Chapter 77: You have ties with Archangel Gabriel?

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Issei clenched his fist so tightly that it audibly cracked, veins bulging on his forehead. "Well, she better steer clear of me if she wants to avoid trouble. She snatched the girl right out of my hands and had the gall to be condescending about it. I couldn't care less if she's in your circle of friends, Vali. If she crosses me again, I'll make sure it's the last mistake she makes."

Tiamat eyed him, a flicker of genuine curiosity piercing through her usually teasing demeanor. "You're usually so hot-headed, Issei. It surprises me you didn't resort to fisticuffs right then and there, especially given your ignorance about their identities."

Issei shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "Don't get me wrong, the urge was there. But at the end of the day, some battles are just not worth fighting. It's not about proving something to them; it's about choosing the conflicts that matter. They're not worth my time or energy, as much as I'd love to wipe those smug looks off their faces. My restraint doesn't mean I'm weak; it just means I'm picking my battles wisely."

Issei's internal dialogue continued, bouncing off the walls of his mind like an echo in a canyon. 'Taking on Crom Cruach would have definitely forced me to bring out the Boosted Gear. And I'm not sure I'm ready to show that card yet,' he mused inwardly.

Ddraig's mental voice chimed in, sage-like but tinged with concern. 'Be prepared, Issei. The more you interact with these groups, the more your cover stories start to crumble. The day when you'll have no choice but to reveal your true abilities is looming ever closer. Let's try to delay that apocalypse, shall we?'

'Can't they just give me a break till I'm out of high school? It's like I'm a magnet for trouble. Not even getting to spend time with Red, for crying out loud!' Issei's thoughts swirled with a mix of frustration and longing.

Ddraig added another layer of gravity to the situation. "You better not miss Red's four-portal explosion stunt, you know. If you're not there to stop him, he'll obliterate the Earth, Heaven, and Hell."

That struck a nerve with Issei. 'If it weren't for my folks and a handful of people I actually care about, I might just let him. But the stakes are too high. I have to come clean at some point, maybe even use it as a scare tactic to keep these miscreants at bay. Especially when it comes to protecting Red.'

At that moment, Vali's voice cut through his reverie, bringing him back to the here and now. "Issei, don't underestimate Kuroka. She's not just another obstacle; she's a formidable opponent. Picking a fight with her, Cao Cao, and especially Crom Cruach would have been a fool's errand. Crom is the strongest of the evil dragons; even Tiamat and I would have a hard time taking him down. You were wise not to engage them."

Issei looked up, locking eyes with Vali. In that moment, the weight of their circumstances seemed to hang in the air, heavy as lead. Despite their snide remarks and competitive nature, there was a begrudging respect there, an acknowledgment that they were all navigating a treacherous labyrinth of powers, allegiances, and ancient grudges. It was a brief moment of clarity, but one that impressed upon them the dire consequences of a single misstep.

Issei let out a distant sigh, arms crossed, eyes looking beyond the rooftop to the horizon. "You're right, fighting them would have been a one-way ticket to the afterlife for me. I think my instincts told me the same. So, instead of a showdown, I opted for a different approach."

Vali looked puzzled, her silver hair framing her face as she shook her head. "Different approach? What, did you recite poetry to them? I can't imagine the Hero Faction or any of its allies just casually backing down."

Issei chuckled at the absurdity of Vali's suggestion, "No, I didn't serenade them. But, I did leverage the situation to my advantage. I threatened to expose them to the world unless they agreed to let Yasaka and her daughter go."

Vali's eyes narrowed, skepticism clouding her gaze. "Threatened to expose them? That's oddly strategic for you. And it's even more complicated considering they are, in some twisted way, my allies."

Tiamat couldn't contain her annoyance either. "Blackmail, Issei? Really? You're a dragon, for heaven's sake! Now you've probably earned the contempt of Crom Cruach and the rest. What could you possibly have said that would make them consider backing off?"

"I told them I'd summon Gabriel. The Archangel Gabriel," Issei revealed, his eyes meeting Vali's widened ones.

Vali was clearly taken aback, her features tightening with newfound respect but also a ripple of concern. "You have ties with Archangel Gabriel? How did that happen?"

"Believe it or not, she popped up in my living room not long ago. She came to warn me about a devil girl who she said was trying to deceive me. At first, I thought she meant you, but..." Issei hesitated, gauging their reactions before deciding to spill the beans about another devil, "I think she was referring to Leviathan."

Tiamat's eyes flared, her voice tinged with a blend of surprise and aggression. "Leviathan? You're saying an Archangel personally visited you to warn you about Leviathan?"

Issei sighed, the weight of his entangled alliances and conflicts settling like a heavy coat on his shoulders. "Yeah, that's what it looks like. I'm as shocked as you are, believe me. But at this point, I'm starting to think the supernatural just has it out for me."

"Hmm…I'm not surprised Leviathan would go after you. Did she try to recruit you into her peerage?" Tiamat asked.