Chapter 2: The Delinquents New Life
Kuoh Town was a nice and quiet place for the residents to enjoy the day with work, school, and relaxation. Unfortunately, that peace was ruined by the gangs within the town. They thought they could take over the town since the people didn't really put up a fight. Unfortunately, the gangs that tried to take over the town were unaware of the two infamous delinquents already in charge of the streets of Kuoh Town.
The first delinquent was a seventeen-year-old girl named Zoe. She was the leader of the Thunder Beasts, which was named after a character in a game she loved to play as a kid before her gang turned against her, which led to Zoe taking them down with a little help from a friend of hers who amazed the female punk before she became a deadlier foe to gangs and wannabe delinquents who tried to mess with her neighborhood in the northern part of Kuoh Town.
Zoe was a young lady wearing delinquent/punkish attire consisting of a knitted cap with cat-ear-like protrusions, a short collared jacket with a red armband worn on the left sleeve, a tube top with a black marking resembling that of her favorite Pocket Monster from her game, Grizzbolt, a two-layered short skirt secured by a belt, a torn stocking worn on the right leg, and a belt worn on the left leg, all in a black and pink color palette.
Her eyes are pink, and her long hair is tied up in two high pigtails—the left one is black, while the right one is pink. Hanging off her left hip is a super-deformed Grizzbolt toy.
Before Zoe became a delinquent, she was a kid who looked after her mother due to her father leaving both of them when he got terminally sick and wasn't able to get to the hospital in time due to gangs destroying the trucks and harming innocent people, so Zoe vowed to protect her mother's workplace when gangs began to threaten the safety of not just her mother and her associates but also the patients at the hospital.
Zoe's main weapon was a staff that she was made for, which allowed her to conduct electricity and strike her enemies. Still, she was also a deadly fighter with her fists since she also had gauntlets that shocked her enemies with different voltage levels, ranging from taser levels to lightning strikes.
Zoe's staff was even able to turn into a sail that could be used as a hand fan and create powerful tornadoes and wind blades, thanks to her training with her partner and Sensei.
Zoe was a smart girl who was a genius in science but used those smarts to protect the streets on her side from harm and her only friend in the town in the Southern area of Kuoh Town.
The Sage of the Tailed Beasts.
Issei Hyoudou is also a delinquent who is deadly in terms of armed weaponry and hand-to-hand combat and uses the elements to get the jump on his opponents.
From what Zoe recalled, when they were thirteen, Issei was very well known in the city as a troublemaker or a Demon due to his unique eyes, which got him in trouble. However, Zoe could tell that Issei was a good person and reached out to him, which made Issei smile. That one person was willing to give him a chance, which helped his social skills somewhat and made his parents so happy, much to Issei's embarrassment and Zoe's amusement.
The two friends were also rivals and fellow delinquents since they wished to protect the town from gangs and those who wanted to harm the community. So they worked together, which also led to them bonding over their favorite anime series and comics. Zoe learned about Issei's ability to manipulate Chakra and having the Ten-Tailed Beast within Issei.
Zoe was shocked at this before Issei offered to have Zoe be part of his gang, which made Zoe deny the offer but willing to join him in training since he'd need someone to watch his back, which Issei didn't mind before the duo began their training with Zoe copying some of the techniques from the lightning and wind users while training in using a sword and fan like a certain wind user from the Sand Village.
Zoe was amazed to see the actual Tailed Beasts before her and loved to train under Saiken and Chomei. The two Tailed Beasts were amazed by her knowledge of science, so they crafted a special weapon for Zoe to utilize that big brain of hers. That way, Zoe would be able to protect herself and her loved ones.
Zoe was now tired as she walked to her school to start her second year of high school.
"Great. Another year, another migraine. Why did my mother send me to this academy? I was fine with a less stressful and stuck-up school." Zoe said before sensing a familiar presence approaching her from behind, which made her turn around to see Issei standing upside down on a tree branch that was next to her.
"Morning, Zoe. Ready for a new year?"
