Chapter Text
"Issei" Normal Speech.
'Issei' Normal Thought.
"Ddraig" Magic /Technique.
"Jinwoo" Demon/Monster Normal Speech.
'Jinwoo' Demon/Monster Thought.
That morning, Asia woke up with a beaming smile on her face.
Smiling was something that came naturally to her, a habit she had developed over the years as the Holy Maiden. She did so to radiate warmth and kindness, so that those around her would feel safe, reassured that everything would be alright. While she genuinely took great happiness in healing the wounds of those who were injured, her smile often served as a gentle mask to bring comfort to others, even when her own heart was troubled because there were people who viewed as a monster who could heal wounds.
However, the past few days, Asia found herself having a lot more reason to smile.
"Morning, Asia-chan!"
"Good morning, Miki-san!" Asia beamed as she leaned over the railing just outside her room and waved at Miki Hyoudou, who greeted her from the kitchen with a warm smile.
It had been a little over a week since she moved into Hyoudou Residence, and the transition had been smoother than she could have ever imagined. From the moment she followed Issei through the door, his parents had welcomed her with open arms, treating her like the daughter they never had. His mother fussed over her, while his father had gone out of his way to ensure that she had everything she needed. Issei, too, had been incredibly attentive, helping her settle in and supporting her every step of the way.
Surrounded by such genuine affection, Asia found herself smiling more than ever, not because she had to, but because she truly felt happy.
"Oh, if you are looking for Ise, he already left for his morning workout," Miki then informed her "He mentioned he might be gone for a bit, but he'll be back in time for breakfast."
"Oh, I see. Thank you!"
Asia answered, feeling slightly disappointed. She had looked forward to spending some extra time with him in the morning, watching TV or reading newspapers with Issei to catch up on the latest news, which was her favorite activity to do in the morning before breakfast. However, she also understood that he had a daily routine to keep, and the last thing she wanted was to disrupt it.
"Asia-chan, would you like to lend me a hand preparing breakfast?" Asia heard Miki called, making her smile in response. If she couldn't join Issei, since she didn't have the physical strength to keep up with his exercises – having seen him running 10 kilometers a few days ago, then the best she could do was help prepare a delicious breakfast for him to enjoy when he returned.
"Of course, Miki-san! I will be down shortly."
At the same time, halfway across Kuoh town, Issei was stretching his legs as he prepared to enter his second Instance Dungeon at a construction site. Having just finished his morning workout routine, Issei felt ready for the challenge than ever. The stamina replenish and fatigue decrease potions that he could buy from the Shop helped a lot, despite how expensive they were, but he had gotten to a point where he no longer needed to pick the Rejuvenation reward to recover after every workout. It was thanks to this that he was able to choose the random loot box rewards and find a new key for another Instance Dungeon, along with a bunch of other items that could be useful in the future.
'I need to become even stronger.' Standing up, Issei thought as he looked at the item he was gripping in his hand, a key that would lead him to a C-rank dungeon. His first Instance Dungeon, the one with the goblins, had been only E-rank in difficulty, which meant it had been a relatively easy challenge compared to what lay ahead.
Was he ready for it? Issei actually didn't have a clue, but just clearing daily and recurring quests also wasn't gonna get him anywhere. In the past few days since Asia moved in, he had only managed to level up once. The experience he gained from clearing daily and recurring quests now barely filled a twentieth of his EXP bar.
If he wanted to grow stronger – so that he could protect and fight for Asia and everyone else when the times came, then he knew he had to push himself harder. The latest incident with the Fallen Angels had made him realize what kind of a world he was truly living in, and how dangerous it could be.
He needed to be ready, and that's his reason to become stronger.
"Alright. Let's do this!"
With that said, Issei held the key out, and a portal similar to the entrance to the Goblin Dungeon appeared before him. Taking a deep breath, Issei ran into it and arrived at...
"Wait, where am I?"
Issei asked aloud as he looked around, seeing that he wasn't in the pocket dimension, or whatever it was called, of the construction site he had just been at. Instead, he found himself in what appeared to be a deserted village, The buildings, made of weathered wood and crumbling stone, stood in various states of disrepair. Some had roofs that had partially caved in, while others were covered in thick vines. A cold breeze swept through the village, causing the dilapidated doors and shutters to creak and sway. There were no sounds of animals or people—just an unsettling stillness that made Issei's skin crawl.
'So it doesn't necessarily have to be the same place.' Issei thought as he looked around. A sudden clank of metal and the creaking of heavy armor snapped him out of his thoughts, growing louder with each passing second. Issei immediately darted to the side and took cover behind a small house, his mind quickly deducing what was approaching.
And he was right. As Issei peeked out cautiously, he saw three knights marching towards his location, each standing at an imposing 7 feet tall and clad in dark armor. The leading knight, slightly larger than the others, wore black armor with gold accents, his helmet adorned with a sharp crest. Each knight carried with him a long sword that could have been a claymore in Issei's hand, their blades glinting faintly in the dim light, with the ground beneath them bearing marks of their passing.
