SSS Class Infinite Regression: Ascension of the Mad Dragon Prince Chapter 156 156: 7th Regression First Day [2] — Awakened Esp

The prince waited for the familiar thread of fate to reveal Zorba more details about what had transpired… but nothing appeared.

"It's not working?!"

Surprise flickered through him, but he didn't dwell on it.

"My Lord, I'm back—What's wrong?"

Seeing his friend alive, standing before him in the flesh and speaking, Louis felt a torrent of emotions crash over him at once—relief, guilt, gratitude, sorrow, joy.

"I'm sorry, Zorba, for never appreciating you enough. You are not rely my subordinate. You are my brother."

"…? L-Lord Louis."

Zorba's mouth fell open, stunned by the tenderness in his master's voice.

Louis placed both hands on his shoulders and gave them a gentle pat… but the restraint broke. He pulled Zorba into a tight embrace.

"A-Ah…!"

Zorba froze, so shocked he thought his heart might stop.

"L-Lord Louis?!"

He could scarcely believe it was happening.

"Am I dreaming? Is this a dream, Lord Louis?! Wait—maybe I died and this is heaven?!"

Louis smiled, a soft chuckle escaping as he patted Zorba's shoulders again. "No, Zorba. This is reality. Stay close to from now on. Don't stray far. There's a monster among the Vultarn High Dominion that wants you dead. We will face him together."

"…? O-Okay, sure!" Zorba stamred, completely overwheld by his lord's affection. Happiness surged through him so powerfully he felt invincible.

With Zorba safely at his side, Louis turned his gaze westward. Mirai was in the plaza. He unleashed the full might of a Tier 7, his aura exploding outward in waves of Fantasium.

Since reaching Tier 7, his stats had soared, his Fantasium reserves had expanded dramatically, granting him greater speed, explosive bursts of energy, and far finer control.

Mirai had just teleported secretly out of the VPI. She was still confused about why she had been sent here without warning.

Androda had told her it was because her strength was needed, but Mirai hadn't understood how that could be.

Until now.

Louis descended from the sky. Their eyes t.

"Hello, Mirai."

"…!"

Threads of connection ford, and countless mories flooded into Mirai's soul.

At the sa ti, a deep sorrow welled up inside Louis.

These inherited mories were not a soul transfer.

He didn't fully understand the process, but the Mirai standing before him and the one from his previous regression were not the sa person.

Even though they appeared identical, they were two distinct individuals existing in two separate tilines.

Deep down, conflicting thoughts tornted Louis—guilt over forcing these mories onto her, regret that he could not stop the process once their souls t.

Yet he also desperately needed her help. He had to place these mories in her heart so she could connect with him and learn everything she needed to know.

"Huh? P-Prince Louis… You…" she murmured, eyes widening as tears stread down her cheeks. "Are we… back?"

The mories fused with her, as though the Mirai from the previous regression had returned—even though Louis knew, deep in his heart, that she would never truly return.

"Yes," he said quietly. "Before anything else… I want to say that you're not the sa as the previous Mirai, and you don't have to force yourself to—"

But she didn't listen. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Didn't I tell you? That I would accompany you? That I would be there for you, so you never feel lonely again, Louis?"

Louis's fists clenched. Sorrow twisted his features, yet a faint trace of joy flickered beneath it. He knew this was wrong, but he could not stop it… it was Mirai's will. "Thank you… But please, don't force yourself."

Mirai smiled warmly at him. "I'm not. You may be right that a soul is not inherited, and maybe that's why I don't regain my power the way you can… but I can feel it. Within your soul, there's a piece of you brought here, right?"

"…!" Louis was stunned she knew about the bones he had refined into Soul Treasures without ever telling her. "Yes… They're… your bones."

"Can you let see them?" Mirai asked.

"…Are you sure? I don't know what ca over back then. Why did I even do such a thing? I—" Louis was interrupted as Mirai stepped closer.

"There's nothing to worry about…" she sighed, her eyes brimming with sorrow. "I know you wanted to keep a nto of … but maybe we can turn that nto into sothing else… I have an itch."

"…?" Louis was puzzled. Mirai had beco so unpredictable lately, yet he gave a small, gentle smile and nodded.

He summoned the Soul Treasure "Mirai's Burnt Bones." A large collection of bone fragnts appeared, along with a cracked skull, floating before them.

In the haze of his grief, Louis had never noticed the powerful Demonic and Chaos Energies radiating from the bones.

"So these… are my bones…"

"I'm sorry, we shouldn't—"

"It's fine."

Mirai reached out toward her own remains, sensing their power resonate within her.

The energy within the bones surged toward her, flooding her with trendous force.

"…?! Wait, that's…!"

