(Hyoudou Issei POV)
It was a hectic week as he learned that his first 'girlfriend' was actually a fallen angel with the vilest intents to kill him from the very start. Then, Oyama, the cool kid that the perverted trio had labeled as 'the worst enemy' appeared, saving him from 'Yuuma' and getting severely injured from doing so. Then, Rias-senpai appeared and dropped humongous bombs of devils, angels, and fallen angels, while introducing herself as a devil.
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Issei had to lie down a bit after hearing all of that information. There was no way he could possibly digest all of that within a day. Therefore, it took him the entire day to think and go over what Rias-senpai had told him.
Then came the problem of the most important decision in his entire life. Should he forfeit his humanity to Rias-senpai, or should he stay as a human being? At first he had considered denying Rias-senpai's offer, but as she started to talk about 'Sacred Gears', Issei felt afraid. Yuuma, his 'girlfriend' had targeted him because he had a Sacred Gear and according to Rias-senpai, more were going to go after him because he had great power. At first he naively thought of unlocking his power and becoming strong enough to become a harem king, but Rias had explained that it was more complex than that. Besides… if… if Issei didn't become strong and failed to become strong… what would happen to his mom and dad? But if he forfeited his humanity… and if he joined Rias-senpai… and if he became the devil that meant his parents would be protected by the devils… right?
However, even before Issei could ask for another day to think, Rias-senpai whispered the words that solidified his decision.
"I'll let you even take a look at my breasts~!"
"I'll forfeit my humanity!" Exclaimed Issei as jumped up onto the table with his finger raised high over his head.
"Pervert…" Spoke the quiet Koneko as she nibbled her cookies.
It was a strange feeling when Rias-senpai brought out a chess piece close to him, but it wasn't strange enough for Issei to feel anything different about his body… Which was until Rias-senpai brought out a total of eight red pawns. Then Issei felt something had definitely changed within his body.
After that, Issei had been told of this and that, but most importantly, Issei wished to know of Yuuma and her whereabouts. Then… well… Issei learned that Yuuma was dead.
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Issei was conflicted. Although he still had some feelings for Yuuma, he knew that she tried to kill him and almost succeeded in killing Oyama. Thus, Issei had wished he could see Yuuma again for some closure, but to hear that she had died the day she had attacked him and Oyama…
It was quite unsettling as Issei shivered. It felt like karma struck upon Yuuma, but… it struck too fast that it made Issei uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, Rias-senpai had no idea who could've done it. According to her, the abandoned church in Kuoh had been the fallen angel's hideout by several pieces of evidence that were around. But just yesterday, it was burned to the ground with the bodies of the fallen angels and a few rogue exorcists. Sadly, the evidence was too much destroyed for Rias or her familiar to find a clue that could lead to the arsonist. However… Rias-senpai believed that Oyama Sugihara had something to do with it… according to her intuition.
The recovery of Oyama had to wait for a few weeks. Although Issei was informed that Oyama appeared to be very healthy the next week after the day he obtained his injuries, he was in the midst of intense training with Rias-senpai and her peerage. With a 'Rating Game' coming up against Rias's fiance who was a dick and a womanizer in Issei's eyes, Issei had to try his best to defeat that chicken… and save Rias-senpai's virginity!
However… he still didn't expect himself to be the weakest! Rias-senpai and Akeno-senpai had told him that his Sacred Gear was extremely powerful! But why was he the weakest?! It still hurt whenever he saw that good looking bastard Kiba Yuuto being so damn perfect… and why did Koneko-chan possess so much strength for such a small girl?!
But all that intense training, all those hours of torture, and all that shit he went through was worth it as he received the blessing from Rias and Akeno-senpai. He managed to see their naked boobs! Together too! A double win! A double win!
Unfortunately, Koneko's fist slammed into Issei's face as he flew up into the air, leaving a large hole in the bathhouse.
It was totally worth it. However, those happy times came to an end when the fight with Riser went downhill.
Although Issei managed to defeat a few of Riser's pawns, who had once bested him when he first met them along with Riser who arrogantly claimed Rias to be his, he couldn't beat Riser himself. The damned… that damned grilled chicken was just too strong for Issei, and because of his incompetence, Rias had resigned.
However… he wasn't done with it! He had one chance, just one chance of turning the tables, and he had succeeded in crashing the grilled chicken's wedding and rescuing Rias-senpai! Now… he was strong! Although he had given up his ownership over his left arm to Ddraig, he had achieved in defeating Riser and protecting Rias-senpai's virginity! Now, he was enough to probably earn his harem that he had dreamed of for his entire life!
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Then… Rias-senpai invited Oyama to the Occult Research club.
Even… even when Issei knew that he was now much more powerful than Oyama, something was different in Oyama. Or… was he feeling something different from the cool bastard because Issei had better senses than before? That was weird! The bastard had hollow eyes and large dark circles… but why did he feel more dangerous than before?
Without even asking for permission to sit, the bastard, although Issei was indebted to him, plopped himself onto one of the empty armchairs and leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees.
"So…" He said, his eyes sweeping across the room. "What do you want to know?"
