The Lone Vigilante Issei – High School DxD
Hey everyone, it's me Hide Shinyama.
Five and a half weeks since the last release. That was not what I was expecting…
But still better than my last delay of about three months…
Anyway, now that the new arc has started…
Issei is now in the wilderness of the Underworld…
The Supernatural World and its factions are in turmoil because of the Hulk…
The Hulk is in the Underworld confronting Hades and his cohort…
The Amazons are on the war-footing…
And the rest of the gang are huddled in the Tengu residence.
What is going to happen to all of them?
Find out in…
Chapter 57 – Separate Buildups
13th of November, Friday, 6:56 pm (Japan Time) – Somewhere in the Realm of the Dead
I cannot believe this… Hades said, as he stood alone against the Hulk in shock and fear. [This is impossible!]
[Ugh…]
[Lord Hades… Help…]
[Agh… Ow…]
The Hulk had just crushed all his Ultimate-Class Grim Reapers with his physical strength alone. All of them were lying on the ground broken and half-dead. The luckiest ones were still conscious and moaning in pain. Aside from Hades, only one of the Grim Reapers remained standing.
After the Hulk had defeated the dozens of Grim Reapers in the throne room, Hades had even called a great number of additional Grim Reapers from elsewhere. They, too, were Ultimate Class and even had many High-Class Grim Reapers.
They numbered in the thousands and yet still, they were crushed. It did not matter what kind of weapons they used against the Hulk, whether they be scythes, magic, curses and powerful beasts, none were the Hulk's match. The Hulk simply destroyed them by simply punching them, throwing them, bashing them with each other (like a bat), stomping them, crushing their limbs, ripping them in two, shattering their bones, etc.…
All of this took about two hours since the Hulk arrived. Despite the intensity and duration of the fight, the Hulk remained standing with no visible injuries.
The worst part of it was that the Hulk did not even look tired. He did not even break a sweat and looked as angry and aggressive like at the start of the fight.
The throne room, on the other hand, also had been torn apart. There was debris and deep holes everywhere. The walls and pillars had partially collapsed. In short, Hades' throne room had become a ruin with Grim Reapers lying around everywhere.
[Impossible!] The last standing Grim Reaper (aside from Hades) shouted at the Hulk in terror. [What are you!? How can you still…? KEUK!]
The Hulk just threw a punch at the poor Grim Reaper, as the latter hit the nearest wall with full force and then fell forward with his face first on the ground. He was unconscious.
"Hulk crush you!" Hulk declared to Hades with a look of rage in his eyes.
[Damn it! Looks like I have to do it myself!] Hades declared and chanted a powerful spell.
(((RUMBLE!)))
The chant made the Underworld rumble, as magic gathered around Hades along with his scythe. Formations were formed on the floor of the throne room, as they were about to be used against the Hulk.
[You forced me to do this… And now you shall pay the price for attacking my realm!] Hades threatened the Hulk.
The Hulk was not impressed, as he readied himself… then shot forward at Hades.
"HULK CRUSH YOU!"
The Hulk's fist landed against Hades' barrier with a huge impact.
(((BOOM!)))
The impact created a huge boom that shook Hades' throne room. But the Hulk was not done with his attack.
[BAM!] [BUM!] [BOOM!]
The Hulk threw punch after punch, but Hades' barrier was stubbornly solid.
[Brute force can only amount to so much you green ape! Hades gloated over the Hulk. Now, take this attack!]
Hades swung his scythe, which created a huge energy-based slash that threatened to take Hulk's soul. The Hulk jumped back uninjured, narrowly avoiding the attack.
[Surrender! Surrender and I can let you die quickly!] Hades threatened the Hulk.
But the Hulk was not intimidated.
Not in the least bit.
For the Hulk, the fight had only just begun.
"HULK SMASH!" the Hulk roared and pounded on the ground.
[BOOM!] ((WHOOSH!))
It created a huge shock wave, which threw up dust and debris along with it. It headed straight towards Hades with full force.
[Futile!] Hades declared and used his powerful shield once more.
[BOOM!]
The shock wave, though strong, could not break through Hades' mighty barrier.
[Fafafa… Is that all you have?] Hades laughed, as he looked at the Hulk… or at least where he thought he stood.
But when the dust had cleared, he saw that the Hulk had gone.
[What? Where…?] Hades looked around to find the Hulk but found nothing but his fallen men and the destroyed landscape of his throne room.
[Crack!]
[What!?] Hades inadvertently cried out, as a newly made crack formed beneath his feet.
[CRACK! BAM!]
From beneath the crack, the Hulk emerged with a loud noise and rocks and dust being kicked up.
The Hulk rose before Hades with menacing eyes and clenched angry teeth. His face screamed murder and hatred.
It turned out the Hulk had hidden himself in one of the holes after the dust obscured Hades' sight, leading him to find a cavern that led him right underneath Hades' feet. Hulk used the holes that he had created in his fight against the other Grim Reapers to his advantage.
Before Hades could run, use magic or attack, the Hulk grabbed him by the throat.
[Gack! Gahah!] Hades gagged, as the Hulk held him by the throat.
Nevertheless, he managed to glare back at the Hulk.
[Do not think you have won…] Hades spat out.
With that, power burst forth from Hades, as he powered up.
