Disclaimer: This story is a product of fanfiction. Highschool DxD and the Shin Megami Tensei franchise are owned by their respective creators, Funimation and Atlus. Any and all relations to real-life places or people are mere coincidences.
With that in mind... Demons Anarchy of Pride and CodeEmperor07 are proud to present: DxD: FINAL!
"No longer human. Not angel, not demon. He is...my puppet." -Dagda, Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
DxD: FINAL
Volume 2: The Counter-Demon Force
Life 04: Counter-Demon Force
Myths. Legends. Lores. Folktales. Stories.
No matter what sort of fictional tale you read, no matter what form of literature you may find in your hands, you will always know that, in some way, the presence of the supernatural will be present.
Of course, that was all the supernatural was. Mere figments of a fervent imagination, left only to be told in mere stories and fables. It only existed in the idle minds of men...at least, that was what people thought.
Until, one day...THAT day came.
I can still remember it... even now, every time I close my eyes, I can see it. Even now, I can still remember the sight: an entire city being engulfed in flames, and corpses everywhere, some buried in debris, and others mutilated.
It's been a year... but I still remember it. No, that's not it. It's that I refuse to forget it. I won't forget how my parents were killed, nor will I forget the lives that were lost that day.
The Cataclysm... the event that shook the world. It was when humanity was thrown head-first into the world of the supernatural, the world of monsters, demons, angels, and gods. Kuoh was reduced to mere rubble, and whoever was left behind in the wake of it all were rescued by the Counter-Demon Force, an organization tasked with eliminating the demons.
Humanity is about to fight back... but, I've always asked myself the same question: are nothing but tools for others? Weapons of mass destruction? I don't know the answer... all I know is that I will fight. I will fight to survive, and kill whatever stands in my way, even the gods if need be.
That is role now... one who kills gods. One who cuts them down.
My name is Issei Hyoudou... and this is my story.
(Six Months Later)
"Alright, you maggots! Listen up! As of today, your not just some trainee, wasting your pathetic times behind desks and holding wooden swords! As of today, you are cadets! You are not spineless cowards! As of today, even if you are just a bunch of wimps, you are Hunters! And as of today, each and every one of you will learn what it means to hunt down Demons!"
"Sir, yes sir!" The lined up cadets shouted.
"I can't hear you!"
"SIR, YES SIR!"
"Hmph, good enough!" the instructor, a bald man with sunken cheeks and glaring white eyes growled, walking back and forth in a straight line with his arms behind his back. "Each of you maggots will be receiving your own COMP, but don't get too comfy! These were made only for cadets! Once you have graduated, you will be given your own personal COMP!"
COMPs. Also known as Arm Terminals. They are devices resembling ear pieces connected to metal gauntlets for the left arm. Every Hunter Cadet possessed one, though these were, as the instructor said, designed for them. Cadets. As each cadet stepped forward to receive an armlet, the ones handing them out began to distribute them. The armlets were plain white with LCD screens, covering the forearm while the earpiece resembled a small earphone. However, the only one that did not move to obtain one was a young teen, sitting off to the side. It was a teen with messy brown hair, bearing dark green eyes with a green scar on his cheek, as well as green markings on his left hand. He wore a carbon green jacket over a dark red shirt, and a pair of worn out denim jeans with combat boots. Strapped to his back was a katana, held firmly in a sheathe. The most striking feature about him was the black bracer around his left wrist, which resembled the armlets being passed out, only being more sleek and more slim, rather than the white and bulky models. It also seemed to lack an earpiece attached to it.
"Hey, who's he?" one of the cadets questioned. "I don't think I've seen him in class before."
"Dunno," another replied. "Maybe he's from another class?"
"Never mind that, check out his arm!"
"Dude...isn't that a COMP?! And it's one of the ones used by the S-0 Squad too!"
"You serious?! How the fuck did he get a hold of one of those?!"
The types of COMPs that soldiers receive are based on the squad they are placed in. The squad that possesses the best COMPs available are the S-0 Squad. And it was for good reason. They were the best of the best, led by Hei Kamugaseki, who was considered to be one of the strongest Demon Tamers the Counter-Demon Force had, second only to Skins. Few could hold a candle to him. Some had even said that no one could touch him on the battlefield. Thus, it was confusing and annoying to know that someone was already in possession of such a COMP. How in the world did he get ahold of one? Why did he get one while they were given training-issued COMPs?! It just wasn't fair!
"Unbelievable..." a young man muttered from the crowd of cadets. He was fairly tall, standing at least '5, 9" ft tall, his body physically fit. He wore a black skin-tight muscle shirt with dark jeans and boots, as well as the light gray jacket that all cadets wore. His hair was vibrant orange, and his smoldering brown eyes were glaring at the bot. "We're standing here, getting COMPs meant for cadets, and that guy has one from Kamugaseki's Squad?"
The girl next to him sighed. "Knock it off, Niisan," she said. She was a young teenager with unkempt, fiery red hair and soft brown eyes. She too wore the light gray jacket, though she wore a buttoned shirt, which was partially undone, thus leaving a fair bit of cleavage exposed, and black tights with gothic boots with silver highlighted straps. "C'mon, let's grab our COMP's!"
Kaworu Hibiyuki continued to glare at the teen before turning away, scoffing. "Whatever, Saegusa..."
The girl pouted at her brother's dismissive behavior before stepping forward to follow him, but not before looking over her shoulder to get a glance at the boy. While seemed like a recluse...to her, he actually looked...lonely...
Reluctantly, she followed her brother to obtain her own COMP. Still...she couldn't help but to try and talk to him...maybe another time.
"...hey, Hibari," a rough voice called out to the instructor. The intimidating bald man turned to see a rather shabby looking man walking over to him, wearing a light blue jacket with a Hawaiian shirt, white pants, and leather brown shoes, as well as dark orange sunglasses and a black fedora hat. "How are things going over here?"
The instructor, Hibari, bowed his head. "The cadets are receiving their COMPs, and are ready to begin their training, Fujiwara-san," he reported before looking at the boy Kaworu was glaring at earlier. "Except for Hyoudou, however." A deep frown marred his face as he looked back at Fujiware, who was looking at Issei Hyoudou with a calm collected look. "Mind explaining to me why Kamugaseki-san wanted to throw a kid who was already accepted into the CDF into the training program?"
"He said it would be a good way for him to gain more experience." Fujiwara shrugged.
Unlike the other teens here, Issei Hyoudou had no need to undergo the training regiment. He had already been accepted into the Counter-Demon Force, thus it was natural to think that this training experience would be useless to him. However, to Hei Kamugaseki, this training was meant to increase his experience. Hibari had heard all about it, the kid possessing a Sacred Gear, and beating a demon with his bare fists down into a bloody pulp. He had to admit, the kid may have looked scrawny, but after seeing the footage, he still looked pretty damn terrifying. He also felt bad for the kid too. His home was burned down to a crisp, labelled a danger zone, and left as a charred mess.
He had lost everything that day. And when he was offered a chance to kill the Demons who were responsible, he accepted the offer without hesitation. In order for him to hone his abilities, the teen was placed into the training program, despite his COMP being proof that he was already a member of the Counter-Demon Force. Of course, Hibari knew that no one was going to be happy about this arrangement. Everyone would hold him with jealousy and rage, and would no doubt try to find a way to humiliate him, or try to aggrevate him to where he would screw up.
"Still, he makes a good edition," Fujiwara said with a sly smile. "After all, not many of us in the CDF have a Sacred Gear."
