Chapter 64

(New week, new goal. Extra chapter is guaranteed as long as we beat 1000 stones, although more will be appreciated. I'm hoping for 1300, and I know y'all can make it happen. Anyways, I know y'all were gassed by the last chapter. I think you'll love this one.)

The Garok attention turned to me, and I met eyes with it. More of the redness had spread through his body. The wounds on his body healed before my very eyes, but he seemed weaker than ever. What remained of his stone armor had cracked. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was foaming from the mouth.

I roared and swung again, snapping the chunk sticking out of my lungs, and swung again and again until I was free. I crashed to the floor unsteadily on my feet, and in my peripheral vision, I saw the church shatter, but the building did not come tumbling down. Instead, It was held in place by a vast telekinetic presence, and I saw Jean floating above the chaos, rapidly making her way over to me.

The Garok did not miss Jean's emergence either, his attention turning to me, and I could instantly see the gears turning in its head. It leaped forward, its rapidly degenerating body shrugging off any and every attack on its way to me. He even dodged portals that opened between us.

I spiked my angel regeneration and grunted as my body expelled head-sized spikes from my gut and organs. Jean had her hand outstretched, and I knew she'd reach the Garok in time, but something about staring deep into the murderous beast set me off.

"Don't," I mentally communicated, and Jean acquiesced.

The Garok saw me as Prey, as did the demons, the Phoenix, Shin, Hydra, Fury, Xavier, the Brotherhood, Hell, even the hand.

They all thought they could use me. Abuse me. Control me. Kill me.

They all underestimated me.

They were wrong, too.

It was like a dam broken. An avalanche of demonic energy exploded out of me. My pain vanished as everything around me grew dreadfully slow. I blinked in surprise, and it was then I saw the energy. It was many times thicker than anything I'd seen in town or in the Simulacrum, but it did not spread wide. I was the epicenter, and it was then I turned back to him.

The Garok.

His rocky sausage-sized fingers were inches away.

And I felt something bubble at the back of my throat.

It was a single word.

UP

Everything in a 1.5-meter radius around me was suddenly flung into the air and held there. The rubble, spikes, and the Garok.

And it was when I realized what was going on. This was my Devil Trigger.

Congratulations: You've unlocked the ability Devil Trigger.

Tap into your demonic heritage and unleash your inner power. 500% Regeneration, 3x Speed and 3x Strength.

Cost 100 DE to activate and 10 to maintain every second.

You've learned a new Devil Trigger Exclusive skill. Gravity Affinity: Up. Inverts the gravity of a specified object in your domain.

The stat boost also explained the radically improved perception. I looked up at the Garok floating helplessly in the air, and anger filled me. He'd almost killed me. Almost killed a sorcerer. And destroyed an entire town. If I had any pity for Belasco's ilk, it was completely gone.

I leaped at the monster with an earth-splitting jump, armed with Rebellion, and cut him in half with a swipe. Rebellion cut through bone, stone, and whatever that orb was like butter. My hands blurred as I swung again and again, reducing whatever was left over into slabs of meat.

The haze suddenly broke when my demon energy bottomed out. Gravity was restored, the dead Garok fell to the floor, and although I had only about a third of the power I had a few moments prior, I felt stronger than ever...complete.

Congratulations for killing a mutated Garok 600 Red Orbs.

Jean touched down in front of me as I rose to my feet and breathed deeply.

"Are you okay?"

"I…I feel like a new demon," I grinned as I stared at my status.

Awakening my Devil Trigger, it seemed, was not without its benefits. The stat gains I was looking at was fucking ridiculous.

HP: 350/760

SP:600/890

AE:200/480

DE:00/650

Strength: 45+5

Dexterity: (48)58+5

Endurance: (69)84+5

Vitality: 71+5

Angelic Energy: 48

Demonic Energy: 49+15

I didn't think that unlocking my Devil Trigger would come with a flat boost in all stats, but it made sense that it would. My Devil Trigger was, after all, a manifestation of my demonic side. It did make me wonder how my appearance changed while I was in that mode.

"When you asked me to stop…" Jean started, and I held her hand.

"I understood the risks, Jean, and I'm glad you respect me enough to help me fight my own battles."

"That power that you have…" she started. "You had him in the air, but it was not Telekinesis."

"Gravity Control, I think," I muttered. "I don't think I could manage it again without going back into that state."

"And what is that state exactly?" Jean asked, worry evident in her tone. Mordo portaled over, fixing me with the same look Jean did, but I saw apprehension mixed in with the genuine curiosity.

