*Disclaimer: I own nothing, all credits go to Ichiei Ishibumi*

Chapter 8: New resolution. Sudden revelations.

"I am Shenlong."

That name.

Shinji still can't believe what he heard that day was real. Yes, he saw what was basically impossible for him like devils, knowing the Greek pantheon exists and even faced a greek monster. But to think there is a dragon of all things connected to him by his soul? That drew the line for him.

So Shinji did what he does best when faced by such bizarre events, sigh and tuck his hands in his pockets.

Also…

"Man, why does everything happen to me."

Yes, now he's done it all.

"Did you say something?" His companion walking with him suddenly asked as he turned around.

"Nah, just thinking out loud." Shinji responded.

Shinji was now walking to Kuoh Academy with his friend, Issei. As the pair strolled down through the streets of a sunny morning they were now walking through a park.

It's been two days since his final encounter with the stray devil known as Perse. Thankfully for him even after a harsh and difficult fight, with the help of Rias' and Sona's peerage he was able to defeat her and save his friend, Momo.

Now of course he felt more peaceful, having the weight of feeling how his friend could be dead out of his system.

Still, for him, that wasn't the end of it all.

'I'm still a devil afterall.' Shinji sighed as he remembered his new position in life.

A devil, his new occupation in life. Even if Perse was dead and Momo was saved he was still a devil and part of a peerage of one of his 'senpais', Rias Gremory.

Also saying that most, if not all, guys in Kuoh Academy would kill to have even the chance of spending five minutes with the red haired beauty; he has the honor of spending most of his afternoon with her and even with other popular people such as Akeno, Koneko and even Kiba.

While he enjoyed their company and spending time with them, this also came with the cost of having to fight dangerous monsters whenever they trespassed his King's territory.

Luckily for him there wasn't much action after the last incident, he wasn't called to even one contract! It was nice to enjoy going out early for once after a while and head to his sensei, Higawara's dojo, like he used to.

But still, he knew the danger was out there. And even if he had more strength than before he was reincarnated he still wasn't strong enough to protect his friends. Momo was the closest example.

Turning his head to see Issei, the raven haired teen could see his friend now eyeing some of the mothers' butts in the park walking with their sons. Yes, he would be devastated to know his friend was a victim to someone like Perse.

'Was this how Momo felt all along?' Shinji thought as he scratched his head. 'Man, how am I supposed to work this out?' The boy sighed.

It was somewhat easy with Issei, he just dodges the subject of how he joined the Occult Club with the two most popular girls in school and also keep the whole 'devil society, every pantheon, god and every monster you can think of exists' a secret.

Momo on the other hand is already in that world, far longer than him, yes, but she is in constant danger because of it. 'What if she gets kidnapped again or worse, another ruthless monster actually kills her.' The boy thought.

Thinking about Momo dying against a monster like Perse was enough to feel a sink in his heart and a feeling of impotence. 'No, I don't want that to happen.'

"Hey, what's with that face you're doing there?" Once again Issei cut Shinji out of his thoughts as he waved his hand in front of the boy's face.

"It's nothing, really." Shinji tried to show his friend he was fine faking a smile and raising his hands.

"C'mon, I know when you're feeling down. What's wrong?" Issei once again pushed the subject.

Knowing there was no way to hide his problems from his friend, Shinji sighed as he tried to find the words to tell him. "Say Issei, let's say you have a friend and she has a job of sorts that puts her in some kind of danger. How would you keep your friend out of trouble but you can't actually help her since you're not working with her?"

And it's true, even though both Shinji and Momo are devils they aren't in the same peerage. The boy is part of Rias' peerage while Momo is under Sona's, so he can't go on missions or go stray hunting with her.

"What's with that random question?" Issei had to do a double take to see if he heard right.

"Hey, you were the one asking me if I had a problem." Shinji chuckled as turned to face the kids playing in the park.

"Alright, alright. Point taken." Issei closed his eyes as he scratched chin thinking of an answer. "Let's see, you have a friend that's in trouble…"

The brown haired teen hummed as he thought about something to tell Shinji. "How about talking it out?"

Shinji pondered that for a second, then shook his head. "Nah, that won't work. I can't actually tell her that."

"Your friend's in trouble and you can't tell her? What's with her work anyway?" Issei chuckled as he joked about Shinji's question.

