Disclaimer: I do not own Highschool DxD or any of the references found in this story, nor am I making any profit from this story. All original Highschool DxD characters and references belong to their rightful owners, I just own the original characters and concepts that I have created myself.
It's been three months since I have been inducted into the Exorcist Training Program.
During that time, I've all but thrown myself into my studies. I spend most of my personal time reading books on magic, history, weapons, etc. You just have to name it and I've probably either begun or finished reading it. Whatever time I have left after that is used to train myself with each day revolving between magic and physical training.
However, I've reached an impasse in regards to magic training. Why? Simply because I have nowhere to practice with my more... destructive spells. I've been limited to small-scale spells that don't require much Mana to cast but in doing so, the rate at which my Mana Core expands has slowed down far too much for my liking.
I need to find a place where I don't have to worry about damage control. Until then, I've decided to focus on my magic control.
When casting a spell, the magic circle used to direct the spell is weaved from the users own Mana. There isn't a fixed amount of Mana required when weaving the magic circle so I usually just use a random amount of Mana to create it.
The problem with that is that my Mana tends to run out rather quickly whenever I use this method of casting spells due to my poor Mana control. If I were able to supply the Mana and weave my magic circles with the smallest amount of Mana necessary, I'll be able to spam magic spells without having to worry about Mana deficiency for a while.
Just imagine it. An unlimited number of magic circles hovering in the sky as they spew out death, destruction and ruin all over my enemies. Their cries of pain and howls of anguish dying out as I smother the remaining embers of their lives.
It's enough to make a grown man cry.
In more ways than one.
Moving on from the violent imagery. Until I reach a suitable level of magic control, I'll be limited to a handful of magic circles. I'll have to be training to control my Mana output a lot now since my Magic Core will only continue to grow as I keep practising, making it harder to control my Mana.
Speaking of magic, Svanhild has finally decided to join me in the library.
She began to learn magic from the tomes that the Institute owns a couple of days after we were inducted into the training program. She's been going through all the tomes at a quick pace, absorbing all the information they hold, unlike myself who decided to mainly focus on Rune magic. With the rate at which she's finishing all the books, as well as the courses she chose to take, I have no doubt that she's going to become a powerful magician in the future.
But that's in the future. Right now, my Magic Core dwarfs her own in sheer size due to my 3-year head start, and I have a higher degree of control than her. 9 times out of ten, I will win all of our magic duels. The remaining 1 is only due to pity but she doesn't need to know that.
I have, however, begun to look into different schools of magic. Nothing to big, only just taking bits and pieces that I can enhance using Rune magic. As for Rune magic, I've reached a point where I can't learn from the books anymore. One can only go so far without any help after all. If I'm going to want to progress any further, I'm need someone well versed in Rune magic to help me.
But I don't have anyone like that so until then, it's just going to be magic control training.
And so, I find myself sitting on the floor of my bedroom with a glass crystal laid out in front of me.
After explaining the same thing to Professor D'Aiello, she gave me a couple of crystals and told me to practice with these. These glass crystals are prototypes of the one we used during the first magic theory session to measure the level of magic power, except they don't display the level of Mana. All these do is absorb Mana, making them useful as backup supplies. However, if one were to fill it with too much Mana, it would end up exploding and sending glass shards all over the place.
Why she would give this to a child, I have no idea, but I applaud her decision-making skills nonetheless.
Anyways, my task is to fill them up with Mana to the absolute limit without allowing them to explode. For every ten glass crystals that explodes, I have to owe her a favour.
All I need to do is just supply a little bit of Mana and...
Ooh! It's glowing! This is a lot more easier than I-
*BOOM*
Who said that this is easy!? Come out and fight me right now!
"Asia, can you get off of me now?"
"Nope."
A sigh.
"Asia."
"Nope!"
Another sigh.
Here I am, lying on the ground with an adorable, yet selfish, little sister figure using me as a glorified pillow. It's not like I have any problems with it but my body has become numb at this point.
Asia, meanwhile, had a megawatt smile on her face as she kicked her legs in the air, enjoying her makeshift throne as she hums to herself.
Rion and Riel are spending Sunday together in Vatican city. It's a thing that they've had for as long as anyone can remember, kind of like an anniversary I suppose?