"The church incident last week. Were you somehow related to it?" Asked Buchou, not wasting any time as she jumped right into the main topic. Even Issei found himself growing nervous from anticipating what Oyama was going to say. What really happened to Yuuma? Will he ever see her again? Will she ever come back to kill him?
"… yes. You can say that the incident happened because of me although I didn't take any part in destroying the church." Confessed Oyama as he ever so slightly moved in his seat.
"Care to elaborate, Oyama-kun?" Spoke Rias-senpai sweetly as she leaned forward.
"My boss did that." Confessed Oyama.
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Boss? W-was Oyama a yazuka?! Were the rumors true?! But… he didn't see any tattoos on Oyama's body during swimming class. Maybe it was because he was too focused on ogling the girls in their tight swimsuits, but if he had tattoos on his body, surely somebody had to point it out and make a huge gossip about it. Maybe he had a dragon, or a tiger drawn on his back and covered up with some waterproof makeup?
"Oh? Would you mind telling us who you're talking about, Oyama-kun?"
"Yes, I do mind." Spoke Oyama, as he matched Rias's tense stare with a glare of his own. "I have no obligation to tell you who I serve."
"In fact, you do." Announced Rias as the smile slid right off her face as the air grew a lot colder. "This is Gremory territory, and I have the authority—"
"An authority that only affects your kind, angels, fallen angels, and youkai. An authority that is only recognized by those who are willing to abide by it." Countered Oyama. "Although this may be a 'Devil's territory', remember that we are the rightful owners of this dimension."
Well… Issei couldn't really counter that statement. Although Rias-senpai made sure that this was Gremory territory, they were still on human soil, and as somebody who was once a human, Issei had to agree with Oyama on this. However… judging by a clenched jaw from Rias-senpai, Buchou didn't seem to agree with Oyama's statement.
"But… since my boss ordered me, I guess I'll satisfy your curiosity."
Everybody was leaning forward, especially Issei. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't interested in Oyama. Of course, there was a large part of his perverted side wanting to know how to charm all the girls like he did. But nonetheless, he wished to know more about Oyama.
"I'm an executive for the Human Faction."
Excuse me, what?
A Human Faction? There was a Human Faction? How was this the first time he ever heard of such a thing?
"… th-that was not what I was expecting…" Stuttered Kiba, breaking the silence as he warily glanced up and down at Oyama who kept his stoic face.
"Indeed…" Murmured Akeno-senpai as she giggled. "So Oyama-kun was in that mysterious faction? Ufufu… what an interesting turn of events…"
"Umm… can somebody tell me what the Human Faction is…?" Spoke up Issei. "Buchou never told me about it…"
"… sorry Issei." Sighed Rias Gremory as she closed her eyes. "The reason I didn't tell you about the Human Faction is because I know very little about it. It's a fairly young faction, but according to nii-san, he said that they were never to be taken lightly. The things your faction has done… I will admit, it's quite impressive although we have no evidence to prove that it was done by the Human Faction."
"Not many know of its existence…" Continued Kiba. "Even some of the devils think it's just a baseless rumor and so did I… but to literally see somebody claiming to be a part of this mysterious group… hah… what a small world."
"But enough of that." Cut in Rias as she gave Issei an apologetic look. "Issei, I'll tell you more of what I know about the Human Faction, but I really need to know what an executive is doing in Kuoh Academy."
"I'm not here for the Gremory or the Sitri if that's what you're asking." Spoke Oyama as he waved his hand dismissively, as a tick mark appeared in Rias's forehead. Probably it was her devilish pride that was kicking. Did Oyama piss her off by saying she was unimportant to the eyes of the Human Faction? Knowing Buchou and her pride, that must've hurt a bit, although Issei wasn't sure if Oyama meant that.
"I was sent here to observe the Red Dragon, Ddrair. To be more specific, it's Sacred Gear user: Hyoudou Issei."
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Oh.
"M-me?" Yelled Issei after he took time to chew on what Oyama just announced. "You came to Kuoh Academy to observe me?"
"Your Sacred Gear is way too strong." Grumbled Oyama as he suddenly looked sour for a split second. "My boss needed to know what kind of person you were, and I had to hand in daily reports of your actions. Do you have any idea how hard it was to write a report and to keep an objective viewpoint? Do you know how hard it was to follow you around in school while pretending to be interested in something else?"
Although he felt… pleased that he was considered as a force to be reckoned with, the thought of being spied on by a boy felt… well, unpleasant. He wouldn't have minded at all if it was a cute girl or an onee-sama…
"How queer." Murmured Rias-senpai as she leaned forward. "That means that you knew of my Issei's Sacred Gear a few months ago. May I ask why your faction never made a move to recruit him?"
"My boss did consider it. Trust me he really took his sweet time considering it. Hyoudou Issei had pretty much everything the Human Faction wanted. He had a powerful Sacred Gear that we identified to be a Longinus, his age was young meaning that his potential was at its highest, and he had motivation that many people lack these days." Said Oyama as he stared at Issei, who simply gulped.
"However, we decided not to recruit him and assigned me to protect him instead."
