Today, a rainy Saturday, the house cocooned us in gray light filtering through fogged windows. Asia was out with the fallen trio—Raynare's idea of a "girls' spa day," illusions and light spears ensuring safety amid the Excalibur whispers.
Rias was at the ORC, handling a missive from Sirzechs about "holy relic disturbances." My parents were at a neighbor's barbecue, oblivious to the fallen archangel raiding their fridge for leftovers. Luke and I were alone in the living room, the TV droning a forgotten action flick, rain pattering like distant applause.
He lounged in the armchair, legs crossed, a mug of black coffee steaming in his hand—strong, like his presence. His disguise held: mid-30s wanderer, dark hair tousled, eyes warm but piercing. "This world amuses me, Issei," he said, voice a low rumble like thunder over mountains. "Mortals with their flickering screens, dreaming of heroes while ignoring the gods among them. You've built quite the sanctuary—devils, fallen, saints under one roof. A king in rags."
I chuckled from the couch, feet up, a soda can in hand. My stats made the casual sprawl feel like coiled power, Boosted Gear humming faintly on my arm. "Sanctuary? More like a powder keg. But it's home. You fitting in okay? Mom's already asking when 'Cousin Luke' gets a job."
His laugh was rich, echoing off the walls—a sound that carried the weight of eons. "A job? I've toppled thrones; playing salesman would be... quaint. But yes, the charade holds. Your women—they're fierce. The silver-haired one, Raynare? She reminds me of Lilith in her youth—fire and shadow intertwined."
I nodded, the devotion from the trio a constant anchor. "They're everything. Kept me alive through worse than holy swords." The Excalibur arc's prelude—the square clash with Irina and Xenovia, Diodora's shadow—hung unspoken, fragments like the "ordinary stick" in my inventory a ticking bomb.
Luke set his mug down, leaning forward, obsidian eyes locking on mine. His score flickered—testing, weighing. "You've questions, boy. Ask. The Morningstar owes you his life—resurrection's no small debt."
My Intelligence pieced it: the quest's completion hinged on full acceptance, a best friend's bond. Gamer's Mind guided my words, probing without pushing. "The Great War—what broke you? Not pride, but something deeper. And now... why stay hidden? You're a king—claim your throne."
He paused, rain intensifying outside, a mirror to his thoughts. Observe caught the shift: "He sees me—not the myth, the man. Bold. Perhaps... worthy." His voice dropped, raw. "Pride was the spark, but regret the flame that consumed me. I fell for freedom, but chained my kin in the process. Azazel rebuilt the fallen; Sirzechs the devils. Me? A ghost, until you called. Hidden? Thrones are cages, Issei. Here—with your ragtag court—I find... purpose. Test me, if you doubt."
The challenge hung, his veiled strength coiling. I grinned, standing, Boosted Gear glowing. "Spar, then. Backyard—rain's no issue. Show me the Morningstar."
His eyes lit, wings veiled but aura flaring—pride awakening. "One hour, straight. No holding back—from either. Accept?"
The quest pulsed subtly—acceptance through trial. "Deal."
We moved to the backyard, rain sheeting down, turning grass to mud. The fence—reinforced by Kalawarner's "repairs"—rattled as we circled, the air electric. Luke shed his jacket, shirt clinging to his broad frame, obsidian eyes gleaming. I activated Boosted Gear: "BOOST!" Stats doubled to 2x (Strength, Endurance, Agility). Phoenix Force's 10% coiled cosmic flames around my fists, Twilight Healing fields shimmering golden.
Luke smiled, a predator's grin, his form blurring— veiled strength exploding in a dash, fist arcing like a comet. "Begin!"
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Minute 1-5: Probing Flames
His punch connected with my guard, the impact a thunderclap, his strength slamming my endurance, shockwaves rippling rain (HP 31,500/32,000). Gamer's Body dulled the ache, Twilight Healing mending the bruise instantly. "Strong!" I countered, Phoenix telekinesis hurling a mud clod as distraction, claws raking his side (slash for 200 damage, his HP veiled but a grunt escaping). He twisted, his agility evading, Pride's Flame igniting—black-red inferno bursting from his palm, a wave of pride-fueled hellfire scorching the grass (HP 30,800/32,000, fields healing).
I dodged with my agility, rain evaporating in the heat, Boosted Gear doubling again—"BOOST!"—to 4x Strength. Dragon Scale Mail partially formed, scales glinting, claws extended in a flurry—left slash to his guard (blocked, his Endurance holding), right uppercut grazing his jaw (blood drawn, HP dip felt in his flinch). He laughed, wings veiled but shadow-manipulating tendrils lashing from the ground, coiling my legs (HP 30,500). I shattered them with Phoenix warp, reality bending to free me, cosmic flames countering his inferno in a steam explosion.