Freed and Lint couldn't come today because they're being kept busy by the health checkups. It's no small secret that artificial humans are not as...functional as normal humans are; the best example would be the very first artificial human who died.
The Institute scientists are checking up on them to see if their bodies show any signs of breaking down and whatnot, but the entire process lasts the whole day due to multiple testing phases.
It's one of the days that none of the descendants look forward to; partly because it takes up our whole day but mainly because nobody wants to be told that they don't have long to live. Luckily, there are barely any cases where out bodies' system begin to fail so we're mostly in the clear.
And so, here I am, visiting Asia on my own. She was a little saddened when I gave her the news but I'm happy knowing that she's feeling better.
Now. How do I get her off of me?
I could just throw her off but that would be bad for my heart and conscious, and I'm sure that Asia knows that as well.
Tch. This girl is unfair.
"May I know why you don't want to get off me?" I tried asking.
She lifted her head from my chest and looked me in the eye with such a happy smile, I felt my heart crack for a moment, "You're comfy, that's all the reason I need." she replied before dropping her head once again, as if the matter was settled.
Dammit! My little sister can't be this cute!
I heard the doors behind us suddenly open as Asia lifted her head. She face morphed from surprise, recognition and finally happiness. "Ah!" Asia suddenly exclaimed as she lifted her head, eyes focusing behind me. I tried turning my head but gave up after two seconds of failure, letting my head fall back on the grass with a soft thud. "Father Strada! You're back!"
Asia finally got off my body, giving me back the freedom I so much enjoy. I managed to turn my head enough to make out the familiar giant standing behind me and greeted him with a smile.
The Church's Device of Violence. The Violence of Heaven. The Evil Killer. The man who fought Kokabiel off during the Second World War. The man considered to be at the apex of Humanity.
I watched as the same man was being reduced to a piece of putty in the face of Asia's babbling.
"Asia, how have you been doing? Not getting into trouble, I hope?" Vasco asked
Asia pouted at the implication, "Of course I haven't! What do you take me for?"
"A little spitfire, that's what!" Vasco shot back with a laugh, rubbing Asia's head. Asia was hugging his leg as she enjoyed the head patting session. If she had a tail, it would probably be kicking up a dust storm right now.
"Sup Gramps, how's it shaking?" I greeted from where I was.
The Violence of Heaven perked up at the nickname, "I'm doing fine, thank you. It's been quite some time since I was given a break, so I've been in a good mood since." he replied with a cheery note to his voice. During our first meeting, I called him Gramps and it's stuck ever since. He seems to like it whenever I call him that so there are no problems whatsoever.
Well, the only problems are the old farts who demand that I show respect to my betters.
Psh.
"How is everyone else doing? Is there anything I should know? Come now, you know you can tell your Gramps anything."
I waved off his concerns with a hand gesture, "Nah, they're all fine. Freed and Lint are just taking their tests today, and Rion and Riel are spending the day together in the city. I was the only one who could make it, so I guess it's just going to be the three of us then."
"Well actually..." Hmm?
Before I could ask him to elaborate, a familiar figure standing behind Vasco decided to make themselves known.
"Morning, Sieg!" Jeanne waved with a grin.
"Jeanne? What are you doing here?"
"What do you think? I'm here to visit Asia of course, why else would I be here?" she replied, making a beeline for the girl in question. Asia looked like she just found out Christmas came early; she could probably power the entirety of Vatican city with the amount of energy generated by her smile. It was like staring directly at a sun.
Praise the Sun!
"Jeanne!" she all but launched herself towards the little maiden. She caught her but stumbled a little bit, trying to regain her balance but failing and-oh shit, they're coming this way.
Come on, body of mine! Move out of the way! Remember why I trained you for the last ten years!
'But I don't wanna...'
Now now, body!
In the end, my body refused to listen to me and the two girls collapsed on me in a glorious pile of limbs. I groaned in pain as Jeanne and Asia began to giggle, seemingly forgetting about me.
5 minutes later...
"Wait a minute, you're telling me that Gramps", I pointed at the man in question, "has taken you on as his apprentice?"
"Yep." Jeanne nodded.
"And you can use...what was it called, Holy Power?"
"That's right", to illustrate her point, she demonstrated her Holy Power as her fist began to shine brightly, "I unlocked it yesterday!"
