《Transmigrated With A Time Chamber In DxD》 Chapter 1 ¡°Okay guys. Time to settle an argument. If you were to reincarnate in DxD, what race would you choose and why?¡± Under a tree in the schoolyard, were five boys in black and red uniform. While four of them were sitting on the lush grass, the one who posed the question was standing. Holding his backpack in his right hand, he wore a black blazer with red outlines. A black tie was on his neck that matched well with his black pants and shoes. His hair was orange and spiked up. If not for his kind-looking face, one would mistake him for a delinquent. Pointing his finger at one of his friends, his black eyes zoned in on the boy. ¡°You can start us of Jimmy boy!¡± ¡°Jeez, Ted. Fine then.¡± Jimmy was a bespectacled boy with a skinny appearance. Dressed like Ted, one wouldn¡¯t be wrong if they said the uniform was wearing him. With black hair arranged in a neat bowlcut, Jimmy closed his book before pushing up his glasses. ¡°I¡¯d choose a dragon. They dominated the ancient times and have strong magic. In the same classification, a high-class dragon will absolutely punt a high-class devil. They have long lifespans which can be extended to immortality should they grow strong enough.¡± Leaning his head on his backpack, Jimmy gave a content smirk. Ted gave a thoughtful nod before dramatically waving his finger and pointing it at the boy next to Jimmy. ¡°Johnny boy! I choose¡­YOU! Tell us what race you would reincarnate as.¡± Like Jimmy, Johnny¡¯s hair was shaped into a bowlcut. But while Jimmy was thin, he was average in every way possible. ¡°I¡¯ll go with my brother Jimmy on this one. Dragons are disgustingly OP. I mean, have you seen Great Red? I¡¯ll become a dragon and then strengthen myself enough to reach his level.¡± Ted grinned before pointing at the next boy. ¡°What about you Matt?¡± Matt was the tallest of the boys. Raising his aviator glasses to his forehead, he shrugged. ¡°I was thinking yokai before, you know? With all their senjutsu and stuff. But now, I¡¯m on team dragon.¡± Ted released a sigh, clear disappointment in his eyes. [Looks like I¡¯ll have to restart the selection procedure all over again.] Turning to look at the last boy, Ted spoke. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re on team dragon too, Igor?¡± Different from the rest, Igor had blonde hair tied in a short ponytail. Staring at Ted with cold, cerulean eyes, he scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me Ted. I have thought this through. But before I give you answer, are you able to ask for wishes prior to reincarnation?¡± A spark of life shown in Ted¡¯s eyes at Igor¡¯s enquiry, causing him to reply with enthusiasm. ¡°Of course blondy! Let¡¯s say you¡¯ll get¡­two wishes! Three is too standard and overused.¡± Igor paused for a few seconds in thought. His friends were looking at him with curiosity now, wanting to know what his answer would be. Eventually, Igor finished thinking. ¡°Two wishes should be enough.¡± He sat up, grass and dirt clinging to the backpack that was used as a cushion. Balancing himself, Igor began listing with his fingers. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°First, I would want a hyperbolic time chamber like the one in dragon ball. The harsh conditions inside are essential to facilitate evolution. Second, if I cannot wish for an infinite lifespan, then I wish for my lifespan to freeze upon entering the time chamber. Are those two wishes acceptable, Ted?¡± Ted looked at him like how one would look at their idol. His hands literally began to vibrate in excitement. ¡°YES! That is COMPLETELY doable! You can¡¯t have the infinite lifespan but wishing for it to freeze is doable!¡± Igor nodded. ¡°That will be more than enough. As for my race of choice, I choose to remain human.¡± Except for Ted, all three of the boys looked at Igor as if he was crazy. As for Ted, the glint in his eyes seemed as if he saw Igor as a lottery ticket. Not wanting the silence to drag on, Igor continued. ¡°Wait. Before you judge me, hear my reasons. The reason I chose to remain a human is not due to moral or attachment issues. There is a very logical explanation that I have carefully thought out.¡± And just like that, he had everyone¡¯s complete attention. Besides Ted, all the other boys either sat up or propped themselves on their elbows. Their focus was entirely on Igor, curious as to what the blonde would say. Igor¡­didn¡¯t disappoint. ¡°In the bible during the early Genesis Era, humans dominated the planet. It wasn¡¯t because of technology and it wasn¡¯t because of numbers. It was because of strength. You see, humans in that era, had a lifespan of up to one-thousand years.¡± Listening to Igor, Ted¡¯s eyes began to light up. As for Igor, the boy stood up, seriousness marring his face. ¡°I refuse to believe that those humans who had a lifespan extending an entire millennium were as weak as us. You can¡¯t tell me that by fifty, they had a thing called back pain. That wouldn¡¯t make sense. What makes sense is that with a lifespan ten times as long as ours, they were also ten times as strong in every single way possible. How fast is the fastest human on the planet? Around thirty-six, thirty-seven kilometres if I am not mistaken. Multiply that by ten and you get three-sixty kilometres per hour. That might not sound by much but imagine this¡­¡± He paused a bit to catch their attention, his blue eyes hovering over each of theirs. All of them were interested, with Ted appearing to be very excited. ¡°In Dxd, the Genesis era had existences like dragons roaming about. Humans STILL dominated the planet. He stressed the word ¡°still¡±, wanting to prove a point to his friends. ¡°Against fire breathing monsters, I refuse to believe that they used spears to kill them. So the only logical explanation is that humans could tap into some sort of mystical energy like chakra, ki, etc. So we can safely presume that if that human channeled that energy to strengthen their physique, they could easily increase their base statistics by a further ten-times. In fact¡­¡± He grinned, holding one finger in the air as he raised a point. ¡°...we can think of genesis humans as a bunch of Madara Uchihas dominating the world. If they weren¡¯t killing it for food, they were fornicating with it. It is recorded that humans fornicated with angels. I do not know how strong their hips have to be to survive intercourse with a personal creation of God himself.¡± That drew a chuckle from the boys. But even though they laughed, they also began to see the point of Igor¡¯s choice. Nonetheless, they chose to continue listening. So, perceiving their gradual silence, Igor continued. ¡°So Genesis humans hunted dragons, fornicated with angels and periodically killed devils like weeds. Yokais were either made into pets or bedroom maids. It literally got so bad that god himself had to send down a flood to kill off most of the humans. On top of that, he reduced their strength and lifespan by ten times. So we can assume that other gods tried killing humans and failed. FAILED. F-A-I-L-E-D.¡± He took a breath. ¡°If that isn¡¯t enough to choose humans as a race, then let me add more. Humans are highly adaptable. Live in a cold place? A few generations later and those people will adapt to live there. Live in the mountains. Their lungs will grow bigger. Live in a jungle and you periodically climb trees? Their hands and feet will literally change shape to help climb trees easily. Now imagine how adaptable genesis era humans were?¡± He was really selling his proposal. Jimmy was quite literally, imagining how powerful ancient humans were if his thoughtful expression meant anything. But Igor didn¡¯t have enough yet. So he continued. ¡°It¡¯s not just physical too. I will take a gamble and say that humans can learn any and all types of magic in DxD. As long as the body is strong enough and the soul is willing, they can learn it. The only reason humans weren¡¯t worth squat in DxD was because by the time they finally start getting somewhere, age started affecting them. But if they weren¡¯t affected by age, I am completely sure that humans would be able to do anything. If that isn¡¯t enough, remember that there was some guy in the church who could square off with Kokabiel. Koka-muthaf¡¯ckin-BIEL! That guy ISN¡¯T weak.¡± Silence. There was absolute silence. There was the pitter patter though of Ted looking like he was on a sugar rush. Deeming the silence had lasted long enough, Igor released a grin full of confidence as he began listing off with his fingers. ¡°Dragonslayer magic, dragon magic, devil magic, holy power, senjutsu, etc. Shove me in a time chamber and I¡¯ll learn all of them.¡± He looked at them with a serious gaze. ¡°Even if it takes me a thousand years.¡± Chapter 2 ¡°Dragonslayer magic, dragon magic, devil magic, holy power, senjutsu, etc. Shove me in a time chamber and I¡¯ll learn all of them, even if it takes me a thousand years.¡± Ted was smiling to his ears now. ¡°That¡¯s it! You¡¯re the one! I choose you! I choose you!¡± Before Igor could even properly react, he noticed his surroundings suddenly shift to a white expanse of space. In front of him stood Ted, who was looking at him like the sexiest thing on wheels¡­a muscle car. Ted ran forward and grabbed his shoulders. ¡°Igor! Words can¡¯t even BEGIN to describe how happy I am! Eighty years and ten timelines later, I¡¯ve finally found the perfect transmigrator!¡± ¡°Ted I-¡± Igor couldn¡¯t even get a word in before Ted continued. ¡°Nope. I am not giving you a chance to back out. Not after this long. So off you go! Enjoyyyy your isekai!¡± ¡°Wai-¡± Again, before he could speak, he was suddenly poofed out of existence by a very happy Ted. ¡°FINALLY! I can meet my wives again!¡± |DxD| 1991, September 6th (Fri), Forests of Kuoh, Kuoh Town, Japan Deep in the forests of Kuoh, Igor suddenly appeared in a small clearing. But unlike his fourteen-year old self, this time he was younger. Much, much younger. He briefly looked around before closing his eyes and took deep breaths. Each time, he was going through his senses. [So Ted was some entity that had the power to reincarnate me.] He took in another breath. [And from how he talked, it seemed as if he was searching for someone worthy, which means me.] He breathed out. [This would explain why for the past six months, he was adamant on us reading dxd.] He breathed in, veins bulging on his forehead in steadily increasing anger. [But to be taken with so suddenly?!] He was tempted to scream his lungs out in rage. And he almost did, were it not for the voice of Ted suddenly popping into his head. [Sup Igor! You like your body? I reverted you back to when you were four-years old. I gotta say, you were cute as hell a ki-] ¡°Ted!!! What. The. Fuck?!¡± [Ooooooh! You swore again! You actually swore twice in one day! Goodness gracious what would your father say?] ¡°THAT¡¯S THE FUCKING POINT! YOU TOOK ME FROM MY FAMILY!¡± Ted wasn¡¯t affected at all by Igor¡¯s rage. But his tone did lower a bit as he spoke bashfully. [Yeaaaaah¡­about that. *Cough*. Your family is dead. Your father, mother, and younger brother already died.] The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°...¡± Igor closed his eyes. He appeared calm but the way veins were bulging on his arms indicated otherwise. ¡°Ted.¡± His voice came out cold. ¡°Did you-¡± [No no no no no no no! Not at all! Do you take me for a murder hornet?! Jeez Igor. Show lil ¡®ol Teddy some trust.] ¡°...¡± [Okay, listen. Your family was already set to die anyway. Yours, Jimmy¡¯s, Johnny¡¯s, and Matt¡¯s. All your families were going to die one way or another within five-years. I won¡¯t say much about the others but your family is actually a big mafia group in Europe. Your father ¡°escaped¡± the life back in eighty-seven and fled to America. He met your mom and then in ninety-four, you were born. Some time passes, yadda yadda yadda, and like a cliche movie, his past catches up to him. The new leader of the Dimori Syndicate aka, his younger brother, didn¡¯t want anyone challenging his position. Although your dear daddy fled, he still possessed the title of ¡°first-born¡±. Long story short, younger brother was paranoid and decided to track your father. In two-thousand-and-eight, which is today, your dear daddy is tracked down and a bunch of mafia goons wait until night time to gun down your entire family, including you if I didn¡¯t bring you here.] Silence¡­ ¡°You¡¯re lying¡­¡± It took all of his strength for his voice to not waver. ¡°...right?¡± [Not this time blondy. I¡¯ve seen this happen nine times already. Everytime without fail, your family is gunned down during dinnertime.] ¡°...¡± Drip¡­Drip¡­ Igor wanted to refute his claims. He wanted to believe that Ted was lying. There was a part of him that believed that Ted was manipulating him. But there was one thing that made him believe Ted. Although his father had fled Italy, he never changed his last name out of pride. This means that if someone looked hard enough, they would eventually track him down. If Ted is to believed, then it truly was a matter of time before¡­everyone died. Holding back his tears, Igor clenched his fists. ¡°So what now?¡± [What now? Well nowwwww¡­.youuuuu¡­TRAAAAIIIIIN! Unleash your youth with your brand new hyperbolic time chamber where one year equals ten year¡¯s worth of training! PLUS, I added in the lifespan feature you wanted. No need to thank me mortal.] Igor was quiet for a while, symphony of cricket chirps and rustling leaves filling the clearing. ¡°FUCK YOU TED!¡± He stormed off to only the gods knew where. [Wait wait wait wait wait, Igor! Don¡¯t you like the time chambe-] ¡°MY FAMILY IS DEAD YOU BASTARD!!!¡± The tears were running freely now. All attempts at holding them back before were rendered completely null. With his eyes covered in a curtain of tears, he stumbled on an exposed root and smashed his head onto the trunk of a tree. Gu! ¡°FUCK!!!¡± Rubbing his forehead, he carried on walking at a brisk, angered pace. Meanwhile, Ted continued to try and calm Igor. [Families die all the time Igor. I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re so bummed out really.] Igor came to an abrupt stop, his eyes covered by the fringes of his golden hair. ¡°Send me back.¡± [Huh?] ¡°Send me back!!!¡± [Sorry bud. I can¡¯t-] ¡°You have to!!!! You have to send me back!!!¡± Anger seeped into Ted¡¯s voice. [And you¡¯ll do what?!] ¡°I¡¯LL KILL THEM ALL!!!¡± [WITH WHAT STRENGTH?!] ¡°...¡± Igor flopped down onto his knees and began to sob uncontrollably. The realisation that even if he was to be sent back to earth, there would be nothing he could do. [*Sigh*. Listen here blondy. You¡¯re weak and pathetic. Even if I could send you back, you wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to those hitmen. You haven¡¯t trained in any sort of martial art and you barely know how to fire a gun. Your physique is shit and your mentality is piss poor as well, seeing as you¡¯re losing your shit just from finding out your family d-] ¡°But-¡± [SHUT UP! YOUR FAMILY IS DEAD AND THERE¡¯S JACK SHIT YOU CAN DO TO REVERSE THAT! INSTEAD OF WHINING LIKE A BITCH, LIVE ON AND GET STRONGER BECAUSE IF YOU DON¡¯T, YOU¡¯LL CONTINUE TO LOSE PEOPLE!] ¡°I-¡± [MAN THE FUCK UP-] ¡°AND YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!¡± There was silence for a while before Ted spoke. [Well¡­will you look at that. Looks like Blondy here does have a spine. Telling an entity that can switch timelines like underwear, look fifteen yet be older than your entire lineage and transport you across the multiverse¡­to shut the fuck up?] Igor clenched his teeth in silence, before wiping the tears with his forearm. ¡°Yeah¡­shut the fuck up, Ted.¡± His gaze was steely, his will unwavering. Igor didn¡¯t care anymore. His family¡¯s dead anyway and he has no one here to care about. He¡¯s got nothing left to lose. Even if Ted kills him, it would be the same as release. But instead of feeling unimaginable pain, he only heard Ted¡¯s laughter resound throughout his mind. [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YES!!! THAT IS THE LOOK OF A MAN! THOSE EYES OF STEEL!!! IF I WASN¡¯T SURE BEFORE¡­then I¡¯m certainly sure now. Blondy-no. Igor von Dimori. You have lost everyone you love and everything you¡¯ve ever known. You are stuck in a world that gives zero fucks about your grief. All the plot armour is hogged by Hyoudou and there¡¯s no magical beast in your belly to save you in a pinch. You can bitch, moan, and complain all you want but the world will still revolve and no one will come and console a snot-nosed brat like you. You have no tits that you can use to gain sympathy and no cunt to sell your way to the top. All you have are your fists that you can use to forge a path forward and your pride as a man to keep you sane. Because if you don¡¯t, you will get killed sooner or later.] He let the words sink in and simmer within Igor¡¯s brain before continuing. [So I ask you. Are you ready to train for a thousand years like you said you would, or were those just empty words from a pansy.] Silence¡­ *Sniff* Standing up, Igor¡¯s gaze became resolute. It was as if a burden had been taken off his shoulders. At this moment, his eyes showed not the gaze of an innocent teenager¡­but that of a budding man. ¡°Don¡¯t call a son of Dimori a pansy.¡± Chapter 3 Standing up, Igor¡¯s gaze became resolute. It was as if a burden had been taken off his shoulders. At this moment, his eyes showed not the gaze of an innocent teenager¡­but that of a budding man. ¡°Don¡¯t call a son of Dimori a pansy.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this.¡± After an hour of silence to grieve, Igor had finally put the death of his family behind him. It somewhat helped that he didn¡¯t witness it or else he would need a day. [Oh Goody! Goody goody goody! The time chamber is a part of you like a sacred gear and since you already know it exists, you shouldn¡¯t have much trouble activating it. Finally, never give up Igor.] His tone turned serious. [In my eighty years of searching for a suitable prospect, you are the only one who has managed to pass my criteria. So no matter what, don¡¯t give up. Because if you do, then you won¡¯t be able to handle the higher stages.] Igor was silent, slowly accepting everything. His family was dead and even if he was allowed to be sent back, he would immediately be killed. With his options locked, Igor stared at the moonlit skies with a solemn, yet steadfast gaze. ¡°Understood.¡± [Goody-] ¡°Time chamber activate.¡± Interrupted by Igor¡¯s stern, yet childish tone, Ted watched from his bed with a dry gaze as Igor vanished in a circular column of white light. Fuuush [...] With the rectangular window in front of him showing the clearing where Igor was last seen, Ted simply turned to sleep. ¡°I don¡¯t know how his brain works, but I¡¯ve never seen a human get strong without at the very least, having a system. Instead of becoming a gamer, the blonde bastard chose to rely on himself.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but release a smirk. ¡°Heh~ I really look forward to seeing how far Dimori-chan will grow.¡± . |DxD| . Igor looked around with a calculative gaze at his surroundings. The entire place looked almost exactly like the hyperbolic time chamber from Dragon Ball. From the two massive hourglasses to the dome buildings. The white tiles on the floor only expanded a dozen or so metres, before surrendering to ash-coloured ground that extended far past the horizon. The sky was equally, if not darker in colour. But the beautiful streaks of different coloured lights forming auroras more than made up for the lack of greenery. Making his way to the building, Igor spotted three doors. One was massive and stood in the middle. [Most likely the exit.] To his left and right were smaller doors. Going to the one on his right first, he opened it and it revealed a massive kitchen with equally massive shelves and one steel door with a temperature control panel next to it. [A fridge?] A small smile came to his childish form. ¡°Nice.¡± He walked on over to the fridge, eager to see what was stocked inside. Opening it, he found entire carcasses of skinned and gutted animals. He could see the beheaded frozen carcasses of sheep, goats, and cows hanging on hooks. Each row had about twenty of each animal. Then on the sides, beheaded, de-feathered, and gutted, were steel trays of frozen chicken. At the far end of the room behind a glass door, he could see shelves containing numerous eggs, milk and various other foods that require refrigeration. Having seen enough, he walked out while sporting a contemplative look. [Does the food regenerate or will I have to hunt it myself in the future?] His pondering stopped when he stepped outside the kitchen. Now to his right, was the exit and in front of him, was another unexplored room. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this one has.¡± Looking at the doorhandle that was a few centimetres higher than him, a momentary twitch of the eyebrow was all Igor gave before opening it. [I hate being short.] But that little bit of grievance in his heart was washed away when, upon opening the door, he was greeted with literally, hundreds of various weights, barbells, kettlebells,etc. There were also dozens of different machines, each tailored to training different body parts. There was also a treadmill and other fitness equipment. All in all, this room was packed to the brim with various training equipment that would make the likes of Maito Gai salivate. But all of this paled in comparison to what Igor saw next. Just as his eyes were glossing over a smith machine situated at the right corner of the room, out of the corner of his eye, he saw what seemed to be two temperature control panels. Swiveling his head towards the two panels, he gave a confused ¡°Huh?¡± before moving to take a closer look. Both panels were right by the door so he didn¡¯t have to walk far. Finally getting to them, he looked at the one on the right. From the LED display, it was a pretty standard air conditioner that could calculate temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. But to the left, he squinted for a bit when next to the number ¡®1¡¯, he saw the symbol ¡®g¡¯. He briefly wondered what ¡®1g¡¯ meant for a bit before it finally clicked. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Stretching his hand towards the keypad, he pressed the backspace button before typing in ¡®2¡¯. Pressing the slightly larger square button in the centre, the change was gradual. ¡°?!¡± It first started with his organs feeling as if they were pressing onto his pelvis. The shortness of breath came quickly. Before his knees could even wobble, Igor hastily pressed the reset button on the dial. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He heaved a sigh of relief when the gravity came back to normal. ¡°Finall-¡± He quickly had to stop himself from vomiting as his organs readjusted to normal gravity again. It took a while before he recovered. But dutifully keeping a hand over his mouth, he couldn¡¯t help but think to himself. [Just increasing gravity by a single unit would bring me to my knees. I really have my work cut out for me.] Brushing himself off, he continued to walk through the gym hall until he came across another room. It was your standard bedroom with another door leading to the bathroom. The bedroom itself was pretty spartan with only the bare essentials. There was another door as well besides the one to the bathroom. Opening it, Igor was stumped to see three rows of shelves littered with multitudes of books. To the sides of the small library, were shelves containing scroll casings. He walked to the shelf in the middle and picked up the lone book that was placed on top of it. ¡®Ki or Chakra. The Dilemma¡¯ Finding himself gaining interest, he carried the book out of the library, resolving himself to start reading it once he¡¯s done. Walking out, he soon left the building and came outside. He briefly took in the scene and let out a sigh. ¡°I feel¡­at peace.¡± Maybe it had something to do with the silence. Maybe the relaxing sound of the sand falling through the small gap in the hour glasses relaxed his mind. Either or, the solitude gave Igor enough peace of mind that everything would be alright. Feeling the hardness of the book in his arms, he sat down on the steps and began reading. [I have a long way to go. So I might as well start here.] ¡®I do not know who is reading this book of mine, nor do I care. However, I do know you¡¯re human¡­hopefully. If you are anything other than human, then please close this book as it will be of no use to you. If you are indeed human, then carry on reading my young friend. Getting straight to the point, you can call me Nakamura and I am a demigod. If you do not know what that means, here is a brief explanation. Being a demigod means that I failed to open the 10th Gate and ascend into becoming a god, causing me to regress back to the 9th Gate and become a demigod. If you do not know what THAT means, then we have a lot of work to do. But that is besides the point. You¡¯re here because you want to know what energy system to follow. For starters, let¡¯s break those energy systems down. The first and foremost, is ki. Ki is energy generated from your lifeforce and can be used to either create, or destroy. I won¡¯t get into the specifics yet. The second energy type is chakra. Chakra is the energy of the world that you can absorb. That¡¯s about as blunt as I can get. Chakra is generated by the world and while it can also create and destroy, chakra is far more versatile than ki. Again, I won¡¯t get into the specifics. Now, to determine what energy system you¡¯ll use, will depend on two fundamental things. One is what type of human you are and whether or not there is a demon that can help you. Yes, I said ¡°demon¡±. Reason being, demons are literal manifestations of chakra and if you have a demon at your side, they can help you hone your chakra. Otherwise, ki will be your default go-to. The reason why I say that young one is quite simple. Unless you have the lifespan, don¡¯t even bother practicing chakra without the help of a demon. In fact, even if you do somehow have the lifespan, practicing chakra on your own will take so long to the point that it would be more cost-effective to practice ki. But don¡¯t get so down and out yet. In the future, you will have the option of practicing both energy types. After all, humans are unique in their ability to adapt to anything. And that is where the ¡®type¡¯ of human you are comes into play. Humans are divided into three types.
  1. Yahweh¡¯s Human (Ancient)
These, my friend, are the humans of the humans. The best of the best. The cream of the crop. It doesn¡¯t get better than this. I never personally knew Yahweh but I sure as hell knew the monsters he created. These creations of his dominated the southern galaxy. Even if the human didn¡¯t train at all, they had enough power to destroy entire cities. That is how powerful they were. Now, there are many powerful races so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to keep humans in check¡­except for one reason. There is no other race that is as powerful and STILL as fertile as Yahweh¡¯s humans. Typically, the stronger the race, the less fertile they are. This is to preserve the natural order of the universe. This did not apply to humans. Anyway, I¡¯m rambling here but just know that ancient humans, were insanely strong, with insane potential, and insane fertility. If, somehow, you are this human type, then you can read for your pleasure.
  1. Yahweh¡¯s Human (Cursed)
How the mighty have fallen. These, my friend, are the result of arrogance. After thousands of years, Yahweh finally had enough of the arrogance of his creations and cursed them, taking away their strength and sealing their potential. The blow was so hard that the empire humans controlled shrunk from the entire galaxy, to their birth planet called, Earth. If you are this type of human, then you really, really, really, REALLY, have a lot of work to do. And you better have a way to extend your lifespan because if you want to break the curse Yahweh placed on you, you might need a century¡­or two.