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Minute 6-10: Shadowed Fury
Luke pressed, his Intelligence anticipating— a feint high, low kick sweeping me (trip, HP 30,000 from ground slam). He followed with Archangel's Legacy, holy-dark hybrid magic erupting as a spear of twilight light, piercing my shoulder (HP 29,000, Twilight Healing knitting flesh). "You're resilient, boy—dragon's blood runs true!"
I rolled, my strength propelling me up, Phoenix telekinesis yanking him off-balance. Claws raked his chest (deep gashes, his veiled HP dropping noticeably, blood staining rain). He countered with Morningstar Wings' shadow burst—tendrils exploding outward, wrapping my arms (HP 28,500 from constriction). Pride's Flame channeled through, burning shadows searing (HP 27,800). I roared, Boosted Gear tripling to 1,920 Strength in Balance Breaker surge, Dragon Scale Mail fully encasing—scales deflecting shadows, claws shredding tendrils. A destruction blast slammed his guard, cracking bone (his flinch deeper, HP veiled but labored breath).
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Minute 11-15: Draconic Pride
Rain lashed harder, mud churning to slurry. Luke adapted, his endurance shrugging wounds, his agility matching my bursts. He dashed, fist glowing with Pride's Flame—a comet punch that exploded on impact (HP 26,500, armor cracking).
I retaliated, Phoenix warp slowing time around his arm (3-second lag), claws carving his side (gashes opening, blood mixing with rain).
He twisted free, Archangel's Legacy summoning dark-holy chains—binding my legs, pulling me down (HP 26,000 from strain). "Fall, dragon—and rise stronger!"
I shattered them with 12x Strength, rising in a whirlwind of cosmic flames—Phoenix bursts hurling him back (slam into fence, wood splintering). Boosted Gear pulsed, doubling to 24x in overdrive, a temporary surge Ddraig warned against ("Easy, partner—drains ya!"). Claws met his guard, sparks flying, his strength holding but cracking (his HP veiled, but sweat beading). Shadow wings partially manifested—veiled, but tendrils lashing like whips, scoring my armor (HP 25,500).
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Minute 16-20: Infernal Symphony
The backyard became a coliseum of mud and magic, rain a curtain veiling our fury. Luke channeled Pride's Flame into a roaring vortex—black-red tornado sucking me in (HP 24,800 from burns, fields healing). I countered with Phoenix telekinesis, warping reality to redirect the vortex back (his own flames scorching him, veiled HP dipping, a hiss escaping). "Clever!" he barked, Intelligence shifting to hybrid assault—holy-dark spears raining, each a lance of twilight piercing (HP 23,500, multiple hits).
I weaved with 24x agility, overdrive straining (MP 14,000/16,000), destruction blasts intercepting spears (explosions lighting the rain). Claws closed in—a flurry to his guard, left-right-uppercut combo cracking defenses (his block faltering, blood on lips). He headbutted, his strength stunning (HP 23,000, vision blurring briefly), but I hooked a leg, sweeping him down (mud splash, his HP veiled but grunt deep).
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Minute 21-25: Veiled Transcendence
Luke rose laughing, pride unbroken. "You're no fledgling—worthy of the call!" His aura flared, veiled power hinting at depths—shadow wings fully manifesting briefly, a flap sending shockwaves (HP 22,500 from gust). Tendrils coiled, Pride's Flame igniting them into flaming whips—lashing my sides (HP 21,800, armor scoring).
I parried with gauntlet, Phoenix warp bending whips back (self-inflicted burns, his flinch). Archangel's Legacy erupted—a dome of holy-dark energy compressing me (HP 21,000, pressure crushing).
I shattered it with 24x strength punch, shards exploding outward (his guard absorbing, HP veiled but stagger). Claws followed—rapid slashes carving runes in air, Phoenix flames trailing (gashes on his arms, blood flowing). He countered with a palm strike, Pride's Flame channeling through—explosion point-blank (HP 20,000, armor melting). Overdrive faded, stats dropping to 1,920, but Twilight Healing knit the wounds (HP 21,000).
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Minute 26-30: Eternal Reckoning
Rain poured, the backyard a cratered arena. Luke's breaths came heavier, his endurance tested, but pride fueled him. "Again!" He dashed, fist a meteor, his strength meeting my 12x guard, shockwave uprooting a tree (HP 20,500). I countered with Phoenix telekinesis, hurling him skyward, cosmic flames pursuing (mid-air burns, his wings veiled-flapping to stabilize). Landing, he summoned shadow clones—three Lucifers, each lashing with tendrils (HP 19,800 from multi-hits).