"Says the man who enjoyed his first year by 'being injured' from gang-related activities?" Zoe said, making Issei chuckle in response. Then, the two began to race each other by leaping from tree branches to flag poles and even power lines all the way to their school while recalling their first years, which was fun for both.
Due to a stroke of genius on both sides, Zoe and Issei managed to forge paperwork that said they were hospitalized and that he had to do his schoolwork from home. Both Zoe and Issei only ever showed up to take exams and would surprisingly always make perfect scores despite their lack of interest in the academics taught.
Unfortunately, nothing good lasted forever as their excuses and forgery eventually ran out. Despite not really caring about school, both Issei and Zoe still had a matter of pride to finish just so their parents wouldn't go off the deep end and worry about them. So, with a reluctant sigh, they made their way to school for the brand new second year at Kuoh Academy.
Kuoh Academy.
Sona Sitri was pushing up her glasses as she looked over the two files of possible candidates to join her peerage. One problem was that despite their exceptional grades and performance in physical exams, they were troublemakers and delinquents who didn't seem to care much about the rules of their academy, which was shown when they showed up in their regular attire instead of the school uniform.
Sona proved this, having encountered both Zoe, the Lightning Serpent, and Issei Hyoudou, the Sage of the Tailed Beasts, when they were 'out' due to their medical condition. Sona could tell they were fake, but despite knowing this, she let it slide since she observed them from afar and could tell that both of them were much stronger than an average human.
Issei was definitely strong since he had his reputation back when he was called a Demon back in his middle school years. Still, the so-called Demon didn't care and released his frustrations in the ring. Granted, they didn't do 'traditional martial arts or fighting,' Issei did specialize in combat and weaponry.
Zoe, on the other hand, was the opposite since she was skilled in weapons but needed to be stronger in hand-to-hand combat. She was good for defense, but when it came to offense, her style was more of a boxer that relied on speed and stamina.
"Hopefully, I can convince one of them to join my peerage since they'll be an excellent addition to my peerage, and I still have three Pawns and a Rook left in my set. Although, I can imagine Rias will try to reach out to Zoe more than Issei since she thinks Issei is more like Riser, which isn't wrong in some cases, especially when he defeats his opponents." Sona said under her breath as she watched the other students pass by them. They were so busy in their chatter that they didn't hear a word the Student Council President said to herself.
Unfortunately, her peace was interrupted by two voices with which she was very familiar.
"Victory!" Issei shouted after landing on the ground with Zoe behind him with a pout.
"You cheated!"
"Hey, there was no rule about using a shortcut to get to the school faster."
"...Dammit! I hate it when you use logic on me, you lizard!"
"Big talk coming from the gorilla woman."
"Say that again, and I'll show you why I'm a lion instead!"
"Only if you're ready to face a dragon again, kitty cat."
"Bring it, Dragon Breath!"
Zoe shouted, and they both glared at each other so hard sparks could've been created. Sona was nervous since she was about to order her peers to interfere, but they both began to laugh heartily as if they were telling a funny joke to each other.
"Ah, a good way to start the morning off, huh?"
"Absolutely! Especially if we got to sit in boring classes for another eight hours talking about shit, we already know." Zoe said before blowing a bubble that popper and chewing her minty gum some more until she could no longer taste the flavor and spat it in the grass.
This made Sona's eyebrows twitch almost out of control since her peerage had to deal with Zoe, and her gum issues ended up in the grass or under her desk, which was a pain to clean up.
The dark-haired student council president then decided to give her warning to her most troublesome students before Sona adjusted her glasses as she locked eye contact for a brief moment with the passing Issei and Zoe.
They both immediately stopped walking as Issei turned to face her while Zoe flipped off the woman. "What are you looking at, Buchou?"
"We didn't break any of your prissy rules or get into any fights. Plus, the school hasn't begun, so fuck off bitch."
The comment and question made the students freeze as they looked at the only two brave enough to say such things to the Ice President of the Student Council.
"Nice of you both to come to school. I see your health is well, considering you both were able to go about your free running and landed in front of the school," Sona said passively, her tone clearly indicating that she was well aware that neither of them was actually sick during their time off.
