Ah greetings readers. I sincerely apologize for the delay for this chapter, though I do have (from what I can see) justifiable reasons for it.
First one is of course, real life. Classes have started and I've spent the past week handling enrollment, payment and haggling with people to obtain cheaper books and a copy of their notes. I have no intention to pay such an exorbitant amount of money to some of the books that I won't even be using beyond this term. Besides, being an engineering student can be a bit of a pain and the professors I've gotten seem to like piling up work on us.
Second is that I encountered a problem with writing. After reviewing the set of events I had set up after the last chapter I realized that there were holes in the plot... and so I had to take all the current foreshadowing I had and think of a way to make use of them in a new way or at the very least remedy the plotholes that have appeared. Having Great red and an Ophis who has access to her full power was a bit troublesome as every thought I had could be shot down by asking "Why doesn't Ophis-chan use her power to _?". Thankfully, after rereading HsDxD in B-T I had found that there was at least a plausible way to make this work...
Anyway, for now, an answer to some of the reviews:
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan
- Don't worry about that, Halcyon sgements will return after this arc is finished. Glad you enjoy them :)
Mad Random Writer
- Your words resonate with me greatly T_T. You should try writing. Believe me. I spent about two years(seriously) debating whether I should try it and it really is enjoyable to do (though it can get very troublesome).
Thank you and I'm glad that you enjoy this story.
As for novels I read... Haganai, No game no life, Index, Hyuouka, SAO, Monogatari series , Log Horizon, Vanadis, Mondaiji, Hakomari... Those are my favorites atleast though I read most of the stuff on BT
Karlos1234ify
- Ahaha, that certainly was what I was going for, I will slowly reveal who did obtain the memories (Though There aren't many of them).
Zehel2010
-It's possible for it to be both. Th girl observes and copies so maybe she picked up a few things from Akeno? haha, a sadistic Dragon God huh? Wouldn't that be a bit to frightening?
Unseen Lurker
- It will... Though this chapter was made due to certain reasons. It's in the chapter notes though. Rizevim is interseted in Ophis (wow that does sound wrong...).
Why you ask? Why not! I honestly wanted to try doing that atleast once.
Ahaha, hope the big reveal satisfies you then :D. *Sweats nervously*
fearme80
- I tried removing the "the" but then it felt really off for some reason. Guess I'll just stick with the title and insist on using TDoI
(: (This smiley seems off...)
fateburn
- ah, my ever constant reviewer XD
twistedymond
- It's fun though. A bit troublesome but fun... a lot of anxiety, frustration and irritation but hoenstly fun... I think i should stop now...
Chapter notes are at the bottom please read them and tell me what you think
We apologize for the delay of this chapter. Please assume a comfortable sitting position and enjoy reading.
Disclaimer: *Gasp* Y-you honestly think I profit from doing this? Awww hell no!
On the count of 3!
...1!...2!...GO!
====The Dream of the Infinite====
Ah flash of light illuminated the jungle as a magic circle appeared on the ground. The strange characters undecipherable to the people unacquainted with the more supernatural parts of the world was visible for only a few seconds before two figures appeared on top of it.
One had jet black hair and dull grey eyes. She wore a black sailor uniform with a light blue ribbon and black knee high stockings. The other had short brown hair and light brown eyes. His attire consisted of a plain black shirt, brown cargo shorts and running shoes.
"We have arrived Ise" Ophis stated, her demeanour more serious than usual, though such a thing was only apparent to Ise. She looked around sensing for any presence that was out of place, a habit she had developed out of necessity.
Countless large trees could be seen, the leaves and branches blocking out most of the sunlight. Magical energy could be felt in the air, the soil, and the water the flowed under the roots. It made for a beautiful sight if not for the ominous presence that could be felt around.
'It seems that there are no foreign presences.' Foreign presence meaning any other being that had not naturally existed in the jungle aside from them. Though the residents of the jungle they were in were dangerous by themselves, for as long as they don't go in too deep then there was no cause for concern.
"… I have a lot of bad memories in this jungle" Ise gave a sigh as he put on black fingerless gloves. He found it useful when training or fighting and did not obstruct his gauntlet when it manifested in his left arm. He started to perform warm up exercises to prepare himself for what was to come.
They were currently in the jungle for him to undergo one of his 'exotic' training. It was his least favourite type of training (his favourite being Sacred Gear training) and one that gave him the most amount of traumatic experiences (basic training has its fair share).
'Ise seems to have returned to normal… ' She noted as she gave Ise a look. She had noticed that Ise had acted slightly off when she met with him in the park after she had started distributing the snakes that contained her power discreetly. The look of surprise when he had seen her was telling. It was as if he wasn't expecting her presence, a strange reaction as the only time Ise would be surprised at seeing her was because he had the tendency to forget she was there.
'I wonder if something had happened in the short time we had been separated? Ise had denied it… yet I am uneasy.' It was already a month since it had happened and she still felt that the matter was up for debate. Great Red had already dismissed it, saying that she was worrying far too much... again. The increase of insects in the area was something she noted but such a thing could be caused by the current climate.
