DxD 0152: Acceptance Ritual

By the time Abaddon was done with Sona, almost an entire day had passed. The time dilation formation still had quite a bit of juice left since Seekvaira powered it up despite how much Abaddon had used it. After this training session, however, he was going to need her to power it up once again.

He got up from the bed, conjuring a comfortable set of silk robes over his body. He overlooked the two exhausted girls whose bodies were still filled with marks of the previous night’s passionate embrace with a fond expression on his face. After tying his robe, he covered the two girls with a blanket and left the room.

“Draig, buddy,” Abaddon called out. “I’m going to need your guidance for this. If I’m to keep Ophis around for the time being, I need to gain rudimentary control over Draconic energy.”

‹ Fine, since you’re so desperate. I’m going to give it to you. ›

Abaddon’s face darkened as he heard Draign’s entendre-filled words. Those same words were ones he’d teased Sona with the previous night, “Go on,” He said with gritted teeth, holding back from cursing at the overgrown lizard.

‹ Unlike you devils, who don’t have a defined core for your Demonic Energy as it permeates through your entire body, dragons rely on their hearts for all of their energy requirements. Generation, storage, and more. The heart is responsible for everything. And unlike you, who still have flesh and blood, dragons are beings made of pure energy. ›

Abaddon frowned as he heard the words, “Then shouldn’t the cessation of that energy’s channeling cause your organs and body parts to disintegrate? The Bael treasury still has some parts of dead dragons in a well-preserved state. But I don’t see those organs dissipating any time soon.”

‹ I was getting to that. That happens due to the nature of Draconic energy itself. Crystalized, it can take the form and properties of anything you want. ›

“Does that mean …” Abaddon trailed off, unsure of the implications behind Draig’s words.

‹ Yes. Creation. Dragons are beings who are closest to creation itself. The heavenly dragons were still limited to creating inanimate objects, but both Great Red and possibly Ophis have the potential to create life itself if they so wish. ›

“They why—“ Draig didn’t let Abaddon continue.

‹ I’ve already spoken too much. You will know when the right time comes. Such abilities are too far away from you at the moment. Getting back to the issue at hand, you need to transform your heart into a dragon’s heart to truly step onto the path of controlling draconic energy. Until now, the Boosted Gear has been acting as the dragon’s heart, and it would’ve sufficed if you didn’t want to gain more intricate control over Draconic energy. ›

Abaddon frowned as he heard Draig’s words, “Is the ultimate goal of this process turning myself from a devil to a dragon? I’m not so sure about that …”

‹ Not exactly. The only thing that you truly require is a dragon’s heart. In the first place, none of my past hosts have ever gone beyond creating a rudimentary version of the dragon’s heart for themselves. ›

“Rudimentary version?” Abaddon questioned.

‹ There have been many attempts in the past to create a Dragon’s heart by using a sacred gear holder. Going from using the heart as the conduit for Balance Breaker — which led to the heart of the wielder exploding, it was a dumb idea in my opinion. There were others, but they aren’t worth mentioning, and they all resulted in failure. ›

“And what makes you think that I’m going to succeed?” Abaddon asked with a raised brow. “There has to be a reason behind it.” Draig seemed far too calm at the moment.

‹ Because of your energy control talent. Even with your abysmal energy reserves, you can spam your abilities freely solely due to how good your control over your energy is. And before you ask, no, controlling Black Destruction has nothing to do with energy control. That is an ability, despite how you treat Destruction, it is still an innate ability that comes from your blood which is fueled by your Demonic energy. ›

“Solely because of that?” Abaddon asked. “I agree that I focus a very significant amount of time training to improve control over my energy, but there has to have been a host who had the same.”

‹ You’re forgetting, Abaddon. All of my past hosts have been human, or at least part human who had the Boosted Gear since birth. Their veins had been flowing with Draconic energy since the start despite the gear being dormant. They were unable to develop the Dragon heart in the correct window of time. ›

“So since I’m still developing, and also have very good control over my Demonic energy, I will survive the process of transforming my heart into a dragon heart?” He asked, skeptical and somewhat confused as well.

‹ Of course not. That’s just the prerequisite. With these, you still have the time to gain sufficient control over Draconic energy. Once you do, you can flood your heart with it and transform it into a Dragon’s heart. Without the necessary level of control, your heart will explode. ›

“That’s real fucking comforting,” Abaddon said. “My heart might explode because I want to gain better control over Draconic energy.”