Oh, if only he knew…

As the pair kept walking a blonde girl bumped against both their backs, falling down to the floor because of it. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?." Issei asked as the pair turned around, both boys then extended their hands to the girl to help her get up, the latter grabbing them and nodding her head. "Sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush and didn't pay attention."

Paying close attention to her Shinji could see she was a petite girl with blonde hair which was styled into twin tails, she wore a black dress and had blue eyes.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." Shinji just waved it off as if it was nothing, the girl nodded and then ran away.

"Huh, talk about running fast." The raven haired teen scratched his head while looking where the girl ran off to. "That was some weird dress too, all dark and gothic and stuff."

"Gothic…" Issei pondered that word. "That's right!" He exclaimed while shouting, this made half the people close to them in the park turn around their direction.

"Hey, remember that anime we used to watch in middle school about a guy who was made fun of?" Issei suddenly asked, Shinji scratched his chin trying to bring up that memory. "The one that always drew those skulls and stuff in his books? What about it?"

In their first year of middle school there was a popular show about a teenager that was always drawing gothic stuff and listening to some kind of heavy metal music, he was being made fun of sometimes because of how weird he seemed. The protagonists then got him into their little group so they could stop bothering the boy, he changed schools the next season but he was always grateful to both of them.

"Well if you say that your friend has a problem but you can't help her, how about helping her with her work or going there from time to time to see if she's okay?" Issei explained his idea.

Shinji opened his mouth but quickly closed it, thinking about what his friend proposed. 'I can't help her but I can be there…that's right!' An idea quickly popped into his head.

"Issei, you're a genius!" Shinji patted his friend's back because of his idea, then sprinted away out of the park. "Hey! Where are you going!?" His friend shouted.

"I'll see you in class!" Shinji responded without slowing down. 'I need to get to school quickly and see where she is.' For the first time in his life the raven haired teen was going at full speed to arrive at school early.

With his devil speed kicking in, Shinji got there in no time and ran past the gate, almost crashing into a group of girls in the process.

Running through the stairs he made his way to the third floor and headed to the classroom he was looking for. Slamming the door open harder than what he wanted, Shinji got the attention of all the students there.

It was still empty because of how early it was, just some students using their free time studying or chatting. Shinji knew the girl he wanted to see was going to be as early as she could.

"Sona!" The boy shouted as he made his way through the classroom, everyone just staring at him while wondering what was going on.

Slamming his hands on her desk, Shinji could see the one he wanted to talk to. She was holding a book with some drawings of the human body and talking with her classmate, Tsubaki.

The student council president remained frozen by the sudden change of events, here she was studying before classes like she usually does and all of a sudden a guy slams her classroom's door and shouts her name.

Before she could even ask him what was going on the boy cut her off. "I have a favor to ask."

"Hmm." As she watched the people walking through a park, a girl played with her black hair.

Sitting atop of a building roof was Raynare, she was looking around where the boy she knew as Shinji Kouki just ran out off. "As energetic as ever I see." She commented.

Raynare knew the boy, after all she was the one making contracts with him from time to time to kill her boredom. Also, she had to check if what she was feeling coming out of the boy was true.

Raynare was no normal human, she was part of the supernatural world as well. Coming from the race that has been in constant conflict with the devils since time immemorial, the raven haired beauty's a fallen angel.

She, as well as every fallen angel, could sense when a human possessed a powerful ability given to them by God.

Sacred Gears.

These are powerful weapons with unique abilities the God of the Bible bestowed upon humans to enact miracles. They vary on their power and what they can do and most of them can unleash a powerful boost of energy depending on its users emotions.

When Raynare first met Shinji she felt the unique aura of one of these Gears inside of him. If the Intel her leader, Azazel, gave her was true then he was the one with a Gear residing in Kuoh, 'Twice Critical' if he was correct. Turns out they were too late since he was now a devil serving his King.

So she needed a 'test' to finally confirm her suspicions and just so happens that there was a stray causing havoc in the city. Using the boy's affection for one of Perse's victims, he pushed the boy to face the monster to see if he could activate his Sacred Gear.

If she was right and the boy activated it then they failed to make it in time for him to join them before he got reincarnated, worst case scenario the boy dies and the devils lose a Sacred Gear user. It wouldn't be the first time, it definitely won't be the last.

Ultimately it didn't work, the Stray devil was killed and the boy never fully activated it, let alone showed he possessed one.

'Was I wrong?' Raynare thought. 'I could feel that inside of him, then how is it that he doesn't have one then?'