  1. Human
This is the human type that I am and they can be considered the original human. These humans were born from the union between an angel and a demon. *Breathes in*. Here¡¯s the sad part. Instead of being super powerful hybrids that would rule the universe, these humans were like the result of what happens when brother and sister do adult things. The exact opposite happened. Instead of being powerful, these humans were born immensely weak. Why that is so is because of the clash between chakra and ki in their bodies. Chakra and ki are complete polar opposites. Having both energies inside their bodies wreaked havoc, causing these humans to have a lifespan of less than a century. If you are this type of human, then you have a bit more leeway than cursed humans. Your body and soul just have to get strong enough and you¡¯ll be able to trump the lifespan issue. It sounds easy until you find out you only have until the age of fifty. Either way, these are the three types of humans you have to work with. If you¡¯re an ancient human, it will be obvious. Unless you can jump onto the roof of your house in one bound, then you¡¯re either a cursed human or¡­an inbred(?) human. If you¡¯re my brother from another mother, then at some point in your life, you should¡¯ve felt like something had been tearing through your chest and stomach. If not, and your life was as ordinary as can be, then you¡¯re a descendant of Adam himself. But regardless, it doesn¡¯t really matter what type of human you are. You are either an ancient human or you are not. If you are not, then you have to prepare to train as intensely as you can because you cannot get anywhere, without overcoming the curse or energies that plague your body. What I want you to do now young one, is to close this book and think things properly. Understand that taking the path to earning strength comes with its own challenges and adversities. There will be blood shed and tears wept because once you join the supernatural world, it will be the same as becoming a tall tree amongst a field of grass. Close this book now and properly sort out your thoughts.¡¯ Following the book¡¯s instructions, Igor closed it. Sitting on the steps, he gazed at the auroras gently shifting in the sky. ¡°Old man Nakamura. There is nothing in life that I want more than to be powerful. I am fully aware of what being powerful entails. If I remain as the weakling I am, I can hide amongst the mundane with little risk of being culled. Powerful entities will ignore me like how I ignore grass. But if I start to grow, I will attract their attention, especially since I¡¯m a human without a sacred gear1 enhancing my growth.¡± His fists clenched as a challenging grin rose to his face. ¡°But that¡¯s the point! What¡¯s the point of growing stronger if I don¡¯t meet challenges? It will be all the more enjoyable once I reach the top!¡± He stood up, a mean gaze of determination glinting in his eyes. ¡°I am a man and a man must seek power. With all of this at my fingertips, I would be a failure of a man if I didn¡¯t take a chance.¡± He raised his head to the sky. ¡°I, am Igor von Dimori! And I will become the strongest existence in this universe!¡± . AN
  1. ¡°But if I start to grow, I will attract their attention, especially since I¡¯m a human without a sacred gear*enhancing my growth.¡±
Explanation: the time chamber isn¡¯t a sacred gear. It is LIKE a sacred gear in that it is situated in Igor¡¯s soul. But it does not in any shape or form, improve Igor¡¯s physique like other sacred gears¡­not passively anyway. Chapter 4 1991-1995, August 6th (Sun), Kuoh Town, Japan (Hyperbolic Time Chamber=40 years) . ¡°Ninety¡­niiiine¡­huff, huff, huff, huff¡­One-thousannnd.¡± Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! The barbell fell off his shoulder to the ground. He stumbled forward a bit due to the sudden weight loss. It didn¡¯t help that he just did squats with a total of a hundred and twenty-kilograms in ten-times the normal gravity of Earth. *Breathes in¡­* ¡°Fuuuh¡­¡± He opened his eyes, wiping a drop of sweat that ran down his cheeks. ¡°That was a good one. My legs feel like noodles right now.¡± Igor looked at himself in the mirror. After nearly forty-years of hard training, his body had gained massive definition. The combination of torturous training in increased gravity coupled with herb-filled baths allowed his strength to soar to previously unattainable heights. He had grown* taller as of late, taller than an eight-year old would be. While gravity should¡¯ve worked in keeping him short, the healing herbs he bathed in everyday worked to mitigate that side-effect. And while Igor did grow taller, it was because his body was forced to. In order to better handle the strain that he inflicted on it, the growth of his body was required. In short, while his bone age would remain the same as that of a four-year old, the density of them was something else entirely. Igor made his way to the bathroom while stretching his body on the way. He didn¡¯t even bother turning off the enhanced gravity. Entering the bathroom, he made his way to the massive cupboard that kept the stock of herbs. Upon opening it to find it nearing empty, he sighed. ¡°That time is coming again.¡± He took one of the three last bundles of herbs and threw them in the bathtub. [What a pain.] Turning on the faucet, he allowed himself to mellow on the thought a bit before shrugging. ¡°Meh. I¡¯ll just make do with training outside the chamber.¡± He took off his clothes, armbands, and boots that landed on the ground with an audible ¡®thud¡¯. Looking at his weighted clothing on the ground, he couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°Armbands: 30 kgs each. Boots: 60 kgs each. Undershirt: 100kgs. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t wear weighted pants though, the boots do make up for it. But I should get weighted leg warmers as well.¡± He jumped into the bath and leaned his head against the still-running faucet. Feeling the hot water run all over his face, his body vibrated in pleasure. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yeaaah. This is the stuff.¡± He let his body soak up the essence of the herbs in silence. He made sure to stay completely submerged just for the sake of it. It helped improve his lung capacity and if the herbs could make him have a manlier face, then it was all the more motivation. Over the years, Igor had worked hard and faithfully followed the book written by Nakamura. In the end, he had chosen to use ki since he really didn¡¯t have a demon that could help him. He did consider MAYBE, getting a contract with a devil but Nakamura said in his book that devils were a deviation of angels, not true demons. Devils were simply angels that managed to incorporate the spiritual aspect of chakra (called mana) into their ki. Such a combination is referred to as magic. It is a good substitute for chakra but while magic inherited the benefits of both sides, it lost the power. It was to the point that Nakamura stressed in his book that it was better to learn ki on its own. ¡®While magic offers mild benefits from both chakra and ki, you do not want to be in a fight with someone who purely uses ki or chakra young one. To put it in simple terms, you will get smashed.¡¯ So with that information, Igor took to working on his ki. For the first five years, he couldn¡¯t unlock it. The curse from Yahweh weakened his potential and insight so much that he had to train extremely hard to compensate. So everyday without fail, he got up and trained as hard as he could. He would hole himself up in the gym and work on his muscles like his life depended on it. He found his maximum lifting power and worked on that. As long as he could lift it for one rep, he would stick with that weight until he got used to it. By engaging in such a style of workout, he forcefully tapped into his body¡¯s reserve power, forcing it to flood through his body. It also did wonders for his willpower since despite feeling intense vibrations in his arms and calves, he forced himself to continue lifting until he couldn¡¯t feel them. While this style of workout would¡¯ve rendered him crippled, the herbal baths worked wonders in healing him. But the herbal baths could only do so much before his body truly needed rest to adapt. So every three or four days, he would take the time to walk far into the landscape of the time chamber. With only the clothes on his body and a straw mat tucked between his elbows, he would willingly walk into areas with spontaneous weather changes to temper his body and willpower. He would sit on the straw mat and meditate, releasing occasional grunts of pain. But gradually and through repetition, he adapted. ¡®Only through repeatedly breaking your limits, can you soar into the skies.¡¯ Such practice finally allowed him to tap into his ki during his fifth year of training. He just woke up one morning and felt that his body was lighter than before. When he meditated to see what had changed, he was full of joy when he felt a foreign energy run through his body. It was a wonderful tingling sensation that was produced from every cell in his body before converging in his stomach. When he tried to circulate the ki, he was surprised to find that it came to him instinctually. He could easily manipulate his ki like his own hands. Such a monumental occasion gave a world of boost to his confidence and conviction. So out of awe and curiosity, Igor tried to direct the ki outside of his body and the result¡­was like releasing so hard he reached nirvana. He had promptly passed out for the next three days. When he woke up, he quickly consulted Nakamura¡¯s book and found that; ¡®Upon awakening ki, please do take care not to release it outside of your body, young one. The ki you gain upon awakening is only a miniscule amount. Releasing all of it outside is the same as draining yourself of all your blood at once. So for the first few days, only release the ki through your fingers just to get a control of it. To increase the amount of ki in your body, you have to continue training vigorously. The stronger your body, the more ki it can store. And the stronger your will and convictions, the purer your ki will be.¡¯ And so for the next thirty-five years, Igor held true to the doctrine of the grind. Pumping up the gravity while wearing weighted clothing, Igor diligently trained himself. He also didn¡¯t neglect to practice martial techniques. Favouring martial arts that focused on speed and precision, he worked to create his own mixed martial arts technique that incorporated techniques from Wing Chun, Boxing, and Muay Thai. With the passive benefits of ki enhancing his strength coupled with the harsh conditions of the lookout, his strength soared to high levels. Getting out of the bath, Igor made his way to his bedroom. Knowing what was about to happen tomorrow, he didn¡¯t sleep naked like usual. Instead, he wore his martial arts robes and boots. His attire was dull blue in colour while his undershirt, armbands, belt, and boots were black in colour. [The timer¡¯s going to run out soon and I¡¯ll be kicked out for a month.] It was an abrupt discovery that had caught him off-guard thirty years ago. One moment he was sleeping in his bed and in the next, he was waking up on the forest floor. Upon trying to reenter the time chamber, he panicked when he realised he couldn¡¯t enter. He could only look at it like one looks at items through a window. He was about to lose his mind when he caught a glimpse of the two hourglasses slowly rotating. It was then that it clicked in his mind that he could only stay for a certain amount of time before leaving. So he stayed within the forests of kuoh and brought meat from butcheries with money stolen from¡­less-than savoury people. It was also during this time that the time chamber restocked itself on all required necessities and also, cleaned itself. Igor was especially happy with the last feature. So calling it a night, he let himself fall asleep. . |DxD| . In a small bedroom filled with all kinds of dolls and stuffed toys, a five-year-old girl with long black hair and violet eyes was looking at the calendar with avid anticipation. ¡®August 7th ¡® was circled with a bright red marker while the preceding dates were crossed out. ¡°W-will he be there again?¡± . AN
  1. ¡°He had grown* taller as of late, taller than an eight-year old would be. While gravity should¡¯ve worked in keeping him short, the healing herbs he bathed in everyday worked to mitigate that side-effect. And while Igor did grow taller, it was because his body was forced to¡­¡±
Explanation: As specified, his growth is a result of adaptation. For his body to handle the immense loads Igor places on it, it had to grow. A wider centre of gravity, wider shoulders, etc. To put it simply, it is like a truck having its 360hp engine swapped for a 560hp engine. The latter option can cope with higher loads. Chapter 5 In a small bedroom filled with all kinds of dolls and stuffed toys, a five-year-old girl with long black hair and violet eyes was looking at the calendar with avid anticipation. ¡®August 7th ¡® was circled with a bright red marker while the preceding dates were crossed out. ¡°W-will he be there again?¡± . |DxD| . In the forests of Kuoh, Igor opened his eyes to witness himself on the forest floor. His gaze was especially dull since he could feel a dry leaf try its hardest to pierce into the back of his neck. He sat up and set to immediately scratch that itch. ¡°Here we go again.¡± He stood up and proceeded to stretch his body. Satisfying cracks ruptured his body before he finally put his hands down. ¡°Man, I didn¡¯t eat anything last night. Let me see if I can find myself some food in town.¡± A light aura of blue ki surrounded his body before he flew off. While Igor flew away, a slight rustle came from behind a tree before a girl walked out. ¡°He really came¡­¡± Akeno was joyous to see that her guess had paid off. She had only managed to get a glance of Igor twice, with this time being the third. It was when she was three-years old that she first met him. She was depressed after the children she played with called her a monster after seeing her wings. Luckily, her father was nearby so he was able to erase the memories of the children and their parents. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to play with them after enduring their harsh words. So she had taken to playing by herself in the forest. That was when on a particular day, she stumbled upon Igor who was meditating in a small clearing. While she would¡¯ve walked away if that was all, she was shocked to discover that Igor was actually hovering above the ground. This defied all notions since she could clearly tell that he was human. And so for the next month, she would follow him around. With her inherent stealth* capabilities, she could evade his senses fairly easily. Knowing which patch of ground to step on and how much distance she should place between them came naturally to her. When she saw him vanish in a column of white light, she ran home to her mother to tell her about everything she saw. For the next year, Akeno would routinely fly through the forest. While playing with some of the animals there, she would keep an eye out for the ¡®mysterious¡¯ boy. While the passage of time did dampen her mood, she kept playing in the forest just for the sake of it. But on the 7th of August, 1994, she was elated again. Because there he was again, meditating just like last time. Like before, she followed him around. With childish curiosity at its finest, she was able to keep hidden from him like before. Most of her day revolved around watching Igor practice. From him going through his katas, to playing around with his ki. It was only at sunset that Akeno would quietly retreat home while Igor would finally go into the city to buy himself a large, evening meal. This routine continued for another month, with Igor remaining ignorant of his stalker. And so after 35 days, he reentered the time chamber for another decade of training. This time, Akeno had made sure to record the date that Igor had arrived, much to her mother¡¯s amusement when she told her again. Back to the present, Akeno walked over to where Igor was previously sleeping. ¡°Huh?¡± She was surprised when she saw a wad of yen notes bound in rubber bands. She was about to reach down to pick it up when she heard a heavy thud and a pair of black boots coming into view. ¡°Waah!¡± Two raven-black wings came out of her back as she instinctively flew back in fear. She looked up to see Igor staring at her with a confused, but wary gaze. ¡°And then?¡± Her fear compounded when she saw an outline of blue energy surround him. ¡°What the hell is a little chick doing here?¡± . |DxD| . While flying in the air, Igor savoured the feel of the wind brushing upon his his face. His loose fitting blue gi allowed for the wind to slam into his chest, eliciting a satisfying feeling. But as he flew faster, the coins in the pockets of his pants started jingling. Annoyed by the sound, he put his hand inside to hold them in place. But upon not feeling the thick roll of paper money, Igor immediately halted his flight. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Ah!¡± He began turning out his pockets and patted himself down. ¡°Damnit! That was my hard-earned cash.¡± Those were his savings that he ¡®lawfully¡¯ earned after working as a freelance tax-collector. So finding that his money wasn¡¯t on him, he flew back to where he woke up, hoping that it fell out of his pocket there and god forbid, not during his flight. As he got closer, he noticed a little girl stand over where he was. She was in a light purple dress and was barefoot. While her long hair looked pretty, he didn¡¯t care about that. All he saw was that she was about to take his money. [Oh hell no!] That spurned him to fly faster. Eventually, he got there just as she bent over. Fortunately, his heavy landing scared the girl into flying back. Bending down to get his stack, he stood straight up and looked at her. ¡°And then?¡± It was then that he finally noticed her wings. They were those of a fallen angel and that was enough for him to be cautious. He knew full well about how there were existences that looked no older than a 5-year old and yet be older than entire dynasties. As such, he primed his ki, readying himself for any sudden movements. ¡°What the hell is a little chick doing here?¡± Akeno who was initially scared, forgot her fear after hearing the way she was addressed. ¡°I¡¯m not a little chick! You¡¯re a little chick!¡± Looking at her pout, Igor couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh. His previous wariness was gone after witnessing her little outburst. ¡°Pfft. Sure¡­sure. But, I¡¯m not the one with wings.¡± Akeno gasped when she finally realised that her wings were out. She hastily retracted them and looked at Igor fearfully. ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t see them¡­right?¡± Igor looked at her with a confused smile. He then looked at the floor in contemplation before looking at her again. He looked at Akeno deeply, almost analytically. This caused her to shiver a bit, the levels of fear increasing. Eventually Igor palmed his forehead. ¡°You had your wings out for a good ten seconds little chick. I doubt I can forget them. But besides that, what is a little chick like you doing so far out here?¡± This time, she wasn¡¯t as antagonistic to the term ¡®little chick¡¯. She was more surprised that this human boy in front of her wasn¡¯t hostile after finding out her fallen angel heritage. Granted, Akeno knew he was part of the supernatural since no normal human could fly around or emit mystical energy. But previous experience told her that humans would either fear her, or show outright hostility. It was why she never tried to initiate contact since she still had that fear of rejection. But upon seeing his nonchalance at her extra appendages, there was a sparkle of hope in her eyes. ¡°You-you¡¯re not¡­scared?¡± A normal person would get down on one knee, rub her head, and reassure her that they were not scared. But for Igor, it was different. ¡°Pfft¡­pfft¡­PFFT¡­Pwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!¡± ¡°I-¡± ¡°Hahahahahahahahaha!¡± ¡°Hey-¡± ¡°AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Tears of laughter were coming out of Igor¡¯s eyes while angry loli noises were escaping Akeno. ¡°S-Stop it!!!¡± Tears of indignation clouded her eyes, causing Igor to pause a bit. But upon looking at her tiny hands clenched into fists and her puffed up cheeks, he couldn¡¯t help but wheeze before doubling over in laughter. ¡°Haaaaaaahahahahahahahaha!¡± He couldn¡¯t help himself. Everytime he looked at her, he found it hilarious that she thought he would be scared of her. Eventually, he laughed so hard that his stomach started cramping up, causing him to place both hands on it. ¡°Haaa¡­little chick. You¡¯re very small, you know? How could I be afraid of a little chick like you?¡± Akeno girl got so mad that steam might as well have been coming out of her. ¡°I¡¯m not a little chick! I¡¯m Akeno!¡± Igor walked forward and ruffled her hair. ¡°Yeah yeah yeah. I hear you loud and clear¡­little chick~¡± ¡°Raagh!¡± Akeno flung herself forward and tried to bite his arm. Igor gave off a condescending smile, nimbly dodging her with minimal movement. He repeatedly tapped her forehead with his fingers while Akeno waved her hands around in irritation. Eventually, Igor jumped back slightly while Akeno lunged after him. ¡°Stand sti-waaa!¡± She tripped over an exposed root, the same root Igor tripped over years ago. But while he had no one to catch him, Akeno did. Scooping up the little lass, he swung her over his head before seating her on his shoulders. ¡°Woah there! Watch your step, little chick.¡± Akeno reflexively placed her hands underneath his chin for safety, even though his hands were interlocked behind her back. ¡°Hmph!¡± She had enough of his teasing attitude. Igor simply smiled before he began floating. This caused Akeno to lean over and hold onto him like a ball., much to Igor¡¯s chagrin. ¡°Oi little chick! Your hair is getting in my face.¡± Akeno spotted her chance to get back at him. So she shook her head vigorously, making sure that the strands of her hair got everywhere. [Hmph! How do you like that?] But Igor already had a fix for the problem. Since he was already hovering above the ground, he simply tilted himself backwards while loosening the grip he had on her back. Akeno immediately began crushing his neck with her legs while holding on for dear life. Her eyes were closed while her cheeks were pressed against his hair. ¡°Stop it you bully!¡± With as monotone a voice as he could muster, Igor replied. ¡°I¡¯m not a bully. I am big brother. Call me-pfft. C-call me big brother and I will let you go.¡± In all honesty, it was quite fun teasing her like this. She was his first genuine social interaction in forty years. Talking to store clerks at the checkout and milking money from gang leaders didn¡¯t count as genuine social interactions. Unfortunately, even the voice of Goku in his head didn¡¯t count as well. But regretfully, all good things must come to an end. There was a sudden tension in the air as Igor felt a monumental pressure press down on him. ¡°AKENO!!!!!¡± Igor righted himself up instantly. He saw a middle-aged man with black hair, full beard, and a muscular body. Ten black wings were unfurled behind him as he rushed towards Igor. ¡°LET GO OF MY DAUGHTER!¡± Golden lightning covered his right fist as he cocked it back while his left hand stretched out to retrieve Akeno. Igor stood shocked at the sudden turn of events, his lack of combat experience shining bright like a diamond. BOOOM . AN
  1. With her inherent stealth* capabilities, she could evade his senses fairly easily.
Explanation: Akeno is known to have an unprecedented ability in stealth. Proof of this is being able to evade the pursuit of the Himejima clan that wanted to kill her. She was ten at the time and was able to outsmart them for months. To rub salt in the wound, she also partook to exorcising ghosts and spirits whilst being pursued. That means she was able to hide her tracks relatively well. She definitely wasn¡¯t trained to be stealthy growing up and when she was being pursued, there was no time to learn on the go since a complete newbie would¡¯ve been caught within the first week. This leaves inherent talent. Either that or she read too many true crime novels. Chapter 6 ¡°LET GO OF MY DAUGHTER!¡± BOOOM A massive fist landed on Igor¡¯s chest, sending him flying through multiple trees. Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Crack Baraquiel was about to give chase when Akeno grabbed him by the arm. ¡°Wait daddy! I know him! I know him!¡± Baraquiel looked at his daughter¡¯s begging expression. But before he could even provide a reaction, Igor came flying back. A blue aura of ki covered his form with a noticeable chunk of it converged on his fist. Glaring at Baraquiel with veiled anger, Igor cocked his fist back¡­and let it loose. ¡°Bastard!¡± BOOOM Baraquiel was too busy throwing Akeno out of the way to properly block Igor¡¯s punch. But he managed to block it nonetheless with the only consequence of being sent sliding across the ground. A tree behind him managed to block his path. But Igor was not done yet. ¡°Punching me out of nowhere?!¡± The boy powered up again, his blonde hair shaking like ruffled feathers. ¡°Punch your mother!¡± He gave chase. At this point, Baraquiel had flexed open his wings and readied himself. But upon seeing Igor¡¯s speed, slight shock formed on his face. [Is he still human?] CLASH He blocked Igor¡¯s punch with a cross-guard and countered with a kick to his stomach. Igor was pushed back by the kick. But immediately, he opened his mouth and released a blast wave from his mouth in retaliation. ¡°RAAAH!¡± Although Baraquiel was caught off guard again, centuries of combat experience allowed him to sidestep. The blast wave barreled its way through a few trees before Igor cut off the supply of ki in favour of blocking Baraquiel¡¯s light spear. Whoosh¡­CLANG But despite his lack of combat experience, Igor supplemented that with knowledge. Having coated his finger with ki, he slapped the spear away and got into his nameless stance. The two of them stared at each other, one in surprise and the other in focused fury. The physical discrepancy between them was as clear as night and day. Baraquiel was tall and wore a grey robe. Ten wings were unfurled behind him in preparation to either evade or attack. He took no noticeable stance, only standing tall with his arms hanging at his side. In comparison, Igor looked short with his current stature of an eleven-year old child. With his feet placed shoulder-width apart and his hips squared towards Baraquiel, it looked like a reenactment of a David vs Goliath fight. His knees were bent at the ready, his arms raised with his hands in a protective guard. His elbows were tucked close to his body, ready to defend or launch a quick counter-strike. Baraquiel immediately recognised the basis of his stance. Having lived a long life and witnessed the birth of many martial arts, his experience allowed him to discern origins of Igor¡¯s stance at a glance. [The open guard of muay thai, the inward-facing elbows of wing chun and the high guard of boxing.] Unknowingly, a slight smile came to his face. [His stance needs some working on, but this is already better than almost every martial artist¡¯s I¡¯ve seen. Nonetheless, it has truly been a while since I¡¯ve seen such talent in a human.] In that moment, Baraquiel got into a similar stance as Igor, abandoning any tactics for evasion. He saw his daughter flying over but before she could speak, he stopped her with a motion of his hand while keeping his gaze on Igor. His eyes which were usually closed, analysed Igor. ¡°Boy-¡± Swoosh¡­CLANG ¡° ¡®Boy¡¯, my foot!¡± He unleashed a high kick that would¡¯ve smashed Baraquiel¡¯s chin should the man not have blocked it with his forearm. But Igor didn¡¯t stop there. He swung his other leg in order to try and get a heel kick to Baraquiel¡¯s forehead. But the Fallen quickly blocked Igor with his other arm. ¡°Tch!¡± Igor jumped back from Baraquiel, especially after noticing his wings poised to stab him. Being called ¡®boy¡¯ was the same as an insult to Igor. Having short blonde hair and blue eyes made him a ¡°pretty boy¡±. In addition to his short stature in his previous world, it was a complex he despised in his previous world and it continued in this one. He was about to charge up a ki blast when his field of vision was filled with the black sole of a boot. ¡°?!¡± He quickly put up his guard. Boom¡­pssshhhh He slid across the ground, his arms tingling from the kick. He almost tripped over an exposed root but a graceful backflip saved him some face (respect). But Baraquiel didn¡¯t stop right there. Dozens of light spears formed around him and with a gesture of his hand, sent them after Igor. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. [Sh-SHIT!] Igor began dodging on the spot like his life depended on it. What he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge, he slapped away with his hands. But the spears were coming at him so incessantly that his hands were beginning to ache from deflecting so many spears. [For Christ¡¯s sake, PLEASE GET TIRED!] He was releasing metaphorical tears at this point. He cursed himself for attacking whilst still wearing weighted clothing. It was making his movements awkward and restricted. He could practically hear his joints and ligaments hurling curses because of the strenuous movement lag caused by the armbands and boots. The heat of the situation was getting to him and his stamina was depleting at a worrying rate. He briefly eyed Akeno, considering whether to make a break for it and use her as a hostage. Baraquiel naturally noticed his gaze and he already made a decision in his head. [Regardless of how much potential he has, I will kill him if he touches my daughter.] Fortunately, Igor had too much pride to use a little girl as a shield. He found a gap in the barrage and used a game-inspired move derived from dragon ball games. Although it would consume a great amount of his stamina, he had no other choice he could make at present. He could either consume a great deal of stamina now and escape, or he could hope that the Fallen in front of him would exhaust his stamina. In light of his situation, he quickly made his decision. Focusing a great deal of ki towards his muscles, Igor froze in tension for just the smallest split-second, before instantly vanishing. During that small window of time, a light spear had managed to just slightly pierce the small exposed ¡®V¡¯ of the chest area exposed by his undershirt. It was just about to tunnel through the flesh before it was replaced by empty air, allowing the spear to move forward and pierce through the trunks of four trees before losing its momentum on the fifth. The instant vanish was so fast that the only proof of Igor¡¯s presence was a whistling sound associated with his rapid movement. Appearing just a dozen-or-so-metres away on the branch of a tree, there was a slight lag in the blonde¡¯s movements. His chest heaved a bit, the weight of the stamina drain baring its fangs. [Crap! Instant Vanish still sucks me dry after use. But I can¡¯t stay here. And I need to lose these clothes and regenerate as much of my stamina before I fight him again.] With an objective in mind, he started jumping from tree to tree in an impressive display of acrobatics and speed. While he could¡¯ve used ki to fly away, his stamina recovery would be slower. In his escape, he furiously began taking off his clothes, an unconscious smile marring his face. [I¡¯ll beat that old man black and blue if it¡¯s the last thing I do.] . |DxD| . Baraquiel stood still with his arm outstretched. [You chose well, young warrior.] His gaze held approval for Igor¡¯s choice of action. Meanwhile, Akeno flew over with visible concern on her face. She grabbed Baraquiel¡¯s cloak and pleaded. ¡°Daddy! Please don¡¯t kill him!¡± Akeno was trembling, tears threatening to pour out of her eyes. She was truly scared just then. Watching Igor get assaulted by those spears made her heart threaten to jump out of her chest. Baraquiel rubbed his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Do not worry. I am merely testing him.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Baraquiel was about to elaborate when he suddenly swiveled his head towards the rest of the forest. ¡°Seems as if he is ready.¡± He turned to face Akeno, a warm expression on his face. ¡°Listen, my daughter. Go home and wait for me there. This area is about to become dangerous for you.¡± Akeno wanted to argue, but she knew better. So with some slight hesitation, she rose into the air and flew away. Feeling his daughter¡¯s energy get far away enough, Baraquiel flexed his wings before clenching his fists. ¡°I look forward to what you have in stock, young warrior.¡± With that, he flew with great speed towards where he felt Igor¡¯s ki suddenly spike*. . |DxD| . ¡°Haaa~. That feels SO much better.¡± With his boots, shirt, and armbands flung to the side, Igor stretched himself a bit before his gaze turned serious. [That old man is a tough nut-?!] Swoosh-Swoosh¡­BOOOM A giant plume of dust and scattered rock particles, grass, and sand rose into the sky. Cracks of trees toppling over resounded throughout the clearing. Even from the sky, Igor felt the ground shake, showing just how much power was behind the attack. ¡°...¡± Igor stared at the large crater below him with wide eyes. It was only through the skin of his teeth that he managed to dodge Baraquiel¡¯s descending stomp. He didn¡¯t even have time to finish his inner thoughts before he almost got booted from life¡­literally. His ki churned through his coils. [Being bullied like this¡­] He didn¡¯t train for four decades just to be treated like a mouse. ¡°Fuck it!¡± Swoosh¡­CLANG Zooming in from the skies, he aimed his fist at the head of Baraquiel. But even though it was blocked, he wasn¡¯t going to let up. With his weights tossed aside, his limbs felt as if they were laced with gunpowder. Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang His movements were fast. He was placing Baraquiel on the backpedal. They were zooming through the forest floor, their exchange so fast that the shockwaves uprooted the grass and cracked the bark around them. But even though their exchanges were fast, Baraquiel showed no signs of strenuous physical exertion on his part. He was blocking Igor¡¯s attacks exactly like how a master would block their student¡¯s attacks. This caused a small thrum of fear to form in Igor¡¯s throat. But although there was fear, there was also¡­anticipation. Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Something about going all out against an opponent was¡­ Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom ¡­exhilarating. Even though this was his first genuine opponent, there was a feeling of satisfaction. Swoosh Swoosh¡­CLANG The feel of his blood pumping as he exchanged fists with Baraquiel sent a spark of pleasure through his body. Clang. Swoosh¡­Clang. Swoosh¡­Clang Gradually, fear and uncertainty began to be replaced by joy and surety. Igor and Baraquiel covered the entire forest in their exchange of moves. Branches were split open by stray ki blasts or fists and kicks missing their target. They moved far too fast to be observed by the naked eye. Only the sounds of leaf-rustling sonic booms could be perceived by a mundane third-party. The usual serene environment enhanced by the rising of the morning sun was offset by sounds of sonic booms that caused all manner of wildlife to flee from the scene. As for the two fighters responsible for disturbing the peace, neither showed much care to their wanton destruction. Igor was utilising every single move he had in his belt to score a solid hit on the man. Every part of his body became a hidden weapon. Fists, elbows, knees, feet, and even teeth. He wasn¡¯t above trying to bite Baraquiel. As for the Fallen, he released an approving nod everytime they clashed fists. [His foundation is solid. His energy is pure and abundant. The strength he possesses for his age is astonishing, far surpassing even sacred-gear possessors thrice his age.] CLASH [More importantly, his character is satisfactory.] Throughout this entire fight, Baraquiel did not once detect any killing intent from the lad. And it was not from naivety. He personally verified it. People who¡¯ve killed have a certain look in their eye and an aura that they give off. With Baraquiel having lived for millenniums, he could easily tell that Igor was a killer. Despite the lad¡¯s seemingly brash attitude, Baraquiel could tell that he had killed¡­a lot. This fact only served for him to place the young blonde in higher regard because this meant that he had the necessary conviction to live in this world. [But that isn¡¯t enough.] Baraquiel was coming to a decision¡­a decision that he had never made in a long, long time. In order to make such a decision, he needed to see if Igor had one more thing. FUUUSH [He must have an iron will.] . AN