'… Thing seem to be normal for now. It would be better to focus in the training.' She made a small sigh and continued watching over Ise as he performed some warm up exercises. After performing some stretches, he manifested his Sacred Gear on his left arm.
"Okay! I'm ready!" Ise shouted out as he gave a determined smile towards Ophis. It was however, difficult not to see the combination of reluctance and resignation for Ophis. She took that as a good sign though since Ise had always looked like that even in their former world anytime any kind of 'exotic' training would happen.
"Un… Let us start then" She stated as she waved her hand to her left. A surge of power could be felt as a massive flow of energy came together and took form. The jungle they were in seemed to have also been affected as the creatures that lived within seemed to have awoken.
"Ise… What is victory?" She asked a question, to the slight surprise of Ise who was already prepared to take off. He tilted his head before and thought for a bit before giving a response.
"Eh… Wouldn't it be after I beat the bad enemy?" It was a simple answer born out of watching countless tokusatsu shows and shounen anime from the TV. He had taken a particular interest in a an anime called Dragon Ball recently, hoping that he could one day perform the signature move of the hero.
"Sometimes that is the case… however achieving victory does not always equate to defeating one's opponent." She closed her eyes as she proceeded with her explanation.
If one were to look for the definition of the word, they would be able to see that 'victory' really did mean the triumph over one's enemy, however she had learned it was for more than just that. 'Victory' was concept that she had only understood due to her time with the Gremory group.
"Something can only be considered a true victory when a goal is achieved without a great sacrifice. If you were able to defeat your opponent but was not able to attain your goal, then it would be considered a defeat. If you were to attain your goal yet sacrifice the life of a comrade, then that also would be considered a defeat"
To defeat the opponent without dying or sustaining grave injuries.
To save another without sacrificing oneself.
To attain the goal and be able to return home safely.
Such things were what the Gremory group would consider a 'victory'. Whether it was defeating an opponent, saving a life, or performing a task, the preservation of one's life and the lives of others was always put first. Sacrificing lives, be it another's or your own, no matter what was achieved in exchange was always considered a defeat.
"Interpreted in another way, it would mean that defeating the opponent does not necessarily mean that you have achieved your goal as there are times when the attainment of the goal does not relate to winning in battle." She added.
"You may not comprehend immediately. I myself did not understand at first. However you will be able to understand in time. For now keep these words in mind." She looked towards Ise's current opponent she had just summoned.
"For this training, you will be facing her as an opponent. The goal is to return, in this spot where I am, before the sunset." She stated as she looked back towards Ise. She noted the change in his demeanour, his face looking far more serious than before.
He was ready for battle.
"Begin" She declared.
=={TDoI}==
'This should be a good place'
He noted as he climbed up the large tree and sat on one of the branches.
The first thing he did when the training had begun was to go inside the jungle in order to gain an advantage. His opponent's body was huge and the large trees should limit its movements and means of attacks. There was also the fact that he needed time to build up power with his sacred gear.
Such ways of thinking was something he developed as he experienced more 'exotic' training from Ophis. 'Exotic' training essentially equated to going against different types of opponents in various environments in order to gain experience.
There was a time when his first reaction to a clearly superior opponent was to attack head on with reckless abandon. Fortunately, pain was very good teacher and he has since learned his lesson. He was an idiot by nature but anyone who had experienced being swallowed whole by a giant snake would learn to think twice before attacking again recklessly.
[BOOST!]
'That's the third one…'
The all too familiar sound reached his ears. It told him that about 30 seconds had passed since he had activated the ability of his Sacred Gear. He had learned to use the [Boost] sound as an indication time. Awareness of the elapsed time had many uses in actual combat and some tactics were dependent on it, it was even more vital to him since his level of power was based on the amount of time he had his Sacred Gear active.
He did his best to hide his presence. Not a single movement or noise was made as he was fully aware how sharp the senses his opponent had. The leaves and branches obscured his view but considering what his opponent was, it wouldn't matter.
*Rustle* *Rustle*
He heard the rustling of leaves and breaking branches. The sound grew progressively louder indicating the approach of his opponent. He closed his eyes, focusing on his hearing to locate the enemy. It had taken him a lot of practice to learn how to do it but it was worth the effort. The inability to locate the enemy had given him a lot of pain and grief before.
'She's circling around me, probably wants to attack me at my blind spot…'
The surroundings suddenly grew silent. He could feel and hear his heart beating faster. He got up from his sitting position and prepared himself to move as he was fully expecting an attack to come at any moment.
"RRRRRAAAAAHHHH!"
Suddenly a large mouth with two extended fangs lunged at him. Unsurprised, he exerted as much effort as he could and jumped from the branch. He looked back to see that the enemy, a giant snake, had ripped off the large branch with its mouth and proceeded to crush it.
The snake turned its head to look at him. It was a look of a predator hunting its prey. It had shining green scales and a black ribbon tied around its neck. It was at a size that could easily swallow a car without even fully opening its mouth.
It was actually a snake he was familiar with though he was never really happy to see it.
