"I guess that means we fight then."
Issei said, smirking as he glanced around at the demons surrounding him. They roared in response, the outcome having gone exactly as he expected, just like it had on the past eight floors.
The only reason he had even bothered to come and try talking to them was to humor Esil, who kept insisting that the demon clans ruling the upper floors of the Demon Castle were somewhat reasonable. But of course, most had attacked him instantly the moment that he showed up on their doorsteps, while some others had tried to trick him instead, posturing and probing to make him lower his guard before inevitably turning hostile the moment it became clear he would not leave without the Entry Permits.
As he spun around and kicked the first demon rushing at him from above with a spear, sending it crashing back into the others, Issei had to wonder why none of them would just give their permits up as easily as the Radiru had. It did not seem like they had any real use for them, and could just give them away without any problem.
"Gladio. Blade."
Issei called out calmly, causing the two commanders to burst forth from his shadow, clashing their blades with the demons at the front lines before annihilating them with swift, yet devastating strikes to clear a path for their master. Their charge was also the signal the rest of the army to follow, as shadow soldiers erupted across the stone floor, ranks forming in an instant to collide with the demonic forces. The narrow halls of the castle were filled with the sounds of steel clashing, impacts, and the collapsing bodies as the demonic force was overwhelmed in an instant.
A fireball suddenly tore through the chaos, screaming through the air as it flew straight toward Issei. It struck the ground where he stood and detonated violently, flames and pressure ripping outward in all directions. The explosion shook the castle, cracking stone and sending debris flying as several demons and shadow soldiers were blown off their feet, bodies hurled into walls or swallowed by fire. The shockwave rolled down the corridor, rattling banners and tearing chunks from the ceiling before the flames finally began to die down.
As the haze slowly cleared, the towering, heavily armored figure of Aegis came into view standing directly over Issei with the Attractive Shield raised, its surface still smoking from the explosion. His stance, however, was unshaken despite the force he had absorbed, keeping his master from taking a single digit of damage as he fixed his gaze on the sky above the castle ground, where a Demon cladded in heavy armor was hovering.
"This one's mine." Issei said, drawing Ascalon from his Inventory with a burst of energy.
With that said, Issei shot into the air, kicking up a massive cloud of dust behind him as he closed the distance toward the Demon General in a blink. Steel met steel the instant their weapons collided, as the Demon brought its own blade down in a heavy overhead strike to cleave him in half, only for Issei to catch it head-on with Ascalon. The impact rang out across the battlefield, the force rippling through the air as both were pushed back before Issei flared out his own wings to throw himself at the Demon General again.
Sparks sprayed with every strike as they traded clashed midair, the shockwaves from their blows rattling the castle walls below as both combatants pressed their attacks. A short burst of flame erupted from its free hand as the Demon General threw it in a fist at Issei in an attempt to catch him off guard, but he had already twisted his body aside to dodge. Before the demon could even reassume its stance, Issei shot back, driving Ascalon forward and forcing the demon to block it, but the impact still sent him skidding back through the air, armor screeching under the strain.
[Boost!]
"Hey, I can do that too." Issei smirked as he flew at the Demon General, his blade flashing forward in a decisive horizontal slash. The demon barely managed to block the strike, a shower of sparks bursting between them as steel scraped against steel before shifting its grip, already moving to counterattack, when Issei suddenly thrust his free hand out and unleashed a burst of dragon fire from his palm, Boosted Gear shining as he increased its intensity. The demon roared as the flames exploded in its face at point-blank range, drowning out its voice before the force sent it hurtling backward. Its armored form smashed through a section of the castle wall, stone and debris exploding outward as it tore straight through and disappeared into the structure beyond.
Before the demon could regain its footing, a thunderous crack echoed through the ruined hall as a bolt of lightning tore across it. The demon reacted instantly, throwing an arm up just before the lightning shadow wolf could clamp its jaws around the demon's throat, allowing its fangs to clatter against the metal gauntlet around the wrist instead. Even so, the current channeled through the bite ripped across the armor, drawing a sharp grunt of pain from the demon as lightning crawled up its arm. Snarling in fury, it shot its other hand forward, seized the wolf by the throat, and hurled it away with all its strength.
[!] Skill Activated: Shadow Extraction – Form Change
The wolf twisted midair, its form breaking apart into streaks of lightning as Issei burst through the hole that he had sent the Demon General through before reforming around his legs. Shadows solidified into dark metals before snapping into place, reshaping itself into a pair of heavy greaves etched with crackling lines of electricity.
