Becoming the Strongest Through (Draconic) Racism - Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Day 1 After Escaping, Alcatraz Island

The first thing I did was head to the sea. The building I was in seemed to open to a courtyard that I realized trapped people between the building and the water.

But I wanted the water, so I ran to the old fence still there. I climbed it in only three jumps. God damn, this is how strong I am with only doubling my strength once?

How the fuck did Issei ever struggle? Either the show (and, or the author Ishibumi) were fucked at math.

Or the author (IshiBUMi more like) made Issei so pathetically weak an ant was his rival, just so the audience could head that cool sounding BOOSTO! in appropriate moments.

...Okay, point to Ishibumi, the BOOTSO! announcements sounded pretty awesome.

After going over the fence, and jumping down the steep cliffs, I landed in the sea, and swam around the island. Of course I didn't head to the mainland. That's too far away and those evil fuckers would likely be able to snipe like a fish in a barrel.

I kept swimming till I saw a tall chimney tower and headed toward it. When I finally got close I saw in the distance a small port. I was basically almost circling the island to the other side at this point, but fuck it.

I don't know how longer I was swimming, but it didn't feel too long. Not an hour definitely. Half an hour? No, I felt myself swimming too fast, so likely less than that.

I made it to the port, and from there I saw the tip of a lighthouse behind a giant building that looked like a hotel. A sea resort? I had to remind myself that was likely a prison. Although it looked too much like a motel or a place with lots of apartments. Maybe this was the residential areas for the guards?

Either way I run past it, cutting through the forest to reach the lighthouse, finding a large courtyard, bigger than the one of the building I escaped. There were two courtyards, each could be used to host a full on football match. Well, if the ground wasn't concrete.

I went from there to climbing a cliff to find a house... or rather the structure of a house that was only emptied out of everything and only had the walls left.

I heard roars and what sounded like something gigantic breaking, like a building. I didn't have time to hesitate so I just ran inside, looking for any place to hide and catch my breath. And just think, strategize, anything.

I found something that looked like the entrance to a basement, but it had been blocked by collapsed rubble.

I didn't have time to think so I just moved bits and piece of it till I managed to make a small enough hole into crawl through.

I heard the flapping of wings and knew I didn't have enough time so I just crawled through, uncaring about dignity or the dirt and mud of everything. Thankfully the basement door was gone, so I immediately fell through.

I heard the rubble thud and fall back into place, thankfully covering my hiding place.

I finally could breath. Well, no the air is stale here, and pretty dusty, but I was still alive so that's still good.

I almost felt like sleeping but that was just the adrenaline crashing, I needed to stay away and think on how I will survive this.

First instinct was that I needed to kill everyone. The dragon teens, sorry guy but it was me or you, then the fallen angels and the devil.

I pushed that stupid thought aside. I wasn't some shounen protagonist. Not yet at least. I didn't get the fucking chance, GOD, LUCK, MURPHY YOU FUCKING FUCK!

"Okay, okay, stop. Breathe. Breathe." I said to myself and took some deep breaths through my shirt to filter the air a bit. Or at least my poor attempt of it. "Can't fight right now. Need to escape. How?"

Racking my brain I tried to think of anyway to escape without being noticed.

But then the thought came that, even if I could, wouldn't they just hunt me down later on?

My address isn't a secret, and they're supernatural creatures. They have access to everything people can do or go to in the modern age. Information is an open whore. No wait, whores get paid. Information can't be hidden from beings with magic.

My mind kept circling the possibilities of what to do, but...

"I'm really gonna have to kill them, aren't I?" I muttered. "Can I even beat a Cadre? That's impossible for me right now." I grimaced. "No, wait, I'm thinking about the whole problem and it's too big. Break it down to bit sizes and deal with it one bit at a time. Beat the reincarnated dragon devil Pawns, then everyone else." I nodded to myself. That seems more reasonable. "Maybe I'll get lucky and with each win I gain a shounen power up."

I chuckled to myself, before focusing on the weight on my right arm.

Right. My Sacred Gear, Twice Critical.

The most basic, most common Sacred Gear. The default standard of power-ups in this world.

"Let's see what you can really do."

===x===

Day 3 After Escaping, Still on Alcatraz Island

Twice Critical's central crimson gem shined and I felt the energy of the Sacred Gear flood my body doubling all that I am. Strength, speed, durability and overall power.