"Yeah, we're all healed up now," Issei replied carelessly.
"If the interrogation is done, little princess, then we'll get moving," Zoe said before Sona raised an arm to stop them.
"I heard a lot of rumors that both of you are troublemakers, so make sure you keep your nose clean, or I'll get you expelled. Understood Hyoudou-san? Zoe-san?" Sona said fearlessly while Issei raised a brow at the comment. Zoe's eyes narrowed at the bitch in front of her eyes.
"I don't know Zoe. Was that a threat? Can she, the Student Council President, make threats like that to two students who have done no wrong?"
Zoe smiled as she played along. "Oh no, of course not. That would be an abuse of power, and I can only imagine what would happen if the principal heard how the President abuses her power by threatening students, using her office as a sex closet for her Bimbo girlfriend, and making out with that other Bimbo and her assistant."
Sona's cheeks turned cherry red as she yelled at them both.
"I am not in a relationship with Rias, Akeno, or Tsubaki!"
"Really, because you four have never dated a guy before in your life," Zoe said before Issei continued the fun.
"You hang out with each other all the time."
"You're both childhood friends."
"Plus, I remember seeing you leave the Student Council with messy hair and a uniform before Tsukabi left with you.
"And there's the kiss that occurred with you and Red Bimbo just last semester."
Sona's face turned from cherry-red to chili pepper red as she covered her face at the rumors even though they weren't true!
Sure, Rias and Sona were childhood friends, but Sona was not interested in either Rias or Akeno because she was so focused on her studies and her plans.
The onlookers stifled their laughs while some turned to watch as Issei stepped towards her with imposing eyes.
Making Sona calm down as she looked up at him blankly but with her cheeks still red as an apple, "It was a threat, and I suggest you both get to class. You don't want to make an enemy out of me. Keep your delinquent behavior reserved for off-campus if you would, please."
"Or what?" Issei replied before Sona put away her embarrassment and gave him a death glare, but it did little to phase Issei or Zoe as he turned his back on her. In contrast, Zoe did the same but flipped Sona off on both hands before making a gesture that made Sona stutter in front of her very eyes.
"Aye, aye, Buchou. You stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours." Issei said before Zoe stopped her signs, but as they continued walking, a blonde boy, Saji, called out to him angrily,
"Hey, asshole! You can't talk to the President like that! Why don't you get your ass back here and apologize to her!" Saji shouted as he tried to stop Issei by placing a hand on the back of Issei's shoulder.
This proved to be a huge mistake. Issei immediately grabbed the guy's wrist and turned around, and Zoe summoned her staff to bash the guy's kneecaps before Issei stopped her with his other hand.
Saji slumped over in agony and began to cry out in pain as Issei squeezed his wrist tightly, forcing him to his knees until he began to speak as his crimson eye began to glow eerily at Saji.
"Don't ever touch me or Zoe again, or you're losing this hand and knowing what real pain is once I'm done with you, so take a hint, wannabe white knight. Don't piss either of us off." Issei said in a passive, low tone as he released his grip on Saji, causing him to fall over and grab his wrist.
Zoe smiled as she clocked him in the face, making Saji fall while holding his nose. He was bleeding a bit before Sona told Ruruko to take Saji to the nurse's office to tend to his face and wrist.
"Should we do something about them?" Tsubaki said to Sona, somewhat concerned as everyone watched Issei and Zoe walk away from the Student Council.
Sona looked concerned and whispered to Tsubaki, "Saji might not be as powerful as a devil, but a normal human shouldn't be able to do that to him. I had my suspicions there was something off about both of them, but that was surprising. We should talk to Rias' peerage and see if they can find anything out about them. I doubt either of them would let anyone from the student council get near either of them without acting up."
Sona then glared in their direction and could tell that both of them would definitely be on their radar. If she could get them on her side, then she'd discipline them in some manner.
'Wait, where did that come from?!' Sona shouted in her mind as she imagined Issei, Zoe, and her in a student-teacher scenario. This made Sona blush at the fantasy in her mind, wondering where that image had come from.
