Chapter 3: Obscurum Epidemic
'Tell me Issei, Why do you talk aloud when you know you are alone?' Zimmer asked
"Stop toying with me! What was that just now?" Issei demanded a answer
'Just now? Hahaha, you fell unconscious about ten days ago. In fact the only reason you are alive is because of me, at any given moment you could die. I am the prime dictator of that so tell me, do you accept my power or not?' Zimmer told Issei
"I have been out for ten days?" Issei asked, shocked "What will happen if I refuse your power?"
'Then you will die and your soul will go to the void. You will stay there until the void consumes you completely, or until I decide you should come back.' Zimmer told Issei
"If that's how it is gonna be then I accept." Issei said "What happens when I accept."
'Oh, you have already accepted them... If I told you some of the side effect I would be spoiling the fun...' Zimmer explained with a wicked smile that sent shivers down Issei's back
'Now, let us go... WAKE UP!'
Issei awoke on a bed in a medical tent, he could tell by the red cross on the tent roof. Issei sat up from his spot and looked around, the tent was empty.
Issei rolled out of the bed and began to walk over to a exit, he walked out side and was immediately greeted with the sun and a fierce heat. People were walking past him, giving him strange looks as they past.
Issei tried to walk further, but hobbled over in pain. His head was splitting in two, a huge thunderbolt of agony running through his forehead, as though someone buried an axe in it. He rolled over on the ground grasping his head, his eyes wide with pain and terror, and then the hunger hit him. Hard. He doubled up in a ball. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, a pain so huge it felt as if it must have come from outside the universe, an enormous, howling emptiness that filled his entire body. He screamed into the earth, his body convulsing, thrashing back and forth as if he was having a seizure. He screamed and screamed, and after what felt like a eternity of time, but was probably no longer than a minute, the hunger vanished.
Everyone stopped to watch, horrified at the display in front of them. Nurses and doctors ran out from other tents and rushed to his aid, asking him questions that he could not comprehend.
Issei felt like a weak infant, saliva was running down his cheeks and chin and sticky rivults.
Incomprehension flooded through him, and he was overcome by a terror so profound he felt his eyes begin to roll back in his head. He remembered, he remembered the cave... What he saw in the cave. How? How did he forget it so easily? He was getting dizzier by the second as his unconsciousness fought to claim him. A doctor reached to grab him, Issei twisted to him in panic, tears involuntarily springing to his eyes and clouding his vision.
Issei shoved the doctors away and pushed himself to his feet. He stumbled forward determined to move ahead, he himself not even knowing why. he was just starting to walk normally when the hunger hit him again. The vacuum in his stomach and chest reared open again, driving him to his knees. The doctors, who were following close behind, ran to his aid again, but he ignored their pleas once again.
The vacuum in his body pulled harder, sending shockwaves of agony through his body, and he shoved his fist into his mouth and screamed around it, a muffled shriek that tore at his vocal cords. He flopped down onto the hot ground, his body spasming, his mind emptied by the enormity of the pain. He twitched and convulsed and waited, desperately, pleadingly, for it to pass.
The doctor picked up the now limp Issei and carried into the nearest medical tent, and layed him down on a cot. He gripped at the metal side of the cot waiting desperatey for the pain to pass. He squeezed the metal frame of the cot so tight that his knuckles turned white and the metal began to encave. Evetually the hunger left him...
"Hungry...Need... Foo-" Issei barely wheezed out, getting cut by a cough that shot a gout of his blood into the air above him, which fell back on to him. The Doctors that were standing over him looked at him wide eyed, but nodded their heads and darted off.
'So tell me Issei... How do you feel? Weak? Poowerless? Hahaha, soon you hunger will desipate and you will be left stronger than you have ever been, stronger than you can even imagine. You will be so strong that your tiny human brain couldn't possibly understand... But you will.' Zimmers voice rung out in his head
The hunger hit again, a sledgehammer of agony and emptiness, the pain was much worse this time though, so much worse. Issei screamed in pure agony, his body arching off the cot until only his feet and the crown of his head were on it. The same doctors as before ran in and placed their trays of food on a vacant bed, the doctors proceeded to rush over to Issei and restrain him until he was able to eat on his own. A nurse who was following close by force fed him some of the food they brought back. Issei devoured it all in less than a second, The small amount of food was enough for him though.
