Trials of the God-Harem King [Highschool DxD/Exalted] (CLOSED)

Alexander · May 2, 2014

Previous Thread

"Things were starting to turn serious. So a certain someone decided to turn serious too."
====

You're not sure if everything he said is true. But if it is, and all profit from it...then why not?

"Huh, well if I get the go ahead from the Gremory Clan I don't see why I can't help you out." You reply with a sincere smile, putting the number in your pocket. "Heck, there are a couple of other things I can think of that you may find interesting and should be able to help with, but until then nice to meet you Azazel-san. It's nice to know there's someone reasonable in charge of the Grigori."

"Ahah, I wouldn't do as well without my trusted subordinates. But thanks for the compliment. Goodbye Hyodo-san."

As he stands up and walks away something comes to your mind. "One last thing, Azazel-san. This Hakuryuukou. What kind of person is he?"

He stops and puts an hand on his chin. "What kind of person is he? I took care of him since he was a child, and let me tell you: the most fitting word to describe him is [prodigy]. He is someone overflowing with talent and intelligence. I can't get into details, but I firmly believe he is going to be the strongest White Dragon Emperor in history."

He grins in a strange way, as if he's both proud and apologetic about what he's going to say next. "He's also a battle maniac. He's obsessed in finding strong opponents, and he has reached the point where few of us in Grigori can give him a satisfying battle. He has great expectations about you, his rival."

You groan. "Sounds like a most troublesome person. Did he achieve Balance Breaker already?" Azazel nods. "Then tell him he needs to wait until I get mine, because there is no way I am going to seriously fight him without at least that. If you want to shorten the time you better prepare a super-special training for me to follow."

"So eager. I like it. I will prepare something just for you Hyodo-san."

After he left you lean back and calm down your breath. 'You heard that. Your thought?'

{This doesn't concern me, but from the history behind it this rivalry is bound by Fate. In this case you are destined to fight regardless of your actions. Regardless, any who opposed a Prince of the Earth will be swiftly and mercilessly put down.}

[Yes it's fate. I know Albion very well, and I know we will meet each other eventually. If what Azazel said is true he got a good host and a long head-start on us. We need to take your training up a notch partner.]

'I am not opposed to that, but I don't want to do this blindly. Tell me about Divine Dividing: what kind of Sacred Gear is it? What are its powers?'

[Divine Dividing is a pair of mechanical wings that let the user fly. It's powers are the opposite of mine: where I Boost and Transfer, he Divides and Steals. Divine Dividing has the power to halve the power of one enemy he touches every ten seconds and adds it to his own.]

'Nasty. It's a set of powers suited for a one-to-one fight, while mine is more suited to fight with allies.'

{As the Red Dragon Emperor. As a Solar you have a lot of options to defeat those who are technically stronger that you. I already thought of Charms suitable for the deed ahead. We will begin immediately once you return. The time for you to slack off is over.}

----

The first thing you do after returning home is calling Mittelt, Asia and Eiko to your room and placing a sound-muffling barrier over it. From Mittelt's face she was ready to make a lewd comment, but stops when he sees your serious face.

Once you're all seated on chairs you brought over you ask her a question. "Mittelt: this may sound strange, but do you know how Azazel, the leader of Grigori, looks like?"

"Azazel-sama?" She adopts a thinking pose. "I once saw a photo of him in a journal: he's a tall man appearing to be in his twenties, with black hair and golden bangs and a black goatee."

"So that was really him." You groan. You look them in the eyes. "Not even a hour ago I met Azazel in a bar."

As their astounded faces you relay the conversation you had with Azazel.

"I heard there were two Longinus users in Grigori, but I didn't know one of them was the Hakuryuukou." Mittelt comments.

"Wait, if what Azazel-san said is true does this mean that he personally knows Rias-san's family?" Asia asks.

"Fufu, Eiko smells a secret affair!" Eiko snaps a fan she picked up who know where. "There are rumors that the current generation's leaders of Devils and Fallen Angels are in a better relationship compared to what it was in the past."

"Rumors from where?"

"Why Master, from the Celestial Bureaucracy of course! The Shinto faction keeps a particular eye on the activities in the Underworld. Eiko was taught from the tribe's elders all about this sort of things."

And thank God she understands politics. You're more comfortable with small groups of people. "I see. If I really receive the okay from the Gremory clan I will accept Azazel's offer. I know this may be dangerous, but it would be worse if I don't accept: at least this way I will know what to expect. In any case, I will need to resume my training. Sorry girls, but my free time will be drastically reduced."

"Don't worry Ise-san. I understand. I have faith that you will not lose against anyone." Asia reassures you.

"If you have people gunning for you, you train. That's simple. And we will be happy to help." Mittelt smiles.

"If the lord goes to war, it's the duty of the vassal to follow. Eiko will assist Master in anything he will needs." Eiko grins and flaps her fan.

Later, when the girls leave you stop Mittelt. "Before you go, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"This may sound strange, but can you tell me what your parents do for a living?"

"Papa and Mama?" She blinks in surprise. "Papa was in the military before retiring: now he's the director of a company that research alternative sources of energy. Mama is half-time housewife and half-time drunkard."

What. "D-Drunkard?"

She shrugs. "She's half-Oni. I don't feel the need, but she needs to be drunk for a certain amount of time regularly or she will suffer from abstinence."

'Thank whoever is responsible for this: God, Unconquered Sun or anyone else. I will make an offer to you tomorrow ASAP.' "I see. What about your grandparents?"

"Grandpapa is an archeologist and he often travels around the world. Grandmama is a full-time drunkard and a wanderer."

What a dysfunctional family! Still, she said her father was in the military time ago. So maybe that's the one Azazel is afraid of? Considering how they don't sound as strict as a typical Japanese family, maybe you don't need to worry about angry fathers trying to castrate you.

Just in case, you will be on your best behavior around them. Just in case.

----

After dinner you retire to your room. Sitting on your desk you write on a sheet of paper.

[Snake Gang]

It's been almost two weeks since you learned about them. You put aside the matter until now, but maybe now is the time to take care of it. While your time is limited it should be easy to take care of the gang: they're just normal guys, while you're and Exalt. But while defeating them is easy, tracking them down is not. You should ask Matsuda and Motohama's help, or whoever may looks like knowledgeable about things like this.

Pursue Snake?
[] Yes
[] No

[Magnus]

You're wary about introducing Ruby and Yang to Azazel, but he may be the best person to teach them how to use their Sacred Gears. Asia too.

Introduce the girls to Azazel?
[] Yes
[] No

[Exaltation]

Now, that's a conundrum. There is no way Azazel will miss that Boosted Gear is different now. This mean you will probably have to tell him about it. But if he is interested, you may even work together into reproducing Solar technology.

Tell Azazel about Exaltation and all that it implies?
[] Yes
[] No

[Evil Pieces]

You don't know if he will be interested, but maybe Azazel can give you advices about your little project.

Tell Azazel about your research on the Evil Pieces?
[] Yes
[] No

What else?

[] Write-in.

After you finish putting your thoughts on paper you focus back on your mental connection with your partners. Just in time to hear fragments of a conversation.

[...Sure about that?]

{My analysis don't lie dragon. It was I who perfected biotechnology. Integrity-Protecting Prana will serve the worm well if you decide to go with this training. I am not particularly enthusiastic about it, but I can see the benefits. Grave times call for grave measures.}

[Perfect!] The dragon guffaws.

'Ohi. What are you two doing while I am distracted?' You ask, fearing they may be up to no good. While you respect both of your teachers immensely, you are aware of their quirks.

[Partner! Just in time.] You can picture Ddraig grinning from ear to ear. [Say, want to be a dragon? Or better part of it?]

'...Explain. Then, I decide how long I need to ignore you.' You deadpan.

[I'm serious, listen to me. Since your body, albeit perfect according to Bright, is still human I thought of a way to give you an edge against other supernatural beings. The answer?]

A pause.

[Dragon Energy. My soul gives Boosted Gear its power, but it's also possible to use directly the energy within. Compared to powers like Demonic Power and Light Power, who are determined by race, anyone can use the power of a Dragon. But many don't because it's hard, and also because losing control of it means either death or your body transforming into that of a dragon.]

You pinch the bridge between your eyes. 'And you're suggesting this, why?'

[Because you, partner, can both master it in a short time and avoid getting turned into a Dragon.]

You blink. 'Go on.'

[I had Bright made some tests. Not only you are already proficient in the qualities needed to successfully control the Dragon Energy's changes, your Charm "Integrity-Protecting Prana" can protect you from any screw-up and instantly revert your body to normal.]

'So you want to turn me into a Dragon?' You ask intrigued.

[Just part it. High-level dragons like myself are shapeshifters: your body will look human, but it will stronger, faster and more resistant. Plus you will acquire some powers that will help you greatly.]

'You're okay with it Bright-sensei?'

{Shapeshifting is more the realm of Lunars and audacious Eclipses, but considering the nature of your foes every weapon counts. The only thing that will never change, is that you need to win. Always. Excel in everything and rule as the perfect king. This, is what Solars do.}

'Hai hai. So Ddraig, how I do this?'

[You will need to access the newly opened source of Dragon Energy in Boosted Gear and learn how to properly channel it into your body.]

Materializing Boosted Gear you sit down on the ground and assume the Lotus position.

[Now, follow my intructions...]

[] Stunt: write-in.

Roll: [Wits + Resistance] At the end of each hour
Difficulty: 3
Successes needed: 15
----

To celebrate the opening of a new thread, and your past efforts to make a 100-pages long thread, I give you a boon:

Bonus: 20 Xp!

Use them well.

Alexander · May 2, 2014

Character Sheet

Name: Issei Hyodo
Exalted Name: Sovereign of the Radiant Scales
Quest Difficulty: Easy
Exaltation Type: Solar
Caste: Twilight
Motivation: To become a Harem King, a person worthy of the affection of multiple girls
Battle Theme: I Burn
Virtue Flaw: Imprudent Infatuation
Anima Banner: A great western crimson dragon with scales of orichalcum, its maw burning with the cleansing flames of the sun.
Anima Power: Solar Exalts of the Twilight Caste may perceive Essence through their Anima, allowing them to hone their senses for magic (this is considered a free-cost Essence Sight). By spending five motes a Twilight may add (Essence) automatic successes on any (Intelligence + Occult) roll to identify a Charm or to analyze it with Essence sight, and on any (Perception + Awareness) roll made to notice a magical effect or Charm. In addition, this supernatural perception easily pierces through deception, adding a +3 bonus to the Solar's Dodge MDV against unnatural Illusions. These effects come into play automatically once the Solar spends 11+ motes of Peripheral Essence.

Attributes:
Physical - Secondary
Strength: OOO
Dexterity: OOOO
Stamina: OOOO

Social - Tertiary
Charisma: OO
Manipulation: O
Appearance: OOOOO

Mental - Primary
Perception: OO
Intelligence: OOO
Wits: OOO

Abilities:
Dawn Caste
Archery:
Martial Arts: OOOOO
Melee: OO
Thrown:
War:

Zenith Caste
Integrity: O
Performance:
-Presence: OOOO
-Resistance: OOOOO
Survival:

Twilight Caste
-Craft: OOO (Earth, Wood, Water)
-Investigation: O
-Lore: OOOO
-Medicine:
-Occult: OOOO

Night Caste
-Athletics: OOO
-Awareness: OOO
-Dodge: OOO
Larceny:
Stealth:

Eclipse Caste
Bureaucracy:
Linguistics: O (Indo-European Languages Family)
Ride:
Sail:
Socialize:

Specialities:
Defying the Established Social Order (Presence): OOO
Eroge (Lore): OOO
Sexual Techniques (Performance): O

Merits/Flaws:
Selective Conception: The character has full conscious control on his own fertility. He cannot ensure pregnancy, but he can prevent any undesired one.
Common Sense: The character has an inner voice that warns him when his present course of action is unwise or dangerous, a voice that sounds remarkably like that of the Storyteller.
Ward 2 [Harem]: At the start of every month the character rolls to choose two girls of his Harem (those girls who have a romantic relationship with him). Then he rolls again once for each of them and based on result applies the following:
10: Minor, easily fixed trouble (Example: Asia needs help shopping, Ruby found a minor evil spirit that needs to be exorcised).
7-9: Minor trouble (Example: Asia got lost, Ruby accidentally showed off her powers).
2-6: Trouble (Example: Asia got lost in a bad part of town, Ruby accidentally pissed off a local supernatural being).
1: Major Trouble (Example: Asia is being attacked for her Sacred Gear, Ruby stumbled across a dangerous supernatural being).

Advantages:
Backgrounds
Contacts (Perverted Trio): O
Contacts (Abe Kiyome): O
Mentor (Ddraig and Bright Shattered Ice): OOOOO
Backing (Gremory Clan): O
Allies (Tomofuri, Kami of Fertility; Mittelt, Fallen Angel): OO
Followers (Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Asia Argento, Shougo Kitsukawa): O
Demesne: O (1 Void Aspect-Level 2 Demesne)
Demesne: O (1 Wind Aspect-Level 2 Demesne)
Cult: OOO (there are thousands of people that admire you)
Familiar: OOO (Eiko the Yatagarasu)
Resources: OOOOO (50'000'000 Yen and a solid income from your parents)

Familiar Bond Traits:
-Immortality: the familiar will not age or die until its master does.
-Sense Sharing: the master can share one of the familiar's senses (at a time) when the familiar is within 100 yards.
-Telepathy: the master can communicate with the familiar telepathically, and vice versa, provided both of them are within 100 yards of each other.
-Essence Pool: the familiar allows the master access to an additional 5 Personal motes when in contact with him.

Virtues:
Compassion: OOOOO
Conviction: OOO
Temperance: OO
Valor: OOO
Virtue Flaw: Imprudent Infatuation (Compassion)

The character has the unfortunate tendency to become romantically obsessed at the drop of a hat. When the character's limit breaks, he will fall head-over-heels in love with someone whom he considers attractive, and has met under stressful circumstances.
Uncontrolled: the results can range from the merely embarrassing, such as spending weeks attempting to court a comely shepherdess rescued from a landslide, to the downright suicidal, such as storming a Deathlord's castle in a desperate attempt to confess undying love to a beautiful deathknight. No matter how unsuitable the object, the character's infatuation knows no bounds. He will be incapable of thinking of anything aside from his beloved, probably spending much of his time composing overwrought poetry and the rest stalking the unfortunate person like a love-struck teenager. He may even go so far as to threaten suicide if anyone tries to deny him his love. The character will come to his senses after a number of days equal to his Compassion score, but until then, not even overt scorn or violence from his beloved will dissuade him.
Trigger: the character witnesses someone attractive in peril or duress (even if the character himself is the cause of that duress).
Partial Control: The character will not be forced to place himself in danger to gain his love's attention

Limit Points: [X] [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Intimacies:
Harem (Dream)
Beautiful Females (Lust)
Parents (Filial Love)
Perverted Trio (Friendship?)
Aika Kiryu (Friendship/Sex)
Asia Argento (Love)
Mittelt (Love)
Ruby Rose (Mentorship)
Yang Xiao Long (Friendship/Love)
Occult Research Club (Friendship)
Shougo Kitsukawa (Friendly Rivalry)
Rias Gremory (Love)
Eiko (Trust)

Essence: OOOO
Personal: 20/20
Peripheral: 42/49
Committed (Personal): 0
Committed (Peripheral): 7
Committed (Total): 7

Willpower: 8/8

Soak:
Bashing: 4
Lethal: 2
Aggravated: 0

Health:
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ] [ ]
-2 [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
-4 [ ]
Incapacitated [ ]
Dying [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Combat:
Join Battle: 6
Dodge DV: 6

Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 3B, Parry DV 6, Rate 3. Tags: C, N, P
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 9, Damage 6B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2. Tags: N
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 9, Damage 3B, Parry DV -, Rate 1. Tags: N
Boosted Gear: Speed 5/6*, Accuracy 9, Damage 8B/7B*, Parry DV 7, Rate 2/1*. Tags: M, C
*Right one, left one

Join Debate: 6
Dodge MDV: 6
Parry MDV: 3

Dragon Knacks:
Predator Reflexes
Duration: Permanent
Dragons are at the top of the food chain, and those who attempt trickery against them soon find out why. When an unexpected attack targets the user with this Knack but he fails to get enough successes on the (Wits + Awareness) roll to notice the attack coming, he instinctively defends himself with his highest applicable DV plus half of it rounded down. The character cannot preemptively attack his attacker or even shout out a warning to his comrades, as he's reacting to an attack that's already taking place, but he is much more likely to dodge or parry that attack. Nonetheless, the user cannot actually join battle himself until everyone else does after the unexpected attack is resolved.

Dragon Body Hybrid
Cost: 1m; Duration: One day
The user of Dragon Power learns how to change a limited part of his body into that of a dragon. He doesn't have to invoke every mutation whenever he uses this Knack: he can choose all or only one. The possible mutations are:
-Claws: the user's hands acquires short but sharp claws (S:5/A:+1/D:+3L/D:+0/R:3)
-Enhanced Senses: The user's five senses become unnaturally acute. He gains two dices on all Awareness rolls. The mutation is physically obvious in the eyes, who are slitted like a dragon and glow.
-Scales: The user's skin changes and he is now covered in delicate but sturdy scales. Add 2B/2L to Soak. He gains one die in all Survival pools and he does not need to wear clothing to protect himself against the elements.
-Wings: The user has a pair of wings with a wingspan of six yards and can fly. He flies at two times his normal running speed, ascends at his normal running speed and can dive at 10 times his running speed. He does not need to make checks to pull out of dives.

Dragon's Might Technique (x2)
Duration: Permanent
Dragons are eternal: not so easily are their mighty bodies slain. This Knack gives the user additional health levels. He may purchase this Knack multiple times, but no more than once per dot of Stamina. Each purchase provides 1 additional Dying health level and the following:
-Additional three -2 health levels
-Additional three -2 health levels

Deadly Dragoon Warrior
Cost: 2m; Duration: One scene
The user can shift into what the Lunar Exalts call the War Form, a monstrous amalgam of human and dragon. He gains several feet in height and increases proportionally in mass. Muscles ripple across his form, which has fearsomely long and sharp fangs and claws. He is three meters tall and has a wingspan of twelve yards, with a tail one yard and half long. When the user is in War Form he heals even faster: halve the healing time for all wounds save Aggravated.
-When the user is in War Form he adds two dots each to Strength, Dexterity and Stamina. This increase can bring physical Attributes above five and only affect the user when he is in War Form. Any improved Attributes are considered natural.
-The user gains all mutations from Dragon Body Hybrid plus: Bite (S:5/A:+0/D:+3L/D:-/R:2); Claw Feet (S:5/A:+0/D:+5L/D:-2/R:2); Tail, which is purely cosmetic.

Infinite Factory of Life
Cost: -/2m/4m; Duration: Indefinite
This Knack super-charges the dragon's healing abilities beyond anything it knew before. After purchase it allows the character to heal 1 level of Bashing damage every 10 ticks, this increases to 1 level of Bashing per 5 ticks or 1 level of Lethal per 10 ticks at Essence 4 and 1 level of Bashing per tick and 1 level of Lethal per 5 ticks at Essence 5. The character also gains the ability to spend power to enhance his healing to even greater heights: as a reflexive action he may spend 2 motes per level of Bashing damage and 4 motes per level of Lethal damage healed, however he may only spend a maximum of (Stamina + Resistance) motes every 10 ticks until he gains Essence 4 at which point this cap is removed.

Granting: "Touched by Dragon"
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Duration: Permanent
Those who Dragons favor carry a mark of greatness on their souls: this Knack grants the Merit "Touched by Dragon" to a person the character has a positive Intimacy to. Characters with this Merit finds themselves at ease interacting with Dragons, and vice versa. When those who have the Merit "Touched by Dragon" channels or rolls one virtue, selected when they gain this Merit, add one die.

Child of Mother Earth
Duration: Permanent
Primordial Dragons were born from magma, the life-blood of Earth. This Knack permanently enhances the "Scales" mutation, giving the user an extra +4 soak against all fire attacks.

Lightning Sprinter
Cost: 1 Willpower; Duration: One scene
This Knack doubles the amount of distance the character can cover in a Move and Dash action. What's more, it negates the movement penalties a character should accrue for dashing through water or mud as long as the user began his Dash action on terrain with no such penalty and continues to perform consecutive Dash actions. As long as he keeps dashing his feet skim the surface of the water or muck like a skipping stone. If he should slow down or stop, however, he sinks into the sucking terrain to suffer the normal penalties. He may purchase this Knack multiple times, but no more than once per dot of Dexterity.

Charms:

Integrity-Protecting Prana
Cost: 5m, 1wp
Mins: Integrity 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One day
Prerequisite Charms: None
The Sun's Chosen define their own reality. This Charm protects the character from any Shaping effect that directly alters her mind, body, spirit or traits. This includes instantaneous Shaping effects and any new alterations caused by long-term Shaping effects. This Charm also protects the character from any undodgeable, unblockable Shaping attacks. Wyld energy cannot create a serpent inside the character's stomach or turn her armor to lava, whether it's manipulated by an enemy or its own random whims, because these effects inflict immediate damage and the character's DV is not applicable. This Charm does not protect against the miscellaneous dangers of the Wyld. If a Wyld effect creates a hundred-headed snake monster with burning chalcedony eyes that then eats the character, this is not directly altering the character's body through shaping. Nor is it an "attack" when a Wyld effect transforms the character's armor into harmless gossamer spider webs—simply an undesirable effect.

First Presence Excellency
Cost: 1m per die
Mins: Presence 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Lawgivers with this Charm are known for their moments of brilliance. The Exalt's player can invoke this Charm when making a roll based on the relevant Ability. This Charm then adds one die to that roll for each mote spent. This Charm is the paradigmatic dice adder. The rule that Solars are prohibited from increasing a dice pool by more than their (Attribute + Ability) almost always refers to the purchase of dice through the use of this Charm. Characters can also use this Charm to enhance unrolled uses of the relevant Ability, usually to increase a Defense Value, for example, by increasing (Dexterity + Dodge) to protect against a physical attack. When enhancing static values, her player rolls one die for each mote spent on the First Excellency. Each success increases her effective (Attribute + Ability) rating for the task by two. Therefore, each success on the First Excellency roll increases an applicable static value by one. Characters cannot use this or other Excellencies or diceadding Charms to "create" actions. For example, if a character attacks on tick 3 and will attack again on tick 8, she cannot buy dice for an attack on tick 4 that only exists because she used the Excellency to conjure dice for it. A character who uses this or other reflexive Charms to add to an attack can also use it to enhance her defense until the next tick when she acts, but she must spend Essence for each separate roll she wishes to modify. This Charm can be part of a Combo or used together with the Second Excellency, but it is incompatible with the Third Excellency. It can never be used on the same roll as the Third Excellency.

Enemy-Castigating Solar Judgment
Cost: 2m
Mins: Presence 1, Essence 3
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Holy, Obvious, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Presence Excellency
The Solar ignites her spirit with the Essence of the Unconquered Sun. This Charm can enhance a physical attack. This Charm makes the attack Holy and causes the attack to inflict aggravated damage against creatures of darkness. This Charm can also enhance social attacks that create guilt, shame or fear, or where the Exalt uses a stunt to draw on these emotions. It makes the attack Holy. This Charm makes creatures of darkness treat the social attack as unnatural mental influence that costs one Willpower to resist. This Charm also halves the creature's base MDVs against the attack. This Charm is specifically permitted to enhance rolls based on other Abilities.

Durability of Oak Meditation
Cost: 2m
Mins: Resistance 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
A boy cannot cut down an oak tree with a kitchen knife. No more can a mere mortal slay the Solar Exalted with petty blows of mundane steel. The Solar adds (Essence + Resistance) to his bashing and lethal soak against a single attack.

Spirit Strengthens The Skin
Cost: 1m per post-soak damage die removed
Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Durability of Oak Meditation
The unconquerable flame of the Solar's spirit armors her against attack. She invokes this Charm after an attack hits her but before damage is rolled. This Charm reduces the post-soak damage of the attack by one die for each mote spent. This Charm may not reduce an attack's damage below one die.

Iron Skin Concentration
Cost: 2m
Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 3
Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One tick
Prerequisite Charms: Durability of Oak Meditation
Mortal weapons are as the stings of wasps and hornets to the Lawgivers reborn. All attacks against the Solar have their minimum damage reduced by one die for the duration of this Charm.

Second Craft Excellency
Cost: 2m per success
Mins: Craft 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Solar Exalted with this Charm are known for their unwavering perfection. The Exalt's player can invoke this Charm when making a roll based on the relevant Ability. The Exalt then spends up to (Attribute + Ability) in motes. This Charm adds one success to a roll for every two motes spent. Each success purchased with Essence Triumphant is the equivalent of purchasing two dices with the First Excellency or some other dice adder. Therefore, if a Solar had a (Dexterity + Melee) total of 8, he could purchase up to four successes with the Second Excellency. Any magical effects that hinge on the character buying dice will then react as if the character had just bought eight (Dexterity + Melee) dice. The character could not add dice from the effects of other Charms because he has reached his maximum of eight by purchasing the four successes. The Exalt can also use this Charm to enhance unrolled uses of the relevant Ability. Each two motes spent increases his effective (Attribute + Ability) rating for one task by two. This means that every two motes spent on this Excellency increase a static value like a DV by one. The First Excellency is thus considerably more efficient for increasing static values than the Second Excellency, but not reliably so. This Charm can be Comboed or used together with the First Excellency, but it is incompatible with the Third Excellency, and it can never be used on the same roll as the Third Excellency.

Object-Strengthening Touch
Cost: 5m
Mins: Craft 2, Essence 1
Type: Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Touch
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Any Craft Excellency
The things of the world strive to serve the Solars well. This Charm makes an object more difficult to break. It increases the number of successes necessary to damage the object by the character's Essence. It increases the (Strength + Athletics) rating necessary to break the object with a feat of strength by the character's Essence. No combination of Charms that includes Object-Strengthening Touch can increase these totals by more than the character's Essence.

Durability-Enhancing Technique
Cost: 3m
Mins: Craft 3, Essence 2
Type: Simple (Speed 6 in long ticks)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Touch
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Object-Strengthening Touch
The craftsmen of the Unconquered Sun shore up the Essence of the world. This Charm increases the number of successes necessary to damage the object by one. It increases the (Strength+ Athletics) rating necessary to break the object by one. These effects are permanent, but no combination of Charms that includes Durability-Enhancing Technique can increase these totals by more than the character's Essence.

Monkey Leap Technique
Cost: 3m
Mins: Athletics 1, Essence 2
Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
The heroes of the dawn leap with the grace of a flying crane and the speed of a striking hawk. For the rest of the scene, the character can jump with a movement action instead of a miscellaneous action, and she doubles the length of all jumps. While this Charm is active, the character may reflexively Jump only once per action, on her action tick. This does not replace her Move actions, and she may still only Jump once per action.

Dragon Shot
Cost: 2m per 4L
Mins: Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Heretical
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
The greatest weapon of a Dragon is his breath. Solars agree there is no need for fancy tricks if one has sufficient power. This Charm permits the Solar to fire a bolt of Essence. The bolt is targeted with Dexterity + (Athletics or Archery) with an Accuracy bonus equal to the Solar's Essence and a range of (Essence x 20) yards. The bolt inflicts 4L every 2 motes spent, up to a maximum number of motes equal to (Stamina)x2. By spending 1 additional mote the Solar can add an elemental aspect to the bolt and trigger one of the following effects:
-Holy: instead of lethal the bolt inflict aggravated damage to creatures of darkness.
-Fire: set the target ablaze for a single action (+4L to the attacker's damage pool).
-Air: buffets the target, subtracting two dices from her next action.
(Additional possible effects can be added afterwards once the Solar learn how to manipulate the corresponding element through another ability)

Adamant Skin Technique
Cost: 8m
Mins: Resistance 5, Essence 3;
Type: Reflexive (Step 7)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Spirit Strengthens the Skin, Iron Skin Concentration
Driven by her purpose and her Virtues, the Exalt becomes invincible. The Solar invokes this Charm immediately before the damage of a physical attack or similar effect is rolled. This Charm is a perfect defense against the raw damage of the attack, reducing it to zero after all other effects. As a point of clarification, this Charm (and its Abyssal Mirror Wounds Mean Nothing) reduces the raw and final damage of an incoming attack or similar phenomenon to zero after all other modifiers and effects. Damage added to an attack after soak is applied, such as by Fire and Stones Strike, cannot harm a character who activates Adamant Skin Technique.
Conviction Flaw: Charms carrying this Flaw do not function when the character has taken some action during the scene that is contrary to her Motivation. If, during the scene, she has acted against any Intimacy, or a Virtue she has rated at 3+, then Charms with this Flaw add a +3m surcharge to their activation cost.

Irresistible Salesman Spirit
Cost: 3m
Mins: Presence 4, Essence 2
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Social
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Presence Excellency
The glamour of the Lawgivers inspires others to dream of glorious things. This makes the Solars the ultimate salesmen and recruiters. Irresistible Salesman Spirit enhances a Presence-based roll to exert mental influence and make a favorable bargain or encourage a specific action. This Charm doubles the Solar's successes on the roll before comparing them to the target's MDV.

First Martial Arts Excellency
Cost: 1m per die
Mins: Presence 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Lawgivers with this Charm are known for their moments of brilliance. The Exalt's player can invoke this Charm when making a roll based on the relevant Ability. This Charm then adds one die to that roll for each mote spent. This Charm is the paradigmatic dice adder. The rule that Solars are prohibited from increasing a dice pool by more than their (Attribute + Ability) almost always refers to the purchase of dice through the use of this Charm. Characters can also use this Charm to enhance unrolled uses of the relevant Ability, usually to increase a Defense Value, for example, by increasing (Dexterity + Dodge) to protect against a physical attack. When enhancing static values, her player rolls one die for each mote spent on the First Excellency. Each success increases her effective (Attribute + Ability) rating for the task by two. Therefore, each success on the First Excellency roll increases an applicable static value by one. Characters cannot use this or other Excellencies or diceadding Charms to "create" actions. For example, if a character attacks on tick 3 and will attack again on tick 8, she cannot buy dice for an attack on tick 4 that only exists because she used the Excellency to conjure dice for it. A character who uses this or other reflexive Charms to add to an attack can also use it to enhance her defense until the next tick when she acts, but she must spend Essence for each separate roll she wishes to modify. This Charm can be part of a Combo or used together with the Second Excellency, but it is incompatible with the Third Excellency. It can never be used on the same roll as the Third Excellency.

Soaring Whirlwind Sprint
Cost: 4m
Mins: Essence 3
Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Heretical
Duration: Instant
Solars rule the world because they are Chosen, Dragons are born to do it. When a Dragon command the air, wind itself answers to carry him forwards with the speed of the storm. The Exalt invokes this Charm in response to an attack. The attack must not be unexpected. This Charm increases the Exalt's Dodge DV by three for a single action. Regardless of the outcome he dodges by leaping away from the opponent: this Charm allows him to jump up to ([Strength + Dodge] x 3) yards vertically or twice this distance horizontally. The Exalt chooses the exact direction and distance of this leap, so long as it is away from his attacker. The Exalt can use this Charm without the need to dodge an attack: in this case treat the Charm's use as a Jump action.

Dragon Essence Domination
Cost: —
Mins: Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Enlightening, Heretical
Duration: Permanent
Dominion is the realm of the Dragon. Excellence is the purview of the Solar Exalted. Neither will bow to the other, but they can learn how to work together. The Lawgiver learns how to channel the power of Dragons and alter his body to make himself similar to the Sons of Gaia, acquiring Knacks that can be accessed at will. At Essence 3, he can select 9 Knacks. This Charm must be repurchased at each new increase of Permanent Essence to unlock more Knacks. To successfully acquire the first iteration of this Charm the Exalt must perform a Dramatic Action: he starts meditating and rolls (Wits + Resistance) at the end of each hour of uninterrupted meditation, with Difficulty set at 3. After he accumulates 15 success, he learns the Charm.