I focused my will and then pushed all that energy back into the Sacred Gear, emptying my body of that magical enhancement. Although 'magical' probably isn't that right word since Twice Critical seems to also increase my even magical power—Yes something that I finally figured out due to it increasing and then decreasing when I empty out the energy.

The Sacred Gear form all my studying over the past two days seems to be connected to two energy sources. One within myself, and one far away and seems vast from what I can vaguely infer from my developing baby magical senses (that's also how I was evading the dragonized-devils so far).

I'm working with overall guesses for my hypothesizes, but I don't have time to pick and choose, so I'll have to go with my best guess and pray to dead God that they are right.

I think, the energy source within me is my Soul and the other energy source the gear is connected to is Heaven. The energy from 'Heaven' feels very different from the energy from my Soul, as far as I could tell.

Via some experimenting with praying, I felt 'something' be transmitted via Twice Critical up that link and come back lessened, but the Sacred Gear feels like it's working better. Somehow. Somewhat. Maybe.

Again, it's just a vague feeling but here I am divining Divine Instruments through vibes, so I'm working through literally blind faith. Heh.

Funny enough that's what I think is being transmitted through Twice Critical via it's like to Heaven. Or what I believe to be more accurate, the Heaven System.

The other energy source, my Soul, is what Twice Critical seems to be working off of, which determines my stamina, as in, how long I can keep using the Sacred Gear.

Figuring all of this is what allowed me to figure out this trick that I'm currently doing. Energy stockpiling the Sacred Gear.

See, I believe, the reason why Twice Critical able to double my overall power, which includes my magical energy is because what floods my body isn't in itself also magical energy. Makes sense, right?

I'm also sure of this because the energy of Twice Critical doesn't feel like my magical energy. Rather it feels too different to be magical energy in general. So what could it be?

Divine Energy. Or maybe Faith Energy.

Well, not completely at least. It's more likely Filtered Divine Energy made fit for human usage.

The job of Twice Critical is to jump keep the user at double their base stats at all times, when it's on. Pretty basic, right?

So what happens if the energy used by Twice Critical is pushed back into the Sacred Gear for storage? It pulls on Divine Energy from the Heaven System, and magical energy from my Soul, to boost my stats again to double the baseline once again.

My arm feel hot, almost burning from the stockpiling, but damn is it gonna be worth it later on.

I wonder if other users of Twice Critical figured this out. I can't be the first one to do so, it would be pretty arrogant. But if Twice Critical can do this and they're still thought of as bottom tier Sacred Gear holder, then what the fuck can other Sacred Gears really do. Because then, it would really make sense why Sacred Gears users are hunt as soon as they're found, or even before they awaken or realize they even have a Sacred Gear.

Honestly, this whole experimentation just made me seethe at Boosted Gear. I'm doing all of this with effectively one Boost. What the fuck were older Boosted Gear user's really able to do.

Thinking about the possibilities of Boosted Gear, is making think on how Issei had wasted it in canon and fucking hell! His biggest power was Boosted Gear or even Boob Love but his fucking plot armor, that whine, lazy ass, unmotivated piece of—

Okay, stop.

Peace.

Calm down.

I'm just irritated from not sleeping for three days. Almost three days.

Issei Hyoudou is just a guy who was always way in over his head, and who's bad habits was enabled by literally everyone around him. How he ends up isn't his fault. ...Isn't completely his fault. He's still responsible for his own life.

Okay. Deep breaths. I'm just irritated and rightfully scared of what I need to do. Start to fight back.

My current plan is probably a bit insane, but I haven't slept in going onto three days now. I haven't eaten as there isn't food, and I know better than to drink seawater.

The energy from Twice Critical seems to refresh me. Kinda. Like, it doesn't feel like real rest from getting sleep but a good substitute for now, until I'm not in a life or death situation.

I was almost caught a few times. Had to get out from the skeletonfied house, as I felt the devils circling too close by. Almost got found in the large building next to the lighthouse which turned out to be a hospital.

I have seen all the transformed former humans, now dragonified-devil from the top floor of the lighthouse, before I left that building.

Six grotesque draconic monsters. Not sure which one is Chad between the Wyvern or the full on dragon. Also there should be seven by my count. What ever monster is missing is something to worry about. Later, not now though.

I'm now on top of the water tower in front of the hospital. I've made my way to the very top and waiting the flying snake devil (what did Satanael call it? Amphiptere, I think). It's been the one most able to suss me out if I stay in one place for too long by my scent. I'd hear it's unique near musical roar every time before I felt the monsters move toward my place.