[Black Shield Knights LV. 15]
[Elite - Black Shield Sergeant LV. 17]
Issei widened his eyes as he read the displayed information of the knights, which he doubted were the only mobs he had to fight in thí dungeon. No wonder why the dungeon was a C-rank, and that's not counting the Boss which had yet to appear. Just the feeling those knights gave off alone was enough for Issei to know that he wouldn't have an easy time fighting with them, unlike those goblins in the previous dungeon.
'No point in hiding. I need to catch them...' Just before Issei could deduce a plan of attack, his ear caught the sharp whistling sound of an arrow cutting through the air. Instinctively, he threw himself to the side, just as the arrow thudded into the spot on the wall of the house where his head had been.
"sh*t!"
Cursing loudly, Issei didn't get up immediately and continued to roll across the rough ground, narrowly avoiding a second, third and fourth arrows that zipped past his ear to embed into the ground. When he finally came to a stop, Issei snapped his head toward the direction those arrows had come from and saw four more towering figures on the rooftops of the nearby buildings, clad in the same dark armor as the two normal knights, but their weapons were different. While the other three wielded swords, these knights held in their hands heavy crossbows, with bolts already locking and aiming straight at him.
[Black Shield Archer LV. 14]
As Issei scrambled to his feet, the elite Knight emerged from the building behind him with a violent crash, knocking down the wall as he slashed his sword down at him. Issei barely managed to bring Razan's Blade out to block the attack, but the impact still rattled his entire body, sending him onto one knee as he looked up at the knight, seeing nothing but a pitch black darkness underneath the gaps of his helmet.
The elite knight didn't pause. It lifted its sword again and prepared for another crushing blow, but Issei was faster, diving out of the way and narrowly avoiding an arrow by the skin of his teeth. He slashed at the knight's torso, but his blade barely left a mark on the armor, not even making it flinch. In response, the knight swung its massive arm at Issei, striking him in the back of the head and sending him flying through the air before crashing head first into a house with a deafening impact. as debris scattered around him.
HP: 1255 / 1655
'f*ck, that hurts...' Issei thought to himself as he picked himself up, rocks and debris scattering around him. His vision blurred for a moment, but he forced himself to focus. That blow just then took out 400 units of his HP, even with the Endurance Passive of his jacket that reduced 56% physical damage. Without it, he would have been in a much worse shape.
He could hear the heavy footsteps of the knights quickly approaching and braced himself. Issei knew he couldn't afford to take another hit like that, and needed to be faster on his feet. At the same time, he needed to figure out a way to damage them, as his sword seemed almost useless against these enemies. Their armor was too durable, and it was hard to imagine that even its ability to apply Burn would be effective. After all, there was nothing beneath those armor but darkness — there was just no flesh to scorch.
When in doubt, use Boosted Gear.
And also, he did put a lot of points into Strength. It's time to put them both to good use.
Putting his sword back into his inventory, Issei summoned Boosted Gear onto his left arm and waited for the moment the knights to show up to dash out of the house, leaning his body back to avoid a sword aimed at his head. Once the weapon had soared past him, missing him by just an inch, Issei instantly spun around and punched the knight in the back with his metal gauntlet, sending shockwaves through the armor. Its torso was instantly blown off, with pieces of metal flying through the air.
[!] Notice
You have killed a Knight
As the remnants of the suit of armor clattered to the ground and fell onto its knees, Issei turned his attention to the other knights as it advanced towards him. Issei moved his body in swift motions to avoid their swords as he dashed past them, ignoring them in favor of taking out the archers on the roofs first, as they possessed far more threats than even the Elite.
[Skill Activated] – Sprint.
Activating Sprint to increase his running speed at the cost of just 1 MP per minute, Issei closed the distance to the houses where the first archer was positioned, swiftly maneuvering through a barrage of arrows that was fired at him. Leaping onto the rooftop, Issei turned his body sideways to avoid another arrow before running forward to grab the archer by its head, pushing it down and tearing the upper section of its helmet off.
Ducking down on one knee, Issei then spun around and used armored chest piece to block the arrows being fired at him from the other archers, waiting for them to start reloading to leap into the air and descend upon the second archer with a thundering blow, breaking through the rooftop it was standing on. Before the remaining locate him, Issei had dashed out of the house and rammed right into the house where the third archer was positioned. As it fell down, Issei was already waiting right underneath with a Dragon Shot, which he also aimed at the last archer, effectively taking them both out of the fight.
[!] Notice – Level up!