Fists of Iron Technique
Cost: 3m
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 offensive, Step 2 defensive)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Hero
Duration: Scene
Prerequisites: None
The pugilist infuses her body with the glorious might of her Essence, striking with unbridled power. While this Charm is active, the base damage of her unarmed Martial Arts attacks is increased by her Essence rating. Her unarmed Martial Arts attacks may inflict Lethal damage if she so chooses, and she may parry Lethal damage unarmed without penalty. In addition, the pugilist's natural punch, kick and clinch weapons are considered Perfect quality. The points granted by this status are allocated when the Charm is purchased, and may be altered after the fact for 1 XP.

Accuracy: +2
Damage: +1
Rate: +1

Hero: In addition to Perfect quality, the Solar adds the Orichalcum Magical Material bonus (+1 Accuracy, +1 Defense, +1 Rate) to punch, kick and clinch, and adds the Piercing tag to punch and kick. These weapons count as Orichalcum Artifact weapons whenever that status would be beneficial. At Essence 3, the Charm may be activated as an Innate Ability. At Essence 5, it becomes Permanent with no mote cost.

Orichalcum Fists of Battle
Cost: -
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Obvious, Holy
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Fists of Iron Technique
The heroes of the dawn are first and foremost matchless weapons, forged to slay the errant makers of the world. This Charm enhances Fists of Iron Technique. While Fists of Iron Technique is active, the Solar may choose to activate this Charm's effects on any given attack during Step 1 of attack resolution or during the resolution of clinch crushing damage as an Innate Ability. As an Obvious effect, add the Solar's highest Virtue to her punch, kick and clinch weapons' Accuracy and Damage. As a Holy, Obvious effect, attacks made by those weapons inflict aggravated damage to creatures of darkness. Blows thus enhanced always produce an Essence display, which must thematically resonate with the Solar's iconic anima banner.

First Occult Excellency
Cost: 1m per die
Mins: Presence 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Lawgivers with this Charm are known for their moments of brilliance. The Exalt's player can invoke this Charm when making a roll based on the relevant Ability. This Charm then adds one die to that roll for each mote spent. This Charm is the paradigmatic dice adder. The rule that Solars are prohibited from increasing a dice pool by more than their (Attribute + Ability) almost always refers to the purchase of dice through the use of this Charm. Characters can also use this Charm to enhance unrolled uses of the relevant Ability, usually to increase a Defense Value, for example, by increasing (Dexterity + Dodge) to protect against a physical attack. When enhancing static values, her player rolls one die for each mote spent on the First Excellency. Each success increases her effective (Attribute + Ability) rating for the task by two. Therefore, each success on the First Excellency roll increases an applicable static value by one. Characters cannot use this or other Excellencies or diceadding Charms to "create" actions. For example, if a character attacks on tick 3 and will attack again on tick 8, she cannot buy dice for an attack on tick 4 that only exists because she used the Excellency to conjure dice for it. A character who uses this or other reflexive Charms to add to an attack can also use it to enhance her defense until the next tick when she acts, but she must spend Essence for each separate roll she wishes to modify. This Charm can be part of a Combo or used together with the Second Excellency, but it is incompatible with the Third Excellency. It can never be used on the same roll as the Third Excellency.

Fist of the Daystar Form
Cost: 4m
Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2
Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -1)
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious, Hero
Duration: Scene
Prerequisites: Sledgehammer Fist Punch, Dragon Coil Technique
The pugilist suffuses her body with the Essence of the Sun. She becomes a paragon of strength and skill, radiant with the power of a legendary hero returned. She may reflexively spend 1 mote in Step 7 to count bonus successes on her unarmed Martial Arts attack rolls twice for the purposes of damage.

Dynamic Form Transition: Fist of the Daystar Form may be activated reflexively as an Innate Ability if any of the following conditions are met. Extras do not meet the activation conditions under any circumstances, as they are inherently unworthy opponents.
- the pugilist successfully inflicts knockdown or knockback with an unarmed Martial Arts attack against a resisting opponent.
- the pugilist successfully wins a clinch control roll against a resisting opponent and elects to crush or throw.

Hero: For a Solar Exalt, this Charm is Combo-OK. It is activated as a Reflexive (Step 1) Charm instead of Simple. In addition, the Solar adds Essence to raw damage when using the Charm's activated power on top of the overflow success doubling. The prerequisite is Fists of Iron Technique. At Essence 5, this Charm no longer counts towards the number of Form-type Charms the Solar may have active at any given time.

Reed in the Wind
Cost: —
Mins: Dodge 2, Essence 2
Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: None
Required for Charms: None
The Solar Exalted understand the humble wisdom of the reed and the willow. The greater the force directed against them, the more nimble they become to avoid harm. Whenever the Lawgiver uses his Dodge DV to avoid a physical attack, he adds a bonus equal to half the attacker's Essence, rounded up. This bonus counts as dice added by a Charm.

Dragon Steals The Root Method
Cost: 10m, 1w
Min: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4
Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Obvious, Touch, Training, Heretical
Duration: One Week
Prerequisites: Any Form-Type Martial Arts Charm
Neither Solars nor Dragons take being told they can't do something well. Unlike mortal men, however, their response to this is invariably to prove the person spouting these lies wrong. This Charm is the culmination of that principle combined with Hyodo Issei's desire to guard and empower those he cares about. On a personal level this charm reduces the Xp cost for all Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms to 4x, or 5xp if Martial Arts is not a Caste or Favored Ability, and their training time is halved. Learning this charm excludes the Solar from learning the Charm Swallowing the Lotus Root.

As a Secondary ability this Charm works like Tiger Warrior Training Technique, except it requires both trainer and students, up to Magnitude 1, to share a positive intimacy of some sort. It allows training up to the Solar's own rank in that area (but not beyond the natural cap of the target) in any of the following: Martial Arts, Melee, Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms and any Excellency's that can be learned by the student.

DxD Magic:

Devil Magic
Proficiency Rank: 1

[Fireball] Range: 10 yards (3). Duration: instantaneous (0). Area: 1 medium target (1). Damage: 6 Lethal (18). Energy: Fire (1). Metaspell: Silent Spell (2). Components: 25. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 6.
[Air Strike] Range: 10 yards (3). Duration: instantaneous (0). Area: 1 medium target (1). Damage: 9 Bashing (9). Energy: Air (-1). Metaspell: Silent Spell and Fast Spell (3). Components: 15. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 3.
[Shield] Range: around you (2). Duration: 1 minute (3). Area: affects you (0). Protect: soak 1L/3B, 10 Health Levels (18). Components: 23. Speed 6.
[Teleport Familiar] Range: anywhere on Earth (5)(in DxD Teleportation is cheap). Duration: instantaneous (0). Area: 1 medium target (1). Movement: 1 medium target (10). Components: 16. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 6.
[Restoration] Range: touch (2). Duration: 1 Action (1). Area: 6 yards (11). New Power: restore (10). Components: 24. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 6.
[Hypnosis] Range: 10 yards (3). Duration: 1 minute (3). Area: 1 medium target (1). Control: alter memories (10). Components: 17. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 6.
[Language] Range: only you (1). Duration: permanent (50). Area: only you (0). Divination: translate 1 language (3). Physical Medium: 1 small object (-40). Components: 13. Rank 1 Spell. Casting the spell takes 1 hour.
[Bind] Range: touch (2). Duration: 1 minute (3). Area: 1 medium target (1). Control: restrain (10). Components: 16. Rank 1 Spell. Speed 6.

Fallen Angel Magic
Proficiency Rank: 0

[Notice-Me-Not Field] Range: originates from you (2). Duration: permanent (50). Area: 70-yards radius sphere (55). Control: compulsion to forget and leave (10). Metaspell: affect anyone but those recognized as friendly (10), casting takes one hour (-3). Components: 124. Rank 4 Spell. Casting take one hour.
[Fallen Angel Type Teleport] Range: anywhere on Earth (5)(in DxD Teleportation is cheap). Duration: instantaneous (0). Area: all targets inside 3-yards radius sphere from the caster (6). Movement: all targets (40). Divination: fix spatial coordinates (5). Components: 56. Rank 3 Spell. Speed 6.

Weapons:

Boosted Gear "Dragon Twins": The Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlets
Artifact: N/A (rating subjected to change as the Artifact evolves)
Description: Soul-bound Artifact
Quality: Fine (+1 to Defense)
Form: Two gauntlets covering up to the elbow
Speed: 5*, 6**
Accuracy: +0
Damage: +5B*, +4B**
Defense: +3*, +1**
Rate: 2*, 1**
Attune: 7m, 1w
Tags: M, C

*Right one, **Left one

Stealth Mode: by paying one mote, the character can shift Boosted Gear into a pair of red metal armlets worn around the wrists. The Artifact loses its Bonuses, but it still allows the character to use the Artifact Charms. Changing back to Gauntlet Mode costs one mote.

Gauntlets of Distant Touch Mode: a force-projection weapon, it works by transmitting the kinetic impact of a close combat weapon across intervening distance as an invisible pulse. This allows wielders to use their weapons to strike at range using their close-combat training, rather than learning an entirely separate curriculum of combat. By charging Boosted Gear with an additional commitment of three motes an invisible aura of force forms around both hands for the rest of the scene. During this time, the character may perform any task that would normally require his hands simply by making the appropriate gesture (the action uses its normal dice pool and difficulty), and the Exalt may affect any objects within (Essence rating x 3) yards. From a utilitarian standpoint, the gauntlets can levitate objects (but not the user), manipulate them, pull them close or push them away. In combat, the gloves can deliver ranged Martial Arts hand strikes or clinches that benefit from close combat magical material bonuses. Such attacks also impose a -1 penalty to the opponent's Parry DV because of their invisible nature. Finally, a character wearing charged gauntlets can parry attacks directed at anyone else in range, though each such parry cumulatively decreases her Parry DV by -1 until her next action. All close and ranged attacks made using gauntlets of distant touch are considered unarmed for the purposes of compatibility with Martial Arts Charms.

When Boosted Gear is in Stealth Mode perfectly fitting red gloves form on the Exalt's hands. The gloves add the Fine Quality (+1 to Defense) bonus to the character's unarmed punches and allow unarmed parries of lethal and ranged attacks.

Solar Lens: rather than serving as energy weapons in their own right, these versatile crystal artifacts were created to enhance energy-based Charm attacks. Only one lens can enhance the same activation of a Charm. In order for a Charm to qualify as a valid target for enhancement, it must fit one of two criteria. The first category includes all Charms that cause direct damage using projected energy. Such Charms double their base damage under the influence of the lens. (Therefore, a blast costing one mote per 2L, for which the lens-equipped Exalt spent three motes, would inflict a base damage of 12L, plus attack successes.) The second category includes all Charms that create a non-permanent weapon directly out of energy. For these Charms, the conjured weapon's Damage modifier is doubled while wielded by its creator. (Therefore, a flaming sword with a normal Damage modifier of +4L would add 8L to its lens-equipped owner's Strength to determine base damage.)

The Solar lens of Boosted Gear can enhance any Charm that use Holy energy. They can't be used in combination with other effects that increase damage. If the target is not a Creature of Darkness, the base damage is not doubled.

Artifact Charm: "Welsh Boost Overdrive"
Ddraig is the Welsh Dragon, one of the two Heavenly Dragons that embody the principles of "Domination". The user of Boosted Gear can draw from his power and obtain boundless strength.

-When activated with a miscellaneous action the Boosted Gear creates an Overdrive Pool of Essence. The motes from it can only be used offensively.
-This Overdrive Motepool starts with [Current Personal + Peripheral Motes]/5 rounded down motes of Essence and doubles the amount of motes it contains every 5 ticks.
-The Overdrive Motepool can at most contain [Essence + Stamina]*10 + 10 Motes of Essence.
-Should motes from the Overdrive pool be used for any purpose, it stops doubling the amount of motes it contains.
-[Explosion] For 10 Overdrive motes per dot the character can as an innate ability add up to [Essence + Stamina] temporary dots to his Physical Attributes in total and up to [Essence + Stamina]/3 rounded up to any single one. These temporary dots last until the third DV refresh at which point they are lost, a fatigue penalty equal to (the amount of temporary dots added) -1 is gained and the Overdrive pool is removed.
-Activating the Boosted Gear removes and replaces a still existing Overdrive pool. Temporary dots gained with the previous pool are retained as long as they otherwise would be, but still count towards the limit of simultaneous temporary dots gained with Boosted Gear.
-Users can reset the Overdrive Pool and the doubling of motes by spending another 5 Motes.

"Double Boost Overdrive"

Ddraig's power allows him to double anything, even himself.

-This Charm is an Expansion Charm to "Welsh Boost Overdrive". It allows the creation of a second Overdrive Pool when "Welsh Boost Overdrive" is activated: it follows the same rules at the first one, but the motes from it can only be used for defensive purposes.
-The user doesn't need to spend additional motes when resetting the Overdrive Pools.

Artifact Charm: "Boosted Gear Prominence"

A Solar who use Boosted Gear can share part of an Exalt's greatness with his allies.

-This Charm allows the Solar to give motes created by "Welsh Boost Overdrive" to another character. The Solar loses exactly as many motes as the target gains, but this transfer does not count as spending motes for the purposes of anima banner flare.
-The target gains a motepool of Solar Essence motes. The size of the mote pool is equal to the number of motes the Solar spent to empower them.
-The target can't regain motes normally like a Solar does. She loses motes at the rate of four per hour.
-The target can Stunt like a Solar and recover motes and Willpower the same way. Three-die Stunts are always treated as Two-die Stunts.
-The motepool disappears once all motes are spent. However as long as motes remain the motepool will keep existing.
-While receiving the effects of this Charm the target feels the unaccustomed power of Essence flood through her body in an unmistakable, electric surge. All her senses seem sharper, colors look brighter, and she feels transcendent joy. Prolonged exposures to this Charm may cause a mortal unable to use Essence to become Enlightened and other side-effects.
-As long as the motepool exists the target gain access to:

Gifted Excellency - Essence Domination

-This Charm is a combination of all three basic Solar Excellencies. Only one of them can be selected and used at each activation, and they are not stackable in the same action or combo. The target can use this Charm for any relevant roll that include an Ability in which she has at least one dot.

Artifact Charm "Boosted Gear Apotheosis"

Those who are Exalted transcend all limits. And in the hands of such heroes even common items answer the call to glory.

-By attuning the motes from the Overdrive Pool to a weapon, armor or other object the Solar can raise its quality: 1 mote to make it of Fine quality, 2 motes to make it of Exceptional quality and 3 motes to make it of Perfect quality.
-In addition, by using it on an Artifact the Solar can spend (current rating) x 10 motes to increase its rating by 1, to a maximum of 5. Each increase must be purchased separately.
-The object retains the effects of this Charm as long as the motes stay committed.
-How the increase in rank affects an object is decided by the GM case by case.

Artifact Charm "Gift of Radiant Destiny"
Cost: 15m, 2wp;
Mins: Essence 3;
Type: Simple (Dramatic Action)
Keywords: Enlightening, Obvious, Touch, Heretical
Duration: Instant
The power of "Transfer" from Boosted Gear resonates with the overflowing golden Essence of the Sun-Chosen. This variation on the better known Power-Awarding Prana immediately and permanently blasts open a willing target's doors of perception, opening him to the world's currents of Essence. The Charm requires a short ceremony to steel both donor and recipient for the awesome forces they shall unleash. The ceremony takes whatever form the participants feel is appropriate to solemnize the event. Then the target and the Exalt simply touch—and the cataract of Essence flooding through the recipient's soul knocks him out for (5 – his Stamina) hours.

The caster and the target must have a positive Intimancy towards each other (the two Intimancies can be different, but they must still be both positive). After the target recovers he becomes a Half-Caste, as if he was one from birth, capable of challenging Essence aligned to the source of the Exalt's power. If he was an un-enlightened mortal, he gains a point of permanent Essence.

Lightsaber: Speed 4, Accuracy +2, Damage +5L/2*, Defense +1, Rate 3, Attune 5. Tags: O
*Aggravated Damage against Creatures of Darkness

Description: a weapon used by Exorcists. It's a hilt that can generate a blade of light. So cool.

Armour: //

Experience:
Current: 3 Xp
Total acquired: 211 Xp

Xp/Training debt for Charms

Sometimes you need a Charm to get outside a dangerous situation, but you don't have the time or the Xp required? This feature will enable you to acquire a Charm instantly, but you will get into debt: all the Xp you gain go to it until the cost is met and your free time will be dedicated to the skipped training (In-Game Issei will work out the kinks of it), again until the cost is met.

This works only for Charms: you can't raise Attributes and Abilities this way. Also, you can't learn a Charm if you don't meet the requirements.

The maximum number of Charms that can be under debt is: 3

Gaining bonus Xp with Omakes and Fanarts

-A single omake can neat only 1 Xp. 2 if it is judged of exceptional quality: the other readers must agree too, and the post must be liked by at least 10 people.
-A fanart is also allowed and follow the same rules.
-Only 2 omakes and 1 fanart can be rewarded per IC week. You can post more, but you will not gain Xp.

Requirements:
-The omake must not be from Issei's POV.
-The omake must show other characters off-screen or their actions/reactions to something that happened in the quest. If it's in character and makes sense I can even can rule it as canon for the story.
-The omake's length must be at least 1200+ words.
-Grammar must be good.

Training Time:
Intelligence: 16/30 days
Strength: 10/30 days (1 Month completed!)
Dexterity: 10/30 days (1 Month completed!)
Perception: 0/30 days (1 Month completed!)
Socialize: 0/6 days (1 Week completed!)
Performance: 0/6 days (1 Week completed!)
Charisma: 7/30 days
Stamina: 11/30 days
Wits: 22/30 days
Manipulation: 12/30 days

Initiation to Terrestrial Circle Sorcery:
Trial of Humility: Passed.
Trial of Tutelage:
Trial of Journey: Passed.
Trial of Fear:
Trial of Sacrifice:

Side Quests:
[Magical Man Child Mil-tan] Conditions for victory: make Mil-tan a girl; give Mil-tan magical powers that satisfy her; do it before the time limit expire (Three Years)
[Discover the secret of the Evil Pieces] -10m every day. Progress: 63.72/100%

Alexander · May 2, 2014

INDEX:

I will become God-Harem King of the World
Trials of the God-Harem King
Tribulations of the God-Harem King
Advent of the God-Harem King

Issei's Forces - Character Sheets
God-Harem King - NSFW Stuff

List of important people in the story:
Raynare. Human disguise: Yuuma Amano. ~~Fallen Angel~~ Devil.
Yuuto Kiba. Devil. Sacred Gear "Sword Birth" user.
Kiyome Abe. Human. Beast Tamer.
Mr. and Ms Hyodo. Humans.
Ddraig. Heavenly Dragon. The Welsh Dragon.
Bright Shattered Ice. Elder Solar Twilight Exalted.
Aika Kiryu. Human.
Matsuda and Motohama. Humans.
Rias Gremory. Devil.
Akeno Himejima. Devil.
Koneko Toujo. Devil. Nekoshou?
Tomofuri. Local Kami of Fertility and Pregnancy.
Dohnaseek. ~~Fallen Angel~~ Devil.
Mil-tan. A...thing. Kiba's customer.
Ruby Rose (Kougyoku Mizoguchi). Human. Sacred Gear "Crescent Rose (Death's Scythe)" user.
Asia Argento. Human. Sacred Gear "Twilight Healing" user.
Mittelt. 3/4 Fallen Angel, 1/4 Oni. Solar Half-Caste.
Kalawarner. ~~Fallen Angel~~ Devil.
Shariel. Fallen Angel. One of Grigori's Leaders.
Yang Xiao Long. Human. Ruby's big sister. Sacred Gear "Ember Celica (War's Gauntlets)" user.
Eiko. Yatagarasu. Issei's Familiar. Solar Half-Caste.
Sona Sitri. Human disguise: Sona Shitori. Devil.
Tsubaki Shinra. Devil.
Azazel. Fallen Angel. Governor General of the Fallen Angels and One of Grigori's Leaders.
Sayanomiya Kaoru. Human. Member of the History Compilation Committee.
Grayfia. Devil. Queen of Maou Lucifer's Peerage and his wife.
Beowul. Hero Descendant and Devil. Pawn of Maou Lucifer's Peerage.
Shougo Kitsukawa. Heroic Mortal. Ex-gang's leader. Solar Half-Caste.
Raiser Phenex. Devil.
Ravel Phenex. Raiser's little sister. Devil.

Alexander · May 2, 2014

Experience and Training

Favoured or Caste/Not Favoured or Out-of-Caste

New Trait Xp Cost Training Time
Ability 2/3 Immediate/6 days (3+ hours for day)
Specialty 1/2 Immediate/6 days (3+ hours for day)
Charm 8/10 (Min. Ability) days (3+ hours for day)/(Min. Ability + Min. Essence) days (3+ hours for day)
Sorcery Spell 8 (spell circle) weeks (6 days, 3+ hours for days)

Improve Trait Xp Cost Training Time
Attribute 6/7/8* 1 month (30 days, 3+ hours for day)
Ability 3/4 Immediate/6 days (3+ hours for day)
Specialty 2/3 Immediate/6 days (3+ hours for day)
Essence (current rating) x8 (current rating) months (30 days, 3+ hours for day)
Virtue 3 Immediate
Willpower 3 Immediate
*(6 Xp to improve it from 1 to 3, 7 Xp to improve it from 4 to 7, 8 Xp to improve it from 8+)

Spells and Abilities from DxD don't follow this scheme and don't require Xp. They require a teacher and training time, that can be shortened with enough dots in an ability/abilities that resonate with them.

Bright and Ddraig are very good tutors, so they can reduce the time to train the stuff they knew best in life.
Bright can use a spell to transfer knowledge directly from mind to mind, so the training time for (Attributes, Abilities, Specialties, Spells, Charms, Essence) is shortened to 1 hour per dot. Bright's rating in that trait must be greater than Issei.

Things you do during the game can count as training to related things. For example spending a week crafting things count as 7 days of training Craft Charms. Spending a day chatting with your friends counts as training for Socialize. Etc...

You can stunt your pure training actions, which will reduce the time needed for something to count as your day of training. Same goes for having a good teacher.

-------------------------------------------

DxD World's Magic Systems

Every Magic System follow a Paradigm: a core concept that define it. Spells that resonate with this concept are easier to cast (+1 to Casting roll and Target roll for every Proficiency Rank in it).

Sacred Gear. "Wish" Paradigm. Component allowed: all of them.
Norse Magic. "War" Paradigm. Component allowed: Conjure, Damage, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Devil Magic. "Destruction" Paradigm. Components allowed: Control, Damage, Energy, Enhance, Metaspell, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Angel Magic. "Blessing" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Damage, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Fallen Angel Magic. "Glamour". Components allowed: Conjure, Control, Damage, Divination, Energy, Illusion, Metaspell, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Black Magic. "Curse" Paradigm. Components allowed: Control, Damage, Energy, Illusion, Metaspell, Movement.
White Magic. "Cure" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, New Power, Protect.
Fairy Magic. "Nature" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Control, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, New Power, Protect.
Summoning Magic. "Travel" Paradigm. Components allowed: Control, Divination, Metaspell, Movement.
Spirit Magic. "Natural Spirits" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Control, Divination, Enhance, Metaspell, Movement, New Power.
Dragon Magic. "Might" Paradigm. Components allowed: Damage, Energy, Enhance, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Runes. "Symbol" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Control, Damage, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, Metaspell, Movement, New, Power, Protect.
Onmyouji Arts. "Purification" Paradigm. Components allowed: Conjure, Control, Damage, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, Movement, Protect.

The following arts are not considered magic systems, but they follow the same rules:

Ki Manipulation. "Ki" Paradigm. Components allowed: Control, Damage, Divination, Energy, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, Movement, Protect.
Touki. "Ki Mastery" Paradigm. Components allowed: Damage, Enhance, Movement, Protect.
Senjutsu. "Chakra" Paradigm. Components allowed: Control, Damage, Divination, Enhance, Heal, Illusion, Movement, New Power, Protect.
Reversal Magic. "Reverse" Paradigm. Components allowed: Metaspell.

Spells

Spells of every Magic System are divided into Ranks. The Rank of a Spell is determined by the number of its Components:

001 - 025 Rank 1: kill a person, destroy a motorcycle
026 - 050 Rank 2: Kill a Low-Class Devil
051 - 100 Rank 3: Kill a Middle-Class Devil
101 - 150 Rank 4: Kill a High-Class Devil
151 - 200 Rank 5: Kill an Ultimate-Class Devil, decimate an army, destroy a city
201 - 250+ Rank 6: vaporize a big army, kill a god, wreak a region the size of Saitama's prefecture (every 50 Components add +1 to Casting Difficulty)

-The roll to see if a Spell Casting is successful is: [Int + Lore + Occult + Essence]. The Difficulty is the Rank of the Spell, Casting is an automatic success if the Difficulty of the Spell is less than half of [Int + Lore + Occult + Essence].
-If successful there is another roll to see if it hits: the roll is Dexterity+[Attribute](it varies depending on the Magic System)

-When casting a spell you take one level of Exhaustion Damage (-1 penalty to all actions. Internal Penalty) per Rank of that Spell. The is reduced for each Proficiency gained: IE Rank 3 casting with Rank 1 Proficiency inflicts 2 levels of Exhaustion damage.
-This damage heals at a rate of 1 level per hour resting for mortals, 1 level per minute for Characters with Essence of 2 or more, and 1 Level per 10 Ticks for Characters with Essence of 6+.
-Motes can be spend to reduce Exhaustion. The motes cost must be spent separately for every Level:
-First Level: 2m
-Second Level: 4m
-Third Level: 6m
-Fourth Level: 8m
-Fifth Level: 10m
-Sixth Level: 12m
-7+ Level: 14m

Learning Spells

Extended Roll measured in days (3+hours for Exalt Issei).

Rank One. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) = 3, Successes 10
Rank Two. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occul+Essence) = 4, Successes 15
Rank Three. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) = 5, Successes 30
Rank Four. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) = 6, Successes 50
Rank Five. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essnece) = 7, Successes 75
Rank Six. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) = 8, Successes 100

Proficiency

Rank One Proficiency. requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence+Speciality) = 3, Successes 10
Rank Two Proficiency. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence+Speciality) = 6, Successes 30
Rank Three Proficiency. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence+Speciality) = 9, Successes 60
Rank Four Proficiency. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence+Speciality) = 12, Successes 100
Rank Five Proficiency. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essnece+Speciality) = 15, Successes 150
Rank Six Proficiency. Requirements (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence+Speciality) = 20, Successes 210

-Specialties are for example, Norse Magic, Angelic Magic, Devil Magic Etc.

Components

List

Create Spells

Ask the GM. If you have a spell, and he approves, the GM will tell you the details of the Dramatic Action necessary to learn it.

Alexander · May 3, 2014

Pursue Snake?
[X] Yes

Introduce the girls to Azazel?
[X] No
-[X] But tell the girls about him and let them make their own decisions on whether to contact him or not.

Tell Azazel about Exaltation and all that it implies?
[X] No

Tell Azazel about your research on the Evil Pieces?
[X] No

[X] First Occult Excellency, Fists of Iron Technique {16 EXP total}
----

As you reach, following Ddraig's instructions, the source deep into Boosted Gear and let it loose power flares from the gauntlets, green and full of pride and arrogance. Faced with the challenge your mind clears and firms, the Dominion of Dragons is no challenge to the Authority of one of the Chosen of the Sun.

Wind blows rattling your windows and tousling your hair as your power writhes, a shimmering field of Gold and Green surrounding you. In your soul two dragons are locked together thrashing against each other as you try to calm them: one born from Pride, Arrogance and Freedom, the other born from Virtue, Perfection and Authority.

Time flows slowly as Dominion wrestles with Excellence, neither giving way and neither surrendering. All the while you watch on from the quiet of your mind: taking note of how this new power flows and pools within you, and how you may direct it to reduce the strain it places on your body and mind.

It takes hours, a continuous effort that is made possible only thanks to your previous training, but you finally reach what you consider an acceptable level.

You channel a tint bit of power just the right way and watch in fascination as your hand shifts into a five-digited claw with red scales and back with but a thought.

[You did it! You really did it!] You can hear the pride in Ddraig's voice. Despite his quirks, you're quite fond of your partner and having him praise you like that feels good. [That was the fastest mastering of Dragon Power I have ever seen!]

'Did you see many attempt it?'

[Nope. This was the first.]

You sweatdrop. "Well, good. Alright, if you don't have anything else to add..." You say aloud and yawn. "That was tiring, and I want to sleep."

[Go on. You deserve it partner.]

----

You wake up around seven o'clock, feeling reinvigorated. This will be a day with a lot of issues to address, but for now you can relax.

Of course the doorbell chooses that moment to ring.

"I'm going." You tell your mother who is cooking. Since you're the closest to the door it's only fair you do it.

What greets you upon opening the door is a pretty red headed male, with shoulder length hair and wearing a suit.

"Greetings Hyodo Issei-san." He says in a respectful tone. "My name is Sayanomiya Kaoru and I am here on behalf of the History Compilation Committee."

You stare at him. "Because I am the Sekiryuutei?"

"Yes."

You facepalm. "Does everyone and their mothers know about it? It was supposed to be a secret? How?"

"We have our methods." Sayanomiya-san smiles.

"You mean spies?"

"Maybe." His smile grows larger.

----

Five minutes later you and Sayanomiya-san are sitting on the living room's sofas, facing each other. It took some time to convince the girls, and an Excellency to convince your parents, but now you can discuss without fearing eavesdroppers.

"First, I must apologize for visiting at such an early hour." He begins. "Unfortunately I have a tight schedule and it was decided I must be the one to meet you in person. As a compensation I am willing to give you a ride to school after our talk."

"No need." You wave him off. "It wouldn't be the first time I need to run, so I am good at it. Just, get to the point please."

"As you wish. I would like to begin with a question: from your reaction it's clear you knew already what the History Compilation Committee is and the possible reason for why we would contact you. How exactly did you learn about it?"

"It was Abe Kiyome-sempai, a student at my schools who first told me about you guys." You answer.

"Abe...a renowned clan of Youkai Tamers if I remember right." He muses. "This makes thing easier. As you asked I will get to the point: we would like you to join the History Compilation Committee."

'Ddraig. Does every faction want Longinus possessors in their ranks?'

[That goes without saying. I am surprised they didn't contact you earlier. Then again, this is Devil's territory.]

You nod in your mind. "While I am flattered by the offer-" You fold your fingers together. "If you truly are in the knows about your situation, you also know why I need to decline."

"Your contract with the Gremory Devil's Clan?" You nod. "I admit there was anxiety in the Committee when it was learned the Sekiryuutei of this generation appeared in a Devil's territory. Many feared that you would ended reincarnated as one, a servant of the Devil Faction."

{As if I would let you.} Bright scoffs. {A Lawgiver, a servant? Just the mere suggestion is an offense punishable with death!}

'Hush sensei. I'm having a serious conversation.'

A sharp spike of pain lets you know exactly how much she appreciated your comment.

Biting your lower lip to keep from screaming you concentrate back on what Sayanomiya-san is saying. "...While many are overjoyed you are Japanese. I respect your integrity into respecting the accords taken, but we would still like to acquire your services. We are also ready to negotiate with the Gremory Clan."

