The first two hours of his second visit to the Labyrinth passed by quietly, though somewhat boringly for Issei, who found it harder and harder to grasp just how vast the place was. Although he had been on the move constantly, taking only a few two to three minute breaks to conserve his stamina and hydrate up, the center chamber was still nowhere to be seen. At times, he couldn't help but think that the Yarn of Ariadne wasn't working as intended and he was just going around in circles, but Issei quickly pushed those thoughts aside and kept going, knowing that the Yarn was his only hope of clearing the Labyrinth and finally reaching the Demon's Castle.
As Issei continued to head further and further into the Labyrinth, long, narrowed corridors, some so small that he had to crawl to get through, were far from the only problems he had to deal with. The most common of them were traps. Issei encountered the first set of traps an hour into his journey, and even though they were primitive, each one was still quite dangerous, from pitfalls that Issei passed easily using his wings, to sharp spikes shooting from hidden mechanisms in the walls. The most difficult to overcome was probably a giant rolling stone dropped from the ceiling, but Issei just destroyed it to clear the way and continue.
And then there were the monsters. For some reasons, Issei didn't run into a single one during the first two hours of his journey Ddraig deduced that it might be the effect of the Yarn, which could have either driven away the monsters or guided him along the most optimal paths where none were present.
Problem was, it was mythologically proven that the deeper one traversed into the Labyrinth, the more dangerous it became, evident by the presence of traps as well as the increasing signs of monster activities. From human bones to rusted weapons and broken pieces of armor that littered the stone floor, Issei knew that it was only a matter of time before he had to start fighting his way to the center chamber.
And he was right.
SHKREEEEEEEE!
A Keres shrieked the moment it spotted him, its piercing cry echoing through the stone corridors like nails dragging across the surface of a board. The sound was followed by more screeches as several more Keres peeled themselves off the walls, their weapons flashing as they charged at Issei at the same time.
"Finally." Issei murmured as he held up the Kamish's Awaken Daggers and shot forward, sidestepping a rusty sword that came down in a vertical arc, tilting his body just enough to avoid the blade before slashing its wielder clean across the torso. The creature crumpled mid-screech, dissolving into black mist before it hit the ground before another lunged at him from the side, but Issei ducked low, the smaller Kamish dagger cutting across both of its legs. The Keres dropped with a shriek, only for his second blade to pierce straight through its throat.
A third rushed at him head on, but Issei immediately hurled one of his daggers straight into its skull. The monster instantly collapsed, twitching violently as Issei recalled his weapon with a quick activation of [Ruler's Hand, catching it mid-air as two more rushed him head-on. He dashed between them, and one dagger sank into the ribcage of the first, while the second sliced through the spine of the other.
A dozen more Keres burst from the shadows ahead, but Issei showed no hesitation. Igniting his blades in dragon flame, Issei launched himself forward again, weaving through the mass of mythical monsters while leaving trails of fire in his wake. Each swing of his daggers cut down the monsters with ease, the dragon flames searing through flesh and bone alike, reducing the shrieking creatures to ash before they could even react.
Within moments, the corridor fell silent once more, the last of the Keres disintegrating into mist around him as its burning bodies crumbled away. Issei looked to the side and saw an army of bone warriors sprinting toward him, rusted swords and cracked shields raised high as their empty eye sockets glowed with pale blue light.
Thrusting his palm forward, Issei unleashed a torrent of dragon flame toward the charging army. The front line of skeletal warriors shattered on impact as the wave of pure destruction swept over them, their bones exploding into fragments, while the rest were caught in the flames and melted down mid-charge. In a matter of seconds, The entire wave was reduced to smoldering heaps, leaving the corridors in silence once more.
"Guess the level difference really makes this even easier." Issei muttered as he continued down the path, following the golden trail of yarn on the floor.
Eventually, he arrived at a wide, open chamber nestled between three branching corridors. The moment he stepped inside, his inner alarm screamed at him, and Issei instantly dove to the side, avoiding an enormous wooden club that struck the spot where it was just a second ago, sending dust and fragments of stone scattering across the chamber.
From the settling debris, a massive figure stepped forward, towering over Issei at least four times his size. Its single eye glared with mindless rage, baring yellowed teeth as it unleashed an animalistic roar before raising the club again for a second strike.
"It's not Greek Mythology without a Cyclops, is it?" Issei asked as he dashed to the side, avoiding the club once more before zipping over the Cyclops' legs, flaming blades carving deep into its thick calves. The monster howled and stumbled forward, but Issei wasn't finished. Leaping onto its back in a single bound, he drove both blades into the back of its neck. The Cyclops buckled, tried to shake him off, but flames soon erupted from its wounds, consuming its entire head.
A second later, the Cyclops fell to its knees and collapsed forward with a loud thud as Issei jumped off its back.
Issei exhaled through his nose as he tossed a look at the headless Cyclops from over the shoulder. "Yeah, I'm definitely overleveled."
[Isn't that a good thing, partner?]
"You remember the game we played last week, Ddraig?" Issei asked his dragon partner, looking around to find the Yarn of Ariadne and spot it leading to the corridor on the left "This is basically it. I'm too high level, so the EXP these monsters give is pretty much nothing. And I'm pretty sure there's also an EXP drop rate penalty too, since they are way below my level. It's like styling on noobs so your skills don't improve, naturally. I don't think it's even worth it for me to let the shadows out to grind for their own levels, since we share EXP and all."