Just as he had expected from the start, more knights started showing up right after the archers were defeated. They formed a tight formation around Issei at the order of their Sergeant, who seemed to exude a commanding aura as it led the charge against him. The knights advanced in a coordinated assault, their swords swinging in unison, but Issei was able to weave between their attacks with his increased movement speed before throwing his punch at the nearest enemy. The blow sent the monster sailing through the air and crashing into one of its comrades.
The elite knight was shockingly quick on its feet and strikes, but the rest was slow and weak in comparison, allowing Issei to use his superior speed and strength to his great advantage, taking out one knight after the other with just a few, decisive blows. The knights fell in rapid succession as Issei dismantled their formation, leaving broken pieces of armor on the ground in his wake.
[!] Notice – Level up!
Eliminating the last foot knight with his kick, Issei turned his attention to the Sergeant, who swung its massive sword at him. Issei immediately sidestepped, evading the strike and then ducked low to deliver a powerful left hook to its torso, sending the knight staggering back to dash forwards and grab its arm to kick it with his left foot, forcing the elite monster to drop the weapon.
Before it could regain its footing, Issei had slammed his shoulder into its abdomen, making the elite monster stumble back before he snatched its falling sword in midair and spun around, swinging the blade in a wide arc that sliced through its toro all the way from the right shoulder down to the left hip, ending its existence with a final, decisive strike.
[!] Notice – Level up!
[Reward] Active Skill - Vital Slash LV 1
Required mana: 70
Required STR: 50
Required PER: 45
Through fighting tough combatants with strong defenses, the user has figured out the most efficient way to defeat their enemies, striking at their vital points to always inflict Critical Damage.
Exclusive to Blade Weapons.
[!] Notice - You have earned the title: [Shieldbreaker]
Add 10% Armor Penetration.
Before Issei could take a moment to breathe and check out his new stats and skill, a sudden shadow fell over him. He barely had time to react as a large spear descended upon him from above, rolling to the side to narrowly avoid the deadly blade as it crashed into the ground where he had been standing.
Looking up, Issei saw the towering figure of a new Knight landing on the spear with a heavy thud, generating an expanding wave of blue electricity from the spear that forced him to jump back even further. Much like the Black Shield Sergeant, this knight was cladded in black armor with gold accents, but its armor also featured additional elements, consisting of a flowing black cape that was attached to its back, and a pauldron adorned with a wing motif on its left shoulder.
[Black Shield Dragoon – Black Light Burns LV. 25]
Faster than Issei could acknowledge that it was the Boss of the Dungeon, the Dragoon had kicked up its spear, grabbed the weapon while it spun around in midair and lunged at him with blinding speed. Issei barely managed to sidestep the attack, forcing his head to the side just in time for the spear to miss him by a mere millimeter. However, the tip still grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood and costing him a small amount of HP.
Before he could do anything, the knight had shot its other hand out and punched him in the guts, making Issei cough out a mouthful of blood before it grabbed the collar of his shirt with a vice like grip, jerking him off balance to slam him down with the force of a battering ram, the impact reverberating through Issei as his back hit the ground, hard. Disoriented, Issei had just enough time to roll to the side as the Dragoon thrust its spear at him, narrowly avoiding the tip as it punctured the ground. Before he could get up, the Dragoon unleashed another wave of electricity from its weapon, electrocuting Issei before sending him flying to crash into a nearby house with a devastating kick.
HP: 725 / 2155
[!] WARNING - HP Low!
"You don't say..." Issei murmured as he pushed himself up from the rubble. His eyes locked onto the Dragoon as it took a stance with its spear, preparing for another assault with a blue aura surrounding it and arcs of lightning crackling around its weapon.
Without warning, the Dragoon lunged at Issei once again and thrust its spear toward his chest. Issei instantly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly thrust, although the surge of lightning still made his skin crawl. It then swung its spear at him, but Issei caught its arm mid-swing with Boosted Gear before punching the Dragoon in the face with his bare fist. Blood dripped from his knuckle, but Issei kept on the assault, hammering the Dragoon with a series of relentless blows and leaving dents in its helmet.
[Boost!]
co*cking his fist as far back as he could, Issei prepared himself to throw a punch that would for sure take off its head, but just as he was about to strike, the Dragoon twisted its body and broke free his grip before retaliating with a powerful backhand swing of its spear, forcing Issei to leap back to avoid the electrified weapon.
[Boost!]
Taking a stance, the Dragoon then leaped into the air, seemingly disappearing for a brief second before descending like a lightning bolt, striking the ground with a thunderous impact. Issei instantly leaped back to dodge the attack as the area around the Dragoon exploded, sending bolts of lightning out to strike at the ground around it. Before he could recover, the Dragoon was already airborne again, repeating the move but it came down even faster this time. Issei had to throw himself to the ground to avoid the spear as it struck with even more force, sending even more lightning from the impact site.
The Dragoon launched itself into the air a third time, but this time, Issei was ready.
[Boost!]
