Draconis: Whew...now that I got that request done. I should be able to get these out faster, now that I don't have to worry about it.
Kenshin: He says before he takes a week long siesta.
Draconis: Fuck off Kenshin.
Rias: Oh Kenshin, I see you're unaffected.
Kenshin: Unaffected by wha-? Rias?
Draconis: Oh Rias. You're looking...different, great but different.
Kenshin: Drac... (Glares)
Draconis: S-Sorry, I am only human after all. Besides that's a TAME compliment compared to what Issei would say.
Kenshin: Good point...
Rias: (In HerO animation style) Y-You hate it don't you?
Kenshin: Rias...I technically only have two official pictures, drawn by the same person. You look fine. Great even. The new look just caught me off guard.
Rias: (smiles widely) I see! Come on! I'll go show you everyone else!
Kenshin: OK OK I'm coming
Draconis: And that's my thoughts on the HerO animation. There's nothing wrong with it and hell I'll even go as far as to say that I really like it. I'll say this to people who don't like it. Blame TNK for pissing off Ishibumi cause from what I've read, that's what happened.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 90
Sealed Dragon.
(Start)
After Euclid destroyed Auros Academy.
"Guuaaah!" Issei grunted throwing off a large slab of the destroyed academy. "Are you all OK?" He asked.
"Yes, Issei-kun. Thank you." Irina said.
"I'm fine." Kazumi said.
"It happened so fast." Mana muttered. "We barely had any time to react."
"It's frightening how fast that was." Xenovia said stroking her chin in thought.
Evangeline got in touch with Sona. "Are you all alright?"
"Yes. We were all far enough away from the academy when the blast went off." Sona said. "I don't count any injuries."
"Yes, but what about those in the academy?" Evangeline asked.
"Don't worry." Sextum said, her voice coming in through her own communication circle. "We managed to protected them all with a multi layered mandala style barrier."
Tertium got in touch with his sister. "What happened then?"
"The turncoat mages all had explosive seals on their person." Sextum said. "I noticed it just before they started functioning."
"I see...a kamikaze strike." Tertium said. "Good work sister."
"Yes." Sextum said.
"Damn it..." Sona growled bitterly.
"Buildings can be rebuilt." Hikari said to her, near where she was. "We got lucky that none of us, nor the civilians got hurt or killed."
"You're right." Sona sighed out. A communication circle opened up next to her head. "Rias?" She said. "What's going on?"
"Are you all alright?" Rias asked.
"Yes, we even managed to protect the ones in the shelter." Sona said.
"Thank goodness." Rias let out a sigh.
"What's the status over there?" Sona said.
"We've intercepted Euclid Lucifuge and freed Rossweisse from him." Rias said. "Kenshin is fighting him alone."
"Alone?" Sona said.
"I don't know what it is, but while we were getting information out of him..a couple of the things Euclid said struck a nerve with Kenshin." Rias said. "Though him setting off the explosions over there infuriated us all."
(Crash!)
The sound of rubble crashing to the ground was heard as Heinrich and Walburga unburied themselves. "That Euclid. He was trying to kill me."
"I believe you're mixing up trying with not caring if you survived." Walburga said with a haughty laugh.
"You mean like I don't care if you make it out of here firecrotch." Heinrich drawled.
"Hey! I'm not a redhead!" Walburga said.
"Because you dyed your hair obviously." Heinrich said.
"How dare you! I'll have you know this is natural!" Walburga seethed.
"Right, keep tellin' everybody that." Heinrich said.
"I will roast you..." Walburga growled.
"Is that before or after you're cursed to death?" Heinrich said.
"Wha? Aah? !" Walburga said as she dodged Saji's tentacles.
"Did you forget who you were fighting? !" Saji shouts. "And you!" He said sending the same tentacles at Heinrich only to have them ricochet off him.
"Hahahahahahaha! Forget it kid! In this form I'm basically holy magic incarnate!" Heinrich said. "I'm second only to the Primordial of Light!"(1 ) He said as the tentacles evaporated before reaching him.
"Well then, what about thhhiiiisss!" Issei shouts punching Heinrich in the face.
"Guh? !" Heinrich grunted as he backflipped, catching himself on the ground. "Heheheh, you may be perverted, but that punch was certainly strong. It felt like Kenshin's." He smirked, wiping some blood off his chin.
"I'm not Kenshin! I'm Issei Hyoudou!" Issei shouts.
"And I don't care! Are you strong enough to send me to the afterlife? !" Heinrich said shooting toward Issei.
"Ghhh!" Issei grunted as Heinrich punched him backward using the power of earth.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
"Ghh..!" Heinrich growled as Issei started pushing him back.
"Haa!" Issei shouts, as Heinrich was sent flying backward.
"Heh..." Heinrich said emerging from the rubble unharmed. "Quite strong indeed."
"!" Issei's eyes widened as Heinrich disappeared.
"Earth Rumbling Decapitation!"
"!" Issei's head snapped upward. "Ascalon!"
"Blade!"
(Boom!)
Power exploded outward and around them. "Ohoho~! Where did you get your hands on a dragon slayer? !" Heinrich said with a smirk.
"None of your damn business!" Issei said. "Haa!" He shouted as he threw Heinrich off.
"Well no matter." Heinrich said, his smirk widening. "It's not like it's Kenshin's Holy Canceler or anything!"
"Overconfident prick!" Issei shouts as they clashed again, Issei's fist blocking Heinrich's Serene Demon Sword.
"I'm overconfident? !" Heinrich balked. "Who here thought to challenge his superior's superior? !"
"Grh!" Issei transformed his free arm into the rook form and punched Heinrich in the stomach.
"Didn't even hur-Gough? !" Blood and stomach acid shot out of Heinrich's mouth as the percussion hammer out.
"You were saying?" Issei said with a smirk. "And as far as you being stronger than Kenshin, I really fuckin' doubt that."
"..." Heinrich scowled at him.
"What is it with you anyway? You seem to have a fuckin' grudge with him." Issei said. "He was born long after you were sealed. Yeah I heard and Kenshin told me."
"I don't expect you to understand boy." Heinrich said, his scowl deepening. "But in the short version...I just loathe the bastard."
"Why? It's not like he's done anything to you." Issei said with a snort.
"Like I said...I don't expect you to understand!" Heinrich said rushing Issei, his sword covered in holy flames. "Holy Purification Starblade!" He said doing the slash movements for the Death Sword Chaos Star technique.
"Guah!" Issei was sent flying back with several deep cracks in his armor.
"Let's see you block this one!" Heinrich said leaping above Issei cocking his fist back.
"!" Issei's eyes widened behind his helmet. "That's the Elemental Spica!" He thought.
"Elemental Spi-? !" Heinrich's eyes widened slightly, seeing his arm being held back. He turned to Saji who had one of his tentacles wrapped around Heinrich's bicep. "Boy didn't I tell you before that in this form I'm basically immune to your curses? Where's that flaming bitch Walburga anyway?"
"She got away when I noticed you knock Hyoudou back." Saji said. "That said. Now that I'm free. I'll be helping Hyoudou take you down."
"Interesting." Heinrich said with a smirk as he turned, slicking the tentacle off him and turned toward Saji. "Fine! Then you get it!" He said punching his fist at host of Vritra.
"Saji!" Issei shouted.
"Hrmph!" Saji grunted as black flames rushed forward to meet the attack.
"Hahahahaha! You mean to challenge my attack with merely one element? !" Heinrich said.
"Fool..." Saji said.
"Gh? !" Heinrich's eyes widened marginally as his attack refused to break through and that a cage of black flames was forming around it.
"You know, Saji actually has more than one Sacred Gear. Because Vritra's soul itself was hacked into separate pieces." Issei said from behind him.
"? !" Heinrich turned, slashing his sword at Issei's neck, but he ducked under it.
"Hyoudou! I have to stay here and make sure this attack doesn't hit the ground, if it's anything like Kenshin's it's going to be very destructive!" Saji said.
"Right!" Issei said.
"So in the end it's still you and me eh?" Heinrich said as his Angel Halo met Issei's Ascalon again. "You know it really seems to be such a waste for you to have that. It's not like you know how to use it!"
"I know...how to use it, just fine!" Issei said throwing both their swords to the side.
"That won't work this time." Heinrich thought as Issei's rook form fist sailed for his stomach. As soon as it made contact he shouted. "Earth Guard!"
Issei was surprised when Heinrich didn't react to the punch like earlier. "Wha? !"
"Heh!" Heinrich smirked, punching him backward. "Haa!" He shouts out appearing above him, hitting Issei with a blistering barrage of fists, before kicking him to the ground.
"Ghh!" Issei crashed hard on the ground.
"Dragon Descent!" Heinrich said diving down at him, stabbing Angel Halo forward. Issei rolled out of the way and got up, blocking his next slash with his right arm. "You know it's funny how this is doing nothing to you, aren't you supposed to be a devil?"
