"Hmmm..."
Ajuka stared at the rows of weapons embedded in the testing field, swallowing uncomfortably.
"Measurement results..." He consulted his instruments again, hoping they would show different numbers. "Basic attack power with the Three-Phase Blessing... High-class, Devil tier, upper range.'
The Satan exhaled slowly, his analytical mind already racing through the implications.
Takeyo's test had progressed much more smoothly than Ajuka had anticipated. Perhaps even too smoothly. Each measurement revealed capabilities that exceeded expectations, yet Takeyo displayed them with casual confidence, as though this level of power were perfectly normal for someone his age.
"Then comes the final assessment," said Ajuka, his expression shifting towards relief. "The practical combat test."
Throughout the evaluation, Ajuka found himself questioning reality several times. The stronger Takeyo became, the more complex his training programme needed to be. Creating educational materials for someone who absorbed knowledge like a sponge and had abilities that defied conventional understanding was exhausting.
"A practical test?" Takeyo raised an eyebrow.
He glanced around the pocket dimension. The two of them were its only occupants. Did Ajuka expect him to demonstrate his techniques against thin air? Then again, perhaps Satan planned to spar with him personally, which seemed inadvisable given their vast power difference.
"Your opponent will be him," said Ajuka, pointing to a spot on the testing ground that was currently empty.
A massive magic circle materialised where he had indicated, its intricate patterns glowing with brilliant emerald light. The formation was so large that it spanned a significant part of the dimensional pocket.
A powerful draconic aura leaked through the teleportation array, followed by an overwhelming demonic presence. Takeyo immediately recognised who was about to arrive from the distinctive combination of energies.
Tannin is the Blaze Meteor Dragon. He was one of the former Dragon Kings who voluntarily became a Devil to secure territory for his people. He was stronger than most Maou-class beings.
'Interesting,' thought Takeyo, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
A Dragon King! Not just any opponent, but a legendary figure. Even better, he provides an opportunity for the sign-in system to activate a valuable feature.
[Ding!]
Congratulations to the host for initiating a plot check-in! Sign-in level: Gold!
[Sign-in plot: 'The Fear of the Dragon King'].
[Plot requirement: Make the Blaze Meteor Dragon Tannin appear fearful or wary.
[Time limit: one hour.]
Takeyo suppressed a smile. The system's requirements were always precise. He didn't need to defeat Tannin, only to force the ancient dragon to recognise him as a worthy opponent. This altered his tactical approach considerably.
"Yo! Lord Ajuka!'A booming voice echoed through the pocket dimension as the teleportation circle faded. "Is this the youngster you wanted me to test?"
Tannin emerged, displaying all his draconic glory. His enormous, purple-scaled body towered over them like a living mountain. The former Dragon King's triangular head, adorned with yellow horns, turned towards Takeyo. His keen red eyes studied the human teenager with open curiosity. Despite his size, his bat-like wings, folded against his sides, suggested incredible aerial manoeuvrability.
Dragon King-tier strength! Ajuka had arranged such a formidable test subject at short notice. Aside from the two transcendent-level Satans — Sirzechs and Ajuka himself — Tannin essentially represented the Underworld's strongest combat force.
"Yes, Tannin. Thank you for finding the time at such short notice,' said Ajuka, expressing his genuine appreciation.
Only the two transcendent Satans had enough political influence to ask Tannin for help at such short notice. The former Dragon King owed them both favours and, more importantly, respected their commitment to protecting the Underworld and its dragon population.
"Haha! You're about to witness the true power of a Dragon King!' Tannin threw his head back and roared. The sound generated a shockwave that effortlessly lifted boulders from the ground.
This was the Dragon King's roar, a technique that combined physical force with draconic majesty. The mere force of his voice was enough to intimidate weaker opponents into submission.
"Your Excellency, Tannin," said Takeyo politely, inclining his head respectfully. "Hello. I'm Takeyo Kagutsuchi. We'll be sparring shortly, but please remember to moderate your strength. My body isn't resilient enough to withstand the full power of a Dragon King without sustaining serious injury.'
He spoke in a courteous and humble tone that was almost self-deprecating. Although his words suggested weakness, his body language exuded quiet confidence. It was a carefully calculated presentation.
"Oh, a polite youngster! Haha! Don't worry, I'll definitely hold back appropriately," said Tannin, clearly pleased by Takeyo's respectful manner.
These days, too many young people carry themselves with an arrogance that exceeds their actual capabilities. So it was refreshing to meet someone who showed proper deference to their elders.
"Tannin," Ajuka interjected, his voice carrying an unusual note of concern. "Please be careful."
Over the years, Ajuka had learned to trust his instincts. Right now, they were telling him that something unexpected was about to happen. Takeyo's smile seemed just a little too confident for someone about to face the Dragon King.
"Oh, Lord Ajuka, don't worry. I know how to judge my strength properly,' Tannin replied, exhaling a breath of dragon fire that scorched the ground in a casual display of power.
Ajuka sighed quietly. Tannin had misunderstood his warning. He hadn't been telling the dragon to avoid hurting Takeyo; he'd been trying to warn Tannin to look after himself.
Although Takeyo hadn't shown any obvious signs of using overwhelming force, Ajuka's analytical mind spotted patterns that others might have missed. There was something about the situation that made Ajuka feel uneasy, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Both parties, please refrain from using techniques that could result in permanent disability or death," announced Ajuka, positioning himself between the two combatants. "If an unexpected situation arises during the battle, I will intervene immediately. Is that understood?'