As the Dragoon descended, Issei boosted up his power one final time. The world around him seemed to slow down as he waited for the knight to just about to hit the ground to throw himself at him with a battle cry, his fist co*cking back to throw his punch with Boosted Gear at the side of the Dragoon's already cracked helmet.
The impact was like a thunderclap, sending a shockwave through the air. The force of his punch shattered the helmet entirely, sending pieces of it flying in every direction. The decapitated Dragoon itself seemed to freeze in midair for a split second, before the rest of its body crumpled away and crashed into the ground. The blue aura that had surrounded it flickered and then extinguished, leaving the shattered remnants of the black armor lying lifeless on the ground. Issei continued to sail forwards until he hit the ground, landing hard on his front but feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him as he sprawled out on his back and revered in his victory.
[!] Notice – [You have defeated the Black Shield Dragoon – Black Light Burns LV. 25]
[!] Reward - [Items: Palace Guard's Boots]
Rarity: C
DEF: +10
Vitality: +10
Description: A palace squire's boots. The squire was forced to put down the king he had once looked up to. On that day, these were the boots the squire used to step out of the king's shadow and stomp upon his head.
[Passive] Knight's Footwork: Grant user immunity to Slow and allow the usage of JUMP.
[Active Skill] JUMP: The wearer leaps into the air and descends to attack an enemy, dealing damage equal to 24% of attack.
[Cannot be dyed]
[!] Notice – Level up!
[Boosted Gear LV 3 – Unlocked]
[!] Notice – Level up!
[!] Notice – The [Player] is now Level 20 and has reached the requirement for a Prerequisite Quest.
'A prerequisite quest?' Issei thought as he looked at all the information displayed before him, specifically the notice that he had reached the required level for a prerequisite quest. Curious about what it could entail, Issei opened his System Mailbox and read through the details. As his mind absorbed the information, his eyes widened in surprise at what he discovered.
[!] Quest Info
YOU HAVE RECEIVED A [CLASS CHANGE QUEST].
Please go to the marked location on your map to start the quest.
Accept Quest?
YES/NO
"Woahh..." Issei let out a gasp, one that was followed by an amused voice.
[Woah, indeed!]
"Who's that!?" Issei asked in surprise, looking around to find the source of the voice before realizing that it had come from Boosted Gear. Moving it in front of him, noticing that it had become sleeker and even more dragon-like in appearance, Issei then looked at the glowing green jewel on the back of his hand and asked curiously. "Is that you speaking? You are that dragon sealed inside Boosted Gear, right?"
[The name is Ddraig, but I believe you've already known my name.]
"Yeah, I read about you from a history book I borrowed from Akeno-san." Issei replied before introducing himself "My name is Issei Hyoudou. Nice to meet you."
[Oh, I know who you are. I have been watching you from the moment you summoned Boosted Gear for the first time. Amazing fight, by the way. You fought really well.]
"Heh, thanks." Issei grinned before widening his eyes in surprise "Wait, does that mean you know about the System?"
[Yes. I can see all that you see from here. It's what kept me from talking to you until now. Normally, I could communicate with my hosts almost as soon as they unlocked Boosted Gear. Some had to grow strong enough to evolve it from its Twice Critical-like form first, but for you, it had to... reach Level 3 as the System has shown. Quite peculiar, I have to admit.]
"Judging from the way you speak, you have no idea what the System is either."
[You're correct. In all my years of being sealed inside Boosted Gear and moving from one host to another, I have never seen anything like it. However, I can say for certain that following its instructions has been helping you become strong... which I am all for.]
"Is this about the wielder of Divine Dividing?"
Issei asked, recalling the story he had read about Boosted Gear. He remembered how Ddraig and his rival, the other Heavenly Dragon Albion, were sealed. Their hosts were given the same titles as the two dragons themselves, and were destined to continue the fight that Ddraig and Albion had left off before the leaders of the Three Factions formed a temporal truce and joined force against them for having one of their battles interrupted their own war, leading to their bodies being destroyed and the souls sealed away into two Longinus-tier Sacred Gears: Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing.
[Oh yes. As you two are destined to continue our fight, sooner or later the host of Albion will show up and you will have to fight him.]
"Yeah, not like I didn't already have enough to worry about." Issei said sarcastically as he brought the Palace Guard's Boots out from his inventory and tried them on. The moment that he put them on, they faded away and became invisible, although touching around the area let him know that they were still there, and the stats the boots provided also showed in his Character Window. "Neat."
[Oh, please. At the rate you are growing, the ones who should be worried here are Albion and his current host.]
Ddraig told him with a small chuckle, and Issei could tell that the dragon was quite pleased with him.
[And guess what, you're also a devil. That means you and I are going to be partners for a few thousand years – unless, of course, you get yourself killed trying to clear one of these dungeons.]