"Ghh...!" Issei grunted.
"Sorry, but he might be a Devil, but what powers this Scale Mail is me." Ddraig said.
"Oh? So you're that dragon that idiot Euclid wants to get his hands on." Heinrich said. "You know for being a so called Ultimate Class devil he sure doesn't believe much in his own power."
"He did just try asking me to leave my partner here not too long ago." Ddraig said. "Asked that spirit of Kenshin's as well."
"Please, as if it were that easy!" Heinrich said as he started driving Issei backward before throwing him through rubble. "Hey! Is this all you can do, Dragon of Depravity? !"
"Ghh..." Issei got back to his feet. "Damn it...it's like fighting Kenshin, only this time it's for real. If I don't figure this out, he's going to kill me!" He thought.
"Why not use the wyverns?" Ddraig asked. "The ones you were using against Euclid Lucifuge in Romania."
"But those only make use of the Dividing power I took from Vali and Albion." Issei thought. "I'm not going to be able to divide that guy's power completely, he's using holy power and the elements which I don't have."
"No. Now that we dragons have made our peace, you should be able to convert them between white and red." Ddraig said.
"Eh? Come to think of it, how did that go anyway?" Issei thought.
"N-Now's not the time for that. I-I'll tell you later." Ddraig said, a large bead of sweat rolling down his neck.
"I guess...?" Issei thought as he got to his feet.
"Heh!" Heinrich sees him getting up and charges in.
"Hrh!" Issei grunted and crossed his arms, changing them both to the Rook form.
"You think that will stop me? !" Heinrich said with a smirk, punching his fist forward.
Issei's power suddenly skyrocketed as Heinrich's fist met Issei's arms. "..." Issei smirked behind his helmet.
"What the? !" Heinrich jumped back as Issei kicked at his side. "What the hell just happened? Just before my fist made contact, his power skyrocketed."
Issei shot forward in a flash, punching at Heinrich's face, which he barely dodged. He slashed Angel Halo at Issei's hands as Issei punched at him again. "Ggrrrhhh!" Heinrich growled, a struggling look on his face.
"What's wrong? You seem a little worried there Heinrich-San." Issei said, his helmet shifting off to expose his smirking face.
"Cocky, bastard!" Heinrich growled.
"Heheheh, yeah I suppose some of my surrogate brother's cockiness has rubbed off on me! Get a taste of your own medicine!" Issei said stepping forward sending Heinrich through a pile of rubble. He turned to Saji.
Saji heard Issei's voice in his head. "Saji, can you hear me? I'm contacting you through Ddraig."
"Loud and clear Hyoudou." Saji thought.
"Great, I've got a question for you." Issei thought, seeing Heinrich get to his feet.
"What is it?" Saji thought.
"Do you think you can move that attack?" Issei thought.
"Eh? Why? I mean I could probably do it, but..." Saji thought.
"Awesome, you'll know when to do it!" Issei thought, cutting the connection.
"Ah! Hyoudou I didn't-! Haa...damn it, now I have to do it." Saji glowered.
"Oh come on my other self. This would be a great measure of your power and abilities to redirect an Ultimate Class Devil level being's attack." Vritra said. "I mean that holy guy there was able to go toe to toe with Kenshin, an Ultimate Class Devil himself.
"I guess." Saji thought.
Issei took off right at Heinrich who held Angel Halo out in front of his defensively as Issei's fist crashed into it. "Grrhhhh!" Heinrich growled as Issei pushed him back.
"Something the matter?" Issei said with a smirk behind his helmet.
"What the hell is going on with you? You were struggling to keep up earlier, now you're able to hang with me like it's nothing?" Heinrich grunted.
"That's not all I'm able to do." Issei said as two of his wyvern fairies flew behind Heinrich's back. "Get him boys!"
"Huh? !" Heinrich said as two Dragon Shots impacted his back. "Gah!" He grunted in pain as they impacted, causing his striking posture to shake. Using this chance, Issei smashed through his guard and buried his fist in Heinrich's stomach.
"Gulah? !" Heinrich hunched over, spitting up blood and stomach acid again before Issei slugged him to the ground.
Issei landed on the ground and cocked his fist back "Dragon Shot!" He shouted punching his signature attack at Heinrich.
"Ngh? !" Heinrich reacted quickly and batted it away.
"Reflect!"
"What? !" Heinrich shouts seeing the Dragon Shot coming at him again. He jumped out of the way of it. "? !"
"You won't get away that easy!" Issei said punching it at him again." Issei shouts.
"That's what you think!" Heinrich said cleaving the attack in two.
However before the attack could go off due to it's being broken. Heinrich noticed them reforming. "Tch!" He ran at Issei who transformed part of his armor into the Bishop state. .
"Come and get it you bastard." Issei said as the energy built up. The Dragon Shots charged in behind Heinrich, who stopped suddenly and backflipped. "Huh? !" He said as his own Dragon Shots impacted him instead.
"Gh? !" Saji grunted in surprise. "Hyoudou come on! That's like the oldest trick in the book!"
"!" Heinrich leaped over another Dragon Shot and looked to see where it came from. "Hn...I see...I recall Euclid saying he had trouble with these before when they were white." He said seeing one of Issei's red wyverns. "You stole that white dragon's power in the past and that's how you got the white ones, but those were relatively useless against an close range fighter like me."
"Krh..." Issei grunted. "Shit, he's found me out."
"No matter. That doesn't mean we just give up." Ddraig said.
"Still...I wonder...what would happen if I kill the source?" Heinrich said with a calm smirk raising Angel Halo skyward.
"! !" Issei's eyes widened seeing Kenshin striking that same pose in his place. "Oh shit...he's!"
"It's the Quadruple Giga partner! You have to stop him now or we're finished! !" Ddraig said.
"I don't think so!" Issei shouts as he and his red wyverns took off right at him, all charging Dragon Shots.
Heinrich nimbly dodged out of the way as wind spiraled around his blade. "I'm afraid it's not that easy, boy."
"Damn it!" Issei shouts as he and his wyverns open fire on Heinrich.
"..." Heinrich closed his eyes drifting in and out of the way of all Issei's attacks as earth joined the wind.
"Fuck!" Issei said. "Saji! I'm going to need that help now!"
"On it!" Saji said going into a spin with his black fire cage and flung Heinrich's Elemental Spica at his back.
"Hmn..." Heinrich smirked and backflipped over the attack, allowing it to go right at Issei unchallenged.
"NO!" Saji shouts, only to get kicked to the ground by the former Youkai Hero whose blade now had water spiraling around it as well.
"Damn!" Issei said seeing the DxD group behind him. He transformed all his wyverns to white. "I DON'T THINK SO! !"
"Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect!"
"Issei!" Irina shouted in worry.
"Come on Issei! !" Kazumi shouts.
"Come on Issei-Senpai! You can do it! !" Gasper shouts.
"Push it back!" Sextum yelled.
"Issei-San! Please win!" Asia cried out in worry.
"..." Chachamaru and Erubetie both shared a look before nodding, creating a barrier in front of everyone. "Don't worry if you find you can't do it." Chachamaru said.
"This barrier will protect us!" Erubetie said.
"Let me add on to it!" Yura said layering Twinkle Aegis over it as well.
"Issei! !"
"? !" Issei's head turned to find Seekvaira standing upright.
"Don't you dare lose! If you die here I'll never forgive you!" Seekvaira shouts.
"...Heh..." Issei smirked behind his helmet. "Well...when you put it like that."
"Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect! Reflect!"
Heinrich's Elemental Spica slowly started moving backward. "Oh?" Heinrich said, his sword already ready to use the Quadruple Giga.
(Vrrrooomm!)
Heinrich's Elemental Spica was sent flying backward, exploding and detonating safely in an empty field. "!" Issei saw Heinrich's sword glowing. "?" However, was confused as the former Youkai Hero just stood there.
"How interesting." Heinrich said. "That was a lot of power you used right there, vastly more than you needed anyway. What was that? Thirty Two 'Reflects' total?"
"..." Issei saw the look on Heinrich's face. "That look...it almost looks like the one Kenshin has when..."
"Yes...it seems that display of power just now stirred up a hunger, an excitement for battle." Ddraig said.
"Tell you what...I'm feeling sporting right now...what say I let you charge up your strongest attack...and I launch mine at it and we see for sure who the strongest is?" Heinrich proposed.
"But...why...?" Issei said.
"I'm feeling something I've not felt with anyone other than that bastard Kenshin in a very long time." Heinrich said. "Let's just say...I'd rather not lose it so quickly. So go ahead...I'll wait."
Issei stared at him for a moment before his wyverns latched onto him all going red.
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
Each of the wyverns, numbering six in total gathered eight boosts.
"Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer!"
Each of them transferred their accumulated boosts to Issei, the torso section of the Scale Mail opened up, revealing a jewel . "This is...!" Issei said.