[Oh, I see.]
"Hope it gets better soon. If this whole place is one of those tower climbing challenges then the monsters should be higher levels as we go up."
After collecting all the loot on the floor, Issei continued to follow the yarn and soon arrived at another chamber, where he encountered a group of Lamia, half-woman, half-serpent monsters with gleaming fangs and bloody red eyes that sprang out from behind pillars. One hissed and lunged at him first, but Issei caught her with a slash to the chest, then spun and drove his other blade into the gut of another as she tried to coil around him. He made quick work of the others as they tried to mindlessly attack him at the same time, slashing his blades in a wide, flaming arc that cut clean through their bodies, dropping them one after another before they could even get too close.
More monsters appeared in the corridors, clearly drawn by the noise and the smell of blood. A trio of Gorgons slithered out from the shadows, their eyes glowing faintly and snakes writhing in their hair. One of them tried to lock eyes with him, but Issei immediately averted his gaze and threw a dagger into her face. She shrieked and crumpled before her petrifying glare could have any effect.
[Skill Activated] – Phoenix Shift
Another hurled a stone-tipped spear his way, but Issei deflected it with a quick twist of his blade and closed the distance with a burst of flame, slashing a flaming dagger across her neck before landing on the floor behind her as her headless body fell. Looking up, Issei saw that the last was upon him, her large, curved sword gleaming in the orange hue of the ball of fire hovering next to him as she prepared to bring it down, but Issei shot forward before she could do that, his blade cutting through her torso cleanly. The monster let out a hiss before she crumpled to the stone floor, body dissolving into black smoke that then vanished without a trace like the others.
Issei swung the blood off his blades before carrying on with his journey. At one point, he encountered the swarm of spider monsters from his last visit to the Labyrinth. Just like before, there had to be at least thousands of them, but Issei had no trouble dealing with them this time by sending out a torrent of raging blue dragon fire that spread in every direction and incinerated everything in its path.
[!] Level up!
"Finally! A level at least!" Issei said, looking at the notification window that had popped up next to him before dodging the last spider monster as it lunged at him from behind. With a swift turn, his blade cut cleanly through its body, the spider collapsing to the floor with a screech, its body dissolving into black smoke before it could even hit the floor.
Carrying on, Issei arrived at a wide, circular chamber, where the Yarn of Ariadne ended. In the center, there was a platform with a lever and chains hanging from the ceiling. Issei ran in, sensing the floor trembling beneath his feet before two hulking Cyclops appeared from the shadows, each one wielding a massive club, their single eye glaring at him with malice as they unleashed an earthshaking roar. Behind them, a dozen harpies swooped in from a branched pathway, screeching as they circled in the air above his head.
[Pact Switch]
Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) - Rassei (Lightning)
Twirling his blades in his hands as it cracked with arcs of blue, Spirit Lightning, Issei dashed toward the nearest Cyclops, which swung its massive club down, aiming to crush him, but Issei spun low under the swing, his daggers flashing as he cut across its legs. Four Harpies swooped down, their talons aiming to tear him apart, but Issei kicked off the floor with a burst of lightning and launched himself upward, slashing one of the Harpies across the chest mid-air. The lightning in his blades leapt from her body the moment his dagger made contact, chaining to the other three and sending them spiraling in all directions. One slammed into the stone wall with a wet crunch. Another dropped straight down, smoke rising from her wings. The remaining two barely managed to stay airborne before Issei made quick work of them, his blades slashing across their torsos.
The second Cyclops charged in with a bellow, swinging horizontally. Issei flipped backward to avoid the wide arc, his arm moving in a similar motion to fling one of his daggers at the hulking monster. It hit dead center, piercing the monster cleanly through its single eye as lightning exploded in its skull while it could do nothing but roar in pain. Capturing the moment, Issei leaped toward the monster and planted his foot on the pommel of the dagger to plant it even further into the bleeding eye, using the momentum to launch himself further into the air and slash at another Harpy.
As the Cyclops toppled over, Issei recalled the second dagger from the dissolving monster, making it fly into his hand just as the remaining Harpies screeched and dove toward him from every direction. He ducked his head low, letting the closest Harpy pass just over his head before surging up with both daggers slashing outward in a wide arc. The twin blades tore through two of the monsters, and the Spirit Lightning surged from their bodies in violent bursts, chaining instantly to the others mid-air. The screeching turned into shrieks of pain as arcs of blue lightning lashed out from one target to the next, paralyzing their wings and sending three more crashing into the ground in smoking heaps.
Issei spun, slashing one dagger across the chest of another that tried to recover, the impact sending out another wave of chain lightning that struck the last two in rapid succession. As the last of the Harpies fell to the floor around him, Issei sprinted at the first Cyclops, which had recovered enough to stand upright again despite the gashes across its legs. Its club came down in a furious slam, but Issei darted to the left, leaving the massive club to smash into the stone floor and send cracks spider-webbing outward from the impact before he zipped to the right with a burst of lightning, his dagger carving one clean across its abdomen.
