly missing his chest as the Sekiryuutei landed on his feet. With his back to Cid, who kept his gaze locked on the first creature, Issei finally got a good look at the two monsters as they circled them. The only difference between the two was the aura coming from their wings, with the first emitting a greenish, swirling glow, while the second radiated an orange, flame-like shimmer that pulsed with heat.
Despite their monstrous features, their torsos bore strikingly human-like shapes, feminine in form but utterly inhuman in essence. Their arms were elongated into long, spear and sword-like weapons. At the same time, their feet ended in large, bird-like talons, flexing dangerously as they hovered above the ground, while Their faces were concealed behind sleek, mask-like exteriors, yet through the narrow gaps, Issei could see the eerie glow of their eyes. Massive feathered wings extended from their backs, shifting and shimmering with their respective elements, their steady beats keeping them effortlessly aloft as they circled around Issei and Cid like two predators toying with their trapped prey.
[!] Fire Elemental – LV50
[!] Wind Elemental – LV50
"The fire one is yours, kid."
"Got it!"
Instantly, Issei dashed forward, sidestepping as a fireball streaked past him. The Fire Elemental flapped its wings, sending another wave of searing heat at Issei, but a swift Phoenix Shift was enough for him to phase past it, arriving right in front of the monsters crashing his feet into its torso. A deafening shockwave erupted from the impact, sending cracks rippling through its form as the Fire Elemental. Using another Phoenix Shift, Issei swiftly flashed behind the monster and twisted his body to deliver a devastating left hook straight to its masked face. The force sent the Fire Elemental hurtling into the air, its body breaking apart into glowing embers before an empty husk collapsing onto the ground.
The Wind Elemental lunged, its elongated weapon slicing through the air in a blur. But before its attack could even come close, the hero had vanished. A sharp crack split the air, like a bolt of lightning striking its mark. In that instant, Cid reappeared behind the creature, his sword already sheathed. For a moment, nothing happened before suddenly a bolt of purple lightning flashed across the space where Cid had been and where he was currently standing, striking the torso of the Wind Elemental. Its body tensed, frozen in midair, before it split apart along the cut, its fragmented form lingering for a split second before collapsing.
"Whoa…" Issei murmured in amazement. That was faster than anyone he had ever seen move—maybe except for Igris, though in that case, it was more because he simply couldn't keep up with his movements well enough to compare the two.
"Here. Take a look. There's more of them over there." Cid said as he took out a pair of binoculars from one of his utility pouches and peered into the distance for a moment before handing it over to Issei to use. Scanning over the area, Issei quickly spotted the cluster of winged figures hovering near the outskirts of the firestorm. "Seem like they are territorial creatures. These two must have attacked us because we came out near their locations."
"Feels like they're guarding something too. I guess the boss's lair is inside that storm." Issei noted as he handed Cid back his binoculars. The hero took them, tucking them away before shifting his gaze behind them.
"Guess now I get to see the fun part." Cid mused with a mirthful smile. Issei blinked before following his gaze to the empty husks of the two Elementals, realizing what the Hero was hinting at when he saw the notifications for shadow extraction availability hovering over them. "Do your magic."
"Arise."
With the command, darkness spread across the two fallen Elementals like ink seeping into parchment. Tendrils of shadow coiled and writhed over their empty husks, which suddenly twitched before jerking upright. Their once-lifeless bodies were now completely shrouded in darkness, their former elemental aura replaced by a deep, unnatural blackness layered with an ominous blue glow as the two Shadow Elementals took off into the air, circling around one another as if celebrating before flying down and taking a knee before Issei, their heads bowing low in silent submission.
Cid let out a low whistle, arms crossed as he observed the transformation. "I have to say… That was a hell of a trick, kid. Never seen anything like it before."
"Yeah. I got the ability from a Rune Stone in the first Gate I cleared." Issei nodded.
"I know a guy who got a Rune Stone with necromancy powers back when I still operated in England, and that alone was an A-class. If what I've heard about this ability of yours is true, then the one you got it from must have been at least S-class. Hard to imagine something like that can be found inside a low-class Gate." Cid remarked, eyeing the kneeling Shadow Elementals while Issei was left to swallow nervously. That part about his lie was the trickiest. "Well, not like strange stuff doesn't pop up every now and then anyway."
Saying that, Cid took out a silver pocket watch and looked at it, allowing Issei to let out a sigh of relief he had no idea he was holding. He just wished people would stop asking where he actually got the Shadow Extraction ability from because sooner or later, he might end up letting it slip. What if someone had a magical lie-detecting ability on top of that?
"We better get going before Gunhee gets worried and sends the ladies in." Cid noted before slipping the watch back into his pouch. It was clear the device allowed him to check time outside the Gate.
"So, we are charging straight in?" Issei asked. Not that he was against the idea.
"Good thing that we also have an army to clear the way for us, haven't we?"
