Chapter 56: Black Dragon Part 6
TYPICAL MORNING Location the Humanworld, Japan-Kuoh: Kuoh Academy
A couple days later. Laharl and his girls have been going out some small dates. And they were hanging with Sona and her peerage more, as they approved of Sona dating their man. Thus on her way of becoming a new sister. His and Sona's peerage were growing closer. Rias, has started to double her actions to grow closer to him, even calling him her boyfriend in private...all he could think, "Please, Issei get over here quicker!! Get your bitch, and deal with all the crap that is coming!!!" Apart from that Kiba has grown into a trusted friend, and would often come to his house to chat, train, and...get dating advice for his own girl, Laharl being a bro gladly help him. Koneko, she has really come out her shell, she still watch over his mansion while at school, Cerberus and Nero took her under their wing and help her. The little nekoshou devil has blossomed and become quite strong, even comfortable of showing her cat ears and tails more around the mansion. Koneko became quite skilled in kickboxing and using touki, a lot earlier than she's supposed to.
Things were going well. With the exception that thanks to his fight with Riser, after showing his more serious strength and power, no one wanted to challenge them. It's been a month, maybe a bit more since they've gotten a match. Grayfia, she'd mentioned that many who'd originally wanted to face them, reconsider, as they wanted to get stronger before challenging the Undefeated Peerage. Plus it didn't help that he'd use his Dimension Slash technique, which must have scarred a couple of devils. A attack capable of slicing through reality and dimensions, while it's just a skill in Disgaea, it's description said that is capable of doing so. And from what it's done to the pocket dimension and the area of the Underworld that was hit by it. Despite that this allowed them to enjoy themselves more. Having more dates with Kyoko, Nero, Daki, Mizore, Ruby, Albedo, Kneesocks, Raven, and Cerberus...plus Sona and him have been getting closer. Making it a lovely but typical morning...but he and the girls wished they could graduate early, and in truth they've tried, but that idiot Sirzechs, basically told them that even if graduated, they'd have to stay in Kuoh as overseers with Rias and Sona...so instead of doing that plus working to fit their disguises as human, they'd preferred to be students... The only one that didn't mind was Raven, because of her backstory, something he and the rest of the girls respected. As they went on through their day...
ANOTHER DUNGEON DIVE Location the Catacomb Dungeon Area 2
A week passed. Laharl, he took the girls to the Abandoned Church to go into the Catacomb Dungeon. Nero, Cerberus, and Ruby, were excited to enter the dungeon. Since this was a large group, they jumped straight into the second area this dive. Nero was impressed with the size of the dungeon, as were surrounded by grassy field with ruined stone structures and a large village, modeled after Phantom Brave. Nero, she swiped her right arm and not only summoned her Aestus Estus, and transformed her arm into a scarlet, scale layered, draconian gauntlet like arm. With a umu, she along with all the girls were ready to hunt, with a smirk and swipe of his arm, his Vritra Zanbato, appeared in a burst of purple flames on his gloved hand. And the hunt was finally on.
They ventured through the dungeon area. Coming across a large group of scrabbits and a couple owl knights. Just like he suspected Nero tore through the scrabbits with her fellow knight Kyoko. Nero's sword slashed and burned the brown rabbit creatures with ease. Showing off her skills as a swordswoman. Even performing the heavy extra attack that she does in the Fate Extra Game. Impacting the stone road and making a burst of crimson fire mana. While Kyoko back her up, with deadly and lightning fast slashes to the vital spots of her target, using her dai-kunai. Daki also help attacking those scrabbits that managed to evade Kyoko or Nero's attacks.
Raven tore out chunks of stone and rock from the road and wall, these chunks were covered in black colored magical aura. As said her universal chant, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!!", not only making her projectile stronger with her demonic energy and earth magic. Crushing a bunch of scrabbits, and a owl knight with those magical empowered stones and rocks. Mizore, Ruby, Kneesocks, Cerberus and Laharl charged in eliminating all monsters with ease. A large amount of blue and purple exp, with double the amount of green exp. Easily Nero leveled up her mind, speed and toughness stats. Along with Raven, Kneesocks, Daki, and Laharl leveling up the lowest stats. After Laharl collected all the bodies to sell later through his mom, and their family business.
With Nero with them they can handle the enemy numbers, and thus allowing them to travel deeper into the abandoned village. They faced and slain a bunch more scrabbits, owl knights, and a new monster an Owl Sentry mainly female owlwomen fighters, armed with longswords. While faster than the knight variant, but they were also easily handled by him and the girls. The owl sentries give green and red exp, which was beneficial for Raven, Nero, and the other that are close to leveling their strength stat. But once they reach what could be the village square, from what they can tell. All the witheres houses around a round center, with a broken water-well. Ruby suggested that they searched the houses for any loot, Raven was a bit effie on this but, with Laharl holding her hand, and reminding her that this abandoned village, and monster nest. So everything was fair game.
Taking some time to check the houses. The group didn't strike much luck, just some rusted cutlery and utensils. Or if lucky some copper coins. Just when Laharl was about to call it, and continue exploring the dungeon area. Daki, she noticed something big on a roof behind Laharl. Sending out her obi-sashes and tore apart the building, getting everyone attention. When she'd called back her obi, one had a bit of blood, confirming her suspicions. Laharl, he kissed Daki suddenly on the cheek making her blush and smile, a sign of appreciation, as he told the girls to be on guard. Since they aren't alone...