I guess it's wind powers allowed it to fish out scent better.

I haven't learned to hide all my telltale signs like some Fate Assassin, but I have learned how to compress and hide my aura.

I pushed aside my annoyance that the water from the water tower's tank wasn't a clean source to drink from. It is old, filled with stuff, maybe mold, and I sure as hell not putting whatever that water is filled with in my body.

I saw the flying snake devil make it's way around, almost making sure from to fly near the bronze colored dragon, when he flies. From how pissed off that guy always sounds in it's stadium echoing growls, that's either the big guy who got shot instead of me.

Or if my luck is shitty just right, it's Chad.

Well either way, this plan should allow me to kill either on of them. Or both if I'm lucky.

Wait... no, that's too stupid. Either I'd kill one, or I'd likely die.

And honestly I'm starting to get tired. I'm surprised I'm still this functional and thinking after operating for three days on literally nothing, and running for my life.

My plan was simple. I remember reading that Holy Water has a property were if you put one drop into an already filled water bottle, all the water in that bottle transforms into Holy Water.

So, I got some seawater and used the Sacred Gear's connection to the Heaven System to try and turn it into Holy Water through prayer.

The water bottle... seems sparkly now?

I poured that water into the filled water tower seemed to have given a kind of shiny quality to those liters of water. So... success? At least I hope so. I also tried to increase the potency by plunging my Sacred Gear covered arm into the water and praying to increase the potency. Hope it's enough.

Now I prepared to stockpile energy into Twice Critical for when I lure the flying snake devil into this trap. No kill like overkill after all. Also had a rebar I got from the hospital tied to my back by some rope I found, just as an extra something to bash the monster's with.

I saw the flying snake devil circling back, getting closer to my position.

Alright. It's showtime!

I let my aura be unrestraint, making my blazing energy roar visibly.

The amphiptere focused on me instantly. Along with a few more pair of eyes.

The amphiptere began to fly in a figure eight, like it was preparing to then zoom into a straight line on me. At least that's what it feels like it was doing.

Only for a roar from the bronze dragon to halt her in place.

I clicked my tongue. Maybe Chad, you annoying fuck!

The other dragon-devils were rushing at my location.

I felt the water tower shake, and looked down to see the wyrm, lindwurm and drake climb on the steel beams of the tower.

Dammit, I wanted to get one of the flying one, so they can't pick me from the sky.

A shiver when down my spine, as I felt the wind pick up. I heard a roar and my head spanned toward the sound. It was the wyvern, and it was closing in fast. Faster than anytime I saw it fly.

I could feel the wind around it infused with magic. The shaking of the tower increased.

My thought felt like they were moving like lightning. The amphiptere used it's wind magic on the wyvern to make it fly faster, but also, probably used it on the other three grounded dragon to speed buff them up too. I didn't look to check, focused on the wyvern.

Okay, only one thing to do. I looked at the wyvern with my arms wide open.

"Come at me, bro!" I shouted, a provocation and clear invitation.

The wyvern roared, crossing the distance of the hospital's large courtyard in a handful of seconds, maybe less.

I jumped back through the roof door of the water tower, right into the tank holding all the water. It's almost like a pool.

I swam inward to the middle and not too close to the bottom. The water should cushion the impact, so I wanted had as much of it between me and the wyvern about to crash into the tank like the coolaid man.

In my head I mentally counted down how long it would take for it to crash now. Like everything I was doing till down, I just did it by feel.

NOW!

"Our-Father-Who-art-in-heaven-Hallowed-be-Thy-Name-Thy-Kingdom-come-Thy-Will-be-done-on-earth-as-it-is-in-Heaven. GODHELPMEKILLDRAGONS!" I prayed.

I prayed as fast as I could, almost half muttering the words just to get them out faster, and unleashed the power stored in Twice Critical into the shining water tank.

CRASH!

Multiple things happened.

The wyvern crashed through the tank and the force made the water explode.

Or the water exploded all around me from the energy of Twice Critical, just as the wyvern broke through the walls.

I don't know which happened, but I distinctively remember what happened next, for the few moments I was awake.

I grabbed the rebar off me, snapping the rope holding it at some point. There were shouts of pain. Animalistic screams of agony as the wyvern lunged at me, although I felt it was more momentum carrying it than anything.