Grinning, Issei nodded his head in response before he followed right behind Cid as the hero ran ahead. The first group of Elementals noticed the two the moment the trees were behind them, screeching loudly as they swooped toward them. Cid brandished his sword and dashed toward the oncoming enemies. A Fire Elemental slashed at him with its flaming spear-arm, but he swiftly sidestepped the strike and countered with a clean horizontal slash, splitting the creature apart before it dissipated.
A Wind Elemental hurled a greenish orb of compressed air at Issei, but he immediately ducked under it, feeling the rush of wind as it passed over his head. As the orb struck the trees behind him and ripped through the area with explosive force, Issei quickly pushed off the ground and closed the distance with the elemental monster, which slashed its blade-arms at him. Without missing a beat, he swung his left up, parrying the attack and shattering both weapons using Ascalon as he willed the weapon to appear on his Sacred Gear.
Instantly deciding that he didn't like the current way he had to use the Holy weapon, Issei made the weapon materialize fully from Boosted Gear and caught its handle in midair. In a single motion, he fully materialized the weapon, caught its handle in midair, and drove the blade into the Wind Elemental's chest. The monster let out a screech before its essence faded, leaving behind nothing but an empty husk.
Another elemental swooped in from above, but Issei simply pulled his sword free and stood up to call out without even bothering to turn around.
"Lycaon!"
With a feral snarl, Lycaon lunged out of his shadow, snapping its jaws around the airborne foe and crushing it midair. More screeches filled the air as additional elementals closed in, but before they could even get close to his wolf, Issei pointed his sword at them and shouted another command "Ranged troop, fire!"
From the shifting darkness at his feet, shadow elves emerged, their glowing eyes already locking onto their targets as they formed a formation behind their master. Within a breath, a volley of ice arrows was shot into the air, whistling as they streaked toward the incoming elementals. The frozen projectiles struck true, piercing through their enemies and exploding on impact, encasing several in jagged ice before they fell to the ground and shattered into fading energy and broken husks.
As Lycaon tore through another group of Elementals, Issei refused to just stand there and watch, pushing forward with Ascalon in his right hand. Closing the distance with a Fire Elemental that barely managed to dodge the barrage, he slashed at the monster, engulfing the blade in dragon flame as he channeled his energy into the weapon, activating its Draconic Convergence Passive, which allowed Ascalon to be automatically imbued with the element of his current Dragon Pact.
The Fire Elemental shrieked as the dragon flame overwhelmed its form, consuming it entirely before its essence faded. Another elemental, a Wind variant, shot forward in its place, twisting like a vortex as it conjured a slicing gale to tear through him, only for Issei to swing Ascalon in a downward arc, meeting the attack head-on with a wave of dragon flame erupting outward. The flames clashed against the green vortex, swallowing it entirely and reducing the Elemental to ashes.
Looking up, Issei saw a group of Fire Elementals gathered ahead, their bodies flaring violently as they raised their spear-arms. Bright orange light illuminated the battlefield as they channeled their energy together, forming a massive torrent of fire that surged toward him while engulfing everything in its path.
Issei narrowed his eyes but didn't back down. Instead, he held Ascalon at his side and called out.
"Glacia!"
From his shadow, his strongest summon shot up, her graceful form leaving a trail of icy particles in her path as she hovered over Issei. He watched as Glacia raised a hand, summoning an enormous wall of ice that surged up in front of them, shielding him from the wave of flames. Steam exploded outward as the raging inferno crashed into the frozen barrier, but the wall held firm, absorbing the full brunt of the attack.
The moment the flames died down, Glacia flicked her wrist, and the wall shattered into thousands of spear-like ice shards that floated in the air around her and Issei. With a cold, sharp gaze, she swept her arm forward, sending the shards flying toward the fire elementals in a deadly hail storm. The monsters screeched as the icy projectiles tore through them, piercing their flaming bodies and leaving them as nothing but broken husks on the ground.
"Nice work, Issei." Issei called as he walked to stand at his side. Leaning back slightly, Issei could see the slain elementals scattered behind the man. It certainly didn't look like Cid had needed to put much effort into taking them down. "Great coordination with your shadows, by the way. And is that Ascalon?"
"Thanks. And yes, it's Ascalon. Michael gave it to me as a gift to the Devil Faction."
Issei answered, looking over to Lycaon and Glacia before they all returned to his shadow. Using the new training areas in the basement of his new house, not only had Issei been spending his time honing his skills there, but he had also been training and training with his shadows, coming up with different strategies and formations to work with them in different battle scenarios beyond the all-out, full-scale warfare.
Most of these strategies were based on his own experiences playing video games, though he also had Rias and Ravel help with planning. For example, he had the archers focus on handling airborne enemies, left the front-line engagements to the ground troops, and assigned battlefield cleanup to Glacia, who had the highest damage potential among his shadows. While it might be fine to simply overwhelm enemies with sheer numbers and their undying advantage most of the time, in the more difficult fights, especially against enemies with powerful area-of-effect offensive attacks, optimizing their coordination and ensuring they covered for one another's weaknesses would reduce the likelihood of them taking damage, which, in turn, would also minimize his own mana cost for healing them to keep them in the fight.
