Chapter 93 - Ddraig!?
In the following days, Rias got back to her usual self, though there were still moments when she'd zone out.
It wasn't as bad as before, at least she didn't freeze up when people got close.
One thing that changed was her relationship with Mahiro.
Ever since that night, they seemed closer, which didn't go unnoticed by Akeno, who secretly gritted her teeth every time she saw them together.
And just like that, a week flew by.
Nothing special happened during that week. Mahiro spent most of his time learning magic spells with Akeno.
Even though he showed great talent and got some praise from Rias and the others, the truth was he was still a newbie, only having learned magic for less than a month. There was a lot he didn't know.
To get better, he needed to keep learning.
So far, what Mahiro learned hadn't really boosted his combat power, but that was because he was still stuck on the basics.
Akeno, being a Devil, didn't need to use magic the way humans do. She could do a lot with her demonic powers, so what she taught Mahiro was mostly basic stuff.
Mahiro didn't care if learning magic spells didn't make him stronger right away; he was dead set on learning it anyway.
He knew how to use his strengths to prepare for whatever shit the future might throw at him. While the system was his main backup, he didn't want to rely on it for everything.
He had talent, so he couldn't afford to waste it. By leveling up his knowledge and skills, he'd be better prepared for the dangers and challenges ahead.
Besides learning spells, Mahiro also sparred with Yuuto from time to time. Although Yuuto was the one who asked, Mahiro was down for it too.
The duels with Yuuto didn't make a huge difference for Mahiro, but they weren't useless either. Even if the gains were small, they helped him, as a newbie, get a better grip on swordsmanship.
Over the week, Mahiro got a bit stronger. While these gains might seem small compared to what the system could give him, to others, it looked like he was making serious progress.
"I wonder if I can use the Balance Breaker now," Mahiro thought one evening as he got ready to rest, summoning the Boosted Gear to his hand.
Sacred Gears can make their users a lot stronger, but they also demand a lot in return, especially the Balance Breaker, which is the ultimate ability of a Sacred Gear.
The power of a Sacred Gear with Balance Breaker activated is on a completely different level compared to one without it. But the cost of using Balance Breaker is pretty steep.
When Balance Breaker is activated, the host's physical strength and magic power get drained fast. Even a High-Class would have a tough time maintaining Balance Breaker for long.
Mahiro's current strength was around that of a Middle-Class, maybe even at the peak of it. This was pretty close to what he needed to unlock the Balance Breaker.
"Sacred Gears are tied to the host's fate. They feed on the host's desire; the stronger the desire, the stronger the Sacred Gear becomes," Mahiro muttered as he looked at the gauntlet on his right hand.
A Sacred Gear packs a ton of power, but when it first wakes up in a host, it only shows a bit of that power.
The rest of it needs to be unlocked by the host. It's like the Sacred Gear is sealed in layers, and the key to breaking those seals is the host's determination.
When that determination hits a certain point, the seal can be broken, and the Sacred Gear's full power can be unleashed.
In the anime, Issei Hyoudou, even though he was just a Low-Class, was able to briefly activate Balance Breaker because of his intense desire.
The same thing happened with Yuuto Kiba, whose longing for his fallen comrades let him reach Balance Breaker.
"Even though I don't have Issei's crazy obsession with certain things, I think my determination to get stronger is just as intense," Mahiro thought, his gaze steady as he focused on the Boosted Gear.
With that, he dove into the inner space of the Boosted Gear.
"Is this the inner space of boosted gear?"
Mahiro found himself surrounded by a white expanse when he came to. He knew he'd entered the inner space of the Sacred Gear.
'First step, done.'
He looked around and, through the white space, spotted a massive shadow in the distance.
"Ddraig."
Mahiro walked closer, gradually revealing the full form of the shadow. It was a red dragon. Its entire body was covered in crimson scales that shone with a metallic luster, radiating a fierce power.
This was the true form of the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig.
At this moment, the red dragon was lying on the ground, most of its body covered by its wings, its eyes tightly closed.
"I've already come this far, and you're still choosing to sleep. Guess I'm not exactly a welcome guest," Mahiro muttered, raising his hand towards Ddraig. "But don't get in my way!"
As Mahiro's palm touched Ddraig, the dragon's figure instantly turned into a raging flame, which surged toward Mahiro like a tidal wave, engulfing him entirely.
The sensation of heat and suffocation was overwhelming, drowning him in its intensity.
He had no idea how long it lasted.
Back in his room, Mahiro suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for breath as if he had been drowning.
"I've found the key to unlocking Balance Breaker."
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