-Zatren Fumigami-
‘’Come on, Sachi! How do you expect to be the greatest pawn if you can’t carry around some luggage!’’ I shouted with a smirk on my face at the struggling blonde.
‘’S-Some luggage?! This is way more than just some luggage!’’ She shouted back. It was, actually. As a funny training idea, I suggested that Sachi not only carried part of the luggage we will need for this ‘training camp’, but to actually carry ALL of it.
No Koneko carrying most of the load, or Kiba sharing it partially. It was all on the shoulders of the newbie I decided to personally train. After all, carrying those things won’t MAKE Koneko or Kiba any better. They already were ‘Low-Class’ devils long before canon. Literally wall-level at worst, and these people are FAR from the worst.
I also had a lot of fun looking at her carrying a ridiculously oversized backpack.
Besides, it’s not that she was carrying it all just with sheer strength.
I sighed as I looked at the purple tendril attached to my arm, draining my stamina and giving it to Sachi for her to keep going. My eyes narrowed down as I saw the blonde slightly slow down on her steps per minute.
‘’Come on! You lazy scoundrel, hurry it up or we will never get there before sundown!’’ I shouted.
It may sound cruel, but for some reason, this girl thrived the most when shouted at as if I were a drill sergeant. ‘’Are you wasting the energy that I’m giving you?! One step in front of the other! One-two! One-two! Hurry up!’’
The blonde gritted her teeth as her fists tightened up. Her chest going up and down with the strain of her breathing. Sweat poured from every pore of her body, and she seemed on the brink of passing out and falling over. Yet…
Another pulse of the tendril in my arm, and more energy was sapped away. ‘’Boss! Yes, Boss!’’ Sachi shouted like a woman possessed, revitalized by my strength as she took another step forward.
Insane, simply insane. I’ll make a fine warrior out of you yet, Sachi. Just you wait.
-X-x-X-
‘’Don’t you think that you went a bit too overboard?’’ Kiba asks from the side as we both stare at a panting and collapsed Sachi.
She did manage to get to the Gremory’s resort before sundown. In fact, we still had half a day before dinnertime, so that’s a good time stamp, but I’ll reduce points since she was using my energy for it, and as I yawn, I realize that she took quite a bit at least.
‘’Nah. It builds character. It also builds her body up. She, along with Asia, needs to be ready for the Rating Game. Akeno is taking care of the other blondie as we speak.’’ I shrugged.
‘’Senpai is a womanizer slave driver…’’ Koneko muttered in fake shock with a little smirk on her face.
‘’Oi,’’ I called out. My eye twitched slightly. ‘’Who are you calling a slave-driver, you finger-sized snack?’’
She just maturely stuck out her tongue at me. Incredible comeback.
I just turned to the slightly recovered Sachi and nodded. Then, I pulled up the ridiculously big bag on her back with ease and nodded. ‘’Alright, go get showered. You have magic practice with Akeno later, you know?’’
All I got is a groan of pain and suffering from the blonde.
This generation, I swear.
-X-x-X-
I sighed in frustration inside my personal room in this resort. After sending Sachi to her magic mentor and some light sparring with Kiba and Koneko to take off the non-existent rust, I asked Rias to be left alone for a few hours. At least until I decided to go down and cook dinner for them all.
At the promise of my food, Rias eagerly agreed and even discouraged anyone from disrupting me. That damn glutton. A bunch of Gluttony sinners! All of them!
But that wasn’t the source of my sudden frustration. I clicked my tongue while watching the pale glow of my fists fade into nothing once more. For some reason, using my Touki was hard. Not as a ‘slow progress’ kind of hard. More like ‘absolutely no progress and I’m regressing!’ kind of hard.
I even used that ‘F+’ crystal I got from my first dungeon to pump the stat from F to F+, but it didn’t seem to do anything besides making Koneko look at me weird.
I shook my head and decided to leave it for later. I have more things to train on. If I want to pull that on Riser, I need more practice with my water powers. I already got a seal of approval from Ayuka, so it should be possible, but only thanks to that stupidly complicated calculation magic.
[Calculation Magic] Lv 12.
A powerful brand of magic wielded primarily by humans, but can be learned by any race that can understand math.
This magic utilizes fast and precise equations to realize magic. These may be done on the floor, on paper, or even in the air itself. As long as the correct calculation is being used, you can pull off a lot of things.