He felt strong, very strong. Issei fought the doctors that stood over him and over-powered them all with ease. Issei stood and lurched to the food that was placed on the bed and began to devour it like a animal. The nurse who fed him walked over to him and patted his back, soothingly.
After devouring five trays of food, one from each of the doctors, Issei felt overwhelmed with power, so much it was beginning to drive him mad. In fact, he was getting ready to, his eyes began to darken over and turn a petrifying blood red.
"Issei! You're awake!" A girls voice called out from across the tent. It was Yumi. Issei snapped out of his trance and looked up at the girl. She was running at him with her arms extended out in front of her. She lunged herself at him and embraced Issei in a tight hug.
Issei returned the hug, feeling the succubus's smalll perky breast press up against his chest, funny, the last time he payed attention to a womens sexual charms when before the accident.
The thought of Rias occurred to Issei and angered him, darkness and anger seeped out of his pores and radiated round him like a veil. The succubus noticed this and went wide-eyed. Perhaps she did not know what he was.
'Oh look, you are scaring her! Keep going! Show her you are the dominant one!' Zimmer pushed
The succubus eventually calmed herself and smiled, she grabbed Issei and hugged him tighter, a slight blush on her cheeks.
'Oh, wow. I think I might like this girl and the rest of them if they are all this kinky.' Zimmer said
At the succubus's action, Issei began to calm down to a state of stability. Seeing this one of the doctors took the opportunity
"Ahem, Issei Right? Can we do a quick check-up? You seem fine now but who's to say what you just went through won't come back." The doctor asked in a thick, British accent
"Issei turned to him with a fierce speed, Issei looked at the man a if he was food, his eyes showing a powerful hunger to them. Issei nodded to the man and he released his hold on Yumi, much to her demise.
The hunger left Issei's eyes when he let her go, it was as if he was in a trance. Issei stood and followed the doctor who led him a table of intricate devices. The doctor hooked a few of the device up to Issei and ran a few tests.
"Well Issei, you are apparently perfectly fine. If you ever have any problems be sure to come by for any help." The doctor said "You are free to go."
With that Issei got up and walked back to Yumi. Yumi stood still, her hands together over her chest.
"Can you take me back to our tent?" Issei asked her looking into her beautiful blue eyes. Issei's vision clouded.
"Of course Issei! Follow me!" She said walking off, swaying her hips more than what was usual
'Oh, I get it now. That a tricky wild card, Seducing you with her magic. But in response you did something similar didn't you... Ddraig.' Zimmer said, sounding very cocky
Ddraig never responded though. Issei and Yumi walked through the plethora of tents until the eventually made it to the one they stayed in. Maria and Lala were both watching TV again, but they quickly turned to Issei and gave him their attention.
"Issei!" They both screamed and charged him, embracing him in a hug.
'Wow, they are all using their magic. I wonder if they plan on sharing you?' Zimmer mocked
Issei, no longer being in control of his body walked over to the bed and laid down on it, much to the girls pleasure.
One by one the girls crawled onto the bed beside Issei, befoe they could do anything Issei halted them, now back in control.
"Sleep." Issei said monotonously, the girls falling unconscious beside him on the bed.
'Sorry Issei, I could not let you have that much fun.' Zimmer said, snickering
Issei's eyes adjusted back to normal.
"Issei!" A voice bellowed from outside the tent, it was Mark. He did not wait for response before walking into the tent.
Mark looked at the sight in front of him, perplexed.
"Wow, that was fast... Anyways, our top priority is to study you now. The samples you brought back were very... Interesting. We think that you may have contracted something inside the cave when you went down. Will you allow us to do research on you?" Mark asked, suppressing his bewilderment
Issei nodded his head in response to Mark's question.
"Okay, can you... Get out of your current position and come with me?" Mark asked
Issei moved his way out from between the girls and walked off with Mark. Mark led him to another medical tent, this one in a different area than the other medicals tents from before. Issei walked into the tent and was greeted by a nurse and two doctors. The nurse led Issei over to a nearby hair and told him to sit down, he complied.