Issei and Zoe sat at their desks, typing on their phones, while the other students who came in or were there did their best to avoid them but observe them from afar, which was on the other side of their homeroom.
'Now I know how Red feels about Devils and such because these cowards seriously need to stop looking at me. I knew it was going to blow coming back here this year, but this is just insufferable,' Issei thought, annoyed until Zoe spoke to him with their connection.
'You can't blame them since we were ordinary humans until Red, Kaguya, and the others trained us to be badasses that are even more badass than Naruto and Sasuke.' Zoe said that since the two of them became deadly foes desiring to reach the level of a god, they wanted to clash with not just the Tailed Beasts and defeat them but also Kaguya and their enemy, the Dragon of Ouroboros, Ophis.
'Still, if it's true that Ophis is the Dragon of Infinity and Red is the Dragon of Dreams, then it's possible that the only way to beat Ophis is by me using my Sage form with Kaguya.'
'How long can you use that form?'
'At most? A year and I've finished fixing the issues on that technique I've been working on with the help of Red and Kaguya's skills in dimensional travel.' Issei said with a small smirk since he's been trying to fine-tune the powers of both Kaguya's Yomotsu Hirasaka technique and the power of the Dimensional Gap.
The problem is that opening multiple portals within a single space will cause issues, and someone could get sucked into it, which is why Issei was fine-tuning the technique so he can initiate sneak attacks on the enemy, teleport multiple attacks, and deal with a Satan that peaked the Kama of Kaguya's interest.
'Still, the fact that there's a Satan known as Beelzebub who thinks he can use the powers of the Dimensional Gap; however, if he's really a genius, then I'll have to use the Mangekyo Sharingan and Rinnegan against him.' Issei said to Zoe before touching his forehead, where he could feel his third eye.
After Issei had trained with Kaguya for so long, the powers of the Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Byakugan were fully accessed, and Issei could utilize the abilities of all three of the great clan's powers.
'By the way, how's your training with Chomei and Saiken? Were you able to master and surpass even the great Senju techniques?' Issei asked with Zoe smiling to herself as she looked his way and revealed a Diamond on her forehead for a nanosecond until it vanished, which was all Issei needed to see since he knew that Zoe might be skilled in weaponry as well as the lightning and wind Jutsu's she's been learning. Still, her real skills are the training she's been doing with both Chomei and Saiken to surpass both Might Guy and Rock Lee in mastering the Eight Gates.
Issei did some research on the Senju's healing technique and the cells Madara took from Hashirama to use the Wooden Style Jutsu. She learned that granting Zoe the training Sakura went through with Tsunade and some cells from the Senju clan would allow Zoe to not only have the same healing powers as the Senju Clan but also make her a deadly foe in the Ninjutsu style of lightning, wind, and wood.
Zoe and Issei continued their chat about their plans. They intend to finish high school. Issei wanted to continue supporting his little sister, Rin. The treatment Rin is on has been working, but it's also thanks to him learning how to use healing techniques to help her body recover faster.
Issei wished to become a doctor like Zoe. Still, after enjoying fighting and combat so much, he decided to become a doctor and a teacher/Sensei of his dojo one day so he could teach the next generation how to fight and possibly give the Tailed Beasts a chance to enjoy their freedom without having to worry about war.
However, Great Red tells them about the many factions that will see both Issei and Zoe as either allies or enemies since the factions want to control powerful people who will be on their side in times of war. Still, sadly, neither of them cared about the faction's desires or goals. Hence, the two delinquents trained for that day to come, and thanks to their Sensei, both of them are in High Tier Ultimate Class before the transformations that can put them in Mid Tier Maou Class.
The Devils have no idea just how powerful the two humans really are, even without their Sensei's assistance.
"Oh, and I would like to introduce a new transfer student we have, so please give a warm welcome to!" the teacher said before the door was blown off its hinges and a tall woman appeared in it.