[BOOOOOOOOOM!]
Hades had unleashed at least half of his power, creating a massive blast wave, which created a crater beneath his feet and flung debris, rubble and unconscious Grim Reapers flying.
The Hulk could feel Hades' power burn his hand, but he did not flinch. No, instead his eyes shone with fury, as he gripped Hades' throat even tighter.
[YOU… BLOODY… MONSTER… LET… GO… OF… MEEEEEE!] Hades managed to scream in rage, despite being choked, as he swung his scythe at the Hulk.
"HULK… KIIIIIIIIILLLLLL!" the Hulk roared, as he simultaneously swung his fist at Hades' face.
The moment their attacks connected, light and shock waves burst forth from where they stood.
[SHHIIIINNNG! BOOOOOM!]
And everything turned white in the darkness of the Underworld.
14th of November, Saturday, 6:32 am (Japan Time) – Somewhere in the Underworld
Issei trudged through the vast grassy meadows of the Underworld. When Issei first awoke, the sky was still dark. With the day now breaking, the sky had turned blood red, a normal phenomenon in the Underworld. But for Issei, it was… quite eerie.
But Issei soon realized that the sky was the least of his concerns. His biggest concerns lay with the dangers on the ground. Issei had been attacked by a reptilian creature right upon awakening. Although he managed to defeat it, Issei would find more beasts, as he went on, such as huge bats…
"Get away! Get away!"
[BASH!] "SQUEAK!"
[What a lucky punch, Partner. Into the brook quick! More are coming!]
"Here goes… DIVE BOMB!"
[SPLASH!]
…electrifying eels with red skin color…
"GAGAGAGAGAGH!"
"SSSSSSSSS!"
[Keep moving, Partner! There's a ford up ahead!]
"GOT IT! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
[Dragon Shot!] [BOOM!] "SSSSSZZZT!"
"Finally, I got on shore… Phew!"
…and even huge rocs.
"KRAAH! KRAAH!"
[Partner, duck!]
"WAH! THAT WAS CLOSE! IT ALMOST CAUGHT ME!"
[Look out! It's coming again!]
"KRAAH! KRAAH!"
"TAKE THIS!"
[Dragon Shot!] [BOOM!]
[Partner, you missed.]
"Dang it, I… Huh?"
[CRASH! BOOM!] "KRAAH!"
"Ohh… How lucky… My Shot hit a tree trunk which caused the tree to fall on the bird…"
[And now, it's squashed flat… Lucky shot, I guess…]
Of course, there were other dangers which did not involve beasts, such as scorching hot fields, mudslides, and even poisonous swamps. Luckily, Issei was not caught up in those, however, he was able to seem them happen at a safe distance, something that made Issei be wary of his surroundings.
This was the wild.
And it was nothing like the wilderness that he, Matsuda and Motohama had encountered in the forests on their way to Tokyo. No, rather, it was a lot more foreign, filled with a lot more unknown beasts and dangers of which Issei was unfamiliar with.
But the worst part of it all, were neither the beasts, nor the terrain. Rather, it was the fact that Issei did not know where he was going. To make matters worse, Issei was starting to get hungry.
"Dang it…" Issei grumbled, as his stomach growled for the third time. "How long do I have to walk?"
[Beats me, Partner. For all I know it could take a few hours or even weeks until you see signs of civilization] Ddraig answered vaguely.
"WHAT!?" Issei shouted, as he looked at the Boosted Gear with shock and outrage. "WHY IS THAT!?"
[The Underworld is literally another world, comparable in size to the human world. The only difference is that here there is a lot of land that is basically wild territory. Even in the territories that are owned by the various Devil houses are vast and empty. Some of them are bigger than Japan several times over. You would be lucky if you even found a small hermit's hut somewhere] Ddraig explained, causing Issei to be depressed.
"Ah… man…" Issei groaned, as he hunched over.
[Don't give up, Partner. The worst-case scenario is that you must find a way to settle in the wild for a while. There is no need to worry about food if you're able to hunt, since the Underworld is abounding in animal species great and small] Ddraig said to console Issei.
"Hunting… Huh?" Issei did not like to imagine it. "Sigh… I hope we can find a city really soon…"
[Like I said, Partner. It's not so easy… Wait…] Ddraig suddenly paused, making Issei confused.
"What is it, Ddraig?" Issei asked of him.
[Partner, look over at the distance…] Ddraig beckoned Issei, making the latter fix his eyes on the pillar of smoke in the distance. […That smoke over there… That's…]
"…a sign of civilization!" Issei concluded, his spirit and morale rising. "I'm saved!"
With that Issei ran towards the smoke in full speed.
Issei was sure of it. He was saved!
But Ddraig, being older and wiser than Issei, was not so optimistic. He had a different conclusion about what that pillar of smoke meant.
And Ddraig hoped, it did not mean what he thought it meant.
14th of November, Saturday, 8:02 am – In the courtyard, Tengu Residence, Nerima Ward
Sanma was currently meditating on a stone in the courtyard right next to the koi pond. Now, Sanma was not the type who would meditate, but he did so now, given everything Shinyama had told him last night. Meditation was not something the School of Randomness taught, by the way.
But Hokuto Shinken was very different. Sanma could feel just by learning under Shinyama for half a day and he had to say, he was impressed with how different it was from the School of Randomness.