  1. With that, he flew with great speed towards where he felt Igor¡¯s ki suddenly spike*
Explanation: When Igor is wearing weights, some of his ki will be used in making himself hover above ground to an extent. This is so that he doesn¡¯t leave heavy footprints every time he walks. This also goes for his whole body. Wearing weights puts stress on the joints and ligaments so ki will be unconsciously focused there as well. The reason for the sudden spike in ki however, is that all the ki that was used to prevent the body from being literally torn apart by the weights, is now available for use. Chapter 7 Baraquiel was coming to a decision¡­a decision that he had never made in a long, long time. In order to make such a decision, he needed to see if Igor had one more thing. FUUUSH [He must have an iron will.] . |DxD| . [Shit!] Igor hastily evaded a fist to his chin but couldn¡¯t evade the other one that landed on his chest. Even with his ki acting as armour, Igor still felt his chest threaten to cave in. For the last few minutes, the situation had completely reversed. Before, it seemed as if they were equal. But out of nowhere, Baraquiel suddenly released this intense aura before his power suddenly increased. Now, Igor was being completely overwhelmed. Despite his best efforts, Baraquiel was able to completely dominate him in combat. Baraquiel¡¯s fighting style had also changed. While before, he mimicked Igor¡¯s, now he utilised something completely different. His attacks were more overbearing than before and packed much more power. Even though Igor found them easier to read, just the sheer weight behind those fists and kicks made him feel queasy. Baraquiel¡¯s style of fighting had shifted to one similar to that of a barbarian. His attacks were head on with minimal regard for defence. But even if Igor tried to exploit said lack of defences, one or two of Baraquiel¡¯s wings would block his own counter. That left the blonde starved of choices, and a black eye as a side dish. So Igor could only do his best to evade the attacks. All of his focus was shifted into survival at this point. But Baraquiel wasn¡¯t having it. After delivering a particularly nasty punch to the gut that caused Igor to keel over, he proceeded to land a double axe-handle to the back of the blonde that had him falling to the forest below. Suuuuu-BOOOM A massive plume of dust rose up in the wake of Igor¡¯s crash. Baraquiel stayed in the air, his eyes and senses trained on the crash site below. He could feel that Igor was alive, yet the boy was struggling to move. Igor was lying face down, a stream of blood painting his chin. His eyes were fierce with rage and unwillingness to stay down. But his injuries were getting to him. COUUUGH¡­Cough Cough Cough Cough He spat out a mouthful of blood in one fierce cough that was further followed by smaller subsequent coughs. The force of the impact had caused him to suffer some internal injuries. With some effort, he rolled over to his back, taking deep breaths in the process. His torso suffered bruises and cuts while his pants were littered with tears and dirt. He couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open anymore. Exhaustion had caught up with him. Despite having spent decades training, his body was fundamentally, still young. He had yet to even enter puberty where his body would begin to truly realise one of its fastest stages of growth. Baraquiel looked at the barely breathing pre-teen and scoffed. ¡°BOY! IS THIS TRULY YOUR BEST?!¡± ¡°...¡± Like a trigger, Igor¡¯s eyes opened. Absolute fury was veiled behind those cerulean orbs. The word, ¡®boy¡¯ acted like the ignite required to kickstart the circulation of his ki. Igor slowly got up in a smooth motion, seemingly ignoring the protests of his aching body. Not even a grunt of pain escaped his mouth. Instead, those cold cerulean orbs were trained on the form of Baraquiel. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Then, he hunched over, his arms spreading to his sides and his mouth turning into a vicious snarl. The word ¡®boy¡¯ replayed in his head over and over again while yellow ki balls formed in his hands. ¡°Calling me ¡®boy¡¯ over and over again¡­¡± The veins on his face were bulging due to his reverse scale being touched. ¡°FUCK YOUR MOTHER!¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su He began launching ki blasts left and right. Each of those yellow orbs were homed upon the stone face of Baraquiel. ¡°Hmph. Good enough.¡± Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang With an impressive display of technique, Baraquiel deflected the ki blasts using only his hands. While he stayed stationary in the air, his hands whizzed around him in an impressive display of speed. Baraquiel didn¡¯t even show any signs of physical exertion or pressure. Not even a drop of sweat covered his forehead. [The power and density of these blasts is not bad. One of them could theoretically, flatten a boulder the size of an average bedroom. And with this current quantity, rendering an entire city block into a state of invalidity is not an impossibility.] He became more and more impressed with Igor. [Teaching this brat shouldn¡¯t be¡­hmm?] He noticed the rate of ki blasts coming towards him decrease. When he paid closer attention, he could see that they were still coming at the same rate. But instead of all of them heading towards him, they veered off target. Baraquiel was slightly confused by this. [Is he possibly¡­reaching his limits? If so, then I will end this quickly-?!] At this moment, the steady streams of ki blasts stopped. But instead of the sight of an exhausted 11-year-old panting on the ground, Baraquiel saw the signature look of a man who just caught his prey in a trap. Years of instincts kicked in and made Baraquiel expand his senses. It was then that he saw the hundreds of floating little ki blasts that were stationary behind him. He cursed himself inwardly for making such a rookie mistake. [I dismissed their existence once they got past me. Never again.] Not a second passed between Igor¡¯s confident expression and Baraquiel¡¯s thoughts before the blonde clasped his hands together. ¡°Got ya!¡± Like clockwork, the ki blasts promptly enveloped Baraquiel from nearly all angles. Continuous explosions resounded throughout the vicinity. The explosions carried for well over ten-seconds, leaving Baraquiel¡¯s fate¡­unknown. But Igor wasn¡¯t about to take chances. [I bet my left nut that old bastard will shrug off that attack.] He stood sideways and spread his legs, his left hand moving over to clasp his right wrist. There was some discomfort from his chest, but he shoved the feeling down. [I have one attack left that I can try.] The smoke from the ki explosions began to clear up. With his keen eyesight, Igor could make out the shadowy figure of Baraquiel standing with his wings out. [And I have just enough ki to execute it.] Blue aura covered his form before he shot towards Baraquiel like a torpedo. His left hand remained firmly clasped over his right hand, a faint purple energy forming in it. [I¡¯ll put you in the ground old man!] . |DxD| . Back in the smoky confines of the explosion, Baraquiel brushed off a few burnt strands of his coat that got burnt at his shoulder. [Good thing I wore a suit underneath.] Briefly mourning the damage to his coat, he glanced down at the slightly hunched form of Igor. Even though the smoke decreased visibility, he could still rely on his senses to monitor the situation. That allowed Baraquiel to sense Igor gathering up ki within his palm. [Is he about to release a final attack?] A slight glimmer of anticipation and curiosity flashed in his eyes. [Let me see it then, young warrior.] He watched Igor fly towards him. Even though the distance between them was just less than 300-metres, he covered it in less than a blink. Baraquiel readied his hand in preparation to catch Igor¡¯s blast. He could practically feel the huge amount of ki nested within the purple orb in the blonde¡¯s palm. The anticipation got the better of him that he yelled just as Igor was less than 30-centimetres away. ¡°COME!¡± . |DxD| . [I¡¯ll put you in the ground old man!] He was very close now. He could see Baraquiel already begin to raise his hand to block his attack. ¡°Heh~¡± In a sudden turn of events, Igor cancelled the attack and reabsorbed the ki into his body. Then immediately, he used [Instant Vanish]. ¡°?!¡± Baraquiel¡¯s senses tingled desperately as a sense of danger came from behind him. He managed to turn his neck to Igor above him. His clasped right hand was held above his shoulder, almost as if he was about to serve a baseball. There was a purple energy ball in his palm that despite appearing small, Baraquiel could feel the immense amount of ki contained within it. It was then that he heard Igor¡¯s roar, the culmination of all his power and proof, that he put everything into this one attack. ¡°GALICK GUN!!!¡± BOOOOOOOOOOOOM Chapter 8 It was then that he heard Igor¡¯s roar, the culmination of all his power and proof, that he put everything into this one attack. ¡°GALICK GUN!!!¡± BOOOOOOOOOOOOM A purple blast wave was released from Igor¡¯s hand, causing intense vibrations to occur due to the force of its ejection. The blast shot towards the ground in a wide cylindrical torrent of destruction. Even when the blast reached the ground, Igor didn¡¯t cut off the supply of ki. He continued to fuel the blast, putting his all into this one shot. SHUUUuuuu¡­BOOOOOOOOOOM The condensed ki contained within the galick gun finally exploded, resulting in a massive thruster-like explosion of purple ki. The explosion expanded towards the sky, hiding the morning sun behind a flame-like shroud of purple. This phenomenon lasted for only a dozen seconds. Without anything to contain the ki, it rapidly dissipated into nothingness. Whuuuuuuuuu With the skies clearing and the sun once again being allowed to fill the skies with its brightness, its rays shined upon Igor who remained floating in the sky. His body was hunched over with only his right hand outstretched. His hair flopped over his face like a wet mop, casting a dark shadow that hid his eyes. Slowly, Igor began to descend. [Everything¡­hurts.] He had lost all feeling in his arm. The heavy discharge of ki had caused the muscles to tense up. His breaths were heavy, almost as if something was blocking the passage of air. This was causing his eyes to become hazed. He would¡¯ve lost consciousness in the next few seconds, were it not for the sudden sound of crackling lightning. ¡°?!¡± He lifted his head, and what he saw made his eyes narrow in shock. Standing in front of him in the flesh, was Baraquiel. Crackles of golden lightning occasionally flashed across his body. Killing intent was oozing out of his body, causing Igor to grit his teeth in fear and defiance. A golden scythe materialised in Baraquiel¡¯s hand, causing Igor¡¯s eyes to droop towards it. Although every single fibre within his being was screaming for him to flee, Igor knew better. There¡¯s zero chance of escaping. His only other choice was to fight. The thought of begging for mercy did not even cross his mind. So despite his injuries, Igor got into a stance. [Even if I die, I will atleast take an arm!] Killing intent oozed out of him, cold ferocity replacing uncertainty. He was like a cornered animal that was ready to fight until the end. But despite his will, his body could not bring itself to engage in another bout. Igor could already feel his vision getting cloudy. The lack of oxygen to his brain was making him muddleheaded. [No¡­I-I can¡¯t¡­lose-] ¡°That¡¯s enough young warrior. The strength of your conviction convinces me.¡± Before Igor could process the words, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck, causing him to lose consciousness. . |DxD| . Baraquiel watched with an impassive gaze as the boy in front of him struggled to stay conscious. Although the killing intent he was releasing was only comparable to that of a soldier who¡¯s experienced decades of war¡­ [This intent is not something a child can resist, no matter how talented.] In truth, Igor had long since surpassed his expectations. The entire time when Baraquiel had absolutely obliterated him, not once did the lad run. Very few understand the guts required to continue fighting an opponent that bests you at every turn. Hatred and anger can only carry one so far in battle before it turns into despair and hopelessness. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And yet, despite being sent flying to the ground from hundreds of metres in the sky at high speeds, he still got up. Despite suffering broken ribs and internal injuries, he still mounted one final offensive. This wasn¡¯t something a child should be able to do. There was no motivation that would force him to fight so valiantly. No family of his was exterminated. No honour was sullied. But the fact that Igor still gave it his all, made Baraquiel come to acknowledge the boy. That is why¡­ Fuuuush ¡­he increased the potency of his killing intent. It was not out of viewing the boy as a threat, but due to the fact that he had come to a decision. [I will teach him. He has too much potential for me to let go.] The amount of killing intent he released would be enough to knock out the boy. Knocking him out via killing intent would satisfy two conditions. One. It would serve to bolster his image as a teacher and make Igor respect him once he begins teaching him. Baraquiel had come across many geniuses that refused to heed the advice of their teachers. Their arrogance that stemmed from the praises of others eventually led to their end. Two. It would bestow an image of power which would further lead to a notion of reliability. ¡®Hearsay¡¯ and ¡®witnessing¡¯ are very different things. Baraquiel would rather Igor see and feel a glimpse of his power than rely on his reputation as the ¡®Lightning General¡¯. But to his absolute genuine astonishment, his killing intent only served to make the boy angrier. Oh, Baraquiel saw the fear at first. He saw the fear in his eyes, especially when he materialised the scythe in his hand. But that fear quickly melted away when the boy took a stance. [Will he? Surely not¡­] But surely, he did. Igor took a stance. But it wasn¡¯t like his nameless stance before. Instead, he stood with his legs slightly apart in a loose horse stance. His left arm was stretched out and his right arm was tucked close to his body. It wasn¡¯t a particular stance but Baraquiel could derive that its main use relied on evasion and deflection. [He adopted a new fighting style to combat my aggressive style of fighting.] The fact that his mind was still foggy only served to further enhance Baraquiel¡¯s respect for the boy. But despite his will to defend himself, Baraquiel could see that his body was giving out. Any more and irreversible damage would occur. So, retracting his killing intent, he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s enough young warrior. The strength of your conviction convinces me.¡± But knowing that the boy wouldn¡¯t drop his guard, he appeared behind the blonde and knocked him out with a chop to the back of his neck. He quickly grabbed his falling body with one arm and swung the boy over his shoulders. He took care not to tear Igor¡¯s face apart with his wings while he surveyed the damage below. Starting with where Igor¡¯s galick gun hit, anything northwards for a distance of roughly 200-metres was destroyed. Where there were lush trees and shrubbery, now lay a concave vivisection of the land. Then, multitudes of trees all over the forest were either uprooted, or missing branches. Some of the thinner, smaller ones had their trunks hacked clean off. This caused the Fallen to release a resigned sigh. ¡°Shuri will be mad after this.¡± . |DxD| . Shuri Himejima was standing outside the house and looked at the giant thruster-like explosion piercing the skies. Although her face and expression appeared gentle and serene, if one looked closer, they could see just the barest of twitches behind her smile. Draped in a white shirt and orange skirt, Shuri ¡®calmly¡¯ watched what she assumed to be the conclusion of whatever Baraquiel was up to with the boy Akeno told her about. Make no mistake. She truly loves Baraquiel. She loves him with all of her heart. But after witnessing the extensive damage that the forest suffered, a little ¡®tough love¡¯ tonight may convince her big oaf of a husband to fight elsewhere next time. The only reason she wasn¡¯t worried however, is because of the massive bounded field surrounding the forest. It was made by Baraquiel to keep them hidden from the Himejima clan and any other enemies that might want to exploit his weakness¡­the weakness being her and their daughter. While initially, the bounded field only covered the house and the area around, Baraquiel eventually expanded it to cover the entire forest since his daughter loved to play there. The bounded field, while serving to alert Baraquiel to any intruders, also served as an illusion to hide supernatural occurrences as well as ward off the mundane from approaching. That way, people or cameras of any sort would not catch their daughter flying¡­or mystical purple flames covering the sky. Shuri could see the field ripple lightly due to the explosion of the attack hitting it. But with her powerful husband having made it, she knew it would hold. And¡­speak of the Fallen and he shall appear. ¡°Ufufufu~¡± When the small figure of Baraquiel appeared in the sky, the man seemed to pause for a bit before having a ¡®Nope¡¯ moment and flying in the opposite direction. . |DxD| . ¡°Ara? So the forest is¡­destroyed~?¡± ¡°W-wait dear! I already have some people who will handle it!¡± ¡°Really~?¡± ¡°Yes! I even called Azazel to speed up the process.¡± Baraquiel stood like a convict facing a judge. He was sweating heavily, fear gnawing at him from every direction. It didn¡¯t help that Shuri was smiling with her eyes closed. Whenever she did that, a sort of cold aura would seem to envelop him. But luckily, Shuri decided to stop torturing him. ¡°Good then! Now, I believe this child requires some care?¡± Gesturing to the human sack of potatoes ¡®comfortably¡¯ resting on her husband¡¯s shoulders, Shuri smiled warmly. That smile somewhat appeared menacing in the eyes of Baraquiel. Fortunately, he quickly caught Shuri¡¯s meaning and carried Igor in a ¡®manly¡¯ princess carry. Shuri smiled before turning around and walked into their home with Baraquiel following behind. She led him into a room where she quickly peeled open the blankets for him to place the blonde on the bed. It was then that Shuri noticed the wounds and bruises on Igor¡¯s body. She particularly took notice of his chest having slightly caved in and a rib on his right side visibly stretching his skin. Without a word, she turned him to his left side before standing up straight. ¡°Dear~¡± Baraquiel¡¯s face paled. The sound of ropes and whips filled in his mind. Gulp Chapter 9 It was then that Shuri noticed the wounds and bruises on Igor¡¯s body. She particularly took notice of his chest having slightly caved in and a rib on his right side visibly stretching his skin. Without a word, she turned him to his left side before standing up straight. ¡°Dear~¡± Baraquiel¡¯s face paled. The sound of ropes and whips filled in his mind. Gulp . |DxD| . 1995/08/06-1995, August 9th (Wed), Kuoh Town, Japan . ¡°I love you~ You love me~ We¡¯re a happy family~I love you~ You love me~ We¡¯re a happy family~I love you~ You¡­¡± * In the room where Igor was holed in, Akeno was sitting on a chair next to Igor¡¯s bed. She was happily singing a nursery rhyme while she seemed to scribble something on a book with her crayons and coloured pencils. With the curtains to the room drawn, the evening sun shined brightly on her happy face. The cause for her happiness was being allowed to be absent from kindergarden today. All she had to say was that she was going to take care of Igor as an excuse and her mother allowed her to stay home. Now, she could happily draw pictures of her family while her classmates were stuck in school. Nothing could get better than this and absolutely nothing could ruin it¡­until Igor woke up on the wrong side of the bed and chose violence to start the day. Waking up with a groan, the blonde turned his head to take a good look at his source of annoyance. ¡°Shut up. Your singing stinks worse than your father¡¯s boots.¡± Akeno looked up from her drawing at Igor. Her angry violet eyes met his bored cerulean gaze. ¡°W-well YOU stink worse than your father¡¯s boots!¡± Igor looked at the furious Akeno with a deadpan gaze. ¡°My father is dead.¡± ¡°W-wha¡­¡± Akeno lost all her momentum with that statement. She was about to apologise when Igor¡¯s words cranked her rage up to eleven. ¡°He died after hearing you sing.¡± That did it. She got up down from her chair and clenched her little fists. That positioned her right in front of him. ¡°W-WELL¡­Well¡­well¡­WELL YOU STINK!¡± She struggled for a bit to figure out how to continue. She seemed to be dancing on the spot before she decided to just show her tongue. ¡°Bleh! Hmph!¡± Giving a wry smile at her actions, Igor was about to offer a retort when his eyes glimpsed upon her drawing that had fallen to the floor. He took notice that there were three people holding hands in the picture. ¡°Huh? Is this you and your parents?¡± Akeno looked at the picture and picked it up. ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Wondering why she was suddenly shy, his musings were interrupted when Shuri walked into the room. ¡°Ara? Looks like you¡¯ve woken up?¡± Igor gave a sigh, flopping his head onto the pillow in the process. ¡°Hard to stay asleep when she¡¯s singing.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Shuri giggled before she walked over to Igor. She knelt down and held his hand in hers. ¡°Now then. How are you feeling?¡± Whether it was because his age had regressed to 4, or whether it¡¯s because his mind mainly concerned itself with training, but Igor felt nothing when a woman as beautiful as Shuri initiated close contact with him.* ¡°Pretty energetic actually. I feel like I could go ten rounds with your father again.¡± Shuri, in the beginning, was somewhat surprised. Usually, any male she treated would become flustered when she got close to them. With her being the miko and an exorcist of the shrine in Kuoh, she¡¯s met a lot of people and enough males to know she¡¯s quite the catch. But while pondering those thoughts, they came to a screeching halt when she suddenly realised the last part of Igor¡¯s sentence. ¡®...your father again.¡¯ Cough cough cough cough She somehow choked on her saliva, the absurdity of the situation getting to her. Immediately, Akeno ran over to Shuri while crying out. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Momma! Momma are you okay?!¡± It was now Igor¡¯s turn to do a spit-take. ¡°M-mother?! SHE¡¯S YOUR MOTHER?!¡± Akeno looked at Igor with a pout. ¡°Yeah! So what?!¡± She thought that Igor¡¯s outrage was due to her mixed heritage. Mixed-breeds were not well received in the supernatural world. But that topic was far from his thoughts at the moment. [H-how?!] Picturing Baraquiel¡¯s old rusty face, Igor could not understand how he managed to snag such a pretty young woman like Shuri. His initial assumption was that Shuri and Akeno were sisters or something. [I mean, she looks 21 at best and that old bastard is over twice her age.] It was then that he realised something. [Wait¡­that old man could be old enough to be her ancestor!] The revelation blew him out of his mind. ¡°FUCK!¡± ¡°Ara-¡± ¡°YOUR HUSBAND¡¯S A PEDOPHILE!¡± . |DxD| . Far up in the skies, Baraquiel was hovering just slightly below the clouds with all ten wings unfurled. Keeping his eyes and senses locked onto his home, he formed a magic circle on his ear. Without being able to get a word in, an enthused voice of another man hollers in his hear. ¡°Baraquiel! My man! How¡¯s it going? It hasn¡¯t even been a week since you called lil¡¯ ol¡¯ me. You want some more tips to please your Shuri dearest~? Because I have to tell you-¡± Baraquiel interrupted the conversation with one word. ¡°Aryan.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°...say that again.¡± Baraquiel replies with a serious tone of voice, his eyes focusing on his house and the presence of Igor. ¡°Azazel. I found an Aryan.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel soon heard the sounds of papers falling and screams of: ¡°GET BACK HERE AZAZEL!¡±, before a magic circle appeared next to him and showed Azazel in all his glory. Azazel was in a black suit that looked brand new. The man looked to be in his late thirties and amongst his head of black, a yellow tuft spanned the range of his forehead. Sporting a goatee, the man¡¯s usually laid-back visage was replaced by a deadly serious one. He easily sensed the presence of a human with abnormally powerful vitality in Baraquiel¡¯s home. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Just like that, both entered business mode. Having lived for several millennia, both brothers have developed a tacit understanding of how to operate. ¡°I found him in the woods with my daughter. I first assumed he was a hunter that somehow managed to sense and capture her. So naturally, I punched him away. I assumed he would be knocked unconscious, but I miscalculated. To my surprise, he came flying back¡­with his body covered in-¡± ¡°Ki¡­¡± Baraquiel snorted to himself. ¡°I was so caught by surprise that I barely managed to block his attack and get Akeno out of the way.¡± Azazel chuckled. Business mode ended. ¡°He made you look like your bratty self huh?¡± ¡°Hmph. That was thousands of years ago, Azazel.¡± Azazel turned his head towards Baraquiel with a coy grin. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. The boy made you wear out the soles of your boots.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel wanted to argue. But with a quick glance down, he noticed the heels of his boots were indeed, slightly worn out. ¡°Tch. Regardless, the boy possesses enough ki to cause, THAT.¡± Baraquiel pointed the 200-metre long trench caused by the explosion of the [Galick Gun]. ¡°Did I mention that he¡¯s 4-years-old?¡± Azazel nearly did a spit-take at Baraquiel¡¯s statement. ¡°F-FOUR?!¡± He practically glared at Baraquiel with a gaze that demanded answers. ¡°How is he FOUR?!¡± Baraquiel didn¡¯t remove his gaze from his home as he replied. ¡°Although he appears as an adolescent, I could sense his vitality. I didn¡¯t believe it myself in the beginning. So I also grabbed his arm and verified his bone age. Despite all odds, that boy is indeed, four-years of age.¡± Azazel rubbed his head tiredly. ¡°Sheesh! Talk about overkill. What were we doing when we were four again? I recall you always liked to brood and stuff.¡± ¡°And you were a pervert.¡± ¡°Heyyy! I mean, have you SEEN our dear sisters?¡± Baraquiel couldn¡¯t help but want to sigh at Azazel¡¯s abrupt change in mood. It was a testament to the governor¡¯s lack of ability to take things seriously for long enough. But eventually, Azazel composes himself before gaze his turns serious. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t call just to tell me the boy¡¯s Aryan. You have a plan of action don¡¯t you?¡± At Azazel¡¯s questioning, Baraquiel seems to mull it over a bit before nodding. ¡°Yes. I plan to take this boy as my student.¡± Azazel was quiet. Baraquiel¡¯s decision surprised him since the man had not taken a disciple for millennia. Not since¡­ ¡°Yered?¡± Baraquiel replied with a nod. ¡°Yered. The boy reminds me of him.¡± Baraquiel reminisced of the times he spent with Yered, a blood descendant of Adam himself. ¡°The boy looks just like him.¡± Uncharacteristically, he chuckled. ¡°Even their way of speaking is the same. Just like Yered, this boy also has quite the sharp tongue on him.¡± Azazel smiled after seeing the reminiscent gaze and smile of his brother. ¡°Ha! Now I really have to see what this boy is truly like if you compare him to that brat, Yered.¡± A grinning Azazel was about to fly down when Baraquiel held him back by the shoulder. ¡°Wait. I still need to see what will happen first.¡± Azazel naturally sensed both Akeno and Shuri along with Igor. He also knew that should Igor try anything, both would be able to get there with in an instant and prevent any incidents. But still¡­ ¡°That is out of character for you. Normally, you¡¯d be hiding in the bushes, or the closet, or under the sofa-¡± ¡°I get it. There is no need to elaborate.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± There was silence for a while before Azazel continued. ¡°So¡­why are you not under the sofa-¡± ¡°I said I get it, Azazel.¡± That elicited a chuckle from Azazel, the Leader of Grigori taking delight in his brother¡¯s groans of annoyance. But no sooner did that chuckle appear that he turned serious. ¡°So, are you telling me you trust this kid to not murder your entire family?¡± Recalling Akeno¡¯s description of him, Baraquiel released a resigned sigh. ¡°If what my daughter said is correct¡­¡± His mind briefly flashed to the conversation he had with Akeno, of how Igor still treated her normally despite her heritage. ¡°...then yes. I¡¯ll trust the brat.¡± . AN
  1. ¡°...I love you~ You love me~ We¡¯re a happy family~I love you~ You¡­¡± *
Explanation: Rather than research a Japanese nursery rhyme that over 80% of us won¡¯t understand, it is simpler to use one most of us can relate to.
  1. Whether it was because his age had regressed to 4, or whether it¡¯s because his mind mainly concerned itself with training, but Igor felt nothing when a woman as beautiful as Shuri initiated close contact with him.*
Explanation: Although he is indeed four, he looks eleven. The combination of intense training, gravity, and rapid healing forced his body to grow to better handle the harsh training regiment he puts himself in. Some boys experience the start of puberty in the age of eleven, but we can safely assume Igor hasn¡¯t produced the necessary hormones. Although he was fourteen in his previous life, any shyness he might have had against women was wiped out after decades of training.
  1. Work led to me skipping out on three days of uploading. Currently, it is Sunday in my region. I will not be uploading on Tuesday as well since I will be working all day on that day.