"And you're telling me this because..."
"We are telling you this because", Vasco decided to cut in, "it's been decided that you shall also be placed into an apprenticeship."
What?
"When... When did this happen?" I couldn't help but ask. I'm all up for it but I don't remember doing anything to get this sort of treatment.
Vasco looked a bit surprised at my lack of knowledge, "Is it really that strange? In the three months you've spent training as an exorcist trainee, coupled with early observations, you've proven yourself to be nothing short of a prodigy. It would be a waste if we didn't capitalise on this chance as soon as possible." He took on an amused expression, "Besides, you were recommended by Ewald Cristaldi himself. They would surely agree with one of the top exorcists, don't you think?"
...Ah.
It's starting to make sense now. I remember Ewald told me that I should try and talk with Masaomi, a dual-wielder, and persuade him to teach me. The problem was that I had no way to get him to teach me because he's a high-ranking exorcist, and the higher-ups would rather he go out on missions rather than stay behind and teach a child.
But I didn't think that Ewald would reach out to him for me. And what's this about me being a prodigy? I don't remember having been branded with such a title, nor have I done anything to warrant such a title.
"So, who will I be placed under?" I finally asked. The doors suddenly burst open to reveal...nothing?
Vasco just smiled as he focused his view behind me, "Why don't you ask him yourself?" he turned around to face...nobody. I frowned; is this a prank?
"Uhh, Gramps? There's nobody-"
"So is this the brat I'm meant to teach?" a new voice suddenly spoke up from behind me. I jumped forward in an instant, eyes widened with shock as I stared down the intruder.
A Yankee. That was the best way to describe the man stood before me. A young man with a nasty-looking face, wearing a modified exorcist uniform with baggy pants and an open collar, and his hair was styled into a pompadour.
Is... Is this what I think it is? A bona-fide Japanese Yankee? In Vatican city?
What the fuck?
Wait a minute. How did hell did he get behind me!? The only people here are Jeanne, Vasco, Asia and myself, and there's only one entrance to the gardens. The door had opened but nobody actually entered. There are no signs of magic having been used, otherwise I would have been able to sense the Mana in the air.
"What's wrong, Sieg? You look like you just saw a ghost. Do you know this guy?" Jeanne asked, a worried expression on her face. Why is nobody else reacting to how he just appeared without any prior notice!?
"Masaomi. How many times must I tell you that you were not trained to scare children?" Vasco admonished the now-named Masaomi.
"Uh, sorry sir." he had the decency to look embarrassed. He cleared his throat before staring me down with a calculative gaze. He looked me over for a couple of seconds before he scoffed, leaving me feeling a little bit offended. "So this is the kid you want me to teach after all? Sir, he's just a pipsqueak. He couldn't possibly keep up with my level of training."
Oh?
Oh ho! So that's how you want to play, is it?
"What, so this is the man who's meant to teach me?", I shook my head with disappointment, "Gramps, he's just a Yankee. What can he teach me besides styling my hair to look like a shrivelled-up raisin?"
Jeanne snorted before looking away, trying her hardest not to laugh. Vasco frowned, not expecting things to go south so fast, while Asia looked confused, silently mouthing the term "Yankee" to herself.
Masaomi's nonchalant expression was wiped in an instant, replaced by a furious glare, "Oh? You got something you wanna say to my face, brat?"
"I would rather not. Brush your teeth first and I'll think about it." I snorted, not even deigning him with a look. Jeanne had to turn around at this point to recollect herself while Vasco looked a bit disappointed at how our first meeting with each other was playing out. Asia just looked like she had an idea and quickly ran towards her bag.
"Before the two of you decide to turn the garden into a battlefield, you should probably wait until after I explain the reason behind this decision." Vasco interjected, causing Masaomi to back down.
"I don't know what kind of reasoning is behind all of this but there's no way this kid can keep up with my training."
"You'd be surprised.", Vasco mused, "Young Siegfried here is known to be a training maniac at the Institute he was raised in, as well as the training program. Some of the other children tried to emulate his training regimen and failed on the first day, while Siegfried has been using it since he was nine-"
"Eight."
"Eight years old." Vasco finished without missing a beat. Masaomi looked a little interested at this point, regarding me a little differently before it went back to cold indifference.