He stared back with a hit of boredom, making sure that he showed that he was unintimidated. Though any normal child, human or not, would probably tremble in fear against such a beast, he had long gotten used to such things.
He then ran away at full speed, expertly manoeuvring his body through the large roots and muddy ground. The surroundings were dim as little sunlight was able to penetrate this deep into the jungle they were in. Critters of all shapes and sizes that could easily provoke shrieks of fear and disgust from both male and female alike could be seen everywhere.
Many of the plants and animals that could be found in there were either very poisonous, very venomous, or simply dangerous. Any normal being would most likely take great caution in traversing the place, assuming that they were not sane enough to avoid it altogether.
It would have been nice if said plants and animals were his only problem.
[BOOST!]
*HISS*
He quickly dived and rolled to his side, just barely avoiding being swallowed by the gigantic snake that had been persistently chasing him. He proceeded to go to higher ground.
The snake realizing that it had missed its prey immediately turned its body, focusing its gaze on Ise. It slightly opened its mouth and drew its head back.
*SIZZLE*
Warning bells in his head exploded as his well-trained instincts told him that he should get out of the way as fast as he possibly can. The traces of fire on the snake's mouth further compounded his worries.
*BOOM*
The large ball of fire that then proceeded to take the form of the kanji for big (大) caused a large explosion, destroying the surroundings. The roots and trunks of the trees were charred and smoke could be seen from the embers it had left. The small streams of water that flowed under the roots of the trees were all but gone.
"W-WHY CAN WASABI PERFORM FIREBLAST?! IS HER LEVEL THAT HIGH?!"
He complained loudly as the gigantic snake had indeed performed fireblast. The snake, now identified as Wasabi, appeared very smug after hearing his words as it raised its body while never breaking eye contact with him. It appeared like Wasabi was looking down on him.
Actually, the snake didn't have any noticeable changes in its expression aside from the action it had just taken, however due to the time spent with Ophis, Ise had developed an ability to understand and pick up messages without the need for words. This was why Ise was at least 120% sure that Wasabi was mocking him.
"Guuhhhh…. Just you wait! When I get enough boosts I am so going to beat you up!" As he once again took off to gain more time.
[BOOST!]
As Ise had finished making his declaration, a sound from the gauntlet in his left arm indicated that another ten seconds had passed and that his power had doubled once again. The jewel on his gauntlet had yet to turn blue, meaning he did not have enough power to defeat his current opponent.
"Gaahh! …I've never really had to directly fight Wasabi before… It's usually Chocolate or Strawberry that fights me in training. I didn't know she was this strong!" Ise shouted in frustration. Chocolate and Strawberry usually took 4 and 5 boosts respectively to defeat but it seemed that Wasabi was far more powerful than the two.
*Rumble*
He could hear Wasabi fast approaching, her charge unobstructed by the obstacles provided by the jungle.
"… At this rate there's no way I can get enough boost to beat her. I probably won't have any more time to wait for it to turn blue. I'll probably run out of energy before I get to it so I don't really have a choice." He clenched his left hand, deciding that fighting head on was now inevitable.
[EXPLOSION!]
Despite the fact that he was not supposed to have enough power to defeat his opponent he still opted to stopped the build-up of power, stabilizing the flow of power in his body. He could feel the difference in overall ability from his un-boosted state.
He took a stance as Wasabi appeared and charged towards him. He jumped forward in response aiming to take the initiative in the fight.
'This is the first time I'll ever fight without the blue signal… I'll just need to put in extra effort!'
As they came closer Ise launched a punch towards the top of Wasabi's head, putting everything he had into it, hoping to be able to do some damage.
The punch landed successfully forcing Wasabi's head to plunge to the ground. She did not move afterwards.
"E-Eh? I won?!" The shock of actually winning despite not having the appropriate number of boosts was enough to keep him from noticing the slight movement that Wasabi's body made.
The next attack came to fast for him to dodge or defend against. As the snake slammed its tail into his body.
"Guahh!" His body was sent flying through the large branches of the trees. The pain in his body from the attack could be felt and the branches he was hitting was adding to the damage. The worst was yet to come however.
"EHHH?!" He shouted as he saw that he was about to fall off a conveniently placed cliff that he had most certainly not known of before. He could only see darkness as he peered into the cliff and decided that he was not going to fall even if hell froze over.
Fortunately, there were also conveniently placed branches that were dangling on the edge of the cliff. He twisted his body and reached out to it, managing to grab onto one and was able to successfully prevent his plunge into the abyss.
'Close! Too close! Ophis-chan told me to never get to deep into the jungle! Down there would definitely qualify as 'too deep'!'
He hung on and tried to climb up. The branch he had grabbed on was strangely thinner than most of the branches he had seen and there was a chance it would break off if he wasn't careful.
*Rumble* *Rumble*
The sound he heard however pretty much decided his fate. He could only sigh in resignation and looked down into the darkness of the cliff, hoping that the things that could be found inside wouldn't have any tentacles or stinging appendages.
Those were the top two things he hated facing. Tentacles were hard to fight against and stinging appendages reminded him of the bees he faced in the park and the event that happened afterwards. He could hope for more but he knew that luck was never really something he could rely on.