The monster howled in pain, staggering back a step while holding its bleeding stomach with both hands. Issei pressed on, leaping onto the monster to dive both daggers into the Cyclops' single eye. With a twist, the daggers discharged a torrent of Spirit Lightning through the monster's head and down to its massive frame while it howled in pain. The Cyclops stood frozen for a heartbeat, then collapsed backward with a heavy thud, smoke pouring from its charred flesh as Issei yanked his weapons free and returned to the floor, leaving the monster to dissolve behind him.
"Is this it?" Issei asked after collecting the Yarn of Ariadne, which automatically rolled itself up into a ball the moment he picked the other end off the floor. Putting the item away, he then walked over to the platform in the center of the room and looked up, seeing a wide circular opening far above.
[Looks rather promising.] Ddraig remarked as Issei walked over to the level and pulled. The chains connecting the platform rattled for a second before the whole thing started to rise.
"Can't believe some ancient architect built this whole place." Issei said while waiting on the rising platform and waiting for it to reach its destination. Halfway, he reached into his Inventory to bring out a bottle of energy drink and drank the whole thing in one go, letting out a satisfied exhale as he finished.
When the platform finally came to a halt, the chains stopped with a resonant clang, and Issei found himself standing in a new chamber. The walls were clean and smooth, with torches burning along them. The floor was made of polished stone, and the air in this room felt much fresher compared to the previous areas.
At the center of the room was a raised platform, and above, a column of light connected it with the ceiling. It didn't take much for Issei to figure out that was where he needed to go.
Standing between Issei and his destination was a massive monster that towered at over eight feet tall. Its body was a terrifying mix of human and bull, with broad shoulders and thick, tree trunk-like arms packed, each muscle corded with veins that bulge under its dark, coarse fur. Its legs were just as massive, ending in hooves, while its dark, almost ashen hue skin stretched taut over its massive frame. A pair of enormous, spiraling black and white horns rose from its brow, gleaming in the dim light, the sharp points curving menacingly toward the ceiling. Its piercing black eyes glinted with malice, and its broad, bull-like nose with a brass ring flared with each breath as it locked its gaze on Issei.
The Minotaur of Crete – LV65
"So, you must be the legendary Minotaur." Issei said as he held up his blades. The Minotaur snorted in response, its breath heavy and loud as it stomped once, twice, each step shaking the entire floor of the Labyrinth.
[Hold on… Issei, look behind the beast.]
Issei furrowed his brow as he heard Ddraig speak from his Sacred Gear, which manifested on his left arm as he got ready to fight the Minotaur. Flicking his gaze over to the spot his dragon partner mentioned, Issei widened his eyes in surprise when he saw a large, translucent bubble of water suspending in mid-air, just a few inches above the floor and in front of the column of light. Inside, Issei could make out the feminine figure of a young woman with long, light purple hair. She was dressed in a white dress with high slits on either side, the fabric flowing gracefully around her form with her black miniskirt.
"Wha…"
Before Issei could finish voicing his shock, the floor beneath his feet trembled as the Minotaur rushed at him with a feral roar, barreling toward Issei with its hooves pounding against the stone hard enough to leave cracks, Its towering form twisted as it lowered its head down and tried to impale him with its massive horns.
[Pact Switch]
Rassei (Lightning) - Y Ddraig Goch (Fire)
Instantly, Issei leaped out of the way, landing swiftly on his feet before slashing his daggers in a wide arc to intercept the next strike just as the Minotaur halted itself with a bellow of frustration and spun around to swing one of its giant fists at him. His flaming blade left a deep gash across its wrist, and the Minotaur howled in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Issei shot forward, stabbing the larger Kamish dagger into the Minotaur's thick hide before yanking the blade sideways, cutting a deep gash across its ribs. The Minotaur staggered back with a roar of agony, its massive hands clutching the wound as blood poured out in waves.
[Skill Activated] – Vital Slash.
[Skill Activated] – Vital Slash.
[Skill Activated] – Vital Slash.
[Skill Activated] – Vital Slash.
Without giving it even a chance to run away, Issei followed up with a quick flurry of strikes, each of which was empowered by [Vital Slash]. The first cut sliced across its exposed side, sending a fresh spray of blood into the air. The second strike found its mark across its chest, severing muscles with brutal efficiency. By the third slash, the Minotaur was staggering, its once intimidating roar now a wheezing, guttural cry of pain.
The final Vital Slash landed at the base of its neck, sending a surge of crimson blood splattering out before Issei followed up with a stab to the throat as the beast fell on its knees. A final, guttural moan escaped its throat as its limbs went limp, and the Legendary Minotaur of Crete collapsed forward with a heavy thud, shaking the ground as Issei yanked his blade free.
[Partner, the girl…]
Without wasting even a second, Issei spun around and ran at the mysterious girl just as the bubble of water holding her burst, causing her to fall freely through the air. He reached her in time, sliding across the floor on his back, ignoring the cold splash of saltwater against his face as he caught the lavender haired girl as gently as he could in his arms. Sea water? He thought, but his attention soon turned to the girl as she let out a soft whimper in his arm and slowly opened his eyes, revealing a set of beautiful whimsical orange eyes that he could see his own reflection in as she blinked and settled her gaze on his face.
"You… are the person from my dream…" She said her voice was soft and almost melodic.