[Pact Switch] Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Rassei (Lightning)
Lightning surged through Issei as he switched his Pact and kicked forward, watching as Ascalon, which he had flung at the Demon General just the brief moment it was distracted by his wolf, pierce through its chest, driving it down into the shattered floor below and pinning it in place. The demon roared and thrashed, trying to wrench the blade free but Issei held it firmly in place with Ruler's Hand while shooting down, closing distance in a flash before spinning around to drive his boot onto the hilt of Ascalon.
[Boost!]
The impact immediately triggered a violent discharge. Lightning that was empowered by his Lightning Dragon Pact and Boosted Gear erupted outward and channeled straight through Ascalon like a lightning rod. The Demon General convulsed as the violent surge of energy tore into its core, its roar cutting off as the current rent through its armor and flesh alike. When the light finally faded, the demon lay motionless, leaving only smoke to rise slowly from the ruined floor and its charred corpse.
[Demon General – LV100] – Defeated!
[!] You have obtained an [Entry Permit]
"There we go." Issei said, smiling as the notifications flashed before his eyes while the entry permit for the 90th floor drifted down into his waiting hand. At first glance it looked the same as the others he had collected, but the difference was clear in the demonic script etched across its surface, the markings far more intricate than anything he had seen before.
Storing the item away into his Inventory, Issei turned around and walked outside. Beyond the shattered walls of the castle, the battle had also concluded. Shadow soldiers stood victorious across the ruined grounds, weapons lowered as the last of the demons fell at their feet. Loot collection was already underway among the responsible troops, though it was clear that some of the commanders were still competing with one another to see who could bring him better spoils from the battlefield.
"Go get Esil. We'll set up camp here for the night." Issei said, looking over to his lightning wolf as he transformed back to his normal form. The shadow beast dipped his head low before dissolving into a streak of electricity as he raced off, leaving Issei to survey the battlefield once last time from where he stood before rejoining his army down below.
By the time that Esil arrived with Bahamut, Issei had finished setting up a small campsite for the two of them in the castle courtyard. Next to it he had also had the workshop for Vulcan, who had started crafting new weapons and armor for the Shadow Army using the materials they had gathered throughout the climb that day. Issei also had the troopers stationed in a perimeter around the castle, ensuring that they would not be caught off guard in case there were still demons lurking around.
"We'll continue tomorrow. Hopefully we can clear the rest of the tower floor before nightfall." Issei stated as he poked the campfire between him and Esil with a thin wooden stick. Since floor 75, he had noticed that each floor had its own fully functional day and night cycle, with something like an artificial sun similar to the one in the Underworld traveling across the sky. It made time feel more real, but with that also came the usual problem. Fighting in the dark was very much possible for him and his army, but it was far more annoying than it was worth.
At the pace they were going, however, Issei was confident that the last ten floors were doable in a single day. Even with the demons growing notably much stronger the higher they climbed, their numbers were no longer spread across the entire floor and were instead concentrated on single locations, allowing Issei to focus his army there and wipe them out efficiently. If the pattern held, the remaining floors should not take much time to clear.
"So, how're you holding up, Esil?" Issei then asked, his gaze shifting to his demon companion through the embers of fire that flickered in the space between them.
"I'm fine, Issei-sama." Esil smiled, making Issei nod his head, having long since given up on making her stop addressing him so respectfully. At least she didn't call him 'sir' anymore, which made him feel old, and used the Japanese honorable suffix that he had told her to use if she insisted on talking like that. "I only wish I could have done more to help you…"
"Well, I did promise your father no harm would come your way, so it's best that we don't take any chance." Issei chuckled. Last time, he got Ingvild to fight alongside him and his shadows, but unlike Esil, who was a close range fighter, she was a spellcaster. While he could keep Ingvild safely in the backline, Esil would most likely have to be much closer to the front, where things could always turn dangerous far more quickly if they were not careful.
Issei had no doubt she could hold her own in a fight, and part of him was curious to see how she would fare against other demons. She was skilled with her spear and possessed a tremendous amount of mana, even more than some of the demon nobles he had encountered who were supposedly stronger than her.
"By the way, anything I should know about the next floor before we go there?" Issei then asked, noting the differences in the Entry Permits that he had gotten earlier compared to the rest.
"Ah, the clan from the next floor onward serve directly under Lord Baran. They are the strongest of us demons and form the main forces of the White Flame Army." Esil answered. "Anyone who enters their floors is treated as an enemy on sight."
"White Flame army, huh? Catchy name. I take that it's where negotiation is no longer an option." Issei chuckled, making Esil nod her head. Not that any of those demon nobles besides the Radiru had shown even the slightest interest in negotiating with him to begin with.