Chapter 10 ¡°If what my daughter said is correct¡­¡± His mind briefly flashed to the conversation he had with Akeno, of how Igor still treated her normally despite her heritage. ¡°...then yes. I¡¯ll trust the brat.¡± . |DxD| . It was around 10:00 in the morning. After settling the little squabble Igor had with Shuri and Akeno, the young blonde had taken to going outside. He didn¡¯t know if Baraquiel did it on purpose, but his weighted clothing was still left at where he dropped it off. Shuri had offered him one of Baraquiel¡¯s jackets but at a rare moment of respect, Igor had replied: ¡®Sorry Aunty. My father taught me that a man does not share clothing with another man. Even if I am not a proper man yet, I am not his son. I am a son of Dimori. Therefore, you giving me, the son of another man, his clothing, would be the same as slapping him in the face.¡¯ To say Shuri was upset at being called ¡®aunty¡¯ was an understatement. But she stomached this resentment in favour of acknowledging his reasons for not wanting any clothing. This left the blonde with only his torn and worn pants. However, he didn¡¯t have a problem at his current state. Being topless and barefoot was already how he mostly was in the time chamber when he was meditating. So repeating what he usually did when outside the time chamber, he scoured the yard and found a nice tree to sit down and lean against. Crossing his legs, he began meditating. He calmed his breaths in line with his raging ki. The moment he breathed in, his ki surged enough to create a faint blue aura cloak on his body. But when he breathed out, the aura retreated into his body. He repeated the process over and over again. Each time when he breathed in, the aura of ki surrounding his body would grow thicker and opaquer and when he breathed out, it would retreat into his body completely. What Igor was doing was a ki-control method of ¡®Push-and-Pull¡¯. Everytime he breathed in, he would power up in stages, circulating his ki faster and more forcefully. When he breathed out, he would draw in all that ki as quickly as possible within the time of a single breath. If all his ki is withdrawn into his body, then he can ascend to the next stage and power up further. If there is even a faint outline of wisp of aura by the end of the breath, then he will have to stay within that stage and hone his control. It also works the same way for drawing in breath. If he winces during the process of powering up, then he must remain within that stage until mastery. Although this exercise seems pointless or time-wasting on the surface, it was extremely important in that, mastery over this exercise can influence battles in an instant. In fights, the one who can masterfully control their energy output can instantly power up to deliver crucial blows, or decrease that output to maintain their stamina. ¡®Fighters who can maintain a higher energy output without leakage will have a higher chance of winning, even if their opponent is more powerful than them.¡¯ -Nakamura It was one of the few things Igor picked up from Nakamura¡¯s book. Training his body served to increase the capacity of his ki while meditating like this served to hone his control over it. However, Igor had started to see diminishing returns in his training. In the last decade(year), the rate of his strength increases had decreased by almost half, causing him to have some concerns. But a quick analysis simply told him that he was reaching the limits of his current physique. That is why even while meditating, Igor had a plan of action in mind. [I¡¯ll spend one last year in the time chamber before hiding somewhere in the Himalayas and wait to grow up. Although it pains me, maybe six-years will be needed before I can build up more potential. Once I reach age ten, I can boost my body¡¯s strength even further. If I remember correctly, things should start getting hectic somewhere before the 2010 world cup, right? My memory¡¯s shaky after so long. But I do know I must keep an eye out for some red-dragon¡­guy? Wait. It was the red-dragon¡­what was it again?] Unfortunately, he pondered so much on the topic that when he breathed in, he unintentionally powered up too rapidly and this caused his muscles to cease up. ¡°Argh! Cramp! Cramp! CRAMP! Fuck! CRAMP! Cramp cramp cramp cramp cramp cramp! CRAAAAMP! SHIT! Fuck! FUUUUCK! Fuck my life! Waaaaaaa!¡± His muscles were visibly bulging with veins twitching all over his body. Even his neck muscles seemed twisted, causing his head to remain stiff. His eyes were wide open, his pupils noticeably narrowing in pain. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. He didn¡¯t hear the pitter patter of feet rushing up to him, but he definitely heard what he would consider, the dumbest question of all time. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± With tear-stained eyes, Igor glared at Akeno with all the fury he could muster. Nothing could sum up the amount of pain and anger within those eyes of his. ¡°Fuck your mother!* Do I LOOK ALRIGHT?! SHIT! FUCK! This hurts! THIS REALLY HUUUURTS!¡± Igor really wanted to continue slinging curses to dull the pain of every single muscle in his body seemingly twist on itself. But when he heard that¡­ ¡°Ara?¡± ¡­and saw Shuri Himejima look at him with cold eyes, he really wanted to cry at that moment, especially since he was defenseless. . |DxD| . {¡°Romero. I have always¡­ALWAYS loved you~¡±} {¡°I know my sweet Natalie. I have loved you since the dawn of time as-¡±} ¡°Pfffffft¡± Igor couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Fuck! How do you watch this brain-melting, cringe-inducing shi-¡± ¡°LANGUAGE¡­Dimori-kun~¡± Igor growled in his restraints . A white blanket was wrapped around him like a straight jacket, complete with thick cargo ropes used on trucks. He had tried to shout his way out, even going so far as swear upon his family name to remain quiet as long as Shuri released him. She didn¡¯t. Now, it¡¯s already been an hour since he¡¯s been forced to watch this romantic movie and it was killing him inside. ¡°Look at his noodle arms! I could snap him in half!¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bulge* Shuri couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She grabbed the remote and turned off the television¡­with elegance of course. She sat down properly and turned towards Igor, a small smile accompanied by a slight vein bulging on her forehead. ¡°Dimori-kun. Why do you hate this actor so much~?¡± It took all her strength to not growl her words out. From the beginning of the movie, Igor had been shaming the protagonist with all kinds of colourful words. She had even resorted to having Akeno sit on her lap and cover her ears whenever the blonde would go on one of his tirades. This time, Shuri couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. She wanted to know why he wouldn¡¯t stop. Naturally, Igor provided an Igor-like answer. ¡°Why? Because he¡¯s a pansy.¡± He replied as if it was a matter-of-fact. He would¡¯ve lifted his hands to emphasize his point, but his whole body still felt as if it was vibrating. Shuri nodded politely and prodded. ¡°Since you say he is, what you say he is-¡± ¡°A pansy.¡± *Vein Bulge* ¡°...yes, could you elaborate, Dimori-kun?¡± Igor ignored the strain of lifting up his head in thought. ¡°Welllll¡­he¡¯s a pansy.¡± *Vein twitch* ¡°Yes but-¡± ¡°I mean, come on aunty. This guy has been GIVEN everything. He didn¡¯t work for anything and he didn¡¯t improve his body. While his father is busy running the estate, he¡¯s going around hunting girls. Then for some reason, he meets a pure maiden and falls for her.¡± He took a deep breath in, his gaze turning serious. ¡°My problem now is, he¡¯s chasing after her using his FATHER¡¯S ASSETS! Everything from the car he drives to the apartment he stays in, BELONGS to his father. When he invites her for the night, it¡¯s in his father¡¯s property. When he offers her a lift, it¡¯s in his father¡¯s car. Even the money he spends on her belongs to his father! The bastard can¡¯t even afford his own clothing yet he has the balls to chase after a girl with his father¡¯s assets! Do you remember the construction worker from the beginning?¡± Shuri nodded absentmindedly. His words were intriguing her, his tongue unleashing sentences far more profound than a child his age should be. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°THAT¡­is a man. He had his life in gear. If he was the main character, it would¡¯ve been much better. But nooo. Tell all the girls that strings and bling is the way. Ignore the capable guy. Accept the pansy who uses daddy¡¯s money.¡± His tone began to lower. ¡°Tch! I hate that. I hate that with every fibre of my being. It spits on the essence of what it means to BE a man.¡± Silence¡­ Shuri couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She watched as Igor seemed to recall something in his head. [Never would I have imagined that the boy with such a foul mouth, could speak such compelling words.] She was so out of sync with the world that a quick elbow jab from Akeno brought her out of her stupor. When she came to, she was embarrassed when she saw Igor stare at her with intense curiosity. But before she could get a word out, Igor spoke. And in that one sentence, every good opinion Shuri developed went down the drain. ¡°Aunty. Are you one of those people that has that thing called demunten¡­dementin¡­dementu? Ah fuck it. Old people syndrome?¡± Shuri¡­had had it up to here. ¡°Dimori-kun. First it was calling me ¡®aunty¡¯. Now you are telling me that I have dementia-¡± ¡°Dementia! I knew the word was on the tip of my tongue-¡± ¡°Dimori-kun!¡± Akeno darted her head between Igor and her mother with a confused expression. Igor was looking at her mother with a curiously confused gaze. As for her mother, she appeared to be smiling. But the steadily increasing number of vein bulges on her forehead said otherwise. Akeno didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening, but she felt one word would be appropriate to use to describe the situation. ¡°Fuck!¡± That cute, high pitched voice saying such a word caused the entire room to freeze. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Glance! Glance! A certain boy smiled like they just found a comrade. His eyes were shining brightly like he just saw the stars themselves descend upon the world. A certain miko froze like they just witnessed the beginning of Armageddon. Her pupils shrunk in disbelief, her mind encountering errors in attempts to process what it just heard. But before anyone could properly react, the window to the room broke open. While others saw pieces of glass, all Igor saw was a massive tanned fist covering his vision. And like a man, he faced it with his face. Glare! BOOOM . AN
  1. ¡°Fuck your mother!* Do I LOOK ALRIGHT?!¡­¡±
Explanation: The phrase ¡°Fuck your mother¡± isn¡¯t fully complete¡­to put in one word. It has different ways of interpretation but in most scenarios, it could be seen as: ¡°Fuck your mother for raising a bastard/idiot like you.¡±. In this scenario, Akeno is asking a dumb question and Igor curses her mother for raising an idiot like her.
  1. I know I said I would upload today. I never specified what time. As I write this, it is 11:42pm. Reason why I¡¯m uploading so late is because my schedule for Tuesday shifted to Monday (Today). I still uploaded so I kept my promise.
  2. I¡¯m going to bed.
Chapter 11 But before anyone could properly react, the window to the room broke open. While others saw pieces of glass, all Igor saw was a massive tanned fist covering his vision. And like a man, he faced it with his face. Glare! BOOOM . |DxD| . The dust in the room began to clear, revealing two figures. One was Baraquiel, his fist outstretched and his face displaying the typical expression of an angry father. The second was Igor. Despite getting punched, he was standing tall. His fists were clenched, his body unyielding as stone. The blanket restraining him as well as the couch had been destroyed by the explosion of his ki. When Baraquiel slowly withdrew his fist, it revealed the blonde to only have a single trail of blood flowing from his mouth. But despite that, his cold gaze was fixed on Baraquiel¡¯s gaze. Both of them glared at each other. Despite knowing the Fallen¡¯s strength, Igor remained steadfast. The stare-down was growing in intensity, and an observing Azazel was not liking the direction it was going. So waving his hands placatingly, he approached the duo. ¡°Hey hey hey. Calm down-¡± The moment Igor spotted Baraquiel¡¯s gaze shift, a very dense aura of fiery blue ki covered him like a cloak. [Aura-Burning State!] FUUUSHHHHH The sudden spike in energy did alert Baraquiel but at this point, Igor had secured the advantage. Tswiii! With a quick instant vanish, Igor appeared behind Baraquiel and launched a quick side kick to his head. With his power having increased twice over, Igor¡¯s kick slipped past Baraquiel¡¯s guard, allowing the blonde to connect cleanly. Gu! Boom Boom Being sent flying through the walls of his house and the garden, Baraquiel could barely react when Igor suddenly appeared behind him. But react he did. Twist¡­CLASH He barely managed to twist himself in time and block a knee strike that would¡¯ve buried itself into his back. But¡­ Tswii! Tswii! Igor used [Instant Vanish] twice to appear above Baraquiel, seemingly posing for an overhead heel kick, before vanishing again and appearing just below his waistline. With Baraquiel falling for his feint, Igor was able to connect a rising kick to the Fallen¡¯s abdomen, causing him to skid back. Krrrrrrrgh Grass was uprooted during his slide. But like before, Igor instantly appeared and landed an uppercut to his chin. This time, he couldn¡¯t block the attack and the blonde took full advantage. Pressing on with his seemingly unlimited stamina, Igor abused [Instant Vanish], using the skill to continuously hurl the Fallen higher and higher into the skies. Igor unleashed every drop of bottled up rage he had churning within him. He wanted the fallen to feel pain. For him to get punched like that for no reason made him angry¡­very angry. FUUUSH Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Every strike he landed was swift and precise. He absolutely would not let Baraquiel get the chance to recover. Even in his haze of rage, he still knew what the fallen would do to him once he recovered. So he continued. Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom With every passing second, his attacks began to pack more power. And with Baraquiel¡¯s ever increasing momentum, it culminated in Igor¡¯s attacks starting to sound like explosions going off in the skies. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Azazel looked on with a resigned sigh. Even though he was on the ground, his keen eyesight could easily see and process everything that was happening. ¡°Haaaaaa. This won¡¯t end well.¡± He had already moved Shuri and Akeno from here to one of his houses in Kuoh the moment Baraquiel smashed through the window. Now, he could watch this minor scuffle in peace. ¡°Though, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen my dearest brother get a beating like this.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop the slight up curl of his mouth. ¡°Then again, this¡¯ll probably end in about¡­3¡­2¡­¡± ¡°ENOUGH!!!!!¡± Gu! Suuuuu¡­ BOOOM . |DxD| . Baraquiel was finally starting to come to. His holy energy had gathered enough to passively cushion his body and head from Igor¡¯s constant blows. The rattling of his brain had ceased quite a bit with his holy energy instinctively reinforcing his body. It was why that as the brunt of Igor¡¯s blows was dispersed by his energy, he soon started to come out of his dazed state. So when the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was an elbow coming right for his nose¡­ ¡°?!¡± ¡­he was rightfully, very angry. *Lightning Crackle* ¡°ENOUGH!!!!¡± In an instant, three things happened. One, all of Baraquiel¡¯s ten wings were unfurled. Two, he instantly positioned himself in front of Igor, his fist raised to strike. Three¡­ Gu! Suuuuu¡­ BOOOM Everything happened so fast that Igor hadn¡¯t even comprehended Baraquiel¡¯s words before he suddenly found himself tearing through three trees before finally crashing into the ground. The blow was so severe that his aura of ki was directly snuffed out. It was only fortunate that his [Aura Burning State] was still active before he crashed or he may have suffered even more severe injuries. But unfortunately, if the blow from Baraquiel didn¡¯t knock him unconscious, then the crash did. Igor was lying face up with the whites of his eyes exposed. He was completely unmoving within the massive crater created by his landing. His arms were sprawled out, blood covering his entire form. His skin was slightly red while a small trickle of blood streamed from his mouth. But Baraquiel didn¡¯t care about that. Crackle¡­Crackle..Crackle.Crackle.Crackle Crackle CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE He was too angered, too humiliated, to care anymore. He, a cadre, was humiliated by a brat who hadn¡¯t even grown his second set of hairs. No coherent thoughts were running through his mind. Right now, he only wanted to do one thing- ¡°Woah there, brother. Calm down.¡± But Baraquiel wasn¡¯t willing to listen. CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE- ¡°Baraquiel.¡± Azazel¡¯s tone was serious. His grip on Baraquiel¡¯s shoulder was tight, tight enough to bring back some form of mental clarity in the Fallen¡¯s mind. The angry cadre wanted to retort, but when he saw Azazel¡¯s darkened face¡­ CRACKLE CRACKLE Crackle Crackle crackle crackle¡­crackle¡­ Unwillingly, he cancelled his golden lightning. ¡°Tch!¡± He crossed his arms, unwillingness written in capital letters on his face. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯ll beat him to death the next time he does this.¡± With that, he vanished, not wanting to spend even a second longer in this place. . |DxD| . Azazel was intrigued¡­greatly intrigued. Right now, he stood over the unconscious form of Igor, eyeing the blonde with great interest. [I thought the last Aryan died in 1945, yet here¡¯s one before me.] The Aryans were annihilated in 1945 after the location of their secret realm became exposed in 1939. It resulted in one of the greatest wars in history, including both the mundane and the supernatural in their skirmish. In a bid to defend themselves, the Aryans used Adolf Hitler to fight against the mundane for them while their core forces dealt with the supernatural. But no matter how much they fought, they were only one race against the entire world. [If news of this little one¡¯s existence came to light, they would immediately want to eliminate him.] Although Azazel never truly participated, he knew how powerful the Aryans were. All their core warriors were ultimate-class elites while the bulk of their forces were high-class. But that would not be enough for them to cause a stir. The true reason why the Aryans were viewed as such a massive threat, was because of their patriarch. Their patriarch was said to be a human who had broken the curse God placed on them. It was an unprecedented scenario that caused the majority of the supernatural society to unite once again in thousands of years. Just thinking of these things made Azazel scratch his head. ¡°Haaa~. Troublesome, troublesome, troublesome.¡± He stretched out his hand towards the blonde and in that moment, a magic circle formed underneath him. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with all of this later. I might as well get him healed fir-¡± But before the circle could even function, Baraquiel suddenly appeared and dispelled it. ¡°Don¡¯t send him to Grigori.¡± Azazel was about to refuse. But when he saw his brother¡¯s tsundere-like expression, he couldn¡¯t help but release a grin. ¡°Aaa~? What do you mean~?¡± Vein Twitch Baraquiel really wanted to slap Azazel away, especially with how close he had shimmied over to him. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not good if he gets sent over to Grigori. Others there may figure out his lineage. So, the fewer people know about him, the better.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°Pfft¡­pfft¡­¡± Glare! ¡°Okay okay! Sheesh. Take the brat then. Just make sure he doesn¡¯t kill you when he wakes up.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Baraquiel didn¡¯t speak any further and simply hoisted Igor into his arms. ¡°Farewell, brother.¡± With that said, he flew away, not daring to look back. Baraquiel could practically imagine the smug look on his brother¡¯s face. ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m just doing this because my baby girl asked me to heal him.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let me take him to Grigori? I have a couple of healers there as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel sighed. He could count on Azazel to be annoying at the worst of times. ¡°...why aren¡¯t you heading back?¡± Azazel gave a cheerful smile. ¡°Can¡¯t I fly together with my brother? It¡¯s been a while since we took to the skies together-¡± ¡°The REAL reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to his reaction when he wakes up-¡± ¡°I said THE REAL reason.¡± ¡°...¡± *Cough* ¡°Shemhazai has a lot of work for me to do.¡± Azazel spoke abashedly. Yet despite his tone of speaking, he showed no intention of going back to Grigori. ¡°...fine¡± With both brothers flying in the sky, only the grumbles of Baraquiel could be heard in reply to Azazel¡¯s shameless laughter. . |DxD| . *Eyes open* *Looks around* *Sees Azazel* *Sees Baraquiel* *Looks around agai-* *Eyes dart back to Baraquiel* Silence¡­ *Vein Bulge* ¡°Bastard old man!¡± Swoo- SLAP ¡°Sit down.¡± Baraquiel sighed. ¡°We have to talk.¡± Chapter 12 ¡°Bastard old man!¡± Swoo- SLAP ¡°Sit down.¡± Baraquiel sighed. ¡°We have to talk.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Brother. I don¡¯t think I need to say this, but do you understand how important that boy is?¡± ¡°...I know.¡± Currently, Baraquiel and Azazel were in the latter¡¯s penthouse in Kuoh. While Akeno was told to stay in the living room, Shuri was currently nursing Igor in one of the guestrooms. Right now, both Baraquiel and Azazel were standing outside of the guestroom, the latter give the former an intense gaze. ¡°Look, brother¡­*sigh*, this kid, is the LAST Aryan. Under no circumstances, can he die. And under NO circumstances, should he become our enemy. Because brother, if this kid realises his potential, he can either become our biggest ally, or our biggest enemy. I wanted to draft him into Grigori, but I doubt he will accept considering that personality of his. So our next option is him becoming an ally or our associate.¡± He then shoved his finger into Baraquiel¡¯s chest. ¡°This is where YOU come in. When we wake that kid up, I won¡¯t be surprised if he says a bunch of words and attacks you. What I want you to do, is NOT beat him into the ground again.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°Mm.¡± Baraquiel gave a gruff nod and moved his hand to open the door. But before he could do that, Azazel grabbed his hand. ¡°I am serious, brother. I can find sacred gears. I can find talents. I can even find a Longinus. What I CANNOT find, is another Aryan.¡± Azazel looked into his eyes, his gaze intense and his meaning clear. ¡°Do not RUIN this, brother.¡± He let go of Baraquiel¡¯s hand and proceeded to open the door. Once that door swung open, his serious demeanor vanished like a fart in the wind. Holding up his hand to greet, he gave his typical, lighthearted smile. ¡°Hey, Shuri~. How¡¯s the kid holding up?¡± ¡°Oh my~ Azazel-kun. Well he¡¯s¡­¡± As the conversation continued, Baraquiel stood outside the door, the words of Azazel spinning the cogs in his head. [With that brat¡¯s personality, I won¡¯t be surprised if he¡¯s more stubborn than a donkey.] In the end, he couldn¡¯t stop a light smile from forming on his face. ¡°Hmph.¡± He walked inside, adjusting his collar in the process. Upon entering the room, the sudden brightness emanating from the globe on the ceiling caused him to squint. Regardless, he was able to quickly adjust to the sudden glare while keeping his hands to his sides. It would¡¯ve been humiliating if a man of his calibre shielded his eyes from sudden brightness of all things. His eyes instantly took in the whole room. A small double-bed with white pillows and covers and cream-white walls with a single globed lamp on the ceiling. On the cabinets on both sides of the bed were various medicines and bandages. On the bed was Igor with white bandages wrapped around his entire torso. With his sense of hearing, Baraquiel could hear that the blonde¡¯s heart rate was low¡­too low for a normal human. * But he couldn¡¯t focus on that fact before his wife walked over to him. ¡°Husband.¡± He looked down, assuming to see the smile of his lovely wife ready to give him the morning kiss he needed. But¡­ ¡°How are you~?¡± Looking at that smile of hers, he could be certain she was about to change his well-being¡­for the worse. And he could do nothing but offer an awkward smile. ¡°H-Hi dear. I¡¯m fine¡­you?¡± ¡°Ufufufu~. I¡¯m fine¡­but Dimori-kun certainly isn¡¯t~.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Azazel simply watched on from the sides, the situation clearly amusing him. [Haaaa¡­brother. You sure know how to pick ¡®em.] . |DxD| . As Azazel expected, the blonde was difficult. Even though the lad didn¡¯t attack Baraquiel after the first attempt, he was in a predictably, sour mood. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! But even worse was, his brother outright asked for the boy to become his disciple. ¡°I can teach you certain-¡± ¡°Teach, my ass!¡± ¡°I can aid you in fine-tuning your combat repertoire and-¡± ¡°I can manage JUST fine on my own old man!¡± Although Igor was much calmer than Azazel expected¡­well, as calm as the blonde could be. ¡°But regardless, I have-¡± ¡°Your mother!¡± ¡°?!¡± Azazel¡¯s head snapped up, Igor¡¯s curse rattling his brain. He immediately gave the blonde another once-over. He looked down again, his brows furrowed in contemplation. [It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve heard such an old style of swearing, especially from someone who¡¯s not even of Asian descent.] Azazel could easily tell that Igor never grew up in Japan or any other eastern countries. His way of speaking was too crude, forward, and impolite. In fact, he was too quick to cussing just like everyone was during the¡­ ¡°World Wars¡­¡± Baraquiel and Igor didn¡¯t hear his quiet mutter. If they did, they ignored him. Igor was swinging colourful words like a pro boxer while Baraquiel¡¯s entire face was red and bulging from frustration. The anger on the fallen¡¯s face could not be described in mere words. But keeping it in and trying to speak politely was causing him to develop the smile of someone who¡¯s suffering from constipation. If Azazel was paying attention, he would¡¯ve laughed. If Shuri was paying attention, she would¡¯ve stopped the powder keg threatening to explode. Although it hadn¡¯t been that long since she had reentered the room, Igor and Baraquiel didn¡¯t notice her. But while Azazel was engrossed in his own thoughts, Shuri looked towards the former with some concern. ¡°Azazel-kun. What do you mean by the world wars?¡± Azazel held up his chin with his fists, a momentary ¡°hmmmmm¡± acting as acknowledgement to Shuri¡¯s questioning. ¡°Well¡­I know that soldiers, be they from the mundane to the supernatural, have a tendency to swear. It isn¡¯t as frequent now, but back in those days, curses were a daily occurrence since it was a period of great war. And the way Igor speaks is almost like an Aryan during the war. If a child grew up hearing those words¡­¡± Just a glance towards the blonde sneaking in explicit content in his words was more than enough for Shuri to feel a bit flushed. She had never heard so many synonyms for a person¡¯s private parts before. ¡°I¡­understand-¡± But she then came to a sudden realisation. ¡°Wait. You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Azazel nodded. ¡°This son of Dimori, may be much older than he looks.¡± Given the numerous things he¡¯s seen, Azazel wouldn¡¯t be surprised. There were no lack of methods to prolong or halt aging. [But he doesn¡¯t show any signs of being much older than he looks.] * In the end, he shook his head. Standing up, he put the whole thought process behind him. [Coming up with conjectures like this from just his way of speaking? Maybe I am going senile. In any case, I should help my dearest brother out because at this rate, my beautiful house will get destroyed.] He put on a confident look and approached the young blonde. ¡°Hey kid. How about I tell you a few things. For starters, do you know what you are?¡± . |DxD| . (Before Igor woke up) . Akeno was quietly sitting in the living room. The television was on, and cartoons were put on for her. But while she sat on the carpet, she wasn¡¯t watching the cartoons. Her mind was more focused on what happened previously. But more importantly, she was more focused on pronouncing a certain word that she had come to like. ¡°Ffffffuuuuuuuckkkk~ Fuck!¡± She said it with such childish wonder and innocence, that it would not seem strange if the word was placed between ¡®fluffy rabbits¡¯ and ¡®teddy-bears¡¯. It was amazing to her how a single word could cause everyone to panic. It was fun to watch all those adults run around and to see her mother¡¯s panicked expression was even funnier. But there was another phrase that both confused and interested her more. ¡°Your¡­mother. Your mo-ther.¡± The previous word was more understandable. She had never heard of it before so Akeno didn¡¯t make too much of a fuss about it. All she knew was that if she said that word, Igor would get beaten up. That would count as payback for him calling her ¡°Little chick¡±. But the latter phrase completely confused her. She had no idea why when Igor said it, her father seemed just about ready to pop a blood vessel. She kept trying to roll the words around her tongue. ¡°Your mother! Yourrrr¡­motherrrrr.¡± She was trying to see if pronouncing it slowly or differently would yield different results. She crossed her legs and held her chin up with her hand. She would occasionally sway her head from side to side, almost as if she could see a hologram of ¡®Your Mother¡¯ floating in front of her. It was her own little bid to see if she could find a way to obtain enlightenment over the word¡¯s understanding. But while Akeno mulled about in profanity interpretation, Shuri had just descended the stairs when she chanced upon her daughter happily singing in front of the television. ¡°Your mother~ Your mother~ Your mother~ Your mother~ Your¡­¡± On a normal day, Shuri would simply smile and carry on with her day. If it was during the pre-Igor era, she would not have thought so much. But the moment she heard the ¡®lyrics¡¯ of her daughter¡¯s improvised nursery rhyme, she experienced a flashback. ¡®Fuck your mother! Do I LOOK ALRIGHT?! SHIT! FUCK! This hurts! THIS REALLY HUUUURTS!¡¯ She almost dropped the roll of old bandages in her hands, a cold sweat covering her brow. She looked over to her daughter, the epitome of innocence in her heart. Her mind threatened to freeze over. It could easily picture the scene of hell freezing over. But for the life of her, her mind could not picture a future where her little bundle of joy would cuss like soldiers in trench warfare. It was why with a determined gaze, she trudged forward, her motherly instincts taking over. ¡°Akeno!¡± She hastily grabbed her daughter¡¯s shoulders and made her turn towards her. ¡°Don¡¯t say bad words like that!¡± Akeno turned to face her mother. There was evident childlike confusion on her face that was followed by a predictable¡­ ¡°Why?¡± Luckily, years of motherly instincts passed down from mother to mother allowed Shuri to quickly provide an answer. ¡°Because only bad people speak like that. And you, my girl¡­¡± She neatly straightened out her daughter¡¯s dress. ¡°...are my little princess. Princesses don¡¯t speak like hooligans.¡± ¡°So¡­Dimori-san is a holi¡­hoole¡­bad person?¡± Shuri¡¯s smile became strained. ¡°Not¡­really.I believe that Dimori-kun is a good boy. We just have to stop him from using bad words.¡± ¡°Oh...will we be able to?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri considered it. She truly did. But it hasn¡¯t been a week and¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll try?¡± ¡­she had very little confidence. . |DxD| . ¡°Uh¡­uncle Azazel. My answer is no. I have everything I need at home.¡± . AN
  1. [But he doesn¡¯t show any signs of being much older than he looks.]
Explanation: Azazel means his mental age. He meant that Igor doesn¡¯t act like someone who¡¯s that old.