At his words you can't help but nurture a slight suspicion. "Is there a particular reason you want me on your side? Beside the obvious ones of course. Your words, Sayanomiya-san, just seem to indicate something more."

"You are sharp Hyodo-san." He looks impressed before frowning. "While I can't share the details I can say that...troubles are brewing on the horizon for Japan. For now they are nothing more than conjectures, but we have reason to believe that certain elements are looking to disrupt Japan's peace. And not all of them come from the same source. In short, many are acting independently from one another. And the worst part is that the barrier between the supernatural and the mundane world is at a risk."

He sighs. "We are investigating of course. But since we lack any definite proof we can't act freely as we want. If we send a strong agent, his fame would make the targets hid away. And if we send a weak one, he would lack the means to discover the truth. So..." He makes a knowing grin. "What if we send someone without any great accomplishments or fame on his name, but that has a quality that makes people respect him?"

"Like a Longinus possessor. Better, one with a Dragon-type Sacred Gear." You finishes for him.

"That's right." He smiles. "So, what do you think?"

[]Write-in.
----

One after the other. Issei can't truly catch a breath, can he?

Alexander · May 4, 2014

[X] Plan Megris-Help for Tomofuri-san Only
----

As Sayanomiya-san's finishes you place your left arm under your chin, allowing it to rest on couch's side as you clearly consider his words. You know far too little to commit at this time but you think being too dismissive might reduce the chances the History Compilation Committee might help in regards to Tomofuri-san or other matters. Beside, if there are really people up to no good you want to help, but acting too harshly can be detrimental. After a minute of silence you begin, your voice resolute but allowing some regret to show on your features and a sympathetic tone to color your words.

"As far as associations go, I'm afraid I can't make that decision at this time Sayanomiya-san. There's still far too little I know of the supernatural for me to be comfortable at this stage to make that commitment. The same applies to this investigation you're asking of me. While I know of the Fallen Angel, Devil and Angelic factions my knowledge of them is still cursory and I'd want to know about any independent groups or supernatural individuals I might interact with during this facts finding search. If you could provide me with this information on the supernatural world and either a means to contact you or for you to return in a few days time I'd be prepared to inform you of my decision."

He listens to your words, his face calm but his eyes are showing he's thinking intensely about what you saw. You pause for a moment as you shift your posture, leaning forward from the couch and interlacing your fingers together letting a thoughtful expression crossing your face. But before allowing Sayanomiya-san to respond you begin again.

"There is one other issue I would like to speak with you on though,-" You say giving him a reassuring smile. "It's a matter that I think falls squarely within your organization's purview. I've recently assisted a kami of the land, Tomofuri-san, in rebuilding his shrine. Sadly during the years it was in disrepair, worship of him as fell off and only a few shrine goers visit him. I convinced Gremory-san to help, but I would like to formally request on his behalf any assistance you can offer in helping to increase the number of people who attend and offer prayers to him."

"I see." He nods before his posture changes from serious to easygoing. "It's a far better response than I expected. You're right to be cautious, even if I assure you I'm telling the absolute truth." He crosses his legs and both hands on his knee. "Sadly I can't discuss the finer details until you formally accepted, but there is something I can tell you."

He frowns, obviously concerned. "The most pressing matter is Japan's Youkai activities. In recent years we picked up signs that they started flow together into organized groups, more probably under a single strong leader. Groups like those existed since the Edo period, but of those many have a long-time peaceful relationship with the Committee. However those new ones answer to no one but themselves, so you can image how worried we are that they could start large scale battles on the territory like the times of old."

So Tomofuri was right. "Couldn't the Shinto Gods take action?"

"That would be the equivalent of using a nuclear bomb." He smiles sadly. "The message of the Old Ones was clear: we have to resolve this by ourselves. There are other matters that need their full attention, and there would be grave consequences if distracted."

Harsh. Then again, maybe such measures are wholly justified.

"The second problem is of pure human nature." He grimaces. "Since ancient times Japan hosts a great number of humans born with special powers, not only Sacred Gears, and families handing down secret arts. However, in recent times there were cases where many...disappeared."

"Disappeared?" You ask, your mind instantly going to Ruby, Yang and Asia.

"Yes. Not recruited by other organizations. They have a normal life and then one day they just disappear, as if vanishing into air. Since the circumstances are all the same, we believe a single organizations is recruiting in secret, or just plain kidnapping, humans with powers. I say humans because among those who disappeared there isn't a single hybrid, or people who used special techniques to extend their lifespan. We received similar reports from China and Oceania."

Now, this is seriously disturbing. "I know the Fallen Angels recruit people to study Sacred Gears, but this sounds like someone is creating an army!"

"That's exactly what we thought. For what reason, we don't know. But it would be enough to shatter the fragile peace we currently have."

He takes a deep breath. "There is another matter, a minor one but still worrying. There is a certain multi-national shadow organization that operates all over the world. Its origins and methods are mundane, but recently they started having contacts with minor organizations with similar purviews that dabble with the supernatural. Beside this, they are cause of concern because as a whole this organization has the power, if sufficiently motivated, to drastically alter current society. And they are showing a great interest in Japan." He tilts his head. "That's not surprising considering their main enemies have their main base here. Actually not much distant from here."

[Wow. This is a great clusterfuck!]

How right are you Ddraig.

"This...is a pretty grim picture you're painting Sayanomiya-san."

"And now you see why we need all possible help." He smiles wryly. "I will leave you a few days to think about your answer before contacting you again Hyodo-san. I will also submit a formal request to the Gremory Clan about acquiring your services via a formal contract. For the matter of the shrine, aiding gods is of course the very reason the History Compilation Committee exists. I will need the permission from Gremory-san, but it shouldn't take long."

He stands up and holds out a hand, which you shake. "It was a pleasure knowing you. I'm glad you're a decent guy. I hope you will accept my request."

"You need no worry." A voice suddenly says from nowhere. "Master does what Master does, but Eiko will do her best to show Master the right way."

In a burst of flames Eiko appears in the air above you, wings flapping lazily and an amused grin on her face.

Oh, and she just flashed you: she's wearing a fundoshi.

You could see shock appearing on the redhead's face at the sight of Eiko, and it stays here long enough for you to realize he wasn't prepared for Eiko's appearance before he squashes it and bow formally. "Forgive my impertinence. It's a honor to meet you Yatagarasu-sama. My name is Sayanomiya Kaoru of the Sayanomiya Clan, one of the Four Great Families."

"Greetings child of the Sayanomiya's. The one named Eiko is from the "Natsu-no-nagai Hane" tribe ("Long Wings of Summer" tribe) and she serves as a vassal of Hyodo Issei, the Red Dragon Emperor who also hold the blessing of the Sun."

"Eiko." You say, a hint of exasperation in your words. "Were you spying on us?"

Did she also time her entrance for maximum effect?

"Eiko did not such thing. Eiko merely performed her duties of taking care of Master's affairs!"

As you come to the realization that, no, you're probably never going to win against her you become aware that Sayanomiya-san is looking at you with a strange expression. "To have a Sun Raven willing submit herself to your service...I'll be honest, I absolutely didn't expect that."

"What can I say." You smile wryly. "I am not just the possessor of Boosted Gear."

"I've noticed." He replies, his expression now contemplative.

----

After Sayanomiya-san left you leave together with Asia and Mittelt to walk to school.

"It's a good weather today. Ise-san, we are playing softball for physical education today. It's my first time, so I'm excited."

"Really? Good luck then Asia. Do your best."

"Don't worry: it's fun. You will like it."

As the three of you walk together you happily chat about everyday things like normal students. Meanwhile the students who goes to the same school as you are looking at your group with intense eyes: some are showing disbelief, while others looks like they are searching an excuse to join you.

Well, that's natural. This situation will seem impossible for anyone who knows the old you. You, who was just an unpopular perverted student, are now a bishonen surpassing Yuuto that get along with two foreign blonde beauties and also the school idols. You're also walking to school with the new blonde students every day who everyone has been talking about since their arrivals. From other people's view, this is an unbelievable situation.

There were some students who confessed to Asia because they were like "If Hyodo can, so can I!", but they were rejected immediately.

Not that you would have let them anyway. You know the type of guys that goes to Kuoh.

"By the way Asia, Mittelt, are there any problems at school? Are you getting along well with other girls?"

Asia makes a smile which comes from the bottom of her heart. "Everyone is very kind towards me. They are teaching me a lot of things so I would get familiar with Japan. I also made lots of friends."

"They're good people." Mittelts smiles. "Aika-san taught me about a lot of funny things I didn't know about Japan."

Yes, you heard that right. After having sex with Aika-chan, you were worried that there would be tension between her and Mittelt.

Instead, them and Asia istantly became best friends.

You should be happy, and yet you can't help but worry. Why is that? Is your [Genre-Savy] sense trying to tell you something?

[The hell is a Genre-Savy sense?]

'It's a special sense that all avid readers of stories have, that let them predict the future based on logical patterns tested on past circumstances.'

[For real? Wow, that's amazing. But why I haven't heard of it before?]

...Gullible. Your dragon is just too gullible.

"Asia-chan! Good morning!"

"Good morning, Asia-san. Your blonde hair is shining today as well."

As soon as you arrive in the class the bald headed guy, Matsuda, and the guy wearing glasses, Motohama, approache Asia. These two are your friends. Kinda. Male friendship is rough anyway. Now that you think about it, you didn't spend much time with them in the last two weeks. Maybe you should remedy that.

"Good morning Matsuda-san, Motohama-san." Asia politely greets them. And then, they start getting emotional after being greeted by her.

"This is the thing, isn't it, Motohama-kun?"

"That's right, Matsuda-kun. Getting greeted by having a beauty say "Good morning" gives life to us from morning."

....Like usual, they feel happy with minor things. But until recently you were probably the same as them.

As you think that you raise a hand and block Matsuda's punch. "Good morning to you too." You say with false cheerfulness. "Is punching your friends the new trend when it comes to greeting them?"

"Hahaha. Ise-kun. I heard about it." He says while keeping up trying to hit you, and failing miserably.

"Heard what."

"I hear that you walk to school with Asia-chan and Mittelt-chan every day, right?" Motohama asks.

"What about it?"

"You! You actually know lots of cute girls, don't you!? Rias-senpai! Akeno-senpai! They are the "Two Great Onee-sama" of our academy, you know!? Then our school's small idol, Toujou Koneko-chan, and now the blonde beauties that just transferred, Asia-chan and Mittelt-chan! This is wrong! It's so unfair that I'm about to break!"

Matsuda whines while holding his head down. Motohama glares right at you through his glasses and it looks like he's about to shed tears of blood.

You briefly wonder what would they do if you present them to Ruby and Yang.

Probably an heart attack. Thus it's your duty as a friend to keep them from the grim reality. Grim for them obviously.

"Ise, I don't think introducing a single girl to us will be a bad thing. No, I mean, please introduce us to someone. I beg you. Please."

Motohama says it while putting his face close to yours. He says it with a low tone, however it has so much intensity to it.

Introducing? Let's see: do you want them making a pass on Ruby?

Nope.

Do you want them making a pass on Yang?

For the sake of their continued existences, nope.

In other words, if you present them to a girl it will end poorly.

[Ehi partner. I have a suggestion.]

'Do tell.'

Ddraig explains his plan.

'Are you sure...?'

[Positive. This will be a great learning experience for them. They will become new people!]

Well, if he proposed it he should be very confident it will work. He is the one with thousands of years of experience after all.

You take your mobile phone out.

"Hold on a sec."

You make your two pals and Asia wait there for a bit, and then go to the corner of the room to make the call.

You talk for a few minutes, and at the end reach an agreement.

"Well guys, I found one person that's okay with meeting you guys. That person will also bring friends as well. This is the number. Use the mail first. That way, you guys will feel happier."

"Thank you!" Matsuda who was down on the floor until a moment ago grabs your mobile phone. Him and Motohama quickly copy the number into their phones.

"Thank you so much, Ise-sama! I will never forget this debt!"

"Yeah, let's do a triple date next time! Just wait! We will also make a girlfriend instantly!"

The two of them are giving a good smile. It seems like they are experiencing happiness, or rather, the inside of their heads is on party-mode.

"So, what kind of person is she? She's a beauty right?"

You answer while scratching your cheek. "Umm, yeah, we're talking about a [maiden]. That, I'm sure of."

"Maiden......w-wonderful.......that's really wonderful, Ise-kun!"

"Man, we just can't thank you enough Ise-sensei."

These guys are just pathetic. They keep on changing their attitudes. You just hope this experience will really help them.

"Oh Ise-kun. By the way, why is "Mil-tan" called Mill-tan?"

'I will like for you guys to ask him yourself. Even I don't know the reason.'

----

"...Is there a reason for why you did that?"

"I want to see their faces after their meet that monster and his friends."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"C'mon! It will be hilarious!"

"...Whatever."

"You're not fun."

"And your idea of [fun] is juvenile at best, infantile at worst."

"...You do realize this means war, right?"

"Now this, is what [fun] is like!"

----

You hear strange noises from the recesses of your mind. Noises that sounds suspiciously like a battle going on.

What the hell are those two doing?

[] End of Part 1. Please wait for Part 2...

----

If you know Japanese and are of the opinion I horribly mangled Eiko's tribe name, you're probably right.

I used Google Translate. Enough said.

Alexander · May 5, 2014

With your mentors and partners busy doing God know what, and you're pretty sure it is best to not know, at least until they calmed down, you are left alone with your thoughts.

"Hola Ise-chi!" Aika drops down in front of your desk, sitting on a chair on the contrary and leaning on it's back for support. "What's with the long face? Did you party too hard last night?" She giggles. "You should have invited me!"

"I didn't party." You wave her theory off. "I'm just...thinking about something."

"About what?"

"About something I need to do, but I don't know how to do it...forget it." You shake your head. "It's too dangerous for you."

"I will be the judge of that." She says with an uncharacteristic serious face. "Spit it out."

For a second you're tempted to say no, but her behavior puts you off enough that you decide, against common sense, to tell her. Not all of it, but enough. "Well...I need to find information about.." You lower your voice until it's a whisper. "A gang."

"I see." She adjusts her glasses, and they start glowing with a strange light. "Why?"

"If I say it's for the good of the city, would you believe me?" You tell her, hoping she will not pry further.

"Normally not, but since it's you I will believe it." What? "What's the group's name?"

"Snake." You reply automatically. However, before you can say anything else you are silenced by an incredible sight.

Aika grabs her bag, takes out a portable and starts typing at a speed that, frankly, it's unreal.

Did you mention the creepy, demonic grin on her face as her hands move faster than eyes can see?

"Ohohohoh!"

And the bone-chilling laugh?

"Here's they are!" After a few minutes she turns around the computer and shows the screen to you, pointing what looks like the post in a forum with a pencil. "The Snake is a minor gang in the region: it boosts a large than average numbers of members, but they're pretty much all thugs and guys who joined because it's cool. Their only serious accomplishment is forcing a racket on the local stores, but even that it's waning now. This guy here claims there is a new gang in the region, called Ragnarok, that's pretty much steamrolling all others and assimilating them in their ranks. So the Snake gang is recalling all this assets to fight against this Ragnarok. From the Snake gang there's nobody worth of note except the leader, a guy named Shougo Kitsukawa that's rumored to be invincible. Of Ragnarok all it's known is that its mysterious leader call himself Odin."

You gape, the content of the discussion on the screen pretty much conforming her claims. "How?" You finally manage to force out of your dry mouth.

" 'Tis but a breeze." In an instant the computer is gone and she's sitting properly, all traces of the weird behavior completely gone. "For a world-class hacker, that is."

"You, a world-class hacker?" She nods. "Since when?!"

She grins, a grins that seems to say 'You didn't expected it, did you? Ah ah, I know something and you don't and I'm going to gloat all I can'. "Family business. My mother taught me a lot since childhood."

What kind of degenerate teach her child how to be a hacker?

----

Elsewhere, a certain redheaded, braided female sneezes.

"Did you catch a cold Matsu?" Her husband asks with concern.

"No Mina-tan, I don't think so." She answers while adjusting her glasses. "I have the feeling someone is saying something not nice about me."

----

Why do you suddenly feel the need to apologize for being an asshole? Shaking your head to get rid of that random thought you smile at Aika. "Thank you Aika-chan. By any chance, was there something about where they meet?"

With a grin she writes down a series of addresses on your block-notes. "They were seen here."

"This..." You scratch your head. "Thanks Aika. I mean it." You don't notice you forgot to use honorifics. "What can I do to repay your help?"

She leans forward and whispers in your ear. "The next Saturday my parents are out all day. You can repay me by helping me trying out things from the large, large stacks of porn I keep under my bed."

Oh. Oh. "This sounds like more a reward than a chore." You grin.

"Isn't it better this way then?" She grins back.

----

During break you decide to call Ruby and Yang. Luckily you find them together. You tell them about Azazel and how, despite the training going great, he's almost assuredly more qualified than you when it comes to Sacred Gears.

"Isn't he, like, the boss of an evil secret organization?" Ruby's voice asks from your cellphone.

Azazel, Leader of the Fallen Angels. Yeah, it sure looks like that at first glance.

"Well, he had a 'bad boy' aura on him but didn't behave like a bad guy. They may have a bad reputation, but it's pretty much unfounded." You scratch your head. "It's up to you if you want to meet him or not."

"We will meet him." This time is Yang's voice. "If you vouch for him, I believe you. And even if we're in danger, Ise-kun will come and save us, ne?"

"Absolutely." You reply, your voice full of intent and determination. "I don't care if he can sink a continent with a wave of his hand, he will eat my fist if he dares hurting a single hair on your heads."

You hear giggling. "That's Ise-kun for you, the shinning knight in white armor." No, it's red armor if what Ddraig told you about Balance Breaker is true. "Since we're talking about this, can you introduce us to your devil friends' group too? Me an Ruby are curious, and Asia-chan and Mittelt-chan said they're decent guys."

"Sure." You reply. "Just expect a lot of proposals about joining Rias-san's peerage. She takes the 'gather talented people' part of her duties very seriously. She takes all her duties very seriously to tell you the truth." You like that about her, it makes her dependable.

"I can't do that! If I become a Devil I can't become a Heroine of Justice!" You hear Ruby exclaims.

"Same here." Yang chuckles. "See ya later Ise-kun."

"You too. Goodbye Yang-san, Ruby-chan."

----

You walk to the ORC's room after school ended. When you're just a few yards from the door you hear Bucho's voice.

"I don't like this! Even if it's a request for Oni-sama, how can I trust the Governor of the Fallen Angels so openly?"

"I understand your concerns Ojou-sama." A female, polite voice you never heard before replies. "However, I assure you we considered all necessary precautions. This is not all. This request will also help champion your cause in that matter."

"That matter...you don't mean?!"

You pause for a moment, unsure if you should interrupt what is obviously an important conversation, before you knock.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Issei."

There is a brief pause. "Please enter." Rias finally says.

When you enter you see that, beside Rias, the others are absent, even Akeno. Instead, together with Rias are two persons you never met before.

The first is a silver haired woman dressed in a French maid uniform. Despite the non-threatening appearance, your instincts are screaming at you that's she is impossibly dangerous and completely out of your reach.

Dealing with Bright on a daily basis taught you something after all.

The other is a brown haired young man in his twenties. Despite wearing a suit he has a sheathed sword on his side. He feels weaker than the maid, but still dangerous.

"Welcome Ise." Rias massages her forehead. "Despite the timing, maybe it's a good thing that you came now."

"Ise? So, is he the boy with [Boosted Gear], the one possessed by the Red Emperor of Dragons?" The maid looks at you as if she's looking at something extraordinary. She then bows her head down. "How do you do. I'm a maid that serves the House of Gremory. My name is Grayfia. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"My name is Beowulf." The older male smiles at you. "It's a honor to meet the famous Red Dragon Emperor."

"Ah, the pleasure is all mine. Nice to meet you." You reply while bowing, to show the appropriate respect. Then it hits you. "Wait, Beowulf? Like the protagonist of the most important Anglo-Saxon epic poem?"

"That's right." His smile widen, obviously pleased. "Beowulf was my ancestor, and I share his name. I am also a [Pawn] from the Peerage of Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Four Satans."

'Eeeh!?' "So you're a Hero Descendant?" Your eyes shine with excitement. "It's my first time meeting one!"

Hero Descendants. Those who share the blood or inherited the will and spirit of famous heroes from the past, like Hercules and Lu Bu. Due to their ancestry they are very powerful, and are reputed as the [Pinnacle of Humanity].

"Then..." Your eyes fall on the sword on Beowulf's side. "Is that...Hrunting?"

"The only one." He says with pride. "One of the best Demonic Sword there are, repaired and reforged by the best blacksmiths of the Underworld. You have no idea of the kind of adventures I had just to collect the necessary-"

"Ahem!" Grayfia coughs, interrupting his passionate speech. "This I neither the time and place for that Beo."

"O-Oh, uh..." He seems to wither under her game. "Sorry Grayfia."

When the maid turns around he makes a silent gesture and mimic with his lips [Later, kid]. You show him a thumb-up.

"Ise, you're confused about what is going on." Rias tells you. "The truth is, my older brother asked me to do something that concern you."

"Your older brother?" You ask, confused. "Rias, aren't you the heir of the Gremory family?" If she has an older brother, shouldn't he be the heir?

"Sirzechs-sama left behind the Gremory name when he took the title of Maou Lucifer." Grayfia calmly explain. For some reason Rias seems suddenly afraid. "As such he can't be the heir of the Gremory."

"I se-" Wait just a second.

2+2=watermelon?

Rias' brother is the Maou Lucifer, the most powerful among the Maou and the ruler of the Underworld?!?

[] Write-in.
----

I wanted to write more, then I realized this is a perfect opportunity to further shape Issei's character and his relations with the canon gang.

Alexander · May 6, 2014

To your credit, you manage to close your mouth after just a second or two. Those are important news indeed, and you would probably react strongly if it wasn't for the fact that Rias doesn't seem happy about you learning about it. Why that is you don't know, but she is and that's all that matters. Taking a look at Rias' distressed reaction, you move quickly to reassure her.

"I... see. So Maou Lucifer is your brother? Ah, no need to be so tense Rias, I was just surprised, is all." You reply with a casual air, waving your hand off.

At their stunned looks you raise an eyebrow. "What? I don't treat my friends differently if their parents or siblings turn out to be famous. Doing that would make me no better than those sycophants who act nice only to gain something in return."

Beowulf erupts into laughters. "Ahaha! You have guts kid! Most would start groveling by now, thinking they were disrespectful and shit like that."

"What can I say?" You shrug. "I like to say what I think without mincing words. It's too much of a bother to act like other people expect me to do. I will do my own thing, and treat other accordingly."

To do otherwise would means discriminating, and this is not something a Hero should do.

During the exchange Rias' face visibly relaxes, worry leaving place to relief. Grayfia's face is stoic as before, but you can feel a subtle trace of approval.

"But enough of that." You shift, straightening your back. "Sorry about the interruption. Please go on, I'm listening: what is it that the Maou wants you to do, and how am I involved in this?"

"If I may." Grafyia says before Rias can talk. Upon receiving a nod of confirmation she produces a stack of paper sheets via a minor teleportation. "The Governor of the Fallen Angels and Leader of Grigori Azazel, upon receiving news of the appearance of the wielder of Boosted Gear and how he was contracted with the house of Gremory, contacted Sirzechs-sama to present a request."

"That he wants to train me and collect data of Boosted Gear's developing?" You casually ask. At their questioning looks you answer. "I met Azazel yesterday."

You tell them of your encounter with the Gremory's leader. Rias is frowning deeply and she's clearly irritated, while Grayfia is shaking her head in a disappointed way.

"Trust that man to completely ignore protocol." She mutters. "It is as you said Hyodo-san. Governor Azazel, who is deeply interested into Sacred Gear's research, wishes to personally supervise the growth of the Longinus Boosted Gear and its interaction with the Longinus Divine Dividing. In exchange..." She scrolls the sheets and reads. "He will share the results of those researches with the Devil Faction, along with advanced materials on Sacred Gears that Devils' own researches are lagging behind. In addition, he will provide samples of the [Artificial Sacred Gears] that Grigori developed."

That...That are some very generous concessions. Where is the gain for Azazel? Is he only interested in the research, not bothering about who gains access to it? This doesn't seem something a cunning leader would do, more like a passionate scientist that wants to satisfy his curiosity.

Wait. "If those are the terms..." You look up and tap a finger on your chin. "What was Azazel talking about when he mentioned a [Level 78 Boss] on the phone?"

"Ah that." Beowulf casually comments. "We have troubles with that Boss because beside me and Souji our party is magic-orientated, and that damn Linch is magic resista..ta..."

A dangerous aura fills the room, causing him to stutter. With sweat covering his pale face and trembling he mechanically turns his head to the source of the aura, who turns out to be none other than Grayfia.

"Beowulf." Her frosty tone could make even Arthas Menethil tremble. "Is Sirzechs still skipping his duties to play online games, now even going so far as to involve the rest of his peerage?"

What.

"No?" Beowulf whispers.

The aura intensifies. Grayfia's eyes start giving off a weird light.

"...Yes?"

Sling!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

Quickly and mercilessly the maid releases magic that encased the Hero Descendant in ice, his face set in an expression of pure agony.

"..." Grayfia removes imaginary dust from her sleeves before turning to both me and Rias, who have retreated to the other side of the room together. "What you just heard can be considered a capital secret. Sharing this information, even with close confidents, is deeply inadvisable: if you were to do it, there would be...consequences." She smiles. "Do you understand?"

You and Rias shakily nod.

"Who is she?" You hiss to Rias. "Another Maou?"

"Grayfia-san is Oni-sama's Queen and wife." She replies. "In the Underworld she's called the [Strongest Queen] and a person with the strength of a Maou."

Great Glorious Sun. Forget about Maou Lucifer, this one here is the person you should never piss off!

----

A couple of minutes later, as you calm down, Grayfia is elegantly serving you tea. You take it and politely thank her.

"There are a couple of details I forgot to mention." She says after serving Rias. "Since it would be unwise to just trust you over without insurances, it was decided that the training will be held in a special facility owned by the Fallen Angels that's situated near the city, just outside the Gremory's territory. In addition, Beowulf will act as your bodyguard, ensuring Azazel will not try anything unsavory."

You nod to show you understand. All the while trying very hard to not look at the still ice-imprisoned Pawn.

"Do you get it Ise?" Rias sighs. "What do you want to do?"

"That depends." You takes a sip from the tea." What do you want me to do?"

"W-What? Well of course it would be extremely beneficial to accept Azazel's proposal, and his training would surely be effective. Don't you want to get stronger Ise?"

"Yes. But he isn't my ally: you are." You say with a straight face. "There are some thing I will not sacrifice for power. No, there wouldn't be any meaning in me getting stronger if I have to sacrifice those things."

For some reason Rias' cheek turned red. However, there is something else you need to tell her. "Beside this, there is something else I need to tell you."

You tell her of the visit of the History Compilation Committee and the information you gained. At the end both Rias and Gayfia's face are incredibly serious.

"I thought Japan was a peaceful nation, but to learn there are so many problems. Why wasn't I informed?"

"..." The silver haired Queen seems to contemplate something.

Rias immediately catches on it. "Do you know something Grayfia?"

"Yes, but I can't discuss it openly." She shakes her head sadly. "Sorry Ojou-sama, but I can't talk."

"Ugh, I understand. Please tell Oni-sama that I need to think. I will give him my answer tomorrow."

"Alright. Be well Ojou-sama." With those parting words he disappears in the light of teleportation.

Leaving Beowulf behind.

"What about..." You point to the ice with hesitation.

"Grayfia is very strict with Oni-sama and the other members of his peerage." She massages her forehead. "Give me a hand Ise. Even if we leave him there he will survive, but he would be in no condition to move afterward."

"Right."

An uncomfortable silence settles as you two generates fire to melt the ice.

"..."

"..."

"Things are spiraling out of control, aren't they?"

"Yes."

You sigh. "I wonder if this the effect of the [Dragon's Aura] Ddraig mentioned."

"Do you regret it?" Rias asks suddenly.

"Eh?" You turn to look at her, and find out she's looking at you with intense eyes.

"Becoming part of the supernatural I mean. Awakening your Gear, your Exaltation...do you regret your old life?"

"Hell no." You answer automatically. "I can't deny bad things happened, but when I consider the good things they are a lot more. I never been as happy as I am now. It's like...yes, it's like growing up: everyone change, but changing doesn't automatically mean bad, only different. Moreover I..."

You pause, searching for the right words. "I want to move forward with my own strength. Because, I don't want to have any regrets."

"Moving forward with your own strength..." Rias smiles. "How interesting. The human world is truly interesting if it can give birth to people like you Ise."

"Do you like the human world?"

"I love it."

You both share a rare moment of particular intimacy.

"That's right." You snap your fingers. "There is another topic I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"Some time ago I met two people who stumbled into the supernatural world. I didn't mention them before because it was up to them to decide, but now they want to meet you after I told them you're good guys."

"Why, I would love too." Rias smiles. "Who are they?"

"They are Sacred Gear users. They have two of the Magnus, the Sacred Gears of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse: one of Death, and one of War."

Rias' face meets the pavement. Before you can say anything she gets up and looks at you with a strange bewildered expression.

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"What?! No!"

"Good. The next time you have yet another monumental revelation to make, please wait until I am sitting down with tea ready to the side."

"Another monumental revelation? You make it sounds like it happens constantly."

"The last two weeks." She remarks.

"...I will try to tone it down..."

"Please do so."

[] Part 1 is done. Please wait for Part 2...
----

In the meantime a little vote:

What to do with Snake?
[] Go to the places Aika told you about.
[] Have Eiko investigate first.
[] Suggestions?

Alexander · May 6, 2014

A little interlude for you

----

Interlude

With a flash of light Grayfia appears in the Underworld in front of a door. She takes a few seconds to control her features before pushing the door open.

Inside, sitting behind an ornate desk full of various important-looking documents, is a man with long red hair dressed in ornate robes that one would see in a magic fantasy setting. The man looks up at the sound of the door's opening and smiles.

"Welcome back Grayfia. How did the trip go?"

"It went well, even if a lot of unexpected issues popped up."

"Seriously? Before that, did you meet the Sekiryuutei?"

"I did. I think the profile was correct: he seems to have a truly serious friendship with Rias. He barely batted an eye when I told him who you are, and said he doesn't care. By his eyes, I could tell he really means it."

"Really? That's great, that's truly great." Sirzechs Lucifer, the most powerful devil in the world, goofily smiles. "Ria-tan needs friends, more now than ever. Did you..."

"Yes." She takes out a screen-like dispositive and hands it over. "I used Ajuka's invention during the whole conversation. The results are...interesting."

Sirzechs takes it and stares at the screen. He blinks. "What are all those 9' ?"

"That is the measure of Hyodo Issei's potential."

He whistles. "The potential? I don't think there are enough Evil Pieces in all the Underworld. What is he?"

"I don't know. He feels vaguely like a dragon, but that could have been Boosted Gear."

"Intriguing. A pity, but intriguing." He clicks his tongue. "Anything else?"

Grayfia tells him of what Issei said about the History Compilation Committee. "Do you think...?"

"That they're them? Yes: kidnapping Sacred Gear users like that fits their modus operandi. But I didn't know about the other two. I just hope they will not take advantage of it."

Sirzechs stands up and walks to the window to stare outside. "Uhm...it's a pity Hyodo Issei can't become a Devil, but maybe it's better this way. A neutral position may be even more advantageous. And the offer from the Committee...it's the chance I was waiting for."

He turns to look at his wife. "Me and the others are discussing the possibility to ask the Shinto Pantheon to act as the mediator."