"Guess this means more troops for you?" Cid then asked as he looked around.
"Yeah, I want an aerial division for my shadow army, so… Arise." Issei grinned before speaking the command loud and clear. It seemed the only downside of this Gate so far had been the fact that the Elemental didn't yield much EXP.
Within moments, the entire battlefield was filled with the shadows of the fallen Elementals, which hovered momentarily above the ground, their glowing eyes flickering as they adjusted to their new existence before lowering themselves to Issei, who nodded before letting them enter his shadow to join the rest. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but wonder what they were doing in there while he went on with his daily life. They certainly weren't sleeping or in a state of deactivation, hard for him to imagine they were when Gladio had once emerged to defend him without any need for command.
Was there a world inside his shadow? Something similar to the Tower of Ascension created by the System for them to stay? Or were they stored in individual spaces like summons in video games, waiting in silence until they were called? Whatever the case, Issei had figured he would never truly know, since none of them could speak to tell him about it.
"Alright, to the boss we go then?" Issei asked, looking over to Cid to see the man was casually smoking another cigarette as he waited for him to finish.
Cid exhaled a stream of smoke before crushing the cigarette under his boot. "How about you take the lead this time, I will…"
They sensed it at the same time, but Cid was the one who reacted faster. His hand shot out, shoving Issei back just as a whirlwind erupted from the ground, tearing through the space where he had stood a moment ago. Within seconds, the swirling storm expanded, carving deep scars into the earth and shredding trees like a hot blade slicing through butter, with Issei having no other choice but to retreat, raising an arm to shield his face as debris and splintered wood flew past him in all directions.
"Cid!"
Issei shouted, catching a glimpse of Cid standing inside the storm, unfazed by the chaos around him as he faced two Elementals that descended toward him from above. While they had the same glow that the Wind Elementals possessed, their feathers were a mix of white and black, and each had two set of wings instead of one, with birth-like talons like that of their feet. Their humanoid forms were also covered in darkened spikes that were almost like armors in appearance, giving them an even more imposing presence than their lesser counterparts.
"You go on ahead, kid! I'll catch up as soon as I'm done here." Over the roars of winds, Issei heard Cid shouted back to him as he unsheathed his blade. Before Issei could say anything in response, the mini-storm surged upward, growing stronger and denser until his view of the hero was completely blocked.
Trusting the man to be fully capable of handling the two Elite monsters, Issei wasted no more time to turn around and sprint straight toward the giant firestorm in the distance. The closer he got to the phenomenon, the denser the air became with ash and smoke, swirling violently in the infernal winds and made it quite hard for him to breathe, despite the fact that the heat barely affected him at all, thanks to his fire dragon pacts with Ddraig and Tiamat.
The deeper he ventured, the more his surroundings blurred into a world of fire and embers. The ground cracked beneath his shoes with each step, with molten veins of lava coursing through its fractures like the area surrounding an erupting volcano.
But then, suddenly, it grew quiet.
As Issei crossed an invisible threshold, the howling winds and roaring flames ceased. He could still hear the sounds of the storm raging behind him, but within this space, everything was unnaturally still. The air remained thick with the scent of burning woods and sulfur, yet the only sound that filled the unnatural silence was the rhythmic clangs of metal striking metal, which sent small tremors reverberating through the earth.
Arriving at an empty field surrounded by rivers of lava, Issei instantly located the source of the sound—a towering, fully humanoid figure cladded in heavy dark armor with a tattered red cape standing at the very center. His back was turned to him, but even from a distance, Issei could see the hammer in his hand rising and falling in a steady rhythm as it struck a giant battleaxe resting on a stone slab, sending a burst of sparks into the air around the figure with each strike.
Issei took a step forward, the crunch of cracked ground beneath his foot breaking the rhythmic hammering. The figure paused mid-swing, holding the hammer aloft for a moment before lowering it to their side. His other hand wrapped around the handle of the massive battleaxe, lifting it effortlessly. With a smooth, fluid motion, he swung it in a full arc through the air before resting it on his shoulder as he turned fully around to face Issei, revealing a set of golden eyes that glowed menacingly from the darkness of their helmet.
[!] Veritas of the Flame – LV75
GROOAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Stomping a foot down, the impact shattering the ground beneath him and sending cracks spider-webbing outward, the Veritas of the Flame out a deafening, inhuman warcry, the sheer force of his voice sending shockwaves rippling through the air. It struck Issei head on, kicking up molten debris and forcing him to instinctively raise his arms to shield his face from the heated fragments.
"Not the chit chatting type, I see." Issei shouted back, having expected the boss to speak like Baruka. But it didn't seem like he had any intention of communicating at all. It would've been great if he could have prodded him for some information, but no matter.
"If you want to fight, let's fight!"
With that exclamation, the Sekiryuutei activated his Balance Breaker, causing a surge of demonic energy to erupt from his body, sending out a shockwave of his own as his aura flared out like dragon flame. The heat in the air intensified as his power clashed against the Veritas of the Flame's overwhelming presence, the sheer force of their opposing auras causing the molten rivers around the soon to be battlefield to ripple and churn violently.