I caught its open jaw with the rebar, stopping it from biting into me. In that moment I noticed the flayed skin, melting off the dragon-devil as it was fly with me, carrying me with the momentum off the collapsing water towers. I saw the wyrm, lindwurm and drake melting till bones were showing, as they screamed in pain.

A quick look behind and I saw trees. No time to think I acted, and punch the wyvern in the eye.

It lost any focus it had left and began barrel rolling our fall into the ground. I screamed in terror and surprise as wood broke around us, and green fluttered in my vision.

We were crash landing.

===x===

Carde Satanael POV:

High above the clouds, away from the island so as to watch the whole thing, Satanael was giving young Caleb a golf clap.

"Four in one. Wow. Bravo."

"Lord Satanael, they're still alive." Elyndra pointed out in confusion, flying next to the Cadre Fallen.

"They are basically dead at this point. Quite literally they would be easy picking even for a mundane human right now from that holy poisoning they're suffering through." Satanael replied. "Wouldn't you say so, Ignatius?"

"No, no, no, NO! HOW? Two days of these imbeciles running around, only for four of them to end up crippled! Why didn't either of you notice the boy carrying Holy Water on him!?" Ignatius Naberius cried out, in irritation.

"He didn't!" Elyndra replied. "He had nothing with him when we brought him here, my Lords." He quickly added. "There was nothing in his file about Caleb Gunnar having Exorcist training. I do not know how he created Holy Water, or were he could have found it here."

Ignatius sneered, yet Satanael's chuckled put a stop from the argument rising higher, as both fallen assistant and devil turned to him.

"Most people seem to forget, or ignore it as it's usually not something consequential, but Sacred Gears are Miracles dispensed by the System of Heaven. They are called God's Artifacts for a reason." He explained.

"What are you alluding to, Satanael?" Ignatius asked in a quieter, more focused tone.

Satanael was glad for his colleague regaining his rationality, but was a bit annoyed that the devil missed the obvious answer.

"Sacred Gears are Divine Instruments made by the Lord," he said slowly. "Of course they can preform holy rites or rituals and bestow blessings."

"What?" Ignatius said with wide eyes.

"That's! ...I've never heard of anything like that before." Elyndra said, equally shocked.

"Admittedly it does require talent, and maybe some natural attribute for Holy Power to pull off, but mostly? Most Sacred Gear users just don't live long enough to figure that out, or try to use their Sacred Gear in that direct manner. They assume, like a lot of people, that only Sacred Gear meant for channeling Holy Power can do these things." Satanael said, eying the injured but alive Caleb, with a fond smile.

"And that human... he figured it out in two days." Elyndra said with some wariness.

Ignatius clicked his tongue staring at the aftermath below, and the four—well three fatally injured and one dead wyvern with apprehension.

Before Ignatius Naberius could do something wise for himself, and end this experiment right away, Satanael nudged him again.

"I believe I should have Elyndra collect those four and take them out of this experiment, wouldn't you say so, Ignatius. There deaths would be a waste after all." Satanael said, making Ignatius turn to him an objection on his lips. "After all, it wouldn't do for your other partner to receive subpar meals. If one of them is dead for too long, the potency of their Dragon Aura would substantially diminish."

Ignatius flinched.

"Y-You... you know about—"

"About your deal with that minor dragon? Yes."

"R-Right. And it's not minor!" Ignatius added at the end with a hiss, yet reminding himself that his ally for this research project was a Cadre that was a veteran of the Great War. "Please do so." He nodded.

Satanael gestured to Elyndra.

"Right! Yes, sir!" The sputtering fallen nodded and fly toward the downed dragon-devils to collect them. Elyndra had a frown on his face, irritated that someone human with some common basic Sacred Gear was proving so annoying in dying.

Collecting the wyrm, lindwurm and drake was simple. The wyvern, he found with a piece of rebar stuck through one of its eyes and into its brain, that looked like it was snapped off a larger piece.

The fallen signed in irritation that the human, Caleb Gunnar, had such luck to survive so far.

===x===

Day 6 After Escaping, And Still on Alcatraz Island

You would think after that hell of a lucky strike that I got four of the draconic fuckers that I'd continue on a roll and get the rest.

Of course that's wrong. Of course that's not what happened.

Beyond the fact that I cost that Naberius devil four of his pawns, we've been on this island for five days now, going on six. Honestly, why won't they leave and just forget about me, I don't know.

Sunk cost fallacy maybe.