"Really now..." Now Hibari was interested. It was true. Sacred Gear holders were rare in the Counter Demon force. Especially if they were of higher tier.
The Head of the Research and Development Division nodded, taking a sip of his tea. "Yeah," he said with a whimsical smile. "It's sealed for the moment, but it's apparently one of the Longinus. Going by that it's currently a Twice Critical, I think it's safe to say it's one with a dragon involved."
Hibari snorted at this. "If the kid things I'll go easy on him, just because of that, he's sorely mistaken!" he said before he whirled around to one of the officers. "Have all cadets received their COMP's?!"
"Yes sir!" The officer saluted in response before gesturing to the cadets, each one equipped with a COMP.
Hibari nodded. He then turned to face everyone, who then saluted him. "Alright, maggots!" he screamed. "As it stands, each and every one of you has now officially become enlisted in the training program! This program will decide whether or not you have what it takes to become a proud member of the Counter-Demon Force, or remain here on PHAROS doing jack shit!"
A significant number of the cadets gulped. So this was a course to weed out who would be fighting and who would be useless. But they remained steadfast as they willed themselves to take on this task. Issei, for his part, had elected to only give the speech a half-hearted attempt to listen, though even he showed a face of the utmost seriousness. Hibari then stepped away, allowing Fujiwara to speak. "For those of you who don't know, I am Fujiwara, the head of Research and Development," the shabby man introduced himself to the cadets. "And as you know, being a Hunter is dangerous business. Constantly, you will all be forced to risk your lives to defeat the demons who threaten this world. Of course, the same can also be said about the Devils and the Fallen Angels. While the treaty is still in effect, there are some among the Three Great Factions that don't abide by the peace that stands. As such, you will come across Stray Devils and rogue Fallen Angels, possibly even the Khaos Brigade, led by the Dragon God, Ophis."
Many of the Cadets felt sweat pouring down their faces, heart thumping. Demons were the biggest threat to humanity, but not the only one. While the goal of the Khaos Brigade was unknown to them at present, they were still dangerous, with the likes of those of the Old Satan Faction, and even the Hero Faction, humans who had chosen to side with monsters, many of whom call themselves descendants of legendary heroes.
"Of course, each of you was already aware of this," Fujiware said with a small smile on his face. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have chosen to become Hunters. Every day, you will be tested, scored, and ranked. Tests will involve two types: written, and combat. The written portion is simply to test your knowledge of the mechanics behind the Demon Summoning Program. The combat portion is self-explanatory; you will spar against one another, and test your strength. The lowest ranked cadets will be removed from the program, and returned home. Those who make the cut will become Hunters, and assigned to units."
"Now, any questions?"
The orange-haired boy, Kaworu, raised his hand. "Yeah, I got one," he said, looking back at Issei as he stabbed a thumb in his direction. "What about that guy? Each of us was given COMP's issued for cadets, right? So why was he given one from the S-0 Squad?!"
Upon his declaration, a good number of other cadets voiced their own objections as well. Issei took it all with a level expression, yet his teeth were gritted in annoyance. "Heh, it figures," Dagda mused. Unlike before, his form was hidden inside the COMP, reflected in the screen. "All it takes is a few fancy toys, and suddenly, everyone thinks your arrogant. Typical human nature. Still, have to admit, time flies by pretty quickly. Half a year later, and here you are, stuck with 100 runts for the next three months."
Fujiwara pushed up his shades, keeping his expression even. "Hyoudou-kun was accepted into the S-0 Squad, that's why he's been given an official COMP."
This elicited a wave of outrage. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" someone screamed. "We just became cadets, but that guy's already been made a Hunter?! That's bullshit!"
"Yeah!" a female member of the cadets shouted in agreement. "What makes him special?!"
However, while everyone else was in an uproar, the Hibiyuki siblings were surprised to hear the name of the boy in question. "Hyoudou?" Saegusa blinked, staring at the boy with large eyes. "As in, Issei Hyoudou? From the Perverted Trio?"
"I guess we weren't the only ones who made it out of there," Kaworu remarked as he folded his arms over his chest. "Still, that's surprising. The infamous Oppai Baka, a Hunter?" He snorted. "Now I've seen it all."
As the waves of protest grew, Fujiwara held up a hand to silence them. "Hyoudou-kun's acceptance is unusual, I will tell you that much," he said calmly. "However, this decision was made by Hei Kamugaseki, the Captain of S-0 Squad, and the Epsilon Divisin Leader." Everyone's eyes widened, and gawked as they turned their attention back to Issei. "Furthermore, he already has live combat experience, as he was able to kill a demon without the assistance of a COMP."
This tidbit of news stunned the rest of the cadets to silence. This guy...killed a demon with his bare hands?! "Well, that isn't actually true," Dagda mused with a grin. "After all, a pitiful demon like that wasn't a match for a God Killer, much less a Sekiryuutei." Issue remained silent and he clenched his fists. Even now, he could still feel the Chimera's blood on his hands, clawing it's eyes out. Even after half a year went by, he still felt the fear and horror of what he had done, despite the rage that had pumped through his veins at that moment.
"Anyway," Fujiwara continued. "It doesn't matter. Being a Hunter is no game, even for cadets. From here on out, it's life or death. You will gather in the lecture hall first thing tomorrow morning. For now, take the time to rest. After all," A smile touched his lips, nodding his head to the group. "Your going to need it."
With that said, he left, leaving the cadets to themselves. They didn't have time to relax or celebrate yet, as Hibari stood before them. "Alright, you maggots, you heard the man! Head to the mess hall!" he screamed before snapping into a salute. "DISMISSED!"
"Yes sir!" The cadets responded. They then broke off into small groups to go to various areas of the base. Gossip was exchanged amongst them.
"Man, talk about crazy...that Hibari guy really is terrifying."
"No shit, right? That Fujiwara is definitely better, though."
"I hear he and Commander Skins are the ones who started the Counter-Demon Force in the first place."
"Skins...the leader of the Inperiaru Tengoku (Imperial Heaven) Unit, right?"
"Yep. They say he's even stronger than Kamugaseki."
"Man, can't believe that Hyoudou guy killed a demon with his bare hands...he doesn't look like much."
"I still don't think it's fair that he gets special treatment. What'd he do that earned him a spot on S-0 anyway?"
"Here's my thing...if the guy was accepted, why's he even here, anyway?"
The questions continued, but Issei had tuned them out. He simply flowed along with the crowd, his hands in his pockets, staring straight ahead. He didn't care what people thought of him. He was used to it. All the scorn and insults behind his back. Although, this time, it was because he could a demon with his bare hands, rather than peeking on girls.
...speaking of which! 'Every girl here is a fucking babe!' Issei thought as his eyes practically roamed across the bodies of many of the female cadets, especially at their chests. 'Motohama, Matsuda, if you guys are in heaven, I hope you guys are seeing this!'
While he may have become calloused, depressed, and cynical since the events of the massive fire that swept through Kuoh Town and killed a majority of the population including his friends and family, he still appreciated the finer points of the fairer sex. After all, who didn't?! A woman's body was the greatest pleasure, and the greatest thing to have ever blessed this world! From their sexy posteriors to their bodacious boobs! And the boobs...oh GOD the boobs! Truly, Oppai was a marvelous thing! "...and you are still as perverted as an Incubus I see," Dagda noted from within his COMP, sweat-dropping if it were possible. "Seriously, kid...if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were related to Lilith. And quite frankly, that terrifies me."
"Hey...I might be calloused, depressed, and cynical ever since my hometown got burned to the ground and all my friends and family died...but I haven't lost all of my heart to appreciate the beauty that is the female body..." Issei responded.