"But why did they stop?" Asked Akeno-senpai as she tilted her head as she placed her forefinger on the bottom of her lips. "Surely there wouldn't be any other factors that would make him unqualified for such a faction."
"... there was one factor." Grumbled Oyama. "Just one."
Issei leaned closer to listen to what Oyama had to say.
"We deemed that his *ahem* perverted personality would bring more disadvantages instead of advantages to our faction."
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"..."
"..."
"... pff…"
"Oi! Don't laugh, you good-looking bastard!" Yelled Issei as he pointed a finger at Kiba who was coughing lightly into his right fist. "And what if I'm a pervert?! That applies to all men! Even good-looking bastards like you! And you know what?! I'm proud to be a pervert, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to become a Harem King!" Yelled Issei as he swerved his finger across the room towards Oyama who stared at Issei as if he was staring at something akin to a cockroach.
"I still don't understand how you can say such things without any ounce of shame or regret." Groaned Oyama as he leaned back into his sofa while massaging his brow with two of his hands. "And it amazes me how you completely miss the fact that your statement just proves why our faction decided to withhold the invitation from you."
"Enough with those hurtful words!" Yelled Issei as he began to cry comically. "A-and why are you nodding your head with him, Koneko?! You're supposed to be on my side!"
"Shut up, pervert."
"K-krrk! S-such hurtful words from a cute kouhai…!"
"But seriously, Issei." Continued Oyama as he sighed for the umpteenth time at Issei's shenanigans. "If you really joined the Human Faction and perved on the women in the faction, I can guarantee you that you will likely end up dead… Doesn't matter if you have a powerful Sacred Gear or not, that… that monster will hunt you until you no longer breathe."
However, Hyoudou Issei was too self-emerged in his own despair to take in his peer's advice seriously. For a few minutes, the banter and shenanigans continued in the Occult Research Club as Oyama held his head from his headache from the turmoil coming from the background. In the end, all that was left of Issei was the shell of his physical form of himself as he began to draw circles on the ground with his finger in the corner of the room, his eyes devoid of life or hope as a dark aura clouded over the pervert's head.
"So… what would be your next course of action, Oyama-kun? Are you perhaps trying to take back Issei? If you are, I'm sorry but he's already mine and a full-fledged devil already."
"Take him all you want." Said Oyama rather quickly, which added another layer of dark clouds above Issei. "If you used your Evil Pieces on him without his consent or if he was willing to quit being your peerage, the Human Faction would have intervened, but… he directly volunteered to be in your peerage, didn't he?"
"Ufufu… he did indeed." Giggled Rias as she remembered how cute her little kouhai was when he enthusiastically claimed to abandon his humanity.
"Then we have nothing against Hyoudou's decisions. However, I'll still be attending this academy to keep an eye on Kuoh."
"Ara… does that mean you don't trust my capabilities to protect my territory, Oyama-kun? Does that mean you think of me as some menace that wreaks havoc on my own territory?"
Clearly, Rias-senpai wasn't quite pleased with Oyama's answer as her icy tone cut through the atmosphere. Her heavy and cold aura started to engulf the room, causing Issei to flinch and he began to imagine a scenario of a violent confrontation. He didn't want his savior and Rias-senpai fighting each other! Although he didn't like the good-looking bastard, he still saved Issei and paid the price in his stead. C-couldn't they just get along…?
"Hardly. I know you're too prideful to stoop down to such barbaric pleasures or neglect your so-called responsibilities. Although… you nearly failed when the fallen angel nearly killed your current Pawn" Spoke Oyama dismissively.
Ouch… that was a low blow. Anyways, what happened to Issei wasn't because of Buchou! It was purely because of Yuuma!
"... I suppose I did… but back to the main point, why are you still here?"
"... because of him." Spoke Oyama as he pointed his finger towards… Issei?
"M-me? Why me?"
Oyama took a deep breath and uncomfortably stared at Issei. It was obvious that he was trying to choose his words carefully or trying to decide how to explain the situation to the teenager. Then, his expression turned determined as he stared directly at Issei.
"Hyoudou… are you aware of the history behind Ddraig, the Red Dragon inside your Sacred Gear?"
"Uhh… n-no, not really…" Spoke Issei, scratching the back of his head. Truth to be told, he felt a bit ashamed and silly at himself for not knowing more about Ddraig. First of all, Ddraig was part of his soul, a Sacred Gear. Come to think of it, it was quite absurd that a stranger knew more about his Sacred Gear than Issei.
"Well… I won't dump the whole history of the dragon to you right now. It'll consume too much time, and to be honest I don't know the whole history of the Red Dragon. But there are only two things you should know about Ddraig."
Oyama raised one of his fingers as Issei leaned in.
"Number one. Ddraig is one of the strongest beings in this world that rivals a literal God. It would be a good thing to remind yourself that you currently hold a power that could kill a God."
Issei blanched as he blinked stupidly from Oyama's words. What did he say again…? What did Oyama-san say again…? Issei could kill a… a God? Him? Sure, the Red Dragon had proclaimed himself to be strong, and Issei knew how strong Ddraig really was when he used his Sacred Gear to defeat the grilled chicken. He knew he had a powerful Sacred Gear thanks to Buchou's words, but… he could defeat a God?
