(SHIRO'S POV)
"This is retarded…" I grumbled.
"Don't be like that Shiro. It's FUN!" Gracia yelled.
"Fun? Yeah...I don't think so. I'd say that this is more along the lines of FUCKING LAME!!!"
"Come on Shiro. I thought that you'd be more happy to exercise. I thought that you hated book work." Gracia said with a smile.
Dub placed an arm on my shoulder and grinned. "Bro, you gotta look at the bright side. Chicks in short shorts getting all sweaty and stuff. It's gonna be great!"
"Yeah...but why do we have to spar each other? Isn't this a little...much...you know, for school?" I asked.
"We ARE apart of the battle course. Plus, we get to show off in front of the ladies! All of the higher up classes are watching us. That includes Theta and Kyra. This is our chance to get us some puss-"
"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE TO THE LINE!!!" Our head coach yelled at us. Every one of us lined up and stood straight. "NOW, I'M GONNA SPLIT YOU ALL OFF INTO DIFFERENT SECTIONS!"
The coach gave us our sparring partners and we each stood by them. I had to fight some arrogant asshole that was the son of some rich guy that I didn't care about. Dudes name was Aksis Thyme. He ended up being a real piece of shit. The douche kept bugging me to the point where I was about to break his jaw.
After a crap ton of matches involving a ton of...disappointing battles, I was finally up next. Unfortunately, this match would be about as fun as jerking off with flaming sandpaper, and not because it would hurt, but because it would bring no form of pleasure to you. I knocked the guy out with a simple flick of my index finger. Everyone else stared at me with looks of horror. The members of the Aesma-Daeva group all smirked at the outcome. I was none too pleased with how short lived the match was and promptly stormed out of the ring.
"DUDE! YOU KICKED THAT GUYS ASS!" Dub shouted with a grin.
"...Are you kidding?! That guy freaking sucked! I literally beat him with a finger."
That was when two large, soft, mounds dropped down on top of my head as two arms hugged me from behind. "SHIRO! THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU STRAIGHT UP OWNED THAT GUY!"
My face heated up and I automatically grew flustered. "G...Gracia?! What are you doing?!"
"Sorry! I just couldn't help it! You're just so adorable!"
"I'm what?!" I hadn't been called adorable before so...Yeah…
"Dude, you are so lucky! I wanna hug too, Gracia!" Dub begged.
"Sorry Dub. Only for cuties like Shiro." She squeezed me even tighter.
"Dammit...That's just unfair!" He groaned.
"ALRIGHT! NEXT FIGHTERS, STEP INSIDE!" Coach yelled.
(CLYDE'S POV)
"Do it now!" Xeto barked at me.
"Ward of Frost: Snow Flurry!" A blast of snow flew towards Xeto. He easily blocked it and grinned at me.
"Yes! You got that one down too. You're advancing much quicker than I thought. You should praise yourself for coming this far. It is not easy learning cryomancy, especially after growing adept to pyromancy. You are a true prodigy and your efforts will not go unrewarded."
"Thank you master Xeto!" I happily bowed.
"Go on inside and rest up. We'll resume your training later today." Xeto said.
"Yes sir." I walked insiden of the small fortress of the cryomancer. Once inside, I saw Xena and Amora talking amongst themselves about something. "Hey guys…"
"Clyde? Hello my apprentice." Xena said to me.
"Greetings Clyde. If you are hungry, then Isabel has prepared lunch for you." Amora told me.
I nodded to her. "Right. I'll go see her now."
I walked into the kitchen and saw Isabel stirring a pot. I smiled as the smell hit my nose. The scent of chowder came to me and had my appetite fuelled.
"Hi Clyde." She said softly.
"Hey Isabel."
We stared at each other for a few passing seconds. Her face reddened and she quickly turned her head back to the pot. I sat down at the small table and just watched her.
"I hope your hungry. I made most of this for you to help keep you full of energy."
"Wow...Thanks Isabel. You didn't have to do that though." I told her.
"N...no! I wanted to. You're working so hard to master cryomancy. I want you to be able to do your best!" She said to me.