The School of Randomness would teach its practitioners that "any random technique goes in order to win" according to the words of his father, Gunma Raotome, and grandmaster Hentai. If those two men were anything to go by, the art was designed to steal people's underwear and run away, while using every little dirty trick to live another day. Whenever Sanma learned or practiced it, he felt like he was a thief or a criminal or even just a shameless man who would stoop down to any stupidity to run away from his responsibilities.
Come to think of it, was that not what Ryuga said to him yesterday?
Flashback
"That's what I hate about you the most. You take girls, play with their feelings, and never take responsibility for them. And you lecture me on not being a real man."
Flashback end
When it came to Ryuga's scolding words from yesterday, Sanma could not help but feel his anger rise within him.
However, Sanma shook his head and continued his train of thought.
So, what made Hokuto Shinken different from the School of Randomness?
From what Sanma could gather from what little he learned yesterday, Hokuto Shinken was an ancient martial art that focused on assassination. Moreover, Shinyama told Sanma that it was a serious and all-powerful martial art that needed to be taught carefully not only in terms of passing on the techniques themselves, but also in terms of who to pass it on to. The reason for that it that its practitioners needed to be of clear heart and mind.
All this flew in the face of his father and grandmaster Hentai taught him about martial arts. With Hokuto Shinken there seemed to be a sense of honor and power. While the School of Randomness also had honor and power, it was flawed and at times plenty hypocritical and useless. Hokuto Shinken felt more… authentic and grander.
Another reason was that Hokuto Shinken was truly an art that dealt with life and death. While Sanma had been in battles of life and death and had even killed with the Art of the School of Randomness, with Hokuto Shinken it more seriously involved in matters pertaining to life and death.
And the final reason for why Sanma thought Hokuto Shinken was different from the School of Randomness, was that for the first time, he was truly challenged about his inner turmoil. That was true when Shinyama spoke to him last night.
Flashback
"It is obvious that the people around you play a huge part of your problems. So, tell me about your thoughts about the people around you. What do you think of them? And what do you want when it comes to them? Can you start with your parents?" Shinyama asked of Sanma, as the first played the therapist for the latter.
Both were sitting on the grass in front of the koi pond right across each other. Shinyama had decided that the night outside was a good place to think, hence why they were there.
Sanma answered as followed.
Regarding his father, Sanma thought that he was nothing but a drunk selfish man who would use all and any means to fill his fat stomach, whether it be by lying, cheating or stealing. If things go south, his father will run away. He was the perfect definition of scum and Sanma would like nothing more than to be free from his influence.
His mother was strict and focused on nothing but honor. Moreover, she was largely absent in his life, as he was constantly on the road with his father, so Sanma really wanted nothing to with her.
The only problem was that as a martial artist, he was duty-bound to fulfill his pledges.
Next, Sanma was asked to speak about Soun Tengu and Grandmaster Hentai.
With the perverted old letch, Sanma made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with him and that having him out of his life was even better than having his parents out of his life. The only problem was that his father and Soun were both students of him in the art, hence why he has remained in their lives since then.
Soun Tengu was not a bad person overall, however, he was a pushover and a crybaby. What's even worse was that he was one of those who insisted that the arranged marriage between Nakane and himself go ahead. And Sanma's only wish regarding him was so that he could finally grow a backbone and stop this nonsense.
The next people were hard for Sanma to talk about, but Shinyama insisted on it.
And thus, Sanma began to collect his thoughts and speak.
"Ryuga has been my best friend since middle school. Sure, we had our fights, but it never got as bad as now," Sanma explained.
"Why do you think that is so?" Shinyama asked of Sanma.
"It's gotta be 'cuz of Nakane. He's been head-over-heels over her ever since he saw her. But because Nakane and I are engaged and that can't be annulled, Ryuga would never be able to get her. And I myself would never let him have her 'cuz… honor demands that our pledge between our dads be fulfilled," Sanma answered honestly.
"I see…" Shinyama said to himself and paused to think. "What about Nakane herself? What are your thoughts on her?"
Sanma paused to think for ten seconds, then answered. "She's a loud violent tomboy who would always whack me over the head over every little thing. She gets insulted, whack over the head. She sees me talkin' to a girl, then she accuses me of being unfaithful and then beats me up. She's that kinda person."
"And what is it you want of her?" Shinyama asked of Sanma.
Sanma shrugged at his question. "I'm not sure…"
"Okay, different question. If you were to choose, which would you pick? Marrying her and fulfill the pledge or letting Ryuga have her and violate it?" Shinyama asked.
Sanma hesitated for he could not find an answer to that question. After a while, he shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know," Sanma answered truthfully. "I don't hate her. From time to time, we do get along, but… then our relationship goes downhill again, like it is now. Honestly, I would have a better shot with the other girls and leave her to Ryuga. That would be the better option, but… the pledge has gotta be fulfilled."
"Then what about the other girls? What do you think about them?" Shinyama asked next.
Sanma pondered for a while, as he looked into the night sky for a moment to take in the atmosphere.
Then he spoke. "Lemme start with Cat Fu. The reason why Cat Fu and I are in a relationship is 'cuz she tried to kill me at first. Then, I defeated her and then we got engaged according to her tribe's laws. Admittedly, she's a whole lot cuter than Nakane and very sexy…" Sanma said and started to drool after a particular memory involving them gyrating their hips against each other.