"Yeah, this is the final technique that the Boosted Gear has. The particles of dream we were able to turn into reality because we were able to have a mutual understanding with Albion. It is the Longinus Smasher!"
"Heh..." Heinrich smirks, feeling the raw power rolling off of Issei. "You may be a depraved dragon, but your power has excited me! COME!"
"If that's what you want! !" Issei shouts.
"Quadruple Giga! !"
"Longinus Smasher! !"
The two attack collided in a brilliant flash. "Ghh!" Sona shielded her eyes as it destroyed the area around them. "Well, it's a good thing this part of the academy was already destroyed! Because this clash would destroy it anyway!" Sona said.
"Get him Issei-kun!" Kiba shouts.
"Don't you dare give in!" Evangeline shouts.
"Grrrhhhh! !" Issei growled. "This is...the ultimate attack of the Dragon of the Elements! This attack was called on by Ragnarok-ossan, Kenshin's master Shin Tatsu, his father Ryuushin and even Kenshin himself to win the day! If I can't beat this...If I can't...beat this! I'LL NEVER BE HIS EQUAL! !"
"Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost! Boost!"
"Grh!" Heinrich growled as Issei's Longinus Smasher shoved him backward. "HAAAAAAA! !" He roared, pouring more power into his attack.
"Grhhhh!" Issei growled. "Ddraig! I need...!"
"It's no use! Your body can't handle anymore!" Ddraig said.
"Da...Damn it! !" Issei roared.
(wrap!)
"Hn? !" Heinrich looked down seeing a tentacle wrapped around his leg. He looked over to see Saji, his face exposed, smirking at him.
"Sorry, but I can't let you win this battle, Hyoudou is still important to us!" Saji said.
"Ghh? !" Heinrich growled feeling his power being sucked away.
"I can't absorb your elemental power, but...using that attack, you don't have any left in you, do you? !" Saji shouts.
"! !" Heinrich's eyes widened as his Quadruple Giga started to weaken rapidly.
"Heh...I thought so." Saji said.
"You son of a bitch!" Heinrich roared as Issei's Longinus Smasher started to gain ground.
"Sorry, but all's fair in love and war you bastard!" Saji said.
"Ghhhhh! !" Heinrich growled.
"What's going on? !" Issei thought, shocked that he was winning the struggle.
"Vritra's host is draining away that Dragon of the Elements personal stores of power. Kenshin said before that the Quadruple Giga was a sword stroke amplified by his power ten thousand times over." Ddraig said.
"Saji...thanks man! I owe you one!" Issei thought. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! ! !"
"Uuuurrrrrrraaaaahhhh! !" Heinrich roared as the Longinus Smasher overtook him.
(boom!)
The attack drove Heinrich backward before exploding. "Haaa...Haaa..haa...haa...haa...haa...haa...haa..." Issei panted heavily as the Scale Mail fell around him.
"Hyoudou!" Saji said running up toward him.
"I'm fine..." Issei said. "That was just...exhausting..." He said.
"Haah...haa...haa...heheheheheheheheheh..." A dark chuckle filled the air.
"!" They both looked up to see Heinrich standing, smirking. His clothing blown away at the top, body twitching in pain, still holding Angel Halo.
"Heheheheh...I even held back a quarter of my total might...and you still defeated that attack." Heinrich said
"Seriously? You held back even then? !" Issei shouts.
"Oh don't look so disappointed...this is the same power Kenshin roused out of me in Romania." Heinrich said. "Tell Kenshin...we'll meet again soon for our final battle." Heinrich said as he disappeared.
"Hyoudou..." Saji said as the Malebolge Vritra Promotion deactivated. "Don't feel insulted that he held back. According to him, Kenshin wasn't even able to rouse his full power out."
"Yeah, but still...hey! Saji!" Issei said wrapping his arms around Saji as he passed out.
"Relax, this is just the power of that new form taking it's toll. He will live." Ddraig said.
"Are you sure?" Issei asked.
"Positive. It's basically an irregular version of the four Balance Breakers of the Vritra Sacred Gears." Ddraig said.
"I see." Issei said.
"Wait what? The same fate...! No! That's not just a barrier! Tell Kenshin to eject as much power as he can out of his body now! !" Tamamo shouts into a communication circle
"Huh? Tamamo-San?" Issei said.
"We have to get to where Kenshin is immediately! He's in grave danger!" Tamamo shouts.
(break)
At the same time as Issei was fighting Heinrich.
"Grrrhhh!" Kenshin growled as he punched at Euclid's barrier.
"Heheheheh, is that all you got Kenshin?" Euclid smirked even as the punch shoved him backward as he dug his heels into the ground.
"Grh!" Kenshin forced him backward and landed on the ground panting.
"Kenshin? !" Rias and Rossweisse said.
"Stay back!" Kenshin said with a scowl directed at where Euclid was.
Euclid exploded out of the battle dust and assaulted Kenshin, but the Dragon of the Elements dodged each and every punch. "You're really quite dodgy you know that? !"
"Your mind is clouded by bloodlust! I wonder why, is it because I have more of your sister's attention than you've had in years? !" Kenshin mocked.
"...Gggrrrhh!" Euclid growled and punched at Kenshin, shooting a Dragon Shot at him.
"Hrmn!" Kenshin reached forward and grabbed the sphere, leaping up and slamming it toward the ground, using a burst of wind to send it right back at Euclid.
"Hnn? !" Euclid growled as he barely dodged his own attack, only to get punched down toward the ground by Kenshin who then landed on the ground and rushed toward him.
"Ninefold Rakshasa!" Kenshin called out, slashing his sword wildly. "Dragonic Asura!"
"..." Euclid watched as it rushed toward him.
(Boom!)
Kenshin closed his eyes, panting softly. "What's wrong with him?" Rias said.
"Isn't it obvious?" Alma asked. "He's fought Evil Dragons, helped defeat Grendel, had to break out of Ladon's barrier and overused his left eye's barrier magic to protect Auros Academy." Alma said. "No one...not even him wouldn't be feeling the effects after all that."
"Then why does he insist on doing this alone?" Rias asked.
"Something Euclid said to him along with destroying Auros Academy seems to have struck a nerve." Alma said.
"!" Kenshin felt a presence behind him and slashed Kuroi Jigoku as he turned, but his sword was grabbed and a fist went into his side. "Gruoh!" Kenshin grunted in pain, scowling at Euclid.
"Come on, you didn't really think that would do me in, did you?" Euclid asked. "Guuuggh!" Euclid grunted as Kenshin's fist went into his stomach making him release Kenshin's sword and hunch over
"Not at all...I'm not done kicking your ass yet!" Kenshin said, stepping forward and sending him tumbling painfully across the ground.
"Ghhh..." Euclid growled lowly as he got back to his feet.
"Haaa!" Kenshin let out a roar as multiple rocks levitated him and crumbled into spikes before shooting toward Euclid.
"Earthen spikes? Really?" Euclid said activating his barrier to block them.
"!" Kenshin appeared behind him only for Euclid to turn toward him, catching his fist and sword and forcing them both out of the way of the spike volley. The two traded unsuccessful blow after unsuccessful blow. Kenshin stabbed Kuroi Jigoku down at him and used it as leverage to spin around and kick Euclid who held his arms up defensively and was knocked back with minimal damage. He caught himself and the two continued to trade blows, leveling the area around them with the power rolling off them both.
"Come on Kenshin, is this really the best you can do?" Euclid said, amusement in his voice.
"I was about to ask you the same ya damn power thief!" Kenshin shouts as he kicked off him and backflipped away.
"Haa...haa..." Euclid panted a bit, feeling the effects of all the boosts in power he'd been using to keep up with Kenshin's speed, durability and power. "Oh?" He said seeing Kenshin doing the same, only a bit heavier than before. "What happened to that amazing stamina of yours?"
"Shut up!" Kenshin growled.
"It seems the gauntlet we put you through has had it's effect on you." Euclid said. "Your strength is depleted...I wonder how much longer you can hold that form up. Heheheheh..." He chuckled darkly, smirking behind his helmet. "I can hear your heart racing not from the battle, but from fear. Afraid of becoming the frightened, weak little child you were once before I presume?"
"! !" Kenshin's eyes widened in fury, flames igniting on Kuroi Jigoku's edge, stabbing it through Euclid's right leg and into the ground.
"Grah!" Euclid gasped out in pain
(crunch!)
Kenshin's fist slammed into Euclid's face, followed by a blistering barrage as both of his fists began to ignite in flames. "You think MY power is depleted? ! If you really believe that, why don't you see for yourself first hand? !"
"Ghhh!" Euclid was blown back, a wound in his leg and his armor heavily damaged. He pulled out a Phoenix tear and poured it on his wound before getting up as Kenshin strode up to him. "Heheheh...why so angry?" He asked.