Grayfia raises an eyebrow. "Is there a particular reason?"

"Many, the first being that we need to end the conflict with the Youkai once and for all. I don't want what happened to Koneko and her sister to happen again." He shakes his head. "And this way Ria-tan will be more comfortable living in Japan."

Suddenly he blinks. "This remind me, where is Beo?"

"Oh, probably still waiting for the ice to melt."

"I se-wait, ice-"

A vice-like grip grabs his head. "Skipping your duties again to play videogames? And together with your peerage no less?" Grayfia says with a demonic voice, a black aura enveloping her.

Sirzechs' face loses all colors. "Grayfia...love of my life-"

FWOOOSH!!

"AAAAAAAAAAA-"

----

As a window of the mansion explodes three men and two mythological beats look up from their game of Poker.

"Boss irritated the sweet wife again."

"Yeah."

"Uh."

"I am not betting on it."

"Ri-Ehi! Stop right there Bahamut! Are you trying to change your cards?"

"I don't have hands you idiot. How do you think I could do that?"

In that moment the door leading outside explodes and flies off its hinges. In the doorway stands a Grayfia enveloped in dark aura, the smoking body of Sirzechs hanging from her hand.

"Soo, I heard about a Level 78 Lich that is giving you guys problems. Tell me more."

The three men and two mythological beats, members of the strongest peerage in the Underwolrd, look at themselves and run away.

Alexander · May 7, 2014

"E-Etchì!!"

"Another tissue Beowulf-dono?" Akeno holds out a tissue with a smile on her lips.

"Y-Yes." The Pawn grabs it and sneezes loudly in it before tightening the blanket around himself.

"I'm sorry." You say for the umpteenth time, your body bowing at a perfect 90°. "It was my careless mistake that get you into trouble."

"Don't beat yourself kid." Beowulf grimaces. "Boss-lady was always this crazy. Every time we slack off when we shouldn't she makes her d-displeasure known. But never this strong! The boss pissed her off royally this time. Etchì!"

Rias massages her forehead as to ward off a migraine. "Then the next time that Oni-sama try to involve you in his hobbies, please refuse Beowulf-san."

"He's the boss. I can't just say no." He counters before sneezing again.

Feeling there is no need to apologize further you plop down on the couch next to Kiba.

"Say Ise." He starts asking. "What hap-"

"Answering that will shorten my life considerably." You deadpan. "Sorry, but she's too scary to consider disobeying."

"...I see." He cautiously answers.

[Phfew! That was fun!"] Ddraig's voice suddenly appears back in your mind. [What did I miss?]

'A lot. What were you doing? Where's Bright?'

[Sleeping I think. Ah, I'm hurting all over my body but it was totally worth it.]

One has to wonder what the hell those two think your mind/soul is.

[I have news that can interest you. Do you remember when I explained the Transfer function? I forgot to mention another trick to i: you see...]

You listen to the dragon's explanation. And indeed, what he says is very interesting.

"Kiba? Mind giving me a hand?"

"Sure. What do I need to do?"

"Create a sword. One with a special ability. Ddraig told me about a new way to use Boosted Gear's Transfer and I want to test it."

As Kiba begins forging the sword you materialize the Gear and starts the countdown.

"Here." Kiba hands to you a sword with a straight blade. "This is [Flame Delete], a demonic sword that uses ice to devour flames. But it only works if there fire around."

"Perfect." You grab the sword with one hand and, keeping it perpendicular to the ground, place the index and middle finger of the other on the blade.

The others stop what they were doing and stare at the scene.

You concentrate and activate the Charm. "Boosted Gear Apotheosis."

[Transfer!]

-20m

Golden light pours into the sword, streams of energy rippling in and out of the surface like electricity. The appearance of Flame Delete changes: the hilt becomes more ornate and a sapphire appears on it; the blade elongate and over it appears a sheen of ice crystal arranged to form an exquisite pattern.

"...This all?" Koneko questions.

In response you swing the sword in the wall's direction. A stream of ice shoots out and soon completely covers the surface in ice, complete with spikes that are more like spears.

You flinch as Beowulf jumps back in fright.

Kiba stares. "...It shouldn't do that."

"Now it does." You return the sword. "The normal Boosted Gear transfers the accumulated power to an object to increase its power. My version directly change the underlining existence of the object, elevating it to a higher existence. This way you don't just have a sword that absorb fire faster and in greater quantity, but one who is better all around and a power over ice expanded to include generation and complete control."

"Akeno. Tea." You hear Rias orders.

"Oops!" You flinch. "Sorry."

"No matter, I was seated already anyway. And Akeno is fast." She sighs.

"So, what next?" Dohna asks. "Make raining? Transform lead into gold? Crapping pink elephants? Just how ridiculous can you get, you bastard?"

"Well..." You assume a thinking pose, your mind remembering one of Bright's lessons about Creation. "I am tempted to create a dinosaur that eat opium and piss heroin. Only, you know, without the opium and heroin and more with Coca-Cola."

They all stare at you.

You wave your hands in embarrassment. "I-I'm joking! It's only that Bright mentioned that they used genetically-engineered animals as a drug factories, and so I got curious!"

"You know, this [Creation] sounds more and more like a place where people know how to live." Kala whispers to Dohna.

"Bah!" He scoffs. "If it has more people like the brat, I am not stepping foot on it even if paid."

[] Wait for more...
----

Sorry I have to cut it short, but I need to do something somewhere else right now. I will finish tomorrow. Bye.

Alexander · May 8, 2014

The rest of the time passed mostly normally. Rias told the others of the business with Azazel, and aside from Dohna and Kala slightly freaking out and Akeno scowling, they all agree it was too much of a good opportunity to refuse.

About the offer of the Committee, you and Rias decided that any serious effort on your part would have to wait until you actually benefit from the special training. So you will accept, but would limit your involvement until you have sufficient options to deal with most threats.

About Ruby and Yang, you will introduce them tomorrow before leaving together with Beowulf to Azazel's facility.

"This should take care of everything." Beowulf, now feeling better, comments. "You sure are wanted kid. Remind me of myself in my younger days actually. This remind me."

He takes out a cellphone of a type you don't recognize and makes a call.

"Hello? Yes it's me. I'm going to stay in the Human World for a while, so I will need a source of cash and a hou-"

His eyes widen.

"What do you mean I'm not allowed to request anything? Who ordered that?! Where are Sirzechs-sama and the others?"

He pales.

"U-Understood. Nevermind." He ends the call. "Now I remember why we rarely gather together. Ehi Rias, can I sleep here? I'm currently...homeless."

"Sure." She replies with a smile. "This building has a few spare rooms. Akeno will show you the way."

As everyone leave, Kiba still staring at the de-transformed Flame Delete as if trying to extort its secrets by pure force of will, you turn to stare at Rias. Honestly this is a delicate argument and it would best to leave it alone, but this is something you have to do.

You look at her with a concerned expression. "By the way Rias, I...happened to overheard a little before I came in." her eyes widen a little shock. "I don't know what [that matter] is, but if you're in some kind of trouble don't ever hesitate to ask me for help, okay?"

Her features soften and she smiles. "Thank you Ise, I'm glad to hear that. But this is both a personal issue and something I must resolve on my own. Not because I don't want it, but because it's something I can win only by showing myself capable enough."

"I see. I don't like it, but I understand." You scratch your head. "Man, I hate it when something prevent me from helping my friends. But...it's the feeling that says [I want to be stronger]? I know that feeling very well."

"You are already helping me." Rias says as she shakes her head with a small smile.

"Eh?"

"You can't help me directly, but you are already doing it indirectly. Just continue what you're doing. If the matter with Azazel goes well, it will be a huge help."

"Seriously? I was already going to do my best, but now I am fully pumped up!" You slam a fist in your palm. "Whatever he's going to thrown at me, I'm going to meet it head-on."

"Yes, please do your best."

And then she leans forward and kisses your cheek. The action is so sudden that you're paralyzed.

"A good luck charm." She explains with a smile.

"Just a charm?" Your hand raises to touch the spot, feeling the lingering heat of her lips. "With one of those I can fight a Dragon King and win."

She giggles. That's honestly one of the most beautiful sounds you ever heard.

----

Later at your house, inside your room, you open the city map you brought and begins putting "X" on the places that AIka gave you, while around your house you put a large "O".

"Eiko."

At your command the raven girl appears in a burst of flames and kneels in seiza. "Master."

"I have a mission for you. One that require discretion." You stress the word.

"Eiko understands Master." She bows. "Eiko will perform at the best of her abilities."

"Good." You show her the map. "Those points signed with a X are used by groups of people, many younger than twenty and wearing white and green clothes: they call themselves [Snake]. You will have to monitor their activities and listen to their conversations. Every piece of knowledge counts, but I want to know where and when their leader, one named Shougo Kitsukawa, will appear. I need to know it with large advance."

"Eiko understands. Does Master want Eiko to eliminate Master's enemies if the opportunity present itself?"

"No!" You quickly say. "Stay in raven form and don't attack them. Just tell me what you find."

"Mh, mh." She hums. "Master wants to destroy his enemies personally. Eiko understands."

No you don't. "Just..go, okay?"

"Hai!" Jumping out of the window she transforms into a raven and, with the map in her claws, flies away.

"Honestly.." You pinch the bridge between your eyes. "That girl is a handful."

{She behaves like a proper servant. While you still need to learn how to behave like a true king.}

'Glad to have you back.' Not. It was peaceful without her. 'Did you have fun?'

{A pleasant distraction. Now then, I heard from the dragon what happened.}

'And you have advice to dispense.'

{Much more. Go to an area suitable for training worm: I have a new technique to teach you.}

----

Do you want to wear a disguise when confronting Snake?
[] Yes
-[] A hoodie to cover your face from the nose up.
-[] Write-in.
[] No

Ask Ruby and Yang if they want to participate?
[] Yes
[] No
[] Write-in.

----

"Okay, I collected a lot of bricks. What now?" You ask, standing into the garden of an abandoned house, the tree high enough to hid you from the street.

{Fist of Iron Technique is the first cornerstone of Solar Hero Style. Since a weapon always does more damage than a simple punch, the Solar that invented the style tried to make his fists as powerful and lethal as a weapon. He succeeded, and those who came after further perfected the Charm, transcending iron and reaching the perfection of Orichalcum.}

"Sooo...how I do it?"

{Cut the brick.}

"With what?"

{With your fists. Accept that your fists are iron and that the natural result is the brick being cut. Make Essence rest in your fists, weave it so deeply in your flesh that it won't be disturbed when you use them as weapons, call upon the perfecting temperance of your sun-aspected Essence.}

You stare at empty air. "Would trying until I get it right help?"

{Probably. Now, begin.}

And you did. Oh, your hands got ruined a lot in the first two hours, and it's only your enhanced resistance that let you endure the punishment, but the more you try the more you find yourself instinctually grasp the technique hidden principles, almost as if they were tailor-made to fit you and you just needed to putting them on like a fitting jacket.

Soon enough, you can effortlessly cut into the brick. Cutting in all the way through takes a bit of effort, but it's still rather easy. Nice.

Fists of Iron Technique
Cost: 3m
Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 offensive, Step 2 defensive)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Hero
Duration: Scene
Prerequisites: None
The pugilist infuses her body with the glorious might of her Essence, striking with unbridled power. While this Charm is active, the base damage of her unarmed Martial Arts attacks is increased by her Essence rating. Her unarmed Martial Arts attacks may inflict Lethal damage if she so chooses, and she may parry Lethal damage unarmed without penalty. In addition, the pugilist's natural punch, kick and clinch weapons are considered Perfect
quality. The points granted by this status are allocated when the Charm is purchased, and may be altered after the fact for 1 XP.

[] Perfect weapons provide two +1 bonuses and one +2 bonus to spend on Accuracy, Damage, Defense or Rate, but cannot improve Rate by +2.
Choose where to allocate the points:
[] Accuracy:
[] Damage:
[] Defense:
[] Rate:

The same bonuses will be applied to Boosted Gear when equipped and while using Fists of Iron.

Hero: In addition to Perfect quality, the Solar adds the orichalcum Magical Material bonus (+1 Accuracy, +1 Defense, +1 Rate) to punch, kick and clinch, and adds the Piercing tag to punch and kick. These weapons count as orichalcum artifact weapons whenever that status would be beneficial. At Essence 3, the Charm may be activated as an Innate Ability. At Essence 5, it becomes Permanent with no mote cost.

-8 Xp

----

When you return home you find Mittelt waiting for you.

"Welcome back. Oh my, you're covered in sweat."

"Yeah." You grin. "I trained hard. Bright taught me a new technique."

"Then you need to relax." She smiles. "What about a bath?"

"Yeah." You nod. "A bath would be awesome. Great thinking Mittelt."

As you walk to your room to grab a towel and head down to the bathroom you fail to notice the mischievous smile on Mittelt's face.

Click here for the NSFW content

----

Just a question to be sure: the base damage of an attack, what is it?

Alexander · May 10, 2014

"The weather sure is beautiful today, don't you think so Asia?"

"Yes Ise. It's sunny, but not too hot."

Mittelt, who is walking next to you, snickers at the cliché lines and probably at the big, goofy smiles you and Asia are spotting. But honestly you're too happy to care. Walking to school hand-in-hand with your new lover tends to do this to you.

Yesterday, after the activities in the bath, you and Asia behaved like usual during dinner only to resume them in your room during the night.

Asia is talented. A lot. Seeing her like that one wouldn't believe she was a nun once. Then again, who are you to know what nuns are usually like?

[They sure as hell don't have sex.] Ddraig guffaws. He's doing it since yesterday. [You're become quite the maiden-conqueror partner. You make dragons proud.]

'Thanks Ddraig.' You internally roll your eyes and lament the lack of truly private time. 'Wait, so the thing about dragons kidnapping princesses is true?'

[Dragons can mate with all other races, so it's not unusual for a dragon to have multiple mates. If we like someone, we pursue her. Often, I admit, without regards for the other's feelings. The stories about dragons being slain by knights rescuing a princess are mostly about dragon younglings that chewed more than they could handled. Female dragons are a bit different: while they don't discriminate about race, they accept only the strongest among them. They make all pretenders fight among each other and choose the one who is victorious at the end.]

Uh, dragon society sounds a lot like the barbarians of old. 'Did you kidnapped princesses too?'

[Nah, I had my claws full with earning my title as the Emperor of Dragons. I wasn't born so strong you know? I earned my strength and title through countless battles with other dragons and powerful beings from all over the world.]

'I always wanted to ask: why are you called the Welsh Dragon?'

[That's an interesting story. I was born on the island of Britain, in what humans today call Wales. There was a tribe of Celtic people that, after seeing one of my battles and my victory, started to worship me as a protective spirit. It amused me, so out of a whim I started acting like one and burn their enemies in exchange for offerings of food. By the time the romans invaded they used my image as a battle banner. And when the Roman Empire fell, the remains of those people build what will one day become Camelot. I was mostly a legend at the time, since I stopped intruding on human affairs, but the name struck. "Y Ddraig Goch": in Welsh it means "The Red Dragon". This is my pride.]

Wow, this is one hell of a story. Christians say pride is a sin, but listening to Ddraig's story you can't help but wonder if perhaps the real sin is the abuse of pride.

You think of that as you walk to your classroom, Asia having staying behind to chatter with a group of girls. Then—.

"Iseeeeeeeeee!!"

Matsuda is running towards you with an extremely pissed face from the end of the corridor.

"Dieeeeeeee!!"

From the other direction Motohama is running really fast. Both of them got ready to do a lariat on you.

Ah, they met Mil-tan. Normally you would dodge, but just this time you will take it.

Both of their lariats hit your neck. Even with your Exalted, Dragon-reinforced body it hurts. That's a great achievement.

"That was a magnificent Double Lariat." You raise your thumb-up. "Now you only need sunglasses and an awesome moustache to be a perfect [Lightning Duo]."

"D-Don't fuck with meeeee!" Matsuda shouts.

"Ise! You bastard!" Motohama grabs you by your collar and glares at you with eyes filled with murderous intent.

"What, you prefer the Chidori? That's for emo boys, it doesn't suit you." You act like you don't know what they are on about, but it doesn't stop them from being pissed at you. This too is part of Ddraig's plan.

"Don't fuck around! Fuck! What the heck was that!? He looked like those really strong guys from a martial arts manga! And why was he wearing Gothic Lolita clothes!? Is that an ultimate weapon!?"

Matsuda complains to you while crying. Looks like the two of them met him yesterday. It seems like the impact of Mil-tan was too much for them.

The heart of a maiden, and a body of a man! Truthfully it's too much even for a Devil like Kiba.

"Not only that! He also brought some friends! He made a gathering of some sorts! There were couple of those who looked like "Mil-tan"! I was so scared! I thought I was going to get killed!"

Yeah, his friends are like carbon-copies of him. Who knew there are so many male martial artists in the world who were born with the heart of a maiden and look up to Magical Girls?

"They were going on about the world of magic! Whaaaaaat the fuck is the [World of Magic Serabenia]!? I don't know any shit like thaaaaaat!"

Matsuda continues to complain to you while shaking your body violently.

"In my case, they were telling me about how to defeat the [Dark Creatures] if I ever encounter one......Apparently you can kill them by using a special item which is made by mixing the salt from the sea of the dead and a flower that only appears at night called [Moonlight Flower], and then burn them to make a powder......No matter how you think about it, a punch from Mil-tan would be enough to kill any living thing in this world......"

Motohama says it to you while holding his head down.

Right, now it's the time for Ddraig's final line. "Don't you think you two also learned another important lesson?"

They look up at you.

You smile. "If you want to go out with a girl, ask her yourself."

After you say that, Matsuda and Motohama do a double brain buster on you.

Inside Boosted Gear Ddraig is laughing so hard he is starting to choke. Bright massages her temples to ward off a migraine.

----

During lunch break you call the number Azazel gave you.

"Moshi Moshi? It's you Veronica? Last night wasn't enough, uh? You minx, you."

You stare into space. "No. It's me Hyodo Issei."

"Ack! Oh, it's you Hyodo-kun. When I heard a male voice for a moment I thought it was Veronica's husband."

He has a relationship with a married woman?!

[Fallen Angel, remember?]

It doesn't mean you have to like it damnit!

"So, since you called me does this mean you accept my offer?"

"Yes. Through I am sure you already received an answer from Gremory-san." You roll your eyes. "I'm coming to your facility today. With Beowulf-dono."

"Sure, sure. Nothing to hid there: I keep all shady things back at the headquarter. I'm joking, I'm joking. You know you will stay there for a while, right?"

"Yes, I already received the permit to take a few days off. Listen Azazel-san, do you mind if I bring some people with me? They are interested in your help: one is Mittelt, and another is Asia Argento."

"Sure, sure. I am interested into Twilight Healing myself. Anyone else?"

"Two others, Sacred Gear users that I met by accident. They..." You scratch your head. "They have two of the Magnus."

"..." Silence.

"Azazel-dono?"

"Magnus, you say?" His tone is now a mix of disbelief and gleeful anticipation. "Are you sure?"

"Ddraig recognized them himself. They're [Death's Scythe] and [War's Gauntlets]."

"..." Silence again. The Azazel speaks, his voice like a child in a candy store. "Hyodo Issei. I think I love you."

You make a disgusted face and quickly pull away the phone.

"In a platonic way of course. I wouldn't touch a guy even if paid. Bring them. Bring them all! Uahahaha!!!"

You were right. He is a mad scientist!

----

"You know, there's something I've been thinking for a while." Kala comments.

"About what?" You ask.

She points with her chin at the rest of the group: Ruby is fangasming over Kiba's numerous Demonic Swords and Beowulf's Hrunting, while the Knight and Pawn are actually embarrassed at the attention; Yang is describing something to Rias and Akeno while punching the air, and from Rias' scandalized face and Akeno's sadistic smile you can tell it's something not quite lurid but close; Koneko is showing Asia and Mittelt some martial arts kata she recently learned while the girls try, clumsily, to imitate her; Dohna is manipulating his Light powers into various forms and teaching Raynare how to do the same.

"You like blondes, do you?" She nonchalantly says.

You open your mouth to deny, then close it as you realize that you can't deny her claim. "I-I suppose? For a Japanese like me blond hair are exotic and so have a certain appeal, but I don't like girls just based on their hair's color."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." She takes a sip of tea, her posture like a queen looking down on her subjects. You try to ignore how her low-cut dress shows a lot of her long, long legs. "I'm just saying that's oh-so-very like a dragon to collect gold and precious jewels."

You stare at her with your mouth open. "I don't collect anything! And what's this about precious jewels?!"

"Ruby." Is her curt answer.

You blink in confusion. "What about Ruby-chan?"

She stares at you. Then turn and look at Ruby: after a few seconds of observation she smiles in a strange manner, as if laughing at a private joke. "Maybe Fate isn't the total ball of assholishness I thought it was. It also has a sense of humor."

"...I don't understand you."

"That's my appeal as a mysterious woman." She smiles smugly and takes a sip of tea.

"Kala." Rias suddenly call for her.

"Yes Mistress!" And just like that she stands up, a sickening sweet smile on her face, and tip-toes towards Rias.

Appeal. Yeah, maybe when she isn't all bipolar.

----

Under Bright's prompting you skipped a couple of lessons and used the time to learn the new Charm she taught you.

First Occult Excellency
Cost: 1m per die
Mins: Presence 1, Essence 1
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Lawgivers with this Charm are known for their moments of brilliance. The Exalt's player can invoke this Charm when making a roll based on the relevant Ability. This Charm then adds one die to that roll for each mote spent. This Charm is the paradigmatic dice adder. The rule that Solars are prohibited from increasing a dice pool by more than their (Attribute + Ability) almost always refers to the purchase of dice through the use of this Charm. Characters can also use this Charm to enhance unrolled uses of the relevant Ability, usually to increase a Defense Value, for example, by increasing (Dexterity + Dodge) to protect against a physical attack. When enhancing static values, her player rolls one die for each mote spent on the First Excellency. Each success increases her effective (Attribute + Ability) rating for the task by two. Therefore, each success on the First Excellency roll increases an applicable static value by one. Characters cannot use this or other Excellencies or diceadding Charms to "create" actions. For example, if a character attacks on tick 3 and will attack again on tick 8, she cannot buy dice for an attack on tick 4 that only exists because she used the Excellency to conjure dice for it. A character who uses this or other reflexive Charms to add to an attack can also use it to enhance her defense until the next tick when she acts, but she must spend Essence for each separate roll she wishes to modify. This Charm can be part of a Combo or used together with the Second Excellency, but it is incompatible with the Third Excellency. It can never be used on the same roll as the Third Excellency.

-8 Xp

----

You take the train to reach Azazel's facility. Your group is composed of: yourself, Beowulf, Asia, Mittelt, Ruby and Yang.

The journey is mostly uneventful, save for when Beowulf needed to explain to an officer why the rest of you wasn't at school and a street blocked because of a fight that forced you to take a detour. You swore you saw a panda jumping on streetlights, but that was obviously impossible.

At least you reached your destination. Azazel's facility...doesn't look like a facility at all. In fact it's just a warehouse with no special features.

"Are you sure this is the place?" You ask Beowulf as your group stand before the closed entrance.

"The address coincides." He answers. "Maybe-"

You will never know what he wanted to say as, suddenly, the ground below your feet disappears and you start falling. Your eyes widen as you realize you fell into a trap-door like a old spy film.

"""AAAAHHH!!"""

The girls scream as you all roll down a tortuous slide before you end roughly landing on a old mattress.

"Fuhaha! Welcome to my lair!" Smoke goes out, and from it Azazel steps out, wearing a costume fitting for the boss of an evil organization from a tokusatsu show. He has twelve black fallen-angel wings growing out from his back. "Who are the foolish heroes that dare to confront the great Azazel?"

And then Yang's fireball explodes in his face.

----

"Chi. You guys can't take a joke." Azazel says. There are many bandages on his face.

"Ah ah...Sorry, but you looked very convincing." Yang apologizes.

"Yeah." Ruby nods. "You totally looked like the evil boss of an evil organization, even if Hyodo-san said you're not and I believe him."

"You deserved it." Beowulf facepalms.

"But this feeling...I recognize it. There is no doubt about it." Azazel looks with intense eyes at Yang's gauntlets. "[War's Gauntlets] that smash any defense. This is a genuine Magnus." He turns to Ruby. "This means you have the other one?"

Ruby materializes Crescent Rose.

"[Death's Scythe] that reap any soul. They are the real thing!" He rubs his hands in glee. "You want to reach their full potential? Sure thing, I will teach you how. But before that is Hyodo-kun. Come with me."

You follow Azazel to another room of the subterranean facility, which is full of machineries. He picks up something that looks like a Sonic Screwdriver and a portable screen and points them at you. "Materialize your Sacred Gear."

You hold our your hands and allow Boosted Gear to form around them.

"So Shariel was right." You hear him murmur. "What strange readings. This is similar to Divine Dividing, but...Eh? Impossible, is this thing broken? No, it's right! What does this mean..."

He performs many more tests, and keep repeating the same things for all the time.

"If I wasn't absolutely sure this is Boosted Gear I would swear this is a completely different and unknown Sacred Gear." He muses. "Sacred Gears are highly responsive to feelings. If the [bug] grows big enough a new Longinus may be formed from a normal Sacred Gear, but could the same happen to a Longinus?" Despite the situation, instead of frustrated he looks excited. "Hyodo-kun, do you know why Boosted Gear is so different?"

"No." Technically it's the truth: you know that it was the Exaltation and Bright who did it, but don't how they did it. "Only that since the time I awoke it has mutated multiple times, and always during or after a battle."

"So likely a response to danger...Let's try asking Ddraig directly." He connects some cables on the two gauntlets. He types on a computer and taps a mike. "Test: 1, 2, 3. Are you hearing me?"

"Loud and clear." Ddraig's voice suddenly comes both from your mind and the speakers. You hope Bright will stay quiet. "It's been a while Azazel."

"It is. How are you doing Ddraig?"

"Same as always: imprisoned inside this thing by you assholes. When I get out I am going to kill you all."

Silence. You and Azazel stare at Boosted Gear.

"I'm joking." The dragon snickers. "I will just rough you up a bit. This place isn't so bad, and the last centuries were interesting. Plus life with my current host is funny. How is Albion doing?"

"He's doing good." Azazel says with mirth. "He too at the moment is showing more interest in other things than fighting you. Are you two going to fight?"

"We will, we will. But maybe this time our feelings will be different. Maybe this time we will just enjoy a good fight and have fun. Who know? Let's not talk about that. You want to know about Boosted Gear."

"Yeah. Why it's so different?"

"Who know?" You can picture Ddraig rolling his eyes in a funny way. "Maybe there is a secret I don't want to reveal. Maybe this is a trick I kept in reserve until today. There is more to the Heavenly Dragons that Boost and Divide, Transfer and Steal. But let me say this."

You can feel Ddraig's smile. "My host has already reached the strength of a Low-Class Devil and is steadily approaching that of a Middle-Class Devil."

"Seriously?" You shout.

"Yeah. So rough him up all you want, he can take it."

With that last line he leaves the conversation, his laugh slowly fading in the background.

"...He's having too much fun." You say in a defeated tone.

"He's in high spirit. And he has great expectations for you." Azazel nods approvingly. "Let's begin with the field test. Enter that." He indicates a door.

After the door closes behind you find yourself into a white corridor.

BEEP!

"Eh-!"

BOOM!

The pavement below you explodes, sending your body flying. If it wasn't for Durability of Oak Meditation you would be seriously injured. "Oooi! What the-!"

BEEP!

This time you are prepared and jump before the explosion.

"The test's objective is: surviving." Azazel's voices comes from a hidden speaker. "Let's begin."

"You are late with the warning you asshole!" You scream as you dodge explosion after explosion. The crazy bastard mined the whole place!

Click!

A passage opens on the ceiling ahead of you, and from it falls a giant stone ball that starts rolling toward you a great speed. It fits the corridor completely, so you can't dodge it.

"THIS ISN'T A INDIANA JONES FILM!!!"

In response you hear Azazel's creepy laugh.

[] Write-in.
----

This was long. As always, enjoy.

Alexander · May 12, 2014

[X] Smuthunter's plan
----

You only have a few fractions of a second to make a decision, but for you that's more than enough. It doesn't matter if the floor isn't safe so long as you don't touch the floor!

"Ddraig! Start boosting!" You yell, not bothering with thinking at him for the moment as you turn and run away from the boulder, activating Monkey Leap Technique as it barrels down the corridor after you.

[On it!]

[BOOST!] {BOOST!}

BEEP!

On cue you leap forward, letting the explosion push you further along your intended trajectory rather than flinging you around like a ragdoll. You land hands first on the wall and push off, launching yourself farther down the corridor -- and landing on the other wall.

Rockman isn't the only one who knows how to wall-jump!

After a while the corridor makes a sharp U-turn. Still raiding on the momentum you land on the wall and jump left instead of forward, changing direction abruptly and leaving the stone ball to smash into the reinforced steel.

WHIRR!

Gun turrets pop up from the wall and aim their barrels at you. 'Ddraig! Was Azazel always so crazy!?'

[Can't say: I only met him on the battlefield before.]

[BOOST!] {BOOST!}

"Raagh!" You growl in annoyance. Feeling things will only get worse you activate Fists of Iron Technique. Essence bursts out from your arms and legs, covering them in golden aura. Boosted Gear's colors shift and invert, the gauntlets becoming gold with red linings, claws elongating and sharpening.

Current Attacks:
Boosted Gear: Speed: 5/6, Accuracy +3, Damage +9L/+8L, Defense: +3, Rate: 4/3. Tags: M, C, P
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy +3, Damage +7L, Defense -1, rate 4. Tags: N, P
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy +3, Damage +4L, Defense -, rate 3. Tags: N

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Your fist ram straight into the turret directly in front of you, the bullets (rubber ones you idly note) bouncing harmlessly on your Gear as the machine is torn apart from the attack. Hearing the other guns turning in your direction you jump down on the pavement, do a cartwheel and launch your body up before another mine could get you, your feet hitting the next gun at full force and wrenching it from its position.

[BOOST!] {BOOST!}

You push with your hands, and the cycle begins anew.

----

Inside another room six people are watching Issei's obstacle course on a big screen. Or to be more precise, five are watching it with attention while the sixth one is alternating between looking at the screen and at various machines to the side of it.

"Eeh?! I didn't know Ise is so agile." Asia comments with a bit of worry.

"That's Monkey Leap Technique, right?" Mittelt asks Ruby.

"Mmh." The ravenette nods. "Ehi Yang, can I do the same training? It looks exciting."

"Woah woah." The blonde playfully rubs her sister's head. "Start small baby sister. But the golden gauntlets are a new trick."

"The kid's blows sure have a lot of power in them. Knight? Rook? Or maybe a flexible Pawn." Beowulf comments. He looks at Azazel. "What do you think?"

"Apart that he shouldn't be able to do what he's doing?" The fallen angel replies without turning back. "Boosted Gear is boosting, but the only thing affected is the boy's magical energy. No screw that, I can't call it magical energy: it's like a weird mix of magic, Ki, divine power, dragon energy, the chaotic energy from the Dimensional Gap and, if this thing isn't broken, actual sunlight."

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah. And the calculations...don't add up." Azazel pulls down a level. "According to the energy readings there should be a specific result, and instead there is another. It's like causality forgot how to work properly." He turns around, showing a maniac smile that send goosebumbs down Beowulf's spine. "There is more than Boost and Divide, Transfer and Steal. Now I understand."

"Eh?" The Pawn asks in confusion.