Letting out another warcry, the armored behemoth lifted his battleaxe with both hands and charged at Issei with terrifying speed for someone his size, the ground cracking beneath each earth-shaking step while sparks and flames erupted in his wake. With a mighty swing, the Veritas of the Flame brought the massive weapon down toward Issei, aiming to cleave him in two with a single strike. Issei immediately dodged to the side, using his wings to put some distance between him and the Veritas as his battleaxe came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the battlefield as molten rock erupted from the impact just as Issei had expected.
[Boost!]
Using the ground behind him to launch himself into the air and back at the Veritas, Issei drove his elbow straight into his helmeted face in the form of the Phoenix Strike, but the armored behemoth barely budged. Before Issei could follow up the attack, a massive hand shot out, clamping onto his chest and slamming him into the ground with exploding force. The entire battleground rumbled from the impact, with molten debris erupting outward, leaving Issei to grit his teeth in pain, having 10% of his HP vaporized right on the spot.
[Boost!]
With another surge of power, Issei swung his leg up, kicking off the armored grip before flipping backward to regain his footing. The moment his head snapped up, the Veritas of the Flame was already upon him, his battleaxe swinging toward him in a fiery arc.
"Gladio!"
Before Issei even finished shouting out his name, the shadow commander had emerged from his shadow with the Attractive Shield raised to intercept the incoming strike. Although Gladio managed to stop the battleaxe, the sheer force behind the attack still sent them both back, their feet skidding across the scorched earth as molten debris scattered around them.
Relentless, the Veritas of the Flame wasted no time pressing the attack. Letting out another guttural roar, he charged forward, battleaxe blazing as it carved a molten path through the battlefield. Issei glanced at Gladio and gave him a quick nod before dashing forward as well, diving low to evade the incoming swing.
[Skill Activated] – Penetrate.
[Title]: Daredevil - Shieldbreaker: Add 10% armor penetration.
As the battleaxe cleaved through the air above him, Issei gripped the sheath of Ascalon and drew the sword from its metal sheathe behind his left shoulder-guard to slash at the Veritas in a single fluid motion, his blade leaving a streak of empowered holy energy in its wake as he stopped behind the boss.
Before the armored warrior could react, Gladio followed up immediately, dashing forward to thrust his sword toward the opening in his armor that Issei had created with his blade. If there was flesh beneath all that metal, the blade certainly struck deep, but the Veritas of the Flame stood his ground like the towering mountain that he was. With a roar, he threw a hand down to grip at the blade and yank it out, lifting Gladio into the air before immediately swinging his flaming battleaxe toward his abdomen. The shadow commander managed to use his shield to block the attack, but the sheer force behind it still sent him hurtling backward, crashing into a nearby boulder with enough power to make it explode.
[Boost!]
[Skill activated] – Penetrate.
"Eat this!"
Issei cried out as he threw his fist into the side of the Veritas' head, the enhanced blow sending a shockwave rippling through the air. The armored behemoth staggered for the first time, but Issei refused to let up. Using his speed to stay a step ahead, he ducked under the retaliatory swing of the battleaxe before launching himself forward with in a reversed grip to slash repeatedly at the Veritas of the Flame with Gladio, who rejoined the fight just as quickly as Issei had expected him to, striking from the opposite side in perfect sync with his master.
Sparks flew between the three as the armored behemoth tried to fend off the relentless assault with his giant battleaxe, but Issei and Gladio used their speed to their advantage, weaving their attacks into every opening they saw, no matter how small, and forcing the towering behemoth further onto the defensive.
Despite the fact that they were slowly gaining the upper-hand, Issei just couldn't shake off the feeling that he was missing something…
[!] Warning
[Heavenly Wind]
Before Issei could dwell on that thought, a warning notification flashed before his eyes, which caught a blur of green light shooting toward him at blinding speed. Issei immediately spun to the side and used Ascalon to intercept what looked like the tip of a massive spear wreathed in a violent green tornado. The moment the two weapons clashed, a powerful force erupted, sending a burst of violent winds howling through the battlefield.
The sheer momentum of the strike flung Issei backward, his feet skidding across the scorched ground before he managed to stop himself, looking up just in time to see the Veritas of the Flame throwing Gladio at him. The shadow commander twisted midair, effortlessly catching himself before landing beside Issei as he watched his mysterious attacker descending from above, hovering just over the armored behemoth.
Just like the Veritas of the Flame, he was clad from head to toe in armor with a dark, tattered cape shifting behind his back, though his was deep emerald in color and much leaner in design, clearly built for speed and maneuverability. In his hand was a massive spear, its jagged edges pulsating with emerald energy that swirled around the blade like wisps, while a swirling aura coiled around the shaft, distorting the air around it like a rising tempest.