"Partners?" Issei repeated before nodding his head with a grin "You know what? I like it. You have no idea how much I've wanted to have someone that I can talk to about the System. Keeping something this cool a secret is really tough, you know."
[Well, if you think being nearly killed by a suit of armor is cool, then yes, I have a feeling you'll be just fine.] Ddraig chuckled as Issei started walking around, gathering all the loot the knights had dropped around the village. [I've got a basic idea of how the System works now, so if you need any help deciding which weapons to buy or which skills to use, I'm sure I can be of great assistance.]
"That's the idea." Issei grinned, as he put all the loots he had been able to find into his inventory and opened the shop to start selling them for Gold. Most of the stuff that he sold were low-value equipment and common materials, but there were a few rare drops among them that fetched decent prices.
By the time he finished, his fund had surged to 41,200(G), a substantial increase from just over 15,000(G) before he entered the Instance Dungeon.
"Well, this much should last me for a while," Issei said as he looked at all the money he had made.
Potions and remedies only cost around 100(G) to 10,000(G), depending on their quality, but weapons and armors could range from 10,000(G) to 10,000,000(G), and that's not counting the higher ranking items that's yet become available to him as they were locked behind levels and other unknown requirements. Issei had no idea how he would be able to save up for an A-rank or even S-rank sword, but it wasn't like he REALLY needed them at the moment, as useful as they could be.
'Guess spending smart is also a part of the progress.'
[So anyway, I have been meaning to ask. What was that Class Change Quest about, partner? You seemed very amazed when you saw it.]
"Oh, right! The Class Change Quest!"
Issei snapped his fingers as he remembered the notice he had read earlier and realized he hadn't accepted the quest yet. Opening the Quest Window, Issei accepted the quest by choosing YES, and a red mark appeared on his map when he brought it up, indicating a location just a mile away from the construction site he had been at.
"There." Issei grinned as he closed the window. At the same time, the village around him started to fade away, returning him to the real world where he found himself standing in the middle of a construction site "Anyway, I don't know what it's about as well, but from my experience playing video games, a class change quest is a special type of trial quest that you undertake to advance your abilities. I think if I can complete it, I will gain new abilities, powers, skills... according to the class that I choose or I am assigned to."
[Oh, this is gonna be interesting. What are you still standing there for then?]
"I have school today!" Issei answered with a roll of his eyes at Ddraig, sneaking his way out of the construction site before a worker could spot him. "Let's do it later tonight after I return from school."
[Alright then. But before you go home with your family, you might wanna take a look at yourself first, partner.]
Issei paused, and opened his Character Window to look at himself since it displayed his look like a mirror. His hair was matted with dried blood, and his clothes were tattered and smeared with both blood and dust from the fight with the knights. With the one exception of his jacket, the once clean workout attire was now in disarray, with rips and tears scattered across his shirts and pants.
"Oh sh*t! I didn't notice." Issei exclaimed, realizing his state as Ddraig chuckled. Finding an alley, Issei then opened the System Shop and scrolled through the available items in the Apparel Section. Since he also got the current workout attire from the Shop, it didn't take long for him to find an identical set and put them on simply by equipping them in his clothing slots.
Next was his hair, and Issei knew he had only one way to fix it, buying a pair of scissors from the Utility Section of the Shop. Upon using it, the scissor disappeared, and a second window popped up before him, displaying the various hairstyles that he could choose from, each shown with his face as the main model.
"Well, what do you think, Ddraig? Which one do you think looks the best on me?" Issei asked his dragon partner, all the while rubbing his chin with a thoughtful smile.
"Hold on just a moment, is that really Issei!?"
"The hell happened to him?!"
"Wait, I haven't seen him in a while. So the rumors are true? When did he get so tall!?"
"Looks like he cut his hair too!?"
"Who cares?! He's hot now!"
"You know what? I forgive him for being a perv! I want him to do pervy things to me now."
"Are you okay, Issei-san!?" Asia asked in genuine concern when Issei almost tripped over his own foot at a comment from one of the female students while walking to his class with Asia that morning. He hadn't been paying much attention to the other remarks about his appearance, as he was focused on chatting with Asia about the subjects that they would study in class that day.
But that particular comment was definitely not something he had expected to hear.
Who could have thought that having a new hairstyle, one that was short and practical, would have that kind of effect on the ladies? Rubbing at his chin, Issei thought with a smug grin plastering across his face, while Asia just looked at him in curiosity.
"Ahem, so anyway... Asia, do you know that today the cafeteria has the special..."
"ISSEI, RUN!"
Just when Issei was about to tell Asia about the special dish on the cafeteria's menu that day. A familiar shout caught his attention. Turning his head to the side, his eyes widened slightly when he saw Matsuda and Motohama running towards him, their faces filled with dread as they were chased by none other than the girls of the Kendo Club, led by captain Murayama and her second in command, Katase. Each and every girl was holding in their hand a wooden sword, which they swung wildly at the two pervs while chasing them, probably for peeping them while they were changing their clothes in their club.
