Draconis: I figure the best way to get this out in an orderly fashion while completing my request is to do them both at once.
Yukari: You do requests?
Draconis: Yeah. A good way to submit a request is to draw me something, that's what the guy whose's requesting me to write something did. Case in point, it'd be nice for me to see a picture of Kenshin and one of his harem members. Rias in particular because she's the main girl in his harem.
Issei: What about me?
Draconis: Uh...I could get fanart of you and your harem members from the various fan art sites couldn't I?
Issei: No no no. I'm talking about the girls that aren't canonically in the Novel, Anime or Manga.
Draconis: Oh! Right. Yeah that'd work too. Anyway, while I am open to requests, keep in mind that I'm prone to going into lulls, case in point I'm in one now with the request I'm working on.
Dragon of the Elements
Chapter 86
The Origin of Light and Dark.
Draconis: Begin!
(Start)
A Day after DxD's formation.
Kenshin was sparring in the area around the Hyoudou Residence. However his sparring partner was a relatively new one. She was wearing her jogging suit as she sparred with him. He wasn't using his his mana or youki, but she was still giving him a challenge. However, the identity of his sparring partner was his fiancee Rias Gremory
"Hrm!" Kenshin said as he sent several palm strikes at Rias.
"!" Rias slid in and out of the way of his attack. She ducked under his arm swinging at her head, and lowered herself, kicking at his head, connecting, her heel at his right cheek, knocking him onto his back. "!" She seemed surprised that her attack connected.
"Heh." Kenshin rubbed his cheek and chin with a smirk as he got to his feet. "You've gotten better." He said.
"..." Rias smiled and bowed her head slightly. "It's thanks to you."
"No, I only taught you the steps, you were the one who did the work and perfected them." Kenshin said getting to his feet. "I'm proud of you Rias."
"..." Rias' smile widened and she moved in closer, her lips connecting with his. "I had a great teacher."
"And you're a wonderful student." Kenshin said as they kissed for a moment. "Come on, let's head in." Kenshin said walking into the Hyoudou Residence.
"So when are we due to start training with Sun Wukong?" Rias asked.
"No idea. He hasn't mentioned anything yet." Kenshin said. As they entered he continued. "Rias, we've lived here in this house for about four months, more if you count the time we spent in Mundus Magicus and Makai, which maybe we shouldn't, but anyway. Why are we still finding secret alcoves, rooms and passages. Seriously, last night I tossed Azazel out of my window because he popped up in my room from one of these passageways. Now that's not what bugs me, it's that he was trying to find Mom's room and do that to her while she was changing." Kenshin said. "If you're going to try something with her, do it the right freakin' way."
"Yes." Rias nodded. "Well the house was designed by someone sponsored by Ajuka-Sama." Rias said. "They're both fond of putting hidden rooms and pathways in houses. So that might explain it."
"Lovely." Kenshin said. "I wonder how Kuroka and Le Fay are settling in their basement room in the first basement."
"Pretty well I'd assume." Rias said as they stopped in front of the stairs.
"Well, I'm gonna go take a shower." Kenshin said. "I've got something I need to do in the Underworld."
"Well why don't we bathe together then?" Rias said.
"?" Kenshin stared at her.
"What? We're engaged aren't we?" Rias asked.
"We aren't the only people living here, and some people might not like me being in there if they come in." Kenshin said.
"Oh don't worry about that, come on." Rias said pulling Kenshin downstairs.
The two arrived at the bath hall and stripped down, they wrapped towels around themselves, but as they were moving to wash themselves off. Kenshin noticed something. "Huh?" He said seeing a door.
"What is it?" Rias asked.
"Has that door always been there?" Kenshin asked.
"Huh?" Rias said looking at where he was looking. "Hm, let's go see." She said as they approached the door. They entered it only to find another new bath. It seemed to be larger than the other one. The décor, walls and ceiling looked immacuately decorated. Water was pouring out of the mouth of a dragon statue, tropical plants were place around the room, giving it a sort of jungle feel. The crest of the Gremory clan was displayed in various parts of the room as well.
"Hm..." Kenshin said sticking his hand in the stream of water. "Yikes! Man that is hot." He said pulling his hand back.
"Hm, this must have been here the whole time, but it's only now becoming available because it's winter." Rias said.
"That seems unnecessary, why not just throw that function into the other bath hall and make it twice as big?" Kenshin said with an eyeroll. "Uh...who are you talking to?" Kenshin said
"I'm telling everyone about the new bath hall, why?" Rias asked
"See ya." Kenshin said trying to walk past her.
"Kenshin, come on everyone's not going to-" Rias was cut off as a myriad of voices were heard.
"You were saying?" Kenshin asked.
"Well, I'll tell them I asked for you to be here. Besides I think I hear Issei's voice in that group anyway."
The bath hall filled up soon after. Kenshin was washing Rias' back. Down a bit of the way from them, the Church Trio was chatting. "Your hair is beautiful like I thought Asia." Xenovia complimented as she washed her back.
"I-I don't know, sometimes I want to have it cut short like yours Xenovia-San." Asia said.
Xenovia lets out a sigh at this. "You really shouldn't. Long hair suits you best Asia." Xenovia said.
"Yeah, I mean Xenovia also looked good when she had long hair." Irina said.
"You had long hair Xenovia?" Kenshin asked as he rinsed the soap off Rias' back. He noticed Irina twitch and try to cover herself when Kenshin snorted. "Relax. I'm not looking."
"I did, I had it cut because I got grabbed by it once on a mission with Irina." Xenovia said.
"You could have tied it up or braided it." Kenshin said.
"I wonder, Onii-Sama, do you like longer or shorter hair?" Asia asked.
"Hm? Yes tell me. I could style it however you want." Rias said.
"I had this conversation with Yukari once. I don't really have a preference." Kenshin said. "However Rias...I think you would just look weird with short hair. I just can't imagine it."
"Probably." Rias nodded.
Meanwhile Ravel and Koneko were having a conversation as well. "Your sister ate the Minoya's egg rich pudding I was keeping in the fridge. Jeez! I labeled it and everything!" Ravel griped as the two sat in one of the separate baths in the room.
"Sorry, I'll tell Nee-Sama about your complaint and replace it." Koneko said with an admonished look.
"Or you know, you could get yourself a mini fridge to put in your room." Kazumi said tinkering with one of her camera drones a short distance away.
"Probably..." Ravel said with a sigh. "That aside, you don't need to apologize for her."
"She's still my sister." Koneko said.
"As a sibling myself. I understand. Both our siblings have been troublesome in the past." Ravel said with a smile.
Over in another part of the baths. Gasper, Valerie, Chachamaru and Evangeline were sitting in the baths together. "Aaahh, I just can't seem to get it." Valerie said as a water orb she was holding up collapsed.
"You're using too little mana." Evangeline lectured. "Too little, the element you're trying to use collapses or fizzles out. Observe." She said gathering steam and turning it into an ice ball, with steam rushing toward it. "Now, I'll lower the output." She said. The orb turned to water and fell to the floor.
"Yeah. Like this Valerie." Gasper said collecting a baseball sized ball of water and spiraled it around his hand.
"Oh? That's great Gasper." Valerie said with a smile.
"A-Aah..." Gasper's face lit up and the water ball fell to the floor.
"He's been training with me for awhile. He can do more than that. That said you don't have to specialize in water and ice magic if you don't want to. The fact that you're having difficulty with this exercise suggests that you have a weakness toward it anyway." Evangeline said.
"Oh? What do you think would be my specialty then Evangeline-San?" Valerie said.
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Evangeline said.
"I've tried scanning you, but I couldn't find much about your innate mana nature." Chachamaru said.
"Innate mana nature?" Valerie said with a curious tilt of her head.
"It's what your mana's geared toward. What you would have the easiest time using." Evangeline said.
"Example. Kenshin-San's mana is innately geared toward fire, but because he is also the Dragon of the Elements. He can use them all rather easily because he's trained extensively with them, but before he became that being, he was very proficient in flame magic." Chachamaru said.
"Another example." Evangeline paused to point at Akeno. "Her mana is geared toward thunder and wind based magic because of her bloodline. She can use others, but thunder magic is the easiest for her to master. Mine and Sextum's mana is water and ice natured, with a lesser affinity for wind so the ice nature can be possible."
"Ahh, I see." Valerie said. "Well I am in your care Evangeline-San, or should I call you Yukihime?" She asked.
"Eh, either or. Yukihime is this form's name and all." Evangeline said.
