Breakfast with Phenex ladies had been a quiet affair this morning, just the three of us in the apartment.
Ravel had made pancakes, fluffy and golden, drizzled with maple syrup that caught the morning light streaming through the windows. We ate in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging conversation about me applying for promotion for the higher rank.
The rest of the day? Passed in blur of contracts of mundane requests. A woman wanted her garden to be trimmed. A college student asked me to help find her lost cat, and it turned out the damn thing was sleeping in her closet the whole time.
Now I stood in the Infinity Castle, surrounded by endless corridors that twisted and folded into geometries that shouldn't exist. Wooden platforms floated in the void, connected by staircases that led nowhere and everywhere simultaneously. The silence here was absolute, broken only by the occasional creak of timber settling.
Two reasons brought me here today.
First, my System's update was finally on the verge of it's completion. I'd been waiting for the notification the moment I stepped through the portal.
Second—
THUD
THUD
THUD
Heavy footsteps echoed from one of the corridors. I turned, watching as a figure emerged from the shadows, as I didn't have to glance who it was.
Issei Hyoudou strutted toward me with the cockiest grin I'd ever seen plastered across his face. Sweat drenched his brown hair, making it stick to his forehead. His school uniform was torn in three places, the white shirt stained with dirt and blood, probably his own. But none of that mattered compared to what covered his left arm.
His Boosted Gear had transformed.
The gauntlet gleamed crimson in the dim light, but it wasn't the simple design I remembered from canon. The claw jutting from his hand was sharper now, with emerald jewel that seemed to glow with the movement. Red metallic plating extended past his elbow, segmented like actual dragon scales.
[[ Upgraded Form: Boosted Gear Gift ]]
When pushed beyond the limits, wonders do happen.
My clone outdid it. In the original timeline, Issei needed trauma, watching Asia die, fighting Riser in a Rating Game, to push his Sacred Gear this far. My clone accomplished it in one week through sheer brutality and proper guidance. It won't be too long that Issei achieve the Balance Breaker, if I have my clone train him like this.
"Check this out, Kiba!" Issei flexed his left arm, and the gauntlet responded instantly. The plates shifted, expanding slightly before contracting back into place with a sharp click-click-click "I'm basically unstoppable now!"
[[ PARTNER, YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF ]]
The voice that rumbled from the Sacred Gear made the air vibrate. Deep, ancient, carrying the weight of millennia. Every word dripped with power that made my demonic senses scream danger.
Ddraig. The Welsh Dragon. One of the Two Heavenly Dragons.
The green gem embedded in the gauntlet's center flared bright, casting Issei's face in an emerald glow.
[[ I am Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor ]] he declared, his tone formal and measured [[ Answer me, devil. What intentions do you harbor, training my partner with such... fervor ]]
Fervor. That was a polite way of saying 'relentless torture that would make hardened soldiers cry'
"Oppai!" Issei blurted out before I could respond. He jabbed a finger at me, grin widening "I already told you, didn't I,? Kiba promised we're gonna meet a woman with huge oppai! Like, seriously huge!"
[[ Woman? ]] Ddraig's voice took on a curious edge, losing some of its formality. [[ What woman could possibly interest both myself and my partner? Your reasons must differ greatly from his... simplified worldview ]]
"Hey! My worldview isn't simplified!" Issei protested.
I let out a long breath, watching them bicker. Ddraig's exasperation was palpable even through the Sacred Gear.
"It'll be worth the wait" I said, cutting through their argument "Trust me, Ddraig, you'll find this woman way more interesting than Issei will. Though knowing him, he'll enjoy it way better than you"
Issei perked up immediately "See? Even he agrees I'll enjoy it!"
[[ You're hopeless ]]
I couldn't help the smirk tugging at my lips "I have no ulterior motives here. I'm just fulfilling her request. Once I introduce you both tomorrow to her, Issei, this hell week officially ends. No more training"
Issei's eyes lit up like I'd just told him Christmas came early.
[[ Such a Disappointment. It is ]] Ddraig rumbled [[ I was quite enjoying our training session. My partner showed remarkable growth when pushed beyond his perceived limits. We were making excellent progress ]]
"WHAT?!" Issei's head snapped toward his own hand, staring at the gauntlet in horror "Are you insane?! I nearly died! Like, a hundred times! Maybe more! I lost count after the fiftieth time! There were swords! And fire! And that one time your clone made me dodge lightning while running for my life!"