But not that Issei really needed them to do that either…
"By the way, there are a few things I have been meaning to ask you." Issei started, remembering the answer that he had had with Baruka "The last time I encountered someone like you and the other intelligent demons, he said he heard a voice in his head constantly telling him to slaughter every living creature in my world. Do you hear the same voice too?"
"Wha…? I don't." Esil shook her head, then looked up, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as if she were recalling something. "But… I heard other voices too."
"Really? What did they tell you then?" Issei asked, his curiosity piqued.
"They told me to guard the floor where I live. My father said he heard the same thing," Esil answered. "We have been hearing that order ever since we opened our eyes here."
"Opened your eyes here… does that mean you lived somewhere else before then?" Issei asked, surprised.
"Yes. We demons live in the Demon Realm." Esil nodded her head "I don't really remember what happened, but by the time that I came to my senses, I was here with my father and the rest of our clan."
"Do you remember what you were doing in the Demon Realm?"
"We were… we were preparing for war." Esil finally answered, making Issei arch an eyebrow in surprise, not just because of her reply, but the mannerism in the way that she had said it. It came off as almost monotone, or robotic, as if she were reciting something that had been placed into her rather than remembered.
"Esil. Hey! You feeling alright?" Issei called, reaching over and waving a hand before snapping his fingers twice in front of her face when he noticed that she had basically zoned out.
"Hmm… yes, Issei-sama?" The demon girl said, normally, blinking a few times as she looked at him.
"You said you guys were preparing for war… can you recall against who?" Issei decided to press on. Legia had mentioned a war that Sillad and the others like them were about to start, which made Issei wonder if the war Esil was talking about was the same one he had heard of.
"A formidable enemy so strong that all the demons in the realm had to unite together under the Demon King to… This is not disclosable information."
"Esil?"
"This is not disclosable information. This is not disclosable information. This is not disclosable information." Esil repeated, her voice growing increasingly more and more distorted with each repetition before her eyes rolled back and her body slackened. Before Issei could say anything, the demon girl tipped backward from her seat and would have hit the ground if he had not immediately rushed over and caught her in his arms.
"Esil!" Issei called, but Esil did not answer, having lost consciousness.
What was that just then? Issei thought as he narrowed his eyes and looked at the demon girl in his arm, her expression easing slightly, though her breathing remained shallow. It was as if she had exerted herself, or something had drained her of all her strength.
Was it the System's doing?
Or was it something else entirely?
Esil Radiru had no idea how long she had been out, but consciousness returned to her to the scent of roasted meat and the warmth of a blanket, or something close to it, draped over her body. Her head rested against something soft and plush, probably a pillow though she did not remember having it there.
Her brows knit together as her eyes slowly opened. When did I… pass out? Esil wondered. For a moment, she simply lay there, staring ahead in confusion as the haze in her mind began to clear. The familiar crackling sound of a fire, followed by the faint pop of burning woods, reached her ears as Esil slowly pushed herself upright. It was only then that she realized the blanket wrapped around her had been a bedroll all along.
"Oh hey, you're awake." Issei called out to Esil, drawing her attention over to him as he sat near the flame and turned a skewer with a large piece of meat over the flames. "Just in time for dinner."
Esil just stared at him, still trying to piece things together. "How did I… pass out, Issei-sama."
"No idea. But I'm guessing it had something to do with what you were about to tell me." Issei replied as he lifted the skewer, checking the meat before lowering it back toward the fire. "Some pretty weird stuff happened when I talked to Baruka too, so I figure there are things I'm not supposed to know yet."
After a brief silence between them, he added, "Anyway, let's not worry about that right now."
Esil hesitated, her lips parting as if she were about to respond, only for the quiet to be broken by the unmistakable sound of her stomach rumbling. She froze, heat creeping up her cheeks as she quickly lowered her head.
Issei blinked and let out a short laugh, reaching into his Inventory and pulling out the bento box Aphrodite had given him before holding it toward Esil. "Here you go."
"I'm not eating with you, Issei-sama?" She asked while accepting the box with both hands.
"I figure eating like this is a bit barbaric for a noble princess like you, so you can have that instead." Issei said, gesturing to the lunch box in her hand before lifting the skewer and taking a large bite of the roasted meat. "Huh, taste like pork."