Meanwhile Kenshin and Rias had gotten into the bath and settled in. Akeno took this chance to come up behind him. "Having a bath together with everyone is a lot of fun."
"Yeah." Kenshin nodded. "Hm?" He saw Ophis swimming next to him, looking up at the ceiling.
"Ara ara. Ophis-Chan you shouldn't dive into the bath like that." Akeno said.
"..." Ophis didn't respond and went by them.
"..." Kenshin recalled him and Issei telling her about Lilith. Her response...
"If it's Issei's and Kenshin's enemy. I want to do something about it. Causing trouble to a friend...I don't want to do."
"Issei." Issei who was standing in the baths turned to Sextum who was approaching him.
"What's up Sextum?" Issei asked.
"That Lucifuge man. He managed to use your own Balance Breaker against you right?" Sextum asked.
"Yeah." Issei said with a glower, looking at the water.
"Oh don't worry too much about it, get stronger and take him down nya..." The two turned to Kuroka who was swimming by them rather lazily.
"Yeah Issei, you can do it!" Rami, one of the imp sisters said crowding around him.
"Come on, don't you usually come out better after a loss?" Kazumi said swimming up behind him hugging him from behind.
"Hey! Kazumi!" Sextum said trying to yank him away from the red head.
"Hey! I want in too!" Rami said grabbing Issei's arm.
"Same here..." Rumi and Remi grabbed the same arm.
"Hey!" Irina and Asia jumped into the water and swam up to them.
"Eh...heheheheh..." Issei chuckled pervertedly to himself.
"Speaking of, which of you is gonna take down Euclid anyway, or try to?" Rias said.
"Dunno, depends on the circumstances I guess." Kenshin said as he climbed out of the bath and took a fresh towel out of one of his seals, wrapping it around his waist.
"Going out?" Rias asked as she climbed out
"Yeah, like I said I-" Kenshin was cut off.
"Rias-San." The two turned to find Rossweisse approaching them.
"What's up Rossweisse?" Kenshin asked.
"I-I need a favor." Rossweisse said looking at Rias.
"Hm? Well it's rare that you ask, but sure. If you need my help with anything. I'll gladly give my assistance." Rias said with a friendly smile.
"..." Rossweisse exhaled. "I understand...Kenshin-kun."
"Yeah?" Kenshin asked.
"P...Please become my boyfriend." Rossweisse said with a blush
"!" Rias as well as Akeno, Koneko, Ravel, Xenovia who managed to hear it all froze.
"..." Kenshin glanced back at Rias. He noticed that his peerage aside from Kazumi and Evangeline was absent as well. "Hm, Alright. I've got no problems with it if Rias doesn't."
"I-I don't, but that's really quite sudden..." Rias said.
"I-I know, I'm sorry, but." Rossweisse was cut off.
"I already said yes, don't worry about it." Kenshin said patting her on the back before walking out of the bath hall.
"Where is he going?" Rossweisse asked.
"He kept saying he had something to do today." Rias said. "Alright, so explain. I'm OK with it, but I'm curious."
"A-Alright." Rossweisse said.
Kenshin went up to his room and got changed. "So you're going to go talk to him?" He turned to find Tamamo and Yukari walking into his room.
"There's something I need to get out of him. To get Ilias out of the Tsurugi no Kami." Kenshin said.
"What's the big deal? Can't we just leave her in there?" Tamamo asked.
"Michael asked him to look for a way." Yukari said.
"Hrm..." Tamamo grunted in thought, but didn't protest further
"Do you need anyone to come with you?" Yukari asked.
"No. I'll be fine." Kenshin said. "Let me know if anything happens."
Kenshin warped to Lucifer's Castle where Sirzechs was waiting for him. "You're a little late." Sirzechs commented.
"Sorry, Rias and I were working on her hand to hand combat form and she wouldn't let me go until we took a bath." Kenshin said.
"Ah." Sirzechs nodded. "Alright, follow me."
The two walked downstairs, the décor and luxury of the castle slowly changing to the dreariness of a prison. "I heard Grayfia got placed on house arrest while I was gone." Kenshin said.
"She did." Sirzechs said. "She can't leave my parents' house.
"That sucks. Ergh...maybe if I told her about it at the same time the report was made public, maybe that could have gotten some people on her side other than you, the other Satans, me, your parents, the Sitri and the Phenex." Kenshin said.
"Well it's done now. She's got my parents to lean on and Millicas is there too." Sirzechs said. "No matter my thoughts on the matter."
"..." Kenshin glanced at Sirzechs. "Did...he just sound bitter there?" He thought.
"Well it was his wife that just got punished for bullshit reasons." Yuurei said.
"He has a point. I'd be surprised if he wasn't bitter." Undine said.
"Yeah, he probably doesn't feel too good about that! I'd be upset too!" Sylph said.
"Anyway. How long will this take, I have a schedule to keep." Sirzechs said.
"Depends on him really." Kenshin said. "If he's compliant I probably won't be in there more than five to ten minutes."
"I see." Sirzechs said. The two arrived at a door. "He's in there, with the mana blocking irons."
"Alright." Kenshin said entering the room.
"Hmhmhm..." Kenshin heard a familiar voice start chuckling.
"What's so funny, Forbesii?" Kenshin asked turning to the former Demon King. Who still wore his usual clothing, but had cuffs around his wrists.
"The first visitor I've had other than that crimson haired fellow and his servants, and it ends up being you, Kenshin-kun." Forbesii said with a calm, demure smile. "It's quite humorous if I must say."
"Funny, you and I probably would have never met if you weren't a colossal fuck up." Kenshin said.
"Hmhm, no I suppose not." Forbesii said. "So, what brings you to me?"
"First off, the Khaos Brigade or Qlippoth as they're now called, have been manufacturing Phoenix Tears using homunculized Phenex clan members. What do you know about it?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Forbesii didn't respond.
"Don't wanna talk? Alright. I'll just have to make you." Kenshin said.
"..." Forbesii raised his hand. "I was thinking, have some patience."
"..." Kenshin furrowed his brow.
"Hmn...Ahh that's right. They did bring it to me at one point, but I told them that without a Phenex clan member, the copies would be shoddy at best. Even if they somehow improved the accuracy they cannot compare to a true Phenex."
"Improve how?" Kenshin said.
"Asking a true Phenex for tips I suppose. Though at that point, I would just take samples of their DNA and make my own copies. There's a reason my copy of Raiser Phenex fell so easily you know. I had to try to make a copy from scratch and that didn't go so well." Forbesii said.
"Hm..." Kenshin stroked his chin in thought. "I guess I'll have to ask Ravel if they took samples off her."
"Is that all?" Forbesii asked.
"No. That was just something I was wondering about for awhile. The real reason I have you here is that I want to know how to break the seal you put on the Tsurugi no Kami." Kenshin said.
"You can't." Forbesii said.
"..." Kenshin glowered at Forbesii. "Fine, I'll figure it out myself."
"No, what I mean is that you can't. I can't, nobody can." Forbesii said. "To remove the seal would mean to destroy it's container, a failsafe I put into the seal."
"Krh..." Kenshin grunted.
"Despite the fact that she helped me in the end. I never considered her an ally." Forbesii said. "Just like I knew Rizevim would eventually betray me when you separated me from the Tsurugi no Kami."
"Hrm..." Kenshin said. "So what's to be done then? I have to return it to Heaven eventually."
"Let the seal drain her away." Forbesii said. "She is the ancient enemy of Makai after all."
"What was the point of draining her power off." Kenshin asked.
Forbesii raised his hands. "I had seals on both of my hands that would allow me to channel her mana as my own, it was working for a time until you evolved."
"Hmph, you picked a fight you couldn't win Forbesii, that's all it was." Kenshin said.
"Well no matter. I was basically going to take the energy I'd siphoned off with the seals and store it away, using it when I needed it." Forbesii said.
"You had the Tsurugi no Kami, why did you need Ilias?" Kenshin said.
"Basically the same reason Cao Cao-kun lost to Issei Hyoudou." Forbesii said. "The Almighty refused to aid me. All I had was the sword and it's holy aura, I couldn't make much more use of it." Forbesii said.
"That's because He is in a stasis." Kenshin said. "I don't know why."
"Hmh...I see." Forbesii said.
"Well, for being so compliant. Here." Kenshin said placing something in front of him.
"Hm?" Forbesii said. "A book. You didn't hollow this out and put a bottle of liquor in it did you?"
"Why waste good booze? No this is Shin Tatsu's journal. I've already read it cover to cover." Kenshin said. "I'll be back for it sometime next month, enjoy."