"Whatever happened to Boosted Gear, it blasted apart the internal workings set by God and rebuild them in an unknown fashion. The Longinus isn't just changing according to Hyodo-kun's feelings, it is shaping itself, and probably the kid, around the host adding new powers at an astronomical rate. We may be witnessing not another Sacred Gear user, but the birth of the first, functional Human/Sacred Gear Hybrid!"

"Is that even possible?"

"We shall see, shall we?" Azazelm replies before turning to the screen. On it Issei just finished the corridor and entered a dome-like space.

Only for the pavement to open below his feet and causing him to fall.

"Are you a fan of pit-falls?" Yang asks in a deadpan.

Azazel just rubs his hands, waiting to see how Hyodo will dealing with kiln at the end.

And promptly freeze like someone hit the "Stop" button as Issei flies out of the pit, a pair of red dragon wings with a small claw on both flapping on his back.

"What the-" Beowulf stares.

"That's new." Mittelt comments, and the other girls just nod in agreement as if it was a completely normal occurrence.

Issei lands gracefully, wings retreating back in his body leaving the clothes untouched, and raises a thumb-up. "Ddraig taught me a new trick."

"That's...Dragon Transformation? Like the Buné Clan? How? They can do it because of their special power, but for a Dragon-type Sacred Gear possessor it should be impossible to achieve without many years of training!" Beowulf starts speaking his thoughts aloud. "And the kid unlocked his Sacred Gear when, less than a month ago? Azazel what in Maou-sama I am-"

His breath gets caught in his throat as he beholds the fallen angel typing furiously on a console, his wings out and flapping in excitement.

"Fuhahahahaha! Vali-kun, you are going to get the match of the century. Just wait a bit more. Fuhahahaha!!!"

On the screen robotic arms pop out from the ground around Issei and fire lasers at him. Where they hit a red magic circle forms before fading. Issei drops down as if he suddenly got heavier. "Ehi?! What did you do?"

"Those are special seals that put a great load on your body Hyodo-kun." Azazel cheerfully says in a mike. "Only I can remove them, and they will keep getting heavier as your strength grows. But don't worry, you will get a pause of course. After eight hours of my special training."

"AZAAAZZEEEE-" The screen turns off.

"Now it's you girls' turn." Azazel claps his hands. "Follow me."

Only Asia and Beowulf looks behind at the screen in worry, but eventually follow Azazel.

'Surely it's not so dangerous?' Is their simultaneous thought.

----

"Why there are robots? Why they are dressed like ninjas? Why they have light-sabers? YU-SHAN'S GLORY WHY THERE ARE SO MANY CANNONS ON THAT TAN-!"

----

"Tell me, when did you awoke your Sacred Gears?"

"When we were kids." Yang answers. "It happened by accident for both of us: Ruby was running away from a stray dog, while I was having a temper tantrum. I was ten at the time, while Ruby was eight."

"Such a young age. You must have a great compatibility with your Gears. Can you use their powers without manifesting them?"

Yang snaps her fingers and produces a small burst of fire. Ruby steps back and forward in high speed.

"Very good. Listen well now. Ruby-chan, your power is "Speed", but too much of it and your brain will be unable to keep up. So your training will consist into increasing your reaction time. Because the information gathered by the sense is relayed to the brain through the nervous system there is a small time gap that gets noticeable when the speed increase too much. To do it, you will learn how to use your "Speed" power to make the nervous system relay information faster. This is a difficult ability that require a great control, so we will start gradually."

"Okay!"

"Yang-san, in your case you will learn how to create a bigger, continuous explosion with your at the fulcrum. This will both make your enemies wary of approaching you and act as a shield against minor projectiles. After that we will refine your control, so you can start using the force from well placed explosions to boost your movements."

"Sound fun."

"Asia-chan. Twilight Healing is an amazing Gear, but can only heal. With Balance Breaker you should gain some defensive abilities, but this is a far away goal. For now we will try to extend the range of Twilight Healing, creating a [healing area of effect]. After that you will learn how to send [waves] of healing energy, for more precise long-distance healing."

"H-Hai!"

"Mittelt, you inherited the [Heavy Light] from Biwa-dono, right? Ah ah, don't look so surprised, this is all thanks to my information network. You can create weapons with it, but thanks to the [density control] part you should be able to also create a light and thin but incredibly resistant sheen around your body that will act as armor and strength amplifier. I have other ideas, but let's start with that."

"Alright."

"Beo..."

"What? You have nothing to teach me that I don't already know."

"Correct. However you are one of the best support specialists in the Underworld, and the girls will need a sparring partner stronger than them."

"What? *sigh* Alright, but I am going to control how the kid is going at regular intervals."

"Deal. Let's begin! Fuahaha!!"

[] End of Part 1. Please wait for part 2...
----

Now it's Thursday. Issei will skip school, so there will be no increase in Intelligence from study or analyzing the Evil Pieces.

Issei will undergo Training from Hell to train Strength, Dexterity and Stamina. Every hour of Training from Hell counts as three hours of normal training, and for every two hours of it Issei gain 1 Xp.

The schedule is as such:

Thursday:
17:00 -> 01:00 (Friday): Training from Hell (First Part)

Friday:
01:00 -> 04:00: Eating and rest
04:00 -> 12:00: Training from Hell (Second Part)
12:00 -> 15:00: Eating and rest
15:00 -> 23:00: Training from Hell (Third Part)
23:00 -> 02:00 (Saturday): Eating and rest

Saturday:
02:00 -> 10:00: Training from Hell (Fourth Part)
10:00 -> 13:00: Eating and rest
13:00 -> 21:00: Training from Hell (Fifth Part)
21:00 -> 00:00 (Sunday): Eating and rest

Sunday:
00:00 -> 03:00: Eating and rest
03:00 -> 11:00: Training from Hell (Sixth Part)
11:00 -> 14:00: Eating and rest

Azazel will then leave Issei free for the afternoon of Sunday.

[] If you wish, you can exchange one or more than one of the Six Training Periods with another where Issei will train his Perception, Intelligence and Wits.
-[] Write-in.

Alexander · May 13, 2014

Interlude

In Japan, situated between the Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures, during the year 1964 was founded the Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park. There, between the Yatsugatake mountain range and Mt. Kaikoma, exists a valley that is near Lake Suwa. And in the middle of this valley exists a uninhabited but well conserved shrine called the Komagatake Shrine, situated at the base of Mt. Kaikoma.

However, very few are aware of the old, original name of the Shrine.

Hakurei Shrine.

Let's look closer, past the barrier erected many years ago by powerful supernatural forces, and you will see that the temple, the other half of it, isn't uninhabited as the other one.

"Reimu! Give me tea, da ze!"

It is much more worn down however.

"No donations, no tea. Go away Marisa."

On the shrine's grounds, there are three unique individuals.

The first one is a young miko with long black hair wearing a red and white shrine maiden outfit. Said outfit leave her armpits and skin exposed in a way that no proper miko would consider acceptable. Sadly, her ancestors were perverts and she herself doesn't know better.

The second one is another young girl with long blond hair wearing a very stereotypical black and white western witch outfit complete with pointed hat. She wears an apron over it, but that's her personal preference.

The third one is another young girl with long ginger hair, two horns coming out from them, wearing a tattered white singlet and a long purple skirt. She is also drunk, but that's a common occurrence.

As the other two argue over tea and sweets the girl with ginger hair, stare at the sky with a content face, her cheeks red as she drinks sake from her gourd that never run of it.

The idyllic scenes is however disturbed when a girl with black raven wings coming out of her back flies over the shrine and land at the entrance.

"Tengu Mail Service, here's to satisfy all your requests!" The girl adopts a cute poise before addressing the others. "Who is Suika Ibuki?"

"I-Hic!-am!" The ginger haired girl replies.

"There is mail for you!" She hands out to Suika a letter before flying away.

A large smile blossoms on Suika's lips as she reads who the sender is. Opening the letter she starts reading it with fondness. "Mh...Mh-Hic!...Ohoh, she is having fun I see. A Yatagarasu? Hic! Now that's not a lesser feat. Hic!"

"Someone you know?" The miko asks Suika while she is busy keeping the witch away from her kitchen. "I never saw you receive mail before."

"From my granddaughter. She lives in the outside world, so letters take a lot to travel."

"I see-" And then time stops.

No, this wasn't the fault of a certain perfect maid or a certain Nietzsche vampire. It truth time didn't stop. However, seeing how the two girls seem to have become stone statues it's like the time stopped for them.

Eventually, after long agonizing seconds, the two turn their heads and stare at Suika with perfectly stoic expression and pupils the size of saucers. "...Pardon me?" The miko asks. "I could have sworn you said you have a granddaughter."

"I did-Hic!"

"That's impossible, da ze!" The witch exclaims. "To have a granddaughter you...you...yeah! You need to have a child!"

"I have a child. A daughter to be precise." Suika answers as it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You have a daughter?!"

"I'm also married."

"You are married, da zeeee!?!?"

"Oi-Hic! What are you surprised about?" Suika childishly pouts. "I have a personal life you know? It's not as if staying here drinking sake is all I have ever do in my life."

"Then why are you here?" The miko demands.

"Free meals of course-Hic!"

As the witch restrains the miko, who now holds a Gohei and seems fully determined to murder Suika with it, Suika takes out a wallet from her singlet and show the contents to the other two. "See, see? Those are my handsome husband and beautiful daughter!"

The two young girls could only stare, their minds failing to comprehend the sheer impossibility before their eyes.

"Is he a lolicon, da ze?"

"Why yes! How did you know?"

"Call it intuition." The witch deadpans.

"How-How did you give b-birth?!"

"With a lot of troubles." Suika grimaces. "I kept switching between constantly wanting to eat miso soup and wanting to eat strawberries. It was maddening!"

"That's not what...nevermind." The miko shakes her head. "S-So you're married. How did it happen?"

"Weeel-" Suika puts a fingers on her lips. "I was drunk at the time, but I think it went more or less like this:-"

*Flashback*

"Hic! Hic! Party! I want a party! There are only rubbles here! Hic! Give a party!"

*sound of something being destroyed*

"Noooo!! The ancient Maya Temple! You! What did you do? Get lost! Lost!"

"Woah. Hic! Are you picking up a fight with me? Hic!"

"I will if necessary. As an archeologist I can't allow for the priceless relics of the past to be violated!"

"Bring it on! Hic!"

*out-of-this-world battle*

"Y-You're pretty good you know?"

"Passion for my work gives me strength! I. Will. Not. Fall!"

"This is fun! Keep going!"

*another out-of-this-world battle*

"Aaah, aaah...I-I lost?"

"Aaah, aaah...S-Seems like it."

"Aaah...Ehi."

"What?"

"Do you want to marry me?"

"Will you stop destroying ancient temples?"

"Yeah."

"Then I accept."

*End of Flashback*

"-And the next day we had a big party to celebrate and I got drunk with a lot of very good eastern wines. Not as good as sake of course." She takes another long sip, completely ignoring the shell shocked faces of her friends.

"T-This is the most stupid thing I have ever heard!" The miko screams in outrage.

"Wait, he defeated you?" The witch asks. "Is he a Youkai?"

"Nope. Fallen Angel."

"Fallen Angel? You mean those guys from Christianity who got kicked out of Heaven because they had sex or something?"

"Yeah. He's a beast in bed." Suika leers in a sultry way, making the other two step back in disgust at the mental image. Ignoring their reactions Suika cups her chin. "Mmh...Now since Mittelt-chan is having so much fun, maybe I should give her a visit! Yeah! I will do that." Lifting the gourd over her shoulder she starts walking away. "Plus I want to see in person this Sun Dragon Demigod. Never saw one before. Maybe I will ask Yuugi if she wants to tag along..."

And so Suika disappears in the distance, leaving the miko and witch alone.

"....Sun Dragon Demigod?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."
----

The ritual to make Eiko Issei's familiar was brought to completion for the cost of 3 Xp. Check the results here.

Alexander · May 14, 2014

[X] Follow Azazel's plan
[X] EternitynChaos' version of Infinite Factory of Life
----

'Ddraig, is there a paradise out there waiting for me? Filled with happiness and big-breasted women?'

[The first one maybe, but I am not so sure about the second. Why?]

'...I want to murder someone. I want to murder so, so badly. Most of all, I want to murder my past self for thinking this was a good idea!'

[Hang in there partner!] Ddraig cries out with comical tears coming out of his eyes.

'Ddraig! I am reaching my breaking po-' "BACK! BACK I SAID YOU OVERGROWN CAT!!!"

You growl before head-butting the tiger that was daring enough to get close. Swift like lightning you grab its tail with your teeth and spin before tossing the body over the fence. The action forces you to adjust your balance over the top of the bamboo pole, least you fall into the pit filled with razor sharp blades sticking out of the ground. Considering your feet are bound together with rope and you are lifting stone statues weighting 300 lbs with each hand that will explode if you let it touch the ground, such fate will be lethal.

"Good job Hyodo-kun!" The voice of the hated enemy! "Your resistance has considerably improved. After this light exercise we will switch to the real training."

The answer he gets is a bestial, draconic roar filled with hate and rage coming from your throat as your muscles bulge out and your skin becomes scales.

Azazel wisely doesn't reply back. The tiger that was halfway from clearing the fence jumps back mewling like a frightened kitty.

It's been three days since you start Azazel's training. Three days filled with nothing but pain, danger and not enough sleep. Three days of enduring whatever the twisted mind of the fallen angel thought up in the name of science.

Most of it includes bodily harm to you.

The training you endured would have killed a lesser person. Scratch that, any human and your average Low-Class Devil would have died after the first day. The only reason you are still alive is the combination of an Exalted robust body and your dragon abilities.

'How much before the end?'

[...Four hours.]

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"

[Partner!]

"Ddraig!"

[Partner!]

Inside her laboratory Bright orders the robotic servitors to play their instruments louder before focusing back on her work.

----

Four hours later

You are twitching on the bed completely exhausted. Asia healed your wounds so there is no pain, but she couldn't refill your stamina so you need to recover the normal way. As an Exalted you can recover faster than the average person.

But sweet Luna you are so tired!

"U-Uhhm...Ise?" Asia's head shyly pokes into your room. With immense effort you turn your head the minimum necessary to look at her with a bloodshot eye. She cringes at the sight but continues. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Eiko-san came back. She said she needs to talk to you."

For a moment you are tempted to tell both to go to hell. Luckily it doesn't last. "Send her in." You croak out.

"Ooh Master, you look horrible." It's the first thing that the Yatagarasu says after entering the room. She looks over your form with childlike curiosity. "What did you do while Eiko was absent?"

"I went training on the border of Jigoku." You reply in a rare moment of sarcasm.

"Ooh! Master is so daring! Was Master bothered by subterranean youkai? Does Master want Eiko to lead a Holy Crusade against the miscreants?"

"...Don't. Just, don't do it." For some reason you feel even more tired. "Is this all you needed to talk with me?"

"No no, there is more. Eiko completed Master's assignment." A scroll appears into Eiko's hands in a burst of fire and she starts reading. "For three days and three nights Eiko observed Master's enemies and their movements and listened to their conversations. Amidst the barbarian rabble, Eiko was able to gather important information. A rival faction called Ragnarok, how arrogant of them, is preparing a confrontation with the Snake faction. They will meet and fight three days from now."

So it came up to a direct fight. "Do they have a strategy?"

"Nothing deserving the name Master. The majority of soldiers have complete faith in their commander, the one called Shougo Kitsukawa, believing he will defeat the enemies singlehandedly. Eiko saw him: compared to the rabble that child of Japan holds some potential, but it's unrefined and untrained. Even if it wasn't, he is still leagues below Master's might."

You hum in approval. "Did you see any of those Ragnarok guys?"

"Eiko took the initiative the follow the messenger that brought the challenge letter back to their base." She exclaims proudly. "The place is in another city. Inside the building Eiko spotted three figures amidst the rabble: one was a weakling that smelled of treachery and cowardice; another was a young female warrior with a samurai's eyes; and the final one was a dignified youth who smelled of darkness."

"Darkness?"

"Darkness. It wasn't his own scent however: Eiko thinks that the dignified youth came into contact with the true owner of the scent. Whoever the owner is, he or she is dangerous. This is all Eiko can tell."

"Uhmm...Good job Eiko." You praise your familiar. "For now what you told me is sufficient. Now I wish to rest, so please leave."

"As Master commands!" She bows with a big smile on her face before leaving.

After the door is closed you shift on the bed to make yourself more comfortable. 'What do you think?'

[About what she said? It looks like those guys are gonna get busted one way or another. Even if they win you can wipe them with ease.]

'What about the [one who smell of darkness]?'

[Uhm...I don't think it's something concerning the supernatural. The raven girl would have picked it up if that was the case. The owner of the scent is probably just a normal human with a twisted personality.]

Even so, the news doesn't paint Ragnarok in a good way. It's possible they're even worse than Snake.

You remain silent for some more time before reaching a decision:

[] You will go after the Snake gang before the fight with Ragnarok.
[] You will go after the Ragnarok first.
[] You will wait until the appointed fight before making a decision.
[] Write-in.
----
Issei gained:

Training:
Strength: + 48 days.
Total Strength: 2/30 days (2 Months completed!)

Dexterity: + 48 days
Total Dexterity: 2/30 days (2 Months completed!)

Stamina: +48 days
Total Stamina: 3/30 days (2 Months completed!)

Gained: +24 Xp

You can raise Strength by a maximum of 2 dots.
You can raise Dexterity by a maximum of 2 dots.
You can Stamina by a maximum of 2 dots.

Alexander · May 16, 2014

??

With a crisp 'click!' the final piece falls into place.

Bright Shattered Ice observes the tool she just finished to craft under the laboratory's focused light. At first glance it's only a steel cylinder, but inside it holds a great number of miniaturized part that allow vary functions.

It's a perfect replica of one of the tools used by Azazel during his study of Boosted Gear.

For not the first time Bright finds herself reflecting on the strange situation she found herself in.

She remembers attending one of the bigger celebration for Calibration of the last three centuries.

She remembers being ambushed together with her peers by endless troops of Dragon-blooded, their Lunar Mates nowhere to be seen.

She remembers slaughtering thousands of the traitors, even Warstriders being destroyed by the might of her sword, before finally dying.

She remembers strange flashes of memories not her own, one of which was the armies of the Fair Folk marching on Creation and destroying almost all of it before being repelled by the Ream's defense weapons left behind.

She remembers darkness.

She remembers waking up and finding herself inside her beloved Tzatli, completely devoid of people beside a strange Elemental that looked as shocked as her. Learning the truth of her new condition was...shocking, and that's an euphemism.

Yes, Bright Shattered Ice once again finds herself wondering how a cluster of remaining memories could have gained sentience.

That's right.

No matter how she wishes otherwise, she knows her soul didn't remained attached to her Exaltation.

Exaltations don't work like that.

She should knows. Autochthon itself explained in details the process to her during her apprenticeship.

Just like they can completely and suddenly change a person into a Chosen, the Spark is quick to remove itself upon death to let the soul begins undisturbed the travel into the Wheel of Reincarnation.

The only thing that remains...are the memories of the Exalted that bore the Exaltation.

That's why there is a God for administering the Exaltations. Only, either Lytek made a mistake of incredible proportions or, something prevented him from properly cleansing the Spark.

Either way she is there, in a alien realm that still bore some similarities with Creation, bounded to a newborn Solar so unremarkable that would make anyone, even Malfeas, doubt his status as an Exalt, and that bears an artifact build by a foreign god in his soul, which houses the soul of an ancient dragon-like creature that it's more like a Third Circle Demon than a proper Elemental of Gaia.

So much was lost.

Her smiles turns crooked.

And yet...so much can be gained.

Her studies of the Sacred Gear and Ddraig's soul promised that.

Power that would be unattainable back in Creation. An incompetent worm that, yet, shows a hidden talent into doing the unthinkable and succeed thanks to pure, simple and unstoppable determination. A reality that isn't tightly controlled by the Pattern Spiders and is much, much more malleable.

Just memories or not, this is an opportunity that she can't, in the name of all those who died, let go to waste. No matter how many blasphemous acts she will need to do, she will gather enough power.

Enough power to bend reality and reach Creation.

Enough power to destroy the Dragon-blooded, exterminating every and each one of them.

Enough power to save the other Solar Exaltations and make things right once again.

Yes, even if the Unconquered Sun himself will oppose her...she will treat him as another obstacle in her righteous path that need to be removed.

Because....only this way the souls of the deceased will find peace.

"Desus..."

Crack!

She looks down at the broken tool in her hand, its destruction caused by her clenching her hand too hard.

With a huff she tosses it away and starts creating a second one.

On another table a ball of green light sits undisturbed, the images of many red armors visible in its center.

----

Present Time

"I have good news Hyodo-kun." Azazel cheerfully informs you, completely ignoring the death's glare. "Two to be precise: the first is that the special training went even better than anticipated. Your body underwent changes that should have taken weeks, even months to achieve. You're very sturdy, apart from the longer life you have nothing to envy compared to a Devil or Angel."

"I've noticed." You raise your shirt and look down at your six pack abs.

Yes, you now have a six pack abs. How cool is that?

"The second good news is that you have the rest of the day completely free." He takes an iPad and starts typing. "I will need some time to organize the data I gathered, so you can doing whatever you want until I finish."

And just like that he walks away, without waiting for your answer.

[What a dick.]

Even Ddraig says so.

[What do you want to do now partner?]

"Obviously, what I decided to do." You reply with a snort.

[X] Talk things over with the girls. If Ragnarok poses a greater threat than Snake, it may be prudent to investigate Snake and see if they would make better allies than enemies. If so, we should work with them to keep Ragnarok out of the city. And if our massive Solar Charisma manages to net us a bunch of followers, so much the better.

"You're gonna busting heads? I'm coming!" Yang grins like a lunatic before head-locking Ruby. "This will be a great first time for you sis!"

"I didn't say that I want to come." Ruby replies with a scowl.

Yang raises an eyebrow.

"...Okay, I want to come." Ruby rolls her eyes and smiles. "But come on Yang: if I wasn't super sure you care for me, I would think you are pushing me down a bad path."

Technically she is. But then, their circumstances aren't normal.

"I pass." Mittelt waves her hand lazily without looking up from her fashion magazine. "They're normal humans right? Me participating would be overkill."

"Uh, uhm..." Asia hesitates. "I would like to come, but I don't think I can be useful in a fight..."

"No no, you are. You're the only one of us capable of healing." You rub her head, causing her to smile. "However this will be a minor fight without risk of death. There is no need for you to get involved. We will simply send those hurt to the hospital."

"Hai! Good luck!" She nods.

"You said Snake will soon confront this 'Ragnarok' in an all-out fight?" Upon your confirmation she hits both fists together. "Then let's wait for the day and then beat the whole Snake black and blue. And when Ragnarok arrives, we do the same to them!"

"Uh, that's a plan." You scratch your head. "However, if Ragnarok is more of a danger than Snake we may need to prioritize."

-- [X] Ask Eiko for a report on what sorts of crimes she saw the Snakes planning or committing. If they are too much trouble then we should probably just get rid of both of them.

"Extortion, harassment of younglings and old people for entertainment, defacing houses with horrible pictures and disturbing merchants' work." Eiko counts off her fingers. "They also take money from the owners of shops without offering something in return."

"On second thought, there is no need to compromise." You deadpan. "We go there, beat them and wait for Ragnarok to come: if they're as bad, we beat them too."

"Great!" Yang fist-bumps. "But if we are preparing a raid there are special preparations to do." She grabs your arm. "Me and Ise will gather the necessary. Wait for us!" She waves at the other girls before dragging you away and outside the facility."

Five minutes later, as you're onboard the train, you finally ask. "So, what kind of special preparations we need?"

"No one."

You blink. "Excuse me?"

She grins. "That was a lie. I just wanted to enjoy a date together with Ise, now that we don't have training."

"...You know, you could have just asked." You point out. "I would have say yes."

"Ah, but this way it's more exciting." Her smile is like a cunning fox. "It's like we have a secret affair."

In your experience being honest is better. Yet...you can't help but be curious: would the addition of a seemly minor detail truly add spicy to the experience?

Well, trying wouldn't hurt, right? You show her an amused smile. "Oh? Does this mean you have wicked intentions toward me? How scandalous!"

"Please Sir Ise!" She fakes being scandalized. "I'm not that kind of woman!"

You both burst out laughing, completely ignoring the disapproving glances from the other passengers.

----

"The new film with Cameron Diaz is out! I want to see it!" Yang points at the list.

"Uhm..." You scroll down your finger. "This one."

" 'The Man with the Iron Fists' ?" She chuckles. "You like films like that?"

"I confess I started watching them after starting training in martial arts." You reply. "They are a good source of inspiration."

"Only you Ise. Only you." Yang shakes her head but smile.

----

You stare at the massive cup of ice-cream in Yang's hands. "I heard about sweet tooth, but my God."

"I do a lot of exercise, so I can indulge in it all I want." She begins demolishing it at a steady pace. "Ruby is even worse: if you put cookies in front of her, she inhale them."

"I need to see it. What kind of cookies?"

"Chocolate."

----

"That was fun." Yang stretches, making her chest do interesting things.

"Being kicked out because we kept laughing at the weird fishes in the aquarium was fun?" You grin. "Okay yes it was fun."

You look at the watch. "We still have time. Is there anywhere else you want to go?"

"Mmh..." She hums. "There is a final place I want to visit."

"What is it?"

With a mischievous smile she leans forward and whispers into your ear.

Your eyes widen.

You were so waiting for this.

----

The place Yang wanted to visit...is the district full of hotels where you can rest from one to three hours at a cheap price.

In other words, they're [love hotels].

If there are doubts about Yang's intentions, only an idiot would question them.

You pay for the room, managing not to blush at the female clerk winking at you, and follow Yang.

Once you reach your destination you enter and close the door.

Click there for the NSFW section

Alexander · May 17, 2014

EternitynChaos said:
Rias "Issei-kun... when they said 'Make Love, Not War' I don't think this is what they were talking about."

No no, they were talking exactly about this ^-^.

Smuthunter said:
IMO, this is too similar to DTAS. A shintai is supposed to be the penultimate expression of the yozi's themes. This expression has more to do with the Red Dragon Emperor than with Hyoudo Issei, or with the combination of Dream and Infinite that supposedly gets us into devil-tiger status.

Now, what our Shintai should look like I'm really not sure. We're a really weird rules-ignoring devil-tiger who came from a Solar and multiple power sources that aren't related to any of the Exalted. But I'm thinking maybe less an actual transformation and more the manifestation of something like warstrider armor. Our core is still that of a human, so our form should remain such as well. All the actual mutations are inflicted on Boosted Gear, like Juggernaut drive save that it's completely under our control.

Like someone said: Devil-Tigers are Windows, a Cosmic Dragon is Unix.

Ophis' related Charms should be something about increasing the amount of Essence available, while Great Red...something Craft related?

Surprise! Omake time!
----

A Solar Circle's Adventure Time

"Hurry up! There's too many of them!"

"I'm almost done!" You yell back without raising your eyes from the streams of numbers flashing on the screen, your fingers dancing on the Essence-infuse keyboard. You push a final button and turn to the raven-haired boy on your left. "It's open! Lelouch!"

"Alright!" He grabs the gate's handle and pulls. He also completely fails at moving it even of a millimeter.

"Oh, for the love of-!" You rush to him and pull the handle together with him. This time the gate opens and you and Lelouch enter.

"Quick! Come on!" You yell while keeping the gate open. A brown-haired guy and a girl in a black sailor uniform run inside, followed by a pink haired beauty firing with her rifle behind her. The first two give you a hand and together you quickly shut the gate. You hear the crystal, zombie-like monsters chasing after you slamming on the metal door and start banging on it in rage, but without success.

For now, you're safe.

"Aah.." You and your four comrades sit down on the ground, your breaths ragged. "Seriously Lelouch, do something about your body. You're too weak."

"Well, excuse me." He rolls his eyes. "I was busy organizing a rebellion against a continent-spamming military empire. I didn't have time to do exercises."

The girl with the sailor uniform chuckles. "Senketsu says you're a horrible liar Lulu. We're Exalted, we can do stuff like that in minutes. Just admit it: you just hate physical activities."

"I will not be belittled by a talking uniform, Ryuuko. And don't call me Lulu!!"

At this point you suppose an explanation is necessary.

You are Hyodo Issei, once a normal Japanese student. One day you were almost killed by your (fake) first girlfriend, but was saved by the Unconquered Sun who make you one of his Exalts, a Twilight Caste. Later you found out people were after you because you have Boosted Gear, a weapon capable of killing gods, in your soul.

From that point on you had many adventures, that lead you to a journey through multiple dimensions. It was during your travels that you me other Solar Exalts, whose Exaltations found themselves outside Creation like yours and bound with the natives of other planes, namely them. With your interests aligned you and the others formed a group.

You look at the black haired, with a single red bang, girl in a sailor uniform wielding the half of a giant pair of scissors. Her name is Ryuuko Matoi, a Dawn Caste. She came from an alternate version of Earth, and received her Exaltation while fighting a, in her words, 'tyrannical bitch with bushy eyebrows' while searching for the one who killed her father. Her uniform, Senketsu, is sentient and is capable of transforming into an armor that made her stronger. It also shows a lot of skin, so she doesn't use it often.

You look at the brown haired boy. His name is Shi-Woon Yi, and he is a Zenith Caste. He came from the Korea of another alternate Earth. Once a normal student like you, he was involved into the world of dark martial arts after a series of convoluted circumstances. He received his Exaltation while trying to save a little girl from a gang of martial artists bikers. His martial arts are powerful, but he's reckless.

You look at the pink haired beauty, a full woman even if her short height may hint otherwise. Her name is Lightning, a Night Caste. We're in her world now, a giant floating sphere with an entire civilization living inside called Cocoon. An ex-soldier, she received her Exaltation after avenging her sister who was turned into a crystal statue by a god-like being. Taking her Second Breath protected her from being turned into a L'cie, which is a curse that would eventually transform her into a mindless Cie'th, like those monsters that were chasing you. Sadly her friends weren't so fortunate, so now you and the others are helping her save them. She wields a weapon that his a strange mix of a sword and a rifle.

The last one, the boy with black hair and purple eyes, is Lelouch Lamperouge, an Eclipse Caste. Formerly a prince of a modern empire from an alternate Earth, he was disowned after her mother was killed and exiled. He received his Exaltation while fighting soldiers of his country, and used his new powers to lead a rebellion against his tyrannical father. His combat abilities...are lower than zero.

"I think that's enough rest." Shi-Woon stands up. "We can't afford to waste more time than necessary. We need to save Snow and the others."

"Umph." Light snorts. "Don't worry about the idiot: he is too stupid to die." She turns to look at you and frowns. "Issei, are you sure about...?"

"You heard Vanille. L'cie that complete their Focus become crystal statues, but wake up again if the Fal'cie who turned them needs their services again." You sigh. "This means that your sister is alive and that there is a method to save her. But I need to see her first and be absolutely sure, because I'm not trying anything before that."

"Just making sure." You turn around, but you catch a flash of smile. "Let's go."

You all stand up and follow her.

"Lelouch, if you want I can show you this method to train your mu-"

"If I say no, it's no Shi-Woon!"

Tough times are waiting for you.
----

I promised it some time ago, and today I finally delivered it. Enjoy 8)

Alexander · May 18, 2014

Thanks a lot for the help and the explanation guys. Your contributions will definitely be useful later in the quest.
----

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIyNAF5rgYk

You wake up at the sound of your phone's ringtone. Fumbling through your half-asleep state you pick your cell, careful to not wake up Yang, and answer. "Moshi moshi?"