And I still haven't found the seventh Reincarnated Devil in all of this. Or Chad, if he wasn't the transformed bronze dragon-devil.

The monsters have been more cautious than three days ago. Even worst yesterday, it seems like Satanael and Naberius got fed up that they had their femboy lackey join in on hunting me down from time to time.

Honestly all of that, maybe I could stand to push through and handle. Somehow. Maybe.

But I've been suffering from a bit of a problem since my fight (if it could be called that) with the wyvern. I hit a tree and a lot of branches on the fly fall with the dragon-devil.

Worse though, I broke my forearm.

Thankfully my left, not the right with the Sacred Gear. I've had my left arm in a hastily made sling from my jacket, to put it into so I don't move it. I had to set the bone back in place manually, but I'm not sure if I did it right or not.

The worst part was this low level pain and burning sensation emitting from my slung arm at all times now. Not like the feeling of summoning Twice Critical's power, or the rush of my magical energy beneath my skin.

This was a burning rushing out from my forearm, carrying ache that spread through my whole arm, and heating up my own body. I couldn't sleep even when I found a place hidden enough to do so, and with the dragon-devils now less, they would take longer to track me.

I'm so tired... and angry all the time now.

I don't want to be, and I really don't like being angry like this. It's like hot poisoned sludge pouring through my veins all the time, and I can't get it out, I can't direct it, and I just have to sit with it till it burns itself out.

...And I don't think I'd be lucky enough for it to do so without harming me. I feel like by the time I'm calm with this anger gone, I would be too burned up by it on its way out.

I hate this...

I hate this. I hate my situation. I hate those crows and devil. I hate those fucking dragons. I hate Chad, I hate his father, I hate the school and teachers that did nothing, I hate the ophantage for always being crowded, I hate my stupid fucking Unawake Self! FUCK!

I used to love the idea of an isekai world. I loved the very concept of a Death World because in an anime world I get to break human limit.

The maximum human speed was 10.44 meters per second.

The strongest human punch only carried 4000 units of newton.

The highest human jump is 2.45 meters.

In a normal mundane world ruled by physics that's the limit of human ability. Even people who can break those limit are just an outlining variable, not a sign of expanding human ability.

But in an anime world you can yell, call upon the power inside you, punch a mountain and erase it.

I wanted to enjoy this new life and go on adventures, and just take in the joy of life itself in my everyday life, but I CAN'T.

I can't do any of that. I can't enjoy this miserable unfair world. I can't enjoy the adventure or the struggle when I never got the chance to choose either.

I can't enjoy any of this because I never prepared for any of it!

I HATE this world.

And just as I had that thought, for some reason I remembered the name it's suppose to have.

Draconic Deus.

Dragon Deity.

Or maybe it's alluding to Dragons and Gods being the rulers of this world.

I hate this world because I never got the chance to love it.

It is theorized that the one who create the world of DxD was Great Red. I don't remember where I read that.

The theory that the events happening throughout the DxD plot was due to Great Red's subtle or even unconscious influence. Because supposedly he Dream the world into being and made it Real. That Great Red was the original Creator.

That the reason why Great Red got off screen in the ExE events was either for him to return in a badass comeback. Or...

Or Great Red fell and smashed head first right into the question of: 'If God made a rock so big He couldn't move it. Would He still be able to move it?'

Or rather:

'Can God make an enemy so strong He can beat him. If He then fought said enemy, would He win?'

And in the face of that question Great Red ended up slamming opening his skull like a thrown grapefruit at an existential wall.

The theory was that the universe of ExE were all creations of Great Red that he just lost control off and paid with his life for it.

I think I read in a fanfic somewhere that the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig was just a manifestation of Great Red himself wishing to be weaker. That Ddraig's life, along with all his Boosted Gear wielders existed so that Great Red could enjoy a dream of being weak and struggling as he grows to be strong again.

A fitting dream for a being that was born strong from the start, and thus, had never known weakness.

It was sad. It was poetic. It was tragic.

Until you take your lens away from Great Red's point of you. Until you stop to think... what about everyone else.

What about all the people who had tragic backstories, or suffering unfair events in their lives, all till the hero equipped with the Boosted Gear turn up to make their lives better.

As if all those tragedies were on a waiting list, that can't be resolved till the fucking great and heroic Red Dragon Emperor arrived to save the day, to heal the trauma, to stop the bad guy, when all of those things could have been solved by other people.