  1. With his sense of hearing, Baraquiel could hear that the blonde¡¯s heart rate was low¡­too low for a normal human. *
Explanation: Igor¡¯s not dying. His heart is simply that powerful and his body is just that healthy to the point that his heart doesn¡¯t need to beat as much to pump blood. Before I am hounded by people saying that everything about Azazel¡¯s conjecture is nonsense, I will explain why Azazel said what he said. Firstly, the reason why he said the world wars and not subsequent wars, was because the life subscription of Aryans expired in 1945. Furthermore, Azazel perked his head up when Igor said ¡°Your mother¡±. Then he proceeded to say that he cusses like an Aryan. That almost disproves any notion of him being raised somewhere else by someone else. Those are just the key points I wanted to mention. This fanfiction will not be dropped. For those who¡¯ve read Unlimited Potential, I also would like to say that that book will not be dropped as well. It will undergo a rewrite in the future. The reason why I am uploading after so many days, is because things were extremely busy these past few days. But for now, I can upload consecutively for the next few days since my schedule is clear. Chapter 13 ¡°Uh¡­Uncle Azazel. My answer is no. I have everything I need at home.¡± . |DxD| . (Ten minutes earlier) . Azazel walked over confidently towards the blonde, ready to use his tried and tested method of recruitment. ¡°Hey kid. How about I tell you a few things. For starters, do you know what you are?¡± Igor looked away from Baraquiel. But instead of looking at Azazel with curiosity, he looked at the cadre with a slightly confused gaze. His head tilted slightly while he raised his hand to point at himself. ¡°Me? I¡¯m a Dimori.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel coughed lightly, choosing to ignore the blonde¡¯s ignorant reply. ¡°You¡¯re partially correct. But you¡¯re more than that. You, are an Aryan, direct descendants of Adam.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°Oh¡­cool. And?¡± For all his confidence, Azazel almost fell over himself. But where would his dignity be if he let the stupidity of a four-year old on steroids falter him. So, bringing back his smile, he explained further. ¡°You are a superior race of humans identified by their characteristic traits of blonde hair and blue eyes. Being direct descendants of Adam, they possess immense strength and capabilities that far surpass ordinary humans.¡± Silence¡­ Azazel inwardly smiled to himself. [He must be very awed-] ¡°Huh¡­neat.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel stared blankly at the boy. He almost wanted to drown him in light spears then and there, but years of living allowed him to keep his cool- ¡°Can I go now?¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bulge* Spotting his brother was about to lose himself, Baraquiel muffled Azazel¡¯s mouth with his hand while he explained to the blonde in a language he knew he would understand. ¡°What Azazel means brat, is that your people could make things explode using their own power.¡± Igor looked at Baraquiel weirdly. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯m a kid. I know what Uncle Azazel said, old man. What confuses me is that you people keep saying I¡¯m an Aryan when I¡¯m not one.¡± Baraquiel looked at the blonde¡­REALLY looked at him. It was as if he was judging where to accurately punch the idiot so that his brain would rewire itself. But remembering his brother who was taking deep breaths, he thought to do the same. *Breathes in*¡­*Breathes out* ¡°If you say you are indeed, not an Aryan, then explain this. My daughter is 5-years old this year. How is it then that despite you being a year younger, you have shown me the power of a peak high-class entity?¡± * Igor¡¯s eyes narrowed to the size of a pinhole. His face was completely frozen like that of a statue. Baraquiel was about to give himself a pat on the back for uncovering the blonde¡¯s lie. Azazel looked on in intensity, eager to see how Igor would break himself out of this predicament. [He probably never guessed we would figure out his true age.] But far from their expectations, Igor¡¯s face morphed into one of excitement. ¡°HIGH CLASS?! I¡¯M A PEAK HIGH CLASS?!?! REALLY?! REALLY REALLY?!¡± Igor was very proud of himself. Being ranked as high-class gave him a world of confidence. Thinking about how his hard work paid off was enough to excite him for days. All those years of training himself into the dirt were not for nothing. He was ready to shout to the skies about his monumental achievement. That was until he remembered¡­ ¡°Hey old man. How powerful is high-class again?¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Baraquiel and Azazel stood gobsmacked. Azazel was especially tired. [I give up.] Baraquiel however, decided to answer the blonde¡¯s question. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen so far, you¡¯re strong enough to destroy a good chunk of this city. This makes you high-class.¡± ¡°Nice!¡± Igor nodded to himself appreciatively. But while he was flexing his muscles, Azazel decided to push forward. ¡°Hey kid. You sure you don¡¯t want to work with us?¡± In the midst of his excitement, Igor calmed down and looked at Azazel. Spotting the man¡¯s downtrodden expression, Igor smiled awkwardly. ¡°Uh¡­Uncle Azazel. My answer is no. I have everything I need at home.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± While Azazel sunk into a semi-depression, Baraquiel caught one important word in the blonde¡¯s sentence. ¡°And where is this home you speak of?¡± With a look of clear suspicion, Igor replied. ¡°Why would I tell a weird old man where my home is?¡± *Vein Bulge* ¡°What are you trying to¡­imply?¡± The wood was piled up and the oil was spilt onto it. Just one more stupid word and Baraquiel was ready to forsake his promise and beat Igor up then and there. It was only through sheer will that he- ¡°You¡¯re a pedophile...¡± ¡°...¡± Even though Igor said it through the quietest of whispers, his words didn¡¯t escape the ears of the Fallen. *Eye Twitch* So many veins bulged on Baraquiel¡¯s face that it seemed as if worms were crawling underneath his skin. ¡°Pedophile, you say?¡± ¡°?!¡± Igor immediately raised his guard. He knew not to let his guard down when Baraquiel got like this. The spark had been lit and the flames were about to burst. Emphasis on ¡®were¡¯. It was only because Azazel still hadn¡¯t left that he quickly defused the situation. ¡°Relax brother~ I¡¯m sure the brat is joking.¡± Had he not been there, another fight might¡¯ve broke out. [I wasn¡¯t even able to place my hand on the door handle and those two were about to fight again.] Surprisingly, Igor didn¡¯t take advantage of the situation. Instead, his gaze became serious, something that caught both fallen, especially Baraquiel off-guard. ¡°Uncle Azazel. Old man. My home is my home. I acknowledge that both of you are much stronger than me. And despite my¡­behavior, I am thankful for you two not¡­¡± He looked to the side for a bit, his brows scrunched up in hesitation. ¡°...killing me.¡± As much as it grated his pride to admit it, Igor knew he was outclassed in every way possible. [The first time I lost, I could use my weighted clothing as an excuse for my loss. But the second time¡­] The second time, he had the complete advantage. The element of surprise was with him and he had the momentum. He can¡¯t even elude his loss to the [Aura Burning Technique] draining him of ki since he didn¡¯t even last long enough for the skill¡¯s side-effects to show. In short, he wholeheartedly lost and he acknowledged his loss. So, standing to the side of the bed, he continued his previous statement. ¡°Although I still don¡¯t get this Aryan stuff, I do know how to repay debts. Although I cannot join you, or any other faction, I will owe you a favour for sparing my life and for nursing my injuries.¡± And inwardly, he added. [And for ignoring what I said about you being a¡­yeah¡­] Although it was Baraquiel who started all of this, Igor would ignore the semantics¡­for now. [I¡¯ll still beat him up in the future.] Even if Igor tried to hide it, both Azazel and Baraquiel could see the twinge of battle lust the boy was exuding. Azazel released a sigh while Baraquiel released a proud smile. Both their reactions confused the blonde for a bit. But before he could further focus on why they looked at him like that, he suddenly felt a hand ruffling his head. ¡°?!¡± He quickly looked up to see Baraquiel smiling gently at him, which in turn caused Igor to get angry. ¡°Stop touching me!¡± He tried to remove Baraquiel¡¯s oversized hand, but the job was proving to be harder than normal. He almost opted to use ki to reinforce his body, but Baraquiel¡¯s next words made him falter. ¡°You remind me of my first student. His name was Yered, although many know him as Jared. He was the great-grandson of Adam. He was quite the disobedient brat.¡± Baraquiel¡¯s gaze seemed to gain a filter of nostalgia atop it. When he looked at the curious Igor, his face would briefly overlap with that of another grinning blonde boy with a ponytail. ¡°Kid.¡± His gaze turned serious, and Igor naturally felt it. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to be my disciple? I may not be the strongest in the world, but I¡¯ve lived for a very long time. I can show you techniques you wouldn¡¯t find in any libraries and styles of combat long since lost to history. Although I may not seem like it, I possess an oasis of knowledge that few could compare to. So even though I may be a Fallen, there will be no problems with me training you. So I ask again. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to be my disciple?¡± Igor¡¯s gaze changed into one of embarrassment and shyness. [How¡­] He looked down at his feet. [How do I say no to him?] It was indeed a dilemma for the young blonde. For one, he had a library full of books, possibly hundreds of them. Of those hundreds, just reading one allowed him to reach his current level of strength. If all he had was the time chamber, then maybe he would¡¯ve considered it. He may have even accepted. But that time chamber came with everything he would ever need. Although Baraquiel¡¯s offer would appeal to others, there was no merit for him in accepting it. But that wasn¡¯t his biggest problem. He had just been told that he was the last of a race of very powerful humans by two very powerful people. Both made their intentions to recruit him clear. [Will they kill me if I say no this time?] Having Baraquiel¡¯s palm on his head didn¡¯t help much to dissuade his fears. That seemingly gentle hand on his head could easily splatter it. Although Igor knew that he wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, he wasn¡¯t dumb. After all, the entire reason for his current existence in this world was a result of the concept of: ¡®If you are not with me, then you are against me.¡¯. Even though four decades had passed from his perspective, he had not forgotten how his entire family was gunned down just because his father was a potential rival for the leadership position in the syndicate. So he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if for some reason, both Fallen decided to outright kill him here. Even if logic dictated that he should accept now and vanish later, there was something within him that refused to follow through with such a disgraceful action. So steeling his gaze, he looked up to the Fallen with a gaze of finality. ¡°Like I said old man, I have everything at home.¡± Silence¡­ The room was locked in complete silence and Igor was wary his fears would come true. But he was not afraid. In fact, the blood in his veins seemed to churn at the prospect of fighting them. [Even though the situation is dangerous¡­] He unconsciously began to smile. [I can¡¯t help but feel excited!] . AN
  1. ¡°If you say you are indeed, not an Aryan, then explain this. My daughter is 5-years old this year. How is it then that despite you being a year younger, you have shown me the power of a peak high-class entity?¡± *
Explanation: Emphasis on the word ¡°shown¡±. This means that so far, Igor has only shown the power of a high-class. In DxD, the scale of a high-class isn¡¯t quite clear but they are somewhere around city-blocks to city-level. So far, the only attack we¡¯ve seen that could come close to that scaling is the Galick-Gun. Then again, Igor does potentially have the energy to destroy the entire city of Kuoh. Chapter 14 [Even though the situation is dangerous¡­] He unconsciously began to smile. [I can¡¯t help but feel excited!] . |DxD| . [This brat is willing to fight?] Baraquiel really couldn¡¯t keep it in anymore. Lightning started to flicker around him. While he looked at Igor in the eye, he used his other hand to motion to Azazel. The meaning was pretty simple. [Don¡¯t interfere.] He didn¡¯t even pay attention to what his brother¡¯s reaction would be before he grinned at the blonde under his palm. ¡°Since you refuse, you know what is about to happen, correct?¡± Igor¡¯s only indication of replying, was a subtle blue line of aura emanating from him like the gentle flickers of a flame. ¡°As long as the final blow is not from behind.¡± * Tswii! CLASH! With one arm, Baraquiel blocked Igor¡¯s left foot that was aimed for his head. But it wasn¡¯t like Igor didn¡¯t learn anything from their past exchanges. While still midair, he aimed his hand towards Baraquiel¡¯s abdomen. A light golden orb formed in his hand, a sign that Baraquiel didn¡¯t take lightly. So the man shifted his remaining left hand to his stomach, ready to protect from the impending energy wave attack. But beyond his expectations, the energy wave didn¡¯t come from Igor¡¯s hand. ¡°RAAAAAAA!¡± It came from his mouth. BOOOM The energy wave pushed Baraquiel back, forcing him to tear through the walls of the house. Igor didn¡¯t continue to supply ki to the attack, causing Baraquiel to be pushed further and further away. It was only when the fallen was pushed outside the house and onto the streets, did Igor finally cancel the attack. When the dust and debris cleared, it revealed Baraquiel to have protected his chest with three of his left wings. Baraquiel looked at his smoking wings with a smile. ¡°If that one had landed, I would¡¯ve had to get a new coat.¡± With those words, he vanished, causing Igor who had charged over to suddenly halt his tracks and look around. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Baraquiel appeared below the blonde with his fist poised for an uppercut. ¡°Grigori doesn¡¯t have money for damages. So¡­¡± Du! Igor was flung up. He had barely managed to form a cross-guard before the punch landed on his forearms. The lightning of Baraquiel caused him to feel a tingling sensation that numbed them. But he couldn¡¯t dwell on the feeling for too long because Baraquiel appeared in front of him with his leg outstretched. ¡°...let¡¯s take this somewhere else.¡± GU! This time, Igor couldn¡¯t block the kick. Besides the fact that he had temporarily lost all feeling in his arms, Baraquiel was just moving that fast. And his kick was just that powerful. SUUUUUUuuuuuuuuu The blow was so powerful that Igor temporarily lost consciousness. His limp form flew over all the buildings of Kuoh towards the outskirts of the town. It was only after he was falling over the forest of Kuoh, did he begin to descend. It was also in that moment when he regained his consciousness. ¡°?!¡± Flaring his ki, he managed to stop his descent just a metre or so from the first tree that would¡¯ve dug into his back. But Baraquiel aimed to rectify that statement. The cadre appeared above Igor, his lightning-covered fist raised and a grin on his face. At that moment, Igor only had one thought. [Fuck¡­] BOOOM . |DxD| . If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Azazel was still dazed at the destruction of his penthouse. Four walls were torn down while expensive furnishings were either broken, burnt, or incinerated. Furthermore, there were atleast a few dozen humans that had witnessed the spectacle. It only took a wave of his hand for him to wipe out their memories. But the biggest hassle would be finding any photographic evidence. Although people rarely carry cameras, there may be a few tourists. Just thinking of the work he had to do, made him feel like weeping. ¡°Why me...¡± . |DxD| . Shuri and Akeno looked at the penthouse that had a massive hole in the wall. Both mother and child had just come back from shopping. Shuri just stood still, not sure what to do. She could see Azazel standing silently by the gate. The man was practically looking at her with eyes that were pleading for help. Shuri looked at him silently, her heart coming to a decision. ¡°Akeno¡± ¡°Yes, mama?¡± Azazel watched on, hope budding in his eyes. Shuri raised her foot¡­and turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the store. We are missing a few ingredients for tonight.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± Azazel watched both mother and child walk away, his eyes empty from despair. ¡°W-why¡­¡± Azazel was hoping Shuri would help him detain Baraquiel and force him to clean up his own mess. But now, it seemed as if he, the Governor of Grigori, truly had to wipe after his brother. Although he could call for a squadron of fallen angels to do the work for him, they weren¡¯t nearby since Kuoh was currently a¡­devil territory. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± The familiar sound of a teleportation circle forming a few metres from him entered his ears. His posture slumped when he saw the short white-haired woman that appeared from it. Spotting her questioning gaze, Azazel couldn¡¯t help but weep. *Sad Azazel noises* . |DxD| . Igor was levitating a dozen-or-so metres from Baraquiel. He stood straight while the latter had their wings out and their arms crossed. Both were floating just a few metres above the treetops while the afternoon sun blared down on them. The skies were clear, but only those with supernaturally enhanced eyesight could see the slight shimmers of the barrier that surrounded the entire forest. Although Igor appeared confident, there was the slightest bit of nervousness. The uncertainty of the situation was killing him. Here he was, prepared for a fight to the death. Everything had even went as he expected. From being hit with an uppercut that rammed like a truck, he got acquainted with the toe of Baraquiel¡¯s boot that had him black out in an instant. But after he got punched into the trees, things started to change from there. He had risen from the rubble and attacked Baraquiel. But the fallen only blocked his attacks¡­with a finger. That had frustrated the blonde to no end. The anger and humiliation he felt caused his attacks to become even sloppier, arousing Baraquiel¡¯s own annoyance at the situation. Eventually, the fallen hit Igor with a palm strike to the stomach that pushed him away. The blonde had wanted to retaliate, but the cadre stopped him with a motion of his hand. This event led to the current moment of them just levitating in the air in silence. For the past ten-minutes, Igor had been tense while Baraquiel was relaxed with his eyes closed and arms folded. But as time dragged on, Baraquiel finally decided it was time to speak. ¡°First rule of combat: keep calm at all times. During this whole time, I was hoping your fists would unclench and your heart rate would decrease. But instead, it has increased.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°Oh¡­¡± Igor chuckled while rubbing his head. ¡°Hehe. Hard to relax when a blink could be your last, old man.¡± He felt a bit of embarrassment, but it allowed him to finally relax a bit. ¡°Hmph. And you say you don¡¯t need a teacher.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Igor chuckled nervously. But Baraquiel continued. ¡°Listen, brat. I¡¯ve seen some of your techniques and I assume you know more. I acknowledge that I cannot teach you techniques. But what I can do¡­ *Cracks knuckles* ¡°...is teach you how to fight.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor got into a wide stance, his gaze morphing into resolute confidence. ¡°Alright old man. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Good. Now, I want you to fight me at your full power. I will wait.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Igor abandoned his stance and stood straight. His hands clenched into fists, his arms slowly rising towards chest level. A faint pressure started to emanate from him, wisps of blue ki slowly crackling to life. ¡°NdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAA!¡± GrUUU Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Ki surged like blue flames around him. The intensity and density continued to grow every minute second. Baraquiel watched with a fascinated gaze as Igor powered up. He could feel the blonde shatter the energy reserves of high-class entities and was gradually encroaching on the limits of ultimate-class. Baraquiel felt it was quite impressive for Igor to have this much power. [If he¡¯s like this before his teenage years, I wonder how strong he¡¯ll get before he¡­hmm?] Igor¡¯s power reached its peak. The fiery blue aura around him was swirling around agitatingly. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su SUAAA! The pressure of him reaching full power resulted in the extra ki he generated explode outward. Having powered up, a visible blue aura surrounded him. Closing his eyes, Igor focused for a bit before the aura gradually receded into his body. The level of control he had over his ki had even Baraquiel nod in approval. Slowly, the blonde opened his eyes, obvious battle lust emanating from them. ¡°Whuuu¡­¡± Having let out a deep breath, he began removing the bandages around his torso and threw them down the forest below. Looking at Baraquiel, he didn¡¯t even utter a word before he rushed forward in a burst of speed. Suuuu! But before he could get far, Baraquiel suddenly appeared in front of him. ¡°?!¡± Guu! ¡°Pwuargh!¡± Striking the blonde with a powerful gut punch, Baraquiel spoke. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen.¡± Hoisting the blonde up, he threw him down towards the forest floor. Kra Kra Kra Kra Kra Kra¡­BOOOOM Crashing through dozens of trees, Igor hit the ground hard enough to launch up a giant plume of dust, debris, and branches. But Baraquiel didn¡¯t care for any harm the blonde might¡¯ve gone through. ¡°I said!¡± He only wanted to see one thing at the moment. ¡°SHOW ME YOUR FULL POWER!!!¡± Silence¡­ But instead of being disappointed, Baraquiel smiled. [Yes!] *TREMBLE* *TREMBLE* *TREMBLE* *TREMBLE* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble *Tremble* Silence¡­ ¡°[AURA-BURNING STATE!]¡± GRUUUUUUuuuuuuuu Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su The sudden power-up unleashed a powerful burst of ki that instantly uprooted and toppled every single tree around Igor. Everything from the leaf litter to the loose soil was pushed away by the powerful force, leaving the blonde with a relatively large clearing around him. Igor slowly flew up, a very intense aura of dark blue ki surrounding him. Only a vague silhouette of his appearance could be seen due to just how dense the ki emanating from him was. Having levitated to Baraquiel¡¯s level, Igor spoke with a slightly strained voice. ¡°I¡¯m on a time limit old man. So let¡¯s make this quick.¡± Tswii! Swoosh¡­CLASH! . AN
  1. ¡°As long as the final blow is not from behind.¡±
Explanation: Here it means, as long as the blow that kills him, does not come from the back. For warriors, fighters, or martial artists of any kind, it is considered a shameful/embarrassing way to die to a blow from the back. Even just having a scar along your back isn¡¯t something to be proud of because it is seen as a fact that you let your guard down like a rookie. So as for why Igor said that sentence, considering that he trained for so long, it would be extremely insulting to his efforts if the killing blow landed on his back. Before I forget to mention, I cannot upload tomorrow. Today is Friday in my area. On Saturdays, I don¡¯t work. It¡¯s my day of relaxation and it is also the day I go to church. Chapter 15 ¡°I¡¯m on a time limit old man. So let¡¯s make this quick.¡± Tswii! Swoosh¡­CLASH! . |DxD| . 1995/08/09 - September 3rd, 1995(Sun), Kuoh Town, Japan . Four weeks had passed by peacefully. Over the days, Igor had been sparring with Baraquiel, allowing his combat experience to soar and become more refined. Without fail, Baraquiel would give a pointer mid-spar and the blonde would learn, astonishing the cadre with his uncanny comprehension ability. Currently, it was morning and both Igor and Baraquiel had went out for their daily sparring session, leaving both Shuri and Akeno alone at the Himejima residence. Igor¡¯s schedule was pretty simple. At four in the morning, he would wake up and begin meditating. If it was in the time chamber, he would begin his regular excercises before eating at a later time. But since he has Baraquiel to spar with, he resolved to meditate instead. His meditative sessions would last until Baraquiel woke up, which usually varied between 6:00 and 8:00. Either way, once he woke up, the Fallen would meet up with Igor in the woods for their morning sessions. Once there, Igor would power up and enter his [Aura-Burning State]. With his ki capacity, he could only hold it for roughly five minutes before he burnt out nearly all his ki. The ramifications of the technique weren¡¯t too harsh, but due to having a very low amount of ki, his speed, striking power, and defense would decrease by a noticeable margin. That made whatever punches Baraquiel dished out after that state just that more painful. But it also helped to increase his body¡¯s natural toughness and resistance, especially to lightning. Having endured the bolts tearing through his body, his reactions to it have lessened. Their morning sessions would usually end around 10:00. Both would go back to the house where Shuri would¡¯ve prepared an entire breakfast for them. Although Igor was initially predisposed to it, he had come to enjoy eating with the family. If it was during the weekdays, then Akeno would¡¯ve long since went to school. That was quite sad for both parents since the blonde and their daughter would seemingly bicker about the most random of things. It was a happy sight watching them fight over simple things like which is better between honey or sugar in tea. After breakfast, it was sparring again until evening. This time, Baraquiel would be more thorough in pointing out whatever errors Igor was committing or what he needed to watch out for during a fight. It was a very much-needed experience that helped the blonde stop fighting with the mindset of a human and fight with the mindset of a supernatural. With there being various races with various abilities, martial arts for humans wasn¡¯t going to work when an enemy could fly or had extra appendages. It was how Baraquiel had shown him in the beginning. When Igor had tried to get close like in boxing, the Fallen simply released his wings to stab the blonde. It was one of the things Baraquiel highlighted during the spars. ¡®In the supernatural world, you want to focus more on evasion and precise strikes since you do not know what the enemy will bring out. This goes doubly for you, brat.¡¯ And so time passed by with Igor gaining tips and tricks from the experienced cadre. Although the blonde wouldn¡¯t easily admit it, he did enjoy his time around Baraquiel and his family. It was why that even though a month had passed, there was that bit of reluctance to part with them. He had informed the family he would leave, which is why while both Igor and Baraquiel were out, Shuri and Akeno had stayed behind to prepare a massive parting breakfast for the blonde. While setting the table, Akeno looked out the window to where flashing lights and thunderous booms could be heard. ¡°Mama. Does Igor really have to leave?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, my child.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shuri stopped stirring the pot and smiled. ¡°Ara~. Is my little Akeno going to miss her big brother?¡± Akeno turned around with a pout. ¡°H-he¡¯s not my big brother! Papa said he¡¯s younger than me!¡± ¡°Fufu~. But like he said. He¡¯s taller than you, which makes him the big brother.¡± ¡°But, but¡­no fair!¡± ¡°Nothing in life is fair Akeno-chan-¡± Tremble Tremble Tremble Tremble Tremble ¡°Mama! Come look!¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Shuri ran to the window and what she saw, shocked her. ¡°W-what is that?!¡± In the sky, a massive golden sphere was hovering above. Although Shuri couldn¡¯t quite see it, Akeno could see the tiny figure of Igor underneath the ball. But before she could focus on that detail, both her and her mother heard the frantic shout of Baraquiel. ¡°WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU BRAT?!?!?!?!¡± ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! THIS? THIS IS MY GIFT TO YOU, OLD MAN!!!¡± . |DxD| . A vast area of the forest was destroyed. Spreading from the middle of the forest, a large area of wasteland was created. Where there was clustered greenery, was now a desolate expanse of rubble. There were brief constant flashes and flickers of golden lightning all over the desolate wasteland, a result of Baraquiel¡¯s efforts to stop the spread of the golden domes explosion. The cadre looked on from the skies at the destruction. The barren wasteland below was like a gaping bald spot in the entire forest. As for Baraquiel himself, his coat was torn apart. His entire muscled torso was showing while his pants had a few minor tears. But instead of being angry, Baraquiel find this entire ordeal humorous. ¡°This brat. Is this payback?¡± Just recalling the entire scenario made him smile. ¡°You got me good this time kid. Let¡¯s see if you can do the same next time.¡± Without dawdling any further, he flapped his wings and went home for breakfast, knowing full well that the two women waiting at home would be sad at Igor vanishing without a goodbye. . |DxD| . Seven Days Later In The Time Chamber . Igor woke up with a start, his eyes quickly scanning his surroundings. Once he spotted the familiar dreary landscape of the time chamber, he got up with a smile on his face. Happy tears spread to his cheeks as he spread his arms. ¡°Home! I¡¯m finally home!¡± The previous energy sphere he launched at Baraquiel had drained him of his ki to a dangerously low level. Just before he fell into an unconscious state, he willed himself to enter the time chamber before passing out. He took in the familiar sight of the colourful auroras in the sky before walking with determination to the library. ¡°I already got the drop on that old bastard once. But if I want to beat him in combat, I need to learn some techniques. A Galick Gun and a bastardized Spirit Bomb won¡¯t cut it next time.¡± Not caring the least about walking around with his damaged clothing, he opened the door to the gym before making his way to the library. He did pass by his room to collect Nakamura¡¯s book called: ¡®Ki or Chakra. The Dilemma¡¯. He had finished it prior to exiting the mindscape before having picked up another book. That other book was simply titled: ¡®Aura Handling¡¯ by Nakamura. Igor was already on chapter two of the book which talked about two methods of energy handling called [Aura-Burning State] and [Aura-Flowing State]. Although he was confident in his ability to use the Aura-Burning State, he gave the book a cursory lookover just to refresh his memories. There was another technique he wanted to learn that could give him an edge against Baraquiel. ¡®Chapter Two: Power Amplification Now then, young one, we will now delve into the intricacies of power augmentation for both ki and chakra. I have two elementary techniques for you to learn depending on which energy system you use. For ki wielders, it is the Aura-Burning State and for chakra wielders, it is the Aura-Flowing State. ¡­
  1. [Aura-Burning State]: This technique isn¡¯t tricky to master. If you have read my previous book called ¡®Ki or Chakra. The Dilemma¡¯, then mastering this technique will not be difficult for you, assuming you did the appropriate ki-control excercises. Executing this technique will allow your overall strength to increase by a hundred percent for a total duration that is determined by the capacity and quality of your ki. In this state, your ki will be ¡®burnt¡¯ and in exchange, you will be able to repeatedly use energy attacks without care. Techniques that would drain you of stamina quite quickly can also be repeated without regard in this state.
But in exchange for all these benefits, this technique will NOT stop until your body is drained of nearly all its ki. Once the Aura-Burning State ends, you will barely have enough energy to fire a simple ki blast. Your overall base combat ability will decrease by 80% while your defense will decrease by a further 20%. Furthermore, you cannot forcefully recharge your ki after the technique has expired. It HAS to build up NATURALLY. I cannot stress this enough. I have seen a great deal of warriors take pellets that would boost the recharge rate of their ki only to irreparably damage their veins. To execute this technique, you have to carefully ignite your ki with the tiniest bit of your lifeforce. I cannot specifically quantify how much, but a minute of your lifespan will be enough. If you do not know how to feel your lifespan, then go back and read my first book, young one. You will understand that accessing your lifespan would require you to be able to sense your own soul through meditation.
  1. [Aura-Flowing State]:Same as before, this technique isn¡¯t tricky to master if you read my previous book. This technique belongs to the chakra energy system and is generally used by demons. But that does not mean the concepts of the technique can¡¯t be inducted into the Aura-Burning State technique. But before we delve into stealing the concept, let us first understand what exactly the Aura-Flowing State is. This technique, as the name implies, accelerates of the flow of chakra in a person¡¯s body by a predetermined multiplier of 1.5x. The stronger the person¡¯s physique, the faster they can circulate their chakra and the more powerful they can be. The flow speed of chakra directly correlates to the power-up they receive. So if for example, a person accelerates the flow of their chakra by three, their combat ability will triple.