He addressed both fighters equally, not just Tannin.
"Lord Ajuka is being overly cautious," Tannin said with a chuckle. "Don't worry, though. I know my limits.'
The dragon had no intention of seriously harming someone junior. If he injured Ajuka's student badly enough to cause lasting damage, it would harm his reputation. After all, Tannin, former Dragon King or not, valued his standing in the Underworld community.
His aim was to test Takeyo's maximum potential and push the boy into a dangerous situation in which his hidden strengths might emerge. That was all.
Takeyo remained silent, merely nodding to indicate that he had understood the rules.
He certainly wouldn't hold back the way Tannin had planned. In fact, he intended to use combat power that went beyond his usual capabilities. The sign-in system demanded nothing less.
"Please move to your designated starting positions," Ajuka instructed, gesturing towards the marks he had made on the ground.
Suppressing the anxiety building in his chest, he positioned himself an equal distance from both fighters. If something went wrong, he would definitely step in, regardless of the effect on the test results.
"Come and get me, boy!" Tannin called out once he had reached his position. His voice carried easily across the distance, resonating with draconic authority. "Let me see what you're capable of!" I heard you're Lord Ajuka's disciple. Make sure you don't embarrass your teacher!"
"I'll do my best, Your Excellency," Takeyo replied calmly.
Since he only intended to reveal his Rama incarnation to Ajuka, he would need to adapt his approach to combat. He would have to choose which abilities to display carefully.
"I announce," said Ajuka, his voice growing formal as magical energy gathered around him, "that the battle begins!"
The moment Ajuka had finished declaring something, Takeyo's eyes snapped open.
A mysterious light emanated from the pentagram pattern within his pupils, resembling twin stars that could perceive all truth and pierce every veil of deception. This was Alpha Stigma, the ability to analyse and comprehend any magical formula or technique.
[Krishna, the dark sky!]
Vamana the Dwarf!
Rama, the Mahatma!
Takeyo invoked the power of his three incarnations simultaneously.
Although he would only demonstrate combat abilities supposedly derived from Rama, he needed the support of the other two incarnations. Krishna enhanced his perception, enabling him to identify Tannin's weaknesses through analytical sight. Meanwhile, Vamana guaranteed that he could retreat at impossible speeds should Tannin's power exceed safe parameters.
"There's no trace of magical energy," observed Tannin, whose draconic senses had picked up on something unusual about Takeyo's power. "Are you relying on an exceptionally powerful, dragon-like physique? But you're human..."
The analysis troubled him slightly. Takeyo's strength seemed somehow wrong, as though it operated according to principles that defied normal classification. Nevertheless, the dragon remained motionless, allowing the younger combatant to make the first move.
"To raise the upper limit properly, I'll need to use extraordinary power," Takeyo murmured to himself.
An astonishing aura erupted from his body, surpassing his previously established capabilities. The pocket dimension trembled as divine energy surged through him.
[Rama Incarnation: Normal Mode!]
State change.
Rama Incarnation: Overload.
[Rama Incarnation: Over-Limit Mode!]
"Hey, hey, hey! Lord Ajuka, who is this boy?" Tannin's jovial tone had disappeared, replaced by genuine shock. "The power he's displaying right now has reached Maou-class levels!"
That assessment was accurate. Although Takeyo's physical attributes remained at the mid-class devil tier, the power he could channel and utilise had soared to Satan-class levels.
"The time limit is one minute," whispered Takeyo.
This represented the maximum duration for which his body could endure the over-limit state without sustaining severe damage. Pushing beyond one minute would cause harm that went beyond mere physical exhaustion; it would affect his very essence — the fundamental part of him that defined his existence.
Even the regenerative powers granted by the World Dragon Kurma incarnation could not heal origin-related injuries quickly. Such damage required time for careful recovery.
Takeyo designed this over-limit mode as a calculated compromise. In his normal state, he could enhance all his attributes by one full tier or more; physical and spiritual stamina were the only limiting factors. However, accessing true over-limit mode would cause progressively worse damage to his body, ranging from exhaustion to potentially fatal harm depending on how much power he drew.
In theory, he could harness the power of an entire incarnation at once. However, this would likely result in severe disability and irreparable damage to his origin, potentially leading to death.
His operating system included protocols for worst-case scenarios. If he were killed instantly by an ambush or overwhelming force, the system would automatically identify the attacker's hostility, assess their nature and capabilities, and unleash the full power of the most appropriate incarnation in a final counterattack. Takeyo's body would be disregarded, as he would already be dead.
The over-limit mode occupied the middle ground between these two extremes. Although it granted him access to excessive power levels, it ensured that he wouldn't die from the strain, although he would certainly suffer the consequences afterwards.
"One minute should be enough," said Takeyo, his voice carrying across the testing ground with unnatural clarity.
Tannin's eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. The human boy standing before him had just leapt from mid-class devil capabilities to maou-class power in the blink of an eye. The implications were staggering.
'No wonder Ajuka warned me to be careful,' thought the former Dragon King, his earlier confidence evaporating.
This wasn't going to be a simple evaluation of a promising student's potential. It was going to be a real fight against a formidable opponent.
For the first time in years, Tannin's warrior instincts fully awoke as he recognised the danger posed by his opponent.
The Dragon King's roar shook the entire pocket dimension. This time, however, it was not an intimidating roar, but an excited one.
Finally, a worthy challenge!
☆☆☆
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