"But…?" Shinyama spoke up, trying to get Sanma to focus.
Sanma shook out of his lustful fantasies and continued.
"The problem is that… she is bound by all this martial art honor her tribe set up. And… I don't really wanna be a part of that… Also, I've gotta marry Nakane… 'cuz of the honor pledge, ya know?" Sanma answered Shinyama.
"I see…" Shinyama replied and took his time to think about his next question. "What about Komachi? She seems to be madly in love with you?"
Sanma shuddered at the thought of the loony woman. "Well… she is… but… she's also crazy… and could flip her mood at the next second. While she did get better after that talk we had and even went to have a date today… I feel like I'm always on shaky ground… especially if she finds about my… umm… never mind the last part."
"Are you perhaps talking about your curse?" Shinyama guessed.
Sanma was shocked at Shinyama's knowledge of that.
"Wait! Ya knew?" Sanma voiced surprised.
"Yes, I do. And I guess what you want to say is that once she finds out about your curse, your relationship is going to come to an end, right?" Shinyama guessed.
"That's right," Sanma answered with a grim look on his face. "And I dunno what she'll do to me once she finds out."
"Okay… moving on… What about Ukyu? You've known her for a lot longer than all the other girls, right?
"Yeah, I do…" Sanma answered and stretched his arms into the air before he continued. "…She was my first best friend that I had… The times we spent together were fun… Funny thing is that while we also had our fights, those fights were nowhere nearly as bad as my fights with Nakane. Also, she has never called me a freak whatsoever and has always accepted me as I am… She also… would ask how I'm feeling and care for me as a person… She even told me…"
Sanma began to smile as he repeated the words of advice Ukyu spoke the other day.
"If the girl you're with can make you feel those moments more than I can… if she can make you happier than you have ever been… then… that's the girl of your dreams…"
"So, I see…" Shinyama nodded. "But the engagement is standing in the way between you and her, right?"
Sanma's smile faded away and replaced by a sad look.
"Sadly, that's the truth…" Sanma answered with a sigh.
"I understand… Well, then… I think I get the picture… and I think know what I can tell you," Shinyama said with certainty in his voice.
"Ya do?" Sanma asked hopefully.
"Yes, and truth be told, I don't know what the answer is to your love dilemma," Shinyama confessed.
Sanma's face fell as disappointment made its way to his face.
"However," Shinyama quickly continued. "I do have things to say on what is not the answer."
"What does that mean?" Sanma asked confused.
"What I mean is this. I can already tell you that two of the options for resolving your love dilemma is definitely out of the question," Shinyama explained.
"Which ones?" Sanma wondered.
"The first one is the one that involves Cat Fu," Shinyama declared.
"Why her?" Sanma asked, uncertainty and intrigue showing itself on his face.
"As you already know, the Amazons are trying to kill Issei and his friends for the destruction of their restaurant. They will not stop with them, but target all and everybody around them, you included. Cat Fu will be among them, meaning she will be your enemy. Although you and Cat Fu are engaged to each other, her pledge to restore her tribe's honor will outweigh any sense of marriage duty towards you. She knows that as one of Issei's best friends, you have to die as well. She will fight you until neither you nor she can draw breath," Shinyama stated the bitter truth.
Sanma had a look of shock and uncertainty. The idea of him and her having a fight to the death was hard to take in. Sure, their relationship was bad right now, but that did not mean he wanted to kill her. Deep inside, Sanma truly did love her. It was hard to let go off his feelings for her. And now, he should just let her go?
At the same time, Sanma also had the other girls, too. And he loved them as well, including crazy Komachi. But he really did not want to hurt their feelings, which is why he kept his relationship with them so ambiguously.
Now it comes down to choosing one of them. Sanma knew that day had to come. But this soon?
"Look, I know this is not an easy decision to make," Shinyama said to Sanma. "But in the end, only you can solve this dilemma. Only you can choose the way out. What you need is to know what you want to do and then follow through it to the end."
Sanma nodded, but he still showed uncertainty. "I… But it's so hard…"
"Do not worry," Shinyama comforted him. "I will help you through it. In fact, that is why I am teaching you Hokuto Shinken as a means for you to establish your own path. But first, you must have a resolve… a goal… only then, will Hokuto Shinken be of help to you."
"It will, huh?" Sanma voiced with skepticism.
"Yes, it will. But Hokuto Shinken is a dangerous and cruel martial art. It is meant to determine life and death for all those living on earth. Those who practice it, must be careful to whom and how it is passed on, lest someone with a weak or evil heart take it and destroy the world. Once you walk on it, there is no going back. You will have to make decisions that can crush your soul – worse than what you are undergoing now. But once you have established who you are, what you want and what your standards are, then mastering Hokuto Shinken will be easier – and to that extent your own life as well," Shinyama explained. "So, then. Are you willing to continue down this path?"
Sanma said nothing. He simply took in all that Shinyama had to say and pondered what to do.
"I'll give you time to think… I'll give you until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, please think about what it is you want to do…" Shinyama said, as he stood up and was about to head inside.
Sanma remained seated, still thinking hard about what Shinyama had said.