But like every good thing, this technique comes with its own drawbacks as well. For one, energy attacks are unusable in such a state. The chakra flows too quickly for you to be able to mould enough for another technique. It is equivalent to trying to form ice in a fast-flowing river. The faster the river flow, the harder it is for ice to form. This means that until you cancel the Aura-Flowing State, you will be UNABLE to form or use any other technique. Furthermore, extensive use of this technique will damage your chakra coils. If your chakra veins feel all as if they itch, CANCEL the technique IMMEDIATELY as your coils are on the verge of bursting. To execute this technique, you must WILL your chakra to accelerate faster. It is like placing your hand in a tub of water and swirling it around. Refer to the chakra excercises in my previous book for more. ¡­ While both techniques have their own benefits and disadvantages, my goal here is not to simply teach you about these techniques and be done with it. As I stated before, it is possible to combine the concepts of these techniques with enough mastery. I know of a certain kai from Universe 7 who managed to combine the Aura-Burning State and the Aura-Flowing State into one powerful technique. If my memory serves correct, he called the culmination of these techniques, the Kaioken. Chapter 16 I know of a certain kai from Universe 7 who managed to combine the Aura-Burning State and the Aura-Flowing State into one powerful technique. If my memory serves correct, he called the culmination of these techniques, the Kaioken. . |DxD| . Time chamber: 2 Months Later Outside in the barrenness of the time chamber, Igor was sitting cross-legged with Nakamura¡¯s book open in front of him. Wearing only navy pants and black sandals, he was rendered bare to the harsh cold of the vicinity. He hadn¡¯t ventured too far into the time chamber, meaning the gravity was only twice the normal level. Although he could¡¯ve ventured further, his goal for this month was not to train his body. With his body having reached its peak a long time ago, further training would only be pointless. His objective this time was to properly master his aura. One of the requirements for learning the Kaioken was to have a certain level of mastery over his ki. While Igor had almost fulfilled the preliminary requirements to start training the Kaioken nearly a week into his training, he was not satisfied. [I¡¯m still a kid so my ki capacity isn¡¯t as big as I want it to be, and my body isn¡¯t as strong as I need it to be. But if I can enhance my ki control even further, I can decrease the amount of ki I release as waste aura and limit the amount of strain my veins have to go through.] Opening his eyes, he extended both his hands forward like knives. Then, short blue aura blades emanated from his hand with a soft buzzing sound. The aura blades were smooth and triangular in shape. There were visible little strands of ki that were moving around like little string fish. But while the sight appeared beautiful, Igor thought the opposite. [Finer! I must make them finer!] Slowly, the little strings of ki began to disintegrate, allowing the aura blades to have a smooth, more metallic finish. Igor looked at the book below, specifically on the section dedicated to the latest training method he was on. ¡­ ¡®Method #6: Iron Sharpens Iron While not the most elegant of types, the [Iron Sharpens Iron] training method forces the user to take a much cruder and simpler approach to enhancing ki control. As the name implies, we will use your ki to sharpen your ki control ability. To put it specifically, you will grind your ki against each other. Of course, we won¡¯t do this internally, unless you want to cripple yourself. What you will do, is you will form two aura blades in your hands. You must make them as sharp as you can for this exercise to bring you any noticeable effects. Once you¡¯ve done that, you will then pit the blades against each other and make them clash. You will know you are on the right path when you will your entire body begins to vibrate, especially your arms and the lower side of your ribs. ¡­ Igor did exactly that. He clashed the blades and immediately his body began vibrating. He endured silently while monitoring the flow and sharpness of his ki in the blades. Although there was a slight pain¡­ ¡°Keuk! This is¡­nothing I haven¡¯t felt before!¡± He continued making his blades struggle against each other whilst silently recalling the additional information he needed. ¡­ ¡®It is extremely important that you do not keep the status quo. Most fighters experienced having superior ki control in their dominant hand. If your dominant hand is your right hand, sharpen the aura blade in it while maintaining the blade in your left hand. Once your right blade begins to cut the left one, immediately focus on your left blade and do your best to recover its integrity and improve its sharpness. To see better¡­or worse results from this training, place something you hold dear to you beneath the aura blades. My personal favourite is placing a sleeping baby. I assume I do not have to explain any further as to what the impact would be if you fail?¡¯ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡­ Although Igor didn¡¯t have a baby lying around, he did have the very book recommending him to risk the lives of babies beneath the aura blades. But despite this, Igor considered this book very important. [If I fail here¡­] There was no other copy in the library. If he failed to bolster his left blade, he runs the risk of cutting the one and only teaching method for the Kaioken to pieces with no possibility of stitching the book together. To him, this book was more precious than a random baby he didn¡¯t even know. To him, anything that could increase his strength was precious because it could secure his future from needless tragedy. He could still remember how Ted broke the news of his family dying. Although it would be a stain on their memory, Igor knew his family died because his father was weak. As much as he respected the man, sometimes he wished he had stayed in Italy. As unethical as being in the mafia was, he was in a position of strength. Willingly letting go of such a position to pursue the life of a ¡®normal¡¯ person was a concept Igor couldn¡¯t accept deep down inside him. If his father had remained in the mafia, their entire family, should it have existed, wouldn¡¯t have had to die so needlessly. It was why Igor pursued power. It was his drive to improve and strive to be the strongest. It was why he was willing to take such a risk. Rather than take a less risky but longer approach to mastering ki control, he was willing to use such a method that would provide him with immediate gains¡­or painful losses. If he had to stake the one and only method to obtain the Kaioken and other techniques on the line, then he had no problem. Because in a contest of willpower, he had plenty to spare. ¡°GRAAAAA!¡± CLANG! His right hand bounced off into the air. Igor opened his eyes wide, not because of the sudden rebound, but because the quality of his blades had increased to the point that they seemed to have gained their own sword aura. Igor brought his hands close to his chest, his eyes taking in the higher quality of the aura blades. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Now, the blades seemed to be more solid in appearance like a real blade. The dull hum around the blades was even more pronounced than before. The amount of densely packed ki amazed Igor to the point that his smile began to widen. ¡°Haha. Hahaha! Hahahahaha! I did it!¡± He cut off the supply of ki to the aura blades and allowed them to fizzle out of existence. Without waiting longer, he channelled ki again into his fingers and formed new aura blades. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz The sharpness and quality was lower but with a little bit of focus, they retained their previous state. ¡°This is amazing!¡± He could also feel his ki flow much more smoothly than before. He could also feel his ki was much easier to handle, almost as if instead of using one finger to balance a pen, he could now use two. While the blonde was happy and swinging around his aura blades, little did he know that he had unconsciously drawn onto the hidden potential of humans. The want and need to succeed had slightly broken the already weakening curse on his potential. The sheer drive he had, coupled with the extreme risk of permanently losing a valuable path to power was enough to crack the generational seal that stuck to humans like gum on the sole of a shoe. But while he enjoyed the fruits of his success, he knew he still had work to do. ¡°Alright. Enough playing around.¡± So, cancelling the aura blades, Igor quickly flipped the book over to the next page. ¡­ ¡®If by this point my book is still intact, then I will safely assume that you succeeded on the first try. If there was a second or third try, my condolences¡­* Anyway- ¡­ ¡°Pfft!¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but let out a bit of a laugh at the statement. ¡°Although it was dark, I like the old man¡¯s humour.¡± But quickly composing himself, he continued to read. ¡­ ¡®Anyway, we are still not done yet. If you want to easily attain higher levels of the Kaioken, then you must diligently set a proper foundation. Once your aura blades are perfect, meaning that they look completely solid in appearance, you can then move on to aura sabres and repeat the same exercise as before. Should you succeed in obtaining or maintaining solid aura sabres, you can extend the blades to as much as three-dozen metres. The longer, the better. Although I do not mean to brag, my mastery over ki was good enough to allow me to form an aura sword long enough to cleave the suns of solar systems in half. Continue to train and you will notice the sharp rise in ki control. If you want to make it even harder, use the Yin-Yang Breathing Method (Push-and-Pull) in conjunction with your aura blades. Breathe in, and lengthen your aura blades as far as you can. Breathe out, and shorten them.¡¯ ¡­ Igor closed the book and placed it behind him. Then just like before, he straightened his hands and breathed in. As he breathed in, he powered up as fast as he could. At the same time, he formed ki blades that continued to grow in length for the duration of his breath. But as the blades lengthened, they emitted wisps of blue aura. [Tch! My control is loosening.] But he didn¡¯t stop. He couldn¡¯t stop, not when he could feel his ki more intimately than before. The blonde knew that if he kept practicing like this, he would gain a very high level of mastery over his own ki. And if he could control his ki like his own limbs¡­then mastering the Kaioken would be that much easier. . AN
  1. ¡®If by this point my book is still intact, then I will safely assume that you succeeded on the first try. If there was a second or third try, my condolences¡­*
Explanation: What is meant here is if the book was torn from rage. You can imagine that if someone split something in half from failing to strengthen their aura blade, they would tear the book from rage. . Important Information Today is Monday in my area. On Friday, Saturday, and possibly, Sunday, I will not be able to upload. My family and I will be travelling. Chapter 17 And if he could control his ki like his own limbs¡­then mastering the Kaioken would be that much easier. . |DxD| . 3 Months Later Inside the Time Chamber ¡°[Aura-Burning State!]¡± SUUuuuu Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su An aura of ocean blue ki covered his form. But unlike before when the aura was like a violent fiery shroud, it now stuck to his form like an illusory curtain. Although his figure was vaguely visible, the blonde could keep most of his ki inside his body. Igor inspected his form, his grin gradually widening. ¡°I feel like I can stay longer in this state for twice as long. And¡­¡± He formed long aura sabres in his hands. Despite being in a state of constant erratic ki fluctuation, the aura blades still appeared solid with only a faint amount of aura emission. It was unlike the times when they were spectral and illusory in appearance. But his purpose wasn¡¯t to train with aura sabres this time. ¡°I think-no¡­ I¡¯m ready now.¡± Dismissing his aura sabres, Igor clasped his hands together in a prayer gesture. He focused on himself, ignoring the fiery heat of the area he was in. Having been training for so long, a little heat could do nothing to his trained body, even if he was wearing nothing on his torso. Despite standing under 4x the gravity of Earth, it did nothing to dull Igor¡¯s focus. The blonde focused on the flow of his ki and began to prod at it. He fully immersed himself in the feeling. He could visualize the flow of ki in his body in real-time. But as much as he wanted to enjoy the feeling, he knew he didn¡¯t have much time. So forming metaphorical hands all over his body in the river of his ki, he began to hasten the flow of the ki running through his veins. ¡°Ack!¡± But it was not a procedure without pain. With his veins having never had to endure more than the normal flow of speed, they underwent a sudden shock. It was only through his arduous training that his veins quickly adapted to the sensation. [If I had attempted this forty-no, thirty years ago, I would¡¯ve crippled myself.] He did not immediately double the speed of flow. Instead, it was a gradual process like how someone would slowly turn the volume knob up. The blonde slowly endured, and in return, he could feel a change in his ki. The reckless burning of his ki caused by the [Aura-Burning State] was being calmed. The sudden change in the flow of ki acted like a whirlpool that pulled in the aura of ki that was being emitted. Igor could immediately tell how it was happening. [This is like how water flows into the drain in the sink. The fast flow of my ki pulls in the emitted ki, allowing my body to gain a boost in physicality. But¡­I can¡¯t move like this.] The faster his ki flowed, the heavier that Igor felt himself get. It was like his whole body began to grow sluggish. But he expected that. It was a particular trait of ki that Nakamura highlighted in his book. ¡­ ¡®While some have always wondered, there is a reason why the flow of ki cannot go beyond the body¡¯s capabilities. It is because the faster ki flows, the denser it becomes. The particles of ki cluster together under high speed, which makes them heavier. This is helpful for releasing long-range energy wave attacks since this prevents the attack from dispersing once it travels too far from the wielder. However, this same trait will slow down your body should you try to circulate your ki faster. It was also because of this particular trait that even though countless tried, no one could fuse the Aura Burning and Aura-Flowing States into one technique.¡¯ Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡­ Even though his body felt like it was about to collapse under its own weight, Igor continued to hasten his ki flow until he finally managed to double it. But instead of something monumental happening, Igor suddenly felt a grinding pain all over his body. ¡°KAAGH!¡± He immediately spit out blood, his eyes wide open. All of his ki seemed to have suddenly clogged up, causing his whole body to seize up and a whole cacophony of reactions to ensue. The blonde fell to his knees, his hand desperately clutching his heart. Veins all over his body were threatening to burst while steady streams of blood fell through his gritted teeth. The aura of ki around him still emanated and even though the blonde tried to revert the flow of ki back to normal¡­ ¡°W-WHAT¡¯S HAPPENING?!?!¡± ¡­he could no longer feel any of the ki in his body. To be precise, he could feel it but he could not ¡®touch¡¯ it. His ki seemed to have a mind of its own and was outside the realm of his control. But through this all, the blonde grit his teeth and endured. [Is this the ¡®surprise¡¯ that Nakamura said would happen?] It felt like explosions were rocketing through his body, especially in his heart and core region. Even though the blonde tried to persist, the immense pain he was feeling was causing him to lose consciousness. Falling over, he was able to catch the last passage of the book lying open on the ground. ¡®Only those determined to pursue the path of strength, can learn the Kaioken. Good luck.¡¯ Before he closed his eyes, he only had one thought in his head. [Ba...stard.] . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 1 Month Later (6 Months After Entering) Igor was still lying unconscious on the ground. He had not woken up once during this whole time. The only indication that the blonde was alive was the steady breathing of his body. But his suffering was not for nothing. His body somehow appeared to have grown by two years, making him appear thirteen instead of eleven. His hair had also grown longer, his blonde locks stretching just past his shoulders. A few more hours passed and the blonde¡¯s breathing hastened to that of an awake person. Igor slowly opened his eyes, his senses subconsciously spreading throughout his surroundings. The first thing the blonde saw was Nakamura¡¯s book lying open on the last page he saw. The gravity of the area ensured that the book remained unaffected by the winds. It was why the blonde was able to see the last passage, specifically the last two words in the passage. *Vein Bulge* ¡° ¡®Good luck¡¯ your mother¡¯s ass!!! I almost died, you bastard old man!¡± He almost threw the book away but when he saw the pages almost flip, he stopped. ¡°What¡­¡± He used his fingers to flip over to the next page and to his surprise, he was able to grip the page and flip it over. ¡°I can flip it over now? How, when I couldn¡¯t before?!¡± Igor could perfectly recall how he tried to flip the page over, only to fail each time. Whenever he tried to grip the corner of the page, it would appear as if that page and all the following pages were bound together with super glue. In the end, the blonde had given up and continued following the previous instructions that had caused him to spit blood and fall unconscious. Remembering the amount of pain he had to go through nearly made the blonde want to rip the book apart in rage. But rationality won and told him to see what was on the next page. ¡°Bastard. This better be worth it.¡± ¡­ ¡®Before we go any further, I would like to offer my congratulations. You being able to reach this page means you have been able to acquire the Kaioken. You see, the Kaioken is a divine technique, meaning only the worthy are allowed to learn it. But it isn¡¯t the technique per say that is divine but the potential it harbours. No, I do not mean the multipliers. There are plenty of other techniques that can multiply the user¡¯s power. What makes the Kaioken different, is that it can temper your body and prepare it for divine ki, more commonly known as god ki. The requirements to unlock the Kaioken are as follows:
  1. Minimum ki capacity or control that can hold the Aura-Burning State for 7 minutes or more.
  2. A body strong enough to survive a metropolitan-level attack or withstand ten-times the gravity of a low-tier planet.
  3. Most importantly, the will to live and the tenacity to succeed.
The fourth hidden requirement that I kept from you, was access to a sliver of divine ki. There are three ways of getting divine ki. The first method is having someone who can use divine ki, imbue it into you. Local gods, kai, and other people with access to divine ki can help you. The second method is meditating long enough to sense divine ki. Now, here¡¯s the problem. It already takes months, if not years for a person who¡¯s on a god¡¯s planet to sense the divine ki that is quite literally, flowing around them in abundance. Now you can imagine how many decades or centuries it will take for someone who¡¯s on a mortal planet to sense divine ki. The third method, is what I hope you just did. Instead of seeking other¡¯s divine ki, why don¡¯t you tap into your own? All creation has a sliver of divine ki in them. But that sliver is usually so tiny that it cannot be tapped into. Only through extensive stimulation can that sliver turn into a strand that can be interacted with. Using the Aura-Burning State and then accelerating the flow of your ki by exactly 100% will result in your ki overflowing, causing it to clog up your acupoints. If you do not satisfy the requirements listed above, your body will simply explode. Nothing more would need to be said. But if you satisfy the requirements above, the excessive state of your body will stimulate your divine ki. That divine ki will feed off your normal ki and grow. At the same time, your body will start to stabilise since all that erratic ki is being absorbed by your divine ki. Changes do however, come with the awakening of your divine ki. Should you be older, your body will grow younger and should you be younger, your body will grow older. Although the changes will not be much due to the small amount of divine ki you will have, this will present your start to breaking the shackles that limit the potential of humans.¡¯ ¡­ Chapter 18 ¡®... Although the changes will not be much due to the small amount of divine ki you will have, this will present your start to breaking the shackles that limit the potential of humans.¡¯ . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Igor closed the book and carefully put it into his pocket. Then slowly, he breathed in, his veins gradually bulging. ¡° ¡®Hidden requirement¡¯ he says.¡± *Vein Bulge* He could still feel the phantom pains of his heart feeling like it was being drilled into. ¡°Your father should¡¯ve splattered you on the rocks before meeting your mother!¡± * His ki surged around him, his rage manifesting. ¡°FUCK! I almost DIED you bloody piece of cum-glazed shit!!!¡± He manifested 10 metre long aura sabres in his hands and began slashing wildly. He was releasing all the pent-up rage he held within him. ¡°Hidden requirement my ass! Your mother should be a hidden requirement!!!!¡± * He vented all his stress by scarring the landscape with slashes. The resistance he felt from his sabres cutting through the ground was calming him down. But it would only be an hour later when the blonde finally felt that he had vented enough stress. . |DxD| . ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what that bastard old man has to say next.¡± Calmly sitting on the ground, Igor had relocated from his previous spot because the ground was covered with too many cuts and slashes. Now, he was sitting cross-legged with Nakamura¡¯s book in his hands. ¡­ Changes do however, come with the awakening of your divine ki. Should you be older, your body will grow younger and should you be younger, your body will grow older. Although the changes will not be much due to the small amount of divine ki you will have, this will present your start to breaking the shackles that limit the potential of humans. If you want to nurture that strand of divine ki, then you must continuously stimulate your body. That is what the Kaioken does; stimulate your divine ki. Under normal circumstances, the process of converting your ki into divine ki would take ten-thousand years. That duration CAN be reduced by keeping the Kaioken active at all times. If you have the 2x multiplier active, the conversion duration will reduce by two. The same goes for further multipliers. But as wondrous as that sounds, there is a better alternative. Yahweh¡¯s humans had a larger and more vigorous strand of divine ki. This means that if they had the Kaioken, they would naturally become super human gods within a century. Sounds wonderful, does it not? But, all of this requires you to continuously seek power, power that comes from you. Before I begin teaching you the Kaioken, I want you to understand that from this point onwards, there is a chance of attracting hostilities. Since you are a cursed human, overcoming your curse and evolving into an ancient human, is something other races already do not want to see. A human ascending to godhood, is something else entirely. Normally, I would be asking you if you are sure about this. But since we¡¯ve gotten this far, I¡¯ll just cut to the chase and tell you how to use the Kaioken. Focus within yourself and try to find the strand of divine ki in your body. You will find it by following the path where your ki feels as if it is being devoured by something. That ¡®something¡¯ is your divine ki. Focus on it, and channel as much ki into your divine ki as you can. Your divine ki is like a leech that feasts on your ki. If you feed it too much ki in a single moment, it will become overwhelmed and ¡®excrete¡¯ sub-divine ki. That ki will flow through your body and trigger the combined effects of the Aura-Flowing and Aura-Burning states. To fully explain the triggered effects, here is how it works. You can already enhance your body to its peak by flooding your muscles with normal ki. Sub-divine ki, which I will refer to as demi-ki from now on, can force your body to go beyond its normal strength. That is the basic function of the Kaioken multiplier. But that is not all. While some power-multiplying techniques boost your speed, or your strength, the Kaioken boosts everything. Your combat power, cognitive ability, EVERYTHING. Strength, speed, stamina, learning speed, memory retention, reaction speed, and so on. That is what makes the Kaioken an amazing skill and why, from the beginning of my books, I have been leading you on to this technique. Because everything else I dish at you from here on out, won¡¯t take years to master. BUT, the Kaioken does have its downsides. Since every single aspect of your body and mind will be boosted, this makes the consequences from overusing it just that more painful. I¡¯m an advocate of letting people learn by experience. But given what you had to get through to get here, I will be a saint and tell you what to expect. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I will be crass with this explanation since this is the best way I can put it for you. If you are a lad, imagine having balls all over your body. Your chest, back, limbs, and head all have your balls attached to them. You¡¯ve just overused the Kaioken and you can¡¯t move your body. Now you¡¯re about to fall to the ground. Please remember, that you have balls all over your body. Even a little finger flick hurts. You can imagine where I am going with this. If you are a lass¡­imagine the pain of your gate being pulled apart everytime someone pats you on the back. If this cannot convince you¡­I tried. Now, we got a little sidetracked. I have mentioned above how to activate the Kaioken. Once you do, you should intimately feel your body become more powerful and your mind suddenly achieve something similar to enlightenment. I cannot say this with a hundred-percent surety, but the activation of the Kaioken is signified by a dull red aura-¡¯ ¡­ ¡°That¡¯s enough of that.¡± Igor couldn¡¯t be bothered to read on any further. ¡°Time to try this thing.¡± Placing the book inside his pocket, the blonde closed his eyes and began to feel and follow the flow of his ki. Everything seemed normal at first, until when his ki got around his core region, there was a slight deviation. While his ki flowed normally, there was something like a tiny drain where a bit of ki would fall off. Igor observed this and noted the phenomena in his mind. [So it¡¯s like an off-ramp on a highway where some of my ki gets leeched by MY divine ki.] It was a bit fulfilling for the blonde in knowing that he didn¡¯t need external help to get to where he was. Only some simple guidance and a place to train was all he needed to get to his current level. It was an almost invigorating thought in knowing that he could potentially become a god in the future without having to inject, ingest, or absorb someone or something. Being able to call all of his efforts ¡®his¡¯ was something the blonde took pride upon. [God Dimori¡­Deity of Dimori¡­Divine Dimori¡­hmmmmmm-NO! Don¡¯t get side-tracked. FOCUS Igor!] Getting back to business, the blonde began to divert the flow of his ki towards this ¡®off-ramp¡¯ where the strand of divine ki would soon get its fill. Suuuuuuuuu It started slowly, with only the faintest outline of red forming over the blonde¡¯s body. As the seconds trickled by, the faint outline of aura began growing in momentum while at the same time, there was a slight bulge in the blonde¡¯s muscles. In that same moment, the blonde opened his eyes, his fists clenched as he took in a breath. Silence¡­ ¡°Kaioken!¡± GRUUUuuuuu Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su A fiery red aura covered Igor from top to bottom like a curtain of oil-fueled flames. The aura was so dense and vigorous that everything from his hair, skin, and clothing appeared to have taken a shade of red. His wildly flowing blonde hair now appeared to have a shade of orange. Even the shade of his eyes seemed to have been tinted red. The blonde lifted his hands, bringing his hands close his face. He observed his entire body, both externally and internally. He took in his entire state of being, and what he felt surprised him. [I¡¯m¡­older?] It wasn¡¯t about the fact that he was older, but the fact that he didn¡¯t ¡®feel¡¯ the changes in his body until he examined himself. [Even my ki capacity has grown larger, almost by¡­ten-times?! Why am I noticing this now?!] * It was truly surprising for Igor not to notice these sudden changes. The fact that he had grown so much was shocking all on its own. ¡°Is this a result of tapping into my god ki?¡± He held out his hand and concentrated an average ki blast. A small golden orb appeared and began slowly rotating in his hand. ¡°The quality has slightly improved. I used the same amount of ki and yet it is denser. Hmmm. This should be able to tear through a house.¡± While doing these little observations, Igor didn¡¯t feel much strain from maintaining the Kaioken. His body which had gotten used to gravity exceeding 10x was very strong. And that was before he got this sudden growth spurt. Now, his strength had increased several times, which made it easier for him to handle the current times-two multiplier. But¡­ ¡°I wonder¡­¡± He was still curious about something. ¡°Can I handle further multipliers?¡± Briefly musing over the fact¡­ ¡°Meh.¡± ¡­the blonde decided not to think and just do. ¡°Times-three!¡± His aura immediately burst and seemed to become more lively. His muscles expanded just a bit more to accommodate the higher amount of demi-ki increasing his body¡¯s base strength. Igor couldn¡¯t help but smile at this feeling of these sudden strength increases. ¡°I could get used to this. But, I want to see if I still have my skills.¡± Knowing that his body had grown, a quick check to see if he could still perform his usual techniques was in order. So without wasting a second, he vanished. Tswii! Against an imaginary opponent, he appeared in front of them and unleashed a quick elbow to their gut. Picturing their sudden state of being stunned, he began unleashing furious combos in midair, his fists and feet appearing blurry. But he got so absorbed in releasing these punches and kicks that he soon forgot about his imaginary opponent. [Fuck! This is amazing!] He flew upwards, going as fast as he could. Even the speed of his flight was amazing. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Extending his hand, he formed a long aura sabre that he extended towards the ground. 10 metres¡­20 metres¡­30 metres¡­35 metres Even after extending the blade beyond ten metres, Igor didn¡¯t feel like he was losing control. It was only when the blade reached a shocking 50 metres, did he feel his control threaten to waver. Such a scene made the blonde slow down before coming to a complete stop. His mouth was wide open, a grin slowly extending on his face. ¡°With this¡­I can clobber that bastard old man right?¡± Imagining the scene where he would make Baraquiel dance to his blade and his face swollen from his fists made the blonde laugh out loud. ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± . AN
  1. ¡°Your father should¡¯ve splattered you on the rocks before meeting your mother!¡± *
Explanation: Literally means that Nakamura¡¯s father should¡¯ve first rolled the dice before going to meet his wife/woman.
  1. ¡°Hidden requirement my ass! Your mother should be a hidden requirement!!!!¡± *
Explanation: This could be interpreted in different ways, but the most likely meaning is that having Nakamura¡¯s mother for the evening should¡¯ve been a requirment. If you know, you know.
  1. [Even my ki capacity has grown larger, almost by¡­ten-times?! Why am I noticing this now?!] *
Explanation: To understand this, picture yourself in the mirror in the morning. You had just shaved your hair off completely yesterday. Even though you see yourself in the mirror, you don¡¯t notice anything. You proceed to wash your face but when you move your hands to your hair, it¡¯s only then you remember that you are bald now. That is what happened with Igor. When he was activating the Kaioken, he didn¡¯t notice the changes in his body until much later. Chapter 19 Imagining the scene where he would make Baraquiel dance to his blade and his face swollen from his fists made the blonde laugh out loud. ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± . |DxD| . Feeling very content with himself, Igor surmised his current strength. ¡°The old man said I was a peak high-class before. But with my recent increase in strength, I should at the very least, be mid-ultimate class, right? And with the Kaioken times-two, I should be a high ultimate-class¡­I think. I¡¯m not really sure how powerful ultimate classes are. I only know that Satan class can destroy countries. Or was it continents? Fuck! I need to learn these things in the future. But it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as my fist can squash their face.¡± With his current strength, Igor could be classified as ultimate class and with his current ki reserves, he could potentially create a big enough attack to destroy an entire country. * And with the limitless potential of the Kaioken, it made Igor feel ecstatic at the possibilities. Because, even after over four decades had passed since he had read the novel of dxd, making him barely, if at all, remember any of the characters, only two names survived the test of time in his mind. Those names were of the two most powerful known beings in the universe. ¡°If I go Kaioken x1000, can I beat Ophis and Great Red?¡± It was a casual goal that had formed a few months into his training. From the start, he had only aimed to first surpass those two before looking upon further horizons. He barely knew much about their abilities, and he didn¡¯t care. Any knowledge he had about their powers had been lost to the rivers of time. The only thing he could remember was their names and that they were very powerful dragons that could tap into the power of ¡®concepts¡¯. But having thoughts about them now wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°Nah. I shouldn¡¯t bother myself too much about that. Right now, I¡¯m just a scrub to them that can be killed with one miss-timed cough.¡± While that should¡¯ve put a damper on his enthusiasm, it only served to do the opposite. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ve got Kaioken x3 out of a thousand.¡± su su su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can push for a fourth boost!¡± Gruuuuuuuu ¡°Times four!¡± And the effect was immediate. ¡°GAAAGH!¡± His whole body seized up, the blazing red aura disappearing instantly. The sudden shock of his muscles tearing and the shocking experience of a mind-splitting headache made the blonde unable to maintain his levitation. With his mind floating in and out of consciousness, his descent towards the greyish ground was swift. But anything¡­anything would¡¯ve been better than what he experienced next. *CRASH!* ¡°?!?!?!?!?!¡± He was instantly brought out of his hazy state by the soul-crushing pain that spread throughout his entire body. His eyes went white from the pain, his mouth open but no screams coming out. The only thing that came out was a soft high-pitched scream before the blonde let his head fall onto the ground. *Whimper* The only single indication that he was alive, was a single tear trailing from his eye. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 6 Months Later (1 year after entering) . The months had passed by peacefully. ¡°55¡­56¡­57¡­¡± Ever since that ¡®event¡¯, Igor had restarted his physical training. With his body having aged up by two-years, there was a lot more potential for the blonde to exploit. ¡°63¡­64¡­65¡­¡± Currently, he was in the gym performing his second set under the bench press. Having intentionally weakened himself as much as possible, the blonde was lifting a combined weight of 500 kilograms. The flow of his ki was slowed down as much as possible without negatively affecting him too much, thus vastly limiting the amount of enhancement his muscles could get from his ki. Although, this did come with the downside of decreasing his stamina. ¡°79¡­80¡­eighty¡­one¡­¡± But with a strong desire for power, the blonde could easily ignore the fatigue of his muscles for a few more reps. ¡°90¡­91¡­92¡­¡­ninety-eight, ninety¡­nine¡­one-hundred!¡± Placing the barbell on its stand, Igor slowly sat up. Having worked out for a few months, there was a drastic change to his definition. He certainly appeared muscular in his current state. Having gotten used to rarely wearing a shirt, Igor¡¯s wide chest and shoulders were out for display. The blonde sat up, his hands moving to caress his chest. The slight buzzing sensation and the pull of the muscles in his chest made him smile. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°I never get tired of this feeling.¡± The blonde allowed the flow of his ki to return to normal so that his muscles could recover faster. He even went so far as to use just the tiniest boost from the Kaioken to facilitate even faster muscle growth and recovery. It was a neat little trick he learned nearly a week after successfully activating the Kaioken. Once he began to channel his ki into the strand of divine ki, carefully regulating the amount can allow him to get the Kaioken boost in percentages instead of full multipliers. * When the strand of divine ki began to ¡®excrete¡¯ demi-ki, Igor would carefully keep the same flow of ki so that the rate of excreted demi-ki remained the same. This would result in a red outline of variable thickness that would depend on what percentage of a boost he got. Currently, Igor could safely handle a 50% boost to his power without any strain for a few hours. But that duration would decrease after a particularly intense physical workout. Since he was recovering from doing a hundred reps, he took out a book called ¡®Basic Ki Techniques For Survival¡¯. It was the third installment in Nakamura¡¯s series of books that he had to learn. Although Igor had questioned himself why he didn¡¯t read it first, those doubts were cleared when he had seen how complicated the techniques were. He flipped open to the page where it was titled¡­ ¡­ ¡®Volume 2: Aura-Sensing Now we¡¯re done with ki-control. You can mold ki throughout your body like jelly and you can control your aura emissions to a good enough extent. Now, we need to focus on improving your sensory skills. To my knowledge, I¡¯ve briefly taught you how to feel for strong entities through the aura they emit. Now, I¡¯m going to teach you how to sense everything around you through their life force. Apart from demons, nearly every entity emits some sort of life force. The reason why demons have no ¡®lifeforce¡¯, is because they are quite literally ¡®chakra given form¡¯. Their existence is dependent on chakra, an energy that governs nearly all of reality. I could go into much more detail about how demons are formed and whatnot, but that will take too much time and will waste my ink needlessly. Just know that demons are from the combined elements of air, water, earth, fire, yang, and yin with a catalyst that could either be dense amounts of chakra or emotions. Moving on. While I have taught you to distinguish an entity¡¯s individual power, I have not taught you how to sense if they are hiding their power. There are two reasons why I did this.
  1. If you truly encountered a powerful person who was hiding their power, then there is absolutely nothing you could do if they wanted to kill you. The only difference is you¡¯d know how hopeless everything was before you joined your ancestors.
  2. It already takes a substantial amount of time to train how to sense someone through their aura. It takes even more time to train someone to accurately gauge someone¡¯s strength through their life force.