"Thank you." I smiled at her and started my meal.
As I ate the delicious, creamy soup, Eliza and Tatsu walked into the room. Both looked disheveled and seemed to be somewhat flustered. Tatsu walked inside of the kitchen with just his blue boxers on. His brown hair was a mess. I took note of the dark spots on his neck.
Eliza on the other hand was wearing Tatsu's large shirt and a pair of violet panties. Her lack of a bra was also...pretty evident with the shirt hugging her bare chest.
"...Could you two at least try to make yourselves decent?" I grumbled.
"Relax Clyde. We're not staying that long anyway." Eliza said as she took a sip of some orange juice.
"Where are you two going?" Isabel asked.
"To the Lily Pad." Tatsu answered with a grin.
I raised a brow. "Isn't that in the Elven forest? That's on the other side of the world."
"I can teleport, Clyde. I thought you'd catch on by now." Tatsu huffed.
"What's the Lily Pad?" Isabel asked.
"It's a club in Arinia that has alcohol and weird magical drugs…"
"Oh…" Isabel mumbled. "That sounds pretty bad."
"It's the good kind of drugs. You know, the ones that give you super endurance." Tatsu grinned.
"...And I wonder why you would need that…" I rolled my eyes.
"Wow...This Clyde is WAY more critical than the the one from my timeline."
"Tch…" I huffed and continued eating.
"Man, we gotta get outta here! The place is 25% off before six." Tatsu said.
"Damn! What the hell are we waiting for?!" Eliza yelled.
I glared at the both of them. "So goddamn annoying…"
(SHIRO'S POV)
"I don't get it...What the hell is with you guys?!" I asked with annoyance.
"What's the matter Shiro?" Kyra asked with a sceptical look.
"I thought that I'd be able to fight someone that was ACTUALLY challenging. I didn't expect to one hit ko some dude with a flick." I grumbled.
"Oh don't be such a baby Shiro. There'll be plenty of opportunities for you to test your skills." Kyra said.
"YEAH! Like when we go out on super cool demon jobs!" Gracia yelled.
"Jobs?! What jobs?"
"Oh, just tasks like soul collecting, demon hunts, and some busy work sprinkled in." Kyra told me.
"So...Demons hunt other demons?"
"Sort of...You see, we hunt down any demons that go wild and wreak havoc. These demons tend to be much stronger than regulars and are often handled by the higher ranks." Naomi explained. She leaned on my shoulder and brought her lips to my ear. "I bet you can take them, no problem."
"I...I dunno…Maybe..." I muttered.
Naomi giggled. "Your face is so red Shiro. Are you blushing for me?"
"Naomi, that's quite enough!" Kyra growled.
"I was just trying to encourage our newest member."
"That's the last thing that his perverted ass needs." Helena grumbled.
"Wow…" I huffed.
Kyra stood up and grasped my hands. "Come Shiro. I want to show you something very important."
"Really? What is it?" I asked.
"Aww! I wanted alone time with Shiro!" Naomi pouted.
"He's MY bodyguard so I get the final say!" Kyra said back.
"Fine! I'll talk to you soon Shiro." Naomi winked.
"Yo Kyra!" Vauz yelled as he stepped out of the kitchen.
"What is it?" She replied.
"Two things...One, Gideon's on his way to the castle. Two, we're out of potatoes…"
"Three, we're low on our soul counts. We need to up our contract amounts or we won't make this weeks quota." Naomi chimed in.
"Four, I need to do our weekly health evaluation." Nyne said.
"Hold up...pause...rewind...Who the hell is Gideon?" I asked.
"Ugh! Why does he have to come today?!" Kyra growled.
"Well he probably wants to seal the deal this time." Naomi sighed as she patted her shoulder.
"WHO THE HELL IS GIDEON?!" I yelled.
Helena jabbed me in my side. I glared at her but she simply folded her arms.
"It's okay...You can tell him." Kyra said in a sad tone.
Gracia walked over to me and huffed. "Gideon is one of the Kings of Hell. His family is the most powerful in Hell and is also most wealthy too."