Just before Shinyama headed in for the night, he turned around to say one more thing.
"Oh, I almost forgot to mention. The issue with Komachi the second option that should be ruled out. If you want, I can resolve it quickly. But that depends on how you are going to answer my question," Shinyama said before finally heading in and closing the door behind him, leaving Sanma out in the dark all by himself.
Sanma remained seated, but his eyes widened in surprise and turned to the door.
"What did he mean by that?" Sanma wondered out loud.
Flashback end
Sanma wondered what Shinyama meant by that. Then again, he was going to find out today, wasn't he?
After meditating, Sanma had time to think about what he wanted to do and now… he had made his decision.
Just then, Shinyama came into the courtyard and stood before him.
Sanma stopped his meditation and stood up.
"Have you made your decision?" Shinyama asked of Sanma in a serious tone.
This was it. The moment of no return.
"Yes, I have," Sanma said firmly. "I will take the path of Hokuto Shinken."
"I see, so you have decided," Shinyama said. "But before we go any further, we have to wait for the others to arrive."
"The others? Who?" Sanma asked and looked around.
It was at that moment that Matsuda and Motohama stepped into the courtyard.
"Why did you call us, Mr. Landlord?" Matsuda asked Shinyama with a bit of annoyance due to the fact that it was quite early to get up during the weekend.
"Yeah, why are we here?" Motohama asked also.
"I'll explain, but first, there is one more person we have to wait for," Shinyama replied.
"There's someone else?" Sanma wondered.
"Yes, so please wait. She's coming soon," Shinyama explained.
After half a minute, somebody did come.
"OHOHOHOHOHOHO!" the sound of a generic evil lady could be heard in the distance.
"Komachi!?" Sanma voiced in surprise.
"Why is she here!?" Matsuda demanded from anyone who could answer.
"Dunno?" Motohama replied honestly.
True enough, it was Komachi Kono in her green leotard who came swinging from place to place with her ribbonlike Tarzan.
She landed with a perfect landing in front of the Tengu courtyard door. Then, she walked up towards Sanma with lovey-dovey eyes.
"Sanma-darling, I have arrived. I was told by your friend over there…" Komachi said pointing to Shinyama. "…that my presence was required here in order to help you with something. Something about clearing the misunderstandings between us."
"Huh? He did?" Sanma said, while blinking in confusion.
"Yes, indeed," Shinyama spoke up, as he went towards the other side of the koi pond. "I have called you here to end Sanma's love web dilemma – or at least a part of it."
Everybody blinked in confusion at what Shinyama meant and then were caught by surprise when…
[SPLASH!]
…Shinyama sent a wave of water from the pond flying towards Sanma!
"WHAT THE…!"
"GAK!"
Motohama and Matsuda yelled and covered their bodies at the incoming water, which splashed over them and drenched their clothes.
Komachi was not in the wave's way, so she was spared from the wetness.
The one most effected was Sanma, who was the wettest of them all and had covered his face with his arms.
"Are you crazy!?" Motohama asked of Shinyama in outrage. "What the heck was that for!?"
"Yeah! What the heck is wrong with this guy? Sanma, what do you… huh?" Matsuda said, as he turned to Sanma for his opinion, only to freeze in shock upon seeing Sanma.
But the absolute shock was not limited to Matsuda, but it also extended to Motohama and Komachi, too. For what they saw was that Sanma looked… different somehow?
His black hair had turned bright red. Additionally, he seemed smaller, and body looked like it gained curves, too.
"Sanma!?" Motohama voiced baffled at the change of his appearance.
Neither he, nor Matsuda knew how to respond to his changed appearance.
The one most shocked was Komachi. But her face showed more than just shock. She frowned upon looking closer at Sanma and then, her eyes widened in realization.
"You…" Komachi voiced out, as her voice betrayed anger and even in recognition of what was going on before her eyes.
Sanma stayed suspiciously quiet, though he kept his face covered as he ran inside the house.
Matsuda and Motohama watched him slam the door shut behind him in complete silence. They did not know what to make of this. They then turned their faces to Komachi, who had stepped back in shock and started to mumble and whisper to herself.
"So, that's what he meant… How could I not realize it… Sanma-darling was… her… and she… was… ehehehe…" Komachi started laughing.
But it was not a healthy laugh done out of amusement. Rather, it was one of insanity. Komachi was clearly losing her mind.
"That redhaired hussy that has been stealing my Sanma… Ehehehe… was her… the whole time… Ehahahaha… How did I not realize it…? Ahahaha… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Komachi rambled, as her laughing became louder and more deprived of sanity.
"AHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAHAAAAAHAAAHAAAHAAAHAAA!"
Her laugh had become so deranged that her usual deranged laugh looked normal by comparison. At least with her regular one, she did not come off as completely… broken. But now, she clearly lost it. She could not even make sense of the world, as if everything her world had built on had shattered.
Matsuda and Motohama did not know what to do. They just stood there and watched as Komachi's sanity deteriorated.
Just then, the door swung open, revealing Ryuga, Kasumi and Hibiki.
"What is going on?" Kasumi tried to ask of the boys, while glancing at the deranged Komachi.
"What's wrong with her? She was already loony, but this is extreme even for her," Ryuga noted.