Kenshin left the room. "I gave him our master's journal. Don't take it away unless he acts up would you?"
"Alright." Sirzechs nodded. "Will that be all?"
"Yeah. Thanks Sirzechs." Kenshin nodded and teleported away. He arrived in his room and pulled the Tsurugi no Kami out of the place he was hiding it in. He opened the box and grabbed the blade, concentrating on it.
He appeared in the 'swordscape' of the Sword of God. "You're back. It's been awhile." He turned to Ilias.
"I've been busy." Kenshin said.
"Ah huh, so what brings you here?" Ilias said.
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes.
"Well?" Ilias said. "If you don't say anything I'm just going to bounce you out."
"..." Kenshin opened his eyes back up and stared at the Primordial Goddess of Light. "You're going to die here." He said.
"..." Ilias went silent as she stared at Kenshin.
"The seal Forbesii used to bind you to this sword is made in such a way that the only way to break it is to break the Tsurugi no Kami. You and I both know that can't happen."
"...I see." Ilias said with her eyes closed. "How will it happen?"
"The Tsurugi no Kami, without the corresponding seals on Forbesii's body will continue to filter out your mana. He was planning to store it somewhere, so in that way you'd still be alive I guess, but with him gone, the mana has nowhere to be stored and as we thought. The sword can't handle two Primordials inside it at once."
"I see, I understand." Ilias said.
"..." Kenshin glanced upward. "I'm sorry."
"?" Ilias looked over at him curiously.
"What? Your problems are with Tamamo, Ragnarok and Alipheese. I personally have no issues with you." Kenshin said. "Could you maybe have reigned in Yama? Sure, but the fucker was working the long con on us all."
"I understand...you know. I'm glad." Ilias said.
"Huh?" Kenshin said.
"That we can talk like this." Ilias said. "Without any pressure. So why don't I tell you about my past...I mean...seeing as I'm going to die soon...I might as well tell someone." Ilias said.
"If you want Ilias...I've got time to spare." Kenshin said as they both sat down in front of each other.
"OK...well...I suppose it all began..." Ilias said as the area around them began to change into a vision of the past.
(Flashback)
Countless Years ago.
"W...Where am I? Does this place have a name...do I?" A child version of Ilias said wandering the endless expanse of space. "Hello? Is anyone out there? !" She called out.
"How long had it been since I first awoke...I didn't know. It could have been a few moments...years...centuries...I didn't know anymore." Kenshin listened to Ilias narrate. "The only way I could tell time, was by watching the stars die off...eventually I had stopped counting...there wasn't any real point to it. Was I supposed to be looking for something...someone? Was this punishment...if it was...then what was I being punished for?"
"..." Kenshin stared at Ilias.
"I had wandered the endless expanse of what would eventually be known as space...and the Dimensional Gap..but I felt no closer to finding an answer...only realizing how to put my loneliness into words." Ilias narrated. "All there was was infinite blackness, nothing giving reason as to why things were there...just like there was nothing giving reason as to why I was there...but still it wouldn't have bothered me as much if I knew there was someone out there...someone like me..."
"There was..." Kenshin thought. "There were a handful of others out there..."
"...I'd have given anything just to see one friendly face..." Ilias narrated. "Maybe they could have shed some light on why I'm here...or how I would fit into this infinite universe, but...even if they didn't...I wouldn't have cared...we could be lost and confused together for all I cared..." Ilias said. "If this space is endless...then surely someone out there needs me as much as I needed them...right? If there wasn't...then why was I here? Why was I cursed to live this life of perpetual loneliness?"
Eventually Ilias had grown physically into the woman she was now. "How can something so vast...be so empty..?" Ilias asked. "It's just not fair...!" Her eyes widened. She heard something, almost as if it sounded like...crying." She turned to the darkness ahead of her. She could just barely make out a figure in the center of it. A large purple woman with an odd tail...long whitish silver hair...and red eyes. Someone who was alone...like her...
Kenshin watched the Ilias in the current Ilias' vision bolt toward the darkness. "Did...Ilias and Alipheese even really hate each other to start...if not...what caused it? What caused their hatred?" He wondered.
"Hello! You over there! Can you hear my voice? !" Ilias asked.
"..." Kenshin watched...his initial thoughts confirmed as the figure, which he knew to be Alipheese rushed toward Ilias, an at first startled, but relieved expression on her face.
"Hello!" Ilias said. "You don't have to be afraid, My name is Ilias and I'm just happy I'm not the only person out-!"
"!" Kenshin watched as Ilias reached for Alipheese, only for her hand to be repelled.
"Wh..What?" Ilias said.
"..." Alipheese reached for Ilias only for the same thing to happen.
"What's the matter? ! I'm not going to hurt you! I promise!" Ilias said as she reached for Alipheese again.
"No!" Alipheese said as they both tried reaching for each other only for their respective auras to repel one another.
"No! No no no no no NO!" Ilias said trying to break through the invisible barrier, barring her from the darkness that surrounded Alipheese with her lightning to no effect.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh! ! Break Damn it! !" Alipheese said throwing her magic at the same barrier trying to bar her from the light.
"..." Alipheese stared at Ilias forlornly.
"...How cruel...alone for countless years...and the only person you find...you can't even come in contact with..." Kenshin thought.
"It's OK! Even if we can't come into contact with one another...maybe we can still stay near one another, right?" Ilias asked.
"Y..Yes..." Alipheese grunted...shielding her eyes as if looking into a sun.
"Was she in pain...or was she disgusted with me I wondered..." Ilias narrated to Kenshin as her past self noticed Alipheese's discomfort.
"Tell me what's wrong? ! What can I doaaugh! !" Ilias cried out in pain. "Wh...What's happening? ! What are you doing? ! Please...Please STOOOOPPPPP! !" Ilias screamed in pain, feeling like little knives were piercing her skin all over while Alipheese felt like she was being slowly burned inch by inch, layer by layer of skin.
"I don't understand...why are you doing this...? !" Ilias gasped out.
"Me...? Why are you...doing this...? !" Alipheese said as she starts moving away.
"..." Kenshin watched this go down.
"It seems...we only bring harm to one another..." Alipheese said.
"Where are you going? ! I can't follow you in there!" Ilias said.
"I know..." Alipheese said as she left.
"No! Please come back! Please...whatever I did...I'm sorry!" Ilias cried out, the pain having stopped, but only physically.
(flashback end)
"Even before the Dark Goddess and I became mortal enemies...that lonely moment defined my very existence..." Ilias said. "Wander a vast darkness...find one other face, only to have the owner of the face hurt and abandon me..."
"...In the Dark Goddess defense...she seemed to be in as much pain as you were in..." Kenshin said.
"...I know..." Ilias said. "It's just what happens when beings of light and darkness come into contact...I haven't even really thought about that until now..."
"..." Kenshin stared at her.
"I eventually formed my boundless light into the area you see now, a vision of it anyway, the Divine Realms." Ilias said. "Into the choir of angels that Micaela and Lucifina hail from."
"...Honestly Ilias...this is the most depressing story I've ever heard...I've been through some shit...but...eons of loneliness...the only other face I find bringing unmeasurable pain to me? That's just...that's just cruel...I would have gone insane..."
"You act like I didn't..." Ilias said. "It was Alipheese's last words to me before she sealed herself at my command...that snapped me out of it."
(flashback)
Ilias and Alipheese stood in front of one another, the seals of her daughters alight behind the Dark Goddess. Alipheese turned to the seals. "...You know...it fills me with regret that it had to end like this..."
"!" Ilias' eyes widened in anger. "You stole not one, but TWO of my humans from me over the course of this war...and you have the gall to talk to me about regret?" Ilias asked.
"...Ragnarok was being rejected by his kind...because of his power...I think..he might not have been either of ours to begin with..."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ilias asked with a venomous scowl
"I mean..there are probably others out there like us. Ragnarok told me he met people calling themselves the Primordials of Dreams, Being and Nothingness...and they even called him and your servant Yama the Primordials of Life and Death."
"..." Ilias glowered.
"But that's neither here nor there." Alipheese said. "Ilias...no matter what has happened between us...I always wanted to be able to come in contact with you..." Alipheese said with a solemn smile. "I guess that will just be a dream."
"..." Ilias stared at Alipheese.
"I would have shared it all with you." Alipheese said. "You were the first person I met in this world. The first person that showed me...I was not all alone in this world." She said. "...I just wish...I could hold you in my arms...and show you how much that meant to me..."
"!" Ilias' eyes widened in shock as Alipheese turned around.
"Goodbye." Alipheese said.