So apparently, being able to think really fast makes this brand of magic practically suited for me.
While I’m using [Thought Acceleration], I can’t really move my body, but what I can do is think. In this case? Think in freaking imaginary calculations.
Is it incredibly annoying to do mental calculations? YES. Is it also incredibly efficient, and got me a dumbfounded expression from the scientific mommy— From Ayuka? Also yes.
So with this new weapon in my arsenal, along with the Soul Eater Spear I got from the Hard version of the zombie dungeon, and Fallen Angel Halberd I got from my bratty and precious girl, Mittelt. I feel incredibly ready to take on Riser. Especially if I can pull this last trick off.
Maybe I should do another dungeon. There’s one that seems pretty easy and—
‘’Partner. It is done.’’ Suddenly, the ethereal voice of Jinzui comes from the chain around my neck, interrupting my thoughts and making my eyes widen at the sudden appearance of the spirit. ‘’Your new little toy is… usable.’’
‘’Jinzui? Wait- Are you talking about the Boosted Gear? I was curious since you told me it would take a couple of days.’’ I replied excitedly. Now this is perfect. If I can use the Boosts from the gear on my Skills, this is a sure win! ‘’But what do you mean… by… usable—?’’
Suddenly, my head started to throb as if someone had hit it with a hammer. A hiss of pain escapes my lips as I try to sit down on my bed.
Then, a sudden bout of nausea hit me and I completely lay down. What the fuck is happening?
…
I heard the creak of a door opening.
…
When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer in my room, but the ‘mindscape’ where I found Jinzui last time. Man, that feels so long ago.
I got to my feet and looked around. Why was it so dark in here in the first place?
As if hearing my complaining, the black of the room started tainting red. From a maroon to an intense crimson that seems ablaze with a powerful, roaring inferno. Then, I turned around and saw it.
A red dragon of crimson scales. Bigger than an office building and with a presence that screamed power. Yet, its body was cracked. The scales covering its torso and part of its maw had cracks that revealed a green glow underneath.
The Red Dragon of Domination; Ddraig. The entity residing on the Boosted Gear.
Slowly, his eyes opened. One of them was a brilliant emerald color, while the other was a forest green that looked completely dull, as if the supposed light behind it had been turned off or something.
A hot breath of air hit my face, and the dragon grumbled. ‘’Could have been worse… A lot worse.’’ I blinked at the raspy and tired voice. Then, without saying another word, the dragon went back to slumber.
In a flash of light, I was no longer standing in front of the giant being, but instead on that colorful space filled with beautiful images and now some furniture, apparently, that I knew belonged to Jinzui. The moment I turned once more, I saw my spiritual companion looking on with a tired smile.
‘’Jinzui?’’ I narrowed my eyes and got a bit closer. At arm's length, I could notice black bags under her eyes, which was kind of weird considering she’s a spirit. ‘’You look like shit.’’
The beautiful, white-haired woman dressed in pristine and elegant Chinese clothing snorted before slapping me in the arm. ‘’Well, thank you. Truly, what a way to greet your most trusted ally.’’
Jinzui shook her head and sighed at my apologetic expression. ‘’Sorry for bringing you here like that. I just thought you would be eager for this.’’ She said teasingly before pulling out a glowing, crimson sphere from her robe.
The grin on my face was painfully big as I took the orb in my hand. ‘’How did you manage to fix it? I thought since it was shattered, that it would remain defective at best.’’ Suddenly, her face changed from smug and confident to nervous.
‘’…fix is a strong word.’’ I deadpanned with a raised eyebrow. ‘’Well, it isn’t my fault, okay? I had to make do with what I could around here! There were a lot of blanks and defects. Even the power to ‘boost’ yourself didn’t remain intact.’’
That… could be complicated. ‘’How much did you change?’’
At that, she crossed her arms and smirked with her nose pointing upwards. ‘’Ohoho! I found a very specific memory around here that helped me make it ‘whole’. Why don’t you take a look~?’’ She is the only and by default smuggest god I know, but I know to trust her word.
After staring at the crimson ball of light for a moment, I decided to shove it into my chest. It shone blindingly for a moment before a notification popped up in my vision. The contents left me absolutely dumbfounded.
[Boosted Gear: Wheel (Incomplete)].