'Come to think of it, it's been weeks since I last partook in one of those activities with Matsuda and Motohama. Guess I have been too busy...' Issei mused while rubbing his chin. It's not like he could just hide in a locker now with how tall and big he had become.
[I'd prefer you don't, partner. I have had hosts with... eccentric personalities and behaviors in the past, but never an absolute pervert like how you used to be. For our sake, don't revert to your old self now.]
'Hey, Ddraig, why does that sound like an insult!'' Issei thought with a deadpan expression, communicating with the dragon inside him using the telepathic link between the two of them. Ddraig just let out a chuckle before going silent, allowing Issei to turn back to his two friends as they ran and hid behind him.
At the same time, a wooden sword came at him, and Issei just moved his hand out to catch it mid-swing with minimum effort.
'That was easier than I thought. The old me would have been on the ground instantly.' Issei thought as he glanced at the wooden sword in his hand. Compared to the blinding speed at which those Black Shield Knights had swung their swords at him earlier that morning, this felt like watching a cutscene of a video game that was lagging badly.
"Oi, watch where you are swinging this thing. You could have hit Asia!" Issei spoke to Murayama. It was only then that he noticed the bewildered look she and every member of the Kendo club, along with every student standing in the hallways, were giving him. With a nervous laugh, he let go of the wooden sword and just waved it off while scrambling away with Asia "Oh, uh... sorry. Let's just forget about this, shall we?"
It was after Issei and Asia had disappeared into their classroom that a female student broke the silence, saying something that even the members of the Kendo Club, who were notoriously known for disliking Issei for his pervert misdeeds, had to agree.
"Wow, don't you think Hyoudou-kun looked really cool just now?"
"So, if I want to ask your name, I have to say 'onamae wa nan desu ka'?" Asia asked while tapping the end of her pencil against her chin.
Issei nodded his head, "That's right. The 'ka' at the end turns the sentence into a question. It's a simple way to ask for information. You can use it for any question, like 'Where is this?' or 'When does this happen?'"
Asia looked thoughtful. "How about asking for directions? If I want to ask for directions to the nearest Church? I would say—"
"'Ichiban chikai kyōkai wa doko desu ka.'" Issei replied as he wrote down the sentence in Asia's notebook in Hiragana for her, since she just started learning Japanese and it's best for her to start from the basics. "'Ichiban chikai' means 'nearest', 'kyōkai' is 'Church,' and we use 'doko' to ask where something is."
Asia practiced the phrase, "Ichiban chikai kyōkai wa doko desu ka? I think I've got it! Auhh... I hope I won't get lost with this."
Issei reassured her with a smile while rubbing her head, making her beam at him "Don't worry. You'll do great. Keep on practicing and I'm sure that you'll be speaking fluently in no time."
Leaving the blonde to continue working on her Japanese, Issei then turned back to his homework. With how busy he had been with all the grinding, his duties as a devil, and the plan to tackle the Class Change Quest later on that night, the best time for him to do his homework was during club activities. The last thing he wanted was to fall behind his peers in studies.
At the same time, the others were just sitting around the room, minding their own business as usual. Kiba was practicing his barista skills, as one of his new devils jobs seemed to be about working at a bar popular with the ladies. Koneko was munching on her snacks as normal, sharing some with her familiar, a cute white furred kitten, which was laying out on her laps. Akeno, on the other hand, was making some green tea behind the counter. She seemed to be in a good mood today, but what else was new.
Rias, meanwhile, was sitting by the window with her chin resting on her hand, her eyes were having a far-away look in them as she gazed outside. It's something that Issei had noticed from the moment he entered the clubroom, and couldn't help but wonder what's on her mind at the moment.
"Want some tea, Issei-kun?" Akeno spoke, breaking Issei out of his thoughts. He turned his attention to her and saw Akeno walking toward to him with a warm smile and a tray with a teapot and some cups
"Sure, Akeno-san. Thanks!" As he took the cup from her with a wide grin, Akeno poured another tea for Asia and leaned forward to glance at his homework, though it was clear she wasn't particularly interested in what he had written. "Say, Issei-kun. I have noticed that you're a fan of Akari Sakura, aren't you?"
Issei looked at Akeno as he set down his tea cup, surprised by the sudden shift in conversation but feeling no less excited at the mention of his idol. "Yeah, I am. She's a fantastic singer. How did you know?"
Akeno's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief, as she pulled out from the pocket of her shirt two tickets. "I noticed your ringtone was her most popular song. Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for her concert this Sunday. I have two tickets here and thought it might be fun to go together."
"Wait, really?!" Issei asked in surprise as he looked at the two tickets Akeno was holding up in front of him. At the same time, the other members of the club, including Rias, were looking at Akeno in surprise, not expecting her to do what she just did "That sounds amazing! I'd love to go, Akeno-san."