He looked up as a shadow was cast over him. He saw Wasabi's face as she stared at him from the edge of the cliff.
'I have never seen a snake smile so sweetly before… but I'm pretty sure that's the expression she has now'
He gave a flat stare and a bitter smile, resigned to what was coming next.
Wasabi came closer the root he was hanging off and brought its mouth closer and blew a small flame.
"Really?! You actually know ember?! Why do you still have such a low level move?! The last attack was supposed to be a tail whip wasn't it?! That's not supposed to be able to deal damage you know! You're supposed to just wag your tail cutely to lower my defenseeeeesss!"
Ise ranted as the flame burned the branched causing him to plunge down the cliff his voice making a strange echo.
To those curious, a certain Maou Shoujo twinkled while she was in hell, causing it to freeze over several times. The aftermath was not pretty. On a side note a certain glasses wearing girl who, due to her current age, was by all rights currently classified as grade 'A' loli material, scolded the said Maou Shoujou despite being the younger sister. The girl didn't know what happened, but she and her crimson haired best friend somehow ended up being back-up singers to the Maou Shoujo's performance while in full magical girl uniform. Pictures and videos were taken and a long and eventful quest to eliminate said pictures and videos that would last years occurred. That is however, a story for another time.
=={TDoI}==
I've found you
"?!"
He bolted up as he felt that he once again felt he heard that phrase. He looked around in panic, trying to see if there were any bees surrounding him before remembering where he was.
"R-Right… I-I was fighting Wasabi and then fell off a cliff…"
The nightmare he had was still fresh in his mind and the incident at the park did not help matters. He could feel the man's presence near him at times and could swear to even hear his voice. He decided not to tell Ophis.
He didn't understand it himself but he didn't like the idea of appearing weak or useless in front of her. The fact that the nightmare he had made him afraid him to a point where it made him delusional was something he wanted to keep to himself.
He rested his body and leaned against the boulder behind him. He seemed to have fallen in a river at the bottom of cliff and had drifted off to where he was now.
Trained or not, he would have died from such a fall but thankfully his body was reinforced by the power built up from his sacred gear.
He stood up and looked around again to see where he was currently at. The trees around were smaller than the one in the jungle and he could see some strange deer-like creatures around. There was a strange mist but it wasn't thick enough to obstruct his view.
He sat on one of the roots of the trees. He noted the beehive on one of the branches made sure to distance himself away from it.
'… Looks the effects from the boost have already worn off. I wonder how long I've been out?'
His body was sore but there were no external injuries. His sacred gear training had allowed him to understand that the 'normal boost' he receives not only improves his power but overall increases his body's natural abilities. It generally strengthened all aspects of his body by how much boosts he had done before applying the effect.
Ophis had already told him that it was possible to perform a 'concentrated boost' that applied only to a specific part of his body but he had yet to progress that far into his sacred gear training.
Another he learned was the conditions to dispel the effects. The first one is time, in which case the effect gradually weakens and eventually fades. The other is the loss of consciousness, in which case the effects are immediately dispelled.
Though he couldn't remember what happened after he fell, the fact that he was actually uninjured meant that he must have remained consciousness even after he hit the water.
"I… couldn't even damage Wasabi…" He closed his eyes as he sighed in disappointment. Wasabi was the first opponent he had fought that required more than five boosts to even be able to stand a chance against.
"… I'll probably even reach my boost limit before I get the blue signal" His current limit was eight boost and any more would cause the sacred gear's fail safe to kick in and he would lose consciousness.
"How am I going to beat Wasabi…?" He contemplated, thinking of possible ways to take down his enemy.
"If it was him he would definitely beat Wasabi up without breaking a sweat…" The word 'him', referring to the older version of himself that he saw in his dreams.
The person would simply look with determination, don his read armour and take down the any enemy in front of him without a second thought. The current Ise honestly believed that that person could beat any opponent.
"Why… Why can't I be as strong as him?" he clenched his left hand, frustrated at his inability to catch up.
"I wonder… if Ophis-chan's disappointed in me… What if…" He was afraid to finish that question.
"What if she leave if I don't become strong like the one in my dream?"
It was that feeling again. That unpleasant feeling he would always get when he had such thoughts. It was the same feeling he would get in some of his dreams.
"I guess he also feels like this sometimes huh?" he mused, remembering the times that the older version of himself would feel the same. That he would be abandoned because he was weak or useless. That he was nothing more than a pet. That he wasn't even good enough for anyone to like. It was actually more quite often.
"GAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
He shouted as loud as he could in an attempt to dispel his anxiety and frustrations. He closed his eyes afterwards to calm himself down. He opened them after a few seconds and if anyone had been there to see then they would have sworn there were flames burning in his eyes.
"Why am I giving up?! That person also felt the way I feel now and he never gave up! I won't lose! I won't lose to him!" he shouted as loud as he could, pumping himself up and building up his determination.
There hesitation, the doubt, and the fear remained inside him, but he had no intention to give up yet.