"Raynare!" Turning around she saw how a familiar blonde girl landed next to her, flapping her black wings while doing so. "Ah, Mittelt. Did you have any luck?" The raven haired girl greeted her new company.

"He's empty." She exclaimed. "When I touched him I felt nothing."

Mittelt was also another fallen angel. She was the one that bumped into both Shinji and Issei earlier, it was her plan to do so in order to have contact with him and see if he could feel a Sacred Gear inside him.

"What?" Raynare stood up after hearing this. "Imposible, all this time I felt the aura of one!"

"It can't be. Not him at least." Mittelt raised her hand to explain her point. "Are you sure you two were alone all this time you felt it?"

Raynare tried to remember every time she felt the boy's aura. "Yes, at least there wasn't anyone next to him. It was definitely coming from him." She reassured the girl.

"It can't be…" Mittelt scratched her chin in thought. "No, he can't be the one you sensed."

"I am sure of what I'm saying, Mittelt." Raynare crossed her arms as she narrowed her eyes. "What is it you're thinking?"

"It wasn't him, Raynare! That boy was empty, it was the one next to him giving the scent of a Gear!" The blonde girl exclaimed as she pointed to the brown haired teen walking to Kuoh Academy.

"It can't be…" Raynare was speechless. She was wrong!? But how!? She made all those contracts to be extremely sure it was the boy!

"Could he transfer some of his scent to the other guy, then?" Mittelt thought out loud. Raynare paid attention to what she said but she found it impossible. 'I've never heard of anything like that happening.'

"Mittelt." At the mention of her name, the blonde girl turned to face Raynare. "Are you sure about this?" The raven haired girl asked her.

"Yes." Was Mittelt's answer. "There's no way it isn't him."

"I see…" Raynare kept her eyes fixated on the boy in the distance.

"Are we going to recruit him then?" Mittelt asked as she rested her arms on the rooftop's rail. "No." Was the only answer she got.

"We thought we failed and the devils had a new Sacred Gear user on their ranks. Not again." As Raynare walked to the edge of the rooftop, two black wings popped from her back. "This time we'll have to get rid of a possible setback for the future."

The raven haired girl chuckled as she paid attention to how the boy was getting rejected and insulted by the vast majority of girls near him. "Ahh, but where's the fun in just killing him? I'd say we play with him a little, don't you think?"

Mittelt just sighed as she remembers how Raynare can get when she sees an easy prey for her. "Just do it quickly this time, we don't have another stray running around to cover up the mess."

Yes, she'll have her fun with the boy. 'Poor kid, never had a girl talk to you, did you?' Raynare chuckled as a plan was already forming inside her head. 'I'll give you a little 'present' before I take your life then.'

"Okay, here goes nothing."

As he opened the door to the Occult Research Club, Shinji Kouki was now on the second part of his plan.

After having a talk with Sona, Shinji asked her for a favor. Already thinking how she'll just reject him and tell him he's an idiot, the boy just went along and did it anyway.

He wasn't expecting her to be thoughtful about it, even less to actually advise him how to proceed next.

"My final answer will depend on what Rias tells you, Kouki-kun." Was what Sona told him before making him leave her classroom.

Taking a deep breath, he scanned the room he got used to visit after class every day. He could see Koneko eating some candy on her usual spot on the couch, Kiba reading a book, Akeno serving some tea and Rias writing something and talking to her friend.

"Ah, Shinji. Good afternoon." Rias was the first to greet him as he entered the room. The boy waved her back.

"Shinji-kun, would you like some tea?" Akeno offered as she got a new cup from a tray, the raven haired boy just shook his head. "Thanks Akeno, but I'm good for now."

Usually after this he just sits on the couch and try to start a conversation with someone in the room, it usually is Kiba since Koneko basically doesn't speak, Akeno just teases him out of his comfort zone and Rias just finds a way to include her friend into the conversation and tease him with her.

Today he just walked to her desk, Rias noticing this was unusual just looked up to the boy. "Is something wrong, Shinji?" She asked.

"No…well, yes. I have to tell you something." Shinji cleared his throat as he tried to find the words to explain her.

"Hmm, if this is about you wanting to heal your wounds faster I already told you no. This'll help you in learning what happens when you disobey me." Rias blatantly said as she picked her pen up again and returned to write on her paper.