Dagda sighed. "Well, least you know how to put your strength when it matters," he said. "Anyway, don't look now, but you've got company."
"Eh?"
"Oooi, Hyoudou-senpai!" The teen blinked. Senpai? Why would anyone call him that? He turned around, and found himself staring back at a girl running toward him, possessing fiery red hair and light brown eyes. "Wait up!" Issei looked at the approaching girl in confusion. Had...had he met her before...? The girl stopped right in front of him and leaned forward to catch her breath. She took a moment before standing straight. "Sorry about that...phew!" the girl said before smiling. "Didn't think I'd see you again, Hyoudou-senpai!"
"Ano...I'm sorry but who are you? Have we met before?"
The girl grinned. "Well, can't say I don't blame you," she said with a shrug. "I'm Saegusa Hibiyuki! I'm from Kuoh Academy, like you!"
"You are?" Issei raised a brow. This was the first he heard of this. He didn't see her around the second year courses. Maybe she was an underclassman?
Saegusa nodded. "Yep, a first-year!" she said, confirming her thoughts. "So, is it true? You killed a demon with your bare hands?!"
Issei flinched from the trigger phrase. His vision blurred as a series of images flooded his mind. From the attacking Chimera, to him ripping the Demon's head off, to him gouging out its eyes, to him watching Kuoh burn.
Blood. Carnage. Murder. Terror. Death. Blood. Devouring. Rage. Fury. Blood. Death. Fire. Blood. Despair! Anguish! Rage! Death! Carnage! Blood! Death!
"...yeah, but it wasn't pretty."
Saegusa nodded in understanding. "I can understand that," she said, though he knew that she didn't mean that. "Still, that's pretty impressive. Kind of hard to believe the guy they called Oppai Baka is the same guy who got into the S-0 Squad before everyone else!"
"...It's been a long six months..." Issei replied.
"Yeah, I know." She nodded. "I still can't believe that happened. I mean...why would Demons suddenly attack out town like that?"
Before Issei could answer that, a voice shouted out from behind them. "Oi, Saegusa! Come on, let's go!"
"Jeez, calm down, Niisan!" Saegusa shouted back, pouting. "I'm talking with Hyoudou-senpai!"
"What? The Oppai-baka?" The male shouted in confusion.
Issei felt his eyebrow twitch. "OI!" Sure he was part of the Perverted Trio...but did that stupid nickname REALLY follow him all the way here?!
"It was your own fault, kid." Dagda commented.
He whirled around, intending on snapping at the one responsible. But then he stopped on his feet, his expression of rage fading away.
'...holy shit this guy is intimidating.' Was the first thought that popped into Issei's mind. He really didn't like how the guy was glaring at him. In all honesty, it reminded him of the way an overprotective brother glares at people he thinks are threats to his sister. And sure enough, what the girl said next fulfilled that suspicion.
"Hi Niisan!"
Kaworu growled as he glared down at Issei, brown eyes smoldering. "I don't appreciate a pervert hanging around my sister," he said with obvious hostility. "So I'd appreciate it if you stay away from her!"
Saegusa groaned. "Oh, for the love of...! Niisan, seriously!" she snapped childishly, stomping her foot on the ground. "Quit being so suspicious of people I hang around with! Sure, he's a pervert, but he's our senpai!"
"That was when we were in school," Kaworu scoffed. "Here, we're just cadets..." he paused before his glare became even more intense. "Well, ALMOST all of us."
"And just what are you implying..." Issei's disposition took a 180. Gone was the perverted idiot. He was now replaced by a man who has seen hell and crawled out of it. His green eyes, which still yet appeared brown to others, burned fiercely as he glared back at Kaworu.
The teen snorted. "Come on, I don't buy it," he sneered. "There's no way a pissant like you could have killed a demon, especially with your bare hands. Hell, you could barely stand up after getting your ass kicked by the girls from the kendo club."
Saegusa frowned at her brother's attitude. She knew that he didn't really approve of Issei, even when he was at Kuoh, but this was still unwarranted. Also, why was he being so antagonistic? "Niisan, that's-"
"If you want a fight," Issei cut her off, his voice even yet dangerous. "Then just ask, carrot-top."
"What did you say?!" The rude teen snarled.
"It's as I said. Or do you have poor hearing to match your piss poor attitude?"
At this point, everyone who was passing by to reach the mess hall had stopped, slowly gathering around the two. It was clear by the tension between them that a fight was about to break out, and Kaworu was looking close to throwing the first punch. His hands were balled into fists, and his mouth was open to reveal his molars grinding against one another, eyes livid with outrage. Issei, meanwhile, stared him down.
He did not his irritation overwhelmed him. He knew better than that. Besides, against someone like him...there was no need to go all out. After all, he wasn't a demon. He was human...and compared to demons, human lives were...fragile.
Kaworu growled. "Your asking for it, you little bastard."
"Technically, you were the one who were the one who was asking for it when you first decided to approach me. the reason, I assume is because you are one of the many cadets who believe my being in Squad S-0 being completely unfair when I am grouped with you guys, and even more unbelievable to you because you thought I was a hopeless, perverted nobody just like in school. But let me tell you, carrot top, that no one could stay the same after what happened to Kuoh. I just chose to grow up is all. Now what say you? Are you going to grow up as well? Or remain the narrow-minded child that you are acting like right now?"
His response was more than justified. It would be hard to refute such a claim, after all. He had seen his home, the city he was born into, be reduced to smoldering rubble and consumed by an inferno. Worse, he learned that his parents had died in that fire. Not just them, but his friends too. Everyone he cared about, everyone he loved...all gone. While it may have been true that he was a hopeless pervert, he needed to grow up sometime. Perversion be damned, he was still meant to fight. Dadga has said so himself. So long as he remains as the Deity's God-Killer, he would remain his tool for deicide. Thus, because of his nature, the demons would be attracted to him, and fight him for the sake of eating and consuming his power.
To that end, he agreed with Kamugaseki's proposal. For six months he trained with the man, learning everything he could about the Demon Summoning Program, how to summon demons, how to fuse them, and how to use the power of his Sacred Gear. While many still believed that it's power was sealed, it was within the third month of training that it had revealed it's true form. Hei seemed to recognize it, and told Issei never to show this to anyone outside of S-0. He didn't understand why, but he didn't care. He followed the order, and told everyone that it was just Twice Critical.
Regardless, unlike how he was six months ago...he knew how to fight. And if the livid look on Kaworu's face was any indication, he was about to get himself into one. Somehow, he just couldn't stop himself, and smirked as he wagged a finger at him.
"Well, what are you waiting for, carrot-top? You want a fight, right? Or...was all of that big talk of yours just for compensating for something?"
"Oh that tears it!" with rage fueling hs actions, Kaworu moved to sock Issei in the face. Just when the fist was about to strike him, the brown haired teen moved his head to the side, just barely missing it.
In that same fluid motion, Issei grabbed his wrist, pulled him in, and then delivered his knee straight into his abdomen, knocking the air out of him. Afterwards, he grabbed Kaworu by the roots of his hair, and then rammed his knee, this time to his face. The crowd heard the sickening crack as the bones in his nose broke apart, causing him to cry out in pain. He then followed up with a swift kick, his heel ramming straight into the side of his head.
The orange haired boy who talked smack to the brunette tumbled to the floor, groaning in pain. "N-Niisan!" Saegusa cried, running to him. Kaworu groaned, feeling his head throbbing from the strike, heavily disoriented. Dammit, what the heck was that? That wasn't a kick, that felt like a bar was swung at his head!