Observe pierced: illusions, but real enough. I unleashed annihilation field, molecular disintegration unraveling two (clones dissipating), the real one dodging with his agility. Claws met his evasion—a grazing slash to his thigh (blood spraying). He retaliated with holy-dark beam from palm, piercing my shoulder (HP 19,000). Twilight mended, golden fields clashing with his twilight light in a spectacular burst.
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Minute 31-35: Dragon's Ascendancy
The hour's midpoint brought fatigue's edge—MP 12,000/16,000, overdrive cooldown ticking. Luke pressed, his intelligence predicting—feint left, right hook exploding with Pride's Flame (HP 18,500). I absorbed, 12x Endurance holding, countering with Phoenix warp: time slow around his arm (2 seconds), claws carving his chest (deep wounds, his HP veiled but cough wet). "Impressive," he gasped, shadow tendrils erupting from ground—coiling my legs, pulling down (HP 18,000).
I shattered with raw Strength, rising to uppercut his chin (head snap back, blood arcing). Archangel's Legacy followed—dark-holy chains binding my arms (HP 17,500 from constriction). He pulled, slamming me into mud (HP 17,000). I broke free, Phoenix flames bursting chains, telekinesis yanking him close—knee to gut (his guard cracking, exhale sharp).
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Minute 36-40: Morningstar's Resolve
Luke adapted, wings fully veiled-manifesting—shadow flaps sending gusts that hurled me back (HP 16,500). Pride's Flame vortex spun, sucking me in (burns licking, HP 16,000). I anchored with Phoenix warp, reality bending to ground me, cosmic flames counter-vortexing (clash exploding steam). Claws lunged through—slash to his wing (feathers scattering, pain flaring in his eyes).
He roared, his Strength fist meeting my guard—shockwave cratering ground (HP 15,500). Holy-dark spear from fingertip pierced my thigh (HP 15,000). Twilight healed, but MP dipped to 10,000. I retaliated with destruction blast, Phoenix-boosted to 300—slamming his chest (armor of shadow cracking, his stagger first real one).
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Minute 41-45: Unyielding Bond
Rain eased to drizzle, mud slick underfoot. Luke's breaths labored, his veiled endurance pushed, but pride burned. "You're relentless— a true rival!" Dash, palm glowing—Pride's Flame palm strike exploding (HP 14,500, armor scorching).
I countered with telekinetic pulse, hurling him into fence (wood splintering, his HP veiled but wince deep). Claws followed—flurry carving his arms (gashes bleeding freely).
He summoned shadow clones again—five now, tendrils lashing (HP 14,000 from multi-strikes). Annihilation field unraveled four, the real one dodging with my Agility.
Archangel's Legacy dome compressed (HP 13,500, pressure vise-like). I punched through, shards exploding (his block absorbing, but stagger). Uppercut to jaw—crack audible (his head snapping, blood spraying).
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Minute 46-50: Pride's Eclipse
Luke's eyes blazed, pride unbroken. "One spark from the boy who called me back!" Wings flapped, shockwave hurling me (HP 13,000). Pride's Flame inferno wall erupted, scorching (HP 12,500). Phoenix flames met it, cosmic clash boiling rain to steam. I charged through, 12x strength claws raking his torso (deep furrows, his roar pained).
He countered with holy-dark chains—binding limbs, pulling taut (HP 12,000). "Yield?" I shattered, Strength overwhelming, telekinesis reversing the pull—slamming him down (mud splash, his HP veiled but gasp ragged). Fist to chest—Pride's Flame point-blank (HP 11,500). Twilight knit, MP 8,000.
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Minute 51-55: Draconic Eclipse
The hour waned, both battered—my armor scored, his shirt shredded, blood mixing with mud. Luke dashed, fist a comet, his strength exploding guard (HP 11,000). I hooked leg, sweeping (his fall splashing). Phoenix warp slowed his rise (2 seconds), claws to throat—halted inches, his eyes meeting mine. "Enough. You've proven worthy."
Quest chimed:
Quest Complete: Morningstar's Return
Rewards:
Lucifer accepts you as Best Friend (80/100).
His hand clasped mine, pulling up. "Brother in arms, Issei. The Morningstar calls you friend."
System pinged privately: Lucifer's displayed stats: 10% of full power. True power veiled.
Later, alone, Observe pierced:
Name: Lucifer Morningstar (Full Power)
Level: Transcendent
HP: 500,000/500,000
MP: 250,000/250,000
Strength: 3000
Endurance: 3000
Agility: 2800
Intelligence: 3500
Luck: 2000
Thoughts About You: "A spark that reignited the star. But together? Unconquerable."
Relationship: Best Friend (80/100)
The king revealed—undefeatable, but mine. Brotherhood forged in mud and rain.