"YOSSSHHH! I'M GOING TO ACHIEVE VICTORY NO MATTER WHAT!" He shouted out, remembering the words that Ophis had just mentioned to him before the training began.
It was then that he realized something causing him to grin.
"…Achieve victory huh?"
"GRRRRRRR"
"…Eh?"
Though he wanted to contemplate on the thought further he heard a sound coming from behind him. He turned his head slowly to look at what was behind him and saw a bear like monster. It had turquoise coloured fur and had long elongated red nails. It also sported a short and wide tail with spikes on it.
He felt like he needed some kind of weapon to beat the creature. Maybe a long sword or a something absurd like a gunlance. Shock traps and tranq bombs came into mind as well.
"THIS MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL!" He ran full speed with the bear-like creature following closely behind him.
=={TDoI}==
"Whew… Managed to escape… Where the heck did that huge bear-like thing even come from?" He was currently back in the jungle after a long and arduous chase. He had only managed to escape by climbing up some vines on a side of a cliff that had fortunately lead him back to the jungle. Before entering he looked up at the sky to see the position of the sun and guessed that he had an hour or two before sunset.
"Well I'll think about that later… for now, I need to deal with Wasabi" He took some time to catch his breath and proceeded to go into the jungle. He manifested his Sacred Gear and began the countdown to his boosts.
"Ophis-chan said that the goal was to 'return to this spot' so I just have to get back to where we came in to 'achieve victory'" He started, trying to arrange his thoughts.
"Wasabi's job is to probably make sure I don't make it before sunset… Must be the reason why she didn't bother finding me after I fell off…" He ignored the various insects that seemed to have been buzzing around him.
[BOOST!]
"So that means I just have to do something so that Wasabi can't stop me from getting to Ophis-chan right? The problem is how I do that since Wasabi is pretty much stronger than me in every way"
He needed an advantage. Something he had that the snake didn't.
"Hehe… I guess I do have something I can use" He grinned, finally finding his answer.
=={TDoI}==
After some searching, he was able to find a familiar part of the jungle. He first took the time to go find a certain location he needed to use for his plan than proceeded to search for Wasabi.
He couldn't help but be irritated when he found her.
"Oh come on! I know you only job is to stop me from getting back to Ophis-chan but this is seriously pissing me off!" He shouted as he saw that the green snake had decided to simply sleep during his absence.
"… There's a chance that I might be able to get to Ophis-chan without a fight but I doubt it would be that easy. Wasabi will probably wake up and attack me the second I get near the spot…"
Ophis was quite thorough when she was training him. Such an easy way out was definitely a trap.
"Well, time to wake her up or I'll run out of time" Despite that he waited a bit more, wanting to reach his maximum boost capacity to improve his chances. After a whole minute, he reached his eight boost and applied its effect.
He then went towards a boulder and picked it up. With his enhanced strength he was able to climb up the tree while carrying it. He then threw it at Wasabi's head.
The boulder broke upon contact.
*HIIIISSSSSSSS*
"Ophis-chan must have really trained worked hard on building up effort points for your defence stat… and I guess the other stat she invested in was speed since you are way too fast for your size"
Wasabi woke up, clearly furious at what he did. Ise just responded with an innocent smile that reminded people that despite his current abilities, he was indeed still child.
"Oi you stupid snake! Catch me if you can!" He said in order to provoke her. Even going as far as to put his tongue out and make ridiculous faces.
He really didn't have to try hard though as Wasabi lunged towards him. A tick mark actually visibile on her head.
He let out a grin and quickly made his way to certain area in the jungle. After some consideration, the one thing he had as an advantage over Wasabi was the fact that he knew the area they were in well and could use many of the things found inside to help him.
The jewel turned blue when he had enough power to defeat his opponent but this only considered a direct confrontation. Meaning it only turned blue when he could beat the enemy with his power alone. It did not factor in other variable like outside interference and the use of other resources that could be found in his environment.
*CRASH*
Ise could hear the sound of trees being demolished by the snake that was chasing him. He was undeterred however and had simply continued to navigate towards his destination. The surroundings grew darker as he moved further. His speed was noticeably greater than before and he was able to gain a significant lead from his pursuer.
"Alright! I'm here!"
The surroundings grew brighter and he took a few seconds to adjust to his eyes to the light. He was currently in an area with large pillars of stone, having a size comparable to the trees in the jungle. Ophis had once told him that it was supposed the pillars were remnants of an ancient temple.
He really had no interest in those kinds of things though.
*Rumble*
"… Looks like she's here" He noted as he could feel a slight tremor from the ground. He took a stance and prepared for the next attack.
An explosion of leaves and branches came in the next moment as the snake lunged towards him in another attempt to bite. Instead of jumping to the side, he daringly jumped towards his attacker, sending am uppercut to its jaws.
The attack, more powerful than last time, was strong enough to make the giant snake flinch and stop its attack but it did no significant damage. His current level of power allowed to easily break boulders with his fist but the snake's scales were far harder. It was able to easily shake of the blow and opened its mouth. It then let out of a large continuous stream of flames towards Ise. Ise immediately went to take cover.