"Tch. How annoying." The woman said while exuding an air of scary confidence. Long, ebony hair cascaded down their back in wild, untamed waves, barely restrained by a dark, wide-brimmed hat that cast a shadow over their eyes. The hat was adorned with a small, golden embellishment that glinted faintly in the dim light. They wore a deep purple, tattered coat that billowed slightly as they moved, the frayed edges revealing a glimpse of the dark red lining within. Beneath the coat, a white bandage-like wrap tightly bound their chest, hinting at a powerful, muscular build.
Their pants, as dark as the coat, hung loosely, tattered at the cuffs, revealing bare feet clad in traditional wooden geta sandals that clacked softly against the ground with each step. The characters' arms were crossed, accentuating the gold trim on their coat's sleeves and the small, golden ornament hanging from their ears. The hat's brim obscured their expression, but the air of nonchalance and the slight smirk on their lips suggested a calm readiness as if daring anyone to challenge them.
This was the delinquent that ruled the western area of Kuoh Town, The Dragon of the West.
Issei and Zoe may have been the first in the town, but when another delinquent moved in, she claimed the western and eastern areas of the town, and the three have been clashing ever since Middle School.
"Ah, Daidouji. Good to see you." Issei said with Daidouji smiling at the duo before her until she sat in the middle of the two, which her fellow delinquents didn't mind since they both knew Daidouji back in middle school.
The trio then showed off their smarts and strengths throughout the first day of school, and each of them excelled in their subjects. However, the scariest part of the day was the gym, where the trio was able to complete the race in under a minute, do their exercises with no problem, and turn a game of dodgeball into a war game since the three were the only ones standing, which resulted in a three-way tie.
Sona continued to observe the trio and was honestly impressed and terrified by their skills and strength, which made her concerned about recruiting one of them since, while they may be humans if one of them became a Devil, then she'd basically have another Saiorag Bael which made her scared but amused by the idea, before recalling their personalities.
"Hopefully, Rias has a better time with them than me; by the way, where is Rias and her peerage?" Sona asked Tsubaki, who summoned a paper before reading it aloud to her King.
"Rias said that she was investigating the abandoned church since she felt something or someone enter the church and wished to see if they meant to harm us or not. I asked if we could accompany her peerage, but Rias rejected it since she was confident in her peerage skills and abilities." Tsukabi explained, making Sona sigh before she thanked her Queen for the information until she saw that the day was coming to a close, which surprised her before she finished up her paperwork for the day.
"Well, let's wish and hope that this year won't involve me repairing the school or calling them to my office," Sona said while counting down the days until she can begin her college classes so she doesn't have to deal with the three delinquents.
Meanwhile, with Rias and her peers at the abandoned church.
"I'm honestly disappointed since I expected more from the infamous Rias Gremory and your small but skilled peerage," a voice said while standing in the middle of a battlefield with four students defeated.
Rias Gremory looked up at her opponent and glared at them before seeing how beaten her peers were after they faced their opponent.
Akeno's back was littered with multiple markings of a sharp weapon, and her spine was slightly damaged after getting sent back into a thick tree that did severe damage to the spinal cord.
Koneko's arms and legs were broken, as well and blood leaving her head after she was stomped on multiple times into the ground.
Kiba, on the other hand, was lifted by their opponent's left hand, and sadly, Kiba's arms were twisted and broken, along with his stomach being speared by their opponent's weapon of choice.
"Your knight certainly put up a good fight, but sadly, his skills were mediocre at best." The opponent said before letting Kiba fall to the ground and facing Rias, who didn't receive so many injuries from her party, but her uniform was torn up front, and she lost a lot of blood due to the many cuts from her arms, legs, stomach, and chest.
Their opponent was a tall and fairly built young man with short, loosely hanging white hair. He wore tan gloves, a black mask covering his nose and mouth, a long black cloak covering most of his midsection, and underneath, a short-sleeved version of the exorcist uniform. He also had a sheathed sword on his back, while his right hand held a deadly spear that seemed to radiate Holy Magic at both ends. His shoes were tan-colored knee-high boots that matched his gloves.
"I didn't kill your little peerage on purpose since I didn't wish to fight, but you forced my hand when threatening and attacking me without reason. Granted, I am an exorcist, but I am not here to harm any of you. Killing you all would be a waste of energy." The exorcist said before taking Rias's cell phone and sending in a call to a hospital.