"Yeah…" Muttered Oyama as he suddenly developed a distasteful look as he unconsciously clenched his right fist. "You were born with power… unlike the rest of us…"
"O-okay…" Stuttered Issei as he kept glancing at his left arm that wasn't part of him anymore. Was it the right thing to sacrifice his limb to Ddraig? Well… the answer was 'yes', but Issei was wondering if there was a way to defeat Riser without making a deal with Ddraig. Thinking that Ddraig now owned his left arm… it was kind of terrifying.
"W-what's the second one?"
"... the White Dragon: Albion. The other Heavenly Dragon. Whoever the user of the White Dragon might be, the collision of you and the user is evident no matter what."
"... wait what? I-I don't even know or ever heard of Albion or its user! Why are you implying that I have to fight him or something?"
"Destiny. Sorry Hyoudou, but according to destiny, you and the Sacred Gear user of the White Dragon are going to have a death match."
"... excuse me. A deathmatch?! W-WHAT?!"
Issei wanted to grab Oyama by his shirt and shake him around but seeing his cold hard eyes Issei reconsidered his choices and decided to grab his hair and pull on it. At least Oyama seemed a bit sorry for Issei.
"Although you aren't strong enough to level an entire country, you will come to the point where you could with ease. However, the White Dragon will equally have such power too. Therefore, if the destined fight breaks out… a lot of innocent people will most likely get involved, whether they want to or not. I don't know how you will take action when the time comes Gremory, but the Human Faction isn't going to take any chances. We will interfere and make sure the human casualty would render to a zero, and that is the reason why we will stick our noses into your business as long as you're planning on staying on this planet."
"... very well." Spoke Rias, with obvious disdain in her voice, but there was little she could do at the moment. She wasn't going to foolishly ignore her brother's words of caution. And having the Human Faction around wasn't that much of a big deal anyways, as long as they kept their hands to themselves.
Standing up, she shook hands with the human and after a few more small talks, Oyama departed from the Occult Research Club building.
At the moment, she knew little of the Human Faction and the power they possessed. The only information she had of the Human Faction was that Oyama Sugihara was a member, and they were a dangerous bunch according to her big brother. Thus, she decided to tread carefully on the matter even if there were parts that didn't sit well with her.
She would later live to be glad for making this wise choice in the future.
Meanwhile Issei was afraid. A deathmatch? He had already evaded death once, and that alone was quite a horrifying experience… But to think that there would be somebody out there wishing to fight with him…
'No… I mustn't think like a weak person!' Thought Issei as he clenched his left arm tightly as he hardened his eyes. 'I'm going to become a Harem King! I'm going to beat that White Dragon! I'm going to take Buchou's virginity! And I'm going to get strong so I can achieve my dreams!'
"Buchou!" Yelled Issei, startling Rias Gremory and the rest of her peerage. "I promise to get stronger! I'll become stronger than that White Dragon!"
Rias could only blink in surprise, then give Issei a small smile as she giggled lightly.
"Of course, my little pawn."
(Oyama Sugihara POV)
Ever since he was bested by that fallen angel and denied the chance to get revenge, Oyama had been in a sullen mood for a few hours. However, that changed when he set his focus to become stronger.
So, he asked the King to become stronger. He asked if there was a way for him to rank up in an instant. And the King said there was indeed a way to get stronger in a short period of time. Unfortunately, Oyama was unable to catch the mischievous grin that settled on the King's face when Oyama had asked him for advice.
Before he knew it, he was thrown into Russia by Executive J's portal and on day one he had to fight a brown bear in the dark while the temperature was freezing cold. To make matters worse, he wasn't in his uniform but in his pajamas and he had only slept for about three hours and the lack of sleep made him dizzy.
Then on day two, he had a fight with two racist Russians while wearing his brown bear pelt. After skinning the bear and wearing her like a jacket, Oyama found a small map that was thrown with him through the portal. Following the instructions in the map, he managed to find a warehouse. However, the warehouse was occupied by a couple, and before Oyama could come up with an excuse even when he was unable to speak Russian, the couple came at him with humongous axes. Little did Oyama know that these two were the top assassins of Russia's biggest and most notorious Mob. That was why it took him a considerable amount of time to fight the two off since they had more experience and outstanding teamwork.
Day three was the worst for Oyama. He had to wade through the unconscious bodies of over five dozen men from the Mob with large dark circles drawn on his eyes. The hunt for the Asian teenager began in the Russian Mob and Oyama was chased throughout the country. Barely getting any sleep and any proper food, he had to fight through a crowd of large burly men with machine guns or army knives and avoid occasional sniper shots that nearly pierced his head.
It was day four when he devised a method to get rid of the snipers that were gunning at him. After knowing where they were positioned at, he just threw a rock at them. It was as simple as that. One time it was a dinner knife from a random diner, and they had to aim at his soup before he could help himself to a hot meal. However, more unfortunate events awaited Oyama as he broke both of his forearms by a bulky Russian grappler. He did manage to crush the grappler's balls with a well-aimed kick, but with the state of his two arms, Oyama was in a sticky situation. Deciding that it would be bad to drag things out, Oyama made the call to attack the head of the Mob and drove his way to the largest casino.