"Are you finished your temper tantrum, now?" Issei questioned calmly as he walked over to the two. "You should realize that squabbles out of envy and spite would lead to mistrust and betrayal on the battlefield. We are at war with Demons here. If you are seriously thinking about going through crap like this, then the Counter Demon Force has no need for cadets who would end up abusing their power or commit treachery." He crouched down and looked him in the eye. "I had to go through six months of Hell just to reach where I am today, and it's still not enough. Not against those Demons out there. If you are a citizen of Kuoh, why are you directing your spite at me rather than the Demons that destroyed out home? Is it because I'm a worthless pervert that shouldn't exist? Please...I know the truth of what all you say behind my back. That I am a worthless piece of shit and waste of space who no one would miss if he were to die. That I am a oppai-obsessed idiot who won't get anywhere in life. Enemy of all women. I heard it all before. Yet I ignored it all because I was with my friends. Sure we were perverts, but we had lines we would never cross. They may be enemies of women as well, but that did not mean they didn't have dreams. Matsuda wanted to be an Olympic athlete and win gold medals for Japan. Motohama wanted to be a renowned photographer. Not just simple photographer who takes photos of women, but a true photographer who gets to travel the world and snap photos of grand sights for others to see. But now...they would never achieve those dreams. Why? Because they are dead. They are dead like everyone I cherished. My family, friends. Everyone. I have nothing left. At least you still have a sister who cares about you. I. Have. Nothing. At. All. And before you say anything, no. I don't want your pity. It's not even worth it. All I'm saying is simply fact."
Issei then stood up and turned away, but not before saying a few final words. "Next time, think first before you blow a fuse." Then he walked away.
Everyone was left utterly stunned, especially the Hibiyuki siblings. His personality had changed significantly since the events that transpired six months ago...and Saegusa had understood why. Time would always bring about change. This was something she had expected, though Kaworu's eyes remained at the ground, left unmoving, as blood continued to drip from his nose.
"...damn, kid had it rough."
That was the only comment that Skins had for the young man who had just made a mockery of the orange-haired brat that was causing a commotion. The name certainly fit his appearance, clad in dark green leather armor with a hood over his head, bearing a gaunt, wizened face with an assortment of stitches, as well as an intimidating set of eyes, which seemed to be knit into a constant fierce glare. At his side was a katana, held firmly in a sheathe. He had seen the incident, yet made no move to stop it, simply waiting to see how it would play out.
"Well, what did you expect?" Fujiwara asked, taking a sip of his tea. "Hyoudou-kun was one of the survivors, like those siblings. Although, I imagine he's taking it the hardest. After all, he lost two friends, and his parents. They only lost their friends, but still have their families."
"Indeed." Skins nodded. "He truly has lost everything that day...But you know what they say. Those who hit rock bottom can only climb back up from there."
The shabby man chuckled. "True enough."
"Anyway, still found it hard to believe that Hei actually recommended the brat."
"Well, the boy must've made quite an impression on him."
Skins chuckled. "Which is surprising...given that it's the Demon in Human Skin we're talking about here."
"Well, you have to admit that Hei is the best we have. If he really thinks that the boy has what it takes, then it is good enough for me."
"...yikes, you took a real shiner there," Saegusa said as she applied some gauze to the dark, angry bruise on her brother's cheek. "Hyoudou-senpai really got you good." As soon as she finished applying the bandage, she gave her brother a disapproving glare. "That being said, you deserved it! Look, he may be a pervert, but he's still our senpai! Seriously, Niisan! You shouldn't pick fights with other people, especially people who are going to be our comrades!"
The orange haired teen did not answer her. His mind was focused on Issei's words from earlier.
'I had to go through six months of Hell just to reach where I am today, and it's still not enough. Not against those Demons out there. If you are a citizen of Kuoh, why are you directing your spite at me rather than the Demons that destroyed out home? Is it because I'm a worthless pervert that shouldn't exist? Please...I know the truth of what all you say behind my back. That I am a worthless piece of shit and waste of space who no one would miss if he were to die. That I am a oppai-obsessed idiot who won't get anywhere in life. Enemy of all women. I heard it all before. Yet I ignored it all because I was with my friends. Sure we were perverts, but we had lines we would never cross. They may be enemies of women as well, but that did not mean they didn't have dreams. Matsuda wanted to be an Olympic athlete and win gold medals for Japan. Motohama wanted to be a renowned photographer. Not just simple photographer who takes photos of women, but a true photographer who gets to travel the world and snap photos of grand sights for others to see. But now...they would never achieve those dreams. Why? Because they are dead. They are dead like everyone I cherished. My family, friends. Everyone. I have nothing left. At least you still have a sister who cares about you. I. Have. Nothing. At. All.'
"...that guy seriously pisses me off..."
He shook his head. He just can't stop thinking about it. Sure he lost everything, but no one got out unscathed.
"You're just upset because he made you feel guilt." Saegusa deduced. Kaworu became flaberghasted by his sister's response, and tried to rebuke her, only to find his words die in his throat. The red head smirked. "See?"
"Th-That's ridiculous! I-I don't feel any guilt at all. No guilt or pity at all!" He huffed.
"So you admit you are a cold-heartless bastard who doesn't even care that our friends died along with Hyoudou-senpai's in that fire?"
The orange-haired teen scowled in indignation, turning away from his sister before. She had a point, though he wasn't about to admit that the reason he picked a fight with the guy wasn't just about how he unfairly got accepted into the CDF ahead of everyone...it was also the fact that he was hanging around Saegusa.
He couldn't stand the idea of his sister hanging around with that pervert. It was just how he was. He was her older brother! It was his job to make sure she was safe!
And yet...Yet the Oppai Baka was able to beat him down so easily! He didn't even break a sweat. "Dammit...what kind of training did he go through to get that strong?" He said that he went through hell for the past six months...was that what he was referring to? Were all members of the S-0 Squad such...monsters...? Then again...he heard that their squad leader, Hei Kamugaseki, was called the Demon in Human Skin for some reason. From what he's heard, he was the number one agent in the Counter Demon Force. The best there was. And he was the leader of the S-0 Squad.
However, he was called the Demon in Human Skin, and while Kaworu was not aware of the circumstances, he was aware that many held the man in high regard, and were utterly terrified of him. Perhaps his training truly was hell? Wait, why was he even thinking about that? He had more important things to deal with, namely trying to deal with tomorrow. After all, it was the first day of training, and he was sure that it would be terrifying. Plus, the one leading the training exercise would be none other than Skins.
He shuddered to even think about what would possibly be in store for them. Either way, he thought it would be best to get some sleep. It will be a big day tomorrow.
"Well, let's get some sleep, Niisan," Saegusa suggested as she backed away, finishing her medical attention to her sibling. "After all, tomorrow's the big day."
Kaworu nodded, and laid down on his bunk, hands behind his head while staring up at the ceiling. His mind was still focused on what Issei had said earlier, making him sigh in aggravation. "So annoying..." he muttered as he turned over to his side and closed his eyes.
He fell asleep in minutes.
"Stupid long corridors and stupid directions..." Issei growled as he looked around, scratching the back of his head. "I'm so lost, it's not even funny!"
"It's surprising how humans could make a mobile base this large..." Dada commented.
"That's what I wanna know! How the hell can you make something this big, and not have anyone know about it?! PHAROS' the size of the freaking Texas for crying out loud!" His exclamation echoed out through the hall, further supporting his claim of the sheer size of the transportable building. He just didn't understand it...just who thought it was a good idea to build a mobile command center this huge? Sure, he knew it also functioned as a refugee camp and home for those who had suffered at the hands of demons, but making it this large is just insane! Hell, he barely explored much of it, despite living here for half a year! "Honestly...why does this place have to be so freaking huge?!"