Issei commented after swallowing the meat in his mouth. Before leaving Radiru Castle, he had also asked for some food from their kitchen, and the chefs there had offered him a variety of options, with the meat being one of his choices in the end. Issei had no idea what kind of creature it came from, but since it had been stored with the rest of their food supplies, Issei assumed it was safe to eat and asked for a couple of cuts to try out. With his Dragon's Physiology Passive, Issei no longer had to worry that he might get food poisoning from eating strange meals anymore, so the fact that the meat was both delicious and tasted like pork was a welcome bonus.
"Pork, Issei-sama?" Esil repeated as she used a fork to eat her own meal from the bento box that rested on her lap.
"Oh, you guys don't have pork here or in the Demon Realm?" Issei asked before pointing out. "It's the meat you are eating yourself there."
Then again, maybe they just called it differently.
After dinner, Issei spent the next couple of hours training with his new Shadow Extraction before calling it a night, retiring to one of the bedchambers available in the castle with Esil settling in the one right across from his. Both of their rooms were spacious, with large beds draped in silky fabric and carved stone walls lit by the soft glow of wall-mounted torches. Not that it was anything too unfamiliar for Issei, given how the Gremory had turned his own bedroom into something closer to a luxury suite than a normal one,
By the time the sun rose, Issei was already back on his feet, having woken up early to finish his daily quest. After having a quick breakfast with Esil, the two advanced to the next floor, where an entire legion of White Flame demons appeared to have been waiting for him, their banner fluttering as they loomed menacingly in the distance. Just as Esil had said, the demons on this floor were far more formidable than anything he had encountered so far in the dungeon. There was no need for him to use Observe to gauge the strength of each demon. Their presence alone made it obvious.
It was clear he had to join the battle from the start.
"Get out of here, Esil." Issei spoke firmly to Esil, leaving Aegis behind to take her somewhere safe and watch over her before walking forward. In the distance, the demon legion let out a battle roar before charging at him with a commanding gesture from their leader, a White Flame General.
Without further ado, Issei brought out Ascalon and summoned his own army, leading them into battle as he charged ahead and collided with the enemies in a storm of magic and steel.
It was a heavy raining afternoon in Kuoh Town.
"Eeeek!" Gasper cried out as thunder cracked overhead, loud enough to make the walls of the ORC clubroom to tremble and the windows rattle. Rain hammered against the glass in thick sheets, blurring the view of the school grounds outside. Another rumble followed soon after, deeper and longer than the last, making the crossdressing Dhampir to whimper fearfully before hurrying over to his cardboard box, slipping inside and pulling it close.
Sitting at her usual seat, Rias glanced toward the window, watching lightning flash behind the curtain of rain before remarking. "The storm sure is just as bad as the weather forecast said" The protective barrier around the building shielded them from the violent winds, but it did little to block out the constant roll of thunder.
"We should probably head home soon, before Issei-kun's parents start to get worried." Akeno said as she stood near the windows, turning to the others seated around the clubroom. They had come to school early that morning to take care of some prep work for their project at the upcoming School Festival alongside the Student Council, but unfortunately the whole ordeal had gone on a lot longer than what they had expected to, prompting them to stop by their clubroom first to wrap up the remaining devil-related activities for the day.
"Yes please." Irina beamed, standing up from across Rias, where she was sharing her seat with her two best friends. "The sooner we head back, the earlier Asia, Xenovia and I can go to the Underworld to visit Ingvild-chan."
"Oh, you three are going to visit her again?" Rias asked, making the Church Trio nod their heads in response. It wasn't really a surprise to her. The three of them had been visiting Ingvild every single day without fail, after all.
If she could, Rias would have been doing the same. To say they were worried about Ingvild would have been an understatement, as her condition had been getting worse with each passing day. Even with Issei around, Ingvild kept slipping into unconsciousness, forcing them to rule out the possibility that her Disease would stabilize or weaken simply because he was nearby.
That realization had been especially bitter, as Rias herself had hoped that it was true. Having seen firsthand what the Sleep Disease could do to someone, with her cousin's mother also suffering from it, Rias knew exactly how cruel it was for those afflicted and their family, who would never know if their loved ones would wake up the next time they lost consciousness. Sometimes, that uncertainty was often worse than the pain itself.
"Tell you what? How about we all go together today?" Rias suggested, making Irina exchange a look with Xenovia and Asia before their faces lit up with excitement and delight.
"Of course. The more the merrier, Rias-onee sama." Asia beamed, nodding her head repeatedly. Around the room, the rest of the Occult Research Club did not waste any time voicing their agreement, even Gasper, who was hiding from the storm in his carton box.
"Okay then. Let's—"
Rias said as she rose from her seat, hands already reaching out to gather her things, but before she could finish, the magic circle on the side of the room lit up, illuminating the space with its soft blue glow. From there, Issei appeared, his backpack slung over one shoulder as he waved at them with a wide grin. "Hey, I'm back!"