[!] Veritas of the Heavenwind – LV75
"Right. The fire and wind theme. How could I have missed that…" Issei murmured, holding back the urge to facepalm while eyeing at the two armored figures, bracing himself alongside Gladio as the two Veritas charged at him at the same time.
Before they could even make it halfway, however, a massive bolt of lightning struck between them with a deafening crack, sending a shockwave rippling across the battlefield. The explosion of electricity forced both armored warriors to halt their advance, their armored boots skidding against the scorched earth.
Hearing slow, steady footsteps approaching from behind, Issei allowed himself a small grin behind his helmet and glanced to the side to see Cid calmly walking up to stand next to him. A cigarette tugged at the corner of his lips as he casually adjusted one of his gloves, with arcs of electricity crackling violently along his hands. The man looked pretty much the same as the last time Issei saw him—with not so much as a speck of dust on his white samurai coat.
Taking a slow drag, Cid exchanged a nod with Issei before flicking the cigarette away, its ember vanishing into the wind as he lowered his hand down and unsheathed his own blade. "I'm here to even the odds. Any objections?"
The moment the words finished leaving his mouth, the battle started. The Veritas of the Flame charged toward them and swung his battleaxe at Cid in a wide arc, but he merely flipped over the strike, using the broadside of the massive weapon as a springboard to launch himself into the air. Arcs of lightning crackled along his blade as he deflected a piercing thrust from the Veritas of the Wind, knocking him back in a thunderous crack.
[Boost!]
[Skill activated] - Penetrate
Meanwhile, Issei and Gladio wasted no time in engaging the Flame Veritas. As the massive warrior tried to press forward after missing his opening strike, Issei dashed forward, using a quick Phoenix Shift to phase past the swinging weapon and launched himself back to deliver a crushing blow to the Veritas' side.
The impact sent a ripple through the frame of the armored titan, but he continued to remain standing, twisting his body around to swing his axe at Issei in retaliation. The act left his flank open for Gladio to attack, whose broadsword struck his arm with enough force to jolt the weapon mid-swing. The Veritas of the Flame didn't flinch, wrenching his axe free with sheer brute strength and forcing Gladio back with a sudden, wide sweep. Issei seized the opening, his boots kicking off the ground with a burst of flame to strike again, Ascalon flashing in a diagonal slash across the Veritas' chest. The blade scraped against the thick armor, carving another deep gash into the chestpiece as the Veritas roared in retaliation.
Meanwhile, above them, Cid and the Heavenwind Veritas clashed in a whirlwind of motion. The emerald-clad warrior moved with blinding speed, his movement seemingly distorting the space around him as his spear struck in rapid succession, each thrust accompanied by a violent gust. Cid, using magic to keep himself afloat, met him blow for blow, his blade crackling with electricity as he weaved through the storm, parrying each strike with attacks of his own. At the height of their exchange, a thunderous boom echoed as their weapons collided mid-air, splitting the battlefield in two—fire and steel clashing below, lightning and wind raging above.
"Tough bastard, aren't you?" The hero remarked as he landed on the ground, facing the Heavenwind Veritas as he prepared himself for another aerial assault. "Guess I gotta get serious now as well, don't I?"
Saying that, the man swung his blade to the side, with Issei watching on in astonishment as lightning began to spread across his entire body, seemingly fusing into his very flesh. The ground beneath him sizzled and cracked, with tiny sparks snapping through the air as his hair turned stark white, his pupils glowing an intense electric blue while his sclera darkened to pure black. The transformation went on for only a split second, but that brief window was more than enough for the Heavenwind Veritas to close the distance and lunge at Cid with his spear.
But in a flash of light, the hero vanished from the spot, causing the spear to stab into empty ground. In an instant, Cid reappeared above his opponent, his blade already descending. The Veritas barely had time to react before the intensely electrified blade came crashing down, a deafening thunderclap splitting the air as the impact sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The sheer force of the strike sent the Wind Veritas hurtling backward, his armored form smashing into the ground and carving a deep trench through the scorched earth.
But before he could even attempt to recover, Cid was already upon him again, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. His blade lashed out in rapid succession, hacking pieces of his armors off their main frame. The Heavenwind Veritas tried to retaliate, but halted when Cid suddenly thrust his palm out, stopping just an inch in front of his face. With a smirk, the man turned his hand around and quickly snapped his finger, summoning a massive bolt of lightning from the sky above to strike the armored warrior with a resounding explosion.
The impact sent a massive shockwave rolling outward, kicking up debris and crackling energy as the armored warrior was engulfed in searing light. For a brief moment, the battlefield was illuminated by the sheer intensity of the strike, before the dust settled—revealing the Heavenwind Veritas slumped to one knee, his armor scorched and battered, with steam rising from the gaps in its plating.
"Still standing, eh?" Cid asked, barely reacting as the Flame Veritas appeared behind him, his giant battleaxe above his head as he prepared to bring the weapon down. But before the strike could land, Issei crashed into the armored warrior from the side, slamming into him with his wings and the booster on his back propelling himself forward with enough force to knock the titan to the side before he could land his attack on Cid. Without missing a beat, Issei spun midair and lashed out with a powerful kick, the impact echoing like a cannon blast as the Veritas was launched backward, his armored boots skidding against the ground.