"I saw Ranma run inside in his girl form. Did Komachi see it? I guess she finally put the pieces together…" Hibiki noted calmly.
"Girl form…?" Motohama wondered out loud.
"Wait a minute… Come to think of it, Ryuga did say Sanma had a cursed form, same as he did. So, does that mean…?" Matsuda was starting to understand what was going on.
Hence, it was Shinyama's turn to step forward. He lashed out with a finger on a certain part of her face below her nose and above her upper lip…
"AHAHAHAAAA… Ah! Uhhh…" Komachi stopped laughing.
…making her slump down unconscious with Shinyama carrying her in her arms. Shinyama gestured Matsuda and Motohama to come over and help him.
The two boys helped Shinyama lay the unconscious Komachi down on the grass, making sure she was not uncomfortable.
"What did you do to her?" Matsuda asked of Shinyama.
"I pressed a pressure point that made her relax. She will be fine soon," Shinyama answered and turned to Kasumi. "Could you please call the Kono Mansion? Tell her that Komachi is unconscious and needs some rest."
"I… don't have their number…" Kasumi answered honestly.
"But I do," Hibiki replied and took her phone out. "Her brother is a frequent customer of mine for information and pics. I'll call him just… hold on a second…"
Hibiki took her phone out and proceeded to go inside to call Komachi's brother.
"Let's carry her in…" Shinyama told the Matsuda and Motohama.
They complied and carried her to a sofa and laid her on it. While they did so, they spotted Sanma still hiding his face from them. Though, by now, Sanma was slowly revealing his face.
What they saw was Sanma, now a beautiful red-haired girl with a pigtail. He… No, she looked so cute…
"Whoa…" Motohama voiced in astonishment upon seeing Sanma.
"So, your cursed form… is a girl…" Matsuda remarked with a blush on his face.
Indeed, the secret Sanma was hiding from them was that he could become a girl whenever he gets splashed by cold water. Although, he did not like letting anybody know about it, in truth, it was often more difficult to do so. Over time, more and more people found out about his secret and now… Matsuda, Motohama and Komachi discovered it, too.
And speaking of Komachi, Sanma glanced over where Komachi lay and saw her tremble and weep as she slept.
"It's a lie… *sob* Everything… is a lie… *sob*" Komachi said, as she wept in her sleep.
Sanma winced and looked away ashamed. The boy-turned-girl went up to her room to avoid the gazes of those present.
A long empty silence followed, aside from Komachi's weeping. Things were so gloomy, nobody felt like talking, except…
"So… I guess the cat is out of the bag, huh?" Ryuga remarked, breaking the silence and turned to Matsuda and Motohama. "…That is Sanma's big secret… His ability to transform into a girl. It is the same as me transforming myself into a pig."
"How on earth did you guys get these curses anyway?" Motohama wanted to know.
"Sanma, his dad and I were all in China this one time and… we accidentally fell into these magic pools that cursed us. I turn into a pig, his dad turns into a panda, and Sanma turns into a girl. Whenever we touch cold water, we transform. When we touch warm water, we turn back to normal," Ryuga explained as briefly, as he could, not wanting to explain that he was in China, trying to challenge Sanma to a fight he had avoided, only to get accidentally knocked into one of the pools by them.
"I see… come to think of it… You guys always avoided the rain, like that one time several weeks ago. I remember how quickly guys tried to get back home…" Matsuda remembered.
"Yeah, we did not want to have our curses activated," Ryuga nodded.
"No wonder Sanma did not like to wash hands under cold water…" Motohama remarked, as he remembered the times when Sanma would come over their apartment, insisting before eating a meal that the water for washing hands be warm instead of cold.
"I always thought it was a phobia of some kind… But this… This is completely out of left field," Matsuda commented.
As the boys were talking, Kasumi looked at Komachi and sighed sadly.
"Poor girl, she is heartbroken…" Kasumi said, as she looked at Komachi with pity.
"Yes, I hated doing that," Shinyama admitted. "But given the situation, I was left with no choice…"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Motohama asked confused.
"As you all probably know, Sanma is having this love-web dilemma and he cannot solve it unless he faces it head-on. To deal with his love problems, the most problematic issues have to be dealt with first. And the worst one is Sanma's relationship with Komachi. It is that one in which a healthy relationship is impossible," Shinyama explained.
"Because of Komachi's intense hatred for Sanma's girl from, right?" Ryuga sought to confirm.
"Exactly," Shinyama confirmed with a nod.
"Why does Komachi hate Sanma's female form in the first place?" Matsuda asked. "What on earth did he do to her?"
"She thinks that girl Sanma is a love rival that gets in her way between and her 'darling'," Ryuga explained with air quotes accompanying the last word. "And whenever she pops up, Sanma always happens to disappear. She always thinks girl Sanma did some sorcery, never realizing that they were one and the same person."
Ryuga shook his head at her lack of logic.
"And that is why you revealed Sanma's curse in front of Komachi. But why did you reveal it to them?" Kasumi asked, gesturing at Matsuda and Motohama.
"Oh, them… I thought that since they were his friends that they should know about it, too," Shinyama answered.
"But isn't this too cold?" Kasumi, the ever-compassionate kind young woman asked. "Isn't there a better way to deal with this?"
Shinyama shook his head.