"Uhm… Hi! Nice to meet you." Issei smiled awkwardly, not quite sure how to respond to that.
He was, of course, completely lost.
"Arise."
From the corpse of the Minotaur, its shadow rose, pushing itself up one knee before Issei. As the extraction settled, bits of shadow armor manifested over its towering form, from broad, curved pauldrons on each shoulder, a thick armband on its left bicep, and a ghostly Fustanella draped from its waist. The newly formed shadow knelt before Issei in silence, awaiting his command.
"Hmm…" Issei hummed thoughtfully as the naming window popped up between him and the shadow Minotaur. "Maybe Asterius? It was your human name, wasn't it?"
[Asterius – LV.20]
Rank: Knight
Asterius thumped his left fist against his chest with a solid thud before bowing his head low in silent acknowledgment and appreciation as he accepted his name. Issei gave a small smile back and reached into his Inventory and pulled out a sturdy iron battleaxe he had picked up from the System Shop a while ago but never used.
"Here, you can have this. You know how to use weapons, right?" Issei said, handing the blade over to Asterius, who accepted the weapon with both hands. "Welcome to the team, Asterius."
"How did you do that?"
Issei glanced over his shoulder toward the lavender-haired girl now sitting on the steps leading up to the column of light. She had his blanket wrapped around her, and was holding her hands out toward the shadow flame wolf sitting in front of her, letting its gentle flames warm her up and dry her clothes, though her hair was still slightly wet, clinging to her face and neck as she quietly watched him.
"It's an ability of mine." Issei answered "I can extract the shadow of the…"
"No, not that." The girl interrupted, shaking her head. Pausing for a second, she then continued while holding her index fingers out to draw a rectangular in the air. "That… box where you pulled the axe out. I've never seen storing and summoning magic like that before. How did you do it?"
Issei, meanwhile, was at a complete loss for words.
[Now, this is interesting…]
"You… you can see that?" He asked, stunned.
The girl tilted her head slightly, orange eyes narrowing in thought, as if trying to figure out whether she was supposed to or not. "Was I not supposed to?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Kinda… I'm supposed to be the only one who can see it." Issei answered before he decided to ask "Who are you?"
"I'm Ingvild." The girl introduced herself "As for my surname… I honestly don't remember, but the people at the hospital and that mysterious facility… they called me Leviathan…"
Issei froze on the spot. His eyes locked onto her, wide and unblinking. If he had been shocked before by her ability to see the System, then the revelation of her last name left him completely dumbfounded.
"Katerea." Issei called and the shadow emerged beside him with a bow. "Do you know that girl?"
He asked, looking over to Ingvild. Katerea just looked over to the lavender haired girl and shook her head, and based on her reaction, it didn't seem like Ingvild knew Katerea either.
In response, Issei looked at Ingvild and activated his Observe ability, causing his eyes to emit a faint red glow. The information window appeared next to her, and Ingvild turned her head at it instantly, confirming that she wasn't lying when she said she could see the System windows.
Name: Ingvild Leviathan
Race: Devil-Human Hybrid/Pseudo-Dragon
"Pseudo-dragon?" Issei read in surprise before the realization hit him. Could it be that because she was a Pseudo-Dragon, the System already registered her as a dragon he could make a pact with, thus letting her see the System? But that still couldn't be the case, since Tiamat, and probably Rassei too, couldn't see the System until after she had agreed to make a pact with him. Ddraig was the only exception, but it was because he was inside him.
Moreover, why was she considered a Pseudo-Dragon to begin with? At least she wasn't lying that her last name was Leviathan, which confirmed her to be a descendant of the original Leviathan Maou just like Katerea.
[Could it be because the Leviathan was considered the Dragon of the Sea?] Ddraig asked [There are many legends of the Sea Dragon Leviathan, and I remember the stories one of my previous hosts heard. It's about the Leviathan herself having the powers to control the sea and summon serpentine dragons from it. Maybe that's why the System registered her as a Pseudo-Dragon?]
"Yeah, but how can she see the Systems? I haven't made a Pact with her yet." Issei asked, holding up Boosted Gear to talk to Ddraig directly.
"You are a devil too, aren't you?" Ingvild then asked, looking over to him after prying her eyes away from her stats, which, especially INT and CHR, were incredibly high. "But I also feel the aura of a dragon coming from you, just like me… but yours seems more dominant."
"I am." Issei nodded, walking over to her to lower himself down on one knee beside his shadow flame wolf. "I'm a devil servant of Rias Gremory. Do you know her?"
The girl just shook her head.
"Do you know how you got here? How did you even end up down here anyway?"
Again, the girl just shook her head.
"Do you… remember anything about yourself, at all?"
"The sea…" Finally, some answer, though it was not the kind Issei was hoping for. "I remember dreaming about the sea… and you were there with me as well. The next thing I knew, you were holding me in your arms… in this place. I guess I have just been sleeping for so long I don't know what is real anymore."
"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Issei asked in surprise.
"… I was seventeen years old. But, when I woke up today, I found out that I was a one hundred and seventeen year old granny. Yet, when I looked in the mirror, my appearance was still seventeen years old… strange, huh?"
"Well, at a certain age we will stop aging and can use magic to make us look young, but still…" Issei explained, narrowing his eyes at her "Ingvild, when were you born?"