The original Boosted Gear got shattered in an intense battle. Yet, with memories past of an otherworlder, the tweaking and effort of a Divine Spirit, and the essence of the true Red Dragon Emperor, this powerful Sacred Gear has been converted into something else.
WARNING: Even if meticulously repaired, this artifact still presents unexpected side effects!
‘’Jinzui… Is this what I believe it is? How did you even manage to convince Ddraig to let you modify it— Scratch that, how did you manage to make him help with it?!’’ I was absolutely floored, and by the snickering I got from the spirit-woman, she found it hilarious.
‘’Yes, it is, partner. You earned it fair and square.’’ Jinzui nodded with a smile before her expression turned mischievous again. ‘’As for convincing that slumbering reptile? I may have told him about his… other alternatives.’’
What other alternatives? To convince a Dragon, creatures stubborn by nature, to comply with your request after being torn from— Oh Michael above.
‘’You told him about the Boob Dragon Emperor?!’’ I accused while pointing a finger at her. At which she burst out laughing. Either at the name or my accusatory tone, I didn’t know. ‘’You’re so wrong for that!’’
My words only seemed to spur her laughter further as she clutched her stomach. I also couldn’t help the little smile from appearing on my face at remembering that song and dance Issei did on television.
‘’I know, I know! But it was the only way to convince him. I swear!’’ She wheezed out, and I shook my head.
After calming down a bit, I kept marveling with a maniacal grin at my new power. I’m going to have fun with this, and it may even help out with my original plan, too! It was all coming together, baby!
‘’I swear I could kiss you right now, Partner—‘’ I blinked as a mischievous idea of my own crossed my mind. ‘’Actually…’’
Jinzui blinked, and I could see her cheeks turning slightly rosy at my exclamation before suspicion took hold as her eyes narrowed. ‘’What’s that face for?’’
Suddenly, I pounced and enveloped the beautiful woman in a big bear hug. ‘’Hey!’’ At first, I got squirming and embarrassment, and then laughter after I didn’t just give in. ‘’Come on, you petulant child!’’
I snickered and then started to give smooches to her neck, and by the way the embarrassed expression on her face started cracking and her lips curved into a smile, told me everything I needed to know.
‘’If you are going to kiss a woman of my caliber, at least do so properly!’’ Jinzui exclaimed in that snobbish tone of hers before I followed on my treat and kissed her on the lips. A chaste and short thing that made her pout with a blush. ‘’I said properly!’’
‘’Yes, yes. You damn hag~’’ I teased, and before she could retort with a snark, I gave her a proper kiss, which made her relax in my embrace.
‘’…~’’ A little pleased smile appeared on her face. The fatigue of the days prior seemed to melt away at my touch. ‘’A few more…?’’
The way she whispered that so softly, and how her hands clung to my torso, made me remain some more in the mindscape. Just some time well spent in the company of my loyal partner.
-X-x-X-
-Koneko Toujou-
I bit my lip in anger.
I… wanted to bring Zatren some snacks, since he was awfully insistent on training. So much so that he said to Rias ‘I’ll see you guys at dinner!’ and proceeded to stay in his room for hours. I thought he was going to practice that strange barrier thing of his that I saw more than once… but no.
I only caught a glimpse of it. That being, Senpai was frustrated while complaining to himself as a pale white glow faded from his hands.
He was using and practicing spiritual arts, with little success. That’s why she was angry.
Not angry at him, that would be incredibly dumb. No, I’m angry at myself. Looking at my boyfriend, frustratedly trying to deal with a power that I warned him about. He always did this, finding and practicing everything, as if he needed to be ready for any situation, or maybe it’s just genuine curiosity and appreciation for magic.
I wanted to storm into his room, shout at him to stop as I saw the spiritual power gathering in his hands. Even with my lack of use, I knew that he was doing something wrong. Instinctively so.
Yet I couldn’t tell what.
Look at him. Giving it his all for Rias-bucho. He barely knew her for a bit more than a month, but was this dedicated to strip away that stupid arranged marriage.
Just as he was dedicated to comforting me that day in the cafeteria…
What did I do in exchange? Run away and cry about it every time the theme was brought up? Reminiscence about someone who was no longer there for me in any way?
The image of a black-haired girl passed my mind, making my fists clench in frustration.