"I can't very well expect much from a training regimen for a ten year old.", he gave me a look that I didn't like very much, "It can't be much if he-"
"Thirty push-ups and press-ups. Ten burpees, bodyweight squats and walking lunges, and a thirty second plank." I cut in a little harshly, "And that's just my morning routine excluding magic training. Want me to explain the rest?"
Masaomi was just staring at me, surprise evident on his face before it turned into a more calculative gaze. He moved forward and began to-
"Hey! What are you doing!?"
"Keep still, I'm just checking something." he muttered as he began to... lift my shirt?
A priest, putting his hands under a child's clothes.
...
Nooo! Someone save me! I don't want to lose my first time in the DxDverse to another guy!
"No!"
"Stop flailing about!"
"NO!"
Jeanne! Stop laughing, you failure of a maiden! What the hell kind of maiden are you if you just watch a young lamb of God get eaten by a dangerous wolf!?
"Sister Sophia! Save me!"
"I told you to calm down!"
Gramps! What this man is doing is undoubtedly an act of evil! Please stop avoiding eye contact and show me why they call you the Vatican's Evil Killer!
"There, I'm done." Masaomi finally stepped back, giving me time to activate all the Ehwaz runes enchantments on my body to increase running speed run, and ran to the other side of the garden and climb the tree, all in the span of two seconds. If anyone told me that magic was made to escape from child predators, I would never have believed them, yet here I am doing that exactly.
"I would have finished a lot earlier if you didn't struggle so much, you know?" Masaomi complained. Would have finished what exactly? Would have fucking finished what exactly!?
"A priest was just trying put his hands under my clothes and you ask me why I was struggling!? Have you seen the news lately!?"
"Wha-"
"So what do you think?" Vasco jumped in before the situation could escalate. Masaomi considered the question for a bit before releasing a resigned sigh.
"Alright, I'll take him, but only because he can probably handle it.", he groused as he turned my way, "Get down kid, I won't do anything to you."
"Oh please. Next, you'll be offering me a bag of candy, or a visit to your minivan."
"Why you little-"
"I found it!" Asia exclaimed out as she came running forward. Masaomi paused in his tracks as he turned around, only to blink when Asia handed him a toothbrush with a smile.
I'm so proud of you, Asia. Onii-chan will treat you to whatever you want today.
It's been two months since I began training with Masaomi and, based on how he enjoys beating me around, I can say with full confidence that our first meeting did not turn out well.
How was I meant to know that he was just checking my muscles? He could have just asked me.
And yes, I may have jumped the gun when I accused him of being a child predator.
But doesn't he clearly take our training sessions too far!? I saw him smiling, you know! He had a nasty-looking grin when he saw me suffer after two hours of nonstop training!
Like right now! He wants me to fight him blindfolded and 'sense' his intent to attack me! What kind of ridiculous training is this!? He's just out to get me now, I know it!
We haven't even begun sword training yet! This can't be called sword training in any way at all! This is child abuse, that's what this is! I want to see my lawyer!
"Alright, that's probably enough for today." he finally told me what I wanted to hear an hour ago. I fell backwards, removing the blindfold as I greedily sucked in as much air as I could.
"H-how... how long... did I last..."
"Six seconds longer than the usual." he replied curtly, opening a bottle and pouring the water all over my face.
Six seconds longer? So I managed to stay standing for a grand total of eleven seconds this time. Fuck yeah!
Eleven seconds may not seem long at all, but when you're blindfolded and forced to dodge wooden swords without any warnings, it means a lot more than you would think.
"I will admit", Masaomi began after a couple of minutes, "that I didn't have a lot of expectations for you when we started." He picked up the practice swords and threw them into the storage room. "Which is why I'm surprised that you've lasted over a month, especially with how... overbearing, I've been during that time."
"Overbearing is an understatement." I snorted.
"Yeah, I suppose it is." He gave a little smile at that before switching to a serious expression. "But I want to know why you seek strength. What drives you to get stronger so desperately? What would you even do with all that strength?"
Why I want to get stronger, huh?
I will admit that it first started off because I was afraid. I was downright terrified of what this world had to offer: Devils: Fallen Angels: Homicidal Humans: Dragons: Gods and more.