"1908."
"Does that mean you have been sleeping for almost a hundred years?" Issei asked in shock before he decided to ask, recalling something he had read a while back. "Ingvild, did you have the Sleep Disease?"
This time, Ingvild nodded her head.
The Sleep Disease was a unique disease known to afflict both ordinary and noble Devils. When Devils develop this disease, they would fall into a deep sleep and wouldn't be able to wake up. Naturally, the disease did not lead to death, but the body would still slowly deteriorate from prolonged inactivity, and eventually, the host would die.
It was a disease that had no cure.
"Hold on." Issei murmured thoughtfully "Does that mean the Elixir of Life…"
With that, he opened the Info Tab of his items, focusing on the red key of the Demon's Castle.
In the Demon's Castle, you can obtain the ingredients for the Elixir of Life item, which cures all illness with powerful magic.
"Does this mean it can cure me?" Ingvild asked in wonder as she read the text.
"I don't know, but… I think it's worth a try." Issei answered with a shrug. The key to the Demon's Castle… It came from the Blessed Box that gave him what he wanted, and Issei had come to the place with the purposes of grinding his levels and crafting the Elixir of Life, but now he was starting to wonder.
Could it be that the System had set him on a journey to cure Ingvild all along?
"But I'm awake now, for some reason. Even the doctors at my hospital didn't understand how." Ingvild said, which Issei had to admit was a valid point. "Maybe I'm already cured?"
Issei could only shrug his shoulders in response. Observe didn't let him see other people's status alignments – either that, or the skill just wasn't high enough yet to allow him to see that kind of detail.
Regardless, if Ingvild still had the disease, it meant she could slip into slumber any moment, and it could be another hundred years, or worse, before she woke up again. If anything, he definitely didn't have the right equipment to take care of her in her sleep.
"Man, if only Azazel-sensei were here…"
[So, what do we do now, partner?] Ddraig asked, clearly referring to their journey.
"Well, for starters, we can't go back yet. There's no way for Ingvild to get out of here… I think."
Issei muttered as he glanced at Ingvild. Teleportation magic didn't work in Dungeons, and the Teleportation Stone was the only way out, but it would only work for him, not her. Unfortunately, it was also one of the items that was strictly non-transferable and couldn't be used by others, even if Issei added them to the Party with him.
"And if we continue, then there's no way I'm just gonna leave her down here alone. I guess our only option right now is to clear the whole castle so Ingvild can leave with us."
"Where are we, anyway?" Ingvild asked him. "I don't… recognize this place."
"Trust me, I doubt any devil does," Issei said with a small chuckle. "We're in the Labyrinth. As in that Labyrinth from Greek mythology, the one built by Daedalus. For whatever reason, it's become the basement floor of a place called the Demon's Castle, which I believe is right on top of us right now."
He then pointed to the pillar of light behind her. "That pillar of light, I'm pretty sure it's the way forward, or up. It's where I'll find the ingredients to craft the Elixir of Life to cure you of your disease..."
"You will… help me?" Ingvild asked, looking at him in surprise.
"Of course."
"But you… barely know me."
"I know you enough to want to help you. Plus, even if I don't, then I'll still help you. No one deserves to stay trapped in a sleep like that for the rest of their life." Issei replied to Ingvild with a wide grin, making her stare at him in silence for a long moment.
"May I come with you then?" Finally, she asked, raising slowly from where she had been sitting. Her clothes and hair seemed to have all dried up, and Issei had to admit that she was an incredibly beautiful and attractive girl. Her outfit wasn't doing much to hide that from his eyes.
"Yeah, I think it's the only way. I can't just leave you here." Issei nodded his head "Don't worry, I will have my shadows protect you when we're up there. You'll be safe with them."
"Thank you…"
"Issei. Issei Hyoudou." Issei said, mentally kicking himself for not introducing himself this whole time. "Come on, we've got a long journey ahead of us. Basically, I need to clear this whole place out so you can leave."
"How strange…"
"The world, it's changed a lot while you were asleep, Ingvild," he added. "Everything started about seventeen years ago, I think…"
Once Issei finished explaining the Gates and the threats from another world, the two stepped into the column of light. In a blink, they were transported into a massive hall, with the ceiling arching far overhead. The walls were lined with ornate golden carvings and dark blue panels, lit by the steady glow of torch sconces that cast flickering light across the room. Massive demonic statues crouched silently atop pedestals on both sides, watching over the space like sentinels. At the far end stood a towering double door of dark metal, etched with sweeping, vine-like patterns and sealed tight—its surface humming faintly with a low, ominous energy.
[!] Quest Completed!
You have overcome Floor -1F and ascended to the 1st floor of the Demon's Castle.
Reward: The formula for the Elixir of Life has been added to your list of Craftable Items.
"Great!" Issei grinned as he walked down the hall with Ingvild before noticing the confused look on her face as she looked at the Quest info. Since could see it naturally, Issei believed it would be fine for him to tell her, so he began. "So, this window you're seeing, it's the Quest Function of the System. Don't ask me how it works, because I honestly don't know, but the day I got reincarnated as a devil, this thing showed up and started giving me tasks I could complete to… level up, get stronger. I don't suppose you know what a video game is, do you?"
