Chapter 1: Four Lords of the Realm Pt. 1
-Yokai Academy nine and a half months after the deposition of the Monster Council-
Tsukune frowned as he looked over some reports, which described some rather unusual things. They entailed some alien activity in Japan, which he had heard of before and dismissed. He didn't believe it until another one was handed to him with evidence to back it up, which convinced him of alien involvement in this current predicament.
The Cardinal Four Lords have gone missing.
This had left the monster world of Japan in disarray, and Tsukune knew damn well that he had to do something fast. He needed to find the Four Lords.
The reason they were in disarray was because these four men were the only ones keeping the Monster World together in absence of a king, and were especially essential to this ever since the Council had been deposed. And on top of that…
They were in charge of keeping the twenty severed fingers of the original Monster King, Akurama Jashin, in the event that a new Monster King candidate arose. Five fingers each, four in one case. The lords were extremely important. And now three of them were missing while the fourth was taking refuge with the Angel Dragons in the Kansai region.
"Okay, I need to take action now." He muttered. He then got up from his desk in his dorm and looked at his girls, who were chatting with one another. It had been a good nine and a half months since the events that resulted in Tsukune impregnating his harem, and all the girls had already given birth.
"What's up, Tsukune?" Moka asked upon spotting the harem master get up from his chair.
"It's the Four Cardinal Lords, they've gone missing." The True Vampire told him as he looked at Miyuki. "Except The Lord of the West, Akaguro Aizen, who I assume is taking reference with your family, right Miyuki?" The boy asked.
"Yes. My mother called me about it and said he mentioned creatures of alien origin assailing him before he made his escape." The Angel Dragon nodded. "There were hundreds of them. His forces were almost completely overwhelmed." She added.
"Then it looks like we need to get to the bottom of this." Tsukune said as he turned to the rest of his wives. "I know it's only been two weeks since you guys gave birth, but we need to figure out what's going on. I hope you're willing to help me." He told them.
"You know it, hubby." Harley nodded.
"Good. Come on, we have an arms deal to investigate." The boy said as he gestured for all his combat oriented girls to follow, while Mosura, and Rachnera were staying behind to look after the infants that were sleeping soundly in the dorms.
(Later)
At night in the country of America, Tsukune and the girls followed some leads to an arms deal that was supposedly going to happen between the same aliens that attacked the Four Lords and a group that may have benefited from their capture.
"What kind of weapons are involved in this arms deal, anyway?" Kurumu asked quietly.
"No idea. Could be anything." Harley shrugged. As they continued to wait, a custom green 2009 Dodge Challenger with black racing stripes came driving up with two other trucks directly behind it.
As the vehicles parked, a teenager stepped out, looking to be about seventeen or eighteen. As the rest of the people got out, Miyuki tensed up when she saw a group of Medieval Knights with an infinity symbol on their armor walk into frame.
"Fuck." She cursed under her breath.
"What?" Keito whispered.
"Those bastards are the Forever Knights, people who oppose anything not human. They're like Nazis." The dragon girl hissed.
"Well that's just great." Tsukune groaned before he noticed a box being carried by one of the people with the teenager to the knights. It was black stained decorated in an oriental pattern of black and silver with turtles on it. And he could feel the same energy he felt when he found Akurama's first finger.
The teenager opened the case and took out a necklace with five fingers tied to it. The sight made the True Vampire's eyes widen.
"That's five of Akurama's fingers!" Moka gasped.
"That means they were involved. Should we make ourselves known?" Yukari asked, wand ready.
"Hang on." Ruby said as three figures stepped out of nowhere right as the teen from before demonstrated the destructive powers of something called an energy lance.
The first was a teen around their age in a green jacket with a ten on it, jeans, green shoes, a black shirt and an odd watch. The second was a redhead, and the third was some sort of alien.
As soon as they made themselves known, a fight ensued with the people revealing themselves to be the same brain aliens that attacked the lords.
"Tsukune? Get involved or not? Your call." The pink haired vampire told her husband. The boy thought for a moment before glaring at the aliens, who had the other three individuals currently on the ropes.
"Let's make some pain, girls." He declared as he transformed. The group then charged into the fight and Tsukune took his first strike by grabbing the teenager who was with the brain aliens by the face and forcing him to the ground via facepalm. Noting as well that he had turned himself into metal.
"Ngh! Who are you supposed to be?!" He grunted.
"I'm the one asking questions here, dirtbag." Tsukune retorted. "Now, I'm only gonna ask this once: Where is Lord Tarou Gembu?" The Vampire questioned with a growl, wings spread for emphasis.
"Forget it! I'm not talking!" The metal boy spat.