"It was designed that way because it was meant to be an artificial island," a voice spoke from behind him, causing Issei to yelp. "Though it's use changed when the government learned about the threat of demons." The teen whirled around, and found someone behind him. It was a man dressed in a vibrant red suit and light gray hair, wearing a pair of glasses that seemed to have a glare perfectly reflected, thus obscuring his eyes. He sat in a large wheelchair, with his legs crossed over one another. He greeted the teen with a wide smile. "Hi. I'm not a demon."
"Who...who the hell are you...?" Issei questioned, raising his guard. He thought he was alone. And he would've felt the presence of anyone else approaching due to his training. It was like this guy appeared out of thin air!
"My name is Stephen. It's a pleasure to meet you, Issei." The man smiled as he extended a hand in greeting.
Issei blinked, looking at his hand, and then to the man. Slowly, and carefully, he took the man's hand. "A...pleasure, Stephen-san."
"Please, call me Stephen," the man said. "Tell me, how are you getting used to PHAROS? Well, I hope?"
"Er, sort of...still freaking huge."
Stephen chuckled. "That was the point, you see," he said as the two parted. "PHAROS was originally designed to be an artificial island, built for the purpose of expanding it's military access and advancing scientific research. Although, once the worlds' governments learned about the existence of demons, it went from an island to a mobile base, acting as both a home to the victims, and a mobile command center for the Counter-Demon Force."
"Because of circumstances, this island was made into a base? That's pretty crazy..."
"Agreed," Stephen nodded. "Still, I must say, I'm quite surprised."
"Eh?"
"To think that Dagda's God-Killer would also be the Sekiryuutei...fate works in some mysterious ways."
This made Issei even more alert. He...he knew just what he was?! Who is he?!
"You may relax, Issei," Stephen told me. "I'm not your enemy. I am more of a...interested third party."
"A third party..." Issei did not drop his guard, but he visibly relaxed.
The man nodded. "Correct," he said with a slight smile. "I don't blame you for being cautious. After all, the Cataclysm was a unfortunate event, yet it is also the turning point of your destiny."
"A...turning point?"
"Soon," Stephen said. "Humanity will be thrown into a conflict it will barely be able to comprehend. When that time comes, you will find yourself at a crossroads, with three paths open to you. One path may lead you to a freedom stripped of free will, or perhaps a freedom obtained by brutal means." A smile soon presented itself unto Stephen's face as he pushed up his glasses. "Or, if you wish, you can take the middle path...but do remember, that each path can branch off from another."
"Th-three paths...you mean...based on my actions...I could possibly walk down any of them?"
"Correct. However, your decisions are your own. Whether you walk down the roads of Law, Chaos, or Neutral is entirely up to you..."
Stephen smiled again. "If you wish to walk the middle path, I shall help you...of course, that all depends on you."
"Middle path...me...?"
"Yes. When making your own choices, you must be aware of your actions having repercussions. They do not affect only you, but those around you." It was a simple thing that was easy to understand, as Issei pondered it. It was cause and effect; all actions have an effect, though what effect all depends on the action. Still...what could happen that would cause such effects? "By the way," Stephen's voice brought him away from his thoughts, as he pointed down the hallway. "If you were looking for your new room...I'm afraid you're in the wrong block. It's down the hall. Take to the left, and keep going straight until you reach the end. Then head right. Your room is the fourth door on the left."
Issei blinked at the sudden set of instructions, and blushed in what he was just told. He wandered around to find his room for the past hour and he just learned he was in the wrong place entirely. "Ah, th-thanks..." He nodded as he stored the directions in his head.
With that, he bowed his head respectfully, and walked away. As he did so, his COMP's screen flashed, revealing Dagda's face. "That old man knew more than what he was letting on," he said to Issei. "Got any idea what that was all about, kid?"
"I have no idea...What he said about three paths I got...but it was sorta...enigmatic..."
"Law, Chaos, and Neutral..."
"Dagda?"
The deity didn't respond, as he was deep in thought. 'He's probably talking about THEM,' he thought, his eyes narrowed in concern. 'Just what is that man implying, I wonder...?'
"Dagda?" Issei asked again.
'And just how does he know so much...he is quite the unusual being...'
"Dagda!"
The Celtic deity snapped out of his thoughts from the third shout and redirect his attention to Issei. "Sorry, what were you saying, kid?"
"Are you alright? I tried calling your name but you didn't respond."
"I was...lost in thought is all," he told his God-Killer. "Anyway, we should keep what he said in mind, at least about that Law and Chaos thing."
"You know what he's talking about?"
"It's just a guess, but if I'm right...we've got a looot of work ahead of us."
(The Next Day)
"G-GAAAH!"
"And time! Winner, Kaworu Hibiyuki!" The instructor announced as the orange haired teen raised his arms in victory.
It was the first day of training, and the cadets were thrown into a series of drills and sparring matches.
As one expected, the training was definitely nothing to sneeze at. As they were going to be fighting demons, they were tasked with serious drills that tested their bodies to the limit. Various exercises were conducted in order to strengthen them, though some had already chosen to quit the training early, due to the stress behind it. Some persevered, but most were obviously taxed, looking ready to drop. Kaworu was covered thick in sweat, but his face was set in determination, jaw set as he cracked his shoulders, loosening the tension. Half an hour had passed, and he had been through five matches. His opponent was down on the mat, groaning and covered in bruises.
He had been doing well to hold up this far, but compared to a certain Squad S-0 member, he was barely holding on. Speaking of Issei...there was a large crowd gathered around his ring. And for good reason.
"YOU LITTLE PUNK!" The brunettes opponent growled as he squared off against him. It had been less than three minutes, and Issei hadn't suffered a single injury, whereas his opponent was covered in bruises. Issei had barely broken a sweat while his foe was panting heavily. Essentially, the opponent was getting pretty pissed at the ordeal.
The class was also amazed by the fact that Issei was only around 5'7", while his opponent was easily two heads bigger than him. Of course, some of the girls were squealing due to the fact that Issei's body was exposed to them. The males wore black tank tops, which were quite loose in his opinion, and gray shorts. The same went for the girls. Thus, most of their bodies were quite exposed...and the girls were practically drooling at the sight of many boys who had ripped bodies.
Yet none of it compared to the God-Killer in question.
It looked as if his body was chiseled from marble. None of the girls tpfrom Kuoh Academy could believe that Issei had a well built body like this. There was hardly any baby fat, but there wasn't enough muscle for him to be considered a body-builder. It was just at the right mass. It left some of the males envious, while the girls were quite happy.
Saegusa, in particular.
Her face was flushed a bright red upon seeing him like that. There was also a bit of drool falling from her mouth.
"Oi oi..." Kaworu groaned. "Would you quit gawking at every guy who's got muscles?"
"I can't help it, Niisan!" Saegusa retorted, a pleasant shiver running down her spine as she wiggled. "A muscled body is absolutely perfect! The pectorals, the collarbones, the rippling pectorals! Aaaah...!"
The orange-haired brother sighed, shaking his head. "Freaking muscle-loving idiot...how did the track team put up with her as its manager?"
Issei was oblivious to all of this, as he simply focused on the fight. He easily dodged a large left swung, and blocked a straight forward punch, parrying it and knocking the large man away with a kick.