But no. Everyone else is just a support character, in the grand story of the Red Dragon Emperor's epic tale.

Can't have people have their own fucking fate that they solve by themselves.

After all, what's the point of a powerful character that solves all their problems, without needing anything from the protagonist. That they aren't defined by, nor need to be or mean anything for the hero.

Even worse for that independent OP character, if they are stronger than the main character, or even be someone the main character never beat.

The cardinal sin would be for said OP character to solve a plot point meant for the MC. Now we're truly entering story narrative heresy for almighty Great Red.

Now that's unacceptable. Gotta kill that character off. Gotta make them irrelevant, busy, or 'sealed off' with all their power, responsibility, or even fucking loved ones handed off to the Hero MC like you're just changing car parts, or putting on a new outfit.

See? It's not scandalous or sacrilege for Issei to fuck Grayfia, when Sirzechs was sealed away with Trihexa risking his life to save the world. Sirzechs said it was okay, so there is moral conundrum in advocating for cheating spouses.

The Sakuya Izayoi expy maid is hot, so it's okay for the main character to fuck her.

Are you fucking enjoying your story Great Red—

"Stop. Stop. You're spiraling." I murmured to myself. I took some deep breaths and tried to imagine I was exhaling my anger away.

It wasn't really working. The pain from my arm, hunger and thirst weren't really helping me keep calm either.

I groaned and pushed myself to stand up. Time to change locations.

And I don't think my trick of marking places with my piss is working anymore, at tricking the dragons into thinking they found my hiding spot.

Heh. Mostly because I think they now knew very well what my piss smells like.

I hope you're the one who stumbles on those 'hiding spots' the most Chad.

I heard the flapping of a different set of wings to the dragons. Right, that fucking femboy fallen. He joins in on this hunt now every once in a while. Wonder if I can throw some mud and hit his eyes.

===x===

Day 9 After Escaping, Still on the Bloody Damn Fucking Alcatraz Island

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

And if it worked once, maybe it can work again?

Same plan as with the water tower. This time I was crouching in top room. The lantern room or whatever it's called. I was hiding and waiting for either the bronze dragon or the amphiptere to fly around. This time, either one of them I'm taking out. I don't care which one.

Which ever flies closer first.

I'm tired, I'm done. They've been stuck around on this island too. Only the Naberius Devil, Satanael and fallen femboy aren't around all the time.

Honestly I think Naberius and Satanael leave most of the time, and just return once a day to check on things. The fallen femboy isn't around all the time, so he probably goes home to sleep while I'm stuck here. Those privileged assholes.

And more than that, why the fuck doesn't the bronze dragon, the gay ass green flying snake dragon-devil, and the third fuck ever sleep.

Nine days. Nine days, I didn't sleep, eat or drink. I have no idea how I'm alive and sane right now. I think part of it is Twice Critical passively healing me. My left arm still hurts like a consistent background bitch, but I can move it around and somewhat use it.

Why don't they fucking sleep, so I can sleep too!

It's ability, isn't it. A dragon has the endurance to stay active for multiple days, that's it, isn't it?

...Actually, I don't think that's completely right.

About me being sane.

I've been seeing hallucinations for the past few days.

I see flakes of red light that transform into a red dragon, flying around me.

I think I hear the sound of something staking me on the ground.

I see the figured of a black man pursuing me at times. Not black like the skin color, as it's colloquially used in language. I mean black as in charcoal, with these scars that bleed glowing red on his body. The head doesn't look human, but I didn't get a good look at it.

I just ran. Ran much faster than just double my speed. All my muscle joints, bones and lungs hurt later on. But I survived. I lived. I kept going.

I think I might have bootlegged my Twice Critical into doing a Boosted Gear by sucking back some of the stockpiled energy I put into the Sacred Gear when I need to fire a dragon shot at the flying Fallen as warning. Never managed to hit the fucker.

Also, yeah, dragon shot. Learned how to do it. Super easy, bare and inconvenience. The second degree burns on my right forearm after dismissing Twice Critical doesn't bother me.

My thoughts the past few days kept circling on that idea of everything bad being Great Red's fault. I mean, it's silly to think that such a colossal being both physically and metaphysically would care about me. One insignificant little human.

Hell, I was born on the other side of the world than Issei (if that idea of Great Red living vicariously through Ddraig and his hosts was real). There's no chance for me to disrupt his favorite story show.

...But what if I had more time?