Thus, that's the story of how one of Russia's largest Mobs became the weakest within a week, by one Japanese teenager who wore a brown bear pelt. With most of its members in the hospital or in jail, the Mob was later swallowed up by several other Mobs that quickly tried to fill in the void of power.
And that's how he ended up becoming a lot more powerful than before, although he had to deal with all the bullshit his King had put him through. He could now outrun a car for a short while, react faster than a bullet, fight for an entire day nonstop without any food or water, detect any living creature within three meters around him, and level an entire two-story house with a single punch.
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Well, he did get stronger, but for the sake of his own sanity, couldn't he catch a break? As soon as he stepped back into the portal and arrived in Japan, the King patched him up with Asia Argento, and told him to get back to school the very next day where he had a stressful conversation with Rias Gremory.
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Oyama just wanted to cry for a bit. Next time, he was going to be a lot more considerate when asking the King for help.
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Well, on the bright side, Oyama would gain back two of his companions: Kusanagi Kyoichi and Nagisa Midori. Out of pity or efficiency, the King had assigned the two Executives who were tasked in teaching Executive C to being stationed in Kuoh with him.
With a little bit of money management and a slight change of paperwork, Kusanagi Kyoichi a.k.a. Executive X and Nagisa Midori a.k.a. Executive D managed to enter Kuoh academy without being evaluated by Sona Sitiri herself. Even when Sona held a considerable amount of influence in the academy there were other ways to slip in the admissions in other ways. Thus, two more executives joined Executive C on his mission.
Oyama was obviously happy with the turn of events. He used to work with the two of them often and were called the Japanese Trio until they split up. Now, with the existence of his friends, he expected to face less stress, less paperwork, less reports, and less shenanigans that drained his energy.
However, Oyama was too focused on the good parts of the return of his comrades that he forgot to think of the reason why the King stationed one of the strongest teenage executives with him. A storm was about to brew in the middle of Kuoh and Oyama was in the middle of it. It was quite unfortunate that the poor teenager had no idea what was coming to him as he barely had time to brace himself.
(The King POV)
With Freed Sellzen captured and taken apart for research purposes, I was giving more attention to Kuoh. With the most capable user of 'Excalibur' gone, Gasper was going to use ruthless methods no doubt. With Kokabiel thirsting for war in the time of peace, there was a 100% chance that he would attempt to kill Rias Gremory and frame it on the Grigori, instigating a war between the three factions again.
Although the 'canon' shows us that everything works out in the end, I wasn't going to take any chances. War must be avoided unless we need to protect the values and people we cherish and respect. This war had nothing to do with that. In fact, it wasn't even a war that humans partook in, but that didn't mean that we weren't going to be involved.
Yes. No matter what, war is bad. Maybe necessary, but still bad, nonetheless.
Was I regretting kidnapping Freed Sellzen? To be frank, yes. But I chose this regret. I needed him and thankfully he was being put to good use. It's a good thing too. Humanity doesn't need somebody dangerously unhinged like him.
Sighing for the umpteenth time I scratched my ears as I waited for the worst to come through my phone. Currently the disciples were looking at every corner of Kuoh city using our satellites and drones. Meanwhile, I had two more Executives patrolling around Kuoh to search for clues. They were the currently two strongest Executives in my faction: Executive O and Executive Q. Considering that the two of them were adults, it made sense. They obviously had more time honing their skills and had more experience. However, considering the amount of potential of the teenage Executives, it would be a matter of time before the youngsters catch up to the two of them.
Meanwhile…
"Uhh… sir King…? Uuu… that doesn't sound right… M-my King…?"
"Yes, Asia?" I asked, smiling kindly at the young girl who stared up at me with teary eyes.
"I-I'm tired… uuu! I'm sorry! I-I just feel too tired to continueeee…"
"There there." I spoke softly as I carefully caught Asia as she nearly slumped to the ground out of exhaustion. "I do value hard work, but too much is poisonous. Take a short break, Asia."
Ever since the pure Italian nun swallowed enough courage to ask me if she could join the Human Faction, I had been taking her out to train and see the extent of Twilight Healing. So far, the results have been quite interesting and fruitful.
Asia's ability in healing others was amazing. Even magic didn't work like this considering attaching every muscle fibre and bone tissue required immense precision and somewhat complex incantations. Asia didn't need to do that at all. Twilight Healing simply skipped all the process and simply patched up a person back to normal.
However, neither of us had any idea how much potential Asia had or what the limits of Twilight Healing were. We didn't know the mechanics of the Sacred Gear being able to 'heal' different races that carried different DNA sequences. We didn't know what it exactly meant by 'healing' or how the process was being done. We didn't know, but we were in the process of finding out by ourselves.
First thing I tried to check was to see if Twilight Healing was capable of healing people who had diseases that were caused by parasites, bateria, or viruses. The experiment showed clear results as I had Asia to heal a few dozen patients with AIDS, several children in Africa who had cholera, and several patients who were suffering from parasitic disease. There were no drawbacks or side effects from using Asia's Sacred Gear and it was an overall win-win as Asia brightened up like a ray of sunshine as she felt glad to have helped somebody in need.