"W...WAIT! !" Ilias said as Alipheese sealed herself off, just moments before she could stop Alipheese, the seals fading away. "..."
(Flashback end)
"...Do you even want to destroy Alipheese anymore?" Kenshin asked.
"...Honestly?" Ilias said, looking down at the endless white expanse. "No." She said. "After she said that...her wish...and called me sister...I...I didn't want to...not anymore."
"So...when your humans were all demonized..." Kenshin said.
"I let it happen...I didn't want to be a Goddess anymore after all that." Ilias said. "I knew they were not being killed, just transformed...so I saw no harm in it, but still...there's a fine line between being needed...and being wanted."
"Huh?" Kenshin said.
"Early on, before Ragnarok and Yama were born into this world. I did try to communicate with the humans I made...but they grew dependent on me, and began to revere me as a goddess." Ilias said. "I...started to act as one out of sheer necessity."
"Maybe you went about it the wrong way. I mean..I'd imagine you came down from the heavens...right in front of them." Kenshin said. "The humans you made were probably still primitive." Kenshin said. "Seeing you probably flipped their worldview on it's head."
"I suppose..." Ilias said with her eyes closed.
"I'm not trying to talk like I know any thing about it, it's just what I think." Kenshin said.
"I know." Ilias nodded.
"Still...this sucks..." Kenshin sighed, looking up at the white expanse. "I can't free you without destroying the sword, and destroying the sword could have untold damaging effects on Heaven."
"...Why do you care so much?" Ilias asked staring at him oddly. "I'm the Goddess who tried to annihilate your race of origin in the past. I've even killed one of you Dragons of the Elements in the past as well and I even wanted to use you to destroy Alipheese until recently."
"You didn't kill Heinrich. He was sealed away before his death, and besides. I don't really care about any of that." Kenshin said. He turned his back to her. "Let me know if you want to talk again."
"Huh?" Ilias said.
"I'll keep you company, until your life ends." Kenshin said.
Ilias stared at Kenshin's back as he vanished from the area. "Hm..." Ilias looked down with a smile. "That man..."
Kenshin awoke in the outside world and put the sword up. "You were talking with her again, huh?" He glanced at the doorway and found Tamamo.
"Yeah." Kenshin said. "Had to give her the bad news."
"Bad news?" Tamamo said.
"Ilias is going to die." Kenshin said.
"...I see." Tamamo said.
"You don't sound too enthused by that." Kenshin said.
"Lately I've been thinking." Tamamo said. "Reflecting on the past. I realized that...Mother never really acted like she hated Ilias, Ilias was jealous of her and the two fought yes, and their battles tore the other side of Makai apart, but I don't think Mother ever hated Ilias as a person."
"I see." Kenshin said. "Well, I'm going to keep talking with her, until she passes. I'm sorry, but I just feel like it's the right thing to do."
"I understand." Tamamo said. "Just, be careful, OK? I'm always going to be distrustful of her, I just can't help feeling she's trying to get out of this."
"I get it. Don't worry I'll be fine." Kenshin said. "I'm gonna go train a little more before I go to sleep."
"Here, I'll come with." Tamamo said following after him.
(break)
The next day.
"End of Semester Tests are ovah!" Matsuda and Motohama said as they leaped out of their chairs.
"And I bet you two still managed to get below average marks." Kenshin sniped.
"Hey don't put me in the same lump as him Kenshin!" Motohama said pointing at Matsuda.
"Yeah Kenshin Motorola's the smarter out of the two." Issei said.
"Then explain why their marks are nearly identical?" Kenshin said. "Not to mention...yours are as well? ! What the hell man? ! We have people at the house helping you!"
"I was never really that smart Kenshin." Issei said with a slumping grin. "What about you?"
"I got above average." Kenshin said. "Same with Yukari, but Miyuki aced it."
"That lazy..." Issei paused as Kenshin looked at him.
"What? When it comes to this place. Miyuki's hardly motivated, hell the only reason she even put forth a full effort on these exams was because Mom kept harping on her." Kenshin said.
"Holy crap she did what?" The two heard Yukari and Miyuki both say.
"It's true! Xenovia got a ninety percent average!" Irina said
"Wait what?" Issei said as the two arrived where they all were. "Kenshin go check for meteors!"
"Issei, is it really that surprising. I think she was the only one of us in our class that actually was studying, even before Dana paid us a visit and we went to Romania." Kenshin said.
"Well, I just wanted to test how much I could do. Japanese was my low mark though." Xenovia said.
"And yet you still managed to score as well as Issei." Yukari chided, glancing at Issei.
"W-Wait! Japanese was my best mark! What the hell? !" Issei thought.
"You know, if the children are anything like the father, your children are in trouble." The group turned to Kiryuu who was looking at Irina and Asia.
"And yours as well." Yukari commented. "Does the progeny of two super perverts generate an ultra pervert or more of the same I wonder."
"Go to hell Tsuki." Kiryuu glowered.
"Been there, didn't like the view so I came back." Yukari said.
"Onee-Chan, stop antagonizing her." Miyuki said with a wince.
"That won't be a problem." Irina shook her head.
"Yes, we'll show them enough love." Asia said with a shy smile.
"Damn traitor!" Matsuda said.
"Get executed by their fan clubs!" Motohama said.
"Neh heh heh." Kenshin snickered.
"Hey, changing subjects. Do you guys know that Rossweisse-Chan has been the in library a lot?" Matsuda asked.
"Hey yeah, she seems to be looking at things related to the bible. She seems depressed about it though." Motohama said.
"Hmm..maybe I should follow suit." Kenshin thought.
"No idea." Kenshin and Issei said. "We haven't heard about it."
"Really? You guys are usually on top of shit." Matsuda said.
"Also I wonder who the president of your club's going to be after Rias-Senpai retires?" Motohama said.
"Wha?" Kenshin said.
"Yeah she probably won't be able to if she doesn't pick a successor around now." Motohama said.
"Huh..." Kenshin said. "It completely slipped my mind during all this chaos that Rias and Sona almost done in this part of the academy, gonna be weird not seeing them here." Kenshin thought.
(break)
Kenshin, Yukari, Miyuki and Granberia stood in front of a Sun Wukong shikigami. "OK Son Goku, what do you got for us?" Kenshin said.
"Son Goku?" Granberia asked.
"It's another way of saying his name." Yukari said.
"You're all elementalists, but the one that's most in tune with them is you, Kenshin." Sun Wukong said.
"I'm sensing a but." Kenshin said.
"But in the pursuit of elemental mastery you've started neglecting other aspects of your training." Sun Wukong said. "That were not covered when you were training with Dana."
"What might that be?" Kenshin said.
"The strength of your youki and touki have waned." Sun Wukong said.
"?" Kenshin blinked. "Eh?"
"Here, I'll show you." Sun Wukong said as he focused his aura. "I'm using Touki right now, try and destroy this shikigami with your strongest non elemental attack."
"Non elemental huh?" Kenshin said. "Alright, this attack may seem elemental, but it's not." He unsheathed Kuroi Jigoku and focused on it. "Katensho!" He said slashing his sword outward.
Sun Wukong didn't move as the arcing blast of flame rushed toward him. Finally he did extend his hand outward and caught it.
"What? !" Kenshin said with a stunned expression as Sun Wukong compressed it into a ball before holding it above his left index finger.
"Wh-Whoa, he's controlling the Katensho like it's nothing." Yukari said.
"Yikes..." Miyuki said.
"Hrm..." Granberia narrowed her eyes in thought.
"Your youki and touki are easy to interfere with, because they've grown weaker." Sun Wukong said. "Because of this, the subsequent buffs you receive from using the first, second and third levels of your elemental prowess are woefully stunted from where they should be. Keep this up and you will never meet Ragnarok's level of power, much less surpass it."
"..." Kenshin furrowed his brow and snapped his fingers, making the ball of flames in Sun Wukong's possession fizzle out. "I see, but if I start working on that, my elemental powers will likely atrophy in return."
"And there's where your problem lies." Sun Wukong said. "When you uncover a deficiency in your power, you throw everything at correcting it. Then the aspects you neglect while correcting that deficiency become weaker in return."
"So work on everything?" Kenshin asked. "Hrm..."
"Not to the extent you're thinking of, just kick the wheels on everything else to work them out." Sun Wukong said. "You're still young and need to experience other things besides endless training."
"Yeah Yeah, so how do I improve the strength of my youki and touki." Kenshin asked.
"Learn Senjutsu. I suggested it to you when we met in Kyoto, but it got lost in translation." Sun Wukong said.