"Bad move, runt!" Tsukune growled as he hoisted the boy up by his face. However before he could tear the guy a new one, he was suddenly blasted in the side of the face by fire coming from a plant-like Alien.
"Swampfire!" The Alien exclaimed. "Urg, what is that smell?" He wondered before checking his pits. "Is that...me?" He said in astonishment.
"Okay, dumbass. You just made a stupid mistake." The Vampire grunted as he got up.
"That you, Tennyson?" The teen asked Swampfire.
"Yeah. Don't get used to it, Kevin." He replied dismissively, giving Tsukune the impression that they weren't really buddies.
Looking down at his feet, he noticed that the necklace Kevin had was right next to his foot. 'Must have dropped in the fight.' He thought as he picked it up.
"Six down. Fourteen to go." Tsukune said as he took the fingers and swallowed them whole.
"What the heck?!" Kevin yelped, not expecting Tsukune to just eat the fingers so casually.
"Oh ho ho ho ho yeah!" The boy yelled as his monster energy exploded and sent Kevin and Swampfire skidding backwards due to the force of his power up. "The power! So this is what it feels like to be one step closer to being the Monster King!" He grinned.
"What's going on?!" The redhead asked as she ran up to her allies.
"Some guy just attacked Kevin and now he just ate those fingers that Kevin was about to give to the Forever Knights." Swampfire said as the aliens from before were all either taken out or the knights were all chased away by the girls.
"Seriously?" The girl asked in disgust.
"The name is Tsukune Aono." The Vampire said as he reeled in his power and his girls came up to him, dragging along one knight and one alien. "And I'm gonna ask this one more time: Where is Lord Tarou Genbu?" He growled, wings spread open and claws ready.
"Why are you even looking for him, anyway?" Kevin wondered.
"Because these fucks were seen attacking all of the Four Cardinal Lords." Harley said as she dropped the alien she was holding.
"Sorry, the what?" Swampfire questioned as the fish alien that was with them came up to the group.
"The Four Cardinal Lords of the Monster World. They're basically the only ones keeping the government from falling apart in the absence of the Monster King and his advisory Council." Kurumu explained.
"So, what, are you saying that you guys are Monsters?" The plant alien asked as he transformed back into the boy from before.
"Uh, were the wings not obvious enough?" Tsukune quipped flatly as he flexed said appendages. "But yeah, we are. I'm a True Vampire." He added.
"My name is Mika Akashia, I'm a S-Class Vampire." Mika said, having removed her rosary to fight the nights.
"Kurumu Kuruno, I'm a Succubus." The blue haired sex Demon said, her G-cup breasts jiggling.
"Mizore Shirayuki, Snow woman." Mizore nodded.
"Yukari Sendo, Witch." Yukari continued.
"Ruby Kuromi, I'm also a Witch." Ruby added.
"Keito Arachnera, Jurogumo." Keito states.
"Miyuki Shimada, Angel Dragon." Miyuki added further as her wings and halo appeared.
"Deshiko, jiangshi." Deshiko continued.
"Harleen Pamala Lovecraft, Old One." Harley finished as her hands crackled with Eldritch energy. The name of her race made the redhead take a step back, being more versed in the lore of various topics, including the Lovecraftian horror mythos.
"Whoa, that's a lot of monsters." The boy wearing the watch said in surprise. "I'm Ben Tennyson, this is my cousin Gwen and an acquaintance of mine, Kevin Levin." He continued. "We were trying to investigate this deal to find my grandpa Max. At least until you guys showed up."
"I guess we're on similar trails, then. We're searching for the missing Lords, and think these aliens, whatever they are, had something to do with it." Tsukune explained.
"You see, in addition to being highly respected beings of authority and the final approval of a new Monster King, they're also in possession of the most powerful relics in monster history." Ruby explained.
"That being the twenty severed fingers of the first Monster King, Akurama Jashin." Keito continued. "The only way for a new Monster King to be chosen is for a Monster to consume these relics and survive the process of absorbing such godly power." She added.
"As disturbing as the concept is, how many have you… um… consumed?" Ben asked reluctantly.
"Counting the ones I just ate? Six, so fourteen remain for me to consume." The vampire replied.
"As interesting as this is, we should probably start questioning the prisoners we have." The alien with the three kids said as he gestured to the knight that Mizore had frozen up.
"Right." Tsukune nodded as they walked up to their prisoner. "Now…" He continued as his claws extended. "Let's see if a Forever Knight's armor acts like a can of sardines when met with a can opener." He added as the sound of metal ripping open and horrified screams of pain could be heard for a couple miles.