"Issei, I am glad to know that you are okay, honestly. We, The Consortium, have decided that the stuff you brought back from the cave and the research that will be recorded now will be enough for us out of you. When we are done here we will let you return back to japan." Mark said
Could he go back? It can't be that simple... Could it?
'Accept the offer, something big is about to happen and I want you to be a part of it.' Zimmer's voice rung out in Issei's head
[Partner, I don't like the idea but I agree. I don't want to be anywhere near that cave again.] Ddraig told Issei
The doctor walked over to Issei and placed a needle in his neck, extracting some of his blood. Issei did not feel anything tough, no pain. Nothing... It was as if his body was filled with Novocaine.
The doctor ran several tests on his blood, and eventually came back with the vile of his blood.
"Mark, he tested positive. He has The LUCA virus lying dormant inside of him." The doctor told Mark. MArk looked over to Issei and pulled out a suppressed gun.
Luca... The words pierced through Issei's head like a knife. The pain hit him a again, this time in the form of a headache. Issei was so shocked by the sudden amount of pain that he froze in place. A agonizing pressure slamming into Issei's head as if someone was taking a sledgehammer to his head.
"Sorry Issei, if we let you escape you could dest-" Mark suddenly stopped, scared at the sight in front of him. Issei, still setting in the chair, had a dark aura surrounding him. The darkness around him was blurring the view behind him, Issei's eyes changed. A dark red liquid spread from th corner of his eyes, as though blood was dripping slowly into crimson flow was slowly diffusing the white of his eyeballs and darkening his irises to a shiny black that was void of any emotions. The red in his eyes seemed to be almost alive, swirling and spinning like an oil slick, darkening and pulsing in lazy motions that churned the contents in Mark's stomach.
Mark back-pedaled away from Issei, hoisted his gun at aiming level and fired at Issei, hitting him between his eyes. Nothing... No blood, no cry of pain. Just nothing.
The pain in Issei's head was stilll building up, whatever inside of him was trying to force its way out of him. And it did.
With a scream of agony, Issei released a burst of dark energy. The burst of energy formed a giant, black, misty sphere around the entirety of the camp. the sheer magic of the sphere alone was enough to bring even Ophis to her knees.
In the center of it all was a creature with solid black wings, all light that passed through it vanished. The creatures red eyes penetrating through the sphere. The creature spread its wings and shot off in the sky with a loud bang. The sound barrier breaking and snapping behind it, leaving large gust of visible, spiraling winds.
The sphere slowly began to fade from view once the creature left, and in its place...
Was nothing.
The scorched earth that was there before was now gone, replaced by green grass and a pond. It was a beautiful oasis. it was like nothing ever touched it to begin with. The ravine that the cave was once found in was now filled with land and flora. A small stream running through it.
Issei, blazing through the sky, had the same thought running through his head.
'What is this power? I killed them all, and I regret nothing. I feel nothing.'
Issei recalled what Vali told him long ago.
'The Red Dragon Emperor never lead a good life.'
All of the previous Red Dragon Emperors gave up their sanity for power. Why does he still feel fine?
'To answer your question, it is me. I am blocking your emotions. Oh, your soul is very unstable, it keeps resonating and releasing flares like the sun. The three succubus girls are fine. Now go to Japan, I need you to see Tokyo's current conditions.' Zimmer explained to Issei, for some odd reason tears welled in Issei's blood red eyes and a smile curled on his lips.
'Hmm, your memories are so amusing. When we are done in Tokyo we should go to Kyoto!' Zimmer proposed
30 Minutes later
A dark figure darted over the skies of Japan, heading straight for Tokyo, leaving a black streak behind it.
'Do you know where the tokyo Landfill #0 is? If you do head to it and let me take you to a specific place there.' Zimmer told Issei
'The landfill? Why there? That place is empty, just a giant mesh of empty buildings.' Issei responded, finally opening up to zimmer.
'Indeed it might have been that way when you left, but a lot changed i the short time you have been sleeping.' Zimmer said with a snicker
[Haha! You keep telling him all of this stuff and you still haven't told him you're a omniscient being! HAHA!] Ddraig bellowed out in Issei's head
'Wow, thank you perv dragon for basking me in such an amazing epiphany! I was totally unaware that Issei could not figure that much out for the past... Ten days?' Zimmer said, sarcasm pouring out of his words
[Douchebag] Ddraig said
'Aww, That warmed my black, un-exsisting heart.' Zimmer said mockingly
Issei just arrived at the tokyo landfill and baegn to circle it like a vulture. Zimmer was right, the previously dead city was now exploding with life.