With a quick Phoenix Shift, he reappeared in front of the recovering Flame Veritas, his gauntlet-clad fist already cocked back. Flames erupted from his knuckles as he drove a devastating punch straight into the warrior's stomach, sending a massive shockwave across the entire battlefield and causing the ground beneath their feet to explode. Gladio followed up immediately, charging in with his massive blade. The armored behemoth barely managed to raise his axe in time to block, but the shadow commander swiftly flipped over his head midway through his own swing, his broadsword carving a sharp arc through the air as he slashed at his shoulder.
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
[Boost!]
"Let's finish this. Gladio!" Issei roared while building up as much power as he could, his crimson aura igniting into a raging inferno.
[Skill activated] - Penetrate
[Skill activated] – Transfer
Instead of holding all that power within himself, Issei channeled some of it toward Gladio. The shadow commander wasted no time to put the Attractive Shield behind his back and put both hands around the handle of his broadsword, holding it sideways as he took a stance with the weapon glowing with the buffs Issei had given him. The Veritas of the Flame let out a war cry and charged at Issei, who didn't wait for him to reach him and shot forward with his flames roaring around him, twisting and coiling into the shape of a dragon as he cocked his fist back.
[!] Finishing move – Rage of the Fire Dragon.
On the other side of the battlefield, Cid held out his hand and summoned a spear that crackled with violet arcs of purple lightning, its jagged, arrow-like head gleaming with raw power. The Wind Veritas barely had a moment to react before Cid vanished in a blur, reappearing above him with the spear already drawn back. With a single powerful motion, he hurled it downward, the weapon splitting the air with a deafening crack of thunder. The moment it connected, a massive bolt of violet lightning erupted from the impact. The ground split apart as arcs of raw electricity dancing across the scorched terrain while the Wind Veritas was engulfed in the storm, his metallic frame convulsing under the overwhelming surge.
At the same time, Issei surged forward, crashing into the Flame Veritas with the full power of his finisher. The battlefield quaked violently as the roaring inferno exploded outward, consuming everything in its path as the Flame Veritas, whose armors were shattered, was sent hurling backward straight into Gladio. The shadow commander dashed forward in perfect sync, his broadsword gleaming as he swung the blade in a horizontal slash and beheaded the armored behemoth while the shockwaves of both Issei's and Cid's attacks tore through the battlefield, ripping through the molten earth and disrupting even the raging firestorm above them.
[!] Notice – You have slain the Veritas of the Flame – LV75
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice - Level up!
[!] Notice – Veritas of the Wind has been slain – LV75
"Good work, Issei." Cid said, reverting back to normal as he walked over to his fallen opponent and yanked his spear free with a sharp tug. "You did good there."
"Thanks. You're... pretty cool as well." Issei admitted, deactivating his Balance Breaker before glancing over to the spear in Cid's hand. "What's that?"
"This? It's called Zeke's Fragment," Cid replied, twirling the weapon slightly as arcs of violet lightning crackled along its length before he put it away with a flick of his wrist. "Zeoticus made it for me a few years back using the tooth of Zeke, the Incarnation of Greed. Ever watched The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug?"
Issei nodded.
"Same stuff."
"Cool… feel like it'd be a cool story to hear."
"Well, I can certainly tell you. How about over a drink? My treat."
"I'm not old enough to drink yet."
"Bars don't serve just alcohol, you know," Cid said with a smirk, which got a chuckle out of Issei. The two then shared a brief laugh with Cid reaching out and giving Issei a firm pat on the shoulder. Looking up, Issei could see the firestorm slowly clear, revealing a bright blue sky above them with a few rays of sunlight piercing through the dispersing dark clouds. The battlefield lay in smoldering ruin, with molten fissures glowing dimly beneath their feet.
"And there's the exit." Cid remarked as he looked to the side and watched a swirling portal crack open in the air. Issei, however, didn't want to leave just yet, and Cid already knew why. "Well, I'll go on ahead. See you on the other side, kid?"
"Got it." Issei shouted back as he swiftly made his way over to the fallen Veritas of the Flame. Having seen what he had been doing before their battle started, to say that Issei was eager to add him to his growing shadow army would be a huge understatement.
But still…
[What's wrong, partner? Claim your prize.] Ddraig asked, his voice echoing from within the green jewel on the back of Boosted Gear.
Issei stood over the fallen Veritas of the Flame, his brows furrowing slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. After a moment, he spoke.
"Cid made it feel easy, and this might just be me overthinking… but don't you think these guys are way too strong for this Gate? Moreover, where was the wind guy the whole time I was fighting the flame one? I didn't sense his presence at all until he attacked. It's like he just came out of nowhere." Issei asked, glancing over to the Veritas of the Wind, who he also had every intention of adding into his shadow army. "The Elementals are whatever, but these two…"
Duo-boss Gates were rare, but it wasn't like they had never happened before. Issei wouldn't claim to know everything about Gates just yet, as most of what he had learned came from his own research and the lessons he had picked up from Beowulf, who had shared with him plenty of his own experiences dealing with Gates while working as a supporter.