"No, it's not about that. Well, that would have been helpful though." And he wasn't lying. After the whole Perse ordeal, Rias healed Shinji just enough for him to not have any deep wounds or just to fix his broken arm. Other than that he was to heal on his own, half of his body was now covered with bandages and his back still hurts every time he picks something heavy.

"Listen," Shinji took a deep breath, "I've been thinking about this whole stray devil thing and how it can happen again, last time it almost killed my friend."

"Yes, what happened with Hanakai-san was a tragedy. But with Sona we decided to hunt with our full peerage now." Rias looked up to offer him a reassuring smile before returning to her work. "Even if someone like Perse shows up again we'll get rid of her together as a team."

"Well that sounds good, but it's not what I've come to talk about." Shinji stopped as he tried to find the correct words. "Look, if anything ever happens to her and I'm not there I won't forgive myself for it, I talked with Sitri-senpai before class and now I need to talk to you about it."

"I'm joining the student council."

Well, that was something no one in the room was expecting. Koneko stopped eating her candy as she turned to the boy, Kiba did the same as well as Akeno, who stopped preparing tea just to hear better.

"Huh?" Rias was at a loss for words.

Feeling like all the eyes in the room were now on him, Shinji coughed. "Well, it's not something oficial or me having to go every day. I'll go as a helper and just, well, help them two days every week."

That was the deal he made with Sona after all, he still was a member of the ORC and could spend a little time with Momo in the student council.

"I-uhh…." Rias was always someone that likes to be ahead of the curve when possible, she wasn't a master tactician like Sona but the red haired girl took pride in always being one step ahead of every situation.

She wasn't expecting this at all, not even with someone like Shinji that seems to be a wild card in everything by now.

So she was now at a loss for words, turning around to Akeno for some help she found the latter as confused as her. "Well, this is not something I was expecting." She ultimately confessed.

"Are you sure about this?" Rias asked as she tried to come up with an answer. "Well, honestly it will be a bit weird joining the student council and even more so after almost flunking last year but yeah. I'm sure about it. For now at least." The boy responded.

"And you plan to be here for three days in the week, spend two days there and then, after all this, go out and work?" Rias started to think about his agenda after school, Shinji nodded. "You know having a job is not allowed by the school, right? I mean, I don't care since you were doing it before joining my peerage but I don't think Sona will like to hear about that."

And she was right, for someone as strict as Sona there was no gray, only black and white, and jobs are not permitted whilst attending Kuoh Academy. He never got into trouble because Momo helped him keep it a secret from the school, it wasn't smart for him to just tell the student council's president of all people.

"Huh, I didn't think about that one." The boy scratched his chin as he made a pensive expression, Rias facepalmed herself noticing how much of an airhead his new peerage member can be.

"I guess I'll think about that later, for now I'm joining them." Shinji ultimately decided. "That's why I need your approval on it, or at least that was what Sitri-senpai told me."

"She told you to speak to me?" Rias repeated as she thought out loud.' 'That does sound like something Sona would say, trying to keep everything as formal and oficial as she can.'

Then it dawned on her, this was a golden opportunity to have some entertainment out of the one boy that kicked her normal days out of the window. 'Ahh, this is going to be fun.' The red haired girl thought.

"Ah, I don't know. What should I do?." Rias rested her head on her right hand, her smile turning to a more mischievous one as she was coming up with a funny plan.

Ah, if her friend sets her up like this, it's imposible for her not to enjoy it.

"Hmmm." She faked a pensive expression as she discreetly winked at Akeno, the latter coughing in her hand. "You see Shinji-kun, we were all doing our best for you to feel comfortable here and now you're planning on leaving us?"

"Sorry Rias, but it's not like I'm leaving. It's just two days of the week." Yes! He took the bait!

Kiba sighed as he looked at his King, he already knew Rias enough to see where this was going.

"But I beg to differ, Shinji-kun. Akeno here was always happy to have more people drink her tea and taste the treats that she bakes for us." As she heard her name, the raven haired queen faked a sad expression as she sobbed. "You see, doing this you're breaking her heart!"

Well Shinji wasn't expecting this turn of events, now he was feeling guilty because of how sad Akeno was because of him leaving. "But I'll be here three days every week! Surely there's enough time there to drink her tea!"

"Hmm, I don't know Shinji-kun." As Rias turned around, she realized her friend had the same face she did. Oh yes, they were on the same page to have their fun with the boy. "Say Akeno, why don't we make Shinji here help you with your snacks from now on? That'll cheer you up, right?"