I left the pastries at his door silently before taking one last look at the life energy being forced into his fists. Then, I turned around and left the resort. It won’t do to see him like this. I didn’t want to burden him with my frustrations on top of his.
What was next? Would I fall even further behind him? He won’t leave me alone. Of course, he won’t. Senpai cares way too much, so even if I were a regular girl, he wouldn’t leave me behind. What a sappy asshole.
With a twitch, a pair of white cat ears appeared above my head and a tail of the same color sneaked past my skirt. Then, I got deep into the forest without alerting anyone.
I won’t fall behind, Zatren-senpai.
-X-x-X-
-Rias Gremory-
I looked out in worry at the empty seat beside Zatren, where Koneko should be either scarfing down food or making snarky quips at the black-haired man.
Yet, she was absent. I wasn’t too worried. I asked Zatren, and he told me that the girl left a text message on his phone saying she went into the forest to train, and there’s no real risk out here since it’s a heavily protected area managed by the Gremory.
But still.
The only reprieve I had from worry was the cooking of my… Actually, what was Zatren to me? I mean, there’s nothing official, but we have a clear interest in each other if kissing me while groping my ass is any indication… A situationship? I do have a ‘future marriage’, ugh. My paramour, then?
My point was, his cooking is Divine! If it wasn’t for how dedicated he got to his training, I’d probably ask him to cook supper too, but I can’t have my servants just do all the work, can I?
Training went well enough. At least for my two new members. There’s… not much I can really train besides control with the Power of Destruction. One just doesn’t jump the power ladder from one month to another. Hell, not even from one year to another.
Devils get naturally more powerful the longer they live. Of course, you can get stronger earlier with training, but it certainly isn’t fast.
Yet, there seems to be a little exception for now. My… paramour here seems to be taking devil’s society ‘power rankings’ as more of a suggestion than an established norm.
My eyes landed squarely on the handsome face of my Kouhai. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I just smiled. Maybe ‘Hero of the Spear’ Zatren-kun would like to share his super-strengthening secrets? It wouldn’t hurt to ask…
It was not long after that dinner was finished. With Asia and Sachi helping out in the kitchen before they gave their good nights and turned in for the day. It’s alright, it was the first day, and they’re already working incredibly hard.
Yuuto excused himself and thanked Zatren for the food with an ample, genuine smile before going out to do his nighttime training. Meanwhile, Akeno did something similar but not without teasing Zatren about giving him a ‘reward’ if every meal was so delicious.
With a coy smile, I got up from my chair and stared a bit at the distracted man. Sometimes he just stared off into space, as if he were on the phone or something. Taking advantage of it, I got behind his back and hugged him.
My hands crossed on his chest as I pressed mine against his seated form. Then, I blew some air into his ear with a chuckle, making him shiver.
A bit of payback was due. It was not fun when I was the only one getting teased, you know? So I’ll take any chance that presents itself, even if I know that some of them would be turned on me later. I’ll take the risk~
‘’Aw, did you miss me, Rias-senpai? How adorable~’’ There it was, that smugness and teasing… ‘’Not like I’ll reject a hug. Want one too?’’
Then he mixed it with genuine affection and care. Making my heart beat just a little faster, and if he could turn around and see my face, it’ll probably match the color of my hair. Truly, what a fearsome man, to elicit such a reaction with mere words.
I snorted and poked his cheek with a finger, just enjoying the little moment of closeness. ‘’Any news about Koneko?’’ I asked with a little frown.
‘’She texted me that she’ll be back by twelve, so I’m just burning time.’’ He shrugged it off easily, but I could hear the underlying worry in his voice. Zatren, much like me, tends to wear his heart on his sleeve. Maybe that’s part of the reason I gravitated towards him?
He was certainly a break from all the stuck-up politics and pretentious devils my age.
‘’Want me to keep you company?’’ I raised an eyebrow with a little smile, already knowing the answer by how his head relaxed against my shoulder.
‘’Hmm.’’ A little hum of acknowledgement was all I got as the boy smiled softly and closed his eyes, relaxing in my embrace. it was enough.
Maybe I’ll ask my question tomorrow. We have quite a bit of time.
-X-x-X-
I blinked in bemusement while staring at Zatren.
After Koneko came back late yesterday, with some scrapes and dirt covering her clothes. We managed to get her to take leftover food, which she devoured eagerly. She was surprisingly quiet, however.