I don't want to be arrogant, but excessive humbleness isn't humility, it's just self-deprecation.

In a few days I managed to figure out how to get more out of Twice Critical than anyone shown in canon. I figured out how to get Holy Water out of it. What if I had the chance to do more?

What if I had more time?

What if I was Awake from the start as a kid?

What if I actual had parents and lived in a normal family and house?!

How much more could I have gone? Could I have figured out, trained, or grown?

But that possibility was snatched away from me. Because who I was born to. Because of where I was born. Because of where I grew up. Because of who I grew up into.

All my chances were taken away by Great Red, before I could affect his precious plot!

I breathed through gritted teeth.

I know I'm spiraling. I know my thoughts are illogical and irrational. I know I'm just finding a cause in chaotic storm choices that was my life.

And the worst part... the worst part is I realize this and I kinda want to give into to those emotions.

I kinda want to not care that it's illogical.

Hating Great Red doesn't make sense... and I don't care.

I felt my Sacred Gear pulse erratically a few times and just like before I always held back the energy, so as not to give away my position. This happened whenever my anger and hate got too much. I feel like I should know why that's important.

The amphiptere was circling around. It was pretty close now flying over the hospital heading to the north of the island were the lighthouse was stationed.

Come on. Come closer you little fly.

Closer.

Closer.

Clos—NOW!

I let go of my aura, ran out to the gallery circling the lantern room, and jumped on top of the solar.

"HEY, FAILURE NOODLE!" I shouted spreading my arms out. "I'M RIGHT HERE!"

The amphiptere roared and lunged at me. It was a dozen meters or so away. Far too close for the bronze dragon to react, or for it's roaring command to take effect.

My instincts flare. I raised Twice Critical let the stored energy exploded out like a wave, blocking the impact of a Light Spear.

Fuck. The femboy fallen was here, hidden in the clouds. They anticipated my plan.

I instantly began stockpiling energy the moment I blocked that Light Spear.

I may have blocked the attack but the force partially carried through, knocking me on my ass. There's a guard rail there, that I grabbed onto, to not fall off to the gallery, or worse, off the tower. Can't survive that fall.

Fallen femboy was saying something. Some taunt about being predictable and they were started that than. I didn't listen. I didn't care.

The amphiptere opened it's large gob, big enough to swallow the lantern room whole. A roar from the bronze dragon shouted in the distance.

I pulled on the guard rail to stand up and jumped forward into the abyss looking maw.

===x===

Cadre Satanael POV:

"Eh? Did he just kill himself?" Elyndra said in shock.

"It's been nine grueling days, it's obvious Caleb Gunnar has lost hope—" Ignatius began to say, having learned the human's name out of respect and annoyance for his perseverance. And because the boy allowed Ignatius to field test the abilities of his dragon-devil Pawns.

"Oh damn." Satanael's actually astonished tone halted all conversation. "He pulled a Jonah."

"He wha—" Ignatius began to shout.

Only for a large bright crimson energy beam to blast out of the amphiptere's head and cut along it's body before smashing into the island, making a deep grove, destroying multiple building and infrastructure in the process.

The corpse of the amphitere fell to the ground with a laugh crash. The bronze dragon flew toward it, along with the last dragon-devil of the group.

"Tha... tha..." Ignatius Naberius was lost for words. Then they all saw Caleb Gunnar crawl out of the guts and stomach of the amphiptere, and the devil was so stunned he forgot he was angry. "He... he... He's just a normal human." He finally managed to string the words together. "Twice Critical or not, his base stats are nothing beyond normal human. How did he live!?"

"Desperation I would say." Satanael said smiling. "Although I do suggest you call on your large and most deadly kind of serpent partner, since I feel you'll be forced to cash in on your deal soon."

"N-No, there's still Albert and Chad. They're the strongest results thus far, there's no way he would be able to beat them." Ignatius said in denial.

"If nothing else, you still need to collect Danielle for him." Satanael gestured to the dead amphiptere.

"That's... tsk." Ignatius clicked his tongue and contemplated on what to do.

The Adversary of God knew what action the Naberius Devil would end up taking, thus ignored him.

Satanael kept on watching the more fascinating trial of Caleb Gunnar, finding the results thus far, to be far more intriguing than he ever initial expected.

He watched as the humanoid Rage Reaver wielder dashing towards the recovering Twice Critical holder.

Satanael couldn't wait to see the conclusion of this confrontation between Caleb and Chad.