[[ Sixty-three times ]] Ddraig corrected helpfully [[ And yes. The lightning exercise was particularly effective. You should thank him for his dedication to your improvement, Partner ]]
"Thank him?!" Issei looked ready to strangle his own Sacred Gear "His clone is a sadistic bastard who was smiling while trying to kill me! You know what he said last time? 'Don't worry, Issei-kun, near death experience builds strength!!!"
I bit my lip to keep from laughing. My clone had definitely inherited my drive of pushing others too hard. And maybe taken it a step further.
[[ And It did. Partner ]] Ddraig said matter-of-factly [[ You've proof for yourself, partner. Your growth within a week has been extraordinary. In my millennia of existence, I've rarely seen such rapid development. You should be proud of it ]]
"I'd rather be alive and weak than strong and traumatized" Issei muttered.
[[ You're alive now, aren't you? And strong. I see no issue ]]
"That's not...you know what, I'm not arguing about all this anymore"
I watched their exchange with growing amusement. Canon Ddraig was more reserved, more distant from Issei at this stage. But a week of constant near-death experiences had apparently fast-tracked their relationship into something resembling friendship. Dysfunctional, argumentative friendship, but friendship nonetheless.
I hope they don't do this in front of Tiamat.
"Alright, enough talk" I nodded toward one of the castle's corridors, where my clone had already materialized from the shadows "Time to get back to where you left off"
Issei's face paled "Wait, what? No! You just said training's over!"
"I said training is over tomorrow, when we will visit her" I corrected, watching my clone approach with that friendly smile that promised suffering "Today's still a training day, Issei. Think of it as the night before the exam"
"What?!" Issei stumbled backward, but my clone was already beside him, one hand clamping onto his shoulder "Get away from me!"
THUMP
Issei hit the wooden floor, legs giving out the moment my clone touched him. The killing intent radiating from my clone.
"Tomorrow you'll meet her" I said, crouching down to meet Issei's terrified eyes. "This is your last day here in the castle. Make it count."
[[ Excellent ]] Ddraig hummed approvingly [[ One final push before the finish line. I look forward to seeing this, once more, partner ]]
"Ddraig, you TRAITOR—"
My clone grabbed Issei, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. Issei kicked and flailed, but my clone's grip was ironclad.
"I've already awakened the next form!" Issei protested desperately, pointing at his gauntlet "The upgrade! The thing you wanted! Training's done, right?! RIGHT?!"
"Don't worry," I called after them as my clone started dragging him toward the edge of one platform "He'll make you some nice food after this session"
"Oh." Issei stopped struggling, relief flooding his face. "Oh thank god. Food sounds amazing. I haven't eaten anything good since I was dropped here—WAIT WHY ARE WE AT THE EDGE—"
My clone hurled him into the void.
"NOOOO!!!"
Issei's scream echoed through the infinite corridors as he plummeted into the darkness below, followed immediately by my clone who dove after him with the grace of a hunting falcon.
The screams faded, swallowed by distance and impossible architecture.
I straightened up, dusting off my pants.
It would take Issei a while to adjust to the new training grounds.
DING!
The notification chimed in my head, and a translucent blue screen materialized in front of me, its edges glowing with soft white light.
*[SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE]*
*[All functions restored. New feature unlocked.]*
*[Welcome back, User]*
Finally.
I'd been waiting for this moment for all day long.
My fingers moved through the air, navigating menus that only I could see.
[NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: Take Your Pick ]
[ User can Choose either of two Character Cards and assimilate the one suited for them ]
[[Current available character cards: 1]]
[[Would you like to use your available character card?]]
I tapped the character card icon on the screen.
The blue interface rippled, and two cards materialized in the screen before me, slowly rotating. Its back showed an intricate design, geometric patterns interweaving against each other. Then it flipped.
The cards glowed deep purple, like crushed amethyst mixed with poisonous nightshade. As the image came into focus, I felt my eyebrows rise.
[CHARACTER PROFILE: A.K.I.]
[Origin: Street Fighter 6]
[Abilities: Master of Chinese martial arts specializing in Fang and Claw style. Expert in poison manipulation, capable of generating and controlling various toxins. Possesses enhanced physical capabilities and deadly precision in combat ]
Or
[ Character Profile : Shinobu Kocho ]
[ Origin : Kimetsu no Yaiba ]
[ Abilities : Poisonous Physiology, Medical Expertise, Insect Breathing, Master Swordswoman ]
I stared at the description.
A poison user character card . That was... actually perfect for a devil. We already had natural resistance to most toxins, but having someone who could weaponize them? That opened up way more combat applications I hadn't considered.
Plus, the combat style would complement my own. I focused on speed and precision with my swords, specialized in strikes and poison.
But Which One Should I Choose?
Which One?
. . . .
For advance chapters, you can check on
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