Ingvild silently shook her head.
"Remind me to show you once we're out of here. The System basically turns my life into a video game. I'm its Player." Issei explained, choosing his words carefully to make it easier for Ingvild to follow. It had to be overwhelming, waking up after a century to find the world so drastically different. "It's got a bunch of other functions too, but it's what lets me store and summon items like I did earlier. The System also gave me the ability to turn the enemies I kill into shadow soldiers. Oh hey, look. I just got a new Quest."
[!] New Main Quest
Collect Demon Souls (I).
The Demon's Castle has a total of 100 floors and each floor is full of demons.
Hunt them down and collect their souls to claim your rewards.
You can save your progress on the 50th floor. Leaving before defeating the Boss on this floor will result in the entire Castle resetting.
Rewards:
1. [High-ranking Demon] Armor Set.
2. [Obsidian] Jewelry Set
3. 20 bonus stat points.
4. Unrevealed rewards.
Completion Requirement: 0/20,000 Souls.
"Twenty thousand!?" Issei blurted out, eyes wide in disbelief. "I better get at least twenty levels from slaying that many demons, seriously."
Despite the absurd amount of souls he had to collect, Issei had to admit that the rewards looked quite tempting. If he could get the [High-rank Demon] armor set and the [Obsidian] jewelry set, then he would finally have a full set of S-rank gears.
"So… from what you said earlier, I suppose no one could see this?" Ingvild then asked him, moving her hand through the Quest Panel as if trying to see if she could touch it.
"Except for my Pacted Dragons and you." Issei answered before carrying on with another explanation "It's another ability of mine. Basically, I have two classes. My main class is Dragonsworn, while my sub class is Shadow Monarch, which lets me revive the dead as I told you. The Dragonsworn, meanwhile, let me make Pacts with dragons so I can use their powers and abilities like my own."
"Well, the thing is… only the dragons who've agreed to make pacts with me can see the System, since I'm not supposed to tell anyone about it." Issei said, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner "Which is why I was so confused when you could see it. The fact that the System recognizes you as a Pseudo-Dragon is one thing, but you being able to see it even though you haven't agreed to make the pact with me is a completely different story… presumably I can make a pact with you. Ddraig told me it might have something to do with your ancestor, the original Leviathan. But I have a shadow who was also a descendant of the original Leviathan as well, and the System didn't recognize her as such, so I believe there has to be another factor in play."
"Oh, please don't get the wrong idea. Katerea was an evil woman, by the way. She threatened to kill my friends so I had to… you know…"
"Don't worry. I believe you, Issei."
Ingvild said softly while shaking her head, making Issei smile while scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"And the voice you spoke to earlier, the one from your gauntlet… His name's Ddraig? That's the Boosted Gear, right? So… you're the Red Dragon Emperor?" she continued, her gaze shifting to the crimson gauntlet on Issei's arm.
"Yeah, that's right." Issei nodded with a small smile, lifting his arm to show the gauntlet more clearly. The gem in the center glowed as Ddraig's deep voice echoed from within.
[Nice to meet you, Ingvild.]
"Nice to meet you as well, Ddraig." she replied with a small, curious smile. "So, he must be one of your Pacted Dragons, right?"
"Yes. Even though he doesn't have a body anymore, I can still make the Pact with him just fine." Issei nodded, smiling proudly as he held up his hand "The other Pacts that I have are with Tiamat, the Chaos Karma Dragon King, and Rassei, a juvenile Sprite Dragon that is the familiar of a friend of mine. Their powers have been helping me a lot on my journey to get stronger so I can protect the people I hold dear."
With that, the two came to a stop in front of the giant door at the end of the hall. Slowly, Issei reached his hands out and rested it on the cold surface, feeling the energy coursing through it pulse faintly under his touch.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
With Ingvild giving him a small nod, Issei pushed the doors open, causing a wave of scorching heat rushed out to meet them. Unbothered by the heat, Issei merely raised his arm to shield his eyes away from the blinding light as they stepped inside, finding themselves in what looked like a city that had just been hit by an army of fire dragons. As far as their eyes could see, buildings stood partially collapsed, their frames groaning under the strain of heat and flame. Crimson fire danced along rooftops and licked the edges of shattered windows, casting long, flickering shadows across the burning streets. The sky above was an angry shade of black and yellow, filled with smoke and ash while glowing embers rained down like fiery snow.
"Ingvild, are you alright?"
Issei asked in concern, looking over to Ingvild to see her visibly affected by the overwhelming heat. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breathing had grown shallow, her body swaying slightly as if the sheer weight of the burning air pressed down on her. Issei doubted even a healthy man could endure this kind of environment for long, let alone someone who had only just awoken from a hundred-year slumber.
"Hold on, Ingvild. I got you." Issei said, opening the Shop to quickly buy a high-grade fire-resistance coat before navigating over to the Party Tab of the System. There was a small portrait of Ingvild there, waiting.
Accept Ingvild Leviathan to your party? Y/N
"Confirm." Issei said, using the voice command as he threw the coat around Ingvild and fastened it snugly around her shoulders. The moment that the coat settled on her, Ingvild blinked in surprise and stood up a little straighter, her face brightening up as if a breeze of cool, fresh air just brushed over her body.