"..." Kenshin extended his hand outward, launching multiple black charms outward and made a handsign. Numerous strands of black mana rooted Euclid to the ground. "This ends now. I'm sick of hearing Rizevim's puppet talk like he knows me." Kenshin said calling forth his naginata. "But don't worry...you won't die from this." He said with a scowl. "I did promise your sister that I'd spare your pathetic life."
"? !" Euclid's eyes widened behind his helmet.
"Elemental Cataclysm!" Kenshin shouts throwing his spinning naginata at the defenseless Euclid.
(boom!)
The attack went off and when the dust settled...Euclid laid prone on the ground, looking up at the sky. Kenshin pulled out a pair of cuffs and put them on Euclid's wrists before pouring a Phoenix Tear on him. "Ggghh..." Euclid turned his head toward him. "Why...?" He strained out.
"Because unlike you I care about Grayfia. Turning you in alive will get the damn council off her back." Kenshin said.
"How dare you...imply..." Euclid growled.
"If you did care about her. You wouldn't have been so broken by her defecting to Sirzechs' side...no you would have defected right along with her." Kenshin said.
"? !" Euclid's eyes widened.
"She was your family, you idiot. Before your obligations to anyone else, Rizevim, the other old Satans. Family should have always come first, because when everything goes to shit that's all you got. You had it...and you let it go." Kenshin said.
"She...left me..." Euclid growled.
"Because she fell in love, stupid." Kenshin said. "Is she not allowed to find love?"
"..." Euclid closed his eyes. "Look who's talking...and you were getting angry that I was talking like I knew you." He glanced over at him. "The Lucifuge clan served the Lucifers. The head of which, Lucifer was a cruel, ironfisted ruler, only those who went along with his ideals really prospered...and our family was no different. Except for Grayfia and I...when the Lucifers and Lucifuges were all wiped out save Rizevim-Sama, Grayfia and I...we were all that was left. When she left...I had to bear the brunt of everyone's frustration with her and adapted accordingly."
"Which is why I say again. You could have defected with her." Kenshin said before hitting him with the Serene Conqueror, rendering Euclid unconscious.
Kenshin turned as Rias, Rossweisse and Alma approached him. "He's still breathing."
"Kenshin, are you OK?" Rias asked.
"Yeah? Why?" Kenshin asked. "I'm a little sore, but nothing I can't handle."
"Yes, but Kenshin...he seemed to be getting to you a lot. Last time any of us saw you get that angry you were beating Forbesii into the dirt." Alma said.
"I'm fine. I'll talk about it later, but now really isn't the time." Kenshin said. The three ladies nodded seeing his point. Kenshin was about to loft Euclid onto his shoulder when he heard someone land behind him. "..."
"Kenshin."
"? !" Rias and Rossweisse turned to find Negi standing a distance away.
"..." Kenshin got to his feet and turned to meet her gaze. "Negi." He greeted. "I take it the apparatus came off successfully?"
"Yes." Negi said with a smile. "I'm finally back."
"I see." Kenshin said with a smile.
"..." Rossweisse glanced between Negi and Kenshin.
Negi slowly started to approach Kenshin. "So, why don't you catch me up on what you've been up to lately." She said.
"I will, but now really isn't the time." Kenshin said as he walked toward her.
"Hmhmhm, I see." Negi said with a soft giggle as they met. "...I missed you so much...Kenshin." She said.
"I missed you as well." Kenshin said. "But..."
The sounds of blades meeting was heard before Negi and Kenshin jumped away from each other. "Kenshin, why...?" Negi said holding her halberd at her side, as Kenshin pointed Kuroi Jigoku at her.
"Cut the shit Ialda." Kenshin said with a scowl. "You didn't fool me for a second."
"...Heh..." Negi Ialda smirked. "That's too bad. I really thought I had you there."
"I'm going to give you one chance to leave Negi's body." Kenshin said.
"Can't be done." Negi Ialda said.
"Alright." Kenshin closed his eyes. "Negi...I apologize in advance for this, but I'm going to have to get rough with you." He opened his eyes. "What did you do to my sisters?"
"Oh they're still alive, but...they're probably...not doing so hot right now." Negi Ialda said. "It happened so fast for them...the apparatus coming off...me using the second form of the Raiten Taisou. They didn't stand much of a chance after that."
A communication circle opened up next to Kenshin's ear. "Kenshin...I'm...sorry. It seems you were right..." Yukari said, her voice coming in strained.
"It's OK Yukari, you and Miyuki focus on healing up." Kenshin said.
"You knew this would happen...and yet you still had her do it?" Negi Ialda said. "Oh my how cruel!"
"I didn't want to be right." Kenshin said with a scowl.
Rias and Alma stepped up to his sides. "You're not fighting alone this time." Rias said.
"You're obviously winded, let us help you." Alma said.
"Do what you want." Kenshin said rushing toward Negi Ialda.
"Whew..." Negi Ialda said with a small smirk. "Kuroshi Tsuki Kenshin, I will have you experience the same fate that the Dark Goddess and the Six Ancestral Youkai once experienced."
"What was that? !" Kenshin shouts, his sword covered in flames. He slashed down at her, but before his blade made contact.
(Vrrmn!)
A white seal appeared between them, affixing itself to Kenshin. "!" The flames around Kenshin's sword vanished, and his armor shattered.
"Kenshin? !" Rias shouted.
"Wh...What is this? !" Kenshin shouted, unable to move.
"..." Alma narrowed her eyes in thought. "The same fate the Dark Goddess and the ancestors once experienced...!" Her eyes widened in realization. "Rias! Get in touch with Tamamo now! Tell her what's going on! Rossweisse I need your help!"
"Right!" Rossweisse said as she and Alma took off at Negi Ialda.
"Hm? It's no use." Negi Ialda said with a smile as she raised a barrier around herself.
The area around Kenshin crackled as an intense, electric feeling shot through the air. A tremendous mana filled the air, charging the very atmosphere itself.
"Tamamo! Tamamo come in!" Rias said.
"What is it Rias, you sound panicked?" Tamamo said.
"Kenshin's in trouble, he's caught in some sort of barrier by Negi Ialda!" Rias said.
"What? I thought Yukari and Miyuki were...damn! Someone get over to where Yukari and Miyuki are!" Tamamo shouts. "Now what's going on? Tell me everything."
"Kenshin was about to attack Negi Ialda when she said something about him suffering the same fate as the Dark Goddess and the Six Ancestors...one of which is you." Rias said.
"Wait what? The same fate...! No! That's not just a barrier!" Tamamo shouts. "Tell Kenshin to eject as much power out of his body as he can now! !"
"Kenshin! Start ejecting power out of your body!" Rias shouts.
"Right...!" Kenshin said as his power exploded out of him.
"Aah, I see you've caught on." Negi Ialda smiled demurely.
"There's not enough time! I can't decipher the formula!" Rossweisse said.
"We'll worry about that later! First we deal with her!" Alma said thrusting her palm at Negi Ialda's head. "Palm of Pure Violence!"
Negi Ialda extended her hands outward, catching Alma's hand by the wrist and grabbing Rossweisse. "Seeing you two are so dogged to protect him, you can go with him as well. Relocate!"
Kenshin, Alma and Rossweisse all vanished, leaving Rias alone with Negi Ialda. "Khh..." Rias growled. "What did you do to him. Where did you take them? !"
"That's not really any of your concern, but if you must know. It's the first step of my plan." Negi Ialda said.
"Which would be?" Rias asked.
"To break him." Negi Ialda said. "When that Shinigami put me in this revived body...the Resonance had no time to break her spirit...even now she fights me. It's futile, but I can't make use of her full power, even as it decreases bit by bit. She's not bleeding her mana by any means...she wants to stay in this world, but she's transferring it somewhere and won't say where. Soon she'll run dry and her body will be mine, but it's not quite the body I want."
"Tch, first Hottan, then Forbesii, now you." Rias scoffed. "Why is it you all want to control him so badly?"
"He's destined to become a very powerful being, and that was before his body was remade." Negi Ialda said. "When he kills this girl, his mind will break and I'll take him over with no resistance."
"You underestimate him!" Rias said.
"Heheheheh...I don't actually." Negi Ialda said with a smirk. "I mean to break his will, not subvert it...but to shatter it entirely. First thing to go however had to be his power, which will return soon enough, when he finds it." Negi Ialda said.
"Really? Then how did you come across that seal?" Negi Ialda looked around as the DxD organization surrounded her.
"Where's Kenshin?" Evangeline said with a scowl.
"That question I won't answer, but yours on the other hand..." Negi Ialda turned to Tamamo. "I've met your mother and sister recently. I asked them about it."
"Don't make me laugh! They'd never tell someone like you how to perform that seal! It was meant only to be used on us!" Tamamo shouts with a heated glare.