"Gah…. Flamethrower this time… Wasn't expecting that…"
He took some distance to avoid the flamethrower. Then, using his enhanced strength, he picked up a boulder nearby and hurled it towards his enemy. The snake dodged the boulder with ease but was met with another punch from Ise who had closed the distance between the two of them. This time however, he had aimed for its eye.
"Hah! No way can you just shake that one off!"
*HISSSSS*
The snake hisses in reply and responds to the taunt by coiling its body and then whipping its tail towards Ise. The massive tail tears through the surrounding trees and pillars.
"Woah!?"
The attack catches him off guard. Not having the time to dodge due to his carelessness, he put up his arms into a cross guard and timed his jumped with the hit. He was sent flying towards another large tree but was easily able to get back up.
"Aghh… That hurt…"
He was able to successfully reduce the impact by allowing his body to flow along with the attack. It was yet another thing he had learned through lots of painful practice with enemies much like the one he had now.
'Okay… time to end this!'
He charged towards the snake trying to bait it to attack by feinting. The snake falls for it easily as it decides to try to take another bite. He had prepared himself for another burst of flames but none came.
'Looks like Wasabi can't use her fire continuously… Must have ran out of PP or something. Well that makes things easier'
He ran towards the large stone pillars while dodging all the attacks of his pursuer. The snake was persistent and was far too focused on its attacks to notice its surroundings, unaware that Ise was manipulating its attacks to a specific direction.
As another attack came, Ise dove towards the side of one particular stone pillar and jumped behind it. He immediately punched the pillar with all his power, causing cracks to form but not collapsing it. The snake on the other hand, actually collided with the pillar but was able to quickly recover. It immediately made another turn to attack Ise who was behind the pillar.
'Okay! Here we go!'
He jumped just in time to avoid the attack, the snake's head passed right under him as he landed on the snakes back. Not wasting any time, he jumped towards the pillar once again and put his all into punching the stone pillar in the exact spot he had punched before.
*Crash*
His attack crushes a part of the stone pillar, causing it to collapse on the body of the snake. The snake's scales prevented any external damage but he was able to achieve his objective.
'She's trapped!'
The stone pillar that fell on the snake was large and its weight was significant, enough to completely seal Wasabi's movements.
*HISSSSSS*
Wasabi looked at him menacingly as she struggled and failed to get the pillar off of her body.
"You can only learn four moves you know? So even if you're trying to use Mean Look on me to stop me from running away, it won't work."
He turned his back towards Wasabi and began to ran off to his destination, ignoring the hisses behind him.
====TDoI====
"Ophis-chan!" He shouted as the black haired girl came into view. She was sitting on of the branches with her eyes closed.
'Ise has returned'
"Ise" She opened her eyes and called his name. She then showed him a warm smile.
"I couldn't beat Wasabi but I was able to trap her! Looks like I just barely made it too" He showed her a large grin, clearly proud of his accomplishment.
"Un, Ise has achieved victory. You have done well" She went towards him and patted his head, this time as a means of expressing that he had done a good job. Head pats were very convenient in that they had a wide range of uses.
'I had been worried that this training had been too much… I had created Wasabi to be significantly stronger than the others but it seems that Ise had succeeded'
She continued patting his head until she noticed the strange face Ise was making. She tilted her head and decided to simply ask what was on his mind.
"Ise?" Was really the only thing she said but it was enough to convey the whole question.
"Ophis-chan… Do you think I'll be able to get as strong as that person?" He asked with a serious face.
'I wonder why Ise still seems to treat his former self as a separate entity...'
"Yes" She replied without hesitation, understanding who Ise was referring to, though her answer didn't seem to abate Ise's worries.
"… If… If I can't become that strong, will Ophis-chan—" The question was left unfinished as Ophis pulled him into a hug.
"Ise is strong… However it does not matter. If you are strong I will fight by your side to aide you. If you are weak then I will fight by your side to protect you. I will never leave Ise's side" She spoke, tightening her hold on Ise, wanting to make sure to get her point across.
'It seems that I… have not been paying proper attention towards Ise's feelings. He has become anxious... Despite our time together, it still seems difficult to understand another's feelings and the cause for their anxiety…'
"A-Ah… Yeah… Ophis-chan will always be here…." He said as he returned her hug relief clear in his words. They both stayed like that for a while until the sun completely set.
"… Ise, we need to go home now. It may be more dangerous here at night as more creatures appear" Ophis said as she released Ise from the hug. She didn't let go of his hand though.
She raised her hand, unsummoned a certain giant snake who had already fallen asleep and proceeded to activate the magic circle to return home..
"Un… Ah, Ophis-chan, I saw a really weird bear-like monster earlier… do you know what that was?" Ise asked knowing that Ophis had already explored the area.
"… Ah, that was an Arzu—"
She didn't get to finish as the magic circle had strongly activated earlier than it should have and they were transported instantly.
====The Dream of the Infinite====
"…..?" She felt off. She couldn't understand what was happening. There was some sort of discrepancy but she was unable to identify it.