Moreover, something also felt off about the two Veritas…
"Oi, This Gate is fading fast and will close in about a minute. Hurry up!"
"Coming!" Issei shouted back to Cid, who reentered the Gate briefly to remind him. Deciding to leave the matter for later, Issei then turned his attention over to the two Veritas, and spoke the command at the same time.
Arise!
After escorting the Hero Delegation to their hotel, Issei returned home, where he was immediately swarmed by Rias and his housemates, who were just as eager to hear about his experiences as they were worried. Despite their concerns, Issei reassured them that he was fine and then carried on with the rundown of what had happened before highlighting the duo-boss battle with Cid, leaving his housemates thoroughly impressed.
"Come out here, you two."
After a hot shower and a grand dinner with his family, Issei found himself standing inside the training ground in the first basement of his home, after double checking to make sure that no one was around to overhear what he was about to do. Before him was the window of the Crafting and Refining System, the other reason he had extracted the shadow of Veritas of the Flame, besides his obvious overwhelming combat prowess.
At his call, the latest additions to his army emerged from his shadow, each kneeling on one knee before him with their hand resting on the other. Their shadowy forms pulsed faintly with the colors of their respective elements, still retaining a trace of their affinities despite their rebirth. "Guess now is the time I give you guys names. How about… Vulcan and Zephyr? How does that sound?"
Both former Veritas bowed their heads to Issei, accepting their new names with silent acknowledgment. Issei smiled, satisfied, before confirming the names in the System and swiping the window away.
"Zephyr, you're dismissed for now."
Bowing his head once more, Zephyr vanished into the shadows at Issei's feet, leaving Vulcan behind to kneel at attention, his shadowy form flickering with traces of embers.
"Alright, let's put your skill to work, Vulcan." Issei spoke with a grin, assigning Vulcan to the empty [Blacksmith] slot. The moment Issei confirmed the assignment, a mini-smithing station emerged before Vulcan as the shadow rose to his feet, rising seamlessly from his shadow on the ground. A sturdy black anvil sat at its center, its surface etched with faint, glowing runes while a compact forge stood at the side, its flames casting flickering orange and crimson hues against the surrounding darkness. A set of forged tools, consisting of tongs, hammers, and chisels, hung neatly on a spectral rack, each one shimmering with an eerie gleam.
"Whoa… neat." Issei whistled in amazement. The fact that the station had emerged from Vulcan' shadow rather than his own was a huge plus. This meant he could easily pass it off as one of Vulcan' unique abilities, allowing him to have the shadow forge items in public without drawing suspicion or raising questions that might expose the true nature of the System.
"I have some materials here. Can you try forging a dagger?"
At his question, the shadow pushed his chest forward, as if taking it as a challenge to his skills. As Issei presented him with the necessary materials, being a chunk of iron ore and some wood along with the 1000G crafting cost, Vulcan started working, using the same hammer that his former self had used to refine his battleaxe, while Issei stood waiting patiently nearby. He had no idea how long it actually took to forge a dagger by a normal blacksmith, but Vulcan certainly worked fast, with a 00:59 timer hovering right next to him. All in all, it felt like watching a video game cutscene in real time.
With a few final hammer taps, some adjustments to the balance, and just as the timer hit zero, a flashing notification window popped up before Issei, around the same time that Vulcan presented him with the newly crafted weapon.
[!] Iron Dagger – LV1
ATK: +20
Rarity: E
Element: None
"That was fast!"
Issei commented as he accepted the dagger, turning it over in his hands and inspecting the quality before bringing out an iron dagger that he had bought for 1000G from the System shop to compare. Both felt the same in his hand, but the weapon Vulcan had crafted boasted a significantly higher ATK stat at +20, while the shop-bought version was a standard +10, identical across every other version of the weapon in the shop.
A grin spread across Issei's face as he looked at Vulcan, who crossed his arms over his chest and held his head high "So your [Smithing] skill increases the offensive stat of the weapon you create? That's awesome!"
Nodding, Issei sent both daggers straight to the shop, selling them for some extra cash. While he could only resell System-bought items for half their original value, the crafted version was worth double that, giving him a total of 2500G.
"Okay, some profit at least." Saying that, Issei then shifted his attention back to Vulcan and took out from his Inventory a certain pair of daggers that had been collecting dust there for quite some time. "Alright. Let's do some refining now, starting with these two."
Issei placed the Kamish's Slumber Daggers on the table before Vulcan, noticing their symbol appearing in the Refining Slot. Unlike crafting, where the result in the preview window was just a big question mark [?], the refining process had a much clearer outcome, with the name of the refined daggers being none other than Kamish's Awaken, just like how it was in its description. Its upgraded ATK stat of +350 was highlighted in gold, and the preview window also showed the daggers in a more refined state. The most visible cracks had vanished, their surface now smooth and polished. However, the edges remained dull, a clear sign that there were more refinements to be done to store the Kamish Daggers to their full potential.