Akeno smiled, clearly pleased with his response. "Great! I will see you on Sunday then, Issei-kun."
With that, Akeno turned around and walked back to her spot behind the counter, looking even happier than before. As Koneko and Kiba exchanged a knowing, amused look, and Asia pouted at Issei, who tapped her forehead with the end of his pencil to remind her that she still had some Katakana to memorize, Rias shifted her gaze to Issei. She had no idea if her best friend was just playing around when she boldly asked him out like that, but her growing interest for Issei was undeniable. She too, was surprised by his changes, and found him to be quite attractive just like Akeno. That, and his new hairstyle really suited him...
Later on that night, after having dinner with his family, Issei was lying in his bed, his hair just peeking out from under the blanket as he slept.
Suddenly, the red magic circle bearing the crest of the Gremory devil household appeared in his room, illuminating the dark space with its crimson glow. A figure, which belongs to none other than Rias Gremory, appeared from the circle in her usual grace, looking around the room before her eyes landed on Issei. She was still in her school uniform, and the top of her shirt was left unbuttoned, revealing a hint of her cleavage.
"Issei, there's something I want to ask of you." Rias said, but there was no response from Issei, who continued to remain in his bed. "I want you to..."
Still no response, and it was only then that Rias realized something was odd.
Hurrying over to the bed, Rias grabbed the blanket and pulled it off in one swift motion, revealing no Issei Hyoudou, but a pile of carefully arranged pillows, with a black wig perched on top where Issei's head should have been.
"Maybe I should just tell everyone I'm out for the night."
Issei murmured to himself, though he knew it was too late for that now. The cool night air rushed past him as he pedaled his bicycle down the dimly lit streets, heading toward the marked location for his Class Change Quest. It's not that late into the night yet, but the town was rather quiet, with only the occasional car passing by, and the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement.
"You think those pillows and the wig are enough, Ddraig?"
[Well, you said it yourself, partner. Your parents would never try to bother you at night because they thought you might be... busy with some personal activities.] Issei felt his shoulders slump and the smile on his face turned into a deadpan expression as he listened to his dragon partner. [And Asia. That girl doesn't look like the type who would try to bother you if she sees you sleeping, so yes, I do think that your cover's more than enough, partner]
"It better be. It cost me 10 Golds to buy that wig." Issei thought.
How a wig even cost 10(G) was beyond him.
Shaking the overpriced wig from his mind, Issei continued to pedal down the streets of Kuoh, eventually arriving at a secluded area on the outskirts of town. He parked his bicycle and stored it in his inventory, then made his way into the park. As he navigated through the trees, the ambient sounds of the city began to fade away behind him, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig under his shoes.
After a short walk, Issei finally reached the marked area on his map, As if waiting for him to arrive, a massive vortex of red energy appeared, scorching and fracturing the ground around it. Violet and blue lightning crackled violently along the edges of the vortex, casting a bright, flickering light across the dark area.
"This is it." Issei murmured as he gazed at the portal. Just the feeling it gave off was enough for him to know that he should not underestimate whatever was waiting for him on the other side. Before he could enter, a Notification Window appeared before him, showing Issei the unique rules of the dungeons.
[!] Notice
[Welcome to the Class Change Quest Dungeon]
- Cannot leave the Dungeon until cleared.
- Cannot access the System Shop.
- Cannot use Consumable Potions.
- Status Healing does not happen.
- The Player will remain at Level 20 even as the EXP exceeds the amount needed to Level Up. The exceeded EXP will be accumulated toward Promotion EXP once the Player has acquired their Class, allowing the option of promotion.
"Man, these are some crazy restrictions." Issei thought with sweat trickling down his face as he read the rules of the dungeon. "But I feel like the rewards will be worth it though."
The message was clear. No escape, no healing through potions or status effects, and no system shop to buy items and adapt to different situations. It's an ultimate dungeon that was designed to push him to the limit and made him earn his class.
"You ready, Ddraig?"
[You know I'm with you, partner.]
Bracing himself, Issei walked through the mass of swirling energy, which enveloped him in an array of colors. When the disorienting whirlwind finally subsided, Issei found himself in a dense, ancient forest. The trees were enormous, their gnarled branches reaching high into the sky, creating a canopy that let only specks of moonlight through. The undergrowth was thick, and the air was filled with the earthy scent of moss and damp soil.
Before Issei could survey his surroundings, the eerie silence around him was shattered by a low, rumbling growl that echoed through the forest. The ground trembled slightly beneath his feet, and his instincts screamed at Issei to dodge. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a fireball that illuminated the dark space around him as it soared past his head and collided with a tree behind Issei to explode violently, knocking Issei flat on his face before he was able to push himself up.