"Guh!" The behemoth was forced back with the air forced out of his lungs. Compared to his fights with Hei...this guy was child's play. He had been training with the man known as a Demon in Human Skin for the past six months. While his body felt like it would break from the strain of the training, he had gotten more out of it than anything in his life. He managed to fight evenly with Hei for a few minutes towards the end of his regimen.
"That it?" Issei asked in disappointment. He knew that the Cadets didn't have the training he went through...but he assumed that some of them would've put up a better fight. His opponent roared in anger, and outright charged at him with the intention of grabbing the runt and pulverizing him into bloody paste. Issei remained calm as the man rushed at him. When he got close enough, Issei lashed his arms out and grabbed the man by his shoulders. Using the momentum of his opponent, he flipped back and slammed him down on the ground behind him. Everyone in the room could hear a sickening crack as skull harshly met the hard floor.
His opponent did not get back up.
"Time!" the referee announced. "Winner, Issei Hyoudou!"
The crowd was silent as the brunette dusted himself off. He went over to check on his opponent. He pressed two fingers on his neck and felt a pulse. He was relieved. He was alive. Although...the blood pooling beneath the unconscious body was a bit concerning.
"...eh, I'm sure he'll be fine." Issei stated nonchalantly while shrugging. He turned on his heel and left the arena.
Meanwhile, everyone else sweat-dropped.
"...that guy doesn't have a care in the world."
"Alright, you have exactly an hour and thirty minutes to answer all of these questions on your document. If anyone is caught cheating, you will be receiving a penalty. If you receive five penalties, you immediately fail the test. BEGIN!"
With that, all the cadets opened their assigned booklets and went to work. Their pencils dragging across stationery to write out solutions and bubble in answers. Now that the physical portion of training is done for the day, it was time to move onto the educational portion of training.
In Issei's opinion, it was the worst portion of training, mainly due to the topics of these exams. A majority of the subjects covered pertained to Demons. Their physiology, their types, attributes, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, behavior, etc. It was to prepare them for encountering demons on the battlefield, as knowledge about them is an valuable asset to turn the tide of the war.
"The Jaki demon, Wendigo, is the advanced form of a Jack Frost of the Fairy Race," Issei read off one of the questions. "Fire attacks are effective when dealing with them, and ice attacks are ineffective. What does it specialize in? Physical attacks, or magical attacks?" The brunette frowned. "Che...if it's from a Fairy, it should use magic over brute force, right?"
Dagda chuckled. "Sorry kid, that's strike one," he said. "More often than not, Jaki demons are heavy hitters in terms of raw power. A demon evolved from a Jack Frost ain't any different."
"So despite being originally a Fairy, it's Physical Attacks surpasses its magic upon evolving?"
"Heh, give the brat a prize."
Issei scowled, hearing the demon's condescending tone, and answered the question before moving on to the next one. "Let's see...The Demon, Black Frost, is an evolved form of the Fairy, Jack Frost. He is a member of the Jaki Race. What is his weakness and what magic does he specialize in?" Issei tilted his head. "Another one? Well, given that he's another Frost, I'm guessing he's ice too...but "black?" Maybe Mudo?" He chose one of the answers, and the moved on to the next. A simple process, rinse and repeat. Compared to the physical portion, the written portion was done in little time at all. Within the allotted time frame, he answered every question before turning it in. Whether he got a good score remains to be seen. Once everyone completed their tests, they were free to go. As they spilled out of the room, Issei spotted a familiar face not far from the hall. Instantly, a grin broke across his face. "Hei-san!"
The leader of the S-0 Squad turned to the brunette and waved at him with a small smile. Issei rushed up to him to speak with his mentor and leader. "Hyoudou," the Demon in Human Skin said pleasantly as he nodded to his pupil. "It's been a while."
"Yes. It has..." The teen could not keep a smile off his face. It's nice to talk with his teacher again. "What are you doing here?"
"Actually, I wanted to introduce you to someone," Hei said. "An old teammate of mine back when I was a cadet. Before that, though...how have things been with Namie? She's been quite worried about you ever since you joined the program."
Issei chuckled, scratching his cheek. "Same as always, a mother hen."
"Indeed she is." Hei nodded in agreement. "But it is a good quality to have in a person. It shows that they are caring of others."
"So, who's this person you wanted to introduce me to?"
"Right here, boyo~"
"WHOA!"
Issei jumped as he whirled around. He didn't notice anyone sneaking up on him like that. Behind him was a woman, a beautiful one at that, having clear alabaster skin and cherry red hair that reached past her shoulders, ending at her shoulder blades, luscious pink lips, and a curvy figure. She wore rather provocative clothing, such as a low-cut tank top that exposed her midriff and a fair amount of her cleavage, as well as denim shorts that are cut close to her thighs, and knee-length leather boots, and scarlet wristbands. On her back, there was a large black tattoo sprawled across the entirety of her skin, which read "There Is No Heaven."
What really startled Issei was her eyes. Her right eye was light blue, whereas her left eye was red with a black sclera.
"Yo~" the woman greeted with a wave. "Nice to meet you, kiddo! So, you're Issei Hyoudou, huh?"
"Y-Yeah, That's me. So you must be the person Hei-san wanted to introduce me to?"
"That's right~" The woman grinned further as she began to dance around him, seemingly sizing him up from every possible angle. From the way her eyes roamed his body, he felt an unpleasant shiver run down his spine, especially WHERE her eyes were looking. Eventually, she stopped right in front of him. "Gotta say, six months worth of training by Kamu-chan gave you quite the hot little body~" she said with a teasing tone. "Or..."
She leaned in a bit, and her smile turned mischievous.
"...was that all Dagda's work, Mr. God-Killer?"
Issei's eyes widened as he whipped his head to face her. How did she know about that?! "H-How did you..."
"How did I know?" the woman giggled as she leaned back. "It's easy for someone like me to know!"
Hei sighed tiredly as he shook his head in exasperation. "Allow me to introduce Mai Itori," he said. "She's a half-kitsune, possessing six tails. She's also our expert intelligence gatherer. You won't find anyone better than her when it comes to intel gathering."
"Damn right!" She winked. "My infiltration and info broking skills are second to none~"
"T-that still doesn't..."
Mai grinned, flicking her nose. "Let's just say I've got quite the keen eye," she said simply. "Anyway...ne, Hyoudou-chan."
"E-eh?!"
"How do you feel about drinking with this nee-chan?"
(A Little While Later)
"Whew~" Mai whooped as she slammed the mug of beer down on the counter, some of the contents spilling out and splashing against the wood. "Nothing beats drinkin' in the afternoon~!"
"It's still pretty early to be drinking though..." Issei sighed as he nursed his own mug. Even though he was underage, he had some experience drinking. And technically, he was allowed to since he was now a soldier. While Namie advised him not too, she would let it slide for him once in a while as a way to unwind and just forget what happened in Kuoh. Every day...the horror of that day was burned into his vision. Drinking was a way to help numb the pain of loss he felt. But he made it a habit not to get completely wasted and suffered a hangover the following morning. He made that mistake once. He learned not to ever again. Thankfully, the bar served soft drinks, so he had ordered it rather than beer. Hei, meanwhile, had ordered some herbal tea. "So...what did you want with me?"
Mai took another swig of her beer before turning to Issei. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked, as if stating a rhetorical question. "After all, you're one of the God-Killers. Those who partake in the communion of deicide. Those who slaughter the gods themselves! I think it's pretty fair that I want to meet one~"
"...wait," Issei frowned, instantly catching her phrasing. "Are you saying...there's more than one God-Killer?"