‹ There are risks to everything. ›

“Fine, whatever. Tell me how I’m supposed to train my control over Draconic energy,” Abaddon said. “Whatever I’ve tried in the past hasn’t made any difference. All I’ve understood until now is to give in to its whims and subtly guide it around from the background.”

‹ That requires a certain ritual. Without a dragon’s heart, the Boosted Gear’s Draconic energy will never accept you unless you perform a ritual to make it accept you. ›

“Oh hell no, I’m not doing any ritual. What if you get me to sell my soul to you or something? You could possibly even take over my body,” Abaddon vehemently refused, making Draig snort.

‹ I’m not a devil. But I understand where you’re coming from. ›

Draig’s understanding tone turned Abaddon’s expression into a wry one, “I guess it is more of a Devil thing to trick people with rituals and contracts.”

‹ Exactly. And the ritual doesn’t involve anything complex. I will guide you in moving Draconic energy through your body in a certain way. Once it is done, you will be given the qualifications to use and train Draconic Energy. ›

Abaddon nodded, “I’m curious. Why does this ritual even exist? To allow Sacred gear wielders to use Draconic energy, or for something else?”

‹ You’re better off asking Great Red or Ophis that question. If you recall, my memories are incomplete. I only recall this ritual as an immemorial relic. ›

“Predating the advent of Lucifer, you say …” Abaddon trailed off thoughtfully. “I’m all the more curious now. Forget it,” He shook his head, “now isn’t the time for this. Let’s get it over with so that I can officially keep Ophis in my house even under the circumstances that I leave for a while to undergo the Trial of Extinction.”

Draig didn’t comment on his words and started his instruction.

‹ Get ready to channel Draconic energy through your body. ›

Following Draig’s words, Abaddon conjured himself a chair and leaned back, sitting comfortably, “What now?” He asked.

‹ Call upon Draconic energy to gather at your glabella, a bit below the center of your forehead. ›

“I know what glabella means,” Abaddon said.

‹ Focus. Call upon your Draconic energy. ›

Abaddon grunted before calming his mind and rousing his will, directing it toward Draconic energy. The moment Abaddon’s intent to direct Draconic energy was expressed, it resisted violently, rushing out of his arm to wreak havoc through his body. His will moved to suppress and control the violent energy so that it wouldn’t cause him problems. He had expected that eruption and reacted accordingly, suppressing the energy as he usually did.

‹ Stop trying to control it, that’s why it keeps resisting you. ›

Draig’s words cooled Abaddon down as he took a breath and refocused himself while keeping the Draconic energy suppressed. He then finally willed the energy to move to his glabella and tried to guide it. Unlike what he expected, the energy cooperated almost enthusiastically as it rushed along the path he guided it through and gathered at his glabella.

‹ You see how its behavior changed instantly? That’s because it knows that a ritual is to be expressed now. ›

Fascinated, Abaddon hummed with a nod as he observed Draconic energy moving along his arm and through his neck to gather at his head. The sheer fluidity of its movements was something that Abaddon could’ve never imagined, especially from Draconic energy. He wasn’t sure if he could make even Demonic energy move with such a clean and gentle flow, and Draig had specifically expressed how Abaddon’s energy control was impeccable.

As the gentle flow continued, Abaddon could sense all of the Draconic energy that was spread through his entire body moving toward his glabella. The only other source of energy was the Boosted Gear itself, and it was also providing him with a constant supply of Draconic energy. Eventually, all of the energy got concentrated at Abaddon’s glabella, almost forming an illusory marble made of pure energy. The only other source of energy he could sense was the Boosted gear, which seemed to have an endless supply of the special energy.

“Now what?” Abaddon asked Draig.

‹ This is where the long and tiresome part comes in … ›

The rest of the ritual was indeed long, lasting multiple hours as Abaddon slowly guided and expressed his will to make the Draconic energy move through his body. It followed along with his will like an enthusiastic puppy, quickly moving to whatever places he directed it. If nothing else, the whole process made him feel an acute sense of disconnect. Draconic energy had always been very violent and resistant to his actions, but now, following along with that ritual, guiding it through his body had become even easier than manipulating Demonic energy.