Knowing that the coat, which provided 30% fire-resistance, wouldn't be nearly enough to protect her from the intense heat, Issei bought a few more items, accessories with the same effect and handed them to her, nodding his head as he said. "Here, put these on as well. They will protect you from the heat."
"Thank you, Issei. I feel much better now." Ingvild said, nodding her head to him as she put on the earring. Her eyes then widened in surprise before she pointed a hand over his shoulder "Issei, over there!"
Issei instantly spun around, his senses on high alert. Ahead of them, from the rubbles of the collapsed buildings, numerous, hundreds, of hulking demon-like monsters emerged. Their towering forms were a grotesque mix of humanoid and demonic features, with jagged spikes running down their backs and glowing red eyes that burned like the fire around them. Their skin was a patchwork of scales, matted fur, and charred, cracked flesh. Some were hunched, others stood tall on clawed legs, while more filled the air with their demonic wings, their faces contorting into snarling expressions of twisted, murderous delight as they locked onto Issei and Ingvild, who Issei calmly pushed behind him as he reached into his Inventory and pulled out Ascalon.
"Just stay here and let me take care of this, Ingvild." Issei said, tossing her a reassuring smile from over his shoulder "And don't worry, as I said… these guys will protect you."
From his shadow, dozens of his troops emerged, with Lycaon, Vulcan and Asterius taking the leads. The shadow troopers formed a protective formation around Ingvild, while the named shadows positioned themselves at her sides, with Lycaon baring his fangs at the demons in front of them.
"Watch over her for me. Keep her safe."
[Pact Switch]
Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) - Rassei (Lightning)
With a salute from Asterius, Issei turned back to the horde of demons in front of him and shot toward the nearest one with a burst of lightning. The first demon barely even had the time to scream as Ascalon cleaved it clean in half. Without stopping, Issei spun, slashing his lightning infused blade horizontally and taking down three more in a single arc.
[Target's mana is corrupted. Unable to use Shadow Extraction]
Casting a brief glance over to the notification that appeared over their corpse, Issei turned his gaze up when a pack of flying demons dove at him from above. Flaring his wings out, Issei shot into the air to meet them. He twisted midair, slicing through their wings and sending their twitching bodies crashing into the ruins below. As they fell, arcs of chain-lightning leapt from one to another as Issei hacked and slashed his way across the sky, lighting it up with crackling flashes and frying several more demons before they could even clap their wings to pull themselves back from him.
[EXP until Level up: 1,902,102]
[Demon Souls collected: 43/20,000]
"Ooh, showing me how much exp I need to level up now as well?" Issei asked with a small smirk as he landed on the charred rooftop of a crumbling building and looked at the notification windows that popped up on his right along with a list of all the demons he had slain so far. "How convenient. Ddraig, can you pay attention to it for me?"
[You got it, partner. Just focus on the fight.]
Issei grinned, tilting his head to the side to avoid a red beam that shot at him from behind, his eyes glowing menacingly as he looked over his shoulder toward the demon that had just tried to catch him off guard as it perched on the other building. In an instant, he was behind it, Ascalon already mid-swing. The lighting blade tore clean through the demon's torso before it could even register his movement, splitting it in two and sending both halves tumbling down in twitch heaps.
Leaping off the building, Issei descended toward the street below and slammed a pack of demons with a thunderous crash. The shockwave from his impact blew several back, but Issei didn't wait for the dust to settle. Wrapping himself in lightning with the Lightning Rush skill, Issei surged forward, each slash of Ascalon a death sentence to any demon in his path. His Pact with Rassei proved to be invaluable when it came to dealing with a large group of enemies, as The Electrospark skill unleashed arcs of lightning that chained between any demon foolish enough to close in on him. Some were incinerated on the spot, others were electrocuted and spasmed violently as they were stunned and stayed locked in place, giving Issei the perfect openings to cut them down one after another while moving swiftly through the battlefield.
[EXP until Level Up: 1,553,980]
[Demon Souls collected: 126/20,000]
From the rubble of a nearby collapsed building, a trio of winged demons chanted in unison, forming a massive magic circle that brimmed with unstable, ominous dark energy. Judging solely on the amount of energy they were gathering, Issei had no doubt that the spell would be strong enough to level an entire city block.
Thus, Issei did not give them the chance to finish.
With a flare of his wings, he rocketed upward, breaking through the circle mid-cast and slicing the three mages in half with a single spinning slash, the feedback from the broken spell erupting in a violet blast behind him. Issei shot out of the explosion like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the sky with thunder cracking in his wake. In a flash, Issei dove straight into the densest part of the horde below, crashing into the ground with a force that shattered the street and sent demons flying in all directions. Ascalon then slashed through flesh, bone, with every step he took being followed by the snap of thunder, every swing of his blade accompanied by bursts of lightning that leapt from body to body.
[EXP until Level Up: 1,002,120]
[Demon Souls collected: 216/20,000]
Demons screamed and howled, only to be silenced mid-cry as Issei tore them apart in rapid succession. Every time he was low on mana, Issei would take a brief second to replenish his reserve with a couple pots of Greater Mana Potions before charging right into the fray once again. He darted between enemies like a living storm, weaving through clawed swipes and searing fireballs. One demon lunged with its claws, only for Issei to sidestep and tear through its midsection with enough force to blow apart a good chunk of it. Before the body hit the ground, he vanished in a crackle of energy and reappeared behind another cluster of demons, skewering one and blasting the others apart with a wide burst of lightning from his free hand.