"Was still training with the Ragnarok clone." Yukari said.
"Started working with resistance seals." Miyuki said.
"And being Vice Commander really ate up a lot of his time." Granberia said.
"I kinda just forgot really." Kenshin said. "Besides there wasn't anyone around who could teach me. Sure there was Koneko, but she was and still is learning herself. So I put it on the backburner and forgot."
"Yes yes, and you've been helping others with their training as best as you could, well that ends now." Sun Wukong said. "Also, if I see you beginning to go too far off in one direction in your training I will strike you. You won't sense me coming."
"Y-Yes..." Kenshin sweatdropped.
"So why are we here?" Granberia asked. "All you've done so far is highlight his flaws."
"You all could benefit from Senjutsu, but you in particular need to learn how to fight without this sword." Sun Wukong said holding up Granberia's Ares.
"? !" Granberia looked down to see she was missing her sword. "Hey! Give that back!"
"Don't worry it will be kept safe." Sun Wukong said setting it behind him. "Other than learning Senjutsu, just using your youki and by extension touki a lot should strengthen it. It's like a muscle."
"Neat." Kenshin, Miyuki, Yukari and Granberia said.
"So what do I do to work on Senjutsu?" Kenshin asked.
"Well, basically do what you do with the elements, only without." Sun Wukong said.
"Ah huh, anything else?" Kenshin asked.
"Deep meditation." Sun Wukong said. "Occasionally you will perform the training that the Hakuryuukou participates in to see how you're coming along."
"I see." Kenshin said with his eyes closed.
"Make no mistake boy, you are powerful, if we fought I'd have to get serious with you, but you could be even more powerful. Especially seeing as you have a similar body as the Sekiryuutei." Sun Wukong said.
"Yeah Yeah." Kenshin nodded as he sat down and crossed his legs, placing his hands together, left in right, palms facing upward. "Wait, I also have to learn how to focus Yuurei's power. Shouldn't I be doing that too?"
"You must first understand the ebb and flow of your own power before attempting to control and focus his." Sun Wukong said. "Also, I will be assisting these three with their training while you meditate. While you do, you will begin taking in the natural ki of the world around you and it will replenish what you've lost if there is any loss, otherwise it will filter out of your system after it's been cleansed. If you take in too much you will begin to change."
"Change how?" Kenshin said.
"You'll become more animalistic in your appearance, you will either become the type of feline youkai you are or you will dragonify. Take in way too much and this change will become permanent." Sun Wukong said. "To prevent this. I will smack you with my Ruyi Jingu Bang and it will eject the natural ki."
"Really?" Kenshin deadpanned.
"Yes, and if I see you using that water spirit's powers I..." Sun Wukong was cut off.
"Right right, you smack me with the extending power pole." Kenshin said.
(Thwack!)
"Aaah!" Kenshin hissed in pain as Sun Wukong smacked him over the head."What the hell was that for ya monkey geezer? !"
(Thwack! Thwack!)
"Aaah!" Kenshin hissed in pain as Sun Wukong smacked him two more times.
"I will have you treat me and my weapon with a little more respect than that boy." Sun Wukong said with a firm tone. "I will not have you become like Bikou."
"Like I wanna be like that idiot!" Kenshin snapped. "Jeez, it was a reference, not a means of disrespect."
"Reference?" Sun Wukong said with a curious glance. Kenshin sighed and pulled a book out of one of his seals and handed it to him. "What's this? A comic from this area?"
"Yeah, just read it, you'll get the reference." Kenshin said with an eyeroll.
"Hrmn..." Sun Wukong stored the book away and led the other three away.
Kenshin closed his eyes, reassuming his previous position. He allowed his mind to empty out. His breathing was shallow, his posture while upright, seemed relaxed.
About an hour later Sun Wukong approached him. "Hm...?" He went over and brought a cage with a few birds in it and let them out onto Kenshin. They started pecking at his skin and tugging on his hair.
"..." Kenshin didn't react.
"Interesting. He's actually done it that quickly." Sun Wukong said.
"I had to spend quite a bit of time without the spirits before I reconstructed our contracts. I meditated quite a lot during that time when I could." Kenshin said, his eyes still closed. "I just never thought about doing it while trying to train with Senjutsu because I didn't want to run the risks I'd heard about and you told me about."
"Aah, I see." Sun Wukong said. "Well as long as you know. You're actually keeping the flow pretty even, but you're taking in a little too much natural ki."
"I know, I can feel scales developing on my skin." Kenshin said. "Do what you gotta do."
(Thwack!)
"Nngh..." Kenshin grunted as a small welt appeared on his head.
"Sorry, that's just the way it goes." Sun Wukong said.
"Don't apologize. You're doing what you're supposed to, what you learned to do." Kenshin said.
"I notice while you're in deep meditation, you're still able to communicate." Sun Wukong said.
"Not as deep as I was before you came along, but while I got you here, can I ask you something?" Kenshin said.
"What is it?" Sun Wukong asked.
"Since you're Indra's vanguard I want to know why he was backing the Khaos Brigade." Kenshin said. Sun Wukong went to speak only for Kenshin to continue. "I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe Azazel made it up, there's a reason that Indra himself tossed Cao Cao and his two cohorts to Hades."
"I wasn't going to say anything of the sort. Indra-Sama wasn't backing the Khaos Brigade as a whole. His interest was only in the Hero Faction. As for why, he hasn't told me, but it has something to do with Shiva-Sama." Sun Wukong said.
"The Hakaishin of the Trimurti?" Kenshin asked.
"The very same." Sun Wukong nodded.
"Hrm, thanks." Kenshin said. "By the way, why did you cover me in birds?"
"To test the depths of your meditation. If you were roused by them, then your meditation wasn't deep enough." Sun Wukong said. "Worry not however, they are trained."
"OK good. I don't want to have to wash off bird crap." Kenshin said. "I'm done."
"Very well." Sun Wukong went back to Yukari and Miyuki.
"How was he?" Yukari asked.
"He's actually quite adept at meditation." Sun Wukong said. "He's less rambunctious than I thought. He just needs to use it the right ways and he'll be fine. Alright, let's continue you two."
"What about Granberia?" Miyuki said.
"Still working on these hand to hand katas." Granberia said going through stances. "This is oddly relaxing."
"Simply practicing martial arts often is." Sun Wukong said. "That's where your succubus friend has things figured out, maybe you could ask her about showing you some of her moves if you find the stances you're learning from Kenshin and his sisters aren't working out for you."
"I'll think about it." Granberia said with a glower, directed at no one.
"Haa!" Yukari said as she punched at Sun Wukong.
"Oh?" Sun Wukong said after blocking it with a finger. "Hasty are we?"
"Victory goes to the one who makes the first move." Yukari said with a smirk.
"Unless of course that first move is a distraction so the second can be made." Sun Wukong said raising his Ruyi Jingu Bang to block Miyuki's polearm blade. "Don't swing that like sword girl, using broad sweeping motions and stabs. It's more a curved spear than a staff, you narrow it's lethal range when you do that."
"Or maybe I'm trying for this!" Miyuki said punching down at the smaller Sun Wukong. "Thunderous Dragon Fist!"
"Elemental Spica!" Yukari said punching at Sun Wukong with her other hand at the same time as Miyuki.
"Hrm!" Sun Wukong used Senjutsu to create a concentrated burst of energy explode outward, knocking the Tsuki sisters backward.
"Heh, damn." Yukari said.
"Well, didn't think that would work, still had to try though." Miyuki said.
"No no!" Sun Wukong let out a laugh. "It was a good start, keep going!"
"Haa!" Miyuki slashed out in front of her as she ran Sun Wukong down.
"Ha! There you go!" Sun Wukong said, hopping over the slash. "Hm?"
"Senjutsuken!" Yukari said.
"Oh my." Sun Wukong said blocking her fist with his Ruyi Jingu Bang. "Sorry girlie, but you're about a few centuries too young to damage me with Senjutsu."
"Hrn!" Miyuki rushed toward him.
"Heh!" Sun Wukong batted Yukari away and thrust his Ruyi Jingu Bang at her. "Extend!"
Miyuki stabbed her polearm's blade into the ground and moved to the top of it. "You know Onii-Chan has a point. That thing really is like the Power Pole."
"Hrm? !" Sun Wukong looked up as Miyuki lunged at him, ripping her polearm from the ground and spinning it forward, stabbing it at him. "Hmn!" He extended his hand forward catching the blade.
"Oh ho? That's interesting you used a finger to block Onee-Chan's fist." Miyuki said.