Then, after taking a bath, we went to sleep. Yet, surprisingly enough, I got asked for a training session from Zatren-kun before I could even ask. Of course, I accepted eagerly. But…
‘’Why are you dressed like that?’’ I asked because it was quite funny.
Instead of training clothes or any sort of casual clothing. Zatren was dressed in a buttoned, long-sleeved jacket along with uniformed pants. Both of the pieces of clothing are dark blue in color. That’s alright, but why is his hair so spiky?
Even the ponytail. Seriously, how much gel did he put in there?
At my question, he stared ahead with all the force of a deadpanning, brooding teenager before cracking a smirk and chuckling at himself. ‘’I’m just making a reference.’’ After saying that, he crossed his arms.
Both hands closed. One pointing upwards and the other sideways.
I… did not know what he was referencing, but I gave a serious nod and let him have the first move. References are sacred; interrupting them would be like casting an ultimate move without a name, or attacking in the middle of an anime character’s transformation!
Absolutely outrageous.
Zatren took a deep breath and then proceeded to glow with a crimson light.
‘’From this vessel, I summon…’’ I raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the glow dissipated and reformed above his head.
‘’Eight-Handled Sword of ‘Supremacy’…’’ The glow intensified!
‘’Divine Treasure: Crimson Tyrant’s Wheel!’’ With that last exclamation, something akin to a dragon’s roar echoed through the training grounds.
Above the edgily-dressed young man, now rested a strange type of Wheel. From the design, it looked like some sort of Dharma from Buddhism?
The similarities stopped there. The wheel appeared to be made of a red, slightly worn metal with a few licks of gold close to the edge. The metal had fin and serpentine-like designs etched into it, reminding me of a snake. For some reason, it was cracked, as if it had been shattered and put together with glue.
Then, the chariot wheel connected to eight spokes tinted a reddish bronze that seemed similar yet different than the rest of the structure. Lastly, in the middle, there’s a green jewel that radiated with power, making my eyes widen in recognition.
And if recognition wasn’t enough, once fully materialized, a feminine and ethereal voice called out. ‘’[Boost!]’’
I think she tried to sound serious, but there was a mote of amusement somewhere.
I blinked. Then rubbed my eyes and blinked again. ‘’Is… Is that the Boosted Gear?! How?!’’ By the way, Zatren’s face contorts into amusement and fake smugness, he was expecting such a reaction.
‘’Remember when I shattered the Dragon’s gauntlet? Well… I just took a little reward with me. So, while it may not be the full thing, it’s pretty neat, isn’t it?!’’ He cackled like a madman while I proceeded to have a mental breakdown.
We thought that the Boosted Gear went back to the ‘system’. Waiting for a new soul to be born and get attached to it. Then, this man goes and reveals that it had, in fact, not gone back to the system.
He literally broke something made by God, and then turned it into an unknown anime reference. Absolute madness. The fact that he was not smited on the spot is astonishing.
Yet…
‘’It was a pretty cool…’’ I had to admit. Such an immaculate presentation.
‘’Right?!’’ His eyes sparkled like a kid in a candy store.
With a little smile, I got some magic circles ready all around me. It wouldn’t do to go all out and destroy the entire resort, so I’ll practice control while my little Kouhai tests his new acquisition.
Water started surrounding the floor around Zatren and making the equivalent of a giant puddle. From the still but clearly magical liquid, a trident made of water surged forth, and I narrowed my eyes at the possibility of him generating other types of structures while he branded his ‘weapon’.
A bout of nostalgia hit me, remembering my early spars with Sona.
‘’Bring it on, Senpai!’’ He shouted before charging at me with an orange glow. Trident at the ready, in a full charge ahead.
I spread my wings and flew above to dodge. Unsurprisingly enough, Zatren did the same and took advantage of the impulse with the floor to strike. Yet, just before the attack connected, I made a magic circle and blasted the man away with an explosion.
He slammed against the wet floor, his outfit slightly torn, making me remember that it was probably just for the sake of cosplay. He looked slightly singed and burnt, but the smile on his face was unwavering.
The strangest thing was the low whirring of metal that I could suddenly pick up. I could not pay much attention to it, however, as the giant puddle on the floor suddenly shot up spike-like tendrils into the air, zeroing in on me, obviously.