"It's best you just stay out of my way because the next time we meet, I won't be so merciful. Oh, and if you want a name, then my name is Hyoga." The exorcist, now known as Hyoga, said before leaving with his spear over his left shoulder.
Rias gritted her teeth and tried to muster her power but was too weak to make a move due to the cuts being made by a Holy weapon.
"D-Dammit," Rias said before she fell into unconsciousness due to her inability to stand up or fight anymore.
Hyoga paid her no mind as he walked away from the four before pulling out a paper from his cloak.
"So the targets are Issei Hyoudou, Daidouji, and Zoe. To see what they are capable of before recruiting them to join our faction of warriors or heroes, in that man's case, until the Devils notice their potential." Hyoga said as a pink-haired girl landed beside him from the trees, and a tall young man with silver-white hair and red eyes landed beside him.
"Homura. Siegfried. Who do you think is the strongest out of all three of the potential candidates?"
Homura pondered her response before shrugging her shoulders, which Hyoga accepted as her answer while Siegfried said his response.
"I'd honestly say that Issei Hyoudou is the strongest of the three. Though the information we have on them is little about their fighting capabilities." Siegfried said before Hyoga replied to the ex-exorcist.
"That is understandable since we have little to no knowledge of their powers, so it's best we gather information on all three of them before considering our approach," Hyoga said before Homura nodded and leaped into the trees, making Hyoga call out to her.
"Be careful, Homura! If you need to retreat, then do it. Don't try to take them down; otherwise, you'll end up defeated and captured," Hyoga shouted out before looking at the target list.
"I think I'll test one of them to see if they're worth the trouble," Hyoga said, readying his spear before stabbing the picture of Zoe.
"And the pink one shall be my target," Hyoga said before rushing towards his target's home while Homura was heading to her target, the Dragon of the West.
"In that case, that leaves the Sage to me," Siegfried said as he headed towards the southern area of Kuoh Town and prepared for his target to arrive. Siegfried felt that it wouldn't be easy for him to face his opponent.
Meanwhile, with said targets.
Issei, Zoe, and Daidouji yawned as they all woke up from a nap they had outside under a massive cherry blossom tree before Issei took a look at the time.
"Huh. Looks like we slept through our free period and our last homeroom of the day." Issei said before Zoe replied with a yawn.
"Not like it was anything important since it's the first day of our new school year."
Daidouji yawned as well before cracking her neck a few times until she sat up and blushed at the warm feeling on her right shoulder and lap.
"Sorry, Daidouji. We must've fallen asleep on you when we took our nap." Issei said before Daidouji put her blush away and replied without looking at him.
"W-Well, it's not a problem as long as you warn me next time," Daidouji said. She tried to hide the fact that she had a huge crush on both Zoe and Issei since the two of them were amazing in terms of strength and intellect. Still, the fact that the two knew of the supernatural world made Daidouji happy that she could be herself around the two people who accepted her and even defeated her in battle, especially when she was going all out using the Eight Gates that were passed down in her family.
Daidouji was actually a descendant of Rock Lee. She was fascinated with the Eight Gates and trained harder than anyone in her family, even Might Guy, to surpass them.
Zoe and Issei were amazed by this, so Issei offered to help Daidouji with the weakness of the Eighth Gate, but Daidouji denied the offer since her clan had a technique to counter the cost of the final gate.
After getting their bags, the trio headed out of the academy and split up after they reached the center, wishing each other a good evening, but Issei's senses kicked in, as did Kaguya's when she warned him.
{Issei. We have company.}
'I feel him as well. There's a new person in both the northern, southern, and western areas. Prepare the teleportation to the Coliseum.' Issei said, making Son Goku and the other Tailed Beasts excited since they loved the Coliseum, which allowed them to be outside of Issei's body for a very, very long time, training in their human forms that were given to them thanks to Great Red. It was also a way for the Nine-Tailed Beast to clash with his host.
The Eight and Nine-Tailed Beasts were awakened within Issei and the trials he faced when meeting them.