"Forgive me, I tend to get forgetful in my old age, I meant to use a finger." Sun Wukong said before turning and firing an orb of energy at Yukari who was rushing him from behind.
"Hellfire Flash!" Yukari said stabbing Ryuuga forward, blocking the orb with her flames. "Shippuzan!" She slashed Kazeken forward, causing the flames to spiral, taking the orb with it.
"Hrm? !" Sun Wukong noticed both this and that he was being lifted off the ground while still holding his Ruyi Jingu Bang. "You noticed I can't weight this copy down, smart."
"You know it!" Miyuki said spinning and throwing Sun Wukong skyward. "Onee-Chan now!"
"Right!" Yukari said directing her burning vortex at Sun Wukong, making it fling his own energy attack at him.
(boom!)
"Alright!" Miyuki said pumping her fist in the air.
"Nice plan. Getting him in position to have to use an energy attack like that." Yukari said.
"It was a gamble, thankfully it paid off." Miyuki said with a small grin.
"Oh, and what would the plan have been if I didn't use an energy attack?" The two looked up to see Sun Wukong dusting himself off as he levitated downward.
"Attack." Miyuki said.
"Attack?" Sun Wukong asked.
"Until I could think of something else." Miyuki shrugged.
"Either that or I would have tried an illusion on you." Yukari said.
"Interesting." Sun Wukong said. "Alright, do as I told you before and train with your youki and develop your touki. Compared to your brother's it's quite behind where it should be. We'll move on to other things when you all have gotten it down."
"Alright." Yukari and Miyuki nod.
(Break)
Hours later
Issei and the others met up to talk about their training. "Uh...is Kenshin asleep over there?" Issei said seeing Kenshin still meditating.
"Oh him?" Yukari said. "He's still meditating."
"Is that what the First Gen geezer wanted him to do?" Issei asked.
"Hang on." Miyuki said walking over to Kenshin. "Onii-Chan, training's over for the day."
"..." Kenshin didn't respond.
"Funny how those birds don't even bother him. If I knew I had birds on me I'd freak." Miyuki said. "OK Onii-Chan, you asked for it." She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
"Mm?" Kenshin opened his eyes. "What was that for?"
"We're done for the day." Miyuki said with a smile.
"Oh." Kenshin said. "Funny, it only felt like an hour."
"It's been several." Miyuki giggled as they got to their feet.
"Gotta say, it was nice of Dana to let us use this space." Kenshin said.
"Yeah that old monkey said she owed him a few favors." Evangeline said as the two joined the group.
"What did he have you do?" Kenshin asked.
"Since I was born human, then was turned into a Shinso by Hottan, then into a Devil by you. He said my ki network was horribly underdeveloped. Not surprising seeing as I never saw the point in developing it and Dana didn't either." Evangeline said.
"Aah." Kenshin nodded and turned to Alma and Erubetie. "I...can't see much you could be doing, then again I don't know you two terribly well."
"He said I don't carry enough force behind my attacks, and while using my opponent's force against them, catching them off guard and grappling are all good. There are times I won't be able to do that." Alma said. "Basically I'm building my strength in general." Alma said.
"Basically I'm being asked to focus and concentrate my slime for attacks other than Melt Storm." Erubetie said. "As well as making it more solid."
"Makes sense. You could make so many attacks up, virtually on the fly if you wanted to." Kenshin said. "And Alma he has a point, sometimes you just gotta face some down without any tricks."
"Funny, I'm doing the reverse of what you're doing." Granberia said glancing at Alma.
"What about you?" Kenshin said looking at Tamamo.
"He told me to carry on as I have been doing." Tamamo said. "Still have to get used to my true power and all."
"I still wonder why I was able to reincarnate you." Kenshin said.
"It surprised me too." Tamamo shrugged.
"Mom?" Kenshin said looking at Hikari.
"Since I'm a Bishop he recommends that I perfect magic attacks over physicality to start, then learning to blend them together." Hikari said. "Similar to Tamamo, I lost a lot of strength over the years."
"No kidding. When you got pregnant with Yukari and I, you had to hit the brakes on your training after awhile then Hottan never let you recover." Kenshin said. "Must have been rough after we reunited."
"It was." Hikari sighed with a tired smile.
"Hey, why did you get to just meditate?" Irina said looking at Kenshin.
"Working on Senjutsu." Kenshin said. "Trust me, the old monkey got licks in on me as well, fuck my head still hurts."
"Uh huh, speaking of which, what were you doing Sextum?" Irina asked.
"I told Sun Wukong that I had my own training in mind that I wanted to do first." Sextum said. "I'd come to him for help with it when I needed it."
"Speaking of training, look at this." Irina said turning to Issei.
"Oh? !" Issei said seeing four angel wings appear on Irina's back.
"That's just superfluous." Alma said with a curious look. "More wings means more things to hit and tear off."
"Hey! These are obviously a gift from Michael-Sama after he'd watched over my daily prayers!" Irina said, feeling a little offended.
"Whatever you say Superfluous Angel." Alma said nonchalantly.
"Doesn't this also mean you can use Heaven's Light more freely?" Xenovia asked.
"Yes actually. Before I had to pass through several judges to use the weapons kept in Heaven, but now I'm less restricted." Irina said before sticking her tongue out at Alma.
"Ooh? Don't do that too much, I might just suck it out of your mouth." Alma said with a wink.
"!" Irina stepped back with a nervous blush, looking in slight fear at Alma.
"Oh, speaking of training..." Issei turned to Raynare who was approaching him.
"Oh, uh...I'm basically training with Azazel-Sama. Doing whatever he thinks I need to work on." Raynare said.
"So you're just learning to be a magic cannon?" Kenshin said.
"What's wrong with that?" Raynare asked.
"Nothing." Kenshin shrugged. "It's just, and no offense to Rossweisse who is one herself, but magic cannons are often made of glass."
"Ahh, I get what Kenshin's referencing." Issei said. "You both would have high attack potential, but low durability."
"All I'm saying is work on defense too." Kenshin said before chuckling. "But Azazel probably knows this and will have you do that soon. Just like Rossweisse who went back to Valhalla to learn more magic and a good deal of that was improving her defense. So really I'm stating a point for nothing."
"Well, I get what you're trying to say nonetheless. Strategically it'd be a pain to lose a powerful weapon because it was easy to destroy." Raynare said waving him off.
"Wow, I think that's the first conversation I've heard these two in, where Kenshin didn't try to irritate Raynare-San." Xenovia said.
"It stopped being funny. She figured it out." Kenshin said.
"Haha, yeah." Raynare laughed.
"She also stopped dressing like a stripper, so really what's there to make fun of?" Kenshin said before ducking as a red spear whizzed over his head. "Oh ho? Looks like you didn't figure it out." Kenshin chided.
"What are you talking about? I was just working on my target practice." Raynare said filing her nails.
"Right." Kenshin drawled with a smirk. "So Kiba what are you doing?"
"Oh, well. First I'm accepting the Gram's curse and negativity with the demonic aspect of my Holy Demonic Swords." Kiba said.
"Interesting. What happens then?" Issei asked.
"Well it will strengthen of course, then I will cover that strength with the holy aspect of my swords." Kiba said.
"Ah, so kinda putting a suppressor on a gun." Kenshin said.
"I wonder if Mana would agree with that statement." Yukari said with a pondering look.
"Well I kind of use the analogy of putting a lid on a boiling pot." Kiba said.
"That works too, don't want that water spilling over." Kenshin said.
"But that sounds pretty difficult. Are you sure you can do it?" Issei asked.
"I have to. It is pretty difficult though. If I slip up even once. The curse will likely reflect on me and in the worst case I'd cause casualties to my allies." Kiba said.
"Sounds like me when I was developing the Vessel." Kenshin said.
"What do you mean?" Kiba asked.
"You've seen the striking power of the Quadruple Giga. I take that into my body to activate the Vessel. Hell, Xenovia saw it once when I was on the back end of making it workable, when I got slammed into a tree from the backlash. Imagine if there was other people in the area when that backlash took place earlier in the development."
"How you popped back up from that I don't know." Xenovia said.
"Been through worse." Kenshin said. "Besides I didn't exactly pop up. Anyway. Kiba. Good luck with that. Now lastly. Issei how is your training going?"
"Fine I guess, but there's some things I can't push myself on without Ddraig." Issei said scratching behind his head with his eyes closed.
"You mean like those mini white dragons?" Kenshin asked.
"You know what they're called right?" Issei drawled.
"No, were they named?" Kenshin asked.
"Yeah, Chief called them Dividing Wyvern Fairies." Issei said.