"Of course they wouldn't...they even chased me off, but luckily I had my own ways of getting the answer I seek." Negi Ialda said holding up a book.
"? !" Kazumi's eyes widened in shock. "No...wait that's...that's Nodoka's artifact!"
"Indeed. The rare artifact Diarium Ejus, belonging to the Ministra Magi of Negi Springfield, Miyazaki Nodoka." Negi Ialda said. "With but their name I can probe the mind of anyone I wish, as long as I ask the right question and get their mind on it."
"? !" Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
"You won't escape! !" Tamamo and Evangeline said appearing at her sides, punching and stabbing at her respectively. Their attacks fazed through Negi Ialda.
"Sorry, but I left with them. I left my hologram image to convey the hopelessness of the situation. Farewell DxD." Negi Ialda said with a smirk as she disappeared.
"Tch!" Tamamo cursed under her breath.
"Tamamo, what happened. What seal is she referring to?" Sona asked.
"It's known today as the Six Ancestors Great Seal. It's a barrier type seal that my mother, my sisters and I created. It's purpose was to eventually seal away the Goddess of Light Ilias, but we couldn't get a decent enough bead on her to use it. At the end of the Divine Wars in Makai Ilias made an ultimatum. Seal ourselves away...or she would continue to fight Alipheese until both of our worlds were destroyed. We chose the former."
"I see...how does the seal work?" Tsubaki asked.
"It seals the victim away in an unreachable subspace, while using the victim's own power to sustain it. However if the victim weakens themselves enough, they can escape their seal with limited power and create a sort of vessel for their power and soul to reside in. You all saw this with me." Tamamo said.
"About how weakened is Kenshin now?" Issei said.
"..." Tamamo closed her eyes. "Right now Kenshin's power is probably at less than a tenth of what it usually is it at it's fullest."
"What? !" Rias, Akeno, Evangeline, Xenovia, Issei and Sairaorg all shout in shock.
"Of course this is the worst case scenario, if she perfected the seal." Tamamo said.
"We need to find out where he was taken." Sona said. "At less than ten percent of his full power or anything less than a hundred percent, who knows what could happen. The worst case would be that Rizevim finds him and picks him off."
"I'll begin scanning for his whereabouts." Chachamaru said.
"Look for Alma and Rossweisse as well. She zapped them away when she sent Kenshin away." Rias said. "That said. I don't think the seal itself is in subspace."
"The body is in subspace. Not the seal." Tamamo said. "Why do you say that though?"
"She said that she wanted Kenshin to find his power again sooner or later." Rias said. "She also said she wants him to kill Negi, causing his will to break entirely."
"She really thinks she can pull that off?" Granberia asked.
"I don't know. She seemed pretty tight lipped about telling anything more." Rias said shaking her head.
"Still where could she have taken him?" Akeno said.
"I see...so Ialda completed the first step in her plan then?"
"? !" Everyone rounded to see Euclid sitting up. "You, you bastard!" Issei and Saji charged at him only for Evangeline to step in their way.
"Look at his hands. He's in mana blocking irons. He can't do anything now." Evangeline said.
"Well while we're looking for Kenshin, we can take him in." Sona said.
"Before that though. As a prize for my defeat. I can tell you where Ialda zapped those three." Euclid said staring ahead with a bitter look.
"Where would that be?" Sairaorg asked.
"Back home of course. She wants to break Kenshin's will, what better place than the world he experienced almost all of his worst moments in life...where he lived as a frightened, confused child?" Euclid said.
"You mean she took him back to Mundus Magicus then?" Evangeline glowered. "Great."
"I'll have to get in touch with Onii-Sama then. This is an emergency. Even he will agree on that." Rias said.
(break)
With Kenshin.
Kenshin crashed down into a plain. "Ghhh..." He groaned and sat up. He took out a mirror and looked at himself in it. "Seems it worked. Though I'm going to need to get used to being a freakin' chibi again." Kenshin grunted.
"Oh I don't know. I think the look suits you."
"!" Kenshin rounded to find Negi Ialda walking up behind him. "Where are Alma and Rossweisse? You brought them here too didn't you?"
"Oh I did, but I split you up from them." Negi Ialda said with a nonchalant shrug.
"What's your game then?" Kenshin said with a scowl as he reached for Kuroi Jigoku.
"Please." Negi Ialda said with an amused tone. "As you stand now, with but a quarter of your power, even if you invoked that Balance Breaker of yours in it's highest state, you wouldn't stand a chance against me. Besides I merely want to talk."
"Tch!" Kenshin growled as he looked around. "This field and the potent mana in the air...you brought us to Mundus Magicus didn't you?"
"Correct." Negi Ialda said. "To be exact we're but a stone's throw away from the village your mother gave birth to you in."
"...Tch.." Kenshin growled again. "That means we can't be too terribly far from Megalomesembria."
"Yes, so I'll make this quick so we can both get out of here. I want to break your will, but not just yet." Negi Ialda said with a smirk. "Ghhh!" She grunted, holding her head.
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened at this.
"Damn you girl stay quiet!" Negi Ialda shouted.
"No!" Negi shouted as her image appeared above her. "Kenshin! Quick you have to stop her! She's planning to-!"
"Silence!" Negi Ialda said squelching her host body. "Aah...that's better."
"Negi!" Kenshin shouts. "Let her go! It's obvious it's me you want!"
"Like I said. I can't do that." Negi Ialda said.
"Then I'll just have to kill you myself." Kenshin snarled.
"Hmhmhmhm...not right now you won't." Negi Ialda said. "That's the last thing, the thing that will break your spirit and allow me to take you over without conflict."
"You will find that my spirit, my will is indomitable." Kenshin said.
"If it proves to be such then fine. You will go mad with the Resonance, turning you into as much of a savage as it has done to me." Negi Ialda smirked. "But still I'd like to have fun watching you squirm."
"Get on with it." Kenshin said with a glare.
"You know, I've actually been alive in this body for quite sometime." Negi Ialda said walking to the side. "In fact I'd place the time of our resurrection at roughly about a month in this world after you left, after killing my husband's homunculus."
"Oh so that's what you're riding your high horse about? He was a piece of shit and deserved to die." Kenshin said.
"Oh I don't doubt that. The homunculus wasn't anything like my Hottan." Negi Ialda said. "But again...that's what the Resonance does. Even dear, sweet Negi here has trouble coping at times."
"Why didn't you latch on to Yama then?" Kenshin asked.
"Not for lack of trying, but he was able to squelch the souls of the damned and pained I'm connected to." Negi Ialda said. "I was completely subverted. When I master your power I plan to slaughter that fool."
"You're assuming a lot that you'll even get my power, even if you did the Spirits will kill you for using the power without their permission." Kenshin said.
"Why would they do that when they'll be affected by the Resonance too?" Negi Ialda coyly stated. "Even if they did, the killing spirit in question would then be the new host for the Resonance and be driven mad in turn, so the Resonance would just possess you at the end anyway."
"I ask again...What. Is. Your. GAME?" Kenshin said scowling ruefully at her.
"I plan to free this world from pain and suffering...by ending it for good." Negi Ialda said.
"So, killing them basically. Then what about the souls in the Impure world?" Kenshin said.
"Well you're the Primordial of Life there Kenshin. I'm sure I could find some way to silence them from my end." Negi Ialda said.
"Riiiighhhttt...so you want to cause a mass extinction under the guise of mercy. Give me a break." Kenshin snorted. "You're more of a crazy bitch than Hottan was an insane bastard."
"Call it what you want...it's not like there's anything you can do about it." Negi Ialda said.
"Oh really?" Kenshin asked
"Hm?" Negi Ialda said as Kenshin's eyes closed.
"I ask thee, eternal time. My body shackled by the powers of creation. I beseech thee! Return my true body to me!" Kenshin said as his form glew brightly.
"What? !" Negi Ialda shouts as Kenshin stepped out of the light in his unsealed state.
"Grh..." Kenshin growled. "I have to make this quick! I can already feel the Six Ancestor's Great Seal reclaiming me!"
"Balance Breaker! Elemental Overdrive! !"
"Guoh? !" Negi Ialda hunched over, the air driven out of her lungs.
"Your mistake here was appearing before me without using Negi's full power." Kenshin said stepping forward, driving Negi Ialda back before sending her rocketing backward a great distance.
Kenshin's form reverted to his sealed state. "Damn..." Kenshin panted as he landed on one knee. "So this is my limit now. Just one Balance Breaker level attack."
"Well you were able to drive her off." Salamander said. "Let's get somewhere safe."
"Tch...this is Southern Mundus Magicus Salamander. There is nowhere safe for at least one hundred kilometers and that is the Great Bridge connecting the Imperium Helladis and the Confederacy of Mages so it's heavily guarded."
"Well use my power to hide yourself then." Undine said. "We can't have Negi Ialda finding you again if one attack is your limit."