That is why I did not delve into aura sensing as deeply. But now since you have the Kaioken, we can shorten the time by a wide margin. So let us begin. First of all, find a quiet spot to meditate under. Make sure there are life signatures nearby, no matter how minute. Animals and other wildlife will suffice- ¡­ Igor closed the book with a snap and groaned. There was no life force in the time chamber other than him, making it somewhat difficult to practice this technique since he had no verification if it worked or not. Ever since Igor encountered Baraquiel, it irked the blonde that he could never sense how powerful the Fallen was. If he focused enough, Igor could get a vague feeling. So he knew that the fallen was somewhere around 5 to 7 times stronger than him based on their frequent spars. He was especially sure of that figurative range when he had launched a bastardized spirit bomb as a fair well ¡®gift¡¯. Although the main reason for launching that attack was to get ¡®compensation¡¯ for all the suffering he received from Baraquiel, another was to force the cadre to release his full power so that the blonde would know just how much he had to train before he could beat him. And given his recent power boosts over the year in the time chamber¡­ ¡°I can beat the old man with my current power, or at the very least fight him to a draw. I don¡¯t know how many techniques he has so I can¡¯t guarantee my victory. But¡­¡± He looked around the gym. The slightly dirty equipment and the gravity dial by the entrance gave him confidence. ¡°...if those hourglasses have anything to say, I still have roughly nine years to fully surpass the old man, and possibly, Uncle Azazel.¡± To Igor, Azazel was a complete enigma. He could sense absolutely NOTHING from the governor. Not even the tiniest wisp of energy leaked from him. And from how he saw Baraquiel treat the cadre, he suspected that Azazel was stronger. But while those two could be easily understood, his biggest concern was Akeno. ¡°That little chick is the reason why I¡¯m banging my head with this volume.¡± It had come as a complete shock to the blonde that she had observed him for three full years. It grated Igor to find out that a child of all things, managed to hide and observe him so easily. The blonde prided himself on his basic senses. Even without his rather elementary ki-sense, his sense of sight, hearing and smell were all at the level of a superhuman. Back then, his ears could capture the heartbeat of anything within a twenty metre radius. He couldn¡¯t differentiate between the ones of a human and wildlife so he could¡¯ve heard Akeno¡¯s heartbeat once or twice on those few moments he chose to relax and listen to the wildlife. But at the very least, he should¡¯ve noticed the sound of dead leaves being crushed or even the barest peek of her dresses. When he questioned Baraquiel about all these things, he came clean about her peculiar talent for stealth. He explained about many scientific and magical things that the blonde couldn¡¯t understand fully. All he knew was that Akeno amongst her talent to hide, she could somehow subconsciously use lightning to slow her heart rate and eliminate her scent. He didn¡¯t understand how that worked specifically. His only guess was that millennia upon millennia of experience was inherited by Akeno when she was born. But when he questioned why she wouldn¡¯t give off energy fluctuations, there were two reasons that Baraquiel gave. One was her insane talent for energy manipulation and the other was a necklace that Azazel gifted to her. It would work to hide her fallen angel side and make her appear like a normal human. The second effect was that when within the forest, she would be shrouded with a negligible barrier of nature energy. It would serve to make the animals in the forest friendlier to her and at the same time, hide her presence from most people. Just remembering that he got snuck up by a kid, magic tool or not, made the blonde put the book on the floor and lie down on the bench. He cancelled his Kaioken and slowed the rate of his ki flow. ¡°Even if you can sneak up on me, it doesn¡¯t mean anything if you can¡¯t kill me.¡± He picked up the barbell and began his reps. ¡°1¡­2¡­3¡­4¡­¡± Counting his reps through clenched teeth, Igor lifted away his worries. [Since the world has bullshit people that can escape my current senses, I just have to sharpen my body¡¯s instincts. As long as I can feel the displacement of air, I can react quickly enough.] He continued lifting, that momentary revelation bringing a confident grin to his face. [Then I can destroy them with my fists.] . AN
  1. With his current strength, Igor could be classified as ultimate class and with his current ki reserves, he could potentially create a big enough attack to destroy an entire country. *
Explanation: I would like to place great emphasis on ¡°could¡±. Nothing is set in stone. Until another character from the series with enough reputation says otherwise, we can¡¯t really be sure where his strength is at. You are free to speculate though.
  1. It was a neat little trick he learned nearly a week after successfully activating the Kaioken. Once he began to channel his ki into the strand of divine ki, carefully regulating the amount can allow him to get the Kaioken boost in percentages instead of full multipliers. *
Explanation: I would like to give credit to Fanfiction.net user ¡°flameclawsxx¡± who wrote the dragon ball fanfiction ¡°Dragon Ball: It¡¯s About Time¡± for the idea about using the Kaioken in percentages. Read his work. It¡¯s honestly good. Important Notice As I¡¯ve stated a few days ago, I will not be able to upload on Friday, Saturday, and possibly Sunday. Today is Thursday and tomorrow, I will be travelling with my parents. Chapter 20 [Since the world has bullshit people that can escape my current senses, I just have to sharpen my body¡¯s instincts. As long as I can feel the displacement of air, I can react quickly enough.] He continued lifting, that momentary revelation bringing a confident grin to his face. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 3 Years Later (4 years after entering) . ¡°Times four!¡± Gruuuu Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Three years have passed and Igor was making massive progress, especially with his Kaioken. The learning speed of the Kaioken helped him to shorten the learning curve of one of the most difficult techniques the blonde has learnt and is still learning to date. On the last volume of ¡®Basic Ki Techniques For Survival¡¯, the blonde was introduced to the concepts of spirit control. ¡­ ¡®Volume 3: Spirit Control We¡¯ve now covered advanced ki-manipulation and aura sensing. Now, it¡¯s time to move on to spirit control. To put it bluntly, spirit control could be described as the ultimate form of ki-manipulation. To briefly touch upon how it works, it is relatively simple. Spirit control, is ki-manipulation aided/enhanced by the power of the soul. No, this is not magic. Magic is the cheaper form of spirit control because magic uses the spiritual aspect of chakra, also known as Yin and is closely related to the imagination or the mind. The soul, is NOT the mind. Well, it is, but not in that way¡­not completely. The mind as you know it, are only the ¡®emissions¡¯ of the soul. Every human¡¯s soul is equal, but not their emissions. The mind and consequently, intelligence, are affected by the amount of emissions their soul releases. The soul itself can be viewed as yin and by association, its emissions are also yin. But whereas spirit control deals with the soul itself, magic can only interact with the soul¡¯s emissions. Those emissions gather in the mind, which as I¡¯ve stated previously, affects a person¡¯s intelligence, willpower, empathy, and so on. Magic users can also use these emissions to fuel their magic attacks. This is why magic users have high soul emission and consequently, ¡®FEEL¡¯ more than normal people. I haven¡¯t went through this but I want to explain to you how magic works so that you can further understand how spirit control works. As I¡¯ve stated in my first book, magic is the combination of ki and the spiritual/yin aspect of chakra, which in this case, is the mind. Combining ki with your soul emissions or imagination, leads to the creation of magic and a new sub-form of energy called mana. While there are cases of people who can switch between mana and ki, those cases are rare. But I will not delve into that right now. What you need to understand is that combining your ki with your soul emissions is the same as DECREASING the quality of your ki. Using magic once or twice is fine. Maybe you¡¯ll create some new clothes, or dry yourself of water. That is fine. The problems start when you incorporate magic into your fighting style. Now listen to me when I say this. Soul emissions are called EMISSIONS for a reason. Ki users harness the passive energy radiated by lifeforce. Do not start me with wordplay. I know that can be considered emissions as well. What is important here, is that soul emissions and ki do NOT work well together. Bluntly, their relationship can be described as one of toxicity. Soul emissions decrease the quality of ki and eventually turn it into mana. That is the same as gradually turning a fully-fledged warrior into a bottom boy. While mana has both the traits of ki and chakra (man and woman), it can be considered as neither and can be dominated by both. That is enough for now about magic. Now it is time for spirit control and how it works. Spirit control is harnessing your soul itself and using it in tandem with your ki to create spirit ki. Spirit ki is simply a purer, more powerful version of your ki. There are different stages to spirit control but for now, we will focus on harnessing your soul force into your ki. There are different ways of doing this since all of this relies on your state of mind. I will be biased and state that the best method to draw soul force into your ki is through extremely danger-fraught battles, where the emotions of desperation and will are at their peak, but instinct runs prevalent. But, meditation can work as well since my method poses too much of a risk. So let us begin. (Read all the following paragraphs in advance) Find somewhere quiet to meditate. We will use the feelings of peace and sanctity to channel your soul force. Remember, peace is a state of mind, not an action. You can be fighting, sleeping, working, or anything. As long as your mind is clear, you are at peace. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The second thing to do is clear your mind. You can sit down and calm yourself, or go through your techniques. Whatever makes you stop thinking for a minute or two. From here on out, I will be delivering instructions for those going through their techniques. Yes, this is bias. If you are going through the motions of your techniques, keep doing them while focusing within yourself. Don¡¯t rush to find your soul. You have already learnt how sense it so drawing it out will be easy. Since you are not in a state of great need, you will draw your soul force into your ki through the state of great peace. So, slow down your ki while going through your motions. Your mind must be free of all thought in order for this to work. It may be hard and somewhat tedious, but you must have patience and persistence. Once you have emptied your mind, you will enter the realm of one mind-one body. That will be the key moment when you will feel a refreshing feeling all over your body. That will be the result of successfully drawing your soul into your ki and taking your first steps into mastering spirit control. To understand the reasons for why I said you must have an empty mind, imagine that your soul is like water and your mind as well as your body are like stone. Neither of the two can mix together. Your soul will whittle down your mind through soul emissions like how water whittles down rocks. That is how ¡®maturity¡¯ comes about. But in order to fully meld with your soul, you must take the initiative to turn your mind and body into water. You achieve that through a state of emptiness. Once that happens, your soul force will flow into your body, enhancing your power and increasing the quality of your ki. There will come a time where you can fully integrate your soul into your body and achieve a state of unity. But that is too far into the future. However I can guarantee you, that the explosive level of power in that moment, will be beyond your imagination. Now, GET TO IT! ¡­ With the Kaioken active, Igor had learnt how to incorporate a small amount of soul force into his ki and the changes were drastic. The quality of his ki had increased to the point that instead of blue, the aura was now pale white. Even the aura of his Kaioken had adopted a richer, more liquid flame appearance. This was due to feeding his strand of divine ki higher quality ki, which resulted in a higher quality ¡°excrement¡± of demi-ki. Right now, the blonde had just woken up and was about to go through his morning excercises. A pale aura of semi-transparent pale-white film of aura was surrounding his body. His moves weren¡¯t strenuous or even fast. He performed his katas slowly and each move seemed to flow into the other. There was no break and no misalignment. Even with his eyes closed, Igor continued to perform his movements with peace of mind. It was only when the blonde performed these movements that his mind became clear. Not once had he slacked off over the years. Every single day without fail, he would practice how to channel soul force into his ki. The result was that the quality and even colour of his ki rose respectively rose and changed over the years. From his original ocean blue, the colour gradually changed to normal vibrant blue, then light blue, and finally, pale translucent white. Each change in colour came with an increase in quality and also, a cumulative increase in strength. With higher quality ki flowing through him, everything in his body from his muscles, tendons, and nerves became stronger, more elastic, and more responsive. Although his power didn¡¯t increase to the extent that it multiplied twice-over, the rise in ki quality ¡°cleaned¡± his foundation and strengthened it. Any and all hidden injuries Igor had or gained during his times as a human with no ki were erased completely. This allowed his foundation to be made anew and increase his talent and potential even higher. If before, his talent and potential were as high as the 100th tallest mountain in the world, then now it was equivalent to the tallest mountain in the world. Ever since his ki turned pale-white six months ago, Igor was easily able to notice that he could milk more benefits from his training sessions. Furthermore, the healing quality in his ki that had repaired his foundation also shortened the rest times needed between his training sessions. This meant that for the past six months, Igor could train almost twice as hard, gaining the progress of nearly two days in one. Of course, the amount of food he needed to consume also increased as well. But the time chamber seemed to come with the feature of scaling up with his power-level. When the blonde began training four decades ago, he could barely consume the entire thigh of a cow in a day. Now, consuming the meat equivalent of one cow was the bare minimum he needed to make it through the day. When outside the time chamber, the blonde was able to satiate his increasingly ravenous appetite by ¡°lawfully¡± relinquishing liquid assets from less than savoury people and then drain supermarkets and butcheries of their products. Since he was outside the time chamber, the blonde would require less food seeing as he mostly focused on meditation during that single month outside. As for during his time with Baraquiel and his family, well¡­there was a reason why the cadre was extra harsh during their sparring sessions. With the blonde deep-digging his pockets, Baraquiel would obviously be unhappy. But regardless, the blonde¡¯s progress was monumental and his power was ever-increasing. With only six years left, Igor would milk his body of potential until he would revert to his original plan of migrating to the Himalayas. Spending six years in the outside world would not only rebuild Igor¡¯s potential, but it would also allow the blonde to finally grow older and enter his body¡¯s period of intense physical growth. Although his nonexistent identity card would label the blonde as a ten-year old, his body might just have a drastically different opinion. . AN (This will be long but there will be no spoilers) Moving on, before I am criticised as scum who can¡¯t keep their promises, I have a good reason for uploading three days later than stipulated.
  1. For those who don¡¯t know, we have a house in town and a farm in the countryside. When my parents and I were on our trip, we got a call that the cattle were missing. Long story short, I¡¯ve gained some sweet leg muscles from traversing the mountains trying to find the cattle. It did take until today to round up all of them. All of this could¡¯ve been prevented if some idiot (not me) didn¡¯t leave the gate to the enclosure open.
That¡¯s¡­about it. While I do wish to say I¡¯ll be happily uploading for the next few days, I got bad news. Today is Wednesday. On Friday, my father and I will go to the farm to ¡°deparasite¡± the livestock. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s the proper word but, that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. But like I said, I¡¯m not dropping this anytime soon. Chapter 21 Spending six years in the outside world would not only rebuild Igor¡¯s potential, but it would also allow the blonde to finally grow older and enter his body¡¯s period of intense physical growth. Although his nonexistent identity card would label the blonde as a ten-year old, his body might just have a drastically different opinion. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 2 Years Later (6 Years After Entering) Time went by and as usual, Igor continued to grow stronger. But as he got stronger, his mentality underwent changes too. As the blonde continued to learn techniques, his horizons continued to broaden. There was a saying that one would not appreciate the immensity of a mountain before climbing a hill. It was this understanding that caused Igor to truly start to respect and truly wonder just how powerful Nakamura was. In the past five years, Igor still hadn¡¯t finished Nakamura¡¯s book called ¡°Basic Ki Techniques For Survival¡±. He was still on the last volume dedicated to Spirit Control. It was not that the blonde failed to understand the content, but rather that he refused to move on without perfecting his control. With spirit control, previous attacks that would take him precious seconds to charge could now be unleashed in an instant. But he wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that. Most of his time was spent compressing the power of his pseudo-spirit bomb into his finger. To date, this nameless attack was his most powerful one. It was a culmination of releasing all his ki into a dense spherical shape and flinging it. It was a pretty basic technique he created on the spot and it was only due to his high enough ki control at the time that it did not directly detonate on his face. But while it was created in a rush last time, he could now use the same amount of ki to create a much smaller orb with far more destructive capabilities in nearly three-fourths of the time. But while that statistic seemed impressive, Igor was not satisfied. His aim during this time was to compress the orb to the extent that its diameter would barely be bigger than his torso. This is so that it would be easier to combine with the new technique he was learning. This technique was from a subsidiary book that contained techniques that could be performed with spirit control. It was simply called, ¡°Spirit Control Techniques¡± ¡­ Welcome to spirit control extended. This little booklet is dedicated to teaching you techniques that can be learnt with a certain level of proficiency in spirit control. While there are variable levels, it is preferable that you focus completely on refining your spirit ki for at least a year or two in order to gain as much as you can out of the following techniques I am about to teach you. There is no particular order as to which I will teach you these techniques. But the one I will start with teaching you pertains to your survival ability. So without wasting any more time with meaningless pleasantries, let us begin. Chapter 1: Instant Transmission Despite the sheer convenience of this skill, few people know it and even fewer can learn it. As the name suggests, this is a technique that allows you to gain instantaneous travel. Now before we get excited, let¡¯s first make sure you check the requirements needed to learn it. First and foremost, you must have spirit ki. While I¡¯m sure there will be exceptions in this vast multiverse, I vigorously advise you to have spirit ki that has already underwent an aura change. This is because this technique consumes a great deal of ki and having spirit ki can reduce the energy cost drastically. Spirit ki is much, much denser than normal ki. This means that for the same amount of ki that spirit ki users could fit into their hand, normal ki users would have to use a washing basin. Bear in mind that this is a rough comparison. Secondly, you must have intimate knowledge of your own body. You must accurately know your body right down to the last atom. This requirement won¡¯t be too hard, especially for fighters. And if you already have spirit ki flowing through your body, this requirement will be even easier to fulfil. If you have made it through all of my previous books, then this requirement is merely a formality. But the reason why you must have intimate knowledge over your own body, is because using the [Instant Transmission] involves separating your body into individual atoms at Point A and reassembling at Point B. I don¡¯t think I need to explain what happens when you lose an atom or atoms of yourself. Thirdly, you must have more than a passable ability in sensing aura and your surroundings. [Instant Transmission] is well¡­instant. If you reassemble yourself, the last thing you need is merging with whatever or whoever you teleported to. While there is a fusion technique, I doubt this is a particular fusion you would want to undergo. To remedy this fact, you must be able to fully picture your target¡¯s lifeforce. Your skill must be right down to the aura they radiate. This is so that you will know if your target is next to a wall, an object, or another person. The way their aura radiates will tell you all you need to know. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. It is extremely important that you fulfil all of these requirements otherwise, forget about using this technique in combat or long-distance travel, unless you want an unscheduled amputation. Now, let us begin with the lesson. Before I begin teaching you how to perform the Instant Transmission in detail, I will first fully confer with you as to what the [Instant Transmission] is and how it works. As stated previously, the Instant Transmission is a technique that involves you dematerialising yourself into individual atoms before travelling at light speed and rematerialising at the desired location. While proficiency with the technique will increase its speed, those are the basics. What I failed to mention is what happens between Point A and Point B. When you use Instant Transmission, you dematerialise into atoms. But you don¡¯t suddenly travel to where you want to be in atomic form. If that was the case, then the risks would far outweigh the benefits. Dematerialising into atoms and then travelling to wherever you are is the same as cloning your body into multiple yous that are the size of ants, and then having to travel through a sea of aggressive ants. It would be a commendable achievement if even half of you would make it. So to combat that issue, the Instant Transmission technique makes use of a place called the Teleportation Zone. This is a special place that is only accessable through atomic form. This is a place between reality and¡­there is no other way to describe it besides complete chaos. While the Teleportation Zone generally differs within each universe segment, both in name and appearance, the layout design is more or less defaulted to a mishmash of random colours and/or shapes. Do not worry about what a universe segment is when you probably can¡¯t even destroy a solar system. Moving forward, here comes the part as to why you need to have a high proficiency in aura sensing. While entering the Teleportation Zone is easy, exiting is a different matter altogether. Even if you were to try and teleport back to where you came from, there is a possibility you could end up in a different planet, galaxy, or even universe altogether. That is why you need to have more than a passable ability in detecting aura because the signature you lock onto before teleportation will help in bringing you back from the Teleportation Zone. Now you know about Instant Transmission. Now it¡¯s time to learn how to perform it. (Read all paragraphs in advance.) You can praise whatever god or gods you pray to that demateliarising is mostly an automatic process. You just have to flash your ki in a way that it briefly tears a hole in reality. This is a relatively crude method but it is necessary since it is your first time. By constantly flashing/flaring your ki around you like little jackhammers, you will begin to create a distortion in reality, causing you to flicker in and out of existence. If you hadn¡¯t locked onto an energy signature yet, now is the time to do it because you are about to enter the Teleportation Zone. It is extremely important that you remain locked on to that energy signature because it will be the thread that will guide you into exiting the Teleportation Zone. There¡¯s also¡­nothing else. There¡¯s nothing more I can explain about how to perform the Instant Transmission. All it requires is spirit ki or energy that is dense enough to pierce into reality, a high enough level of aura sensing that will allow you to come back to reality and enough composure to not gawk around the Teleportation Zone like an idiot to the point that you would lose the energy signature threading you to reality. If you have no questions, get to it! ¡­ When he first took the book almost two years ago, Igor was near-distraught at having to postpone learning such a useful technique. After all, there was no one else here in the time chamber so he had no ki signature to lock on to. He was briefly excited after coming upon the ability of [Cloning] after flipping through the book a few times but he was disappointed to discover that it required a certain level of chakra. While he knew the original humans could make use of this cloning technique without issue, Yahweh¡¯s cursed humans lacked the ability. The only possibility for him to even execute the cloning technique was to have a demon live inside him or evolve into an ancient human. While the blonde naturally chose the latter choice, he was still stuck in the dilemma of being unable to practice the Instant Transmission, until he came up with an idea. Taking inspiration from cloning, Igor came up with the idea of creating his own independent ki ball that would radiate his own energy signature. So as the months passed and they turned into years, Igor would create multiple ki balls that he would spread all over the time chamber. Then, he would lock onto their energy signatures being vanishing. These energy spheres also temporarily solved his problem of being unable to verify his aura-sensing capabilities. Currently, he could easily sense his ki balls even beyond a thousand kilometres. Although he could not easily trust these results, it made him somewhat confident of his aura sensing capabilities. It was after practicing for the past years that he also began incorporating the thoughts of teleporting with a charged attack. While the idea was ingenious, teleporting with a charged attack increased the energy costs of using the Instant Transmission. While the attack itself affected the energy costs, what increased the requirements even further was the size of the attack itself, not its power. Teleporting with attacks also came with the disadvantage of messing up the blonde¡¯s aura sensing, especially since the energy signatures of his attack and his ki balls were causing him confusion. While he was able to split up his concentration, his current issue remained both cutting energy costs by compressing his attacks and decreasing the amount of time he needed to charge said attacks. These few things made him go back to the basics but all in all, the blonde was confident that before he exited the time chamber, he would have a few more tricks needed to survive. . AN Important Notice (No Spoilers) Now, I¡¯ve come across a few complaints that things are moving slow. While it is possible to say, ¡°Fuck it¡± and time skip to canon, you¡¯re going be hit with a whole bunch of abilities and techniques that you won¡¯t know where they came from and how they work. And you¡¯re also going to be hit with a bunch of plot points or changes that you won¡¯t even understand how they happened. Let¡¯s make an example. Now, I¡¯m not saying it will or will not happen, but if Igor were to suddenly be a god stronger than Beerus and is a God of Destruction during canon when just less than two decades prior, he¡¯d blow his back out trying to lift a hundred kilograms, you¡¯d want to know why and how. My point is, flashbacks are not enough to cover certain things. Extra Note I did say I wouldn¡¯t be uploading tomorrow, right? Tomorrow is Friday. While you people will be out partying, I¡¯ll be knee-deep in cow shit. Chapter 22 These few things made him go back to the basics but all in all, the blonde was confident that before he exited the time chamber, he would have a few more tricks needed to survive. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 3 Years Later (9 years after entering) ¡°Okay. I think I¡¯ve got everything, right?¡± After three years of hard training, Igor finally had enough. Besides practicing techniques such as the Instant Transmission to a satisfactory level, he had also exhausted all of the potential in his body. Appearing to be 13 years of age, Igor¡¯s muscular figure could clearly be seen through his black t-shirt. The blonde wore a dark blue haori and same coloured pants. His pants were held together by a dark blue sash while on his feet, he wore black open-toe boots, a personal preference. Strapped to his back was a rolled-up straw mat and some books bound together by some rope he had in the gym. With Igor¡¯s current appearance, it was relatively easy to get his purpose. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can access the time chamber after I leave so having these books can be some insurance." Deciding to leave almost a year early, the blonde stood in front of the massive door leading to the outside of the time chamber. He smiled to himself, taking in the immense height of the door. ¡°Almost 50 years have passed and this is the first time I take the initiative to use this door.¡± There was a small amount of uncertainty. But it was just that- small. That uncertainty was like a fly that the blonde chased away. ¡°No need to wait any further. I¡¯m wasting daylight here and I have an old man beat up.¡± . |DxD| . 1995/09/03* - 1996, July 2nd, Baraquiel¡¯s Home, Kuoh Town, Japan Sitting outside on deck chairs, Azazel and Baraquiel were quietly watching the sunset. For the past year, both fallen had been extremely busy after Igor¡¯s little stunt. While Azazel was able to hush down the incident of Igor and Baraquiel fighting, the giant globe that had enough energy to cause untold destruction through Japan directly destroyed all his efforts at easily appeasing Cleria Belial, the current overseer of Kuoh. In fact, Cleria wasn¡¯t the only problem. There were also the yokai who wanted an answer for the matter. Azazel had to spend a long amount of time handling public relations while Baraquiel had to expel any hidden forces that tried to approach the scene. Fortunately, his killings could be disguised as protecting his place of residence. While the information was not widespread, there were a few people among the upper echelons who knew that Baraquiel resided somewhere along the outskirts of Kuoh. Although no one truly knew the explicit reason. However, no one would truly make a fuss out of it. With a person of his calibre, it was a sort of unwritten rule to not bother them if they did not cause any trouble. After all, it would cause too many unnecessary problems if powerful entities from various factions were blocked by subordinates at every turn. But what caused the biggest problem was that the giant globe was made out of ki. The moment that Igor had formed it, it directly shattered the bounded field surrounding the entire forest. The result of this was that any yokai and other party familiar with ki could feel the massive energy coming from Kuoh. To make sure that there wouldn¡¯t be too many problems, Azazel who was chatting with Cleria at the time had to silence her¡­with bribes. Cleria was a smart woman who had long since begun to observe the blonde. It was inevitable that Igor would be found out when multiple humans kept dying for the past four years. Although, it wasn¡¯t like the blonde was trying to hide anyway. While Azazel and Baraquiel had once thought to just expose Igor, they immediately abandoned that thought. The consequences would far, far outweigh the temporary gains. So the brothers defaulted to blaming the entire incident on a rogue yokai who wanted revenge. The excuse was usable since yokai weren¡¯t united and Baraquiel truly did slaughter a few races over the years, yokai included. In the end, the issue was somewhat suppressed and their daily lives could go back to normal. But while the months passed, Azazel couldn¡¯t let the matter rest. It completely intrigued him that a child that young was able to release an attack equivalent to that of a low-satan class*. To him, Igor was equivalent to a walking Longinus sacred gear. Although there was a slight hypothesis he had arrived at when it came to the source of the blonde¡¯s strength, he had to wait until he saw Igor to verify it. But right now, he would enjoy the sunset with his brother. ¡°It¡¯s truly been a while since we relaxed like this, brother.¡± Baraquiel replied with a groan, the barest of smiles on his face. ¡°Indeed, brother. But maybe it would be better if Shemhazai could also join.¡± Azazel flinched slightly. He could already imagine how the other Fallen would berate him for neglecting his work again. ¡°Don¡¯t make jokes like that, brother. It¡¯s bad for my health.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± After Baraquiel¡¯s mocking grunt, the two brothers sat down in peaceful silence for quite a while. The gentle breeze of the wind ruffled the leaves atop the tree they were sitting under, causing a few dead leaves to fall. One of those leaves happened to fall on his forehead. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Giving off an annoyed grunt, Azazel crushed the leaf in his hand and chucked the pieces at Baraquiel, eliciting an annoyed yell from him. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Baraquiel began brushing off the pieces of his shirt. ¡°You always were a nuisance, brother.¡± ¡°And yet you¡¯re still here, brother! I know I¡¯m too handsome to leave.¡± ¡°You misunderstand, brother. The only reason I¡¯ve remained with you all this time is because I know Shemhazai can¡¯t handle you alone and Kokabiel definitely won¡¯t bother with you.¡± Azazel laughed. ¡°Heh~. Speaking of Kokabiel, what do you think our beloved brother is doing?¡± ¡°How would I know? Maybe he¡¯s nurturing another army of lunatics like him.¡± Azazel chuckled. ¡°Not maybe. He is.¡± ¡°And you already have a plan in mind, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°In the future, yes. For now, I¡¯ll let our dear brother be our pot¡± *(Handle the blame) Baraquiel offered a grunt of confirmation before continuing. ¡°Speaking of pots, have you found out anything about the brat? If I¡¯m going to take the blame for his little stunt, I believe I have to know who he truly is.¡± Azazel sat up from his lawn chair and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Aya~. I first tried finding anyone with the surname ¡®Dimori¡¯. We found a few in Russia, Italy, and Brazil but none of the current generation has blonde hair. There was an ancestor or two from centuries ago that did have blonde hair but that¡¯s it. I went further and searched for anyone on the planet with blonde hair, was born around the late ¡®80s to early ¡®90s, and has a name that means ¡®warrior¡¯. While there were a few thousand results, none of them looked even remotely similar to our blonde.¡± ¡°Did you take into account that perhaps, face-changing magic was involved.¡± ¡°Brother. What do you take me for? Of course I did. I sent a few runts to confirm the existence of every single one of them. I even gave them a few trinkets to help detect any sort of distortions. But like before, the results came back negative.¡± Baraquiel sighed. ¡°So we have no clue who the blonde is other than the basics?¡± Azazel grinned and looked at his brother. ¡°No. On the contrary, we do. You see, I thought about the story little Akeno told me. She said he always appears around the 9th of August at the same spot and it has been that way for roughly 3 years without fail. And then there¡¯s this home he talks about. I assume that whenever he vanishes, he goes to that home.¡± He then paused, his gaze becoming even more serious. ¡°I cannot give you concrete evidence, at least not until I see him again, but that home of his is probably where the Aryans lived. I won¡¯t continue any further until I see him, but I also have a good guess as to where his strength comes from. And if it is where I think it comes from, then this completely solidifies his identity as a child of Aryan descent.¡± Baraquiel remained quiet, his head down in thoughtfulness. ¡°So, if your hypothesis is indeed true, what are our next steps?¡± Azazel simply laid down again on his chair with his eyes closed. ¡°Simple. We do nothing. The blonde is not a threat to us.¡± Baraquiel narrowed his gaze. ¡°I know you, brother. Those are not the extent of your thoughts. You have a plan in that head of yours, don¡¯t you?¡± Azazel simply gave a lopsided grin while adjusting his position for comfort on the deck chair. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that Grouchyquiel. I mean it when I say that we won¡¯t do anything apart from what we¡¯ve been doing before. I think-no. I know that as soon as the brat comes back, he¡¯ll come looking for you for a fight. And¡­ you¡¯re probably going to lose.¡± Baraquiel immediately snorted. ¡°Hmph! As if I¡¯d lose to that foul-mouthed brat.¡± Azazel raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°Whoa, hey! I¡¯m just saying, if he comes back from where I think he comes from, then there is a high chance you¡¯ll lose brother. Of course, maybe his overconfidence will let you win, but it will not be an easy battle for you, brother.¡± ¡°What makes you so confident in that little theory of yours, Azazel?¡± ¡°For one simple reason. You didn¡¯t see it, but I did. When Igor released that huge ki sphere at you, he forced you to go full power. Before that brat vanished, he felt you at full power¡­and he grinned before he vanished. He grinned like a madman, like how the mountain he thought had no peak was suddenly so close to reach.¡± * And exactly at that moment, both cadres felt a disturbance similar to teleportation in the forest. ¡°Aaaand, he¡¯s here¡­ a month early.¡± Azazel looked at Baraquiel with a grin. But before Baraquiel could retort, both of them suddenly felt something similar to a sonar wave wash over them, causing Baraquiel to groan. ¡°And the brat found us-¡± Baraquiel suddenly stood up. He could intimately feel how Igor¡¯s ki suddenly zeroed in on him like a rope tying around him. Instinctively, Baraquiel released all his wings, not caring at all as to how his shirt got torn apart. But nothing absolutely prepared him for Igor suddenly appearing in front of him. Tswii! The blonde appeared in all his glory. His blue haori slightly blew in the breeze, his hair gently shaking with the wind. But compared to the peace and serenity of the scene, Igor was exuding pure battle lust. ¡°I found you, old man! Time for a rematch!¡± Azazel watched the scene with an amused gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten stronger, Igor.¡± ¡°Of course, Uncle A! I have to be if I¡¯m going to win against Old Man Baraquiel.¡± The fire in his eyes was unquenchable and the powerful aura on his body was unmistakeable. To Baraquiel¡¯s dissatisfaction, Azazel fished out a bottle of lubrication from his pocket, his meaning clear. [You¡¯re screwed.] AN Important notes will be in the next chapter. For now, let¡¯s do explanations.