Flashback.
The Hidden Forest of Ancients is a secluded and mystical place shrouded in legends. Still, in reality, it was a dimension Kaguya created when she saw Issei and Zoe play Pokémon and thought of some new dimensions for them both to train in.
The air is thick with the energy of dormant powers and ancient spirits. The ground beneath is covered in a soft, emerald moss that seems to pulse with life.
Issei stands at the entrance of the Hidden Forest of Ancients, his heart racing with anticipation. The awakening of the Eight and Nine-Tailed Beasts has been foretold, and now he stands ready to face them, a culmination of his rigorous training with the other Tailed Beasts.
Suddenly, the forest around him trembles. A low, guttural growl reverberates through the air, followed by an explosion of energy. The Eight-Tailed Beast, Gyūki, emerges from the shadows, its enormous form dwarfing the ancient trees. Its eight tentacle-like tails writhe with power.
"So, the chosen one finally arrives. Are you prepared to face the trials, human? Gyūki said before Issei readied himself for a battle that would force him to pull out all his tricks.
"I am ready, Gyūki. I have learned much from the others, and I will prove my worth."
Without another word, Gyūki charges. The ground shakes as its massive form barrels toward Issei. Issei stands his ground, eyes focused and unyielding.
As Gyūki closes the distance, Issei channels the energy he has learned from the other Tailed Beasts. His body glows with a vibrant aura, a mixture of Red from the One-Tailed Shukaku, blue from the Two-Tailed Matatabi, green from the Three-Tailed Isobu, and the rest, each representing the unique power he has harnessed.
'Concentrate and focus on your energy. Do not let fear consume you. Face your enemy and never run from danger. Flee, and you'll die, cower, and you'll die, so shout your name with all of your spirit!' Issei quoted the words of his teachers before his eyes opened, before Issei sidestepped Gyūki's initial charge, summoning a wave of sand to entangle its tentacles.
Gyūki roars, thrashing against the sandy bonds.
"Impressive, but can you handle this?"
Gyūki's tails whip around, shattering the sand and sending shockwaves through the air. Issei quickly forms a barrier of blue flames, absorbing the shock and countering with a blast of steam-infused water. The collision of elements creates a dense mist, shrouding the battlefield.
Issei uses the cover to his advantage, moving with the enhanced speed granted by Chōmei's training. He appears behind Gyūki, landing a powerful strike infused with the corrosive energy of Saiken. Gyūki roars in pain, the corrosive energy eating away at its tough hide.
"You have indeed learned well, but the true test lies ahead. Face me with all you've got!"
The battlefield trembles again as Gyūki unleashes a barrage of energy blasts from its tails. Issei counters with a fusion of his learned techniques, creating a swirling vortex of elements: sand, water, fire, and steam, combining to form a formidable shield.
The energy blasts are absorbed and redirected, exploding harmlessly in the air. Issei then channels the raw power of Son Gokū, enhancing his strength, and leaps onto Gyūki's back, delivering a seismic punch that sends shockwaves through the ground. Gyūki crashes to the ground, momentarily stunned.
However, before Issei could catch his breath, the air around him grew heavy. A powerful aura fills the space, and from the depths of the forest, the Nine-Tailed Beast, Kurama, emerges. Its presence is overwhelming, its nine tails flicking with latent power.
"Well done, Issei. But now you face me. Prepare yourself!" Kurama roared as the ground beneath Issei cracked under the sheer pressure of Kurama's presence.
Issei stands tall, his body glowing with the combined energy of the seven Tailed Beasts he has mastered. Kurama's eyes narrow, recognizing the amalgamation of powers.
"You carry their strength, but can you wield it against me?"
Kurama lunges, its speed astonishing for its size. Issei reacts instantly, forming a barrier of interwoven elements to absorb the impact. The barrier shatters under Kurama's assault, but it slows the beast enough for Issei to counter.
Drawing on Matatabi's flames, Issei engulfs his fists in blue fire and charges. He weaves through Kurama's attacks, landing blows that sear the beast's fur and flesh. Kurama retaliates with a swipe of its massive tails, sending Issei crashing into the trees.