"Good morning Hyodo-kun." Azazel's cheerful voice answers back. "Playtime is over. While my deontological code is against it, I must ask that you interrupt the pillow talk and come back for more training. By the way, you've great tastes in woman: we can make a honorary Fallen Angel out of you if you want."

Your eyebrow starts twitching. "Was that an educated guess, or you're somehow monitoring me?"

"Both. You have one hour." And just like that he hangs down.

Frikking. Voyeur.

"Uh...Hi." Yang chooses that moment to wake up. "What time is it?"

"Morning." You reply as you put down the cellphone. "Azazel called: I need to go back."

"Uh..." She rubs her eyes before blinking. She looks down and grins. "Well, well...look who's also awake?"

You understand immediately. "Yang, I only have a hour.."

"More than sufficient." Her lips lock on with yours.

The more intense thirty minutes of your life.

----

As you walk inside the arena, expecting mechanical horrors birthed by mad science, you are surprised to find Beowulf waiting for you. "Hello Beowulf-san. What are you doing here?"

"Hello kid." He grins before patting the pommel of Hrunting. "This time it's a practical lesson: sparring. For the entire session it's me and you kid: Boosted Gear versus the Demon Sword Hrunting."

You blink, a grin forming on your face. "Wow, I'm honored." You simply reply.

"You better do your best, because I'm not pulling my blows." He draws his sword and assumes an European stance. "Let me tell you this: I'm good enough that I can avoid killing you without holding back even a little."

"That sounds even better! Boosted Gear!" The gauntlets form around your arms, Fists of Iron Techniques instantly strengthening them. With excitement filling your whole being you shot towards him, the song of battle calling to you.

----

Martial Arts Training's debt: paid.

Training:
Strength: + 8 days.
Total Strength: 10/30 days

Dexterity: + 8 days
Total Dexterity: 10/30 days

Stamina: +8 days
Total Stamina: 11/30 days

Gained: +4 Xp

----

"Uffh!" Beowulf wipes the sweat from his forehead. "Eight straight hours can get even to me. I gotta admit kid, your perseverance is impressive."

Sprawled on the floor you raise a trembling hand and do a thumb-up.

A few minutes later, after Asia finished to heal your wounds, you are ready to dismiss Boosted Gear when a familiar sound interrupts you.

[PING! PING!]

'That sound, isn't it..?' You ask in your mind.

{Done.} Bright, who was absent in the last two days, finally appears again. {I finished the last modifications to the Gear.}

[So that's what you were doing. You're frightening, you know that?]

{I'm competent dragon. It's completely different.}

"Wait!" You hear Azazel yell. The Fallen Angel runs next to you, eyes sparkling with excitement as he analyzes Boosted Gear with two of his instruments. "Is this one of the changes you talked about?"

"Yes, so it seems."

"Perfect! First hand data is the best. Proceed!" He commands.

Shrugging you give Bright the okay to go on.

[Evolution!]

The red metal shifts and folds into itself, leaving your arms bare save for two armlets around your wrists: they're red, smooth metal bands with four green jewels situated on the four directions.

{I created this stealth mode for you. There will be times when you can't don the full gauntlets, but with this you can still use the Artifact Charms.} She explains proudly. {This way you can keep the Gear constantly on and attuned. Changing this mode to gauntlets and back is near instantaneous and costs only one motes.}

Triple. Wow. 'This will help me immensely!' Especially against the Snake gang. 'Thank you Bright-sensei! Can you teach me how to build Artifacts like this one?'

{In due time.} You feel her smirk. {In due time.}

Why do you suddenly feel a shiver running down your spine?

"Amazing! Amazing!" Meanwhile Azazel is still like a kid in a candy store. "There was a spike of...something. I have no idea what it was. But I will find out."

Thank the Unconquered Sun he can't hear Bright.

{I'm not done anyway.} Bright interrupts your thoughts. {There is still one possible combat option I can for now. You can choose one between two of them.

The first is a Force-Projection Mode. It works by transmitting the kinetic impact across the intervening distance as an invisible pulse. This will allow you to touch and hit distant things as if you were touching them directly.

The second is an Essence Lash. It's a whip-made of pure Essence. It can also be used to strike multiple opponents at once.}

[] Force-Projection (read Wonders of the Lost Age, page 76)
[] Essence Lash (read Wonders of the Lost Age, page 77)
----

After Azazel finishes gushing over the prowess of your Longinus he adopts a serious business tone. "Hyodo-kun. I heard you're studying to become a Magician?"

"Yes." You confirm. "I was studying Devil Magic under Himejima-sempai, but our lessons got interrupted due to the recent events."

"Uhm." He nods in understanding. "In this case, would you like to learn a bit of Fallen Angel Magic?" He grins and shows you a thumb-up. "This is an offer from one of those who founded it, mind you. Our teleportation circles are not limited to only Clan members like the Devils, and our information control spells are the best if you want to keep things under wrap. Interested?"

[] Yes
-[] You can propose custom spells. See the guidelines on the first page of the thread.
[] No
----

Training Days II is coming to an end. Soon will begin the Snake Arc.

Alexander · May 21, 2014

Now, here's the new chapter:

Gained: Gauntlets of Distant Touch Mode (see Boosted Gear's entry)

Learned:

Fallen Angel Magic

[Notice-Me-Not Field] (in work)
[Fallen Angel Type Teleport] (in work)

----

"It's good to see you back." Kiba greets you with those words as he sits on the bench next to you.

That's right. You're back at school: not because the training has ended, but because today is the day of the Snake-Ragnarok confrontation. There are many preparations to do beforehand, and you couldn't afford to exhaust yourself before the fight. So you prepared a convincing speech to persuade Azazel to give you a free day.

Instead, when you mentioned that he replies: "Sure. Come back Sunday." and left it at that.

What an unfathomable depth of character: despite all your efforts, you still haven't a grasp of his personality.

"Likewise." You sigh and lean back against the wall. "I even thought my circadian rhythm was going to end messed up."

"Ah ah. Hyodo-kun takes his training very seriously. I'm almost envious." He replies with a refreshing smile. "I'm curious: what drive you so hard?"

"Oh, it's simple." You raise your hand to the sky and open it. "Ddraig and Bright made abundantly clear what kind of expectations rest now on my shoulders. Whether I like it or not, tough things await for me in the future. And most of them will be dangers."

You close your raised hand before shrugging. "I want to be able to protect myself and those I care about. That's all there is to it."

"I see, it makes sense. How like Hyodo-kun. Protecting someone, uh...?" He adopts a wistful look.

"...Do you have a goal too?" You ask with hesitation, fearing to intrude into a delicate territory.

"Something like that." His eyes narrow. "I need to destroy something that did me a grave injustice."

"Something? An object?"

"Yes. And the people behind it."

"Ah..." And with that both of you fall into silence. For a couple of minutes you just stare at the numerous students walking on the playing field.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Kiba suddenly speaks.

"About what?" You reply with a even tone.

"How I shouldn't focus on revenge and the past and instead think of the future and be happy?" He says in a self-depreciating tone.

"I probably should. However, there is one single reason for why I will not."

"What?"

"If I was in your shoes, I would do the same."

He turns to stare at you in shock. You stare back with a mirthless smile. "What, you thought I was a saint or something? Far from it. I'm flawed, and selfish. Just like everyone else. I'm just able to admit it more easily because, for everything I do-" You tap your head. "I have two more different points of view."

Kiba just stares more before snorting. "Must be a handful."

"Oh yeah. I even made a little grave on my desk: on the gravestone, I wrote [privacy]."

At that you both burst out laughing. Unaware that, from behind a corner, a group of girls is taking pictures of the both of you and writing something on sketchbooks with worshipful adoration in their eyes.

----

After school, and the customary visit at the Occult Research Club, you walk straight to your home. There you remove your uniform and change into more formal clothing.

Describe Issei's clothing:
[] Write-in.

After all, you're going to beat up delinquents. It wouldn't do for someone to recognize your uniform and track you down.

You say goodbye to Mittelt and Asia and leave, Eiko flying high in the sky above you. Halfway to your destination you meet up with Ruby and Yang in front of a fountain.

"Hai." You raise two fingers up in greeting. "Are you girls ready?"

"Yup." Yang replies, her hands clad in black fingerless gloves.

"Hi!" Ruby is carrying a long bag, the type where practitioners of Sojutsu would keep their spear. Inside it's probably the staff you told her to bring, as her Sacred Gear can't be used.

"Good." While you already have Boosted Gear in Stealth Mode. Since it evolves, you made a habit of keeping it constantly active. 'Eiko. Show the way.'

Hai Master! She replies through the telepathic link. By sharing what she sees with you the three of you follow her instructions and reach an abandoned building in the district where you first encounter the members of Snake. And also where one of Ruby's friends live.

You stop before coming into view of the place and scan ahead through Eiko. "Let's see..." You murmur. "No one outside, but there are a bunch of guys inside talking among themselves. We can enter from the main door-" Eiko's vision shifts. "Or take the stairs to the side, and end on a platform above them. Jumping down will not be difficult."

"From the front!" Yang cracks her knuckles.

"From above, like true heroes!" Ruby's enthusiasm is palpable.

[] Front
[] Above
[] Write-in.

Alexander · May 22, 2014

[X] White pants and business suit, red undershirt, black tie, ~~black cape with gold lining~~. Like this.
[X] Above
----

You think about it for a moment. "This is Ruby-chan's debut, so I think it's fair that she starts as she wishes."

"Yay!" Ruby cheers.

Yang rolls her eyes in amusement and elbows you lightly. "And the fact that this way you can show off more is just a coincidence, right?" She looks you up and down. "I wanted to ask: what's up with those clothes?"

Indeed: instead of your school uniform or your more casual clothing, you are wearing white pants and business suit, with a red undershirt and a black tie. "Oh, this?" You pass a hand over your jacket. "It was Bright's advice: something about 'exerting dominance through intimidation' or something. She also suggested gold as main color, but that would be silly."

Yang chuckles. "Yes, a little."

"Are we going or not?" Ruby prods your and Yang's cheeks with her index fingers.

""Hai, hai.""

Together the three of you take the stairs outside, silently sneaking inside a broken window, step on the platform. Eiko lands on the building's top, ready to alert you of Ragnarok's arrival.

Down you can see the Snake members are still talking between themselves. "Boss-" One of the underlings address a tall guy with bleached blond hair-wait, that's wrong: they are natural-chewing bubble gum with a bored expression. "-it's almost time for the meeting with Ragnarok."

So that's Shougo Kitsukawa. Indeed, he looks young but his body is all muscles. Practical muscles, not the parodies of bodybuilders.

You grin. 'This will be fun.'. You signal the girls to stay ready.

"Oh, it's time for a meeting alright." You jump down, immediately followed by Yang and Ruby. "Only, it isn't with Ragnarok!"

Everyone looks up just as you land a short distance from the gathering. Their looks are a mix of confusion, rage and amusement. But a few are shocked: surprise surprise, they are the ones you beat black and blue a few weeks ago. "Y-You!" [Lead Goon] points at you. "I recognize you! You're the asshole from the-!"

Before he can say further the Snake's leader walks past him and swings his arm, hitting his face with the back of his hand and downing him like a duck.

"So you're the one who beat Shinji's men." He says with a bored tone. His way of walking oozes pure confidence. If you were to use a metaphor, you would say he wears the assurance of his own strength like perfectly fitting clothes. "I have a feeling you would pop up again eventually."

"Wonder no more." You reply with a flourish of hand, your half-smile making clear enough that you're not intimidated in the slightest. "Are you Shougo Kitsukawa, leader of Snake?"

He keeps chewing. "Why are you here?"

"Well..." You put a finger on your forehead and feign being troubled. "You see, I have no problems with people sharing similar interests forming groups to socialize. Far from it." You look up, your face hardening. "I have problems when said people spent all their time harassing honest citizens and in general being an irritating, useless bother to others. So I am here to disband your little organization."

You smile. "And yes, you don't have an opinion in the matter."

"You and what army?" Someone from the crowd laughs. "All I see is a broad and a chil-"

"Whoever you are, know I will personally break all the bones in your body in twenty-one pieces each."

Your voice comes up deeper than normal, almost rumbling. The thugs are instantly silenced, eyes wide with fear and confusion. Kitsukawa on the other hand just raises an eyebrow.

You raise a hand and gesture to the girls behind you. "Take care of the underlings please. The leader is mine."

""Gotcha!"" They reply in unison before shooting forward, Yang with her fist cocked back and Ruby twirling her staff.

Leaving you and Snake alone.

"By the way, my name is Issei." You step forward, your hand stretching the tie.

"I didn't ask." Kitsukawa spits out the chewing gum.

"I know."

[] Write-in.
----

Your turn. Remember that, before anything else, there is a Join Battle roll. You can include it in the Stunt.

Alexander · May 24, 2014

[X] {FISTS OF IRON TECHNIQUE} (Deal bashing damage, we're not trying to kill anyone)
----

This is it. The decisive moment. Lessons from both Ddraig and Bright come to mind, reminding you that holding back even a little in a fight without rules can be fatal. Drawing from your Personal Pool, Essence flows into your fists, making flesh as iron and your blows as hammers.

Not too much of course. Bad as he is, Kitsukawa did nothing deserving death.

Even then, your opponent and his minions are responsible for who knows how much misery for the people of your town. There are certainly worse villains in the world, but for the moment only this one is within the reach of your fists.

In the background you can hear the sound of cracking wood and fleshy strikes, but the only yelps of pain are male in origin. You taught them well.

You charge forward, your feet kicking up dust as you open the fight with a vicious right cross to your opponent's chin.

Kitsukawa somehow manages to react fast enough, one hand coming up to deflect your blow while the other tries to strike you with an uppercut. Thanks to your superior experience you manage to shift your blow and let it pass through the thug's defense, while your left hand stops his punch.

Your fist hits his skull with a booming noise, sending him flying backwards until he hits a stack of sand-filled sacks someone left there.

You tense, expecting him to jump up and counterattack. Seconds slowly tick....

And nothing happens.

To say you're shocked is an understatement. "...Seriously? Down already?" There is a trace of disappointment in your voice.

You turn around. Some delinquents have been knocked out already. Yang is choke holding one in each arm. Ruby has her staff buried into the guts of an unfortunate thug. The rest of them seem fine, if distressed.

Everyone is standing still while looking at you with complete and utter shock. Everyone but the girls, who are cheering you. "Way to go Ise!" "That was great Sempai!"

Like a spell being broken the thugs start reacting: some run away, but the others renew their attacks. Those that decide to try their hands at you are quickly put down with a punch in the guts each, while you evade their pitiful attempts with almost casual ease.

'Did I overdo it?' You ask your mentors.

[Maybe.] Ddraig yawns. [Then again, you didn't know how strong he was. Now you have a good measure of the gap between you and common guys.]

{I honestly find ridiculous that you're worrying about-ooh, what's this?} Bright's voice suddenly changes from annoyed to intrigued.

As are you. Standing up clearly shaking, but undeniably conscious is Kitsukawa. He coughs a split of blood before he starts giggling.

"Hahaha..Fuck. It was like being hit by a fucking freight train.." He doesn't look angry. Quite the contrary: his teeth are gritting together, forming a weird smile that wouldn't look out of place on a deranged tiger. "Is..Is this pain? Yes, yes it is! Hahahaha!"

{What an interesting specimen was hidden under the layer of mediocrity.}

"More! Give me more!" The Snake's leader shoots towards you even faster than before. Before coming inside your reach he suddenly turns around and jumps backward in a splendid demonstration of natural grace. He lands with both hands on your shoulders and hits you with an elbow with a weird angle, before lashing out with a spinning kick. You push away the blow before jumping back.

'He should be out cold!'

{He's close, teetering at the edge of consciousness. Just one attack and he will be knocked out. Just defend for now: I want to see something.}

You don't know why, but quietly follow her order. Kitsukawa charges at you with wild attacks coming from weird angles. There is no style or pattern in his blows, but that just makes them harder to predict. Some even break through your defense and hit you, but without causing any damage.

"What's wrong?" he yells. His pupils are dilatated, the way his eyes reflects the light making it look like they are two spotlights behind a dark curtain. His breath is also caught in the light, the reflection causing it to resemble a continuous steam being released from his mouth. "Why are you only dodging now? Your first blow was so fast, I could barely see it! More! This excitement...Give me more!!"

'...He's a battle maniac.'

[He's a battle maniac. Should have been born a dragon.]

{Enough. Put him down, without killing him.}

'Hai.'

On the outside you sigh. "I was just thinking about the best way to end the fight without killing you."

Faster than he could react you lash out with both hands, the right one grabbing his arm in a steel grip and the other slamming palm-first into his sternum. Instantly all air is forcefully ejected from his lungs, making his eyes bulge in shock. You grab his shirt and raise him in the air before slamming his body on the ground with less than your full strength.

Amazingly, he doesn't pass out. He wheezes and coughs, more blood coming out of his mouth. He shakily tries to stand up once more, but he manages only a few centimeters before falling down again.

"Che." He weakly says over his ragged breath. "Defeated in three hits. Just when I was starting to have fun..."

You crouch down next to him. "You don't have fun often?"

"Everyone else is so slow...like snails. They are so boring...I am having nothing but boredom those days...I am sick of it."

Frustration for having his desires negated then. Hardly an excuse, but it's a problem that can be easily resolved. "Don't feel so bad." You reassure him. "My teachers are amazingly powerful people that trained me under hellish training. You are strong, but they are monsters."

"Hooo~ I want to meet them."

You grin. "Maybe. Let me deal with the leftover stuff and then we can talk about affairs. I think I can do something about your boredom." To make him atone for his mistakes of course.

Gently you drag him to one of the sand's sacks still whole and lean him against it. When you walk back to Yang and Ruby, it is to see them standing on a sea of downed bodies. "How'd it go?"

"Just some bruises." Ruby massages her shoulder. "But nothing serious."

"Endure little sis, endure." Yang playfully pokes her cheeks. "Big girls don't cry."

"I'm not a kid!"

Master. Eiko's voice comes through your link. The warriors from Ragnarok are coming. Among them are the three special persons I talked about.

Just on time.

[] Leave with the girls and Kitsukawa. Let them wonder what happened.
[] Meet them at the new 'leader' of Snake.
[] Ask the girls.
[] Write-in.
----

Just to be clear: I tried to make a faithful portrait of Shougo in Exalted rules. He came out as a monster.

Issei is even more of one.

The Slumbering Crocodile said:
Speaking of the different mortal Martial Arts stuff (which isn't looked at much in Exalted, Supernatural MA is where it's at), Alex, have you considered rejiggering the New World Of Darkness' Martial Arts Style Merits for Exalted rules? (Ignore Adamantine Hand, that's a Mage-only style) Here's an example of a Exalted modification someone else came up with.

I read them, but I don't understand. How do you use it? How are the various techniques used?

Alexander · May 25, 2014

[X] Are you girls ready for round 2?
--[X] Introduce ourselves to Ragnarok as a concerned citizen cleaning trash off the streets.
---[X] "This is our city. Pretentious kids pretending to be badasses aren't welcome here."
----

You grin at the sisters. "Are you girls ready for round two? Ragnarok is coming."

"Oh, oh!" Ruby jumps. "Are we gonna fight more baddies?"

At the question you tilt your head. "I am not sure yet. I mean, I didn't hear anything bad about them, apart from fighting other gangs. And that is somehow a good deed." You shrug. "I guess I will talk to them a little to see what kind of people they are."

You turn to Snake. "I forgot to tell you your gang is now disbanded. Do you mind feigning unconsciousness while I deal with Ragnarok?"

"I will take a nap." is Kitsugawa's answer before he closes his eyes. That was fast.

"Good." You check your clothes, to be sure they are spotless. "Time to do what I do best."

[Fucking?] Ddraig asks.

You glare at him.

[I was joking.] The dragon snorts in amusement. [What do you do best?]

'Simple.' You grin. 'Being awesome.'

----

When the troops from Ragnarok arrive you have no doubts they are met with a strange sight.

The floor is covered with unconscious people dressed in the customary white and green clothes that identified them as members of Snake. By their injuries it's clear they were at the receiving end of a beating. The former Snake leader is resting on the ground, looking just as unconscious as his underlings.

You're sitting at the top of a pile of material construction with your left foot resting on your right, your left hand supporting your chin as the right one rests in your lap. Yang is sitting at your left, leaning sideways with both hands behind her head, while Ruby is sitting at your right, her staff's bag resting on her lap.

As the newcomers come into view you take a moment to observe them in detail.

The first to stand out is a tall muscular young man with light blue hair. He is wearing a dark long trench coat with dark gloves and a skin tight fighting outfit. Most of his face is covered by weird bug-like goggles. Behind him is a girl with equally weird goggles and a backpack.

The second is-damn, those are some fair breasts. Great curves and proportions, dark skin and a skin tight suit: the beauty in front of you isn't a girl, but a damn fine woman. She too is accompanied by a few other girls, all of them armed with various weapons.

The third of them is, like you, wearing a pure white suit, with white shoes, black gloves and a light yellow cravat. Frameless glasses cover a pair of piercing, highly focused eyes. He is alone, but by the way he talks it's clear he doesn't need an escort.

They stop and blink in confusion as they take in the scenario. The guy in a suit raises his head and locks eyes with you.

They say the eyes are the window of the soul. They also say a single glance can tell more than a thousand words.

In that single moment when you exchange glances, you and him understand a single thing about the other.

Dangerous

Raising a hand, clearly a signal for his friends to wait, the guy in a suit steps forwards and speaks. "We came here to propose a deal towards the gang called Snake."

"I am afraid the gang called Snake was disbanded, effective immediately." You tell him.

"I see." He replies calmly while pushing his glasses up. "And who are you?"

"Oh, I am but a concerned citizen cleaning trash off the streets." You make a sweeping gesture to encompass the whole place. "The Snake gang was guilty of harassing the populace, bothering honest citizens that had nothing to do with them just for fun. This is our city. Pretentious kids pretending to be badasses aren't welcome here."

Your cocky grin as you look at them during your speech makes it clear you aren't thinking that way just of snake.

"You little-!" The man with blue hair grits his teeth. But before he can act-

"You're perfectly right." White suit says with a straight face while nodding in agreement.

You aren't the only one looking at him oddly. Undaunted he continues: "Only those willing to stand up and fight for what they believe should be involved. This is one of the core precepts I was taught." He pushes his glasses up again. "Gangs should deal with gangs. Fighters should fight only other fighters."

'So, something like: if you pick up a sword, your should be aware of the consequences?'

[I think so too.]

"An interesting point of view." You tilt your head. "Are you saying Ragnarok is different?"

"We are." He spreads his arms. "Ragnarok bears his might only against other gangs, defeating them and absorbing their members in their ranks. Those that refuse are beat up and told to never take up a life of delinquency again. I think you can imagine the consequences for disobeying."

Harsh. Then again, considering the type of people that usually makes up a gang it is a highly effective method to keep them on the right way.

"It is one of our cardinal rules that members need to keep Ragnarok's activities separated by their public lives. The only exceptions is scouting for talented people and inviting them in our ranks."

"Uhm..." Your tap your index finger on your chin. "I am going to take a shoot in the dark and say you're Odin, Ragnarok's main leader." A subtle shifting of the others' postures tell you're right. "Why?"

Odin stands straighter. "I am afraid you will have to elaborate further."

"For what reason does Ragnarok exist?" You spread your arms. "Most gangs are formed by people belonging to the same social class, without a true aim but taking refuge in the group's strength. But if what you are saying is true, and I am going to assume it is, Ragnarok is too organized, too focused in their activities. Such cohesion...cannot be reached without a clear objective. So what's yours?"

"It's simple." The woman finally speaks. "We of Ragnarok are not thugs, but Martial Artists."

"Oh?" You quirk an eyebrow.

"Gang wars are just a mean to the end." Odin elaborates. "The true objective of us, Ragnarok's Leaders, is to train our individual Martial Arts through real combat, without being restricted by official rules that would cripple our development." His eyes narrow. "We aren't the only ones. Albeit rare for now, there are other groups of young martial artists in Japan with our same goals, that search for the purity of combat that is lost nowadays."

'Is he telling the truth?'

{He is completely certain of what he said. It doesn't mean it is the truth.}

'I see.' Who would have thought? You expected simple delinquents, and instead more and more strange revelations are popping up one after the other.

[It's a Dragon Aura.]

'Pardon?'

[Dragons are auspicious beings. Just by existing, they attract to themselves all sorts of strong powers. Solar Exalts are more or less the same, so in your cause it's double the effect.]

Oh, that is just wonderful.

"That's why, I would like you to join our organization." Odin says with solemnity. His friends react with confusion, but stay silent when they say his utterly serious face.

You quirk an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "...From which reasons originate this invitation?"

"Did you defeat the whole Snake gang before we came here?"

"Me and my comrades." You raise your hands and do a simultaneous high-five with both sisters.

"Then they are invited too. You are obviously strong: we could use people like you in Ragnarok."

"I usually fight gangs, not join them." Yang whispers to your ear. "But if what Glasses said is true, think of all the strong people we can fight!"

Ever the challenge-seeker. That's Yang for you.

"They don't look like bad people." Ruby admits, a bit unsure. "Maybe we can give them a chance?"

Ruby, still an ally of justice.

And now it's your turn. The girls trust you, so you should reach a decision quickly.

[] Write-in.

Alexander · May 26, 2014

[X] Decline
----

Eventually you reach a decision. No, as inviting as the offer sounds you are already deeply involved in a world much more dangerous and merciless. Compared to the thought of supernatural beings reshaping the landscape while fighting over your Longinus, gang fights and even honest martial arts' pursuit don't compare. It would only cut down your time, time that you can spend learning new Charms and mastering more Boosted Gear.

You need to focus, because you can't do everything at once.

Yet anyway.

Slowly shaking your head to tell the girls of your decision you stand up. "I'm sorry, but I must decline." You raise a hand to forestall any objections. "Don't get me wrong, the offer is tempting, but my ambitions place demands on me that prevent an exclusive focus on Martial Arts. Plus I've never been fond of taking orders anyways."

"That's unfortunate." Odin doesn't take his eyes off as you step on the ground. "Maybe if some of those demands are met, you can dedicate more time to the Art?"

"Maybe." You shrug. "That's unlikely for now. I am very, very busy."

You pick up Kitsukawa and, carrying him over your shoulder, walk toward the exit with Ruby and Yang behind you. The other guys to Ragnarok shift their stances, but a quick glare from Odin stop them in their tracks.

Once you are about to pass next to Odin you stop and raise two fingers near your temple. "Goodbye. Good luck with your dreams."

"Thanks." He replies in an even tone. "I have the feeling we will meet again."

"More than possible. Strange things tend to happen around me."

[And you love every minute of it.]

'Only when I have a good day.'

{Mph.} Bright says nothing, but snort in amusement.

----

[The Snake] Sidequest: Completed!
-You receive: 4 Xp

----

Once Issei and the sisters leave the building the guy with the goggles shouts at Odin. "What the hell? Why did you let him go after he dares insulting us?"

"Indeed Odin." The tanned girl taps her feet, her voice carrying a hint of intrigue. "Usually we challenge them to a duel if they refuse. What is different this time?"

"Mh." Odin pushes his glasses up and smiles. "Loki, what do you know about our new acquaintance?"

"What do I know? Nothing! He didn't ever say his name." Goggles-boy, Loki, spats. "How could I know something when we just met?"

"Oh, but we know something." He looks around. "We know, by the number of bodies and the way he carries himself, that he's strong. We know that he is very perceptive. And...we know that he has ambitions." Odin's smile turns into a grin. "And ambitions, my dear Loki and Freya, tell a lot about a person: their likes, their dislikes...most importantly, how they react to certain stimuli."

The two appear confused before Loki's face clears in understanding. "I see, I see. You want to know how the bastard ticks, uh?"

"I just prefer to avoid changing forward without reliable information." Odin tugs at his gloves. "He will be a great asset to Ragnarok. And if we can convince him to join willingly...well, eager people are more easy to control."

The girl, Freya, scoffs. "Leave me out of your schemes."

Loki ignores her and turns to the girl with the backpack. "Number 20! Spread a description of the bastard to all Numbers! By tomorrow I want to know his name, where he lives and what brand of shampoo he uses."

"On it Loki-sama!" The girl takes out a military radio and starts transmitting. "What kind of codename should I use to identify him?"

"A codename, uh..." Odin looks down at the unconscious bodies littering the floor. He smiles as a certain idea comes to mind. "Let's give him a name deserving a future member of Ragnarok. We will call him..."

"Nidhogg."

----

"Pooey." Yang pouts. "Why did you turn them down? We could have fun fighting strong people."

"I already told you." You sigh. "I can't split my attention too much. All three of us can't, with creatures much more dangerous than humans possibly lurking on the horizon."

"Yeah? I wish they would appear already."

You stop and turn to stare at her. "You want to enter a life-and-death fight?"

"I can handle it!" She raises a fist. "Goatee-ojisan said we're making great progress!"

"He also said we aren't ready yet." Ruby interrupts. "And don't call him that! You know he gets mad when you do it."

"How else I am supposed to call someone who is older than the nation where I was born?"

"It's still not nice! Wait, that's not what I meant!"

Seeing them, you wonder what it would be like to have a brother or a sister.

[They would probably be perverts.]

'Even a sister?'

[Especially the sister.]

'On what base?!'

[I know a little bit of genetics.]

'Now that, I don't buy tha-'

{Silence.} Bright's imperious voice breaks your argument. {Sit down worm. We need to talk.}

When she is like that, it's better to obey. After telling the girls Bright wants to talk, you stop on the bank of a river. Setting down Kitsukawa the three of you sit down.

{The boy you defeated. Make him your follower.} She simply says.

'...Why?' Not that you have objections-okay well he isn't a cute girl, but that's not a nice thing to say.

{I recognize his traits during the fight. I saw many like him. Back in Creation, talented and promising warriors like him were the most likely to receive a Solar Exaltation. He possesses natural gifts that set him apart from the common rabble. Instead of wasting his talents you should nurture them: there is no greater honor that serving under a Sun-King.}

That's what she said. 'Are you sure? I mean, Ruby and Yang have Sacred Gears, while him..'

[Nope, I don't smell anything.] Ddraig says. [But having a Sacred Gear is hardly the only thing that make your humans strong. My past hosts fought many human opponents wielding strange techniques, and they weren't pushover. Ask Azazel, he could tell you more.]

{Also, weren't you trying to reverse-engineer the Evil Pieces?} Bright reminds you. {Once their secrets are ours, we can empower your followers to height unheard before. A Chosen of the Sun needs to have troops followed him, for only this way he can truly shine.}

Those facts are all true. But while Kitsukawa himself may be interested, you aren't sure what to feel about introducing someone to the dangers of the supernatural world if you can spare him the experience.

You can ask Asia to come, heal Kitsukawa and make him the offer.

You can take him to a hospital and think better about what to do for a couple of days.

You can take him to a hospital and let him enjoy a normal life. Even if he said his normal life is plagued by boredom, his life should be more important.

Or, you can do something completely different.

[] Call Asia
[] Wait
[] Let him
[] Write-in.

Alexander · May 29, 2014

[X] Call Asia
----

'Alright.' You decide. 'But I will let Kitsukawa decide of his own will. And if he accepts, you better have a way for him to hold his own even without a powerful Sacred Gear.'

{You worry too much. Under the guidance of a Solar everyone can surpass his limits. Just go on with it.}

'Hai, hai.' You look up to Yang and Ruby. "Alright, here's the gist of it: Bright saw potential in Kitsukawa, and she wants to add him to our group."

"Does he have a Sacred Gear?" Yang asks.

"No, but both her and Ddraig said he can grow strong without it."