"There are times where the bitter truth is the one and only method to solve a problem. And for someone like Komachi, who is so engrossed in her delusions, that is exactly what is needed. Besides, I also did this to show Sanma what lies in store for him… now that he has chosen to walk the path of Hokuto Shinken…" Shinyama said solemnly.
"Hokuto…" Motohama started with a raised eyebrow.
"…Shinken?" Matsuda finished with an uncertain expression.
"It is a martial art that I am planning to teach him. But before Sanma can learn it, he first needs to clear the uncertainty and indecision within his heart. Only if Sanma can deal with this will he be able to become the true successor," Shinyama solemnly revealed to the others in the room.
"The true successor to this martial art, you mean?" Motohama asked Shinyama.
"Precisely. Since he still at the very beginning of this path, I decided to give him… a little nudge to deal with his complex love dilemma. I solved his relationship with Komachi Kono here. And now… he must solve the web involving the other girls on his own…"
"By the other girls, you mean Cat Fu, Nakane and Ukyu, right?" Matsuda wanted to confirm.
"Yes," Shinyama stated and looked up the stairs where Sanma had gone up to. "I just hope that Sanma can overcome this dilemma…"
Nobody said a word, as they looked up towards the staircase, as well.
14th of November, Saturday, 8:10 am – Somewhere on the island of Honshu on the march towards Tokyo
A huge army of Chinese Amazons on giant pandas and huge phoenixes were walking on columns towards Tokyo right next to the highway. They came in the hundreds for the battle ahead. Although, they never went out like this into battle (especially so far from their home), they did so now because their honor had been soiled. Moreover, they sensed a huge threat and danger coming from the Crimson Armored Warrior, known as the Sekiryuutei, whom they also learned was none other than a Japanese boy named Issei Hyoudou.
Drivers on the road could not help but marvel or fear at the huge army of Amazons in their exotic clothing, riding their powerful beasts from a safe distance. None dared to disturb them or hinder them.
Among the Amazons was Cat Fu, walking alongside her tribesmen. She was walking, fully knowing that not only would she be fighting a powerful supernatural warrior, but that that she would also be fighting Sanma, who she knew was friends with Issei Hyoudou. The Amazons guessed that he was in league with Issei Hyoudou, hence the Amazons decided that he, too, had to perish.
Cat Fu could not help but feel sad. Whatever low her relationship with Sanma had experienced since that Hotel Incident, she still longed for him. Only, she could not face him after he hurt her feelings by cheating on her with Nakane – again. But now, that things have come to where they are now, Cat Fu had no choice but to let go of her feeling for the pigtailed boy.
Ironic… It was Cat Fu's tribe's traditions and honors that made her pursue marriage with him. And at the same time, it would be that same tradition and honor that would end that pursuit.
Cat Fu could not help but smile bitterly at it all. But that was how it was. She had to fulfill her duty and honor to the end.
While the Amazon tribe was marching, they were interrupted by a company of Youkai (about a hundred men) with weapons, who had teleported in front of them to block their path.
"Trespassers! We do not allow you to pass!" the commander of the Youkai said.
"Amazons! To battle!" An Amazon elder cried.
Both sides readied for battle.
As Cat Fu and her tribesmen readied to fight the enemy, she could not help but feel relieved.
At least, she could be distracted for a while…
"Attack!" The Youkai commander ordered his men, making them rush towards the Amazons.
The Amazons, ready to intercept them, had sent drawn their bows… and sent their arrows flying.
14th of November, Saturday, 8:20 am – In the courtyard, Tengu Residence, Nerima Ward
Komachi had been picked up by Satsuke, her retainer. He asked a lot of questions on what happened to her with Shinyama answering him patiently. After that, Satsuke left with his mistress still unconscious with her car.
And while all those downstairs were talking about Sanma, little did they all know that that same Sanma had overheard their entire conversation.
At first, he went to the bathroom first to splash himself with warm water to turn back into a boy. But then he overheard what Shinyama had to say and pondered it within himself.
He did not go down, nor did he say a word. Rather, he balled his hands into fists.
'I'm sorry, Komachi… I hate doing this… But in the end, Shinyama is right. I have to let ya go…' Sanma apologized to Komachi mentally. 'And I have to solve this crisis and end it once and for all… Only then, can I move on with my life…'
Sanma swore this deep within his soul.
He had chosen the path of Hokuto Shinken and now, he had to follow through…
And he already knew who he had to deal with next… It was Cat Fu and the Amazon tribe…
Shinyama had already told him that the whole tribe was coming in full force. And apparently, they were not going to be merciful towards Issei and his friends… himself included…
He hoped he could talk her out of trying to kill Issei.
But if push came to shove… Then…
It would be a fight to the death…
Suddenly, Sanma saw something swoosh down into the courtyard from one of the windows.
"Are they here?" Sanma asked himself, as he went on the alert.
Those assembled downstairs ran out, leading Sanma to do head downstairs.
"What are you doing here!?" Sanma heard Motohama cry out incredulously.
Sanma arrived down the stairs and saw through the people assembled who it was that had arrived.
"Wait a minute, aren't those…?" Sanma wasked himself upon seeing the intruders in the courtyard.
He saw right away that they were not the Amazons, but rather they were four teenagers with bat-like wings wearing the school uniforms of Kuoh Academy.