Hei nodded. "That's correct, Hyoudou," he said, confirming his suspicions. "To be honest, there's still so much we don't know about the supernatural world, beyond the Great War that happened millions of years ago, much less the appearance of demons and where they came from. From what we do know about God-Killers, however, is that they are beings who are not bound by the laws of the world." He closed his eyes, and recited something from memory. "No longer human...but neither angel nor demon. To rend asunder hell itself, and make heaven bleed forth an ocean of red."
"Geez...that's a pretty intense description of them." Issei commented as he took a sip of his soda.
"Well, it also applies to you too since you are a God-Killer as well." Mai reminded.
"Oh yeah..."
Dagda, who had been listening in on the conversation, hummed. "They're not far off, kid," he stated to Issei from his COMP. "When I brought you back from death, you became my puppet, whether you liked it or not. That meant forfeiting your humanity entirely. Even now, your body is nothing but a corpse. The only thing keeping your heart beating is my power."
'Yeah, I know that...' Issei mentally replied. Dagda had told him this after he woke up on PHAROS and accepted the offer to join the Counter Demon Force. He was shocked at first...but compared to what happened previously, he didn't react as loudly.
He died. Dagda revived him. He is now a corpse with a beating heart. That's all there was to it.
"So...out of curiosity, do you know if there are any other God-Killers?"
"There are...but for how many, I do not know..."
Mai giggled. "Which Gods they serve is a mystery, but they power they hold is enough for different factions to try and recruit them. According to my intel, the Ring of Gaea has a God-Killer of their own."
Upon hearing the name, Issei's eyes narrowed in disgust. "The Ring of Gaea, huh..."
The Ring of Gaea. A group that preaches about individual strength. That the strong survive and the weak perish. Issei didn't know much about them, other than what Hei had told him. But from what he knows so far...he doesn't really like them. The Strong survive and the Weak perish? That's a stupid way of thinking. It's essentially Social Darwinism. Additionally, the Ring of Gaea had based all around the globe. While they were typically hard to track down, they were also quite identifiable by their usual garments; covered completely in red, and brimming with power. The Counter-Demon Force and the Ring of Gaea have clashed on more than one occasion, even causing the massive catastrophic destruction of Akihabara many years ago, despite there being no deaths involved, be it military personnel or civilian.
"At any rate," Mai said as she took a drink from her mug. Rather than a full on swing, it was a simple sip as she looked at the brunette with a knowing smile. "God-Killers are powerful because of what they can accomplish, that is a fact. Because of that, several different factions want to obtain their strength. So far, there's the God-Killer of the Ring of Gaea...and you, Dagda's God-Killer, who's side with us, the last defense of humanity. It won't be long before a war breaks out, and when it does..." she paused, letting out a laugh. "It's going to be quite the bloodbath."
Hei nodded. "Indeed...especially since Kuoh will be it's battleground."
Issei's expression fell when he heard the name of his ruined hometown. Due to the Great Fire of Kuoh, pretty much every building had been damaged or destroyed. Houses. Stores. Office buildings. Apartment complexes. Schools. Everything. "Wait, what do you mean it's going to be a battleground?!" The town had been destroyed. Why would they fight there?!
"Because it is the territory of the Sitri and Gremory Houses, Issei." Hei answered.
"They're the territories of the younger siblings of two of the four rulers of the Underworld," Mai explained. "We've been investigating the area pretty thoroughly. Even after the demons began to emerge, the magnetite levels have been going on strong. Usually, once a demon incursion is said and done, it dissipates down to safe levels."
"But it hasn't," the Demon in Human Skin added. "Furthermore, we're still getting demonic activity there."
"M-meaning?"
"Kuoh is still occupied by the demons. Even now, more and more demons are being summoned there."
Silence. One second. Two. Then three. Four seconds went by. After five seconds, Issei's mind finally registered Hei's words.
"...w...what...?"
Did...did he hear that right...? Demons...still at Kuoh...?
"H-how?!" he found himself screaming. "My home got turned into nothing but smoldering rubble!"
"Lately," Mai spoke up, earning his attention. "We've been getting signals from the quarantined area. While there were several people unaccounted for on the list of people inside Kuoh, we weren't able to confirm whether or not anyone actually died in the blaze, or was simply left behind."
Hei sighed. "As sad as it is to admit, sometimes one is forced to leave others behind in an evacuation, whether we like it or not," he told Issei, setting down his tea. He then turned to face his student, blue eyes meeting green. "Since you're apart of S-0, I think it's best you know. Once the training regiment has reached it's end, you will be made into an official member of our unit. Specifically, you'll be assigned to Mai's team." The brunette's eyes widened, surprised by this as he looked at Mai, who gave him a wink. "After Mai's team has been filled out, you will be leaving immediately on a mission."
"A...mission?"
The leader of S-0 nodded. "In three months...you and your team will be heading to Kuoh, and investigate the recent demonic activity."
Issei's eyes widened even further. So when training ends...he's finally going to visit his home town...? For a moment, his memories raced back to the happier days with his family. But that moment was brief as it was burned away by the ravenous flames and stench of burning flesh. He could only hear the sounds of screams and flapping flames...as well as the visage of monsters walking through them.
'They're all going to die...' he thought, his hand clenching into a fist. 'Demon, God, Angel, Buddha, Preta...every last one of them!'
From within the COMP, Dagda grinned wickedly in glee. "Yes kid...that's the way...let your rage towards all of them fuel your strength." he was glad he chose this particular human for his Godslayer. While he is not quite human anymore, he still possesses his emotions, which is a fortunate aspect. He didn't want an emotionless puppet. He wanted a weapon that could think for itself. While it may been a troublesome and risky thing, it was certainly with uses. After all, by retaining will, he would feel rage and hate...and now he felt just that. Devils, Fallen Angels, Gods, Demons, Angels, Buddha, Preta...everything was now the target of his rage. After so many years, Dagda had found a human that could liberate humanity from this damnable prison from everything.
"It won't be long now...soon, it will all begin."
Kuoh had truly been a shadow of it's former self. While it was not a large city, it was still fairly big. Once, it was vibrant and thriving of life...yet now, all that lined it's streets were pieces of rubble and scorched earth. Some buildings were scarred, left dilapidated or crumbling.
If you were to ask Varna, he found it quite fitting for what would become the battleground and the verge of a new age. The God smirked to himself as he breathed in the air, the scent of festered blood and ash heavy in the air. "Three months will be well worth the wait," he said to himself before he looked at his God-Killer, who simply at the edge of the building, eating a chocolate bar in her hand. "I suppose you can hardly wait either."
His God-Killer smiled. "Of course," she replied. "After all, my darling Ise is supposed to be here soon, right?"
"If what I've been told is to be believed, yes."
"Then great!" The pink haired God-Killer grinned brightly as she took another bite of chocolate.
Varna sighed, shaking his head. "What a one-tracked mind you have, Yuno Gasai..."
"...so, this is where the God-Killers will be gathering, huh?" a woman questioned as she looked at the ruined city of Kuoh from atop the rooftop of it's once prestigious academy. She appeared to be in early adulthood, possessing long black hair that reached down to her knees, which was tied into a small tail near the end with a white band. She also dressed in a rather skimpy outfit, wearing torn shorty shorts and torn up leggings, coupled with a few straps on her legs, as well as three belts tied around her right leg. She had another belt at her hip with a silver buckle, and wore silver greaves. Her top was rather revealing, split open at the front to reveal her stomach and abdomen, as well as a fair amount of cleavage. Over it was a worn-out black coat with black straps and silver edgings, with the left sleeve torn apart. Her left arm was covered in bandages and several straps. "Hmph."