Faking the gesture of cleaning a tear, Akeno turned to face the boy. "If I can have the help of Kouki-kun it will make me feel better."

"Hah!?" Shinji was having a hard time processing the sudden turn of events. Surely he was expecting Rias to yell at him, tell him his idea was stupid and she won't accept it or something else; he was not expecting how this derailed at all.

"Then it's settled!" Rias clasped her hands as she stood up. "From now on Shinji will help Akeno with her tea time in the club!" She then extended her hands as she gathered her peerage attention. "Everyone in favor raise their hands!"

"I'll be in favor of this one." Akeno raised her left hand as she giggled. "...More snacks from Akeno-san." Koneko finally spoke as she stopped eating her candy to raise her hand as well.

Kiba sighed, from all the different outcomes he saw out of her president's idea to tease the black haired teen this one surely wasn't the one he expected.

That said, he was curious as to how it would turn out. 'Hope they go easy on you Shinji-san.' He thought as she raised his hand. "Well, I can't go against everyone."

"And it's also a 'yes' from me." Rias decided as she also raised her hand. "Well then Shinji, I look forward to your baking skills."

"B-But I-" Shinji turned around to see how everyone was now in favor of his new position as the club's baker. 'I can't bake for shit!' He thought.

And he was right, even if home economics was an easy class and everyone was expected to pass with high marks; he was horrible and could barely get the score necessary to not flunk it, having Issei as his partner made it even worse.

Shinji got cut off from his trance as Rias patted his back. "Well then Akeno, why don't you go with your new underling to get the ingredients you need for us?"

Akeno giggled as he grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Now now Kouki-kun, let's go to the shopping district. There's a place that has good discounts if we're fast enough."

Being dragged to a circle the raven haired girl made, Shinji could see how Rias was trying to cover her laugh as hard as she could. 'You're gonna pay for this one, Rias!' He thought.

"My back hurts."

As the sun set on the city's sky, Shinji Kouki was walking to his work while complaining all the way, rubbing his back as he did so.

After teleporting out of the ORC, he was Akeno's mule to carry her bags of groceries from one shop to the other. It was ridiculous how much stuff she bought and even then how she just paid the insane bill with a card she got from Rias.

"Just how much money does that girl have anyway?" The boy thought out loud.

'Well, at least I hope there's not much work to do today." Shinji sighed as he rubbed his tired arms. Walking the stairs of the dojo he opened the entrance door to see a sitting Hagiwara looking through an open shoji door to a garden he has.

"Hagiwara? Where's everyone? I thought you had a lot of students booked for today." Shinji asked as he entered the dojo and closed the door.

"Kouki-kun." The old man turned to greet the teenager with a smile. "I told them to have a free day today, I wanted to speak with you privately."

"Okay, is there something wrong?" Shinji was now worried by the sudden change of events. 'Aw man, please tell me I'm not fired!'

"Nothing serious so don't worry about it." The boy sighed after hearing that. "I wanted to have a private practice session with you today, so don't worry about your job for now."

'Alright now that's what I like to hear!' Hearing that was enough to get the boy pumped up. Dropping his bag he took off his shoes and went with his sensei to the training room he has.

Opening the shoji door separating it from the rest, the black haired teen could see the room he got accustomed to using after having his work at the dojo done. Sometimes Hagiwara would train Shinji in private when he finishes with his students

"Okay Kouki-kun, nothing too serious or complicated today. We'll face each other with all we have." Hagiwara explained as he walked in front of the boy, taking a defensive position he signaled Shinji to go at him. "I want to test your strength and see how much you progressed."

"Alright, I can do that." Shinji exclaimed excitedly as he prepared himself. Being instructed to go first, the boy threw a punch to Hagiwara's chest, the latter responded by blocking it and pushing the boy to the left in an attempt to make him fall.

Shinji quickly regained his balance, using his left leg he tried to kick his sensei on his waist to knock him to the floor. Hagiwara, being faster, grabbed his leg and pushed him closer, using his elbow to hit the black hair teen's abdomen and dropping him to the ground.

"Hngh!" The boy complained as his body got dropped to the floor, grabbing the place where the old man hit him. "You're getting better, Kouki-kun." Hagiwara responded as he once again resumed his defensive position. "Yet you're over confident and still can't lay a finger on me."

'Oh, I'll lay a finger on you alright.' Shinji thought as he stood up again, channeling his devil strength he once again raised his hands. 'Okay, just to tap him a little, I don't want to break his bones or something.'