Soon enough there enemy made themselves known. Large bulky monster, with torn clothes, and resembling gray furred werewolves. The same one that appear in Phantom Brave, at least these werewolves were armed, going bare-clawed against them. Growling at them, as it was clear that these monsters wanted blood. Laharl, he charged in with a Blade Rush beheading the closest werewolf, Daki attacked as well, slicing and cutting with her obi-strands, Ruby used her Wind Cutter technique to swing out energy wave at the werewolves. Mizore was sending shards of sharp ice needles, this being her Icicle technique, and Cerberus split up, beating down the big brutish monsters. With Raven providing support to everyone that was fighting, with Kyoko taking a similar role Raven, using her Shuriken Wave to help Raven sent out range support. Albedo with Laharl were the aggressors, focusing on attacking, like Nero who was also cutting down every monster in their way. Even when more werewolves, started to come out from deeper parts of the village. They were still easy to take down, with their strength, and teamwork at the end they took out around sixteen werewolves. And those monster released red and blue exp-drops.
Nero absorbed enough red exp, to level up her strength stat. With that monster, they've encountered Werewolves, Scrabbits, Owl Knight and Sentries. Still eager to hunt and enhance their stats, Laharl and the girls went further in the dungeon. Not forgetting to collect the bodies of the werewolves, before he left...
CATACOMB BOSS FIGHT 2 Location the Catacomb Dungeon Area 2: Boss Area; Rundown Elder Hut
Eventually after a hour, he and the girls have eliminated a large amount of these monsters, and leveled up some stats. They reached what could be the end of the village. In front of them what can be considered the Boss Area of the level. It was huge hut, the same that a village elder would live in, utterly dilapidated, and some scorch marks on wall and roof. Just when Laharl was about to tell the girls to follow him, inside the Boss Area, his sword, Vritra Zanbato started acting up. Bursting in cursed flames, as the silhouettes of eight serpent and a leviathan, wrapping around his arm and upper-back. They spoke in multiple voices, in a whispy tones, "Master... Partner... A dragon lies waiting inside...we hunger..." as they faded away. The girls were a bit freaked out, by what happened in front of them, they immediately went to check up on their man. He took a moment to call them, and tell them about his sword, Vritra Zanbato, originally forged with some dragon material and when he stabbed a idiot with his sword, it absorbed the pieces and soul of a Dragon King, name Vritra. Hence transforming into a sacred gear, a sacred gear that seems hungry for more dragons.
Nero hearing she banished her longsword, and place her right draconian arm over her waist. She nodded and did her trademark, umu, as she said, "It's clear. Vritra Zanbato want Praetor to face this dragon alone. To devour a strong beast, as a proud dragon. Umu!!" her words, reacted to Vritra Zanbato, making it humm in...joy and pride. Laharl, he chuckled as he looked as his trusted sword and sacred gear. He said, "Seems that Nero is right, Vritra Zanbato is eager to face the dragon and consume it." understanding their man's desire, they promise not to interfere with the upcoming fight. Laharl, he placed his sword over his shoulder and turned to the entrance of the hut.
They enter the destroyed and burned hut. Resembling a makeshift dragon den. With various trinkets and more have been horded in the center of the chamber. That's when a huge green dragon flew down onto the chamber roaring at them. This dragon is the monster that first appeared in Phantom Brave, and then Disgaea made truly iconic. It huge, with three-clawed hand and non-sharp horns, but huge jagged teeth. Dragons in the makai series, are strong and durable, but slow. But the biggest issue is depending on the color they can gain elemental immunity, along with the main fire one. So as Laharl swung his Vritra Zanbato down, he said, "Take cover and enjoy the show girls." they nodded and sprouted their wings, taking flight and getting away from danger. As this fight was all his. Its been years since he took on a Boss alone, but he can't say that he wasn't excited at the thought.
The Dragon stomp forward, and roared again. As it went for a simple charge attack on him. Laharl reacted with stretching his scarf and wrapping around the dragon's head. Shutting the Boss mouth and blinded it. Making it shift onto the right, as Laharl deliver a powerful, heavy swinged Blade Rush at the back of the Dragon. Causing some considerable damage, and even cut off the Boss' right wing. Limiting the monsters movement, making it roar out in pain. Laharl pulled the still wrapped Dragon in, delivering a barrage of slashes onto the Boss. The Dragon felt unbelievable pain from every slash dealt to it, making it more furious and wild, swiping claws and thrashing around. But Laharl held in, trying to keep his advantage over the Boss, preventing it from seeing or breathing fire. All the while the girls cheer, and yelled for their king and love.
But that Boss eventually used it tail to strike wildly at him, and manage to hit him. Forcing Laharl to release his hold on the dragon. Roaring at him, the dragon rush in to bite, but he preemptively attacked with a Dark Bolt fired at the mouth of the dragon, exploding inside the mouth of the Boss, causing considerable amount of damage, and smoke to spew out the Boss' maw. This made the Boss stomp on ahead, going wild as it tried to hit him. But Laharl speed was the kin factor in this battle, along with his sword techniques. First using Blade Rush to slash the dragon across the back and cut off the other wing. His cursed flames coating the form of the green dragon, and now he can attack with his next technique, channeling demonic power through his blade, surging with dark energy. He rushed in and starts his attack. With a powerful rising cross slash releasing a large energy that cuts into the Dragon, then he spun deliver a downward energy cross slash forming a X. Causing considerable amounts of damage, then he delivers a final upper-slash that causes multiple energy cuts against the X. Lifting up the Boss, and cause a lot damage. As his Dark X Slash has fully connected to the Boss making the girls go wild, as the Dragon crashed onto the floor...but the fight was still starting...