159.
It's not that I've never shared my power before.
After all, while running the cult, I shared a small amount of my power with the cult leader and its members.
But the power I shared with Issei is slightly different.
It's the very source of my power itself. It's small and faint now, but it can grow beyond that. In the past, I never shared the very source of my power with anyone except Ophis.
Well, he's my brother, so does it matter?
That fool probably won't use it for anything strange.
Scratching my head, I accepted it that way.
160.
I slaughtered the fallen angels.
Turns out they were illegally squatting here.
What kind of nerve do they have?
161.
The nun Issei saved.
Asia became a devil and started living with us at our house.
Wait, why cohabitation???
Because Issei saved her, he should take responsibility?
That's actually a fair point.
162.
Issei started waking up early for training. The Sacred Gear he uses, Boosted Gear, is a God-Destroying Tool that doubles his power every 10 seconds, but since Sacred Gears depend on base stats and the doubling isn't infinite, training is necessary.
That's correct.
He was already exercising before, and perhaps because he became a devil, he could easily keep up with normal hard training.
But as if he couldn't accept it, Issei said.
"Brother, you're human, so why are you so fine?!"
It seems he can't accept that I, an ordinary (?) human, have better stamina than him.
"It's true that devils have better physical abilities than humans, but that's only the average baseline for the untrained. Humans can become much stronger than devils with effort. Well, it depends heavily on talent and effort."
During my prime, there were quite a few humans who could take on high-class devils.
Of course, most of those were called heroes.
If everyone who worked hard was rewarded, humans would have beaten devils and everyone else long ago.
At my words, Rias spoke up.
"That's right, Issei. And that applies to devils too—a cousin I know can take down high-class devils with just his bare fists."
Issei reacted with a surprised "Huh?!"
163.
We went to the Familiar Forest.
But why am I here?
Because I'm Issei's brother, I'm coming along.
Hmm, well, I'm bored, so why not follow?
Upon arriving at the Familiar Forest, they began explaining all sorts of familiars. Tiamat, the strongest among Dragon Kings; the poison-bearing Hydra; and various other familiars. But no matter how I think about it, it seems too much for a mere low-class devil to handle, doesn't it?
"And there's also this guy!"
"What's that?"
"The golem said to have surpassed gods and Satans! The golem Mazinger Z, said to have been handled by Great Red, one of the Two Great Dragon Gods! It's said to be the strongest familiar that has actually defeated all sorts of gods with its power! It's an ultra-rare familiar that occasionally appears in the Familiar Forest!"
"How are you supposed to handle something like that?!"
Issei lightly interjected.
Ah, come to think of it, it's Mazinger, huh. I wonder how he's been doing all this time.
164.
Issei didn't get a familiar, but Asia got a baby Lightning Dragon as her familiar.
Perhaps because of its owner complex, the baby dragon attacks us men when we approach Asia. Doesn't this need some training?
When I glare at it slightly, it immediately trembles and rolls over, showing its belly.
"Huh, why is Rasse-kun acting like this?"
"It's rare for a dragon to show its belly? Even considering it's young..."
Whether it's a pet or a familiar, early education seems important.
165.
A few days later.
He said Rias almost assaulted him late at night. What kind of talk is that??? When I calmly asked for an explanation, it seems Issei doesn't really know either, and that a strange maid appeared and took Rias away.
But seeing his eyes tremble as if scared while talking, it seems his trauma is still severe.
At this point, isn't it gynophobia?
But outright saying that might be too much of a shock therapy.
166.
The next day, I went to the Occult Research Club.
But I felt a strange presence in the clubroom. With my current power, this might be a tough opponent? Kiba, who seemed to notice just before entering, gave a bitter smile.
And there, Rias and a silver-haired maid were waiting.
"Young lady, shall I explain?"
"No. I'll do it."
Actually...
Before Rias could finish her sentence, a magic circle appeared in one corner of the room, and a blond man emerged from within it.
167.
Hmm, it seems Rias caused that commotion yesterday due to an arranged marriage problem. Even so, isn't it too much to recklessly use chastity? Or does Rias also have some feelings for Issei?
She seems quite proud, so that might be the case.
However, she probably didn't come to Issei with the feeling that anyone would do.
The man seems to have feelings for Rias, but Rias doesn't seem to have any particular feelings for men.
It surprisingly looked like a typical meeting spot, so I watched with interest.
168.
To state the conclusion first, their discussions were on parallel lines.
Rias doesn't seem to want this engagement, but the other party did, and crucially, there's the matter of the family's decision.
During the argument, Issei tried to start a fight, saying they were rude, but he and the opponent's Pawn exchanged blows.
You fool. Without using Boosted Gear to double your power, you're just an ordinary low-class devil, right? What are you doing fighting emotionally like that?
"Then how about settling it with a Rating Game?"
What's that?
169.
A Rating Game seems to be a kind of sports competition among devil society's nobility. Ultimately, to gauge each other's intentions, Rias accepted this game, and they went into special training to win the Rating Game in 10 days.
I tagged along as a sort of extra.
But is it okay to skip school so openly like this?
I hear the school is already their territory, so manipulating things is no big deal.
Wow, already wielding the power of authority...!
170.
Issei was the weakest.
Well, it's only natural, I suppose.
He's a rookie who was just reincarnated recently, and due to being a Pawn, he can't gain the advantages of Evil Pieces like the other peerage members unless he promotes. The benefit of having a devil's body is the same for everyone.
"Aren't I too weak?"
When other club members were around, he acted tough on purpose, but when alone with me, his weak side came out naturally. Everyone has a side they don't want to show others. And there are sides you can show only to family.
I didn't say anything rash and spoke calmly.
"Sacred Gears are ultimate weapons that respond to their owner's heart."
"To my heart?"
I nodded.
From what I heard from the God of the Bible, that's how it is.
The ultimate weapon created to prepare for otherworldly invasions.
He said he entrusted everything to that weapon and human potential. Non-humans who use it cannot come close to the essence of Sacred Gears that respond to the heart, which is why he entrusted them to humans.
"Wish endlessly, and yearn. Then your Sacred Gear will respond to you. Because that's what it is."
I've actually seen several such cases of Sacred Gears in the past. Not God-Destroying Tools, but reaching Balance Breaker through dramatic emotions or temporarily gaining massive power-ups.
And that wishing is also the way to use dream power.
"If you truly wish for it, you won't lose to gods or Satans. The power you possess is far greater than you think."
The power of Ddraig, once called one of the Two Heavenly Dragons.
And the power of mine still latent within Issei.
I pointed at Issei's chest and said.
"When you think, when you imagine, it's always the strongest you. Don't forget that."
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