I would gather faster and precise results if I handed Asia over to the Doctors. However, they were busy and working overtime due to the project I gave them. Moreover, I didn't think she would be comfortable around the Doctors. Most of them were kind, but that didn't stop them from being quirky individuals. Having them advancing with a blowtorch and a needle syringe in their hands didn't make it any better.
Frowning slightly, I allowed Asia to cuddle in my lap as she began to hum in a pleasant tune in her nap. A few minutes ago, she had attempted to heal two people at the same time. She managed to do this by placing her hands on each patient and activating her Sacred Gear. Considering that her Sacred Gear came in the form of two rings on each side of her hand, this was possible… so I had her treat three patients at the same time.
For a moment the poor nun looked so frazzled as she wanted to heal one at a time but given my orders, she was unable to do that. So, she kneeled and clasped her hands together and prayed as a field of light green aura was created around her. The effect it took was immediate as the patient with a heart problem began to blush with pink in his cheeks. However, Asia's stamina hit rock bottom as she panted, stumbled, and fell asleep.
Training any more than this would be counterproductive in Asia's case. Rest was needed for her.
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Back to the war that was about to erupt.
Besides the two Executives patrolling Kuoh, I had made calls to the rest of the Executives about the situation we were in, and surprisingly everybody volunteered to participate in the war. Except for a few Executives who were carrying out important tasks, I had to accept their helping hand although I tried my best to persuade them not to join.
The next thing I did was to contact the SIX and ask for their help. Jeon Jaesan was the one to answer first and he told me that he would gladly stick his hand out for me. He even told me that he would bring some of the members of the NMA(National Magician Association) to support me. On the other hand, the others were not as cooperative as my grandfather.
Nah Bongchim, the Divine Doctor was not responding. This old fart was deliberately ignoring my messages when I needed him the most. Although with Asia and Jeon Jaesan, I could heal those with major injuries. However, Asia wasn't talented enough to heal many Executives at once let alone have the right mindset to enter a warzone while Jeon Jaesan was needed for pure offense and defense. I needed the Divine Doctor just in case things went really out of hand, however it seemed like he wasn't going to come along.
Seo Hanryang, the 27th leader of the National Homeless Association and the Weapon Master, had too much on his plate. Although his showcase of physical capabilities and weapon mastery was something that could greatly inspire the young Executives, he was indeed being busy. With the support from NOX, he was spreading his association throughout the entire globe. If I knew correctly, he was in the process of recruiting more homeless people to his association in America and considering that place… it would most certainly take some time for him to establish a firm outpost.
Kim Dusik, the Loan Shark, Scrooge, and the gangster who helped the Human Faction by doing most of the dirty work and underworld business, happily answered my calls as I met him in a construction site away from prying eyes. Since he was a person who was all about money, I cut things right to the chase and made a deal with him. I gave him the building that we were standing on in exchange for his… services. The money lover happily complied as he used that gross voice of his as he greedily shook my hand.
Vasco Strada, the one who bore the title of 'humanity's strongest' was currently out of reach due to a mission he was doing. Even when the priest quit his job as an exorcist, it seemed that he was still helping those that he could save. I could find him by using the Cane of the Sage, but I had a sense that the priest didn't want to be found or was in the position where finding him would be tricky. Not wishing to exhaust myself with the use of such an energy taxing item, I gave up on finding Vasco.
As for Jin Taejin, the actual strongest human in the world… he picked his nose and gave me a nasty grin as he mouthed 'no'.
…
…
…
At this point, I wasn't even mad. Jin Taejin was a free spirit and if he didn't feel like helping me, he just didn't. Maybe if I had called him yesterday or tomorrow, the answer might've changed, but I had to ask him today. I asked, and he had set his mind not to help me. That was who Jin Taejin was and I couldn't force him to march into war.
As I began to drift off thinking about the current situation, the sudden vibration from my phone woke me up from my stupor as I quickly checked my phone to see Executive O calling me.
Still playing with Asia's hair, I answered the call.
"Go ahead, Executive O."
"... my King… Executive X has been attacked."
I nearly crushed my phone when I heard that.
"What's his condition?" I asked. My voice was calm, but even Executive O who was on the other side of the receiver could feel the freezing tone of my voice and the underlayer of burning anger.
"E-Executive X is in a serious condition…" Gulped Executive O. "He was caught in an explosion and wasn't wearing his formal attire…"
'That explains the damage…' I thought to myself as I began to turn the gears of my head. First thing was first, I needed to heal Executive X and know more of what had happened.
"When did this happen? I questioned, as I sent a quick text to Executive J to have him open up a portal for me.
"It has been about seven minutes!" Came the stuttering tone of Executive O. "If it wasn't for Executive C and Executive D who were with Executive X, we wouldn't have been able to find out!"
"Have the disciples keep an eye for every Executive stationed at Kuoh or in Japan. Notify all Executives of what had happened to Executive X and tell them to be on guard. We'll be there within 30 seconds."
With that, I firmly shook Asia, ordering her to get up.