It was a strange sensation. She could only feel it slightly but could not identify the source.
[******]
She could hear a faint sound but couldn't make out what it was. The sound mimicked the static as if the transmission of the sound was failing.
[******]
It felt like there was something tugging at the back of her head. Her consciousness was being disturbed. She thought that maybe there was something wrong with the method of transfer process of her consciousness between the two bodies she used but decided to proceed regardless.
She had no intention of missing out on her morning rituals.
She opened her eyes slowly as the transfer of her consciousness became complete. She surveyed her surroundings and checked her current body, testing if process was completed properly. The process was fast, occurring within a matter of seconds. Though the act seemed easy, it was anything but. Ferrying one's complete consciousness to another body was both dangerous and extremely difficult to perform.
If both bodies concerned where near then the process would have a good chance in succeeding, however the bodies concerned in this particular situation was situated between the human world and the dimensional gap. Transferring one's consciousness in such a situation would be akin to suicide. Fortunately though, a certain red dragon had been willing to lend it's aid making the process both doable and safe.
It was an idea that had come from seeing Ise's soul be separated from his body and bound to his armour. At the time Great Red had proposed the idea to her and Draig in order to save Ise. The principles used then was the same only this time it was the consciousness that was transferred and bound instead of the soul.
She moved each of her fingers individually checking whether there was any delay in the movement of her body. She then proceeded to her limbs and then checked the condition of her internal organs.
Everything was perfect.
[******]
Despite that she could still feel the strange sensation and hear the inaudible sound that accompanied it. Though it did not actually hamper the performance of the vessel she was using, it did throw her off slightly.
Fortunately, the sensation stopped after a few more moments.
'The transfer seemed to have worked perfectly, yet that sensation remains... could it be the result of repeated transfers or something completely different?'
The method they used worked perfectly but neither Great Red nor she knew what the consequences of repeated use would be. Continuously ferrying her consciousness from bodies situated in different dimensions may have done some damage.
'It must be investigated. Though this method is perfect for my needs it does have its negative aspects…'
One being the fact that the body that did not contain her consciousness was effectively rendered helpless. This didn't particular worry her since her main body was being guarded by the strongest existence in the world.
'I, am aware that there are other ways to go about this… but this roundabout method proves to be the safest way to be with Ise…'
She could have waited. She could have waited for Ise to grow up and meet with her as fate would inevitably dictate but she wasn't able to wait.
Hence she decided that she would go meet Ise regardless of the consequences it would have. Any problem that would arise would be dealt with later.
'It is… my selfishness that had led to this… I, do not regret it however…'
She proceeded with her favourite morning activity. She herself did not understand why she would always be filled with content when partaking in such an activity. It was something she did since the first time she had woken up in the Hyoudou residence in the current world.
Watching Ise while he was asleep.
She stared at him intently. She noted the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the strands of brown hair sprawled out in different directions and the soft smile on his face. Every now and then he would say a few words like certain familiar names, food and the word 'oppai'.
She silently gave her gratitude towards Great Red for blessing Ise with a pleasant dream.
She caressed Ise's face and pinched his cheeks. The boy didn't seem to be disturbed by the act, only moving slightly. It was probably one of the dreams he had of his former life, most likely about the everyday mayhem that the Gremory group always experiences.
"Yes… I… do not regret anything…definitely" She said with a soft smile adorning her face.
[******]
Her hands instinctively stiffened. The strange sensation she was feeling had returned and the sound became noticeably louder. Her reaction had caused her to pinch Ise's cheek, disturbing his sleep.
"Nnnn…? Eh? Is it time for training already Ophis-chan?" Ise asked with a worn voice as he made a weak attempt at getting out of the bed and standing up. Ophis on the other hand was surveying the surroundings for any foreign presence.
[******]
"… Today is a day of rest. Training will not be until tomorrow. Ise should continue to sleep until breakfast" She replied after checking the surroundings, not finding anything unusual. Despite that she felt something was still off.
"Ah… okay~" Like a puppet whose strings where cut, Ise abruptly fell back on the bed and closed his eyes. It didn't even take a minute for him to go back to sleep.
She reviewed the events yesterday.
They trained in the secret jungle she had discovered in during her travels in the former world. Ise successfully completed the training and she was able to abate some of his anxiety. The magic circle had activated earlier than expected but they were transferred properly to the right time and place.
Due to the time difference between the two places, they had a few extra hours before nightfall however Ise had lost consciousness most likely due to exhaustion so she had decided to take him home to rest.
[******]
This time her body shook slightly as the sensation grew stronger. The sound became more persistent. She could tell that there was a message from the sound but the static that accompanied it was far too strong to make anything out of it.
She performed another scan on the area, this time expanding her search radius. She concentrated and tried to pick out any remotely out of place existence but still came out with nothing.
'What is this…?'
====The Dream of the Infinite====
=={Journey}==
[Do you honestly want to go through with this Ophis?]
A voice within her asked. Worry and disbelief could be felt from the tone.
"Yes" She replied to her companion for the nth time. Her companion had been asking the same set of questions ever since he had found out what she was planning to do and despite being given the same answer every time, he seemed to be adamant in confirming.