"Yay! Dragon Fairies!" Sylph cheered.
"Heheheheh." Kenshin chuckled.
"What? I thought it was a good name." Issei said.
"I'm not laughing at it. I'm laughing at Sylph's reaction to it." Kenshin said.
"Oh." Issei said before letting out a laugh himself.
Suddenly a flash of light whizzed by, and was replaced by Dulio who had Saji in tow. "You look tired there Saji." Issei said.
"I got next!" Kenshin said.
"No!" Saji said as he ran from Dulio who looked half asleep.
"I wasn't meaning you Saji." Kenshin drawled.
He did say that if Xenovia or I were to hit him at close range, he'd be done for." Issei said. "So if someone like Kenshin got in close he'd be finished for sure."
"And I'll own a victory over Heaven's Strongest Exorcist." Kenshin smirked.
"That said, he doesn't even look like he's paying attention." Evangeline said.
"Ah damn it. He fell asleep." Kenshin said before firing a coin into Dulio's forehead.
"Aah? !" Dulio looked around before turning to Kenshin with a glare. "That hurt."
"Has to hurt in order to wake your ass up and keep it awake." Kenshin said before checking his watch. "Oh, shit Saji you better be going. The Rating Game Academy's open house isn't gonna prepare itself."
"Right, thanks for letting me use this place to train." Saji said. "Thanks Dulio-San."
"Yeah..." Dulio yawned.
Saji teleported away. "Oi Dana, we're done in here!" Kenshin called out.
"Give me a second!" Dana shouted back.
The group appeared in the ORC building. "Interesting, so you're learning Senjutsu." Rias said to Kenshin after they started a meeting.
"Yes, we all are." Kenshin said referring to himself, Yukari, Miyuki and Granberia. "Also for a certain someone. I'm mainly learning the offensive portions so don't feel like I won't need your help from time to time." The white haired nekomata he was referring to blushed.
"As for us, I can't shorten my techniques charge time, but Akeno can almost turn into a full fledged fallen angel without the help of the bracelets." Rias said.
"Oh, congrats." Raynare said with a smile as she turned to Akeno.
"Thanks." Akeno waved her off.
"Zzzzz..." Dulio snored.
"Ugh." Kenshin fired another coin into Dulio's forehead.
"Aah! Stop that!" Dulio snapped.
"Stop binging on sweets and sugar crashing!" Kenshin snapped.
"I'm sorry about him..." Irina slumped. "It's a miracle he even attends these meetings at all according to Griselda-San."
"On the bright side, there's someone to take her focus off you Xenovia." Yukari said.
"Y-Yeah..." Xenovia said with a nervous smile, checking the area for Griselda.
"How the hell are you an angel ya sloth? !" Kenshin said.
"Because I repent for it!" Dulio said.
"Right how many Hail Marys and whatits does one need to say every time he commits one of the Seven Deadly Sins?" Kenshin said. "You must be sick of it by now!"
"Oh forget you!" Dulio snapped.
"Hahahahaha! Forget it! I've already won this argument!" Kenshin said laughing his way out of the room.
"That dragon..." Dulio growled.
"Ignore him, you'll only make it easy for him to win if you play his game." Raynare said checking her wings for loose feathers.
"I guess...how do you put up with his teasing Irina?" Dulio sighed.
"He...doesn't pick on me?" Irina said.
"How? He obviously seems to have a problem with angels." Dulio said.
"No he has a problem with lazy idiots and people he's had issues with in the past." Yukari drawled, looking at Dulio and Raynare.
"That too..." Raynare sweatdropped.
"I'm sorry, but Kenshin does have a point Dulio-Sama...sleep on your own time." Irina said with a glower.
Dulio slumped. "Everyone's ganging up on me." He said crying anime tears.
(break)
The next day.
(Knock Knock)
"Hm?" Sextum, who was juggling random sized balls of ice looked over at the door. She suspended them in the air and spun them around as she approached the door and opened it. "Oh!"
"Hello sister." Tertium said standing in the door.
"Tertium, you said you wouldn't be by for a bit longer than this." Sextum said.
"It's imperative that I speak with Kenshin-kun as soon as possible, is he in?" Tertium asked.
"Yes. Follow me." Sextum said leading him up to the VIP room.
"Hm?" Kenshin, who was changing into training clothes sensed the familiar presence. He opened up communications. "Could someone make a cup of coffee please?"
"Coffee? But it's the afternoon." Rias said, having already been in the kitchen making something light for her and Kenshin to eat.
"Trust me." Kenshin said. "Then I need you and Akeno in the VIP room."
"Alright." Rias said. "I'm bringing us something to eat before we start for the day by the way."
"That's fine." Kenshin said as he got dressed in a jumpsuit. He teleported into the VIP room where Yukari and Evangeline were waiting. "Sensed him too?"
"Yeah. I told Miyuki to tell Sun Wukong we'd be a bit." Yukari said.
"Gasper can handle helping Valerie for now." Evangeline said.
Akeno and Rias warped in. Rias holding a couple of bentos and a coffee cup. She set the coffee cup on the table and sat next to Kenshin while Evangeline sat on the other side of him. Akeno stood next to Rias while Yukari stood behind Kenshin as Sextum and Tertium walked in.
"Tertium Averruncus as I live and breathe." Kenshin said. "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"
Tertium sat down across from Kenshin who then proceeded to push the cup of coffee toward him. Tertium lifted it up and took a sip. "...Disgusting."
"...My apologies. I did only just now make it on short notice." Rias said smiling with a tick mark on her left temple.
"Rias, relax. He'd have said it no matter how you made it." Kenshin said as he took his bento and started eating it. . "Still haven't found her I take it?"
"Too busy to look." Tertium grunted. "That aside. I am here to see you...and why are you dressed like that?"
"I was going to go train?" Kenshin said with an arched brow with chopsticks between his lips. "By the way Rias, great job on the food.
"Thank you." Rias said with a smile.
"What's wrong with your normal outfit?" Tertium asked.
"This coming from the guy who's not wearing the blue jumpsuit he usually wears, instead opting for the all white dress suit?" Kenshin drawled. "Don't get anything on it or you'll have to change immediately."
"Ugh...I swear it's like the coffee vs tea conversation I had with Negi-kun in Ostia." Tertium grunted. "Only you know how to get under my skin better than she did."
"Far better O' Dispassionate One." Kenshin chided. "But enough of that. Why are you here? According to Sextum you'd been named Hellas' Chief Diplo...Hellas wants in on the Alliance don't they?" He asked.
"To an extent, though Queen Theodora would like to see you sometime." Tertium said.
"Queen?" Kenshin asked.
"Lord Daiken and Lady Noka retired." Tertium said.
Kenshin slumped with a gloomy expression. "...Is Hellas OK?" He asked.
"..." Tertium, if he was amused by Kenshin's expression, did not show it. "You have a startling lack of faith in someone you were romantically involved with in the past."
"Wa-Wait, Kenshin-kun was involved with royalty?" Akeno asked.
"I believe the flashback you saw on the way to the Free Trade City was evidence enough." Sextum said.
"She is also a tomboy who used magic to stay a kid. She didn't stop until she met me." Kenshin drawled.
"She also put her foot down to the council and told them she wouldn't be pushed around like her father was after he exhausted himself with the past war." Tertium said.
"OK..." Kenshin said. "I'll see if I can fit it in. It's be nice to have a chat with her again without any pressure. Now we're getting off topic."
"Right." Tertium said. "Anyway. I've received a message from Negi-kun."
"...I'm listening." Kenshin said with narrowed eyes.
"She said she wants me to release the Twilight Imperial Princess. I have already begun breaking her seals." Tertium said.
"Hold on, how do you know Negi's the one who sent the message, it could have been Ialda." Evangeline said.
"Ialda?" Rias said. "I'm sorry, but I've been a little confused about that since Romania."
"I'll tell you later." Yukari said.
"I recognized Negi-kun's handwriting. Ialda might have her body, but there are certain things that just can't be mimicked." Tertium said.
"OK, so Asuna's back in the fold." Kenshin said. "Now we just have to get the apparatus off Negi and rip Ialda out."
"Yes, and I had an idea about that, and it requires your assistance." Tertium said.
"Oh lord not this again..." Evangeline groaned.
"Yes Evangeline, this again." Tertium said with an eyeroll.
"Not what again?" Kenshin asked.
"Well boy genius tell him your so called infallible plan." Evangeline drawled.
"Ialda draws her power from the pain and suffering of others." Tertium said to Kenshin. "So my plan is to give everyone the ageless immortality you now possess."