Ryuga, Matsuda, Motohama, Kasumi, Hibiki, Sanma and Shinyama were eyeing the Devils warily.
"It's them…" Sanma said with fierce eyes fixed on the Devils.
"Them?" Ryuga asked Sanma, temporarily forgetting their hostility towards each other.
"Those Devils I saw earlier today. They were trying to hurt Issei and Matsuda a few hours ago. They would've succeeded, had those Fallen Angels not stepped in and given me the opportunity to rescue them…" Sanma explained.
"So, those are the ones…" Ryuga glowered and got ready to fight.
"More than that. They aren't just any Devils, but they are also the Devils in charge of Kuoh. The one with red hair is Rias Gremory, their leader. But what brings them here?" Shinyama wondered, Rias and her peerage were eyeing all those assembled.
Not fearing their threats, Rias came out in front of them with a smirk and addressed them all.
"I see my fame has proceeded me. Don't worry. I didn't come here to fight," Rias assured them all. "I came here to ask for certain people to come with me."
The demand surprised all those present.
Shinyama could not help but ask.
"Who?" Shinyama asked of her.
Rias pointed her finger at Matsuda and Motohama.
""Us!?"" Both boys raised their voices in shock.
"Yes, indeed…" Rias said, as she smirked at their surprised expressions. "You have things that I want to know, especially regarding your friend Issei Hyoudou."
14th of November, Saturday, 8:22 am – with the Chinese Amazon Army
The grassy fields were covered with the bodies of those slain in battle. There were thirty Youkai dead, their bodies lying out in the open. The rest of them had managed to escape. This battle, though victorious for the Amazons, came at a significant cost.
Seven of them had died and ten more of them were injured. While the Amazons were many, they felt aggrieved at the thought of losing their tribe members.
Nevertheless, they had no choice but to leave them there. There was a greater battle up ahead and they had no time to waste.
With grim determination, they pressed on to fight and die for their honor.
At that moment, one of the Amazon scouts had returned to her group on a giant bird. She was a young woman with white hair tied to a bun carrying a bow and quiver on her back.
"What news from the air?" elder Colon asked of her.
"We will arrive in Tokyo in two days if we continue at our current pace. There are no more of these hostile Youkai, nor any other force that would oppose us," the scout reported.
"I see…" Colon said and turned to her tribal sisters.
"Sisters and daughters of our tribe," Colon began her speech. "We shall arrive in Tokyo in two days at our current pace. When we arrive, you shall find this scoundrel named Issei Hyoudou, the Sekiryuutei, and put him to death for the destruction of the Neko Neko Restaurant. Thus, our honor shall be restored. That god named Loki and his dog Fenrir shall also pay. However, since their whereabouts are unknown, that will have to wait. Until then, we shall find the Sekiryuutei and his accomplices. Then kill them all. For now, say it with me!"
The army of Amazons repeated the following words after elder Colon, among them Mouse and Cat Fu, the latter, though somewhat unwilling, but still committed.
The whole countryside echoed with the words filled with bloodthirst.
"KILL ISSEI HYOUDOU, THE SEKIRYUUTEI! KILL ALL HIS ACCOMPLICES! DESTROY ALL HIS FAMILY WITHIN THREE GENERATIONS! LEAVE THEM WITHOUT A BURIAL PLACE!"
14th of November, Saturday, 8:25 am – In the wilderness of the Underworld
While Issei ran towards the pillar of smoke, he could not feel but shudder, then let out a very big sneeze.
"AAAAAAACHOOOOOO! This can't be good…" Issei said and sniffled after sneezing.
[So, you feel this bad premonition from that pillar of smoke, too?] Ddraig asked of Issei.
"What? No! I meant a lot of people are talking about me. And I don't think they did so in a good way…" Issei said with a grim expression.
And that was the Chapter 57 of The Lone Vigilante Issei.
How did you like the fight between one of the most powerful Marvel heroes and one of the most powerful characters in High School DxD? Pretty epic, huh? Don't worry, you will see the conclusion to this fight soon, along with a few more fights between the Hulk and other supernatural beings in the future.
As for Issei, he is currently finding his way back towards Japan and seems to have found a lead. Or is it?
As for Sanma and his dilemma… I have waited for a long time to do this. The reveal that he could transform into a girl. I mean for those who know Ranma 1/2, it was obvious enough already, but I still liked to keep this fact hidden for those who did not know.
Also, I wrote this whole scene about me and Sanma in a therapy session. I figured, he needed to confront his problems to fix his life and then learn Hokuto Shinken. Why did I do so? Well, I will tell you this. His training in Hokuto Shinken and the solving of his dilemma are tied to each other. Sanma cannot accomplish one or the other by themselves. Logically, he would have to do both. How? You will see soon.
The Amazons are heading towards the Tengu residence to fight. Now, I know their desire to kill Issei may have come of extreme, but you have to understand that they are very honor-based and would naturally fight and die for their it. If you've read Chinese Manhuas or Web Novels, you will understand.
And the Devils have arrived and are confronting Issei's friends. What's going to happen? Find out next time.
In the meantime, what did you think of this chapter?
Did you like it?
Please read and review, I would like to hear from you.
And as always, I hope to see you around next time.
Until then.
Hide Shinyama