Ddraig said, "Although the successive Red Dragon Emperors have been strange, you are the first like this."
Tatsuma asked, "What aspect are you referring to?"
"All aspects. Of course, what surprised me the most is that you were able to restore my power."
Ddraig raised his claw and summoned a ball of flame.
"After being killed by the Bible God and made into a Sacred Gear, I myself had forgotten this power."
"I didn't expect you to be able to break through that seal and let me recover all the lost memories and power."
"Tatsuma, how exactly did you do it? Tell me quietly, I promise I won't tell anyone else."
Tatsuma glanced at the flame and said, "Only dead people can keep secrets. Are you sure you want to hear?"
"Uh... then forget it."
Ddraig silently put away his curiosity.
He could sense that Tatsuma wasn't joking.
"Alright, let's get down to business."
After confirming Ddraig's situation of being thrown into the trait warehouse, Tatsuma's expression became serious and he spoke, "Ddraig, I need your assistance to enter the deeper part of the Sacred Gear space."
Ddraig asked, "What are you going there for?"
"To train in Juggernaut Drive."
"Ah?"
Ddraig's dragon body trembled, startled.
"Partner, don't think of doing something foolish."
The essence of Juggernaut Drive is to break the seal of the Sacred Gear and fight by borrowing the power of the sealed monster. Because the power is too violent, this move will absorb the host's life and cause them to go berserk and perish.
Essentially, Juggernaut Drive is a last resort used when there is no other way, to perish together with the enemy.
It was rare to encounter a host who was strong and easy to talk to, so Ddraig sincerely hoped that Tatsuma could live longer and take him to beat up Albion a few more times.
"Compared to Juggernaut Drive, Partner, you should first research how to use Balance Breaker. That's more suitable for you."
"Balance Breaker? Doesn't that thing just require having hands?"
Tatsuma activated the demonic power within his body and poured it into the interior of the Sacred Gear in one go.
The next second, a crimson armor appeared on him. Not only his consciousness within the Sacred Gear space, but his body outside was also covered by the crimson armor.
"Huh? Huh!!!"
Looking at this scene, Ddraig's long-established worldview was shattered into pieces all over the ground.
"Pa... Partner, how did you do this?"
"I just said, Balance Breaker is something that just requires having hands."
Tatsuma took off his helmet and said, "Also, don't misunderstand my meaning."
"The Juggernaut Drive I mentioned is not completely the same as the Juggernaut Drive you know."
There was a reason why Juggernaut Drive caused the host to die.
On one hand, Ddraig's power was too great, and the host couldn't fully control it, eventually being devoured by the power.
On the other hand, within the Boosted Gear, there were the residual souls of the successive Red Dragon Emperors. These people all died abnormally, so their residual souls contained a large amount of resentment.
Once Juggernaut Drive was activated, these resentments would enter the body of the current Red Dragon Emperor. Ddraig's power was already strong, and being affected by resentment, it was difficult not to lose control.
But conversely, as long as he had enough ability to control Ddraig's power and a way to deal with these resentments, Tatsuma could activate Juggernaut Drive without side effects and obtain power exceeding Balance Breaker.
"I see. I didn't expect that the side effects of Juggernaut Drive could be resolved in this way."
Ddraig sighed with emotion, then asked curiously, "How do you plan to deal with the residual souls?"
Tatsuma said, "Beat them up first."
"... Partner, the residual souls of the successive Red Dragon Emperors have already merged with the Sacred Gear. If you forcefully purify them, you might damage the Sacred Gear."
Tatsuma said with a serious expression, "I know, but I still have to beat them up first."
This was a necessary attempt. What if it dropped a trait?
Facing his partner's insistence, Ddraig could only cooperate. According to Tatsuma's request, he opened the path to the deeper part of the Sacred Gear.
Tatsuma walked in, and after passing through a brief darkness, appeared in a white, empty space. There were some tables placed in the space, and the successive Red Dragon Emperors were all sitting by the tables.
Scanning left and right, Tatsuma came before the nearest Red Dragon Emperor's residual soul.
"That guy is the Red Dragon Emperor among the successive ones who was around your age."
"Although his talent wasn't as good as yours, he was quite outstanding and quickly came into contact with Juggernaut Drive."
"Unfortunately, like everyone else, he didn't find a way to control Juggernaut Drive and eventually died."
Ddraig's voice echoed around, introducing the other party's identity.
"Didn't you try to persuade him at that time?" Tatsuma asked curiously.
"I did, but not many of the successive Red Dragon Emperors listened to me." Ddraig said.
In this regard, Tatsuma was also the same.
If there was any difference, it was that Tatsuma's strength was even greater.
Looking at Tatsuma, who suddenly threw a punch and knocked the Red Dragon Emperor's residual soul to the ground, Ddraig asked, "How is it? Any gains?"
Tatsuma shook his head. "Failed."
Perhaps it was because there was no subjective consciousness, or perhaps it was because only residual souls were here.
He had just tried knocking down the Red Dragon Emperor's residual soul, but he couldn't obtain a trait.
"It seems the method of forcibly clearing the residual souls with force has failed, but this was also expected."
Ddraig, who had misunderstood, asked, "Partner, do you have any other methods?"
"Yes."
A layer of white light appeared on Tatsuma's body.
Compared to Vali and Issei in the original story, Tatsuma had a special advantage.
He knew Senjutsu.
Senjutsu was the power to control Ki. As long as it was deeply developed, many things could be done.
For example... purifying curses and resentment.
***
40 Advanced Chapters on
patreon.com/alex_1000