(Later)
"I'm going to have trouble sleeping for a few days now." Ben said with a shiver as he, Gwen and their Plumber associate rode in Kevin's car. Tsukune and his girls followed them from the air.
"If that guy is going to be the next monster king, then I hate to be on his bad side." Kevin shuddered.
"The Forever Knights played a part in the genocide that nearly wiped out the Angel Dragons. As far as I'm concerned, that guy got off easy." Tsukune told them over the phone.
"Uh, noted." Gwen replied uneasily.
"Why has monster society hidden itself, exactly?" The sole alien in the group asked, not being well versed in such a topic.
"Because of the bullshit and atrocities humanity pulled against it. It could only take so much before deciding enough was enough and hid itself away." Harley explained.
"That, and the constant infighting between various races and clans would have led to the extinction of both sides if humans got involved." Miyuki added.
"But once I've become monster king, there will be no more hiding. No more disguises, no more fear. Either humanity accepts us, or we make them accept us." Tsukune added.
"What he means to say is that hiding is like a bandaid, and in order for us to move forward we have to remove it from the equation and show humanity that we aren't enemies." Mika clarified as she transformed back into Moka.
"And sometimes salvation must be force fed." Keito added.
"That is true. If someone can't take it, they'll be forced to at times." Gwen nodded as they came up on a castle.
"We're here." Kevin stated as he stopped at the castle.
"This place looks like it's stuck in the dark ages." Harley stated as she got off Ruby's broom. "Which is saying something when you consider that I come from Lovecraft County Rhode Island." She added.
"I think we can tell." Ben replied. "Now, how do we get in…?" He wondered before Gwen grabbed the drawbridge with some mana and pulled it down.
"There's your answer." Yukari remarked as they went inside.
As they went inside, Kevin started grabbing everything valuable he could fit in his arms or a bag. Miyuki looked at the armor of the Forever Knights in disdain while Ben seemed wary of their surroundings. Tsukune noticed this and raised an eyebrow.
"What's your problem?" He asked the boy next to him, not noticing the giant shadow covered figure moving behind them.
"Sorry. I guess I'm just a little-" Ben started to say before the shadow growled, causing everyone to turn and see a dragon standing there. "Paranoid!" He finished with wide eyes.
"Well that's new." Deshiko said as she twirled her staff. Mizore meanwhile started sending blasts of ice at the giant reptile, which made it become immobilized.
"Alright everyone, run!" Moka told them as they ran through the halls. Not even fifteen seconds later, they ran into more Forever Knights using energy lances.
"Hold! All of you, surrender now!" One of them ordered.
"Ah shut up!" Deshiko yelled as she swung her staff and sent several knights flying with the force of that one swing. Harley glared at one group and sent a wave of energy at them, causing them to go insane as they screamed while grabbing their heads.
Miyuki punched one leg of the dragon, and blinked when sparks came out. "Wait, this is a robotic dragon?" She noted in surprise.
"Of course these losers would make one to stroke their egos." Kurumu grunted as she slashed several knights across the chest with her claws.
Meanwhile Kevin, Gwen and Tsukune were busy trying to beat back more of the Knights, when Moka's ears picked up something coming from the lower floors of the castle.
"Tsukune, I hear someone calling for help below the castle!" She told her husband.
"On it!" Tsukune called back before he leaped into the air and smashed a hole in the floor, finding himself in the dungeon.
"Who's there? Are you here to get me out?" A man's voice called, prompting the Vampire to run to the owner. As he reached the source of the voice he saw a dark skinned man who was bald, had a medium length beard, green eyes and was also quite scrawny looking. He also seemed to have Turtle inspired shoulder pads over a black kimono on him as well as a pair of sunglasses. He was also carrying a cane.
"Lord Gembu!" The Vampire exclaimed as he ran towards the man's cell.
"Ah, Tsukune. Glad to see you're here." The old Lord said as the door was ripped open. He, much like the other Lords, had heard of Tsukune already partaking in Akurama Jashin's fingers. They all made sure they were ready for when he came for the rest of them that they held so he could possibly become the new monster king.
"Yeah, things kinda got hectic." The Vampire nodded. "Why didn't you Transform and break out?"
"It's these walls, boy. They suppress the powers of monsters to weaken us." The old timer said. "If I were younger I could have, but this old body just isn't as strong as it used to be. At least in this disguise." He added as they walked, using his cane to keep himself up.
"That would explain why the other two Lords haven't broken out." Tsukune muttered as he walked out of the dungeon with Gembu in tow.
"Ah but don't worry. I can still kick tail like any young whipper snapper. Trust me." The old coot laughed before he suddenly started coughing as they reached the scene of the battle again, where Ben was destroying the energy lances with a new sound alien.