"And these are the materials." Saying that, Issei started taking out from his Inventory the materials he had stockpiled. First, it was the Elemental Fangs, the fangs of the five elite wolves he had fought during his Class Change Dungeon; their shadows still serve him to this day. Then, he brought out the Otherworldly Ores, a rare type of mineral that he could purchase from the System Shop for 100.000G each after reaching Level 40. Next, Elemental Cores, special materials he had looted from the Veritas' corpses. And finally…
Kuza Horn x 1
[He was a fabulous hero, partner.] Ddraig spoke as Issei held the reward he had gotten from slaying the Kuza Beast, the Rank A Hunt he had defeated with Sieghart. [I will never forget him.]
"We won't, Ddraig."
Issei said, gripping the horn tightly for a moment before handing the last material over to Vulcan, filling the final slot in the Refining Tab and causing the refinery cost to appear…
"1.5 million!?" Issei blurted out when he saw the absurd number.
At least, he had some funds to spare. It also kinda made sense considering that Kamish's Slumber was a legendary graded weapon.
"Guess it'll be worth the resources in the end." Issei said, confirming the refining process. The moment he did, 1,500,000G vanished from his balance and a new timer appeared above Vulcan, who instantly got to work.
[03:00]
Three minutes. Longer than crafting a basic weapon like an iron dagger, but obviously still ridiculously fast compared to real-world blacksmithing.
"Once you're done with those daggers. Give this sword a try as well." Issei said, holding out Ascalon after taking it out of Boosted Gear. He had already checked, and all the necessary materials for its refinement were available in the System Shop at a fairly reasonable price. Since he still had plenty of valuable junk items and loot in his Inventory, selling them would still leave his balance with more than enough gold in case of emergency, even if refining Ascalon would also cost him 1.5 million, and the total cost for materials were 2 million.
"Ise-san, are you in there!" Just as Issei finished buying all the necessary materials and adding them to the queue with Ascalon, which, to his surprise, would have its appearance changed upon completion, he heard Asia's voice from the other side of the door, accompanied by a few light knocks.
"Yeah?"
"Ravel-san is baking some chocolate cakes for us. Would you like to have one as well?"
"She can bake?" Issei blurted out in surprise before shaking his head. He took a quick glance at the timer above Vulcan before answering, "Sure! Save one for me. I'll be there in… five minutes."
"Great! We'll be waiting upstairs!"
With that, Asia walked off, leaving Issei to take one final look at his balance before confirming the refining process for Ascalon.
[Don't forget to distribute your extra levels, partner!] Ddraig reminded him, making Issei nod his head in appreciation.
"Right. Thanks for the reminder, Ddraig," Issei said before pulling up his Status Window, seeing the four unassigned levels ready to be distributed.
He briefly considered spreading them evenly among his classes, but his Dragonsworn was exactly four levels away from hitting the level 50 threshold, which, from his gaming experience, was usually where the cool stuff happened. That alone made the decision easy, and without hesitation, he funneled all four levels into his main class.
[!] The Player has reached the required level for the Trial of Ascension
[!] Quest received!
You have received an Ascension Quest. Go to the marked location to start the Trial of Ascension.
More information will be revealed once the Quest Begins.
[You were right, partner.] Ddraig remarked, with Issei feeling a sense of excitement swelling up in him as he opened his map and checked the location.
To his surprise, the marker was placed right in Kuoh Academy.
"Well, I guess we better get ourselves ready to tackle this quest then." Issei said, folding his hands behind his head. He probably would have to do it in the middle of the night, when there was no one around to make sure that no one would see him.
[You're not setting out right away?] Ddraig asked, curiosity lacing his voice.
"Nah, I think I need to try something first, Ddraig. I'll talk to you more about it tomorrow. For now, let's wait and see how Ascalon will turn out."
With that said, Issei turned his attention back to Vulcan, who had just finished refining Kamish's Slumber into Kamish's Awaken, and moved on to refining Ascalon with the materials Issei had provided him.
The next few days would surely be exciting.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 20 Shadow Monarch
HP: 15,252/15,252
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic: 4105/4105
Title: Daredevil
Strength: 216
Vitality: 185
Intelligence: 186
Dexterity: 190
Perception: 170
Charisma: 160
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV2), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV3), Transfer (LV3), Penetrate (LV3), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV1).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV3 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV3 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV1), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV2, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1
Current Active Pact [2/4]: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV2
Current Shadows: 240 / 240
Elite Rank Shadows: Lycaon (Knight), Tora (Knight), Blade (Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV4), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), Palace Guard's Boots (LVMAX), Metal Gauntlets (LVMAX – Only one currently in use -Stats Reduced), Kamish's Slumber (LV?), Key to the Demon Tower, Ascalon (LV10).
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 550,120 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected)
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon.
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear - Tank.
End of chapter 21