Louis realized these bones carried "Mirai's Legacy" itself—passed to her, and also to him through possessing them as his Soul Treasure.

He had expected her to absorb them completely, but they remained his Soul Treasure. Their power had dimd slightly after the transfer, yet he felt it slowly regenerating for so reason.

"I can feel it…!" Mirai whispered. The Spiral of Entropy awakened within her. "The Devil…"

Her aura intensified as she fully grasped what her previous self had achieved and assimilated it completely. Even her Incarnation—the Devil—manifested beside her once more.

"It's amazing…" she murmured. "Louis, I believe that Soul Treasure has the power to transfer my power back to … and to you too."

"I have it—Ah!" Louis's eyes widened as he felt sothing stir deep inside him—another Spiral fragnt, one that belonged to Mirai.

The Spiral of Entropy.

A fragnt of the Devil Incarnation.

And even a fragnt of her ability, Devil's Soul, had manifested within him.

To confirm what he felt was real, Louis quickly checked his Status.

♢♢♢♢

Na: Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil

Classification: Sinner (Dragon–Human–Anomaly)

Spiral: Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm, Spiral of Sadism, Desecrated Soul Spiral Fragnt, Self-Flagellation Spiral Fragnt, Malevolent Plotter Spiral Fragnt, Entropy Spiral Fragnt.

Tier: 7 – Hollow Fla

Fantasy Heart: Level 50/150

Vitality: 1,144

Strength: 1,015

Intelligence: 987

Dexterity: 1,085

Fantasium: 12,000

Fantasium Affinity: 96%

Madness Index: 5%

Bonds:

Dragon Family Bond – Mother Benladra (Level 10/10)

Bond of Love – Mirai (Level 9/10)

Bond of Brotherhood – Cardoon Zorba (Level 9/10)

Bonded Entities:

Abyssal Mother's Caressing Hand – Handy (Level 5/10)

Young Fairy of Light – Belladine (Level 7/10)

Gardener's nto – ??? (Level 2/10)

Abyssal Dragon Tree of Ruin – Nidhogg (Level 10/10)

Primordial Frost Sword Soul Heart Avatar Spirit – Niflheim (Level 5/10)

Soul Gear:

Celestial Spirit Soul Lance – Gungnir (Rank 2: 3%) (Slot 1: Rune of Slaughter) (Rank 3 Spirit Orb: Celestial Serpent, Heaven Phoenix, Salt Warden)

Gardener's Crystalized Heart (Rank 1: 0%)

Zorba's Desecrated Soul Spiral Stone (Tier 1: 0%)

Mirai's Burnt Bones (Rank 1: 0%)

Elental Affinities:

Ash Elent: A Rank

Ice Elent: A Rank

Void Elent: S Rank

Dragon Elent: C Rank

Ruin Elent: B Rank

Incarnation:

Gravewalker – Tier 8 (Growth: 88%)

Psychopath – Tier 9 (Growth: 10%)

Necromancer Fragnt – Tier 9

Pugilist Fragnt – Tier 9

Dark Knight Fragnt – Tier 7

Devil Fragnt – Tier 9

Spiralwalker Abilities:

Ashen Frost – Tier 8 (Growth: 96%)

Death-Sense – Tier 8 (Growth: 77%)

Breath of Ruin – Tier 7 (Growth: 1%)

Blood Feast – Tier 9 (Growth: 36%)

Pain Weaponization Fragnt – Tier 8

Iron Body Fragnt – Tier 9

Soul Enslavent Fragnt – Tier 9

Malevolent Play Fragnt – Tier 7

Devil's Soul Fragnt – Tier 9

Esper Abilities:

Telepathy – F Rank

Telekinesis – D Rank

Mindscape Formation – F Rank

Psychic Aura Expansion – E Rank

Esper Spiritualization: Great Dragon King – D Rank

Bonded Abilities:

Healing Prayer Fragnt – Tier 7 (Handy)

Light Elent Affinity – C Rank (Belladine)

Soul Essence Restoration – Tier 7 (Gardener's nto)

Dragon Blood Forest of Ruin – Tier 7 (Nidhogg)

Divine Ice Dragon King Sword Style – Apprentice Realm (Niflheim)

♢♢♢♢

He was quickly taken aback by the flood of new abilities and the dramatic surge in his stats. His Level Cap had risen to 150, his attributes had increased by roughly 300 after descending into a Tier 7 Spiralwalker, and much more besides.

The Abyssal Dragon Tree of Ruin and Niflheim now appeared as Bonded Entities, as though they had beco his familiars. Both ca equipped with their own Bonded Abilities, leaving him even more stunned.

Above all else, a new Esper Abilities category appeared, listing the Esper powers he had learned so far. Unlike Spiralwalker abilities, these carried no Tiers; instead they were ranked from F to SSS according to their level of power.