"But, it's okay for a bad guy to join the good guys?" Ruby asks with a cute perplexed expression.

'Good question. Wait no he isn't a bad guy, just annoyed with life. What to say...Oh!' "This way we can redeem him?"

"Ooh." Ruby's eyes sparkle. "Awesome."

"I am okay with it." Yang grins. "More sparring partners are always good."

"I will also need to ask Asia and Mittelt. And of course the final decision lie with him." You take out your phone and dial your house's number. "Hello Dad. No I am not skipping homework, I already did them all. Can you give me Asia-chan? Is Mittelt-chan also there? Thanks Dad."

Asia and Mittelt agree, trusting fully in your decision. Half an hour later they come: under your guidance Asia heals Kitsukawa, not completely but enough to let him move.

As the green healing aura washes over him the former gang's leader twitches and stirs. Asia steps back and joins the girls, leaving you and him alone.

"Did you have a good rest?" You ask him, in front and above him as he opens his eyes.

"I guess." He sits up straight. He blinks in confusion and looks at his arms. "...It should hurt more. How long was I asleep?"

"Not even a hour. I can explain of course. But to do that, I first need you to make a decision." Your face turns all business, and you try to express how serious what you are going to say is. "First, tell me something. You said you live a boring life: is fighting against someone stronger the only thing that you enjoy?"

He doesn't answer immediately. He looks around the area, raising an eyebrow at the group of girls waiting in the distance before focusing on you again. "I was always strong. When I began going to school I discovered I was stronger than anyone around my age and even a few years above me. Until you I had never lost actually."

He shrugs. "Things like reading or watching TV...they are okay I guess, but too mild to satisfy me. Only the fights sometimes made me feel truly alive, but once it ended with me standing at the top of my enemies' broken bodies all that high came crashing down, and I would find myself in a boring world again."

How the saying goes? [Born in the Wrong Century]. Bright is right: this may be dangerous for him, but it may be the best for his soul. "The world can indeed be a boring place at times. But! Shougo Kitsukawa!" You cross your arms over your chest. "This is only on the surface. This world is wilder than you've ever imagined. You fight like a Berserker, wild and unrestrained, discontent with ordinary life. You seek excitement, you seek to bask unrelentingly in the joy of battle, to becoming stronger and conquer more and more challenges. Know that one of my Masters took an interest in your plight, and she wants me to make you an offer." You hold out a hand. "Join me, and you will enter a world crazier than anything you could have imagined, a world, I assume you, will never allow you to feel bored ever again."

He's stuck silent, but soon eyes light up with interest. "Is this world you spoke, are there people strong like you?"

"Strong like me?" You grin. "Plenty. And there are even more who are stronger than me, capable of feats that would blow up the mind of ordinary people. You can live for decades, even centuries: but no matter how much you train, you will always find someone stronger than you. It will also be dangerous." You turn back serious. "You may lose your life. Are you okay with that?"

He starts laughing, ignoring any pain he might had. "Hah! Interesting, so interesting! This world of you sounds so interesting, much different from the boring one I lived until now. If it can make me feel alive, risking my life is worth it." He stands up and shakes your hand. "I accept. Show me a new world.."

"Issei Hyodo." You grin and shake his hand back. "Welcome into the Moonlit World Shougo Kitsukawa. Asia."

At your call the blonde Italian walks to you. "Hi! My name is Asia Argento. Nice to meet you." She says before she crouches and starts healing Shougo again.

The blonde Viking's only response is to tilt his head at the display. And Asia is done he flexes his arm. "Convenient."

You grin. "And that's the tip of the iceberg."

----

"So...you're a demigod and a dragon?"

"I'm fully human." You answer back. "I just have additional pieces inserted into my soul that let me surpass human limits without my body exploding like an overinflated balloon. I trained hard to control those abilities."

Your group, plus Shougo, is walking down the river's bank, explaining to the new addition all he needs to know.

"Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils and Youkai?" He laughs. "Who would have thought such things exist for real!"

"Don't forget about Yatagarasu!" Eiko jumps up from behind and latches her arms around your neck.

"When did you get here?!" You yell.

"I am always by Master's side!"

"Get your hands off Ise, you fire-bird!" Mittelt tries to grab Eiko, only for the Sun Raven to gracefully jump away.

"Still a brute I see." She mocks, prompting Mittelt to begin a chase and the other girls to try to calm them down.

Shougo tilts his head at the display. He turns to you. "I was wondering, with all those girls...are you a pimp?"

Faster that he can react you have an arm around his neck. Your voice is emotionless. "Shouko-san. You are now my comrade, but the bro-code dictates that bros don't butt into each other's affairs when it comes to girls. Alright?"

He blinks before grinning like a shark. "Only if I get to fight against you again."

"Deal."

You shake each other's hands.

Gained new Intimacy:

Shougo Kitsukawa (Friendly Rivalry)

Gained: new Follower!

"What's more, defining me a 'pimp' is completely wrong." You puff out your chest with pride. "I'm a chivalrous pervert!"

"...That's hardly better." He deadpans.

"TOO SLOW!" "DEVIL!"

Your quarrel and the girls' one are interrupted by a bizarre sight: a young boy in a Gi is running along the bank at top speed, pulling behind him a tire tied to his waist by a long rope. And sitting on the tire is a guy in a kimono cracking a whip at the young boy.

"TOO SLOW! YOU WOULD LOSE TO A TURTLE! GO FASTER!"

"I WILL DIE! I AM SERIOUSLY GOING TO DIE! PLEASE SPARE ME KOETSUJI-SENSEI!"

"I AM HELPING YOU GETTING STRONGER! THAT'S ALL THE HELP YOU NEED!"

"AAAAH!!!"

They disappear in the distance.

You nod in appreciation. "That's a good training regime."

"...You did something similar?" Shougo asks.

"Yes. Just with tanks, tigers, Underworld dogs, ninja robots wielding light sabers and robot maids powered by resentment armed with machine guns and missile launchers:"

"What."

The Snake Arc: Complete.

+4 Xp for defeating and disbanding the Snake gang
+1 Xp for recruiting Shougo Kitsukawa, ex-Snake's leader
+5 Xp for completing the quest

----

Later as you rest inside your room, the suit neatly folded on a chair, you begin a dialogue with your mentors. 'So, any idea to how give Shougo-san an edge?'

[Bright is in the laboratory.] Ddraig answers. [You will have to wait until she's done.]

You snort. 'And you? Do you have a dragon technique or something?'

[Uhm...there are some techniques, but they make the target more a dragon than his original race. Plus you can't use them yet....Oh! I forgot about that. There is a minor trick available to low-level Dragons. You transfer part of your energy into the target's soul: this 'blessing', so to say, increases one's affinity with Dragons and allows him to be slightly stronger when under a strong emotion.]

'Better than nothing for now. How I do it?'

[You do it like this...]

You spend the next hour learning the new Knack from Ddraig.

Granting: "Touched by Dragon"
Cost: 6m, 1wp
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisites: Essence 3

Those who Dragons favored carry a mark of greatness on their souls: this Knack grants the Merit "Touched by Dragon" to a person the character has a positive Intimacy to. Characters with this Merit finds themselves at ease interacting with Dragons, and vice versa. When those who have the Merit "Touched by Dragon" channels or rolls one virtue, selected when they gain this Merit, add one die.

"It wasn't so hard-" You starts to say before being interrupted by a sound you are familiar with.

[BLINK! BLINK!]

"Again?!" Against your will Boosted Gear assumes its Gauntlets form. The green gems on both start blinking with a golden light.

[EVOLUTION! TRANSFER! EVOLUTION! GIFT!]

The blinking intensifies before the light starts flowing through the red metal in golden rivulets, gathering on the centers of your forearms and forming the image of a stylized burning sun.

Sol Invictus' Symbol.

There is a sound of metal torn and stone shattered before Bright's icy voice comes from your mind. {What. Did. You. Do?}

You wave your hands in denial. "Nothing! Ddraig was just teaching me a new technique. Boosted Gear did everything by itself!"

{Let me see.}

For a few minutes there is silence. Then it starts: faint at first, but slowly building up until it's deafening.

Bright is laughing.

{Hahahahaha. Worm, I honestly don't know if you are just that lucky or if the Unconquered Sun himself is personally watching over you!}

"Okay." Your voice is hollow. "Now that you are done creeping me out, can you explain what happened?"

{Haha. Remember when I taught you about Half Caste?}

"The offspring of a Celestial and Sidereal Exalt that, while not Exalted himself, received a strong affinity to his parent's power. Right?"

{That's right. Now, care to guess what new power was unlocked by Boosted Gear?}

"...I give up. What was unlocked?"

Bright tells you.

Your eyes almost bulge out of their sockets.

----

"What do you want to talk about Ise?" Mittelt asks with curiosity. You and her are sitting seiza in front of each other inside your room. The door is locked.

"Er.." You scratch your head, searching for the right words. "I don't want to make you think I'm taking advantage of you, but..." You sigh. "Earlier, by accident, Boosted Gear acquired a new power. One that allows a person I trust to align with my Essence. Technically this procedure makes the person stronger and able to learn some Solar Charms. Bright insisted I do it with everyone of you, and.."

"I am the toughest one, so I am a good first test subject?"

"...Basically yes. I completely oppose it, but that's Bright-sensei for you."

"That's okay." Mittelt leans forward and plants a kiss on your lips. "I already swore myself to you Issei-sama. I trust you."

"Mittelt..." You hug her and kiss her back. The two of you remain like that for awhile before separating.

"Alright." You cough. "Let's do it."

You close the window, put a candle in the middle of the room and light it. "Mittelt!" You say with an ominous tone, your fingers making twisted movements. "Are you ready to partake, even if only in an infinitesimal part, of the glory and perfection of the Unconquered Sun, chief war god of Heaven, divine ruler of the Celestial Court and the patron Incarna of the Solar Exalted?"

"Yes?" Mittelt's hand is over her mouth, trying her hardest to not burst out laughing.

"Then receive it." Boosted Gear forms on your right arm. "The Gift of Radiant Destiny!"

Your fingers gently tap her forehead.

And then light explodes from her.

----

"Ooh..." Slowly, Mittelt opens her bleary eyes. "W-What happened..?"

"Are you are alright?" You ask with concern while holding her in your arms. "You fainted and sleep for a hour. Bright said it would happen, but I was worried."

"I'm okay, just a little disoriented." She stands up. She blinks. "Uh? Wha...Ooh.."

Her raised hands begin glowing of a faint golden light, identical to your own Aura. She licks her lips. "This...feels similar to when you use Prominence. Ugh, my wings ache!"

With a shudder she release her wings.

Her completely golden wings.

Her mouth opens in a 'O' of surprise at the sigh. Just like you. "My wings. They're golden." She whispers.

"That...was not supposed to happen." You apologize. "Listen, I'm so-"

"THEY'RE GOLDEN!" She cries in joy, her hands fondling her wings as her eyes shine with amazement. "Just like Archangel Michael? Does this mean I am a pure angel now?" She does a fist-bump. "Only one way to find out."

"Wha-" You tries to say before Mittelt's lips lock on with yours.

----

One hour later

"They're still golden!" Mittelt cheers while straddling your naked, sweaty chest. "Angels who have sex without purification Fall, but they're still golden! Thank you so much Issei-sama."

"That's good." You groan. "Now can you please-"

Her kiss silences you again.

Update!

Mittelt lost the "Creature of Darkness" status!

Mittelts gained the "Solar Half-Caste" status!

Mittelt gained the "Touched by Dragon" Merit!

----

Three hous later

[Oni and Fallen Angel. What a scary combination.]

'...You can laugh. I will not stop you.'

[Okay. Uhahahahahahahahaha!!!!]

Asshole Dragon.

As you let the hot water of the shower falls on your sore muscles you consider what to do next.

Today is Wednesday. You need to go back to Azazel's facility Sunday. This leaves you three days to recover missed lessons at school (not that you need it and do the Half-Caste ritual with the rest of the group.

This should leave you with some free time.

Choose one:
[] Learn one of Ddraig's remaining basic dragon techniques:
-[] Improve Dragon Scales
-[] Fire Resistance
[] Spend Xp with something that requires time?
-[] Write-in. (Attributes, Abilities, Charms, etc...)
[] Learn more Devil spells with Akeno
[] Learn kinglugia's spells:

Devil Spell
[Azure Blast] Range: 6 (33 yards, medium range). Duration: instantaneous (0). Area: 1 (Single target). Energy (Plasma): 1. Damage: +30 (10L Health damage). Meta-spell: 15 (Speed 3, Silent, Still, Target consumed) Components: 53. Rank 3 spell, Speed 3. Cost: -2 Exhaustion Damage or 6m. Description: The user fires a potent blast of azure energy towards his opponent, severely damaging and even destroying it with the blast of plasma.

How to learn it: Extended Roll where the user study and experiment in a peaceful environment without being disturbed. Roll (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) at the end of each day (every three hours for Exalt Issei). Difficulty is set at 5, the required number of Successes is 30.

Sacred Gear Spell
[Crimson Lotus Blade] Range: 2. Duration: one hour (9). Area: 1 (Single target). Damage: +48 (16L damage). Energy (Fire): 1. Enhance (Strength +2): 30. Metaspell: 14 (Reflexive, Silent, Still). New Power: +4 (New natural weapon: Sword). Components: 109. Rank 4 Spell. Reflexive attack. Cost: -4 Exhaustion Damage or 20 motes. Description: A blade of fire extends from the user's Sacred Gear. The blade can be used with Martial Arts instead of Melee.

How to learn it: Extended Roll where the user study and experiment in a peaceful environment without being disturbed. Roll (Int+Lore+Occult+Essence) at the end of each day (every three hours for Exalt Issei). Difficulty is set at 6, the required number of Successes is 50.

[] Relax and enjoy tranquility
[] Start teaching your comrades REAL Terrestrial Martial Arts
[] Write-in.

megrisvernin · May 30, 2014

Since those earlier Omakes can't count. Here's a REVEAL CASE File covering the incident where Issei first shows up to class with his improved appearance...

REVEAL CASE File 0009
Prepared by Junior Researcher Uncover

The morning of [Redacted] was the first unambiguous sign of Machine Seductor Issei's protracted campaign to seduce women & advance the Machine Conspiracy. While later evidence(See CASE File 0017 for further details) suggests he may have engaged in some activities before hand, this marks the first time he could no longer easily conceal the changes in his behavior & appearance. This researcher believes the change in Issei's attractiveness were meant to put him at the epitome of human beauty & attractiveness. The following transcript was taken from an interview with a Researcher present at the time. Additional comments by me will be marked with []

(Can you state your name for the record?)

Tak-That's uhh Researcher Steel's Bane.

(Can you tell us about the events of the morning of [Redacted])

You mean the time pretty bo-That is Issei first showed up looking like a model?

[There's some...disagreement about the proper term to refer to Issei. While the majority opinion is that he was replaced by the Machine Conspiracy with a womanizing doppelganger there are those who believe that he had his conciousness uploaded or was converted by nanomachines. For the purpose of this report, we use the term Machine Seductor Issei to refer to his behavior after he began luring women to distinguish from his earlier lecherous, but unsuccessful with women behavior whatever the true distinction in his consciousness between those periods is]

(That incident. Can you walk us through what happened to you then?)

Oh sure. A lot happened that morning to me but I'll try to stick to what's relevant to Issei.

(That would be appreciated)

Well ten or so minutes before class started I got a text message from [Redacted] saying something about some unknown male bishonen in a student uniform. I texted them back asking if they meant Kiba. We argued for a bit since they insisted they thought the guy reminded them of someone from my class. Well that's when I was distracted by the noise coming down the hall.

(Is it uncommon for it to be loud before classes start?)

Loud? Nah that's common. People getting in some last minute gossip or arguments before class. It's not...the volume? I think that's the word, of the noises that caught my attention. It's...what they were saying.

[The interviewer gave a gesture to the witness to elaborate]

...It's...well knowing what I know now some of what they said is downright eerie. I think someone said it was impossible for that to be Issei. Another that...that...the Apocalypse was near.

[There is a pause of several moments before the interview continues]

(What happened next?)

Well I heard the door open. I didn't quite have a good angle to get a look at the person entering but I remember them asking them if they were late. The next bit was...pretty fast.

(Fast?)

I saw both of Issei's friends literally jump to their feet & one ran up to punch him.

(Do you which one moved to punch him?)

Nah. Don't know them well. Plus their names both start the same, always get 'em mixed up. Better to just say it was one of them, then to try to pick one & be wrong.

Either way there's like a smack noise. Not the same kind of...crunching? You hear when you know a punch really connects. I could hear that Issei, the new guy anyways, had blocked it. Damn good reflexes to stop it when someone suckerpunches you like that.

Then they both go off at once demanding to know the new guy is, what he did to their friend.
Then Issei asked if they were still tired & told them his name. Both were pretty confused by that.

(Do you think their response was genuine?)

As opposed to faked you mean? Can't be totally sure since again I didn't see their faces, but they sounded sincere. I don't really buy that theory they are in on the whole thing. Though the next thing...

(The mirror incident?)

Yeah that. One of them passes Issei a mirror & he looks into it. Doesn't recognize the face reflected back.

(Did you believe his reaction genuine?)

Dunno. Like it sounds like the kind of thing you make up, like someone acting poorly does. And he fistpumped! Who does that? Considering how Issei can be so convincing now it felt...odd for him to get caught in that kind of lie. Though it does explain what happen next.

[There is considerable debate among REVEAL Researchers as to why Machine Seductor Issei failed to recognize his own appearance. One of the more prominent theories is that this is an obvious failure of a mirror test, a phase where children at eighteen months can generally recognize that the image reflected in a mirror. Clear signs of either a malfunctioning unit or hints at his artificial origins]

(Can you walk us through that?)

[Subject sighs]

Sure. But I'm NOT rehashing this argument. I've seen people argue the most innane points of it. I'll tell you what I saw but I'm not offering an opinion.

So Issei hands the mirror back & asks the teacher if he can address the class. Honestly I kind of feel sorry for the poor teach having to watching all of this. Anyways he goes up in front of his desk & gives this weird as hell spiel. Said something about how he got dumped by his girlfriend, comments it was odd she went out with him in the first place given where they are on the food chain.

[This is no firm evidence but the woman Machine Seductor Issei refers to his is believed to be Yuuma Aman. Given the timeline of her hospital visit & the timestamp on the im conversation regarding her, it's believed that Machine Seductor Issei made this comment before memories of her were erased. Given he didn't mention her by name, the omission might have been purposeful.

Then he says he relied it was a setup, then had a moment of en-brighten-something?

(Enlightenment?)

Yeah that. He had a revelation. That he was trying to apply game & porno rules to the real world. His language was really metaphoric though? He mentioned died & starting over again. Then introduced himself again before one of his friends tried to do some kicking move on him. Things went back to normalish after that

[The argument the Subject is mentioning is a contested disagreement among Researchers whether Machine Seductor Issei was describing, if tangentially, the process he went through to achieve his current state. Those believing him to be upload take this as proof of evidence of his change. Some have posited it's proof for any entire different cause, that this Issei is some flash-imprint of his former self. Copying his memories, but no continuity hence the "death & reborn"]

(Can you discuss another incident later that day?)

Yeah sure. I imagine you mean Prince Charming showing up.

(Yuuto Kiba, yes. His & Machine Seductor Issei's interactions.

[Subject seems to scowl at the title assigned to Machine Seductor Issei, but gives no comment]

Alright but not much to tell. At the end of classes Prince Charming shows up & talks to Issei. It was pretty loud with everyone getting ready to go home but they didn't say much. They left the class quickly after. Though some of the girls where whisphering really loudly

[Subject shifts uncomfortably]

Some kind of pairing of them. Like that bullshit thing they do matching up which celebrities "belong" together.

(Did you think the description was inaccurate?)

[Subject stares baffled for a few seconds]

You mean if they should hookup? Dude I don't ship. That's just..

[Interviewer seems a little frazzled]

(I meant more if there were similarities between them. That they seemed of the same kind of class or crowd)

Oh. Ohhhhh! Well don't say things like that. Yeah the two of them...stand out together. But it's kind of odd seeing a guy look even...not prettier? Not...rugged either...Uhhh better? Yeah better looking than Prince Charming. I knew Issei had looked better than before, but standing right next to them...You really get a feel of the change in his looks.

[Transcript Ends here]

[Final Addendum Some Researchers argue that Yuuto Kiba was a prototype for Machine Seductor Issei. Their improved looks & their involvement in the "Occult Research Club" suggests a connection between the two. That Yuuto Kiba came to escort Machine Seductor Issei in the direction of the Club the exact morning his appearance changes is certainly odd timing.]

Alexander · Jun 2, 2014

SWOOSH! BAM!

"Do you even wonder?" Dohna asks Kiba.

"Aah!" "Guh!"

"About what?" Kiba asks, averting his eyes from the spectacle in front of him.

"About how ridiculous it is." The middle-age man makes a cutting motion with his hand. "So a God took parts of his divinity and put them into Sacred Gear equivalents. I can buy it. I can even buy that the original design was created by a Primordial God of Invention and Technology."

"..You're open!" "Ever heard of feints!?" "!"

"But..?" Kiba prods.

"But how could it accelerate the learning curve of a person so much!? Look at that!"

Dohna points at the spar between Issei and Koneko: while the boy's hits don't seem to have an effect on Koneko, the little girl has yet to land even a finger on Issei.

"Compared to the first time I met the bastard a month ago? He's like a completely different person! He acquired skills that should have taken years!"

"Doesn't this only mean the Governor of the Fallen Angels' training is effective?"

"...While Azazel-sama is surely a person capable of making even the completely untalented shine,-" He shakes his head. "-Even before that the bastard used to pull a new trick out of his ass every week. That's cheating!"

"Mmh, indeed. Even then, it's impossible to stay mad at him." Kiba turns back to the spar and raises a hand. "Time out!"

"I can keep going." Issei says. "...Same here." Koneko replies.

Kiba points at his watch. "It's been three hours since you started. Take a break. Here." He holds out two bottles of mineral water.

""..Thanks."" They both take one and sit down on the bench.

"Aah!" Issei sighs after a deep gulp of water. He smiles a Koneko. "I gotta say: the Rook's power is impressive. I couldn't even break your skin. I seriously underestimated how strong you are Koneko-chan."

"...No true. Sempai's hits sting." Koneko replies with her usual monotone. An attentive observer however could see that the tips of her lips are slightly turned upwards. "Couldn't hit you."

"When they shoot bullets at you, even if rubber ones, you learn how to dodge. That you want it or not." Issei says with a hollow tone. Shaking his head to clear the horrible memories he puts a hand under his chin. "I noticed some changes in your fighting style."

"..I'm taking lessons. Wing Chun. Brazilian Ju Jitsu."

"That makes sense." He snaps his fingers. "Your balance is much more firm even when attacking, and it would explain your multiple attempts to initiate a hold. It's a strategy to defeat fellow Rooks?"

"...Eh?" Koneko blinks in confusion.

"Well-" Issei explains. "Brazilian Ju Jitsu teaches how to defeat stronger opponents with superior reach by taking the fight to the ground, where someone who knows how to maximize force using mechanical advantage can offset for the difference in strength. In a Rating Game the only ones who could be stronger than you are other Rooks, so..."

"Oh! Yes!" Koneko quickly nods. "That's why!"

On the sidelines Kiba smiles, while Dohna snorts.

"That's my talented junior." Issei rubs the girl's hair. Koneko doesn't seem to dislike it. "What I don't understand is why you requested a spar so forcefully once I said I have free time?"

"...I-"

"I think Koneko-chan was just overjoyed." Kiba replies with a refreshing smile. "Since recently she felt neglected by her favorite se-!"

Koneko's water bottle hits Kiba squarely in the face, sending the Knight rolling backwards before coming to a stop on the ground.

The girl stands up, her cheeks pink and a scowl on her face, before turning to Issei. "Resume spar. Now."

Issei quirks an eyebrow. He looks first at Kiba and then at Koneko before shrugging. "Okay."

----

"...And then, if you are able to stabilize the flow, the attacks could hit from multiple directions at the same time. Am I making sense?" You ask.

"Oh my. That's interesting theory." Akeno giggles. "Ise-kun truly took a liking with magic, isn't it? One wouldn't think that, seeing how hard you train your body."

"A good defense is needed together with great firepower, or it would be all too easy to defeat me." You explain. "Isn't one of the possible uses of Evil Pieces to give a candidate a piece to compliment their natural abilities, like giving a fast person a Rook to increase his strength and resistance?"

At your words Akeno grimaces slightly. "..Yes, it is."

"Akeno-sempai?" You ask with concern in your voice. "Was it something I said?"

"No." She shakes her head. "You did nothing wrong Ise-kun. I just..." She makes a troubled face. "When you told us how the Pieces make the Servant blood-relatives of the King...to say we were shocked is an understatement."

You blink owlishly. "Why? I thought it was common knowledge?"

"Eh?"

"I mean, becoming part of a Peerage means becoming part of the King's clan, right? That's how it is possible to share magical energy with someone to boost his natural healing factor." You explain. "It is common knowledge that this is possible only between members of the same family, since otherwise the immunity system rejects the magical energy. So shouldn't it obvious that, for it to work between members of a Peerage, means that they now share a blood relation?"

Akeno stares at you, her face an impassible, emotionless stone mask.

Then she facepalms. Hard.

"Sempai?"

"-veryone is good in insight. Why?.." You hear her mutter before she composes herself, a shaky smile on her face. "Nothing Ise-kun, it's nothing. I just have a lot going on in my mind. Did you find anything else about the Evil Pieces?"

"I think I am close to a breakthrough." You hum. "The only new thing that I was able to learn until now is that there is a protocol to prevent genetic defects in hypothetical progeny. I assume Beelzebub-sama was mindful of the many different races that could be reincarnated as Devil."

"Interesting." Akeno nods before mumbling. "Thanks Maou-sama for small mercies..."

"Uhm?"

"Nothing!"

----

Shougo Kitsukawa stares at the marred but still firm wall of bricks in front of him. As usual he's chewing bubble-gum.

"What is Essence? Don't think it's like some martial arts manga, where the supernatural power of a fighter is defined as 'lifeforce', 'mana of the world' and all those silly things. Essence is the world itself: everything you do with Essence comes down to pushing away the set limits of the material world and replace 'what should happen' to 'what do you want to happen'."

His hand clenches and unclenches, faint wisps of golden energy trailing along the surface like electrical bolts.

"Charms were first created by adding Essence to normal skills, increasing their power beyond what was logically possible. This happen by instinct: you don't need to think about it, you just need to do it."

With a seemly bored expression he turns his back at the wall.

"Those 'natural' Charms, however, are fundamentally limited when outside their scope. One can do only so much with plain old brawling, even highly skilled brawling. The Essence merely adds power to something mortals can do anyway. Until one Exalt had the brilliant idea to combine martial arts and Essence in reverse. He took the training methods, the focus and the integration of mind and body required for highly skilled combat and applied them to his own Essence."

Faster than the eye can see he bends backward and lashes out at the wall with a spinning kick.

"I didn't give you power Shougo. I only removed what was preventing you from accessing the true strength of your own soul. This is your Essence, finally free to answer your will. Your body now houses what is easily more than two times the energy released by the nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. How do you use it? That's simple:

Just do what feels right."

The wall explodes, the bricks shattering as stream of molten sunlight erupts from inside them.

At the sight Shougo grins like a shark. "Interesting."

----

"Wowowo! Welcome back Taiyoryuu-dono!" Tomofuri greets you rather enthusiastically.

"It's good to see you again." You smile at the little kami. "How are things going?"

"Magnificently!" He twirls in mid-air, flowers blossoming at his passage. "The flower display brought many new visitors, but it was when the Intermediaries of the Great Honorable Ones came that the prayers skyrocket! Wowowowo! Truly, dragons bring great luck!"

"Ahaha." You scratch your head in embarrassment. "I just knew competent people."

[That you meet by luck. Face it partner: Fate loves you. It's a good thing, mind you.]

"I also need to tell you something Tomofuri-dono. In the future I will be a lot more busy, and it could also happen that I will be outside the city for a long time. In those cases, if you need to contact me you can do it through the Intermediaries or Gremory-sempai."

"Will do." The kami turns his head. "Oops, visitors are coming. On the next time Taiyoryuu-dono!"

He says before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Just in time for two familiar girls to step outside a corner.

"Ah! It's Hyodo-sempai!" Kurumu Erika greets with her perpetually bubbly self. "GOOD AFTERNOON (in English)!"

"...Good afternoon." Hanasaki Tsubomi refuses to meet your eyes.

"Fancy meeting you here." You greet your two kouhai. "How did your test go?"

"They praised us!" Erika does a thumb-up. "They make us work hard, but I admit it's fun. When Tsubomi-chan learned where the charms come from she insisted to visit. And you?"

"That's a funny story." You grin. "It all began when..."

----

You are walking in complete relax, when suddenly your instincts tell you to move!

"GET!" Someone screams as you jump forward, narrowly missing the lasso aimed where you were a second ago. "Awww, missed."

"A-Abe-sempai!?" You stare at your upperclassman, who is rolling up the rope of the lasso while pouting. "What are you doing?"

"Why." She flutters her pretty eyelids in a sensual manner. "I am just renewing my attempts to recruit you in the Tennis Club."

"You call that recruiting?!" You point at the lasso.

"It worked with the Lamia."

"I am not a Lamia!"

"True." She concedes. "While them and dragons are both reptilian, I suppose their needs are different. Girls!"

She snaps her fingers. Seemly from nowhere all the members of the Tennis club appear, striking a cute pose that accentuates their busts and makes their skirts flutter up.

"""Would you join us Hyodo-kun?""" They ask at the same time.

You turn around and run away.

[You know, in the past you would have immediately agreed at the first sign of boobs.]

'In the past-' You think as you put everything you have into going as fast as possible. 'I was too clouded by hormones to realize than that is both a trap and murder for my romantic relationships.'

[True, true. I consider myself fortunate.] He blows his nose. [Should you have become a shameless partner completely driven from his sexual desires, I fear my sanity would have received a dire blow.]

As if. You doubt the 'great emperor of dragons-san' spirit can be broken so easily.

----

When you answer the door and find a smiling Kaoru-san, you can't honestly say you're surprised. "Good evening Sayanomiya-san. Would you like tea?"

"Good evening Hyodo-san. No need, I just passed to relay a single message: negotiations with the Gremory Clan went well. They express the wish to keep peace, and since at the moment there is no particular task they need you to do, they agree to have you help the Committee."

"Oh, that's good." You scratch your head. "The thing is, I am doing a special training, and I am not finished yet..."

"That's fine." He nods. "We can wait a few more days. We would like you to act as our ambassador with certain groups anyway. I don't think you will have trouble."

"Good to know."

----

[X] Spend some time talking with Rias. While you've faced combat together before & you've even carried out favors for her brother on her behalf you don't actually know that about her personally. Remedy that. Drop the bombshell about the new ability your Boosted Gear developed & its implications when she seems a bit relaxed, preferably when she's had some tea
-[X] Give Rias some time to process the possible ramifications of your revelation, although if she should want a personal demonstration you'd be happy to oblige her. Do the same & try to relax, forgetting the events of the past few weeks & decide yourself who you want to be moving forward, not letting other factions define it for you

Stunt-You place your cup of steaming tea down on the mahagony table, judging from Rias's serene expression sitting across from you she was as prepared as she could be be to hear this. You steeple your hands together, drawing on all your poise & charm, your voice as smooth as velvet as you reveal your newest bombshell.
----

"-and this is Millicas, my cute nephew!" Face glowing with pride Rias shows you the photo of a young boy with the same crimson hair as her.