[EXP until Level Up: 621,400]
[Demon Souls collected: 273/20,000]
In the distance, larger demons started to rise. Elites, perhaps? Regardless, each and every one of them was a bulky monstrosity, but Issei could care less. Shooting forward, he disappeared with a crack of lightning, weaving between the massive figures while brandishing blades in lightning fast strikes. Ascalon sliced through their flesh like butter, each swing tearing apart layers of corrupted flesh and bones. A brute swung its massive cleaver toward him, but Issei swiftly sidestepped its attack, driving his blade into its exposed side to tear right through the monster before moving onto his next target.
One by one, they fell. The elite demons were much stronger compared to the rest, but they were still no match for him. With every swing of Ascalon, more of the hulking demons were torn apart, their guttural roars silenced by slashes from Ascalon, before finally silence settled over the battlefield, which was littered with the remains of the demon army.
[EXP until Level Up: 32,200]
[Demon Souls collected: 306/20,000]
"Am I done here?" Issei asked, scanning the area to see if there's any more demons lurking around. Noticing a light above his head, Issei looked up and saw a parchment written in some language he could not read floating down in front of him. Reaching his hand out, Issei caught the sheet of paper, and instantly, a notification window appeared, giving him an idea of its usage as a column of light appeared in the distance.
[!] Item: Entry Permit
Rarity: ?
Category: ?
A permit for entering the second floor of the Demon's Castle. Must be used at the Warp Zone.
"Guess that's where I need to go." Issei said before storing the permit into his inventory. He took a moment to glance around at the battlefield, eyes narrowing slightly as he focused on the corpses scattered across the burning ruins. They all bore the same notification from earlier; that their mana was corrupted and it was impossible for him to use Shadow Extraction to revive them.
It was such a shame, because there were some cool looking demons that Issei thought would make a fine addition to his shadow army.
"Alright, start collecting, boys. When you are done here just head straight to the entrance. I'll be waiting there" Issei spoke to the loot collecting troops he had just summoned before taking off into the air to fly back to the starting location, where Ingvild was properly waiting for his return…
… or not.
"GROOHHHH!" The shadow troopers howled and roared in excitement as they gathered around Vulcan and Asterius, who were arm-wrestling using a large, flat slab of rubble as their table. The two enormous shadows were locked in a fierce struggle, the titanic muscles of their arms bulging as one tried to overpower the other while the rest of the shadow troopers screamed, their boots pounding against the ground in rhythm with their wordless cheering.
Ingvild, meanwhile, was sitting off to the side with Lycaon, her legs crossed and a beaming smile on her face as she leaned forward and watched the match in anticipation. When Vulcan finally let out a deep, triumphant grunt, his massive arm slamming Asterius' arm down against the rubble with enough force to split it in half, Ingvild joined in with the celebration, her hands clapping excitedly as the shadows howled around her. There was a brightness to her expression that was impossible to ignore, and it brought a smile to his face as well as Issei hovered in the air and kept his gaze on the beautiful girl for a moment before flying down and landing just behind Vulcan as he threw his fists into the air and celebrated by roaring.
"You guys…"
He said, his tone almost nonchalant as Vulcan flinched and instantly lined up with Asterius, whose nervous expression was much more visible than that of the fully armored berserker/blacksmith. Still with a smile on her face, Ingvild turned to him as she rose to her feet, though Issei held a hand up to stop her before she could say anything.
"I was fighting my ass off against an army of demons and you guys were here having an arm-wrestling contest. Glad to see you fitting in, Asterius."
Issei finished, his voice dry but with just enough bite to make both Vulcan and Asterius uncomfortable, scratching the back of their heads as they bowed apologetically to him with the other troops. Lycaon, meanwhile, just yawned, looking rather bored even as he seemed to be having fun accompanying Ingvild as she walked over to him.
"Well, at least you seem to be having fun." Issei said, the fake frown on his face turning into a smile as he looked at Ingvild, who smiled and nodded at him.
"I assume that you are done here, then?" She asked, with Issei nodding in confirmation.
"We just have to wait till my other guys come back with the loot. See if there's anything valuable then we can proceed to the second floor." Issei said, pointing at the column of light in the distance.
It seemed they still had a long way to go.
But he had a new goal, a new motivation to reach the top now.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 29 Shadow Monarch
HP: 20,215/20,215
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 5690/5690
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 244
Vitality: 203
Intelligence: 218
Dexterity: 208
Perception: 188
Charisma: 178
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV1).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV1), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1.
Current Active Pact [3/5] : Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3
Current Shadows: 281 / 340 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troop 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13.)
Elite Rank Shadows: Lycaon (Knight), Tora (Knight), Asterius (Knight), Blade (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), Dragon Knight Boots (LVMAX), Dragon Knight Gauntlets (LVMAX – Only one currently in use -Stats Reduced), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 (LV40), Orb of Avarice, Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 5.550.120 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon (Crimson Scale Mail), Twinflare (Soul Link), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank.
End of Chapter 28