"..." Kenshin stared at him.
"To do this I will need samples of your DNA so that I can work on isolating the new gene in your body that causes it, even if it cannot be passed on through genetic inheritance I will find a way to transplant it into normal people. Doing so will rid the world of all suffering and initiate an artificial evolution in all living beings."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes.
"Yes except you're forgetting the part where-"
"It won't work." Kenshin cut Evangeline off.
"Good so you do see the flaws." Evangeline said.
"Grh, what would you do then Evangeline? !" Tertium said turning to him. "You and Kenshin both have enormous power! You both would twiddle your thumbs while the world is flooded with tragedy? !"
"Your plan won't fix that tragedy." Kenshin said.
"How wouldn't it? !" Tertium said.
"Just because one is immortal doesn't mean they don't still feel pain and don't still get sick." Kenshin said. "You'd effectively be damning those with terminal illnesses that are incurable to an eternity of torment. Also, Ialda draws her power from the damned in the Impure World. Do you plan on going there, ending your own life and making them all reincarnate?"
"So you'd sentence Negi-kun to a eternity of torment instead? You have the power to save her and yet you would do nothing?" Tertium said with a scowl.
"..." Kenshin went silent.
"Everyday that passes is another day that Ialda's power, that maddening Resonance chips away at Negi's will to resist. The fact that she got in contact with me shows that her will is beginning to falter." Tertium said.
"Hey! Don't think you're the only one here who cares about what's happening to Negi!" Yukari said.
"...?" Akeno heard a shaking and saw Tertium's coffee cup vibrating.
"Really? Because it seems like to me that ever since you all came here and he met this one. That Kenshin no longer cares what happens in his homeworld, much less what happens to-"
(burst!)
Tertium's coffee cup exploded as a burst of wind sent him into the wall. "Tertium? !" Sextum said before turning to Kenshin who stepped over the toppled couch Tertium was sitting. "Kenshin tha-? !"
"..." Kenshin's eyes didn't even glance at her, but she went silent all the same as Kenshin approached the slumped Tertium and grabbed him by the neck pushing him up.
"Kuh? !" Tertium coughed out as Kenshin squeezed down on his neck.
"You're half right. I don't care about what happens to Mundus Magicus, why the hell should I? The world wanted me gone so I am. The people I left behind can take care of themselves, however..." Kenshin scowled at this. "Don't you fucking dare imply that I don't care about what's happening to Negi, because you have no fucking idea how many times I've laid awake at night trying to figure out how to save her. How much I've worried about her...Remember Tertium...you weren't the only person she saved." Kenshin said before letting him drop in a heap and turning away. "We're done here. Spend time with your sister if you like, but stay the hell away from me." Kenshin said walking toward the door.
"Kouh...Ulgh..." Tertium coughed out. "One more thing...if you refuse to go with my plan, then fine, but if that's the case and Ialda cannot be weakened to the point Negi-kun can suppress her...then there is only one way that Ialda can be done away with..."
"..." Kenshin stopped, only having gotten two or three steps from Tertium.
"To kill her, but the only way we can get to her is for the host body to be irreversibly compromised." Tertium said. "In other words to kill Negi-kun."
"!" Rias and Akeno turned to him, then to Kenshin while Evangeline and Yukari were silent.
"The reason that Yama brought Negi back, it's not good...not at all..." Rias recalled her conversation with Ryuushin.
"..." Kenshin said nothing.
"And Negi might want it to happen, before Ialda forces her to do something unforgivable." Tertium said. "...I'm sorry...it should have always been me in this position."
"Brother!" Sextum said.
"You're wrong again." Kenshin said.
"Hn?" Tertium said as Kenshin turned to him, a somber look in his eyes.
"If I never handed Hottan's soul to Yama...this never would have happened." Kenshin said.
"But then you'd be the one shackled with the Resonance." Tertium said.
"But then Yama still brings Negi back to fuck with me. Only this time we just have to worry about getting the apparatus off, and then you have a mind far more brilliant than mine to figure this shit out." Kenshin said before letting out a sigh. "But I guess it's at a moot point. I fucked up and Negi's the one who's stuck with the cost. We'll just have to figure it out."
"But what if there's no other alternative." Tertium said as Kenshin walked toward the door.
"...There has to be..." Kenshin said as he left the room.
"...He won't do it." Yukari said.
"He might have to." Tertium said.
"No, you don't understand...he can't." Rias said. "To him, Negi-San's death was something he can never forgive himself for."
"And obviously it's compounded because he feels responsible for the situation she's in." Evangeline said.
"Still what did he mean?" Sextum said.
"By?" Evangeline said.
"'You weren't the only person she saved.'" Sextum said.
"Yukari?" Rias said glancing at her.
"Rias, contrary to popular belief there are things about Kenshin even I don't know." Yukari said with her eyes closed.
"That's surprising." Akeno said.
"Not really when you think about it." Evangeline said.
"Why?" Akeno said.
"Yukari here was the one who got Kenshin and Negi together." Evangeline said. "It's not surprising that some things were kept from her about the two. Kenshin probably didn't think it was relevant to talk about. I doubt he hid it from her."
"Hm...maybe I could ask him about it then." Rias said.
"..." Yukari let out a sigh. "This really should be something I should already know, regardless of him telling me."
Meanwhile Kenshin met Sun Wukong in the dojo. "You seem wound up boya." Sun Wukong said.
"..." Kenshin let out a gruff sigh. "Is there anything you can teach me right now?"
"As in?" Sun Wukong asked.
"Just anything to preoccupy my mind." Kenshin said.
"We could work on blending Senjutsu with the elements." Sun Wukong said. "Still remember to strengthen your ki in the meantime. It can only help."
"Right right." Kenshin said. "Let's get to work." He said.
"Well I have to say I like the attitude you take toward your training." Sun Wukong said.
"Thanks." Kenshin said.
"However. This training requires your mind to be calm. So I can't do anything for you right now." Sun Wukong. "Sorry."
"It's fine." Kenshin sighed. "I'll find another outlet."
"You know, I observe anyone who uses Senjutsu when I get the chance, but something I saw from your world piqued my interest around the time you came here." Sun Wukong said.
"Huh?" Kenshin said.
"A girl in your world using an exact replica of my Ruyi Jingu Bang." Sun Wukong said holding his staff up.
"Let me guess, tan skinned and blonde?" Kenshin said.
"Yes." Sun Wukong said.
"Hmn." Kenshin let out an amused chuckle. "Ku Fei. A chinese girl in my class at Mahora who practiced martial arts. She's the one who taught Negi the Hakkyokuken and the Hakkesho. She must have made a contract with Negi and gained a perfect copy of your weapon."
"I see." Sun Wukong chuckled. "To be honest I've been looking for a descendant to pass my Ruyi Jingu Bang down to. It was supposed to be Bikou, but that fool has disappointed me."
"Well compared to you, he is a child. Give the guy some time." Kenshin said.
"This coming from the guy who punted him halfway across Kuoh the other day?" Sun Wukong stated blithely.
"...I still don't know why I wanted to do that so badly." Kenshin said before turning around walking toward the stairs. "Wukong."
"Yes?" Sun Wukong asked.
"Thanks. It wasn't the way I intended, but you helped take my mind off things." Kenshin said.
"It was nothing. It is why I am here after all. To help the younger generation flourish and despite the curious chronological circumstances, you are in the younger generation as well." Sun Wukong said with a calm smile.
"Hm." Kenshin nodded and proceeded upstairs. He ran into Rossweisse who was heading toward the door.
"O-Oh, K-Kenshin-San." Rossweisse said with a nervous blush.
"Is everything OK?" Kenshin asked.
"Y-Yes!" Rossweisse said. "I..I just wanted to tell you why I asked you to be my boyfriend." She stated with a shy look.
"You make it sound like I'm irritated that you even asked." Kenshin said.
"Wh-Wha? N-No...I-I." Rossweisse said.
"Here's an idea. Let's go out together, right now. You can tell me what it is you want to tell me while we're out." Kenshin said.
"Wh-Wha? !" Rossweisse said
"Come on." Kenshin said taking her hand and leading her out the door.
(chapter end)
Draconis: Alright, that's done.
Negi: (filing nails) So is there going to be another arc soon?
Draconis: After Volume 17 yes. It won't be Youkai Revolution length by any means, but something will happen in this volume that will cause Ialda to become a much bigger threat.
Kenshin: (crosses arms and closes eyes) Just pushing this along aren't you?
Draconis: How a story works man. I don't care if you hate me for what I put you through.
Draconis678 out