"Right." Kenshin said taking out his cards. "Card Equip Undine." He felt himself become as one with the flows of the world and began walking.
"Chi Pa Pa! Chi Pa Pa!" Sylph began chanting. "My brain's going Chi Pa Pa!"
"Uuuhhh...what's wrong Sylph?" Kenshin thought. "You're acting funny...well...even funnier than usual."
"Really...?" Yuurei said. "I always thought she was a bit strange in the head."
"Chi Pa Pa! Chi Pa Pa!" Sylph chanted. "Birds go Cheep Cheep! Chi Pa Pa!"
"This is the work of the Six Ancestor's Great Seal. It affects us as it affects you as you know." Undine said with her eyes closed. "Her already empty mind has devolved into a more pitiful state."
"Really? It affects you all too?" Kenshin thought.
"As it pertains to you, yes." Undine said. "Yukari and Miyuki will still receive our fullest power."
"OK good." Kenshin thought closing his eyes.
"Chi Pa Pa! Fishies go Glub Glub! Chi Pa Pa!" Sylph chanted.
"!" Gnome smacked Sylph.
"Chi Pa Pa! Chi Pa Pa! My eyes are spinning round and round! Chi Pa Pa!" Sylph chanted.
An almost machine gun like sound was heard as Gnome smacked Sylph until she hit the floor. "Oi Oi..." Kenshin said with a sweatdrop. "She might have been annoying, but I still need her power here at some point."
"Don't worry. No matter her state of consciousness, you will be able to use the upper abilities of what your body will allow you to use of all our powers." Salamander said. "Maybe that knocked the stupid out of her as well."
"O-OK..." Kenshin thought, his sweatdrop growing in size.
(rustle rustle)
"!" Kenshin immediately reached for his sword. "Who's there? ! Come on out!" He said with a glare. "If this is part of a Megalo Knights hit squad then I need to bolt!" He thought. "Bolt or kill them all!"
"Relax little boy I'm not going to harm you." Out of the brush came Alma who smiled sweetly at him. "Are you lost?"
"...Alma?" Kenshin said with a curious look relaxing his stance.
"Hm? How odd, you know my name?" Alma said with a curious look.
"Alma it's me, Kenshin." Kenshin said before unsheathing his sword and showing it to her.
"!" A look of realization appeared on Alma's face. "Oh! Kenshin-Chan, I didn't recognize you."
"..." Kenshin sighed. "I'm glad you're here. We need to find Rossweisse and figure out where that bitch Ialda put my body."
"Oh Rossy isn't too far behind. We managed to stay together when we teleported." Alma said before looking down at Kenshin.
"...Um...Alma?" Kenshin said seeing the Succubus Queen cup her cheek with a smile, a flush adorning her cheeks. "A-Are you OK?" He said feeling like he was being stalked like a prey.
"So cute~!" Alma said lunging forward, wrapping her arms around Kenshin, pushing his face into her chest.
"Mmrrrhh!" Kenshin protested, waving his arms around as Alma rubbed her cheek against the top of his head.
"Ufufufufufu~!" Alma giggled.
"Alma-San! Why did you take off like...that..." Rossweisse, who came through the brush noticed the two. She figured the boy she was smothering with her chest was likely to be Kenshin, if the red hair and cat ears where any indication. "You..." Rossweisse closed her eyes, a tick mark developing on her right temple as she raised her quivering fist. "Stop it! He can't breathe!"
A welt grew on Alma's head as Rossweisse hit her. "Ow..." Alma said relaxing her grip on Kenshin.
"Haaaaaaaaaa! !" Kenshin gasped out, finally able to fill his lungs with air. "Thanks Rossweisse..." He said catching his breath.
"What happened to you?" Rossweisse asked.
"The Six Ancestor's Great Seal." Kenshin said. "To escape it, which I'm starting to think Ialda was counting on, I had to discharge as much power as I could and form a temporary vessel."
"So you basically had to turn yourself into a shota?"Alma asked.
"Yes." Kenshin said rolling his eyes.
"Can I take a look at it? Maybe I could figure out a way to break it." Rossweisse said.
"I don't think the seal is on my vessel, but go ahead." Kenshin said.
Rossweisse nodded and held her hand out in front of Kenshin, a large magic circle flaring to life. "...Hrmm..." She cast it away with a disappointed look. "You're right. Nothing on this body is out of the ordinary for you."
"Well, let's get a move on." Kenshin said taking out a map. "Reveal." He said. A light lit up in the area of Eastern Vespertatia. "Hmn...so we're actually in Vespertatia. Good." Kenshin said. "The Great Bridge runs through here, but it's easily avoidable."
"Hey, why don't we go here?" Alma asked pointing at a large multilayered square on the map in the east southeastern region.
"No." Kenshin denied.
"But." Alma said.
"No." Kenshin denied again, frustration in his voice.
"Kenshin, wouldn't it be reasonable to arrange travel in a place lik-" Rossweisse was cut off.
"I'm not going back there!" Kenshin snapped.
"..." Alma and Rossweisse both blinked in surprise, not expecting the outburst.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "...I'm sorry for yelling."
"...It's alright." Alma said.
"..." Rossweisse looked at the location on the map it was labeled Megalomesembria. "...I see...so that's why..." Rossweisse thought.
"..." Kenshin looked at the map. "Wait...what the?"
"What is it?" Alma said.
"This map gives off certain signatures to places I've visited, but have been destroyed. They come up red." Kenshin said. "When we came here the first time New Ostia had been laid to waste and it's supposed to be right here." He pointed at the center of Vespertatia.
"It's not red." Alma said.
"Well Kenshin, you have been gone for quite awhile. You know the whole day for a week thing." Rossweisse said. "Perhaps they rebuilt."
"Good point." Kenshin nodded.
"So where do we go?" Alma asked.
"We won't make it to Ostia even if we flew the whole way, even then I'm not so sure about going there either. I just need to get out of the south and the eastern territories and head north and west where the Hellas Empire is." Kenshin said.
"Well what about here?" Alma said pointing at a smaller square to the west northwest. "If it's gonna take awhile, why not find a place? It's even called a village. Kinsou Village."
"...Sounds good." Kenshin said. "Gonna be weird to visit the place I was born after all this time though."
"You were born there?" Rossweisse said.
"I was born there, I didn't live there." Kenshin said. Rossweisse nodded in understanding. "Alright, lets go."
(break)
Back with DxD
The Underworld soldiers had come to grab Euclid. The village itself was relatively unharmed, but the Academy itself was partially destroyed. The group was resting in a tent. Sairaorg and Saji were sleeping off their injuries, Gasper was sleeping off exhaustion as was Asia.
"I see..." Yukari said after Issei filled her in. "So Negi Ialda zapped Kenshin, Alma and Rossweisse back to Mundus Magicus."
"Yeah." Issei said.
"And she means to break Onii-Chan's spirit?" Miyuki said.
"Yes." Rias said.
Azazel entered the tent. "Well...this all went horribly. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."
"Yeah..." Raynare said with a bitter look, standing next to him.
"..." Azazel looked around. "Wait...where's Kenshin, Rossweisse and Alma Elma?"
Rias explained the story once again and Azazel sighed. "I see. He's powerful, but man is that Kenshin a magnet for trouble sometimes. I mean it's not his fault, but still. I'll get in touch with Sirzechs for you. The other thing is we really need to find both him and Rossweisse."
"Because of her research on the seal of Trihexa, to reseal it?" Rias asked.
"Ah, Euclid mentioned that to you, did he? Good that saves time. Yes Rossweisse truly is a genius. She was researching it out of an interest. But something still bugs me."
"What?" Miyuki asked.
"Kenshin said that it's his job to make sure Trihexa is never unleashed, as the Primordial of Life." Azazel said.
"What he means is...why? Why is such a massive burden unofficially on his shoulders?" Raynare asked.
"Because it's not. If nothing else, we will help him." Yukari said.
"I know, but I just want to figure out the why of it all, what do the Primordials have to do with Trihexa." Azazel said.
"I would like to know that as well." Rias said. "As long as that Yama character still lives. I'm at least half Primordial."
"Right. Not to mention Ophis, Lilith, Great Red, the Almighty in the Tsurugi No Kami, and the Goddesses of Light and Darkness are involved here too." Azazel nodded. "Anyway...Euclid looked pretty rough back there. Was that all Kenshin?"
"Yes." Rias said. "He...wanted to fight him alone."
"Jeez. Issei bashed away Heinrich at seventy five percent and Kenshin brutalized Euclid." Azazel said.
"..." The Boosted Gear came to life on Issei's hand.
"Ddraig?" Issei said.
"I have a question for the two dragonesses there." Ddraig said.
"What is it?" Yukari asked.
"Has this Mundus Magicus always been the red planet, Mars' shadow world?" Ddraig asked.
"Yeah?" Miyuki said with an arched brow. "In our home dimension anyway."