[You understand that this won't end well if you fail? What if-]
"Yes" She replied again, this time not even letting Draig finish what he was saying. She knew what he was getting at but had no intention of stopping what she planned.
[… Haaaahh….We're not even sure if it's possible…]
"Then we must at least try. Even if the chance is small, as long as it exists then I would be willing to take the risk." She asserted as she continued her flight.
"Heh… You've begun to sound similar to Hyoudou, Ophis. You're expressions and way of speaking are still the same but your words seem to have changed greatly" The person flying beside her spoke with a hint of amusement. He had blue eyes and dark silver hair, the reflection of sunlight from the white armour he was wearing was blinding.
"Hyoudou certainly has made an impact on you… Though the same applies to myself and nearly everyone that had come into contact with him" He continued as he put some more power on the wings of light on his back, causing him to accelerate. Ophis went faster as well.
His name was Vali Lucifer, the current reigning White Dragon Emperor.
[He certainly was the most interesting Sekiryuutei. I've fought many different wielders of Draig's power but not one quite like him] A voice coming from Vali's armour stated.
[My partner is certainly unique. Though, yours is quite different as well Albion] Draig added, feeling a bit nostalgic at the talk about his former wielder.
"Heh… It certainly was quite a disappointment that Hyoudou had passed on… Though we were able to do battle he was already greatly weakened from his condition…" Vali continued, his expression unreadable, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Vali… are you certain in accompanying me? Draig has already stated the possibility of failure and its consequences" Ophis asked.
"Hyoudou and I have a score to settle. I have no intention to let him get away from our promise with such an unsatisfying fight… besides, this world has grown boring without a proper rival. You have the Welsh dragon within you so no other Sekiryuutei will appear…" He paused
"… though I doubt that any of them can actually match Hyoudou. If another wielder appeared and had turned out to be some pathetic coward who will only be consumed by power then it would be better if none appeared at all. I would rather not have my rival's legacy tarnished by such a fool" He finished. Despite how the methods Hyoudou Ise had used, there was no denying the fact that he was one of the strongest.
He had wanted the battle with him to be the last one he would have in his life. A match where they were both at the peak of their power, a match that would decide who was stronger once and for all.
What he got however was a fight against a weakened Hyoudou Issei, one that was clearly on the way to his death. Though the fight itself was intense and Issei, despite his condition at the time, made for one of the most difficult fights he had had. It was still unsatisfying for him.
The victory he had achieved from that battle had no meaning.
[Hmph… You say some good things Hakuryuukou, I have no intention to allow some random idiot to ruin my partner's legacy] Draig agreed, fully understanding how Vali felt with the idea of a new wielder.
"Indeed… Ophis, are we close to our destination?" Vali inquired. They had been flying for quite some time, though it didn't wear him down at all, he grew tired of having to wait without knowing where they were headed.
"Yes… I can sense that she is near" Ophis replied while gradually slowing down her speed. Vali did the same.
"She?" He questioned, thinking of possible beings that she may be referring to.
"Un… Lilith should be near"
====The Dream of the Infinite====
A/N: Or maybe I should put C/N instead? There was another reference in there (aside from the obvious ones). I had recently downloaded a GBA emulator into my android phone and had decided to play Pokemon and Fire Emblem once again. That may or may not have contributed to the delay... I forget how frustrating it is to have a unit die due to carelessness in fire emblem
Anyway, about this chapter:
As I've said, there were some holes in the events I've originally planned so I needed to think of a way to fill said holes. The last part before the journey segment should give you an idea on what may have happened, the thing with the magic circle should also provide a clue. The ability (Though I did take just a bit of liberty with it) that comes to play here is cannon (Since I'm not quite fond of making stuff up myself... more like i suck at that department) so some (or a lot of you) may be able to know what's happening.
OP characters like Ophis are difficult to write (at least for me) since they could brute force themselves through nearly every problem. I've been doing my best to set up a believable way for her to be atleast hindered in order for the conflict to actually ensue. If you consider all the things she had done in the past chapters, you should also be able to come up with what may happen next
Due to that, I needed to create a sort of filler chapter in order to make the transition smoother. It had turned out for the better since it allowed me to further explore the current Ise (as well as the past Ise's) character as well as his current level of skill in terms of combat, expect that to play in the arc climax later. Also wanted to put in a few more Ophis and Ise moments before shit hits the fan.
I've also tried to be a bit more descriptive here, pointing out details in attire and the surroundings so tell me how that turned out. Another thing I'm practicing is shifting the mood from lighthearted to grave... My goal is to someday be able to make readers go on an emotional roller coaster in one chapter :D
Well that't it for now. Thank you for reading and thank you for your patience as well. I once again apologize of the delay. Advance thank u's to reviewers
Due to school stuff, I'll be changing my update schedule to at least one chapter every two weeks. Need to pay attention to my studies for a bit. Though If I'm not to caught up with school stuff I may be able to update faster. On the other hand if I'm particularly stressed then I may just release another one shot again.
See you again next chapter :D