"Welcome back, Issei/Issei-sama/Issei-san/Issei-kun!" The club chorused warmly, their voices carrying genuine cheer at the sight of him.
It was then that Rias took a step forward with a small smile. "Did you finish your work with Lady Aphrodite, Ise?"
"Yeah," Issei replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "Aphrodite actually let me return early because of Ingvild. My head really hasn't been in the right place ever since we visited her in Serafall Hospital, so she figured it'd be better if I just came home."
Rias nodded knowingly, her expression softening. "Good. You're just in time. We were planning to go visit her together."
"That sounds like a great idea," Issei said, his eyes brightening. He started walking toward Akeno, who had already moved closer, and she smiled as she opened her arms, ready to greet him.
But before they could embrace, three shadowy figures burst from Akeno's shadow, their forms immediately coalescing into their menacing orcish figures. At once, the three lunged at Issei with surprising speed, forcing him to leap back from them much to his own shock, a feeling that was shared by everyone else in the room.
"What are you guys doing?!" He shouted in shock, spinning to face them, eyes wide as the three shadows and many others, those that Issei had left behind before he departed to Egypt with Aphrodite, emerged to stand protectively in front of the members of the Occult Research Club.
'These guys? Yeah, they are fiercely loyal to me.'
Time seemed to slow as Kiba Yuuto, with the words Issei had once told him echoing in his mind, turned his eyes from the shadows to Issei, a cold, chilling realization hitting him as he watched the confused expression on his face shifting in a wide smirk as Boosted Gear materialized on his left arm.
"EVERYONE, GET BACK!"
[BOOST!]
[EXPLOSION!]
A violent shockwave of concussive force tore through the clubroom, striking Kiba just as he took a step to charge, flinging him across the space of the ORC clubroom with bone-jarring force. The walls of the clubroom tore apart in a spray of wood and glass as he slammed into it, and the storm outside seemed to roar in tandem with the explosion. Rain lashed against his body as he flew through the air. Pain shot through him from the impact as he crashed hard onto the school grounds, feeling the wet earth splash against him. Darkness engulfed his vision, and his senses dulled as he lay in the rain-soaked courtyard, briefly unconscious.
A brief moment later, Kiba jolted awake, feeling a sharp pain throb through his body, and the cold, driving rain stung every wound. As he lifted his head up and looked around, his eyes widened in horror when he saw the unconscious forms of the ORC littering the area, motionless. The closest figure to him was Rias, with a Shadow Orc standing over her, his torn torso reforming as it appeared he had used his own body to shield her from the full force of the blast, just like what the others had done for the rest of the club.
Nearby, Xenovia, Rossweisse, and Koneko were the only ones that were awake, but all three were badly wounded, their clothes torn and blood trickling down their faces and arms. Kiba's vision swam as he tried to move, pushing himself up through the mud and rain while blood trickled down the side of his face. Each movement sent sharp joints of pain through his battered body as he tried to crawl to his master.
Then, a violent roar split through the stormy air, a sound so fierce it shook the courtyard and made the rain hiss before it even hit the ground. Blinding, searing heat swept across the area as a torrent of dragon fire swept over the space, blasting the Shadow Orcs away in a whirlwind of flames. Kiba flinched instinctively, ducking down and covering his head with his arms.
When the heat finally subsided and the smoke cleared, Kiba finally allowed himself to cautiously lift his head, blinking through the lingering haze. His eyes fell back on Rias before shifting quickly toward the familiar yet disturbingly alien figure of Issei Hyoudou, who was casually walking toward her. Kiba's heart sank, watching in shock as he stopped above her and pressed his boot lightly against her face to shake her head in a twisted, cruel gesture meant to wake her.
From all around, numerous figures emerged from the corners of the courtyard, walking toward them with unnerving, synchronized movements. Soon enough, they surrounded the wounded ORC club and stopped just short of them. Among the shadows were some familiar faces, and Kiba felt his heart sink as he recognized who they were. They weren't too close, but they were those he would call friends.
Clenching his jaw, Kiba turned his gaze back to Issei, or whatever it was that stood over them. His voice was hoarse, trembling with fury as he spoke. There was absolutely no way this person, this… thing could be his comrade, his best friend, Issei Hyoudou.
"Who… are you?"
'Issei' merely smirked in response, before a bolt of lightning tore across the sky above their head, nightmarishly illuminating the rain-soaked courtyard and the figures surrounding them.
End of Chapter 48