"Funny. Then why is it I'm still sensing three Boosted Gear signatures in this dimension?" Ddraig asked.
"Come again?" Yukari said. "Where's the third? There should only be two here, belonging to Issei and Euclid."
"...This dimension's Mars."
"..." Yukari stroked her chin in thought. "Strange..."
"How is Onii-Chan on this dimension's Mars?" Miyuki said. "Where is he headed now."
"From what I heard he's on his way to a village called Kinsou." Ddraig said.
"So he's headed back to the village we were born in." Yukari said.
"Yes, he told the Valkyrie and the Succubus that he needs to get to the lands controlled by the Empire there." Ddraig said.
"Well yeah, they're friendly lands." Yukari said. "Just the three of them and with Kenshin weakened, it would be stupid to stay in southeastern Vespertatia and from what I heard the current Consul of the Senate is the previous one's son."
"Consul?" Rias asked.
"The head of the Senate." Miyuki said. "Answers only to the Praetor who leads the Megalomesembria Confederacy, though before we came here I'd been hearing that the Praetor and the Consul were locked in a power struggle. I doubt that's changed."
"Yeah the previous one was an asshole and that was before Kenshin wound up in Megalomesembria." Yukari snorted. "Things never were the same after Senator McGill was killed."
"McGill?" Rias said.
"A former ally and the connection to the Senate that the Ala Rubra had during the Schismatic War." Yukari said. "He was a pretty nice guy, strict but nice."
"Well everyone, rest up. We need to be prepared to head to Mundus Magicus within the next couple of days. If not tomorrow outright." Azazel said.
"Right." Everyone said.
(Break)
Lucifer's Castle
Prison.
"Well, I certainly never expected to see you again." Forbesii said as Euclid was stashed in the cell across from him. "Who beat you?"
"The same man who took you to task." Euclid said.
"Aah..." Forbesii said. "I wonder who else will be joining us in here in the future, after being defeated by him and his allies."
"In hindsight maybe getting under his skin wasn't the best course of action." Euclid said before the two turned their heads to find Sirzechs approaching.
He turned his gaze to Forbesii who opened Shin Tatsu's journal. "Don't mind me. It's probably been a long time since you two met." He said. Sirzechs closed his eyes and turned to Euclid.
"Hello brother. I wasn't expecting you to come visit me so soon." Euclid said with a coy look.
"Euclid." Sirzechs said with a neutral expression. "There's so many things I want to say to you, but I'll ask you this instead...Why?"
"My sister had you...I had nothing." Euclid said. "That's all. Though it seems your new brother isn't a failure like me. A would be assassin, who's really just a frightened child at heart, but not a failure."
"Frightened Child?" Sirzechs and Forbesii both said.
"It's a shock that neither of you know, having invested so much time studying him. What was one constant in his life? The fact that save one time, he avoided Confederate lands in the vicinity of Megalomesembria like the plague." Euclid said.
"..." Sirzechs stared at him.
"Most of the outposts and bases he had a hand in destroying were isolated from the greater Megalo area." Euclid said. "And now he's back in that world."
"What do you know about it?" Sirzechs asked.
"I know that Negi Ialda's been alive far longer than what she showed when she arrived in Makai." Euclid said. "And that she was tinkering with the twelve gateports that connected Mundus Magicus and that world's Mundus Vetus. Quite a lot from what I recall." Euclid said. "I wonder what she might have been doing with them."
"..." Sirzechs narrowed his eyes. "...That would explain why I got a request from Yasaka-Sama to meet before I got here...one of the gateport locations is in Kyoto if I recall." He thought. "I see. Well I'll ponder that later. But Euclid...do you even care about the other world?"
"I just wanted to experience Chaos. The other world is Rizevim's ambition." Euclid said. "Though I have to ask, brother...what is a Devil to you?"
"Though we have different values. We are really no different than humans or youkai." Sirzechs said.
"You are...unbearably naïve." Euclid said.
"..." Sirzechs closed his eyes and walked out of the prison.
(break)
Unknown location.
"Uhyahyahyahya~!" Rizevim laughed. "Thanks to you we were able to get our hands on the sky city." He said to Diehauser Belial who kneeled in front of him.
"...For Devils, the name Lucifer is absolute." Diehauser said.
"If there are smart minds among them, they'll realize that there is a traitor amongst them, but they'll never guess that it's the super popular player 'Emperor'!" Rizevim laughed.
"One will suspect me." Diehauser said.
"Oh? Who?" Rizevim said.
"Kuroshi Kenshin. He caught me talking to one of your servants." Diehauser said. "I didn't realize it until it was too late. I don't think he heard the conversation, but he does not trust me."
"Hm...well that's fine. Dear Kenshin's going to be quite busy." Rizevim said. "So, you have to have a reason for your betrayal, what do you wish to accomplish by using me."
"The town under the control of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri. It was previously under the control of my relative, but she was killed and the evidence has been effectively wiped away. I want to find out if she really was taken out by the Ace of Michael, the father of Shidou Irina." Diehauser said.
"I see...well sit tight for a bit, after losing Euclid and Grendel, we need to regroup." Rizevim said.
"Yes sir..." Diehauser said bowing his head. Rizevim disappeared and Diehauser looked down at his hands. "Cleria...a...am I doing the right thing here?" He asked himself.
(break)
With Kenshin, Alma and Rossweisse.
The three arrived in a village. "Huh, Nice place." Alma commented.
"It is." Kenshin said with a smile. "It was settled on what was once perceived to be uninhabitable lands. The people here forged a life here through their own grit and determination."
"Hmn..." Rossweisse smiled as well. "Then that adds to the village's beauty."
The three proceeded through the village only to stop in front of the hospital, it was a small building, two stories tall and just slightly larger than a manor. "So this is the hospital you were delivered in?" Alma asked.
"Yeah." Kenshin said.
"Oh, Kenshin is that you?"
"?" Kenshin looked down to see a brown haired middle aged man wearing a lab coat. "Ah, Doctor Will. I'm surprised you're still alive. After Hottan tried to rewrite the world I thought you'd be dead."
"Hahahaha, I was in Hellas' capitol at the time with a patient." Will laughed.
"Who is..." Rossweisse said.
"Oh, Rossweisse, Alma...this is Will. The doctor who helped my mother give birth to Yukari and I." Kenshin said.
"So you're an OBGYN?" Rossweisse said.
"Yes, but that's not my only specialty. Just my main one." Will said. "Being of Hellas descent I had plenty of time to learn. I've always wanted to help people."
"Hmn." Rossweisse smiled at him. "That's wonderful."
"I'm glad you think so ma'am." Will said. "So, Kenshin what happened to you."
"Could we come inside?" Kenshin said.
"...Of course." Will said.
The four walked into a vacant hospital room and Kenshin explained what had happened. "...I see..." Will said. "So the LifeMaker has returned."
"Not just the LifeMaker...but the first LifeMaker..." Kenshin said. "She's possessing Negi Springfield.
"I see...she was such a nice girl." Will said. "So she's the reason you're like this..."
"You know her?" Kenshin asked.
"I was in Ostia around the time she was transformed by the Magia Erebea, becoming a being similar to her master Evangeline." Will said. "She wanted to know if she could still give birth."
"I see..." Kenshin said.
"Well...I'll find a way to get you to Hellas in a short amount of time. So relax for now." Will said as he walked toward the door.
"Yes." Kenshin said. The group walked out of the hospital and toward the inn down the street. "Two rooms please." Kenshin said taking out a small stack of bills.
"Of course sir and who is paying, just for the books." The innkeeper asked.
"Luka." Kenshin said. "No last name."
"..." Alma glanced at Kenshin for a moment.
"OK, your rooms are next to each other just down the hall there." The innkeeper said.
"Thank you." Kenshin said as he, Rossweisse and Alma walked down the hallway.
"This is your room." Kenshin said stopping in front of the first door. "This is mine." He said walking over toward the second and walking inside. Alma and Rossweisse followed him. "What?" He asked.
"You used Luka's name?" Alma said with a curious look.
"Yeah? That's not a problem is it?" Kenshin asked.
"Well...no it's just I didn't think you'd remember him after all this time." Alma said.
"He was essentially me as I was essentially him. How could I?" Kenshin said.
"I see..." Alma said with a small smile. "Well! I'm bushed, I'm gonna go lay down."
Alma left the room, leaving Rossweisse and Kenshin alone. "Kenshin, are you feeling OK?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired and I want to go to sleep." Kenshin said.
"That's not what I meant." Rossweisse said shaking her head. "When we suggested going toward that big city, you snapped at us and sounded angry at the mere prospect."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes and sighed. "Like I said before, I'm sorry about that, but unless I can help it...I'll never set foot in that hellhole ever again."
"That's what I thought after seeing the name." Rossweisse said. "Now, get some rest. After what's happened today you need it." She said with a smile.