"Pfft...So he's some rich douche. Big deal." I shrugged.
"Yeah! A rich douche that'll erase you from existence! He knows how to wield hellfire and owns the Lava Serpent, Thiosulfaet." Vauz said.
"Yeah...so what? I have a Vizeron!"
"DAMN RIGHT!" Viz barked as he hopped up on my shoulder.
"Plus, what can that guy even do to me? I have a legendary magical growing sword, gauntlets that let me punch mountains to pieces, soul energy, stealth skills, Trickster Technique, Fanny Pack Style, THE Hanzuname Dragon Blade... which is only the most badass sword ever made! I can use Elemental Dracomancy, and I have the Vengeance suit. Does that bitch Gideon have any of that?"
"...Well he does have Kyra." Helena grumbled.
Kyra's eyes widened. "HELENA!"
"WHAT?!" I yelled automatically.
"Yeah...Gideon is technically engaged to Lady Kyra." Gracia sighed.
"SOMEBODY EXPLAIN!!!" I shouted.
"Why do you even care so much? It's not like you know either of them that well." Helena said coldly.
"I...I'm her bodyguard so...I have every right to be concerned!"
"Aww! That's so cute!" Gracia hugged me to the point of near death.
Kyra sighed again. "Shiro...Listen to me well. This is how it is to be a noble in Hell. From the day I was born, I was destined to do whatever it took to keep hell as strong as possible. The Aesma-Daeva branch was the most powerful when my father was still around. Now that he's gone, he trusted me to keep things in check. That means keeping certain allies close. The Espada family is an ally that we need. Gideon is the head of that family, so it'd only make sense if we combined both. The way to do so is through marriage…"
"That's not right! You should marry somebody that you actually like! Who that hell does that type of stuff anymore?!"
"It's just the way it is Shiro. Our children will take over the underworld with both of our respective abilities."
"NO! You...You can't!"
Gracia patted my shoulder and shook her head. "Just let it go Shiro."
"...Fine...When do we even get to meet Gideon?" I asked.
"How's about now?" Said a fancy voice.
In the center of the living room, a swirl of hellfire appeared. When the fire disappeared, a pale man with deep red hair appeared. His white suit shined with wealth. His thin rimmed glasses showed his sly, onyx colored eyes. Behind him was a group of people. The majority of them were extremely beautiful women. I couldn't stop admiring them all.
"What the fuck?" I muttered.
"...Here we go…" Helena murmured.
"The Aesma-daeva crew! It's so lovely to see you all again. Naomi, you're looking as beautiful as ever."
Naomi lightly rolled her eyes. "Thank you Lord Gideon."
Gideon smirked. "Ah...Kyra my sweet. Your elegance knows no bounds. Your heavenly body has matured since my last visit." He caressed her cheek before tilting her chin up. "So my sweet...What's new?"
My blood boiled. I pushed past Gracia and stepped forward. "I'm what's new!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!! And who are you supposed to be?!" Gideon chuckled.
"Shiro Tatsugami! Kyra's new bodyguard! That means that if you don't have her permission-"
~SMACK~
"Then you need to take your filthy hands off of her!" I growled.
The room went silent after I slapped his hand off of Kyra's face. Both his group and my group stared at me with complete shock. I didn't care. Nobody was gonna touch her like she was some sort of prized possession.
"...You…" Gideon started. "You dare lay a hand on me…"
"Gideon wait! He didn't mean it!" Kyra said to him with desperation.
Gideon moved her aside and stomped in my face. "YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON ME?!"
"Would you rather a fist?" I threatened with my fist balled up.
"You...you have no idea who I am, do you?" He chuckled.
"I know that you're an arrogant dick."
"Hear my words...Shiro was it?" He spoke.
A split second later, I was smacked with a flaming hand and sent flying. I dropped down and smashed into the coffee table, splintering it completely.
"SHIRO!" Kyra shouted with worry.
"Ngh...T...that...all you got?" I spit the loose tooth outta my mouth and stood up and glared at him.