Despite the pain, Issei rises, his determination unshaken. He channels the energy of Kokuō, steam swirling around him, increasing his physical power. With a roar, he dashes forward, matching Kurama blow for blow.
The forest around them bears the scars of their battle. Trees are uprooted, the ground torn asunder by their clashes. Issei combines his abilities in rapid succession: sand to bind, water to strike, fire to burn, and steam to overwhelm. Each attack is a testament to his training, a culmination of the lessons from each Tailed Beast.
Kurama's eyes glow with a mixture of respect and challenge.
"You are indeed worthy, Issei. But to truly master the power, you must surpass me!"
Kurama gathers its energy, forming a massive ball of condensed Chakra—the air hums with its intensity. Issei feels the pressure but stands firm. He channels every ounce of power he has, his aura flaring with the combined might of all the Tailed Beasts.
"This ends now!"
"You said it Issei Hyoudou!" Kurama shouted as Issei formed his sphere of energy, a swirling vortex of elemental power, while Kurama charged his Tailed Beast Ball.
With a final, mighty roar, the two energies collide, creating an explosion that lights up the entire forest.
As the dust settles, both Issei and Kurama stand, breathing heavily. A moment of silence follows, broken by Kurama's deep laugh.
"You have indeed surpassed our expectations, Issei. You are now ready to wield the true power of the Tailed Beasts."
Issei bows his head in respect, feeling the weight of their acceptance. He knows that his journey is far from over, but with the support and power of the Tailed Beasts, he is ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.
End Flashback.
'Zoe. Daidouji. Can you both hear me?' Issei asked before hearing his fellow delinquents reply to his message.
'We hear you loud and clear.'
'What's the plan, Captain?'
Zoe and Daidouji replied before Issei told him his plan for the Coliseum, which excited them both as well before all three of them met their enemies at their homes.
Issei didn't say anything as he then snapped his fingers, opening a rift behind the three enemies, and had the Eighty Gods Vaccum Attack technique drag them all to the Coliseum, where Issei looked to see Daidouji and Zoe seem passive as they were dropped into the arena while Hyoga, Homura, and Siegfried were planted into the ground.
"You three are really being a pain since it's been a long day, and we don't have time to deal with your bullshit excuses, so skip the pleasantries and tell us what you want," Zoe said while typing on her phone that she'll be a bit late coming back home to her mother before Hyoga approached them.
"I do apologize for coming off as a threat, but we intended to observe your skills before coming forward with an offer that we wish to extend to you all," Hyoga said before stabbing his spear into the ground.
"And what exactly is this offer?"
"We are part of an organization that wishes to!" Hyoga stated before Daidouji stopped his sentence.
"Nope!"
Hyoga, Homura, and Siegfried were caught off guard by this until Issei took over.
"Apologies for her fast response, but we aren't exactly interested in being part of any faction or group that wishes to go against them. So, no thanks." Issei said before crossing his arms. His third eye appeared on his forehead, shocking the trio of intruders before Issei smiled at them.
"Now go to sleep," Issei whispered under his breath until the three collapsed on the ground. The Genjutsu attack had unharmed Issei, Zoe, and Daidouji.
"Well, this year is certainly going to be an annoying one," Issei said while Zoe wrapped the intruders up before Daidouji picked them up and threw them through a portal that Issei opened up and sent them outside of the town.
The trio may be deadly and powerful, but their peaceful, quiet lives were now going to be turned upside down.
Scene!
Hyoga and Homura are from the Dr. Stone world, and I thought they'd be excellent comrades for Hero Faction.
Issei, Zoe, and Daidouji are powerful in their ways, but Issei is definitely the strongest of the trio, and not just because of the Tailed Beasts within him. Zoe is more of a Ninjutsu and weapon user. At the same time, Daidouji is a Taijutsu user who is similar to Might Guy since she wasn't born with talent but became stronger through hard work and determination to surpass her ancestors.
I hope you all enjoyed it and see you soon, Ta-Ta!~