From the shadows between the trees, a massive creature jumped out and lunged at Issei, tackling him down and trying to bite his head off. Gritting while holding the create back by the neck, Issei then summoned Boosted Gear and punch its side twice, the first to knock it off balance, the second to throw it off of him, with each blow being strong enough to shatter the armor of one of the Knights he had fought earlier that morning.
The monster, however, merely flipped around and landed on its paws, revealing itself to be a massive wolf with dark, molten red fur that seemed to shimmer with heat and flicker with fire. Its eyes burned with a fierce, golden light, and its breath came out in visible puffs of flame. Its powerful, streamlined body were cladded in silver armor, accentuating its already formidable presence while giving it a regal yet menacing appearance.
[Blazing Inferno Wolf LV. 24]
As Issei readied himself, the area to his left suddenly lit up with a bluish glow, making him snap his head in that direction just in time to see a flash of lightning. Before he could react, a second wolf, crackling with electric energy, burst from the underbrush. It slammed into him with tremendous force, releasing a massive wave of electricity that sent Issei hurtling through the air.
HP: 2100 / 2255
He landed hard on the ground, skidding to a halt with a painful jolt when his back slammed into the trunk of a tree. The electric shock had left his muscles tingling and his vision momentarily disoriented, and as Issei struggled to push himself up, he heard the wolves howl, which was followed by the sound of rushing water coming in his direction. Already having the feeling what was coming, Issei immediately threw himself out of the way just as a wave of water came crashing down on him.
For a brief moment as he turned his head back, he could see the form of a wolf inside the wave, but before he could do anything, something dashed at him and moved in a circle around Issei, generating a maelstrom of wind to limit his movement. Over and over, it lunged at him from the tornado, slashing at him with its claws. Issei narrowly avoided the attacks by sidestepping, watching as the massive creature soared past him and disappeared into the vortex to prepare another strike.
[On your left, partner!]
"I saw it!" Issei shouted, snapping toward that direction and punching the Wind Wolf just as it emerged from the vortex. The blow knocked it down and caused the maelstrom to slowly disperse. However, just before it completely vanished, the Inferno Wolf unleashed a tremendous breath of fire, turning the dispersing maelstrom into a blazing tornado. Issei had no choice but to cover his face with both arms and charge through the searing flames.
The ground beneath him then exploded, and a fifth wolf shot out from the fissures, its form massive covered fully in rugged, earthen armor. The Earth Wolf let out a roar as it tried to bite Issei, who immediately shot his arm out and let its jaws closed around Boosted Gear, feeling its bite force reverberating through his body. The Sekiryuutei let out a grunt as he was forced back, his feet skidding on the ground as the wolf thrashed and gnawed at his gauntlet.
"GET OFF ME!" Issei shouted as he stomped his foot hard into the ground, breaking a good chunk of it in the process and drew back his free hand to punch the wolf in its side with all his might, knocking it off of him with a painful howl. The wolf crashed into the ground a few meters away, while Issei stumbled but managed to regain his footing, his gaze scanning the battlefield. The other four wolves had taken high ground, their forms looming ominously over him as their bodies crackled and flared with their respective elements.
[Striking Lightning Wolf LV. 24]
[Twisting Vortex Wolf LV. 24]
[Earthen Fury Wolf LV. 24]
[Rising Tide Wolf LV. 24]
As the Earthen Fury Wolf scrambled back to its feet, all five wolves then howled in unison. Their howls reverberated through the night, and from the shadows, more wolves began to emerge, all of which had white fur unlike the elemental colors of the first five. However, despite their different colorations, they matched the size and presence of the elemental wolves, appearing just as menacing as they gathered in packs and circled around Issei like the predators that they were.
[White Furred Wolf LV. 20]
"You guys want a piece of me?"
Drawing Raza's Blade from his inventory and taking a stance with the weapon and Boosted Gear, Issei taunted, his eyes glowing with an ominous red glow as he locked them onto the monsters.
"Come!"
Current Stat:
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil
Class: UNKNOWN
Level: 20
HP: 2255/2255
MP [Current Attribute: Demonic]: 855/855
Strength: 64
Vitality: 59
Intelligence: 52
Dexterity: 52
Perception: 48
Charisma: 40
Note: Black Shield Knights are enemies based on the enemies of the same name in FF16
End of Chapter 5
Note: And that is the end of this chapter.
Not much I wanna say other than that I hope you guys have had a good time reading, and have been enjoying what I have been doing for this chapter. The real fun, however, start next chapter when Issei got his Class. The chapter is already out on my p/atreon, so if you want to check it out early, feel free to do so there!
That will be it! Once again, I hope you you guys have enjoyed reading the chapter. As always, be sure to leave behind a review once you have finished reading! Be sure to check my p/atreon out if you want to find out what will happen next early, and have the power to supports me financially! Feel free to join my discord channel as well and be a part of my community (the links to both can be found in my profile)
See you in the next chapter!