I easily maneuvered around the attacks before looking down. ‘’Lacerate!’’ He called out, the remaining tendrils turning into thin, lethal blades of water.
I met the attack with a bigger circle and a fierier explosion. After all, the best way to get rid of the attack was to evaporate the entire water directly.
A huge shower of vapor spread out as the blast connected below. While I may not see my opponent right now, it was not like enhancing my body with Demonic Power didn’t make my senses just as sharp as my magical prowess—
KA-CHNK.
The sound of old metal clicking into place made me pause.
‘’[Boost]!’’ I turned around just quickly enough to block a grinning Zatren’s fist. His arm trembled at the impact, and the whirring of metal began anew. Not only that, but the previous burns were completely gone, probably healed with magic.
‘’Caught you by surprise~?’’ He winked, and I snorted. Then, I side-eyed the blast of electricity shuddering with power around his hand.
I smirked, and with his fist in my grasp, I threw the man hard against a wall, an explosion of sparks rocked the surface of it, and the impact made a dent with the imprint of his body. He wheezed for air, spit coming out of his mouth, and I focused my eyes on the supposed Boosted Gear.
It was then that the whirring stopped, and another ‘KA-CHNK’ resounded.
‘’This feels amazing!’’ Zatren cracked as he came out practically unscathed from the wall. The cracks on the wheel atop his head were shining with a green glow. Then, he suddenly disappeared and reappeared at my side without a second of delay. A magic circle covered my palm this time, and my eyes widened in surprise.
The hit was stronger, obviously. Yet, when I tried to blast him with an explosion again. He just took the entire brunt of the attack to the face with a smirk. There were no burns from the attack this time, and the dharma wheel started to move faster.
Realization struck me, and I smirked. That’s the modification he made to it? Just how many bunnies is this mage going to pull from his hat?
I dashed to the side, being in the air made no difference to me, I readied a telegraphed punch to the man’s head, and a yellow barrier suddenly manifested around him. Perfect.
I wanted to crack a laugh at the widening of his eyes the moment I easily broke through, and when he raised his arms to defend against the hit, it was the moment that marked my victory.
My hand opened up, and instead of hitting him directly, I grabbed onto the wheel and squeezed. If the thing had cracks on it, that means it could break, right?
The previously glowing cracks that I noticed seemed to strain against my strength, and horror struck Zatren’s face at my feint to grab onto the Boosted Gear.
‘’Wait—!’’ It was too late. He tried to summon a typhoon of water to try and strike me, but the deed was done. With one more second of squeezing, the metal cracked further and gave in.
The wheel exploded in a show of metal sparks and vanished. The glow disappeared and returned inside the mage. Yet, I didn’t expect his eyes to roll into his skull and for him to start falling to the floor, unconscious.
‘’Oh…’’ I may have been a bit overboard.
I descended and easily caught him before he hit the floor. I checked him for injuries and found none, making me sigh in relief. At least that didn’t leave any lasting damage… hopefully.
Once on the floor, I looked around. It seemed that the commotion didn’t attract anyone else to the room. So, with a little complacent smile, I sat on the floor and rested Zatren’s head on my thighs.
That would surely do for an apology, right? Boys loved to wake up on a lap-pillow, after all.
…
Right?
-X-x-X-
Bonus Scene: Kitty Spy.
-Kuroka-
Nyahaha! That kid is really something else~
I couldn’t believe that, when stalking around his house, a sudden force of Touki would flare up inside the home. I didn’t challenge you to a race, you know?!
Yet, I couldn’t just go and give him a '‘congratulations’' reward. What a sad twist of fate, nya! Not only was the boy moving to a more controlled and protected location with the rest of the redhead’s little squad, but the fact that the boy was already in contact with such important political figures…
Do you know how hard it is to hide from Ayuka Beelzebub’s eyes, nya?! I thought I was going to get a heart attack! Contrary to popular belief, Nekoshous don’t have 9 lives!
I clicked my tongue as I cursed outside of Kuoh completely. Without the boy or Shirone here, there was nothing of interest, and before I actually got found out and skinned into a kitty purse, it’s better to run along and come back later.
I wonder how Vali’s doing? Surely, the knowledge of his ‘rival’ biting the dust is driving him up the walls! Nyahaha~!