"There you are. Where'd-... Who's that?" Kevin started to ask before seeing the old Cardinal Lord. Tsukune's girls looked at their husband and perked up when they saw Gembu.
"Lord Gembu!" Miyuki exclaimed as she rushed up to him.
"Thank goodness you're alive." Moka sighed in relief.
"I'm fine, quite fine. But enough, we need to hurry." The Lord stated.
"What for?" Kurumu asked.
"While I was being held captive here, I overheard the knights mention that one of the remaining Lords had escaped capture, but the other is with those brain creatures and their respective boxes containing the remaining fingers of Akurama have been sold on the alien black market as trophies." The old tortoise Yokai explained. Tsukune and his girls cursed under their breath at the news.
"Tracking them is going to be a chore, then." The True Vampire groaned.
"Well at least we know that one of the lords is heading to safety. Likely to reclaim his castle." Miyuki nodded. "Who do the aliens have?" He asked.
"Lord of the East, Shiro Toragane, The White Tiger." Tarou replied.
"We'll save him next." Tsukune nodded. It was at this point that Ben noticed that their Plumber associate's suit had a leak in it.
"Hey, are you okay? There's water leaking out of your suit." He said. The alien let some of the liquid fall in his hand to look at it, and when it started steaming, dread dawned on him.
"It's not water." The Alien said as he started collapsing.
"I have a tire patch kit in my car." Kevin said.
"I can refill you with liquid nitrogen with my cold breath. Would that—?" Mizore asked as the plumber shook his head.
"No, there's nothing you can do for me now." He said as his strength started to wane. He then turned to Ben. "Ben, if you want to find your grandfather, then follow this conspiracy to its source. But be careful, Max was just getting close to it and he disappeared, if you're not careful…" He continued.
"I'll finish it." Ben told him.
"See to it… that you do…" The Plumber said before his entire body vanished from his suit. Everyone let out a sharp gasp, Tsukune looking away as he cursed under his breath.
"I'm sorry, Ben. No one had to die today." The True Vampire said as he got up.
"Don't worry. Let's… let's just finish this." The shapeshifter said shakily.
(A few minutes later)
The group was now sitting on the road with Gwen in front of them, the redhead attempting to do a tracing spell back to old owners of a laser lance Kevin had kept as a souvenir. Yukari and Ruby had decided to pitch in and help out.
"You sure you know what you're doing?" Kevin called from the driver seat.
"Yes!" The magic girls yelled as they continued to try casting the spell. After a few moments of the weapon spinning, they finally got a lock on the previous owners.
"We got it! Let's go!" Ruby called to the others. They were quickly on their way to their destination, and when they arrived, they were at the entrance of a mineshaft.
"We're gonna need a way to get past that… Guard." Ben said before deflating as Tsukune tore through the guy's face, knocking off some sort of mask and revealing it to be one of the aliens.
"They use masks?" Moka noted with a raised eyebrow.
"Well I guess they gotta blend in somehow. Come on, let's get down there." Keito beckoned as she got on the elevator.
As they reached a sub level of the mine, Ben put on the mask and everyone else got into a cart, with Tsukune hiding them underneath his wings. As they walked by the creatures who were working, they soon came to an area that looked like a landing site for a giant ship.
After getting to an area where there were no other aliens in sight, the group hiding in the cart got out and shivered from how cold it was… Well, except one of them.
"Is it cold in here, or is it just me?" Yukari asked, sneezing.
"I don't feel cold." Mizore shrugged.
"That's to be expected." Harley commented as she tried to keep herself warm by snuggling close to the other girls.
The next room the group came to seemed to be a core room that seemed to have several doors. One leading to a weapon room, and then another room that had several cells inside. They assumed this was the brig.
"Let's have a look around and see if Lord Shiro is in here." Tsukune said as he motioned for his girls to spread out and search the brig.
"Shiro! If you are here, let yourself be known, old friend!" Tarou called through the halls, and was responded to by a loud roar seconds later. "This way." He said as they went further in. They soon arrived at a cell with a man that looked to be in his thirties in it.
The man was muscular, with caramel toned skin, white hair, gold tiger-like eyes and tiger paint patterns on his face and body. He was also dressed in armor similar to a Samurai, with a white tiger pelt loincloth and no shirt to speak of. He was sitting in the cell on the floor with his legs crossed and arms folded.
"About time you showed up." Shiro said gruffly.
"Apologies for the delay." Tsukune responded as he opened the cell, allowing the Cardinal Lord to walk out. "It is good to see you alive, though." He added.