Then there's all the future events that will take place. Kokabiel's attempt to restart the Great War, the Old Satan Faction, the Hero Faction, Qlippoth and the others. With my birth in this world, there's a chance that the plot won't continue as it has thanks to the Butterfly Effect.
Faced with all of this, there's only one thing that can help me survive in this world.
Power.
Power that is absolute. Power that is peerless. I want to be so strong that nobody will look down on me, regarding me as trash.
After all, I'm alive too aren't I? I have a right to live just as much as everybody else does.
I don't want to be a simple snack for certain races, or a slave to Devils, or a test subject for Fallen Angels, or even a brainwashed asset to the Church.
I just want to have enough power so that I don't have to keep looking behind me shoulder, wondering when I'm going to get attacked. Enough power so that I don't have to constantly sleep with one eye open.
But, I'm not alone anymore, am I?
I have two adorable little sisters, a brother in all but blood who enjoys annoying me, a cousin who tries to monopolise Riel from me, a mother figure, a rival in Magic Theory and a friend who just so happens to be carrying the spirit of Jeanne D'Arc.
I can delude myself as much as I want but, as cringe-inducing as it is, there's only one reason as to why I want to get stronger.
"I just want to protect my family."
I could see Masaomi staring at me from the corner of my eye with a scrutinising gaze, as if trying to see through my answer. After a couple of seconds, I could hear his footsteps coming closer before offering me his hand. I raised an eyebrow at the gesture but took it anyways, pulling myself up with his help.
"Alright, I accept that answer." Masaomi grunted as he began to make his way out. "We don't need to work on physical exercise seeing as how you already train on your own, so we'll be starting sword practice next. Meet me here tomorrow at 18:00 sharp."
Really?
No more torture?
No more senseless violence?
The training facility was filled with the simultaneous sounds of laughter and crying for the next couple of minutes.
A/N
Let me just start by apologising for the delay. It's just that my timetable has been pretty much filled up until April so I don't have a lot of time for myself anymore. I'm busy every day from 6 AM to 6 PM, and Sundays are my only break days. It will mean that chapters won't be updating as regularly as they should be, so sorry about that. This is just until I manage to make some more space in my plans.
EDIT: I just posted a Fairy Tail story on the website; don't hesitate in giving your opinions on it.
I don't really have anything to say so lets just move on to the reviews:
[TehStorm] - I was planning on the first seven or so chapters focusing on his time in the Vatican first before we move onto canon. These chapters will also be used to, hopefully, show character development rather than jump straight into canon and wondering where all the random power-ups and strange personalities came from.
[Journey to the End] - Yeah, that was the image I was going for with Jeanne. Hopefully, Siegfried will be able to help her. And don't even get me started on that Chinese idiot. Honestly, you give a hero descendent a shiny stick and he just goes batshit crazy with it.
[Ashborn2271] - You're right about that. Humans are basically cannon fodder for every single supernatural race, which is why Siegfried is going to be grabbing as much power as he can. As for Touki, I've already got a couple of ideas for different ways to branch off from it. Just watch, I'm sure that you're going to love it as much as I will.
[Gen2324] - Trust me buddy, you're going to enjoy what I have in stock for Jeanne.
[Rigald02] - I feel like it gets weird if I begin to mix the mythologies together. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Hades would mind a lot if an exorcist wanted to waddle through the only river in the underworld that would make you nigh-invincible.
[fruitspunchsamurai-987] - Believe me when I say that I'm going to explore the idea of Humanity's potential in greater detail. I feel like it's a waste that nobody seems to use this a lot in their stories. Devils don't seem to become any stronger after reaching a certain threshold, while Angels and Fallen Angels are pretty much content where they are. And don't even get me started on deities. Just imagine "a sword being able to reach the realm of gods". It paints a pretty picture, don't you think?
[Jacksonion Democracy] - I'm planning on keeping Siegfried as a human for the duration of the story but I have a couple of ideas to increase his lifespan if that's what you want. The main example being that Senjutsu can be used to prolong his lifespan.
[Boomman] - I won't be using the Fate Gram because I've already made plans for the DxD Gram. Sorry about that.
[Heron] - I am planning on an OC arc relating to Norse Mythology. I've already written up some basic ideas for it but it's still a work in progress. Hopefully it should be complete by the time it begins.