"Wait." Kenshin said.
"Hm?" Rossweisse said turning back toward her.
"Here." Kenshin said holding out a gift.
"What's this?" Rossweisse said as she pried off the wrapping paper cleanly. She saw a box under it. "This is from...the Bella?" She said opening the box. "!" Her eyes widened seeing the bracelet Kenshin had gotten her on their date. "Wh...When did you...?"
"While you were going all Economizer Mode in the Bella. I managed to slip away for a bit and look at some things. I was going to get you something at the time, but wanted it to be a surprise." Kenshin said.
"...It's so beautiful, the jewels are a lovely touch." She said as she slipped it on.
"Ah, that's good...I was afraid it might not be your size, but seems my fears were unwarranted." Kenshin said with a smile. "Though the same can't be said for this one right now." He said raising his right hand, showing the bracelet Rossweisse had given him before he wound up in Mundus Magicus the first time."
"You still had that one?" Rossweisse said with a curious look.
"Yeah? Why wouldn't I?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Rossweisse walked up to Kenshin and crouched down, before planting her lips on his cheek. "Thank you Kenshin." She said with a smile. "Now, good night." She stood back up and walked out of the room.
Kenshin got into bed and was asleep in seconds.
(break)
Hours later.
Kenshin was still laying in bed asleep, however the dream he was having was interrupted. "Huh?" He said looking around. "Whoa? !" Kenshin covered his eyes as he was blinded by a brilliant light. When he uncovered them, the Tsurugi No Kami was in front of him. "What the? I have it with me sure, but why am I seeing it here?" He reached out and touched it, only for the sword to move away from him and move into position where someone was holding it. "What the?" He looked around as he was surrounded in bright light. When he looked back down, there were three figures, two of them were panting heavily.
"Wait...that's...Ragnarok? !" Kenshin said seeing his predecessor/ancestor.
"This is...insane!" The other panting figure said.
"Yeah...and what's worse is we didn't even pick this fight...he called us here." Ragnarok said. "Are you alright Yama?"
"Yama? !" Kenshin said with wide eyes looking over to see a man that looked to be in his early thirties with orange hair wearing an all black battle robe wielding a scythe. "...It does look like him."
"I won't kill you two, but this isn't enough." The third figure said.
"Why do we even have to fight you? ! It should be plain as day we're no match for you!" Yama said.
"So what does the Almighty want to fight for, after the war has already ended." Ragnarok said. "The Four Great Satans are dead."
"? ! !" Kenshin's eyes snapped over to the third figure. "Th...That's...? !"
"You will understand at the end of this. My Primordial children." The Almighty said before appearing before Ragnarok, swinging his sword downward.
"If that's...HIM...why does he only appear as a bright blue shadow?" Kenshin asked. "I thought for sure he'd use one of the depictions of him from the scriptures."
"Grrrhhh!" Ragnarok growled out, straining under the sheer force of the sword strike. "Earth Guard!"
"!" Yama appeared behind The Almighty and swung his scythe at his back.
"Hrm!" The Almighty reached back and grabbed the scythe, ripping it out of Yama's grip and flipping it around and slashing it at him.
"!" Yama was cleaved in half by his own scythe. "Aaah...heh!" Yama smirked as his form collapsed into shadows as appeared a short distance away.
"..." The Almighty turned back to Ragnarok. "Hrm!"
"Gh!" Ragnarok was blown back by an invisible force.
"He's taking them both on like it's nothing..." Kenshin said with wide eyes. "Wh...Why am I seeing this."
"Because...I wanted you to see it."
"? !" Kenshin rounded to find the same blue shadow that was dominating the Primordials of Life and Death.
"..." The shadow gave way to show a man with short brown hair, with a receding hairline and short, but clean shaven and graying beard. He wore a short sleeved shirt the torso of which was white while the sleeves were dark green and he also wore denim jeans. This person smiled at Kenshin. "Hello, my Primordial Child.
"Yo...You..." Kenshin said, almost unable to speak. "Th...The Almighty."
"Hmn." He closed his eyes, still smiling. "Not so much anymore. Can't be all powerful without a body, but even then, that would be false."
"Why am I not burning to death right now?" Kenshin asked.
"Because I don't have that kind of power anymore. A lot of my power went with my body. Now watch, here comes the ending." He said.
"..." Kenshin looked on to see Yama fighting the Almighty solo while Ragnarok readied the Quadruple Giga. Yama was losing badly.
"I knew this was coming the whole time." He said.
"Is this..." Kenshin was silenced as the Almighty held a finger to his lips.
"Quadruple Giga!" Ragnarok rushed forward, slashing Kuroi Jigoku at the Almighty.
"Hrm!" The Almighty erected his barrier to block the attack.
"!" Kenshin watched as three red markings began to appear on the Almighty's face, just before the barrier disappeared and Ragnarok's attack hit him.
"..." Kenshin turned to the present him. "...You let him..." He said .
"I did." The Almighty said.
"Why? And what were those red markings?" Kenshin asked.
"The curse of the Primordial of Corruption." The Almighty said closing his eyes.
"Curse? You can be cursed?" Kenshin said.
"By a powerful enough beast, sure." The Almighty said. "Before I sealed him away, he managed to afflict me with it."
"What does it do?" Kenshin asked.
"It takes the worst aspects about you and amplifies them." The Almighty said.
"Couldn't you have contained it? I...I mean you're literally God!" Kenshin said.
"Sure, I could have, but not all the time...I did have to sleep...and that's when the curse would hit, or try to...for awhile...I didn't sleep." The Almighty said. "The Seventh Day and all that."
"..." Kenshin stared at him.
"When Eden fell, I was so angry that I mutated Samael who I put in charge of it's watch along with Gadreel whom Lucifer killed...into the Dragon Eater, by the time I calmed down...I realized my error and with a heavy heart. I sealed him in Cocytus, leaving Death in charge of the seal, which he delegated to the Olympian God of Death, Hades, saying that reaping the souls of the dearly departed took up too much of his time." The Almighty said.
"Death...as in the Pale Rider? The Fourth Horseman?" Kenshin asked.
"Yes." The Almighty nodded. "Heaven couldn't afford to go to war with the Dragons...not with Lucifer in the Underworld amassing his power."
"I see..." Kenshin said.
"Ghh..." The Almighty grunted, holding his head.
"Are you OK?" Kenshin asked.
"Yes...but I must return to my stasis soon. I can only answer one or two more of your questions." The Almighty said.
"Two questions, both with the same beginning. Why...why show me this and while give up your physical form?" Kenshin asked.
"I gave up my physical form to protect my creations and my children." The Almighty said. "Could you even begin to imagine the ramifications of the corruption affecting me if it got out of control? With no physical form I could use the remainder of my power to put myself in stasis...I don't rest, but it's better than the alternative."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I see, so you're basically a ghost now possessing what is effectively a phantom blade."
"Yes, as for why I showed you this...you and I are both Primordials along with the angel sealed in my blade, the snake woman resting in Makai, Ophis and her spawn as well as Yama and that red haired devil you care so much about." The Almighty said. "All of our fates are intrinsically bound to the Primordial of Corruption, who possesses the Primordial of Reality."
"The Primordial of Reality?" Kenshin asked.
"..." The Almighty turned and started walking away. "I've no more time. We will talk again some other time, and you have my thanks for protecting my sword for it is my vessel."
"Haa...haa.." Kenshin took a couple of breaths to calm himself as he awoke. He reached over and took out the Tsurugi no Kami's weapon box and opened it. He stared at the blade before closing his eyes. "...You've given me a lot to think about."
"So you learned that huh?" Yuurei asked.
"You knew and didn't say anything?" Kenshin thought.
"Would you have believed me even if I did?" Yuurei asked.
"...Good point." Kenshin thought as he laid back down. "One thing still bugs me. If Ragnarok destroyed his physical form, how did he and Yama get out of Heaven. I'm sure Michael and Gabriel would have felt it and been right on their asses among others."
"That's one thing that bothered me too. They got out of Heaven pretty easily..." Yuurei said.
"Well...I guess I'll ask him next time he wants to talk." Kenshin said as he closed his eyes, going back to sleep.
(chapter end)
Draconis: Screw you Kenshin. You had to say it.
Kenshin: Pfft.
Rias: Oh give him a break. He had something going on.
Draconis: Yeah, a pain in the ass tooth I was supposed to have removed over a month ago. Anyway see you all next time.
Issei: Whoa Whoa Whoa...don't you think you're glossing over that big reveal at the end?
Draconis: Yeah. I knew I was going to have to do that from the moment I confirmed the Almighty's consciousness in the Tsurugi No Kami. So I decided to write a reason for Him being there that was benevolent or rather...altruistic. Anyway...now I'll see you all next time.
Footnote
(1 ) THis is not to say he's uncursable, and I'm implying that he's unaware of the Almighty.