[ Defeat the fallen angel Kalawarna (0/1) ]
"Issei-san, get ready!" Asia suddenly cried, drawing his attention. Her eyes no longer empty, but now glowing with a unique light.
"Issei… I feel like I've heard that name before," Kalawarna said, stepping closer, while Issei listened with lingering doubt.
"I hope the rumors are true, at least enough for you to entertain me a little," she added, raising her spear of light to strike.
Issei took a deep breath, sharpening his gaze. He didn't understand what was going on, but now wasn't the time to figure it out. Immediately, he reinvested the points he had earned from his earlier battles, his body growing several times stronger, faster, and tougher than before.
"If those rumors are about how good I am in bed, then I'll admit—I'm a legend." He spoke with stoic seriousness, while Kalawarna studied his expression.
"..."
She suddenly broke the silence with laughter, her stern features softening. Her full chest rose and fell with her laughter, catching his attention.
"I'd love for those rumors to be true as well, boy," she said playfully, almost as though cheering him on. "But first, I need you to survive." A wild gleam flickered in her eyes.
The spear glowed intensely, its brilliance swelling brighter with every heartbeat—until, in a flash, a streak of light ripped through the air straight toward Issei.
The spear darted at his head, but he dodged at the last instant, a thin, searing line forming along the side of his face. For a moment, he considered retreating. But realizing Asia stood defenseless behind him, he pressed forward with a counterattack.
He twisted his body into a powerful kick that drove Kalawarna back, though she recovered with gymnast-like balance, springing away and crouching low, readying another charge.
She rushed him again. This time, however, Issei closed the gap as well—one hand grabbing the spear of light while the other struck at her.
She released the weapon in an instant, ducking low as her agile legs whipped like lashes to knock him down. But Issei leapt away, his movements nearly as fluid as hers. Without hesitation, she conjured another spear of light and hurled it at him.
"Damn it…" Issei muttered tensely, sweat running down his face as three more spears rained toward him at once. He rolled across the ground as fast as he could, twisting mid-air as yet more spears streaked down in relentless succession.
In the chaos, he spotted another steel beam from the earlier battle and quickly armed himself, hurling it like a spear toward Kalawarna. She shifted smoothly out of its path, repositioning with precision.
He dashed a calculated route, gathering as much debris as possible for ammunition. Dodging, countering, striking—every motion sharpened. After a while, both fighters locked eyes, their expressions tense. Ranged attacks were proving more and more futile.
They were simply too fast.
"I'll admit, you've at least got spirit," she said, acknowledging his tenacity. "But aside from that…" She laughed, amused.
"You've still got a lot to learn." She surged forward once more, hurling her first spear toward him while manifesting another for close-quarters combat.
Issei didn't flinch. He charged straight at the projectile, seizing it inches before impact. Instead of breaking its momentum, he let the spear's force carry him, twisting his body in unison with its trajectory.
The spear spun him sharply on his own axis, his feet dragging hard across the floor before he released it—sending it back with redoubled force toward the reckless fallen angel charging at him.
Her eyes widened with terror as she tried to pull back, only to realize inertia wouldn't allow it. The spear struck her square in the abdomen, halting her momentum and flinging her several meters away.
She clenched her teeth, heels digging into the ground as she fought to stop her out-of-control body. But Issei gave her no chance. He sprinted forward, far faster without a spear lodged in him.
He positioned himself behind her and kicked her spine, launching her straight into a pillar. The impact shook the ground, but worse—the entire building groaned under the strain. Issei grit his teeth. This time, the whole structure trembled.
He had already shattered too many pillars, and now the building was demanding its price.
"Asia!" He dashed to the healer, throwing himself over her and turning his back against the collapsing ceiling. In moments, everything came crashing down onto him, the crushing weight forcing a low groan of pain from his throat.
Darkness swallowed them, rubble pressing down heavy. And then came a green light.
"Issei-san, don't worry. I'm still here." Asia's voice carried through the dust as her healing glow spread, refreshing warmth washing over his battered body.
Issei swallowed hard. He hadn't paid much attention to her until now, but in this moment, he was grateful she was by his side.
Taking a deep breath, he braced himself and pushed, forcing space open little by little before shoving the debris aside.
He never once forgot Kalawarna's presence, after all, he hadn't heard the system's familiar chime of victory. Which meant she was still alive. And sure enough, as soon as moonlight touched his eyes again, he found hers staring back.
"You look like a rag," he said, noting her battered form, half-leaning on one leg, body scraped and trembling. "If you want to run, this is your chance."
Her eyes narrowed at his offer. She clenched her teeth, more irritated by his words than her wounds. Yet when she glanced at the hole torn through her abdomen, a sigh escaped her lips.
"Your reputation precedes you," she admitted, unashamed of her loss. It seemed natural, after all.
"If I ever get the chance, I also want to test that other reputation of yours — see if you really are that good in bed." She smirked, then shot into the sky.
[ Defeat the fallen angel Kalawarna (1/1) ]
[ Mission Complete ]
[ You gained 1000 pts as a reward for your bravery ]