"U-umu… I-I'm sorry fo—"
"Nurse A." I spoke, my voice becoming authoritative as I stood up to face the opening portal. "Follow me."
Asia, who had never heard me talk in this tone before, was obviously surprised by my firm commanding attitude, but she quickly nodded her head and walked next to me as we stepped into a room where Executive X was being treated.
Asia gasped, and I could only stare at the bed where the patient was lying down.
Wrapped in bandages like a mummy that were smudged in blood, I could see Executive X's frail form on the bed. All over him, I could see a few dozen healing talismans that were attached to his body. The only sign that he was alive was his chest that was slowly moving up and down, but it was barely visible to catch.
Nurse A didn't need any explanations. She simply rushed up to Executive X and started to heal him and we all waited aside to witness the miracle take place before us.
It took only half a minute for Executive X to blink and rise up, ripping off the bandages from his face as he quickly assessed the heavy atmosphere in the room. Noticing me, he bowed his head with a look of shame on his face.
"Report." I ordered.
"I was ambushed, my King." Spoke Executive X in a calm tone that was quite strange for someone who just woke from a coma. "The explosion caught me off guard."
"... I do not understand." I spoke with a confused expression on my face. For I know, Executive X's abilities were quite outstanding. Although he lacked experience compared to Executive Q and O, he was still considerably strong for a human as he could easily take out a Devil or two without trying that hard. Moreover, he was good at catching the presence of his enemies and accordingly. So…
"I don't understand how you were caught off guard, Executive X. You are one of the most compatible executives, and yet you were injured immensely… Please, continue with your story."
"... I… I was approached by a child… and sensing a holy sword on him, I approached the boy and then he… he ambushed me, my King…"
…
…
…
A child. A child. A child. A child. A child.
…
They were using child soldiers.
Nobody dared to say a word as murderous intent and rage poured out of my skin, soaking up the atmosphere into a chilly mood as everybody began to breathe with somewhat difficulty. Even Asia, who didn't possess the skill to detect killing intent, was wise enough to stay still and look down at her toes.
It took me ten seconds to collect myself as I sighed, walking over to the nearest chair and sitting down. Then I began to think.
To be truthful, I wasn't really in the position to call Valper Galilei a monster for what he had done. As much as he has used and abused children to find the acceptable humans that were capable of wielding an Excalibur or a Holy Sword, I too spent most of my life recruiting and manipulating children, turning them into executives and strong soldiers. The executives wouldn't agree with my thoughts for all of them are indebted to me. But that feeling alone meant that I did a good job of manipulating every single one of them.
But I didn't care at the moment. Call me a hypocrite or a double-standard bastard, but I was going to do what I wanted to do.
"All members are to stay alert. I need satellites and drones around Kuoh to monitor every possible hideout. I need project FABRE spread out in this place. I need all the executives who volunteered to be stationed in Kuoh. I need a hundred disciples assisting the executives."
"Yes, my King."
"All troops stay alert." I spoke as I beckoned Asia to follow me. "We're already at war."
It wasn't too long before the Church made their move as they sent the two exorcists to retrieve the Excalibur. Meanwhile, Executive D and Executive X successfully enrolled into Kuoh Academy, and it was nice to see Executive E finally having a smile on his face.
…
…
…
Anyways, back to the exorcists.
It still baffled me that the Church only sent two people to retrieve what was one of the most powerful holy relics in the world. Although the ones they sent were extremely capable and strong, it made no sense to send only two. It would've made more sense if they launched a crusade to Japan, just to retrieve the Excalibur, but to my relief, they didn't.
But still. Two is just not enough.
Was there a spy in the Church perhaps? Evildoers who wished to take the two talented holy sword users out of the equation for whatever they had planned for. Maybe, but I do not know nor am I in the position to care if their actions went against my plans.
Quietly sipping my breakfast tea with Asia, I waited patiently for my executives to escort the Church members.
Even if they choose not to come, it was none of my concern. The plan of action will go as discussed with my Bishops and Executives. If they do… I would just use some common courtesy and tell them beforehand of our interference with their tasks, considering we have similar goals in mind.
However… reality is often disappointing.
"I refuse to listen to a bunch of heretics." Snarled the blue-haired exorcist as she refused to touch her cup of tea. "I have no idea how you heretics managed to know the situation, but I can assure you that this has nothing to do with you heretics."
"She is true, you know?" Spoke the brunette next to her, as she gave us a cheerful smile. "Although you're more tolerant than devils, I would have to decline your offer."
"... well. You have mistaken two things." I spoke, giving them a straight face as I abandoned trying to put on a warm smile. The week has been one of the most stressful days, and I was obviously not in a happy mood.
"First of all, we are involved in this situation whether we want to or not. One of my high-ranking executives was ambushed by Galilei's child soldiers, and nearly lost his life. They struck us first, and it would be an idiotic move not to retaliate. Secondly… this wasn't a request."
"You…!"
"Sit."
It was just a word that came out of reflex after the sight of hostility. It was just a word that slipped through my tongue nonchalantly. However, the effect it brought was clear as crystal. The two exorcist's eyes widened as their pupil dilated with a trickle of sweat starting to pour out of their heads. Quite admirably, neither Xenovia or Irina showed signs of being outrightly scared or becoming submissive, which was a way their instincts might lead them to ensure their survival.