"Heh...Is that honestly your idea of a taunt? Here I'll do you one better." He turned around and clutched the back of Kyra's head before smashing his lips against hers. Forcing his dirty tongue in her mouth pissed me off. "She's gonna be all mine so you're practically my slave too. Make yourself useful and fetch me a drink since you can stand."
"Shiro are you okay?" Viz asked me.
Everything was purple. The static danced around me as I hissed angrily. "I got something for you…" I jumped up and cocked my arm back. "YOU BASTARD!!!"
"Hanu, Shika...Dispose of this trash…" Gideon snapped his fingers.
A blonde and a brown haired girl lunged at me with glowing fists. They smacked me down to the floor. I skidded back until I hit the wall behind me. They hovered over me and snickered.
"You'd best learn your place, boy!" The blonde said.
"Lord Gideon's not one to be trifled with." The brunette spat down on me.
"Shiro please...Just stop…" Kyra asked me. The tears in her eyes made me feel like shit.
"Listen to your master boy." Gideon stomped on my head and grinned. "You'll live longer."
"I'm not afraid of death…" I grumbled.
"Hmm...Good for you." He said before walking over to Kyra and kissing her again. "As for what I really came here for...The Kings have agreed on the date for our wedding. Four weeks time. Our wedding will be a grand one!"
"Yes…" Kyra muttered.
Seeing her wet face made me feel hatred for Gideon even more. "You don't have to...marry that...douchebag!"
"When will you be silent?" Gideon glared at me.
He started walked towards me but Kyra grabbed his hand. "Gideon, I will handle him. Just go now. He is already damaged enough." She pleaded.
"...Very well. Only for you my sweet." He said to her. He started walking back towards his entourage. "It was nice to see you again Aesma-daevas. I do hope that our next meeting will be more of a...pleasant experience."
"Fuck off…" I hissed.
"Till we meet again…" They all vanished in a swirl of hellfire and left us feeling a mixture of emotions.
"I don't like that guy…"
"Shiro...Would you mind going with Vauz and Helena to pick up some potatoes?" Kyra asked me with a distant voice.
"...Kyra…I'm sorry..." I sighed as Naomi and Gracia picked me up.
"Don't...It's okay...Just go now Shiro...We'll talk later…" She said to me.
(ZERO'S POV)
"Gabby, I need to ask you something…" I said to her.
"What is it?" She rested her head on my shoulder, which caused me to blush a bit.
"I...I want to know...more about Shiro and Clyde."
She lifted her head and stared at me with shock."W...why? What brought this up?!"
"Well for starters...I killed Shiro...I shouldn't have done that but...I wasn't thinking properly. I was foolish to let my temper get the best of me and for that, I'm sorry."
"Zero…" She rubbed my cheek with her soft hands. "I forgive you for that. I can't speak for everyone, but I personally don't resent you in the slightest."
I let her words sink in and nodded. "...Then there's Clyde. He's been training extremely hard in order to reach his goal. His pyromancy is top tier and he can now wield cryomancy. He's growing more and more. With Xeto's help, it won't be long before he surpasses my level. I just...I want to know as much as I can so that I too can improve."
"Hmm...Well it's hard to explain them both. In terms of Shiro, he's a prince that got his home destroyed by a mysterious figure. He's not very good with magic, he's brash, and temperamental. He also carries the burden of the entire future's destruction. In all honesty, I don't envy him not one bit. It must be hard living like that. Even though he's an idiot, he's still a good guy deep down when it counts. He's just got his own issues to deal with."
I looked down. Her words made me feel even more guilty for killing him. "I see…"
"As for Clyde...I suppose he's like the prodigy of the group. He's smart, gifted and is very serious. Some of what he does really baffles me. He mastered high level pyromancy in under a month and knows multiple intermediate spells. His dreams are clear and he's willing do whatever it takes to make them a reality. He pushes himself just as much, if not more, than Shiro. He's amazing." She said.
"Yes, I thought so…"
"What I'm getting at is that no matter how far one of them goes, the other always seems to catch up. Their rivalry is the cause of that. Besides, just because Shiro is dead, doesn't mean that he's not gonna get stronger. Tatsu said it himself that Hell is where he really started to grow. If Shiro follows that path, than he'll be just as strong as his future self."