His master may be good, but he's not prepared to face the supernatural speed and strength of a devil.

Shinji launched himself once again, throwing blow after blow he started to push Hagiwara back. The martial arts teacher was trying to block all his attempts but then the boy got a clean hit on his sensei's left leg, making him stumble a little.

"Alright, I got it!" Shinji exclaimed happy with his attack.

"You did good Kouki-kun, I see improvements there." Hagiwara congratulated his apprentice as he walked once again in front of the teen. "Now, let's try again. Show me what you got."

Smiling, Shinji went head on again hoping the result was the same. There was no way for Hagiwara to beat a devil.

He was absolutely wrong.

As Shinji's fist was close to hitting Hagiwara, the old man grabbed the young devil's arm and hit him on the chest with tremendous speed.

'What?' Before the boy could figure out how fast that was, Hagiwara grabbed his left arm and pulled closer. This time the martial arts master punched him three times on each side of his stomach, knocking the air out of the teen.

The boy stumbled back as he tried to get some distance from his sensei, the latter not allowing him kicked him hard enough to make Shinji grunt in pain. As the teen was about to fall on the ground, Hagiwara grabbed his left leg and easily throwed him to the other side of the room.

Shinji was not expecting this at all.

When the boy got out of his shock he found out he was outside, looking at his surroundings he realized he was now in the garden Hagiwara has in the middle of his dojo.

In the span of seconds Hagiwara ridiculed him with superhuman strength and speed. Not only using him as a punching bag but also throwing him like a rag doll.

"What the hell…?" Shinji thought out loud as he coughed saliva, grabbing his stomach after the brutal beating he got.

"You're now part of an unforgiving world, Kouki-kun." Shinji turned to where he heard his master's voice. There was a hole where the shoji door separating the training room to the garden was, the remains scattered all around him.

"Hagiwara? How did you-" He was cut as his teacher stepped outside. "You trust in your powers as a devil far too much, not realizing who you have in front of you might be capable of killing you because of your cockiness."

'A devil?' Shinji's eyes got wide as he realized he knew his secret. "Wait! How do you-"

"It doesn't matter how I know." Hagiwara once again cut him, not letting him speak as he started to walk his way. "Nor does it matter how or what I know of the supernatural world."

"What matters to you is now you can't let yourself be weak, Kouki-kun." The old man stopped as he got close enough to Shinji. "Contrary to the world you used to know, this one doesn't forgive the weak. You either become strong or you get killed by someone stronger."

At that he was right, Shinji still has the vivid image of Perse completely defeating him time and time again. He was not dead right now because he had the luck of his friends coming to the rescue just in time.

"Kouki-kun, playtime is over. Now you must train harder than ever if you want to survive." Hagiwara broke him out of his thoughts. "Grow stronger or be left to die, you have no other choice."

Shinji was still having a hard time coming to terms with Hagiwara knowing so much, his mind also working on what he just said.

Then Hagiwara extended his hand. "I'll help you." He looked at the boy straight to his eyes. "From now on you'll be tested and pushed to your limits. I'm going to train you the toughest way possible to shape you into the best fighter you can be. There will be no mercy, nor will there be time for rest."

As Shinji looked at Hagiwara's hand, he thought about everything that happened in his life lately. Devils, monsters, even now humans with supernatural strength; the world he knew was completely turned upside down in the span of weeks.

Shinji thought about how he got killed by a monster, how Momo almost met the same fate, how Issei, Kiryuu or someone else could end up dead by another being making themselves known. And most of all, he accepted he was weak.

'Dragon soul or not, he's right.' Shinji thought as he raised his head to look at his sensei. Raising his hand he grabbed Hagiwara's. "Will you help me?"

Hagiwara smiled as he reassured his pupil. "I'll be happy to."

Author's note.

AAAAHH! I FINALLY FINISHED THIS!

My goodness. Took me some time but I finally finished the prologue, now we can kick it to the main story!

Since updating this fic took me so long I decided to post a double chapter update, it's the least I could do after saying I had the next one almost ready and then disappearing for seven months.

Anyway, now I'll just take some time in polishing the first chapters of this since I can see some errors here and there and then I'll have the new chapter ready to roll.

On a side note, bet you didn't expect Shenlong huh? I don't know if the Chinese mythology theme was used before but it has such cool stories to write about, I can't wait to show you guys what I have in mind!

So as always guys, read and review to your heart's content.

See you soon!