"Sirzechs-sama and Grafyia-sama's son?" You inquire.

"Yes. He's young but he's already showing great potential."

Taking advantage of a rare moment of tranquility, you and Rias are having a nice, relaxed chat while enjoying tea. The arguments started from mundane ones, such as your favorite type of music, before shifting to your training and eventually to your family and past.

She giggled in a very unladylike manner when you told her about the old man that taught you about oppai. Well, almost everyone did when you told them so it's not a big deal. At least she didn't ask if you ended traumatized.

You learned about her parents: her father Eadwig Gremory, the current head of the family, and her mother Venelana Gremory, formerly Venelana Bael. Yes, she and her brother are related by blood to the Great King's clan, from who they both inherit the [Power of Destruction]. It's like magical antimatter or something.

"There was great joy when Grafiya-onesama announced she was pregnant." She comments. "They didn't expect a son after only three centuries."

Three centuries?!

"I know what you're thinking." Rias shows a sad smile. "Yes, fertility among devils is that low. This is understandable since we live for so long, but it became a nightmare after the last Great War. Of the 72 Pillars of Hell, only 34 remains." Her face now shows determination. "But thanks to Tomofuri-sama's charms now there's hope! There are a lot of request for them, and some clan's heads even offered Father priceless treasures to have one. The Gremory are the major talk of the Underworld those days! And it's all thank to Ise!"

Wow. All of this because one day you decided to try playing hero after consulting the rumor mill about haunted places?

[I want to say I saw weirder things. Sadly I haven't. Life with you is definitely interesting, partner.]

"Aah..thank you" You scratch your head in embarrassment. "But I didn't nothing special. I mean, I am sure there are other beings in the world with Tomofuri-sama's powers."

"True. But of those, very few would be willing to aid the Devils. That I like it or not, the power of [Creation] is precluded to devils as a whole. That's why what you did is amazing."

You show her an embarrassed smile. Honestly, you aren't used to such praises.

[Did you miss being beated for being a pervert?]

'Hell no!'

[Then don't complain. About that, didn't you decide to tell the redhead about Boosted Gear's new power?]

Ddraig's right. You place your cup of steaming tea down on the mahagony table. Judging from Rias' serene expression sitting across from you she is as prepared as she could be to hear this. You steeple your hands together, drawing on all your poise and charm, your voice as smooth as velvet as-

"So, what other earth-shattering revelation about your Exalted powers you have for me today?" Rias calmly asks.

"..." You open your mouth before closing it without saying a single word.

Rias raises an eyebrow. "What? I'm seated and I have tea. What else should I expect?"

"...You got me." You lower your head in shame. "Alright, here's how it is: yesterday Ddraig showed me a new trick, just a way to make dragons act more friendly instead of all murderous. After I learned how to do it right, Boosted Gear mutated." You materialize the Gear and show her the stylized sun. "This is the symbol of Ignis Divine."

She hums in understanding. "That's not all, right?"

"No. Remember what I told you about the various types of Exaltations? There are three types: Terrestrial, Celestial and Sidereal. Terrestrial ones can reproduce and go to an Exalt's descendant, while Celestial and Sidereal Exaltations are a finite number: they can't reproduce, so the children of their hosts don't Exalt unless they are deemed worthy."

"I sense a 'but' there."

"Correct. It was discovered that some of the parent's powers could be passed to their offspring. They weren't Exalt, but possess an unusual affinity to the Essence of their Exalted parent, allowing them to learn Charms, if they meet the requirements of course, and enjoy some benefits of an Exalt's body. In truth they have serious limits compared to a true Exalt."

"So they aren't a ridiculous as you?" Rias asks with a joking tone and a smile.

"Ha ha." You deadpan. "They're not. They may be good at a specific field, but even then it depends on the individual. Anyway the reason I told you this is-" You take a great breath. "After I learned Ddraig's trick, Boosted Gear developed a new power that is similar to another know Solar Charm: the latter is simply a method used to make a person aware of their own magical power and able to use it, but the former pushes it beyond that, making the target a Solar Half-Caste."

Rias' eyebrow raises. "What does it imply?"

"It depends. For humans it's a nice...not power-up because they still need training, and they can't go beyond certain limits, but it opens them a lot of options. For non-humans...Mittelt agreed to try it. There weren't change in her strength, at least apparent ones, but her black wings turned the color of gold. Before you ask: no, I didn't something as ridiculous as reversing her 'Fall'. Mittelt was born as a Fallen Angel, so she never 'Fell'. I think it's just a cosmetic change: you see, this power gives the Essence of the target an affinity to my own. And since gold is my color..."

"I see." Rias puts a hand over her chin. "Is this grown normal for a Solar? Did you ask Bright?"

"I did." You confirm. "The answer is yes and no: I learn standard Solar Abilities and Charms as normal, but Boosted Gear's evolution itself is unique. Not that there ever was a case like mine. However, I have a theory."

"Do tell."

"Exaltations were created to let humans go beyond their limits, so they could fight the Primordials in place of the Gods. Boosted Gear on the other hand is a Sacred Gear that can 'boost' power without limits and 'transfer' it to others." You put your hand together. "Since they are both spiritual existence, they exist inside my soul. So I think they're interacting: either Boosted Gear is 'boosting' the power of the Exaltation or, if the Gear somehow registers as part of me, the Exaltation made Boosted Gear capable of 'evolving' like another Exalt."

"Fascinating." She takes another sip of tea. "The closer equivalent I can think is of two Longinus fusing together. The potential for disaster..is staggering."

"Don't I know that?" You roll your eyes.

"Still, it cannot be denied your future is, pardon the pun, very bright Ise." She giggles. "Not only are you developing new powers, you can also share them with others. Are you going to form your own faction in the future?"

At that you go silent, your eyes looking ahead of you without truly looking. "Ise?" Rias asks with concern.

You take a deep breath and sigh. "It's nothing. I just...not sure how to feel about the future. Fate seemed fit to present me with great opportunities, but I never had that type of ambitions. It would be easy if I had, but the past was just a normal person: living a peaceful life was all I wanted, and somehow I still want it. I am happy of course for those changes, but..."

"You felt overwhelmed." Rias asks. You nod. "I see. Then let me ask you this: who do you want to be? Not what kind of person others want you to be: I am asking who you, Hyodo Issei, want to be."

'Who I want to be?'

Student.

Chosen.

Human.

Exalted.

Dragon.

Sekiryuutei.

Lawgiver.

God-King.

"...I want to be myself." You finally say, your head having emptied of all thoughts until only the most important remain. "I want to decide myself who I want to be as I move forward, without letting others define it for me." You clench your fists. "I want to become a respectable person, one that would make my parents proud. I want to be strong enough to protect those I care for. I want to change Boosted Gear's bloody history to a better one. I want to prove I was worthy of the Exaltation and the second chance the Unconquered Sun bestowed upon me." You close your eyes, and then open them again, determination burning in them like molten light. "Most of all, I want to make the world a better place, because I love it too much to see it full of suffering."

Conviction: OO -> OOO

"That Ise.." Rias proudly smiles. "Is the right answer."

{I suppose a spiritual journey is still a journey. What an unpredictable child.}

Trial of Journey: Passed!

[What was that?]

{Just measuring the worm's character grow.}

[Oh.]

[] True End of Snake Arc. Please wait for the next installation of "Trials of the God-Harem King."

Alexander · Jun 3, 2014

"Uh? Is nobody here?" You comment as you step inside the Occult Research Club's room, only to discover it's empty.

Today is Sunday, and as per accords you will resume your training with Azazel. So you came to say goodbye to Rias and the others, knowing they usually meet at this hour. But there is no one inside.

"Since the canvas are open they were here before." You glance around the room, taking in all possible clues. "A sudden matter that needed to be attended ASAP? Possible." You shrug. "I suppose all I can do now I sit down and wa-!"

Suddenly the magic circle on the floor that Rias and her Peerage uses for teleportation glows. You half-expect to see your friends or Grafyia-sama appear, but narrow your eyes when the color changes from crimson to orange. The symbol at the center changes too.

That isn't the Gremory's seal.

It's the Phenex's seal, another family of the 72 Pillars. As the circle finishes glowing flames come out from it, and the room gets flowed with heat. Not so much to be unbearable however.

The being who appeared swings an arm across to the side, and the flames disappear.

"Tch, it's been a while since I came to the human's world."

The one standing there is a tall man in his early 20's with short blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He is wearing a burgundy suit, without a tie and the shirt open to show his chest.

He's good looking, and like Azazel has the aura of a 'bad boy'. However, compared to the fallen angel you sense a lot more of malice underneath his aura.

[Yare yare, a phoenix?] You hear Ddraig grunt. [Never liked the damn fire-birds. They don't stay dead when killed.]

'Aren't dragons immortal too?'

[And that's why we are an individualistic race.]

The guy looks around the room, only to frown. He then looks at you with a haughty expression. "You! Where is Rias?"

You decide you don't like him. "I would like to know too." You cross your arms over your chest. "I came expecting to find everyone, but the room is empty."

"Tch!" He puts his hands in his pockets. "I personally came, and nobody is here to receiving me? Absurd."

'Maybe you should have informed Rias you were coming.' You smugly think. Then again, you doubt that Rias like him: she probably did it on purpose.

"You." He says as he sits down. He isn't even looking at you anymore. "Prepare me some tea."

Your left eyebrow twitches. "First, I can't do it." Here anyway: Akeno is jealous of her personal tea set, and always keep it under key when she isn't using it. "Second, didn't you forget a little secret word called [please]?"

"Aah?" He says with a displeased expression. "Do you know who I am?"

"A member of the Phenex Clan I suppose, judging from the seal." With your head you mention to the magic circle. "Other than that? Nothing."

"Oh?" He seems a bit surprised. "Rias hadn't mentioned me to her servants? I mean, are there guys who don't know me? For a reincarnated Devil this is a serious blunder."

You shrug. "I don't know if she did. And even so I wouldn't know, because I am not one of Rias' servants. I am not even a reincarnated Devil."

The guy's eyes narrow. "...Then who the heck are you?"

[] Write-in.
----

You know, many had said that compared to other Game Masters I am more fair O

The actual truth, is that I just favor trickier curveballs >

Alexander · Jun 4, 2014

[X]"I'm a friend of Rias and a contracted magician trading favors with the Gremory family. As for my name, I don't feel obligated to offer it to someone who doesn't give their own first.
----

"I'm a friend of Rias and a contracted magician trading favors with the Gremory family." You show him a smug smile. "As for my name, I honestly don't feel obligated to offer it to someone who wouldn't give their own first."

He scowls, but soon his eyes slowly widen in realization. "You...You're Issei Hyodo."

"Hyodo Issei." You correct him. "In Japan the family name is said fi-!"

You duck down and roll away to dodge the fireball aimed at your head.

"You bastard!" The blonde screams. "I came here specifically to find you! Because of you my wedding with Rias was postponed by years!"

"Woah, woah!" You yell back as you stand up. "Nevermind the completely uncalled attack, your wedding with Rias?! Dude, what the hell are you talking about?"

With a haughty aura he points a thumb at himself. "I'm Raiser Phoenix. I'm a pure-blood High-class Devil, and the third son of the distinguished House of Phoenix. I'm Rias' fiancé."

You stare at him with a face devoid of all emotions. "Are you keeping Rias' parents hostage?"

He looks completely shocked. "What? No!"

"Strange-" You nod to yourself. "Because it's the only way I can see Rias agree to marry you. Unless it was a combined union decided by your parents." You hit your open palm with your fist. "Either Lord Gremory is a horrible judge of character, or he never meet you in person. I'm inclined to the second."

"You dare belittle me?!" He snarls, more fire appearing in his hands. "I'm a pure-blood De-"

"Yeah, yeah." You wave him off. "You've a certified pedigree. Like I care. And your family holds the title of Marquis, which by the way is below the Gremory who are Dukes. Not that you would know: being the third son, not only you don't have the title, you can consider yourself lucky if you receive an allowance."

He stares in complete shock at your audacity (not that you said untrue things) before starting to splutter incoherently.

"Now that we have made clear how much respect you can expect from me because of your family's connections-" Here's a hint: between 1 and 0, it's not 1. "So, your wedding was postponed? What can I say, it happens. But how exactly would be my fault?"

He's gritting his teeth together so hard you can hear them groaning under the pressure. Taking some deep breaths he manages to regain a semblance of calm. "If you are really so ignorant let me enlighten you, you lowly human." He sneers. "The date of the wedding was already decided, even if Rias keeps insisting she wanted to decide herself who she wants to marry." Well, duh! As any living being has the right to. Phenex scowls. "But then things started happening: the fertility charms, that made every pure-blood family want one; the incident with the Fallen Angels and the formal apology from the Grigori; again the Grigori, with the offer to share important data on Sacred Gears that every Peerage with Sacred Gear users showed interest; and now rumors of a possible true, stable peace with the Shinto Gods!"

He accusingly points a finger at you. "All because of you, the supposed Red Dragon Emperor that allied himself with Rias and the Gremory! With so many achievements, mine and her parents started spouting non-sense about how she is proving she's taking the role of future heir seriously so it's okay if she completes her education before marrying and how a sudden change in leadership in the family now could be detrimental to those new alliances!"

And they're right: not that you would have a problem (unless Rias really marry this asshole) but it's a sound decision by their part.

"I see." You shrug. "And? Being mad at me will resolve nothing. I suggest you focus your efforts into convincing your parents."

"Don't tell me what should I do. Tch, everyone talk of the high and mighty Sekiryuutei, but you're just a lowly human. Boosted Gear is certainly one of the invincible and dangerous Sacred Gears. By how you use it, not only me, but you can also defeat a Maou and God. There were quite a number of possessors who had that before. But there hasn't been any case where it defeated a God or Maou. Do you know what this means?"

Raiser then laughs really loudly.

"It means that this Sacred Gear is imperfect, and the possessors were also bunch of weaklings that couldn't use it! You are no exception! How do you say this in the human world again? ...Yes, [Pearls before swine]. Fuhahaha! Yeah, pearls before swine!"

[Okay, now that's personal: nobody insult my previous partners, even those who were assholes. The birdy is going down.]

{I completely agree. Worm, there is a Charm to kill immortals: it's called-}

As alluring the option is, you can't just start killing people because of their attitudes. You turn their voices off and raise an eyebrow at Raiser. "Your point?"

A fireball forms in his hand. he sneers. "It's simple: if I show everyone how you're just a weakling, those silly arguments will become invalid and I will be free to marry Rias."

It's only the threat of a sudden attack that prevent you from rising your eyes to the sky. 'How stupid can he be?' "Congratulations: sound like an amazing way to get the entire Devil society mad at you. Rias first and foremost: do you really think you will win points with her if you hurt me?"

"I don't care! I'm also a Devil who carries the name of House of Phoenix behind me. I can't let that name get tarnished! I will take Rias back to the underworld, even if I have to burn you and all of her servants!"

His hostility and killing intent fills the room, both directed at you.

But for you the world stopped existing at the end of his words.

"You're joking, right?" You say with a even tone, the shadow from your hair covering the upper part of your face. "No matter how you spin it, that's murder. Do you really think there will be no consequences if you kill the entire peerage of another High-class Devil?"

"She will not need them anyway." Fire starts covering his body. "Her role will be to be my docile and devoted wife. There is no need for her to fight. Me and my Peerage will fight in the Rating Games and bring glory to the house of Phenex."

Temperance Check: ~~roll~~ Critical Fail!

Your hands start trembling. 'Ddraig. Bright.'

[...]

{...}

'I'm going to snap. I am going to utterly lose my shit and teach this fucking bastard a lesson he will never forget even if he were to reincarnated a million and one times. So if I am going to do something stupid, please stop me!'

[Ahahahaha!] Ddraig laughs and roars at the same time. [Go get him partner! Rip his wings and stuff them down his throat!]

{...Took you long enough.} Bright's grin turns sadistic. {I have only one advice. Don't let anger cloud your judgment: instead, channel it into your fists and let it burn the enemy to ashes!"}

You look up, eyes literally glowing as intense rage beyond anything you ever felt before makes your whole being shake with barely restrained violence.

[] Punch to the face.
[] Punch to the face.
[] Punch to the Face
[] Write-in.

Alexander · Jun 5, 2014

[X] Child of Mother Earth
[X] Lightning Sprinter
[X] Fist of the Daystar Form
[X] Orichalcum Fists of Battle
----

Personal Essence: 17/17
Peripheral Essence: 36/42

You unfold your arms as Boosted Gear changes to full gauntlet mode. It's not just your fists that are trembling; now the the air is trembling too. It quivers under the weight of your essence, under the malevolent killing intent you are radiating like a star about to explode into a supernova.

"Raiser Phenex" you say, as you begin to trigger a list of charms you'll need to tear his pretty-boy face off. You didn't actually know them, only knew of their names and nature from Bright's lessons on Solar Hero Style, but as you activate Fists of Iron Technique knowledge surfaces through the rage.

Orichalcum Fists of Battle

Fist of the Daystar Form

And you know them.

"There are a lot of things I can forgive. My first girlfriend tried to run me through and I didn't hold a grudge. My best friends are a pain in the ass but I still look out for them regardless. I even forgave Azazel for making the technique that almost killed one of my friends."

Your flesh ripples. Beneath your clothes your skin starts to transmute into scales, fingers into talons, bones shifting and muscles realigning for your imminent transformation. But not just yet; first you have to get this out.

"But you have crossed a line that only one other person has ever crossed before, and that person is dead. You can threaten me as much as you like, fling insults, do whatever. But I would strike the face of God to protect my friends! SO JUST IMAGINE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO TO YOU!"

As you scream the last part and start running toward him, Raiser's response is to start laughing. "Big words from a lowly mageling! If you know my clan, you should also know we're immortal! I can't die, do you understand what this means? It means I'm invincible! Even if you've a Longinus, there is no way you can hurt me!"

He puts his hands back in his pockets, abandoning all types of defense. "To prove it to your clearly delusional brain, I will be merciful and give you a free shot. C'mon, try it, and see the truth: that there's an insuperable abyss between us that cannot be cleared!"

You lean your fist back.

Boosted Gear:
Attack Overdrive: 70
Defense Overdrive: 70

Willpower: 7/8

Three-die Stunt. Choose your reward:
[] 1 Xp
[] 1 wp
[] 6m

----

A heterogeneous group of people walked towards the building that housed the Occult Research Club. They are composed of: the whole ORC, Beowulf and two unknown females.

"I repeat, I didn't see or hear about Raiser today." Rias says to a woman with long, wavy purple hair. Her tone is polite, but from the coldness in her eyes it's clear she isn't happy. "I hope you understand it would be a problem for me. I need to be informed beforehand with this sort of things."

"We understand perfectly Rias-sama." Yubelluna, Raiser Phenex's Queen, replies with a respectful tone. "We just want to learn Raiser-sama's whereabouts since he disappeared without saying anything. We checked here under Ravel-sama's suggestion."

Ravel, a young girl with long blonde hair and dark blue eyes, the little sister of Raiser, shrugs as Rias' glare shifts to her. "I thought he would be here, since he was screaming 'I'm tired of waiting' before disappearing. Oni-sama is easily irritated those days."

Rias resists the urge to roll her eyes, part from irritation and part from amusement. "Alright. You can wait here for him. But if something bad happens I will consider Raiser responsible."

"You're overacting Ojou-sama." Beowulf comments. "What's the worst that could happen?"

A wall on the third floor of the Occult Research Club's building explodes with a sound akin to a dragon's roar. A comet of golden, searing light shoots out of it and rams on the ground with the force of a meteorite.

"-!-!-!-AAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!"

Two seconds later the screaming, half carbonized figure of Raiser Phenex rolls out of it, his orange flames trying to restore his body even as golden flames oppose and ferociously fight them for every inch of exposed skin.

"Raiser-sama?!" "Oni-sama!" What the...?"

A figure surrounded by a bonfire of burning sunlight jumps from the hole in the building and lands gracefully on the ground before slowly walking towards Raiser, revealing the determined form of Hyodo Issei, Boosted Gear deployed and murder in his eyes.

"The worst that could happen?" Dohna comments. "Apparently, that those two meet and immediately start killing each other."

"Who is he? Daring to attack Raiser-sama?!" Yubelluna steps forward.

Only to stop as her eyes meet their reflections into the lucid surface of a black blade.

"Now, let's not be so hasty." Beowulf casually comments, even as the drawn sword and his tone make it clear it was an order. "It appears two spirited young men are having an argument. It would be disrespectful to interrupt them without a reason, don't you think so?"

"Argument?" Kiba deadpans. "That's a battle to the death."

"In Scandinavia we call it 'manly bonding'."

Everyone look at Beowulf.

"It's true." He nods his head in a knowing manner. "My old man used to wake me up like that every morning while we were in the woods, learning how to kill bears bare-handed."

"...Explains so much." Koneko comments.

The others stare incredulously at Beowulf, all but Rias who is looking with worry and concern at Issei. Eventually she steals a quick glance at the Pawn, eyes hard. "What are you planning Beowulf-san?"

"Who know?" The Hero Descendant smirks.

Unseen by all the fingers of his free hand move to form a pattern.

----

'...I just learned two new Charms on the fly.' You comment in your head as you walk.

{I wouldn't call it learning. Like I said, for Solar Exalts Solar Hero Style is not a Martial Art, but the way their bodies naturally move. It's engraved into the very essence of what it means to be a Lawgiver. It often happened that a young Exalt, during particularly stressful moments where his emotions run rampant, called upon abilities he could wield but has yet to learn.}

'...Side-effects?'

{You will need to learn them properly at the first possible occasion, or they will fade and it will be more difficult to learn them in the future. Until them, there will be a motes surcharge for their activation.}

'Plenty of time.' You nod grimly.

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS! WHY IT HURTS?!" Raiser stands up, looking completely bewildered. His clothes are in tatters, burn marks all over them, and over his navel is still present a burn shaped like a shinning sun. "L-Light? Are you an exorcist?!"

"You're wrong." You stop, your arms kept perpendicular to your body. "Beyond my Sacred Gear, I has no other ties with the Biblical God. But I am the champion of another God, and he gave me the power to judge what is right and what is wrong." You point a clawed finger at him. "I am surprised you're standing up so soon. That blow, should have been enough to kill you three times in a row. My attacks inflict wounds that cannot be healed by magic. I'm impressed you were able to do it anyway. But it must have cost a lot."

"Y-You-!" Raiser's eyes burn with hate, and yet now there is also wariness and insecurity behind them.

You smirk. "[There's an insuperable abyss between us that cannot be cleared] is what you said, right? It appears it's true, but in the opposite way. Why don't we try again?" You point at your chest with a thumb. "This time, it's me who is giving you a free shot. We need to keep things fair, I don't want you later to complain like a sore loser that I've cheated."

That sends him over the edge. "YOU TRASH!" He shoots towards you and slams his fire-enveloped fist into your face.

Your body is swallowed by a wall of fire.

Raiser smirks triumphantly. "Ah! Who is the arrogant one now? Even with some cheap tricks, you're just a weak hu-Guah!"

The Devil coughs blood as a huge, red-scaled arm emerges from the fire and stabs him with its claws before clenching, the motion crushing half of his body into paste.

"That's where you are wrong."

A silhouette steps out from the flames.

First are the wings, draconian and with a wingspan of twelve yards.

Second are the legs, ending with thick claws instead of feet.

Third is the tail, with a length of one and half meter.

Fourth is the broad chest, covered with shinning red scales.

Fifth, and last, is the face: displaying a fearsome saurian visage instead of any human traits.

"Because I don't hold the title of [Red Dragon Emperor] without a reason."

"WHAT THE HELL?!?" He screams as your three-meters frame towers over him. "You're a Dragon?!" His eyes almost pop off as he notices the burn marks on your neck healing with an incredible speed.

Boosted Gear:
Attack Overdrive: 70
Defense Overdrive: 62

"Human. Exalted. Dragon. And so much more." You toss him away and wait until he regenerates. "C'mon Raiser Phenex, let's start it again. A proper battle: a Phoenix against a Dragon."

You grin, and on your new face it's a thing of nightmare.

"Exciting, don't you think so?"

[] Write-in
----
Both Issei and Raiser act on Tick 0
----

You can't use Fist of the Daystar Form while in Warform. Until you learn them properly, using the new Charms suffers from a surcharge of 3 motes.

Alexander · Jun 6, 2014

"Oh my!" is all Akeno manages to mutter before Raynare jumps into her arms bridal-style and buries her face into her bosom.

"Bad dragon! Bad dragon!" The ex-fallen angel cries fearfully.

"A DRAGON?!" Both Ravel and Yubelluna screams as they step back in fright.

"...Nothing to say here." With a hollow voice Dohna raises his hand.

"Seconded." Kala copies Dohna's gesture with her face in her free hand.

Eyes wide Rias turns around sharply to stares at Beowulf. "What's happening to Ise-kun? Because that's Ise-kun right?"

"Yeah, that's him. Oh right, you guys haven't received my report yet." Planting the sword in in ground the Pawn leans on it for support. "First, a bit of trivia: what makes a dragon a, well, dragon?"

"..They have reptilian traits?" Kiba offers.

"Close, but not quite. You see, to talk about the [race] of dragons is actually incorrect. While some can reproduce in the same manner as humans and devils, there are so many species and sub-species that defining them by physical traits is inadequate. Furthermore, there are some dragons that aren't born from parents: one day they just come into existence, as example by emerging from magma or from the sea."

He grins and raises a finger. "Dragons are beings born from large masses of energy that acquired sentience. As such, every being who can tap into a source of energy that resonate with the concept of [pure, unadulterated power] is considered a dragon, even those who aren't born as such. In their case it's the power that makes the race, not the opposite."

He indicates the towering form of Issei. "This little detail comes into play with Dragon-type Sacred Gear. God used to seal a lot of dragons into Sacred Gears, but even when chained the souls of such powerful beings cannot help but influence the host. That's why Dragon-type Sacred Gear users are vulnerable to Dragon-slaying weapons: because they register as Dragons themselves. But if one were to reach deeper into it, he would find an alternative way to use a Sacred Gear. You know how, inside Boosted Gear that Issei possesses, is sealed the soul of Ddraig, one of the two Heavenly Dragons?"

"Wait!" Ravel cries. "That's Issei Hyodo, the Sekiryuutei?"

"The one and only." Yubelluna starts shaking at Beowulf's words. The Pawn continues: "Issei's ability to use Boosted Gear is good, but what really shined during training is the deep bond he has with Ddraig himself. Azazel stated that, among the past Sekiryuutei, he is probably the user with the best relationship with Ddraig. They trust in each other, coupled with special circumstances and the kid's talent, is how Azazel explain his unique development."

"What did Ise-kun do?" Akeno asks while trying to calm Raynare.

"He managed to tap directly into Ddraig's soul, that normally is only used to fuel Boosted Gear's abilities, and acquire draconic traits that he can switch on and off at will. This, is his answer to the inherent limits of the human body. According to Azazel it's like seeing Ddraig reborn. In this era, we may very well assist as the re-birth of the Red Heavenly Dragon, or even a new, unbound Heavenly Dragon."

The proclamation is meet with absolute silence, as the shock prevented everyone from forming a coherent response.

----
[X] 1 Xp
[X] noahgab1133
----

Gone was the elegant form of a martial artist combo-ing his moves. Instead now it's the savage beauty, fury and rage of a wild animal. Fangs rip and tear, your jaws tighten around anything that gets near it, while talons slice and sever.

God, you feel so good.

"Still so proud of your regeneration, phoenix?! Being able to die as many times as you like isn't so useful when your opponent doesn't even notice your attacks, is it!" Divine light and flames dance around your maw as he notices it and release a blast of air towards you. Your instincts take over and you dodge just by slightly shifting your large frame, making the attack completely miss and shred the foliage behind you.

The bonfire of Essence reaches a new crescendo. The totemic image of the great crimson dragon with scales of orichalcum that is your symbol appears in all his glory behind you, towering above everything with an impressive height of sixteen meters while he mimics your actions. Behind him an evening-colored labyrinth of ice that spins slowly, reflecting red-gold from every facet.

The Righteous flames in your jaws reaches a fever pitch and it bursts forth with a yell afterwards of:

"Holy Dragon Shot!" His eyes go wide, his mind recognizing the golden radiance as the source of his pain. Swearing under his breath he manages to dodge it by a hair's breadth, a sudden burst of air removing him from the path of the blast.

'That was like Soaring Whirlwind Sprint.'

[Phoenix, and Phenex Devils, possess power over fire and wind. So, beside your holy attacks, you and him use the same weapons. I suggest you switch to melee, but be aware: some of the more powerful attacks are created when mixing the two. If you see him doing it, dodge.]

{One instance of Perfect Defense only work against a single attack. In case of multiple hits it's better to dodge to save Essence, and observe the attack to read the rhythm and anticipate it.}

'On it!'

Your muscles ripple as your wings spread and you take flight: again your instincts take over and you fly just as easily as walking, easier in fact. Another loud roar emanates from you half joy at the freedom of flying half excitement at getting to your prey.

Seeing your approach Raiser shoots a fireball, probably to confirm if fire is really useless against you or not. With contemptuous ease you swat it away with a swing of your arm, the fine metal that made your Sacred Gear unbothered by the heat.

Your slitted eyes narrow in concentration as they track your enemy flying in the skies. Another beat of your wings and you not only close the distance but manage to slam into him, biting into his shoulder with Enemy-Castigating Solar Judgment and successfully ripping his limb off as you and him wrestle midair for supremacy. He fails and with a sickening crunch you beat him straight down into the air with a dive. Another triumphant roar escapes your mouth as you land on top of him not half second later.

He erupts into flames and proceeds to try to get you off him, but the flames and force falter before you shinning red scales and your mass proceeds to crush him further into the ground.

"Not so tough now grilled chicken bastard! Where is your haughty attitude, the one you had when you threatened to murder my friends, when you attacked me unprovoked." Nearly spitting at him your clawed hands sink further into his back as you glare with all the fury and hatred you can muster. He yells and with a quick burst of flames and wind he escapes your grip and manages to put some distance, but he seems much more exhausted, spitting blood from his mouth as his flames heal him much more slowly than before.

You too didn't escaped unharmed, your regeneration failing to heal in seconds a couple of burns on your legs. Despite his unpleasant personality his power is not something to be dismissed completely.

Health:
-0 [X]
-1 [X] [ ]
-2 [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
-4 [ ]
Incapacitated [ ]
Dying [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

Tick 7: Regeneration will be active again after 10 ticks

"Shitty Sekiryuutei brat! Sorry but I won't hold back! I don't want to admit it, but right now you are a monster! Peeeeeerish!"

A giant pair of wings of fire appears on Raiser's back who was howling. There's a whirlwind of fire surrounding him and the area is surrounded by an intense fire.

"Fire bird and Fenghuang! The hell fire of our clan that was praised as being that of a Phoenix! Taste it with your own body and turn into ashes!"

Raiser who is covered in flames rushes towards you really fast. The silhouette resembles a gigantic fire bird.

'Really, comparing yourself to a Fenghuang? The real Fenghuang would cry and slap you silly if he were to hear that.'

Adrenaline surges through your systems as your mind goes into overdrive.

No matter what, being hit fully from that attack will hurt too much to be allowed.

[] Write-in.

Boosted Gear:
Attack Overdrive: 56
Defense Overdrive: 54

Willpower: 8/8

Personal Essence: 17/17
Peripheral Essence: 36/42

----
Tick: 9
----

I of course tried to make it fair, but it's not my fault Raiser rolls bad *snicker*.

Trials of the God-Harem King [Highschool DxD/Exalted] (CLOSED)

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

Connoisseur.

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie

That is not dead which can eternal lie