"Than that mean that I can't afford to slack off. I will get stronger too. I have to keep my status. Both of them nearly beat me in our fight. I have to widen the gap."
She laid her head back down on my shoulder as Koriju continued flying us to our destination.
(SHIRO'S POV)
"You need to lighten up Shiro...None of us like the guy either." Helena sighed.
"Lighten up?! You saw how upset she was with that rich asshole. Touching her like that...I should've killed him!" I growled as I attempted to unsheath the Hanzuname Dragon Blade.
"You didn't exactly help with your outburst." Vauz grumbled as he dropped one of the bags of groceries and unlocked the castle door.
"What was I supposed to do?! Sit there and be a fucking pussy?!"
"You're a hopeless dimwit." Helena grumbled.
"You wanna say that again?" I hissed.
"Dimwit dimwit DIMWIT!"
"Whatever you flat chested bitch!" I snapped.
"YOU PERVERTED DICKHEAD!!!" She retorted.
"Fucking tomboy!"
"Shrimp dick!"
"Camel toe!"
"VIRGIN!"
"YOU ARE TOO YOU FUCKING DYKE!" I yelled at her.
"ENOUGH!" Vauz yelled. "Now is not the time. Helena, please help me with the groceries. Shiro, go see Nyne. This is your first check up so don't give her a hard time."
"...Fine, I'm going…" I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked over to Nyne's room. I knocked on the door and waited for a response. "Hello...Nyne!"
"Yes Shiro? What is it?" She said as she opened the door. Her short blue hair was tied in a small, low hanging ponytail. She was currently wearing her glasses and a loose sweater.
"Uh...I'm supposed to be getting a checkup or something...I dunno." I shrugged.
"Ah yes! That!" She was suddenly grinning. "Come inside and we'll begin your...Examination…"
I was starting to feel uneasy but complied with her wishes. "So what now."
"I need your clothes off. Now!"
"Like...All of them?!"
She huffed. "Yes Shiro…"
I took off my jacket and my shirts, then followed by my boots and my pants. I stared at the black boxers that were still on my body.
"...Even these?" I said with embarrassment.
"Even those…" She nodded.
I did as I was told, much to my discomfort. "Goddamn…" I sighed.
"Hmm...Not bad…" She said with a slight nod.
My face turned red as I covered my junk. "Quit looking at me!"
"You should be proud. Most men don't reach seven. You're slightly above average." She said in a plain voice.
"Sh...shut the hell up! You can't just say shit like that!"
"Relax. I've seen everyone naked before. Vauz is rocking a solid eight and a half inches." She said.
"WHAT?! I don't wanna hear that!" I yelled at her.
She shrugged and walked over to me. She looked me up and down and ran her hands all over my torso. "Hmm...Your physical condition is exceptional. I do have a few test that I want to go through with."
"...And these tests are?"
"Simple really. First, I need you to lay down on that bed over there."
"Can I put my clothes back on?"
"NO!" She shouted quickly.
"...Ok…" I did as I was told and laid on the bed. That's when I was quickly chained me to said bed. "What the hell?!"
"Shush! Let it happen!" She smiled widely as she ran her fingers along my body. "You're a fine specimen indeed. Tell me something Shiro...What are these tattoos on your body?"
"I don't know! They appeared when I was in the magic tournament. They glow when I'm using my soul energy to the max."
"Oh...I see...You mind showing me?" She asked.
"I mean...It's kinda weird. I can't really go all out unless I'm in danger…" I muttered.
"Hmm...Danger you say?" Nyne walked over to her closet and pulled out a large box. "I think I can do that." She opened and pulled out a long needle. "I wanna see your real self. In this vial is holy water. Does nothing to humans and angels...but to demons…"
She let a tiny drop fall on my chest. "WHAT THE FUCK?! OW!!!" I yelled.