"... continuing where we left off… I have no obligations to follow the Church's orders. My reasons for going after Valper Galilei are valid and reasonable, and most importantly I have no intentions of changing my mind on this decision."
"... then I suppose we're done here." Spoke Irina as she cautiously stood up along with Xenovia who had a look of a cat with anxiety.
"Yes… I suppose we are." I said, nodding my head as I signaled Executive X and Executive E to show the two exorcists their way out.
As they were leaving, Xenovia stopped as she squinted her eyes at Asia who was standing beside the exit. Then, her expression turned into… into disgust and disappointment. And as she opened her mouth to speak her thoughts…
"Xenoiva Quarta… I want you to think very carefully before you speak. I want you to think who you're about to speak to and think of her relationship with me. Because the consequences of your words may not be forgiving at all."
That instantly shuts the blue-haired girl up as she stiffly walks out of the room with her partner in tow. They were both shaken again by my sudden spike of hostility, but still kept their strong facade… As I said, quite admirable… Shame they belonged to the Church…
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…
Wait… Just because they belong to the Church does not mean that I don't have the chance to recruit them to my side, right? Just because there's a goalkeeper doesn't mean that there was a chance of scoring, right?
…
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…
Yes. There was more than enough chance of recruiting them to my side. Even with the situation with Kokabiel's army preparing to light up a spark of war… I was going to get the two exorcists if possible. A human that had the physical capability to wield a holy Excalibur, one of the holiest and well-known swords…
For the first time after Executive X's injury, I felt a small smile creep up to my face.
(The two exorcists' POV)
"..."
"..."
Silently and full of grace, the two cloaked girls headed their way away from the house they just exited. Unfortunately, without a place to spend the night, the two found themselves walking aimlessly, or… it seemed aimless to those who managed to see a glimpse of them.
"... are we… far enough…?"
"... yes."
Just as the two turned a corner and went into a small alleyway, they allowed themselves to crumple up and grasp at their beating heart that was going out of control. They gasped and choked on the air, as Xenovia nearly threw up.
Right then… right then when he asked them to sit… no. When he ordered them to sit, both Irina and Xenovia felt a straight sense of pure panic. There was no killing or malicious intent in his words, but only power. For a second, the veil that surrounded the so-called King was drawn away and the two were hit full-force of what was probably a fraction of the King's power. As weaker beings, their survival instincts blared loudly in their heads, but their training and cool logic quickly came to equip their minds as they managed to stay composed in front of the heretics.
…
…
…
Then, they had a taste of the King's killing intent when Xenovia decided to speak a few words to the traitorous witch who healed a demon and now a dog for a group of heretics. Needless to say, Xenovia, who was more of a serious type than Irina, couldn't help but feel the strong feeling of anger distaste for the young nun. And… she couldn't help but scrunch up her face to express her disgust.
That was the mistake she had made, and it resulted in her being completely exposed to the King's killing intent.
"Is that… is that heretic, even a human?!" Gasped Xenovia as she coughed. "What kind of… what kind of Sacred Gear does he even have?!"
"We have to contact the Church." Spoke Irina as she recovered rather quickly since she wasn't the main target of the King's killing intent. "The King or whatever he was, just proved that there is no chance of us winning if we have to fight with each other. And it wasn't just him… his subordinates… you and I both know they are no joke themselves."
"... damnit!" Growled Xenovia as she slammed her fist down onto the ground, cracking the concrete beneath her. Irina was unfortunately right. Even if they miraculously managed to take down the King, they would have to go through the King's subordinates who weren't weaklings at all. Thus, if the Human Faction had the will to take away the Excaliburs to themselves, they had all the power in their disposal to do so.
"We need… more reinforcements…" Rasped Xenovia as she cradled her aching head and heart.
"But… who?" Whimpered Irina after a short moment of silence. "We're one of the Church's main forces… if we call for more people of the same caliber as us, the Church might become defenseless… and even if we call in the others… can we really beat the King?"
"..."
Xenovia's averting eyes were more than enough to signal that Irina had a point. If only they had Vasco Stada… maybe they would have the chance, but he stepped out of the Church a long time ago and investing the time to find his whereabouts was going to take too long for them to complete their mission.
"What should we do, what should we do?" Muttered Xenovia to herself as she rocked her body back and forth.
Alas, the two couldn't think of a good solution as they hung their heads down as they quickly sent a report to the Church, along with requesting some aid from them.
Luckily for them… the Church was competent enough to think of a solution. After a few hours after the two exorcists sent their messages, they magically received a note from the Church granting them another Church member to aid them in their quest.
Yet nobody, not even the Church knew exactly what ripples the solution they had sent would ultimately cause. Not only to the Church or to the Human Faction, but to the whole world filled with humans, devils, angels, and fallen angels.
So... that was a long time before I came back.
Sorry. Work, studying, reading, drawing, and most importantly, the writer's block has been popping up lately. And don't worry! I'm still alive and still continue my stories!