She was mildly interested of what will be taking place. In truth, she didn't have any real interest in the conflict that was about to begin. She was mildly interested in the God-Killers themselves. From what she knew, so far there were three others; one who was the God-Killer of Varna, the Heavenly King of the Three Worlds, who sided with the Polytheistic Alliance. One who was the God-Killer of Mahesvara, the God of Destruction and Rebirth, who was apart of the Ring of Gaea. And lastly, the God-Killer of Dagda, the Good God of Ireland, who was apart of the Counter-Demon Force.
And then, there was herself. The God-Killer of Cleopatra.
Edna Corvus couldn't help but sigh as she folded her arms, looking up at the sky. "What a boore..."
"...Toki, I have a new task for you."
Upon the voice echoing from the darkness, a lone figure emerged from the shadows. The figure was a petite female garbed in a black bodysuit and black cloak. On her face was a black and silver, two horned Oni mask. The girls lavender hair spilled from behind the mask in a wild manner.
"...you called, Lady Yuriko?" The girl addressed the woman sitting on the couch on the far side of the room.
She wore a white coat with a fur lining along the collar, yet it was not like those burly fur coats those prissy and arrogant noble women wore. Rather, this was more slim fitting, as if to fit her curvaceous form. She was perhaps the pinnacle of beauty, bearing pale, alluring alabaster skin with jet black hair, well groomed and polished, sitting atop her shoulders. Underneath the coat, she wore a formal black suit, complete with a dress shirt, a jacket that was buttoned up half way, and dress pants with black heels. Her eyes were a cold, yet mystifying color of electric green. Below her left eye was a small black mole.
"Indeed I have..." The woman responded, her voice melodious and smooth. "I have a task for you..." The masked figure, Toki, bowed her head as she kneeled. "As you are aware, this city will soon become the battleground, as it had before nearly half a year ago. Soon, the Counter-Demon Force will come to this city, and try to reclaim it. Recently, we've learned some rather...interesting information."
"...who is my target?" the masked girl asked simply, wasting no time in beating around the bush.
Yuriko smiled widely. "...the God-Killer of Dagda."
"...what a beautiful sunrise. Truly, Japan is the land of the rising sun, isn't it? I wished I can come here sooner!"
Sitting close by to where the wharf once was before it was reduced to smoldering ruin was handsome young boy with tanned skin and aqua-colored blue hair and bluish gray eyes, wearing a light blue hat with a peacock feather attached to it, a jacket of the same color with the coattail split in two, an orange dress shirt with a red cravat, and light brown shorts with leather boots that reach up to his calves. However, despite his looks, his eyes held wisdom beyond their years, old and wise. A light smile danced across his face as he stared at the sun, which was slowly rising up to break away the darkness.
"Normally, I would agree," a calm, methodical voice spoke behind him. "However, I'm afraid that the scenery ruins the beauty, Krishna."
A sigh escaped him as he looked at the being behind him. "Must you be so pessimistic, Odin?"
Behind the man, now named Krishna, was a tall being adorned in golden armor with strips of blue, a navy blue cape fluttering behind him. In one hand, he carried a long spear, and in the other, perched on his wrist, was a black raven. His face was also seemingly apart of the armor, as a blue design covered his left eye, leaving his only cold blue eyes, which was sent into a calculating, cold methodical glare.
"Forgive me, old friend," the Allfather of Valhalla said. "But you know it is true. All around us is nothing but scorched earth and piles of dirt." He gestured all around them, signifying the rubble and ash as far as the eye could see.
"Well, it doesn't matter. After all...one can say that the the grandest of sights is born from a stark contrast. With the symbol of renewal of the rising sun...and the lifelessness of the scorched Earth...I would say that it is still quite a marvel to behold." Krishna shrugged.
Odin sighed. "Only you would believe that," he said in exasperation as he folded his arms. "It is a wonder how you ever became the leader of the Hindu Gods after Vishnu's death in the Great War."
"Well, I am his Eighth Incarnation and complete...unlike them..."
Again, Odin shook his head. "Lord Odin!" a voice cried out from above. "Lord Odin!" Soon, a third arrival made their appearance, landing softly on the ground. It was a beautiful young woman with long, straight silver hair and light blue eyes who appears to be in her late teens. Her attire seemed to be a set of Valkyrie armor, which consisted of a white breastplate with gold and pale blue accents and matching, fingerless gauntlets, boots, hip guards, and wing-shaped hair clips. She wore a black leotard underneath her breastplate, black thigh-high stockings, and a pale blue cloth wrapped underneath her hip guards, all of which were clad with pink lacing along with her hair clips. "There are you! I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Ah," Odin nodded his head, seemingly apologetic. "I apologize, Rossweisse."
"Just why do you keep going off on your own without notifying me first?!" She scolded. "As your bodyguard, it is my duty to look after you...and how am I supposed to do that if you keep running off like this?!"
Krishna let out a chuckle.
"Come now, Rossweisse," Odin replied, completely unperturbed by her scolding. "Even I must have some fun once in a while. Besides, I did not go far off."
"That is not the point, Lord Odin!"
Odin chuckled as his tone became more teasing. "You know, Rossweisse...it is because you are so uptight and strict that you can't seem to get a boyfriend."
"DON'T SAY SUCH THINGS DAMMIT!" the poor valkyrie screeched with a red face, tears flying from her eyes. "I EXPECTED THIS ATTITUDE WHEN YOU ACT LIKE A PERVERTED OLD BUFFOON, NOT OUR DIGNIFIED ALLFATHER!"
Krishna could no longer control his laughter as he tumbled in the air laughing crazily at the comical situation. Leave it to his good friend to get his spirits up. Ah, if only such things could last. Such moments were the things he enjoyed.
However...even if he knew that it wouldn't last, especially with humanity about to be thrown into a war it is completely unprepared for.
"...at last, it begins..."
"Indeed, Lord Lucifer. After so many years of waiting..."
"Are all the preparations complete, Seraph?"
"Yes, Merkabah..."
"Good."
In two separate realms, one of light and one of dark, two opposing forces seemingly stared at one another, despite the boundaries within their worlds, and met the nonexistence gaze between them with smoldering intensity.
Stephen, however, merely smiled mysteriously from his own space, as he pushed up his glasses.
"And so it begins..." he whispered. "The Final Battle for humanity."
"The Second Great War."
End of LIFE 04
Dagda: After playing the game, I had to, unfortunately, retcon how he was portrayed in earlier chapters. While he does want humanity to be liberated from gods, in contrast to creating a new universe, he is still going to be quite hostile.
Krishna: As people can see, he is quite different from how he was portrayed in SMT IV Apocalypse, and that is intentional. In this story, Krishna is not a antagonist, so anyone hoping for a badass fight between him and Issei...sorry.
Odin: This incarnation of Odin is a mix of both how he was portrayed in Apocalypse, and in DxD. Due to *SPOILERS* he has to assume his perverted old man guise while he is with others, but around individuals like Krishna or Issei, he can assume his true form. Also, he is SMT powerful, not DxD. Want to state that now.
Toki: This is a different Toki than the one that appeared in Apocalypse.
Characters from Apocalypse: Want to state this up front...no one from Apocalypse, from the exception of noteworthy demons, will be appearing. That means no Hallelujah, Gaston, Asahi, Isabeau, Flynn, Navarre, or Nozomi. Not even Toki is in this. Instead, she is replaced by someone else. However, I do have two characters filling the role of being half-demon, so Hallelujah and Toki's roles have been filled out.