As for the strange Bonded Abilities of his new familiars, the Abyssal Dragon Tree of Ruin—whose na was apparently "Nidhogg" for so reason—granted Dragon Blood Forest of Ruin. Louis had no idea what it actually did or how it qualified as a Spiralwalker Ability, given its Rank-based system.

Niflheim, anwhile, had bonded a portion of her Legacy to him: the Divine Ice Dragon King Sword Style. It appeared to be a sword technique that had been converted into a System Skill of sorts. It lacked both Ranks and Tiers, but—like Cultivation thods—it progressed through Realms.

Most astonishing of all, he could now see the Spiral of Entropy listed there. It had officially joined him as a fragnt, yet his soul remained intact and showed no sign of exploding.

"I can feel it… yeah, you were right," he murmured, savoring the rush of power. "This is incredible."

"It is…!" Mirai nodded eagerly. "Now what do we do? Did you save Zorba?"

"I did. He's right there," Louis said, pointing toward Zorba, who was peeking from behind a pillar and spying on them. The young necromancer's gaze fixed on Mirai with unmistakable jealousy.

"His stare is… intense," Mirai said with a wry, bitter smile.

"My father is going to be killed soon," Louis continued. "But the Gardener has to be stopped before he wreaks more havoc on the Naless Streets. Soma can help us—if we threaten him properly, I believe we can turn him. And about— Hm? Ah, he's already here."

"Who?" Mirai asked. "Wait—the man you fought, Zorba's brother!"

"Exactly."

Louis and Mirai turned their attention back to Zorba as footsteps echoed behind him. The young necromancer slowly pivoted, and in the distance he recognized the figure instantly: his brother, surrounded by several soldiers of the Vultarn High Dominion.

"Well, brother… we et at long last. I don't know why you ca all the way here when your Final Act was happening over there, but it doesn't matter now. Shall we proceed to the climax?"

Zorba's eyes widened; his mouth fell open in disbelief.

"V-Veynar?"

A torrent of mories, trauma, and raw emotion crashed through Zorba's mind and heart. His knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground, utterly shocked to see his long-lost brother standing alive before him.

"But didn't I… Didn't you die… by my hand?"

"Well, you did kill , brother. And I'm still very resentful about that."

"…"

Louis and Mirai walked slowly beside Zorba. The prince gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Lord Louis…" Zorba muttered. "That man is…!"

"I know," Louis said. "Your brother—the one you said you killed to claim your Spiral, right?"

"…! Yes…" Zorba swallowed hard. "I… don't know what's happening anymore… this is so confusing, I—"

"There's no need to be confused, Zorba," Louis said firmly. "We will kill your brother right now, so he stays dead, just as you told us."

"…?!" Zorba stared at Lord Louis in stunned awe. "W-Wait…! You can't! He's my dear brother, Lord Louis!"

"Your dear brother?" Louis asked quietly. "Zorba, did he ever consider you his brother?" He turned his gaze forward. "Did you, Veynar?"

Veynar raised an eyebrow and stepped slowly out of the rubble. He faced Louis, Mirai, and Zorba with a confident smile, spreading his arms as he shook his head.

"Well, well, if it isn't Lord Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil! So the rumors are true—you didn't die after all." He chuckled. "Would you mind stepping aside? I need to slay that traitor. And… isn't he the man who tried to kill you? Why are you protecting him?"

"I have no obligation to answer any of your questions," Louis replied coldly. "Now, if you don't want to die gruesoly, co with right now. I have an excellent place for people like you—in the maws of a Grievance."

"Hah?" Veynar's eyebrow arched higher. "Are you delusional? Haha… Hahahaha! The crippled prince thinks he can just show up and—"

RUMBLE!

Louis wasted no ti. In a nanosecond he fused with his major Incarnations and transford into his False Dragonoid form.

He surged toward Veynar at blinding speed. His glowing spear, Gungnir, drank in his Soul Essence and erupted with a massive bloom of Nirvana Flas shaped like crimson roses.

"Eh?"

CRAAASH!

Before Veynar could even react, Louis's spear plunged into his chest, piercing straight through his Fantasy Heart. A barrage of dozens of consecutive thrusts followed in an instant.

"Aaaaaggghhhh!"

Veynar tried to call for the Dark Knight's aid, but Mirai was already overwhelming his Incarnation, leaving him completely helpless.

Louis gave him no opening.

BOOOM!

Veynar's body smashed through several abandoned houses. He vomited blood and stared at Louis's approaching figure with trembling eyes.

"W-Wa… Wait…! You're not… that strong…! Wait…" he rasped. "You're not supposed to be this strong…! Just give a second to—"

"Maybe your information is outdated," Louis said calmly.

His spear hurtled straight toward Veynar's face.

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