'Hey I think Ddraig here would get angry if I did not ask but, do you believe in vampires? Of course you do! GASPY-KUN!' Zimmer yelled out mimicking Koneko 'Aww... You miss the kitten castle don't you?'
Issei stopped circling around the Landfill and hovered above it, unmoving. Issei closed his eyes and listened to what was happening below. People were screaming in excitement below, girls moaning and screaming, a mix of pleasure and joy. pleasure that wasn't from sex. Issei heard the yell of a boy.
"Look! In the sky! What is that mommy?" The boy asked in curious excitement
Issei opened his eyes and looked down in the general direction of the boys voice. The screams an moans subsided.
"Wow! His eyes are like lasers! Phew phew!" The child yelled out
The crowd began asking questions, who was he?
'Partner, go to the main floor of the big building in front of you.' Zimmer told Issei. Issei focused his attention on the building, his eyes finally converting to normal.
[HEY! 'Partner' is what I say!] Ddraig yelled
'I'm sorry, I was unaware it was trademarked.' Zimmer responded casually
[Prick] Ddraig inquired
Issei darted to the main floor of the building, a loud snap followed by a boom emanating behind him. Issei crashed through the wall of the building a giant mosh pit of people on the inside. Their attention turned from a blonde haired girls to him in merely seconds. Cameras snapped, capturing his god like appearance.
"Who are you and why are you intruding on my territory?" Demanded the small blonde haired girl
"Well, I am Issei Hyoudou. Nice to meet you too. As for you second question, I simply felt like it. Who are you?" Issei responded, floating closer to her, a black spiral of darkness now spinning under his feet.
"I am Mina Tepes, Princess and leader of the Vampires. I am also the owner of the land you just intruded on. If you refuse to leave I will have you killed." She said with a smile, her eyes changing red.
"Oh? You'll kill me?" Issei questioned, anger pouring from his tone. His eyes changed back to the penetrating blood red from before, the dark aura returning too.
'Yes! YES! You finally have control of my power! This is good, this is great! Now, don't kill them, but show them who is superior. Okay? Okay.' Zimmer said leaving no room to argue
Mina stared at him wide-eyed. This power tha was emiting around him should not exist. Mina started trembling from the pressure that was directed to her. A vampire in the crowd took her opportunity and lunged at Mina, her teeth out and a knife outstreched.
Issei darted out between the rogue and Mina. Issei placed his index finger on the lunging girls forehead, she was halted in midair. A black energy gathered around Issei's hand and the dark energy shot into the girls head. The girls body twisted as black blades shot out of her, she exploded, her body disappearing. Nothing came from the explosion though, she just went 'bye-bye!'
Mina looked at Issei who was now on the ground in front of her.
"What are you?" She asked
"Well... To you, I'm a friend." Issei said
"How can we trust you?" She questioned again
"I did not have to stop her from attacking you." Issei walked closer to her, bent down to her height and placed his lips to her right ear "It would not have been that hard to let her kill you. I could have kept you incapitated and let her come at you. I could do it again too, but I know a pretty girl like you would want to keep her reputation."
He gave he a pat on the back at that, getting a slight blush from her. Issei darted off after that, leaving the landfill and headed to Kyoto.
Hey everyone! I am back with another chapter! So I said last chapter that I wanted to hit the Issei x Kunou point in the harem. Well I decided that I want to have a ENTIRE chapter dedicated to just Issei and Kunou! That pairing is VERY under used (More so than Issei and Koneko) and because of that I was like 'Why not?' I know this story probably took a turn that will confuse all of you. Well thats okay.
Things get better from worse, then they get worse again. Things are gonna change again soon, Issei is gonna change again soon.
What will he do? Well? What would you do? Lets find out when the time comes...
Anyways, Please leave me a REVIEW (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD) You have no idea how much it means to me!
'Believe me when I say, your can pain can get worse.'
-Shamastus