"I would have torn myself out, but these bastards put a power dampening collar on me, so I can't access my monster form." The beast man growled as he tugged at the thing around his neck.
"Looks simple enough to just tear it off." Harley noted as she looked the collar over. She then did exactly that, allowing the White Tiger to pop his neck in relief.
"Ah, much better." He commented.
However as they exited the brig, the group had to back up as Ben came flying out of nowhere in a dinosaur-like form after being punched by a large white reptilian moth-like Alien.
"What the hell are you supposed to be?" Tsukune wondered, getting the alien's attention.
"Vermin assisting their comrades. Typical." He said in disdain as he looked at the monster group.
"Everyone, assume your monster forms." Moka told them.
"It's time we put this guy in his place." The True Vampire added as they all transformed. With Shiro becoming an even taller and more buff anthropomorphic tiger, and Tarou becoming much more buff and gaining two tusks as he became turtle-like. He looked similar to a human-like Gamera.
"Insolent pests. This means nothing!" The giant alien exclaimed as he tossed Ben aside and charged at them. He attempted to throw a punch at Tarou, but the old timer didn't even flinch as he hit the turtle man's hard chest shell.
"I think it's about time that someone taught you to respect your elders!" The Lord yelled as his hand became ablaze in purple and black fire as he falcon punched the alien in the face and sent him flying clear across the room.
"GAH! You dare-!" He tried to yell before he was struck by Eldritch energy, which caused him to let out a pained noise.
"Pride cometh before the fall, as we say. And you are definitely a race with too much pride." Harley commented, noting the alien's proud demeanor.
"Though I think you'll admit that we're definitely on a similar level to you." Tsukune added as he stepped forward. The Highbreed slowly got up and caught a punch from Ben, before he swung the dinosaur alien by the tail at Tsukune who caught him and set the hero down.
"He's too strong for me." Ben groaned.
"Not surprising, if I had to guess he's probably on par with a high ranking S-Class or low ranking Z-Class Monster." The True Vampire nodded.
"He's all yours, then." Ben said as he got out of the way. Tsukune then flew at the alien, throwing a right hook into his face and caused him to stagger.
"You guys get out of here, Lords Gembu, Toragane and I will handle this whack job." He told the group. "Mika, Harley, if these guys try anything to escape with their ship, I'm counting on you both to deal with it." He added.
"You got it." The two nodded as they headed off to ensure nothing was done.
"Worthless creature! You dare oppose your betters?!" The alien roared as he tried to swat Tsukune away, only for his hand to be caught and found himself being thrown across the room. Shiro caught him and was quick to deliver a series of attacks with his claws before sending him to Tarou.
"And haven't you heard? Power is nothing in comparison without the knowledge and wisdom to use it!" The Iron tortoise said as he charged up another punch and nailed the hulking alien in the stomach, flooring him to the ground.
"To think… that I, a Highbreed… would lose to lesser creatures…" The alien groaned before passing out from pain.
"Highbreed?" Shiro wondered as he walked up to his friend.
"At least we know what they are now." Tsukune noted as he joined them. It was at this point that alarms started going off and the ship started shaking.
"I believe that would be our cue to leave." Tarou stayed.
"Right!" The two nodded as they ran out of the ship just in time for it to lift off. The group watched as the ship flew into the sky and headed elsewhere.
"Well, that happened. What now?" Ben wondered.
"Now we find the remaining relics, figure out how far this conspiracy goes." Tsukune states as he turns to Ben. "And help you find your grandfather." He added.
"Alright. Thanks for sticking around." Ben nodded.
"The Highbreed declared war when they attacked us." Lord Shiro responded, cracking his knuckles. "So I think it's time we returned the favor." He added.
"Indeed it is." Tarou nodded in agreement with a firm expression.
"Fighting alongside the monster world… I never thought this would happen." Gwen admitted.
"Well, it just did." Tsukune remarked with a smirk.
"Come on guys, it's hero time." Ben added as they left the area.
Dragon Emperor0: Here it is guys part 1 of two of the start of Ghoul + Vampire's sequel. And before anyone says anything, if we didn't mention anything here specifically: assume that we kept it the same as cannon.
ThermalsniperN7: Right. Anyway, the monster world is now at war with the Highbreed and DNAliens in response to their actions against the Four Cardinal Lords. As if that's not enough, some of Akurama's fingers got sold as trophies… the Forever Knights suck.
Dragon Emperor0: Luckily things seem to be going in their favor. Also sorry if the power scaling seems wonky, it's a little difficult scaling the Monster classes to possible alien counterparts. Mea culpa.
ThermalsniperN7: We may struggle with scaling as we go, so we apologize for all that in advance. Anyway, see you guys next time.