She sucked the fluid into the vial and smiled with red on her cheeks. "Kyra said that you were strong. I want to believe her...In order to do that, I'll just have to see for myself." She climbed on top of me and straddled my bare hips. Couldn't tell if this was sexy or terrifying. "You are quite attractive Shiro. Maybe...just maybe…"
"NYNE DON'T! YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS WITH THIS SHIT!!!" I screamed.
"Just let your power loose and you'll be fine Shiro." She licked her lips and moved the needle closer to my neck.
"HELP!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" I screamed.
"Almost there…"
"No...Nyne don't! Get away from me! GET AWAY!!!" I shouted before blasting her off of me with my purple aura. I grabbed the chains with my bare hands and ripped them apart. The tattoos glowed wildly and I could feel my body tense up. I stomped over to her and grabbed the needle. I shattered it and glared at her. "Don't do this again!"
"Oooooh! Your hair! Your muscles! You're like a different person!" She cheered.
I sighed and dropped my power. "You're insane…"
She got up and grabbed my shoulders. "Finally! A being worth studying. I must figure out how you work! Such ferocity...It's so alluring. Yes...You'd be the perfect donor."
"Whoa! What do you mean donor?" I asked.
"Your sperm. You'd be able to fertilize Kyra's kids and create the ultimate being. We could get experimenting! Oh the combinations! You and Naomi, you and Helena, you and Gracia, you and Olivia, you me! The offspring would have endless possibilities with your enhanced genes."
"Are you nuts?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I yelled with heat rising to my face.
"What? I'm only being logical." Nyne shrugged. "Only time will tell."
I forcefully grabbed my clothes and put them on. "Let's just let things happen naturally."
"Hmm, natural selection? That's even more excitinging. Who will conceive your child first? Oh! I can't wait!" Nyne clapped her hands together and sighed happily. "To feel the emotion of love! So fascinating."
"...I'm leaving now...Freak…"
"See ya later Shiro!" She said happily.
(TATSU'S POV)
"GODDAMN! THIS IS THAT GOODSHIT!" I shouted in my drunken state.
Eliza jumped on my lap and wrapped her arms around me. "WOOOOOH!!! KISS ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She gave my the wettest, sloppiest kiss possible. Her moans made my drunken body even more intoxicated. When she pulled away, she turned back to the bartender and giggled. "Two more rounds of your finest Sunshine Birch Ale!"
"Sorry little lady...No more drinks for you two. I don't think ya livers can handle any more abuse." The husky elf lady said.
"Excuse me?! Give me and my man anotha round!" Eliza slurred.
"Uh...c'mon babe. We should prolly-"
"NO! We'll leave, afta we get our drinks!" Eliza said to me.
"Security!" The lady yelled.
"Screw ya security!" Eliza hopped off of my lap and pulled out her two sharp daggers. "C'mon ya bitches!"
"Well...Here we go again…" I muttered and she stabbed one man in his neck and tossed her other dagger into the other guys skull.
In the background, chairs were being thrown and people started attacking each other. I guess the Elven guards got called because twenty more guys in heavy armor showed up. Their spears were pointed at me and Eliza with the intent to kill.
"YES! KEEP EM' COMIN BOYS!" Eliza yelled.
"Seize her!" One of them yelled.
"For fucks sake!" I got up and punched a guys head clean off. "HOLY SHIT! My bad dude…"
"Change of plans...KILL THEM!"
Eliza and I stood back to back, watching each other's rear. I brought out my Khans Kamas and smirked a drunken smirk.
"Ready babe!" I asked her.
"Damn right I am!"
(SHIRO'S POV)
I laid down in my bed thinking about that douchebag Gideon. I hated seeing Kyra so upset but what could I really do?! She wasn't even at dinner with us. It made me feel like shit.
~KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~
I looked at the door and raised a brow. "Uh...Come in…"
The door opened slowly. Kyra had walked in with that same nightgown. My heart fluttered.
"...Kyra?"
"..." She didn't say anything to me. She simply climbed onto my bed and laid next to me.
"Are you alright?"
"...Just hold me...Please…" She whispered.
"Uh...ok…" I did as she asked with no complaints. I wrapped my arms around her and fought off the blush creeping on my face.
"I'm so confused Shiro…"
"You and me both."