"I think it's a manifestation of my demonic side," I slowly said. "It's made me…stronger."

"That was obvious when I saw you in that form," she said. "And that look in your eyes reminded me of myself."

"I guess it's good I have a whole new side of my powers that I haven't fully explored yet," I said. "Hopefully, he's less scary. Speaking of scary things, how did your little session with the Mesmer go?"

Jean frowned. "Not as good as I'd hoped. I was able to invade his innermost thoughts and make him subservient, but I must've pushed too hard at some point because when I came out, he was a vegetable."

My lips formed a thin line, but I didn't have it in me to be upset anymore. The ordeal with the Garok wrung it right out of me.

"It's a good thing we have three more battlefields to hit today," I said, looking toward Mordo.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You've barely just recovered."

"Give me an hour, and I'll be ready to go."

"Remarkable," Mordo muttered. "I'm glad you're on our side. I'll give the Ancient one and an update and replenish our ranks."

"He's torn up about it," Jean commented as we watched Mordo walk off.

"Who wouldn't be," I said. "He just lost a good man, and Gregory might never walk again."

Jean looked at Gregory and then at me.

"I know, Jean," I said. "You'd heal him in a heartbeat if you could, but that day will come eventually. One day, you'll be able to fully realize what you're capable of, and I'm sure by then, repairing a few broken limbs will be small potatoes."

Jean squeezed my forearm in appreciation, then suddenly smiled.

"I have a small surprise for you," she said, waving at the still-floating wreck. A dark figure came flying out. It slowed dramatically before crashing in front of me. I barely recognized as a Demon. He was bloodied, and all of his limbs bent in the wrong direction. His shallow breathing was the only indication that he was still alive.

"Jesus, Jean," I said. "You're even worse than I am. Is that the Mesmer?"

"You said you needed to kill powerful things to grow, so…" she said sheepishly, and I smiled.

"Don't mind me. Here you are offering me a full plate, and I am here bitchin' about it."

Jean giggled about it.

I summoned Ebony and put three shots into his head.

Congratulations: You've earned 400 Red Orb.

I ended the mission with an impressive Red Orb count of 5332.

Jean left after we talked some more, giving me the space I needed to meditate, refill my energy bars, and the solitude I needed to upgrade my sword.

I eagerly licked my lips as I proceeded to dump 500 of my Red orbs into Rebellion.

Rebellion Grade 2, Second Evolution (1500)

A transforming longsword gifted to Dante by his father, Sparda, and a conduit for his bountiful demonic and angelic abilities

Abilities: Low-tier energy affinity, mid-tier enhanced durability

I dumped another 1500 and watched the upgrade cost rise to 5000. After the Second Grade upgrade, the sword got high-tier enhanced durability and mid-tier energy affinity, both of which I estimated would be very useful in the coming fights.

Going by how many Red Orbs I cleaned during this fight alone, bet that I'd get as much as that in the three, so I decided to complete my weapon vault and upgrade all of my other weapons and upgrade at least once.

Eryx (Unlocked) Grade 2, Second Evolution (1500)

A pair of oversized metal close-quarter gauntlets with spiral engravings that tap into Dante's primal connection to explosion. Deal 2 x the base damage of Rebellion with each punch.

Abilities: Low-tier Explosion manipulation, Mid-tier fire manipulation.

Aquila (Unlocked) Grade 2, Second Evolution (1500)

A pair of cyclone, three-pointed Shuriken with curved edges. Each swing generates spectral shurikens. Deal 0.7x the damage from each swing of Rebellion at a comparable stage.

Abilities: Low-tier dimensional energy manipulation.

Arbiter (Unlocked) Grade 2, Second Evolution (1500)

An oversized battle-axe and one of the two demonic forms of Rebellion. Bears the primal force of eruption with each swing. Deals 2.5 times the damage Rebellion does at the base. Damage and weight drastically increase with demonic energy.

Abilities. Mid-tier Eruption and explosion manipulation, mid-tier weight manipulation.

Osiris (Unlocked) Grade 1, First Evolution (1500 red orbs)

The first angelic form of Rebellion, Osiris, is a light-speed scythe that delivers fast, reliable damage while allowing Dante to embody the weightlessness and agility of an Angel. Deals 0.7 times the damage of Rebellion but moves 35% faster. Damage slowly accumulates with Angel Energy infusion and the innate Feed ability.

Abilities: Mid-tier Wind manipulation.

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