  1. 1995/09/03* (September 3rd, 1995)
Explanation: The previous date of August 29th, 1995 was incorrect. It was supposed to be the date above. Igor is kicked out of the time chamber for roughly 35 days before he can regain entry.
  1. It completely intrigued him that a child that young was able to release an attack equivalent to that of a high-ultimate class*.
Explanation: Power levels have been reviewed. It was somewhat messy before but now, here it.Low-ClassMiddle-ClassHigh-ClassUltimate-ClassSatan/Seraph/Governor/God-ClassSuper Devil/Supreme God-ClassOphis and Great Red This is not the neatest setup but it¡¯s a rough version. Right now, Igor in base is already in the lower-satan class. Most of us are more familiar with ¡°satan-class¡± than ¡°god-class¡± so we¡¯ll go with satan-class for now.
  1. ¡°In the future, yes. For now, I¡¯ll let our dear brother be our pot¡± *
Explanation: Literally means that Kokabiel will be the scapegoat for anything or everything that happens. It¡¯s like the youngest child in the family. Anything breaks, they¡¯re asked first.
  1. He grinned like a madman, like how the mountain he thought had no peak was suddenly so close to reach. *
Explanation: Here¡¯s an example. Close your eyes and drink from a cup full of water. Don¡¯t take a breath and keep drinking. At some point, you¡¯ll stop to take a breath before you finish. Upon noticing that there¡¯s only a very small amount of water left. That¡¯s the feeling Igor got. The seemingly insurmountable Baraquiel would be beatable in ten years. Chapter 23 The fire in his eyes was unquenchable and the powerful aura on his body was unmistakeable. To Baraquiel¡¯s dissatisfaction, Azazel fished out a bottle of lubrication from his pocket, his meaning clear. [You¡¯re screwed.] . |DxD| . Deep within the forest of Kuoh, Baraquiel and Igor were standing with over a hundred metres of space between them. Both combatants were topless, their glazed muscles rendered naked to the afternoon Sun. They were standing on a field of green pastures while the massive trees surrounded the field like a ring. The field itself was the former location for where Igor¡¯s ¡®gift¡¯ to Baraquiel almost landed. While the option to restore the forest was there, Baraquiel chose to convert it into a field of grass. The cadre stood poised and ready for combat. All ten of his wings were unfurled while brief flashes of golden lightning surrounded his body. His fists were clenched tightly, his eyes wide open. [He¡¯s gotten stronger. I have to take this seriously.] On the other hand, Igor was excited. But even though he was excited, he did not dare underestimate the fallen. His stance was still, his form firm. Apart from his hair and the blue sash tied to his pants, his body remained steady while the rest flowed with the wind. The entire area was quiet. Not one animal was nearby and not one insect made a sound. Both parties were sizing up each other, each pair of eyes analysing the other for an opening that could be exploited. But while Baraquiel remained unsure of the blonde¡¯s new capabilities, Igor had a rough draft to work with. So tensing his muscles, he charged forward. Swooosh! ¡°?!¡± Suddenly seeing Igor appear in front of him, Baraquiel was almost unable to put up his guard in time to block the blonde¡¯s powerful flying knee. GU! Krrrrrrrrrrr Baraquiel was sent skidding across the ground, his boots uprooting the grass like a plow. Baraquiel was completely shocked. [Too close!] A cold sweat formed on his brow. [If I didn¡¯t use lightning to enhance my perception and reaction speed¡­] Just imagining the consequences of what would have happened if he failed to block the knee going for his nose made the Fallen treat this situation as a serious case. Igor noticed Baraquiel¡¯s changes in his expressions. ¡°So, whaddya think, old man? You gonna give up?¡± In response to Igor¡¯s provocation, Baraquiel didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, the aura around him grew heavy as his power began to skyrocket. Lightning covered his entire body while his eyes became pupil-less. His hair spiked up completely while his skin seemed to visibly tighten. Igor tilted his head at the scene. ¡°Huh. You¡¯ve gotten stronger than last time.¡± A grin then formed on his face while a faint white aura covered him. ¡°Good. It would be boring if it was easy.¡± Then he stomped his foot on the ground, his aura exploding like a torrent. GRUUUUUUU ¡°Heh~.¡± Swoosh Swoosh¡­CLASH! Both human and fallen grappled each other in a test of strength. The ground seemed to quake as their respective auras engaged in an invisible clash. But while both parties were giving their all, Igor maintained a confident grin the entire time. This made Baraquiel¡¯s clenched teeth clench even tighter. It was embarrassing that in just a year, the brat that he could lift with one hand and give a good spanking, could now overwhelm him in a contest of strength. ¡°Tch!¡± In the end, Baraquiel tactfully chose to retreat first, acknowledging that he could not casually engage Igor in close combat. [Brother Azazel. Let me take a few pages from your book.] Directly changing his typical brawler combat style, Baraquiel flew into the sky and manifested hundreds of holy spears on the spot. Although they were thin, the power contained within them was not to be underestimated. With a wave of his hand, Baraquiel launched the spears. Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Swu! Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The blonde was not idle. Seeing the spears home in on him, Igor crouched down, his muscles tensing in preparation. When the first spear was only just a few centimetres from reaching his eyes, he jumped up. He was so fast that he left an afterimage on his previous spot. Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Plumes of dust were raised on the ground where the spears struck. But the remaining ones were able to change trajectory and rise up towards the blonde. But it was already too late. Above the blonde was a large golden sphere the size of a thousand-litre water tank. No words were needed to be sai- ¡°Take this, old man!¡± Some words were needed to be said. The large ki sphere sped down like a comet towards Baraquiel¡¯s position. But the lightning on the cadre¡¯s body wasn¡¯t for decoration. While the ki sphere destroyed more of his lightning spears in its quest to destroy Baraquiel, the fallen in question vanished without a trace. Almost immediately, he appeared behind Igor with his fist outstretched. His knuckles were aimed precisely towards the blonde¡¯s neck where he could temporarily paralyse the blonde and end this battle in one go. But the moment his fist punched through Igor, the blonde seemed to suddenly phase out of of existence. [Afterimage?!] His danger senses immediately spiked. Baraquiel could feel something dangerous aiming towards his back. ¡°?!¡± Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge it, Baraquiel turned around and blocked the purple energy wave with his hands. It was only a split-second or two later that he heard the blonde shout the words ¡°[Galick Gun]¡±. He tried to contain the energy wave in his palms but he was being pushed back. He used his wings to stabilise himself as much as he could but the force behind the attack was too much. His hands felt like they were burning. [Even my lightning armour can¡¯t handle this for much longer.] But while he thought he had a dozen seconds or two to come up with a plan, Igor was not one to ignore an advantage. Reeling his hand back, Igor channelled a bit more ki before pushing it out. ¡°RAAAA!¡± Tsuuuuuu! The Galick Gun doubled in size and Baraquiel was gradually getting overwhelmed. He couldn¡¯t hold on a second longer so he did the next best thing. ¡°Argh!¡± Steeling his nerves, he used two of his wings to deflect the attack while he moved to the side. The Galick Gun continued forward without restraint before fizzling out just before the edge of the field. Despite Baraquiel showing signs of injury, Igor didn¡¯t show any compassion and charged forward while firing dozens of ki blasts at him. Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Tsu Baraquiel grit his teeth and began dodging or deflecting on the spot. His hands were still in pain from before so unless he had to, he focused on dodging. While flying away was an option before, he was too injured to take that small window of opportunity. So he was forced into this passive situation. But he wasn¡¯t a cadre for nothing. Having lived since the beginning of human history, Baraquiel had picked up many techniques during his time alive. So while he continued dodging, he extended a thread of lightning towards the unsuspecting Igor. It wasn¡¯t until the blonde got within the distance of 30 metres that he suddenly felt like something was tied around his waist. And before he could even properly process what happened, he suddenly found his position switched with Baraquiel. He didn¡¯t have enough time to figure out the how¡¯s and why¡¯s when his own ki blasts were quite literally, a hair¡¯s distance away. ¡°?!¡± Acting purely on instinct, Igor¡¯s hands began deflecting all these ki blasts without care as to where their new trajectory would be. His hands were like blurs as they moved at astonishing speed to deflect the ki blasts. His ki blasts had no eyes. The moment they exited the blonde¡¯s hands, they did not discriminate between owner and foe. Baraquiel was not idle either. He quickly channelled his light energy to form a powerful bolt of holy lightning above the blonde. [I don¡¯t have much time. I have to hurry.] Indeed, the ki blasts keeping the blonde in place were almost depleted. And as much as Baraquiel wanted to take a second or two to rest, he knew that he likely wouldn¡¯t get another good chance like this to end everything in one shot. So quickly forming the attack, he yelled out. ¡°[Radiant Storm!]¡± From the skies, holy lightning struck Igor just before he could deflect the last three ki blasts. BOOM! But it wasn¡¯t just one strike. BOOM BOOM In quick succession, two more lightning strikes followed. Baraquiel was putting his all into these attacks. He knew he couldn¡¯t be stingy at all with his remaining energy otherwise, what good would it do if the blonde was still conscious by the end of this? His heart would bleed. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM While on a normal day, he could unleash dozens of lightning strikes without care, this time, he could only unleash seven before feeling that he was soon about to be running dry on light energy. So without having anything else to do, he observed the situation, his face gradually turning even more grim by the second. [How?] With the magic contained in his lighting bolts dispersing, he could gradually feel the overwhelming ki that the blonde was releasing. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su The dust had yet to disperse but the blonde could clearly feel that Baraquiel was standing just a few dozen metres away from him. ¡°Thank you, old man.¡± His voice came out in a serious tone with no mocking in between. ¡°I was arrogant when I came here to fight you, believing in my absolute victory.¡± The dust gradually cleared, revealing Igor who was surrounded with a red aura. While the blonde had survived the holy lightning barrage, he was not unscathed. A dry line of blood flowed from his lips while his arms still contained burn marks. His pants displayed signs of being burnt and torn on several parts while his torso also displayed dark red marks. But despite his somewhat damaged appearance, Igor gazed directly at Baraquiel with no signs of pain or anger. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll take you seriously, old man.¡± The aura of his times-four Kaioken thundered as he took his stance. ¡°I¡¯ll make the first move.¡± Not caring that Baraquiel appeared to be injured, Igor moved quickly. And he was fast. An ear-piercing sonic boom was released just by the sheer speed of his acceleration. But with his ki-control, most other hazards that could come with such an accelerative speed were mitigated to a great extent. Baraquiel could see Igor approaching him with his fist poised for a powerful strike. But while he could see it, his body could not react. Baraquiel could feel it in his heart, in his instincts. [This¡­this will kill me.] It was the first time that Baraquiel felt this helpless. Even though he had lost his fair share of fights, at the very least, he could retreat. Now, he could forget about dodging, not to mention teleporting. For the first time in millennia, Baraquiel felt what it meant to have no paths of escape. Clash¡­BOOOOOOOOOM Silence¡­ Baraquiel opened his eyes¡­to see Azazel standing protectively in front of him. The governor had come in at the last crucial moment to stop an attack that would¡¯ve killed his brother. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today, Igor. You¡¯ve won.¡± Igor remained frozen, confusion evident on his face. ¡°What? Already?!¡± . AN Today is Monday. I couldn¡¯t upload on Sunday due to a sudden power outage. The problem that comes with such an outage is that my network becomes completely worthless when it happens. When I read a novel online, I have to wait close to a minute just to get to the next chapter or hit refresh multiple times. So here are two chapters. I¡¯ll cook up another one for tomorrow and for the rest of this week since I have nothing pressing that¡¯s going on. Chapter 24 ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today, Igor. You¡¯ve¡­won.¡± ¡°What? Already?¡± . |DxD| . Igor was confused. He looked at his fist that was caught by Azazel¡¯s palm. He barely saw the fallen appear in front of him, barring that his senses were entirely focused on Baraquiel. But after the haze of combat slowly left him, he could now see the current condition of both cadre. Azazel was smiling lightly with no visible strain from blocking a full-powered Kaioken x4 punch. While his grip on Igor¡¯s palm appeared strong, the blonde could feel there wasn¡¯t any force in the fingers. So retracting his fist, Igor¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the cadre¡¯s arm fall limply to his side. ¡°B-broken?¡± Azazel grinned. ¡°Yeah. You pack quite the punch for a kid your age.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Igor also took a glance at Baraquiel¡¯s laboured state. The fallen weakly knelt on the ground while taking deep breaths. Although a few of his wings were damaged, he was relatively fine besides the issue of experiencing the consequences of having low levels of energy. Igor tried to force a smile. ¡°So I won¡­¡± Truth be told, the emotion that pervaded Igor¡¯s mind at the moment, was disappointment. [I trained this hard¡­for this?] Azazel could feel the blonde¡¯s disappointment so he hurriedly tried to remedy the situation. ¡°Why the glum look, kid? My brother just didn¡¯t expect you to be this strong to the point that you could survive his attack like this. Tell you what, how about you two have yourselves a little rematch in 3 days? Baraquiel here will show you why he¡¯s the lightning general.¡± Igor¡¯s eyes gradually brightened up. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s fine. Next time, I want to see all your techniques, old man!¡± Baraquiel groaned. ¡°No need.¡± He slowly got up from the ground with a small vial in his hand. Without another word, he consumed the contents of the vial in one gulp before crushing the container. Shatter! Not paying attention the the pieces on the ground, the changes happening to Baraquiel were gradual but swift. His broken and singed wings straightened out with a crack. However, one of his right wings appeared to suddenly shrivel, confusing the blonde before he suddenly felt Baraquiel¡¯s magic power restored to its previous level. * Baraquiel breathed a few times before retreating a few metres and getting into a stance. This time, he retracted his wings and didn¡¯t let them come out. ¡°You¡¯ve won this one, brat. Let¡¯s see if you can win the next.¡± Crackles of golden holy lightning flashed around him. But unlike before, these flashes remained simple flashes. This roused Igor¡¯s curiosity but he didn¡¯t ask. Decreasing his Kaioken multiplier, he only let it run at 75%. This was the current limit he could hold with absolutely zero strain on himself for the next half-day. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around this time, old man. I want a real fight.¡± ¡°And I will give you one.¡± Sensing the atmosphere between the two of them, Azazel chuckled lightly before unfurling his wings. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to play nice you two.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle A. I¡¯ll carry the old man on my straw mat if it gets too heated.¡± While Baraquiel remained impervious to Igor¡¯s provocation, Azazel chuckled lightly before taking off. With the third wheel gone, both warriors focused on each other. Both showed different variations of seriousness in their gazes. While Igor¡¯s displayed seriousness and confidence, Baraquiel¡¯s displayed calm and calculating. This time, Baraquiel was the first one to strike. Swoosh! Igor almost couldn¡¯t see the movement, reason being his eyes had suddenly felt heavy for the briefest of moments. But even if it was for a brief moment, the blonde was still able to react in time. Dodge! Bending backwards to dodge Baraquiel¡¯s punch, Igor used his momentum to raise his leg and kick towards the fallen¡¯s chest. But Baraquiel¡¯s experience shined in that moment. Using his free hand, he diverted the blonde¡¯s kick before stretching out his leg to sweep Igor¡¯s remaining leg. Feeling that danger was imminent, Igor tried to twist his body and roll out of the situation, but Baraquiel¡¯s sudden grip was strong. Kicking the blonde¡¯s remaining foot, Baraquiel didn¡¯t waste time and immediately mounted Igor. The blonde opened his mouth to release an energy blast but Baraquiel dodged to the side while cocking his fist. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. *Blocks* But Igor was able to put his arm up and block the fist that almost hit the side of his head. Not liking his current situation, Igor gathered some strength into his legs before pistoning his hips up. With his powerful core muscles, he was able to offset the fallen¡¯s balance, destabilizing him briefly and opening a brief window of opportunity. But instead of escaping, Igor quickly grabbed both of Baraquiel¡¯s arms and opened his mouth. ¡°RAAAA!¡± But Baraquiel was swift. Even with his arms restrained, he had no qualms rolling over to the side¡­ Crack! ¡­even if it meant dislocating his left arm. Although Baraquiel had considered using his wings, he learnt the hard way that the blonde¡¯s attacks carry quite the punch and that mouth blast would¡¯ve easily snapped them in half. Igor didn¡¯t continue lying on the ground. Quickly getting up, the blonde charged forward towards the fallen, eager to use the advantage provided by Baraquiel¡¯s broken arm. CLASH Engaging in close combat, Igor was momentarily surprised to see that Baraquiel¡¯s arm had already healed. But he didn¡¯t let that detail cloud his mind. Both began exchanging moves at breakneck speeds. With Igor¡¯s increased height, he wasn¡¯t as disadvantaged as he was a year ago. Furthermore, his increased strength allowed him to slowly dominate and push back Baraquiel in their exchanges. Although Baraquiel wasn¡¯t winning their exchange, he wasn¡¯t losing either. Having enhanced his combat capabilities with holy lightning, the cadre¡¯s perception far outstripped the norm. In fact, he had focused his enhancement more on perception and speed instead of strength and defence. Not only does this option allow him to save more of his energy, but it also allowed him to somewhat predict and evade the blonde¡¯s moves in advance. While Igor knew that if he directly used a Kaioken x8 he could directly defeat Baraquiel, it wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction he wanted. So he wanted to see just how far he could fight Baraquiel without multiplying his power twice. The result was exhilarating. Both fallen and human zoomed across the clearing, their movement stirring the winds and the sound of their clashes scaring any lingering wildlife. While Igor¡¯s method of combat was pure offence with minimal defence, he was absolutely abusing the power contained in his bones and muscles to launch powerful blows and his smaller figure to dodge any counters the fallen released. As for Baraquiel, his style of combat this time around focused more on defence with minimal offence, the exact opposite of Igor¡¯s. Even though his figure was large, he was able to dodge with ease and deflect what he couldn¡¯t deflect. While he would want to use his wings, he was cautious as to what means the blonde would use to destroy them. His wings were useful extra limbs but they were vulnerable targets. Besides, the other reason was that they would be useful to recharge any spent magic power he had. Right now, he had nine more wings to draw magic power from. And this fight was just the beginning. . |DxD| . Azazel and Cleria were observing the battle from the air just over a kilometre from the scene. Compared to the chaotic scene at the battle site, both fallen and devil enjoyed the cool breeze that flowed through their wings. Despite having a broken limb, Azazel showed no signs of pain at all. ¡°So, Cleria. What do you think?¡± Cleria watched on with genuine interest at the power Igor was displaying. ¡°He¡¯s powerful. Very powerful.¡± ¡°Heh~ And this isn¡¯t even his full power.¡± Cleria turned towards Azazel with eyes as wide as saucers. ¡°Whaaat? Don¡¯t play with me Azazel-kun!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. You weren¡¯t here before so you couldn¡¯t sense it through the barrier. But his power temporarily rose to that of a mid-satan class. ¡°M-mid?! Are you sure?!¡± Azazel didn¡¯t say anything besides lift his limp arm. Due to being lifted, it awkwardly bent in the opposite direction. Cleria audibly gasped while Azazel waved around his arm to show that it was indeed, broken. ¡°This is what happened when I blocked his punch. My wrist and elbow are broken. The bones in my arm are cracked and my shoulder feels like it¡¯s a breeze away from dislocating as well.¡± Even though he stated his condition, it was clear that he was simply saying it to arouse sympathy from the devil since Azazel showed no signs of being in pain. Cleria weakly stretched out her hands, almost as if she was trying to see if it was truly broken. Azazel smiled at her worrying about him and so, decided to tease her. ¡°If you touch it, you owe me a kiss~.¡± The result was near instantaneous. Cleria¡¯s face directly turned red before she punched Azazel on his good shoulder. ¡°Mou~ Azazel! Don¡¯t tease me like that!¡± ¡°Ouch! See? See? Now it hurts.¡± Cleria, fearing that she had aggravated the injury on his right shoulder from the sudden movement, panicked. ¡°W-well what do I do?!¡± Azazel leaned closer to her. ¡°Well¡­I have an idea.¡± Realising the implications, Cleria lowered her head shyly. But she still asked anyway. ¡°What¡­is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He gently cupped her chin with his finger and gazed into her deep ruby-red eyes. Her cheeks were flushed red and if Azazel could, he would¡¯ve removed a strand of her long white hair from her face. But so captivated was he by her beauty and purity, that Azazel momentarily froze for the moment. Over the year, he had bonded with Cleria over the subject of Igor. Although she had known about the blonde since almost three-years ago, it was only a year ago after his fight with Baraquiel that Cleria truly began to investigate him. Naturally, she was by Azazel most of the time since the both of them developed an interest in the blonde. While Azazel did routinely tease her because of her kind personality, he never found her as beautiful as he did now. *Badump* All his wits evaded him while his heart began to beat. He never expected this. When he teased her, this wasn¡¯t part of the plan. He would¡¯ve poked her in the nose before laughing like all the times before. But now, Azazel was caught unaware by those innocent eyes of her. Slowly, he descended towards her lips, not breaking contact with her eyes. Cleria didn¡¯t pull back or show any signs of resisting. It was like his gaze had rendered her hypnotised. Gradually, the distance between the two shortened. Centimetres were becoming millimetres and they could vividly feel each other¡¯s breaths on their faces. Their lips were about to touc- BOOOOOOM ¡°TAKE THAT, OLD MAN!¡± . AN (No Spoilers) I want to thank all of you sincerely for reading my work and coming with me this far. It has been enjoyable writing and I appreciate all of your reactions and comments. Now with the thanks out of the way, I just want to ask. How the hell are you people still reading my work? I took every single chapter to Grammarly for a checkup and the amount of grammar errors I found are¡­numerous. Even I as the author was ready to abandon this book from chapter 6. It was only because of the user, GodAxe from RoyalRoad pointing out grammar errors that I downloaded Grammarly and started running all my chapters through it. Let me be crass here. The number of shit spelling mistakes and repeated words I saw made me want to smash my phone against the wall. Even MTLs were better. I know this isn¡¯t conducive to advertising my work or improving my image as an author but¡­screw it. In short, all of you who trudged on through those grammar errors in silence and even gave me comments like ¡°Tftc¡± have brains of steel. I would fully understand if I was cussed to hell and back after reading repeated words like ¡°the the¡± in a chapter. On a more serious note, thank you for enduring and thank you to GodAxe for those timely comments that pointed out the errors. I¡¯ve fixed mistakes from chapter 1 and hopefully, there won¡¯t be any more in the future. I am a fast typer and an even faster reader. So I tend to miss some things. Even though I will use Grammarly from now on, I would appreciate if someone posts a casual comment at the end of a chapter saying I need to recheck it for errors. Thank you. As for missing yesterday¡¯s upload, it wasn¡¯t intentional. It is clear that power outages may become a daily occurrence so I will now upload chapters in the morning instead of late at night. Chapter 25 Their lips were about to touc- BOOOOOOM ¡°TAKE THAT, OLD MAN!¡± . |DxD| . A dozen seconds prior . Igor and Baraquiel were still at it. The blonde, with his superior physique, kept close to Baraquiel in order to take advantage of his higher combat power. In order to combat that, Baraquiel never dared to block Igor¡¯s blows head on. He would only counter when there was a chance. With his combat experience, it was easy to sneak in a few blows. But whether those blows were powerful or not was another thing. Having demi-ki run through his body, the blonde¡¯s defenses were naturally elevated. Even if Baraquiel tried to channel his lightning into Igor¡¯s body, the lightning would encounter fierce resistance. But Baraquiel didn¡¯t lose composure. He was fine with keeping the situation like this. It would allow him to fully study the blonde and therefore, slowly increase his advantage in the long run. But Igor wasn¡¯t one to be underestimated. Seeing the tediousness of things, he took the opportunity to launch a dropkick, which surprisingly connected, before using Baraquiel¡¯s chest as a springboard to soar into the sky. Raising his hands towards the sky, a massive golden sphere the size of a house instantly swirled into existence. Without any added grandeur, Igor flung the sphere down. And with surprising speed, it locked onto Baraquiel and even though the fallen changed directions, the sphere stayed locked on to him. Soon, the distance rapidly shrunk and the sphere finally reached its target. BOOOOOOOOM ¡°TAKE THAT, OLD MAN!¡± The explosion was not huge but the power wasn¡¯t low. With his level of ki-control, Igor was able to contain the power of the explosion on a singular spot for maximum damage. While the blonde felt that his attack had struck Baraquiel, he did not pin his hopes on winning just like that. He didn¡¯t know what strange method or technique Baraquiel would use to escape, but it didn¡¯t matter to him. Pressing two fingers to his forehead, he stretched his senses to figure out where Baraquiel was. Having memorised the signature of his lifeforce, Igor almost had total assurance that the fallen wouldn¡¯t be able to hide from him. While he doubted the fallen could escape his senses, he would rather ERR on the side of caution. So, spreading his aura out like dense sonar waves, Igor blatantly tried to find out Baraquiel¡¯s location. [Like I thought. The old man somehow escaped the explosio- FOUND HIM!] Igor got ready to use his Instant Transmission. But before he could fully disappear, he suddenly stopped. He raised his hand to the sky and formed a smaller golden sphere the size of a room. [Can¡¯t take risks with the old man.] He flung it towards the forest where he last sensed Baraquiel. The result was instantaneous. The moment the sphere reached the location, hundreds of lightning spears formed from various directions and attacked the sphere, triggering it to explode on the spot. BOOOOOM Another patch of forest was destroyed by the explosion. But what was different this time was that Igor could spot Baraquiel flying from the explosion at breakneck speeds. [Chance!] Spotting Baraquiel, Igor flew over to Baraquiel with the aura of the Kaioken x1,75 converged on his fist. Baraquiel was now caught between a rock and a hard place. Behind him, the dangerous shockwave from the combination of the ki explosion and holy-lightning was behind him while Igor with his demi-ki-laced fist was in front of him. Baraquiel did try to tie a thread of lightning around the blonde in order to switch places with him, but that faint red aura around him made it impossible to do so in a short time. In fact, most of his lightning techniques were rendered almost useless against the blonde. Realising his predicament, Baraquiel forwent any thoughts of conserving his energy and directly went all out. A thunderous aura of lightning covered him as he also cocked back his fist to meet the blonde¡¯s. As for Igor, he sported a wide grin at seeing Baraquiel finally decide to truly fight him. Not wanting to remain reserved, Igor directly increased the percentage of his Kaioken to 100%, finally activating the full Kaioken and its representative aura. But what Baraquiel didn¡¯t expect was that the moment their fists were about to clash, Igor vanished¡­ Tswii! And appeared above him with his fist cocked back. It was over. GUUUU¡­¡­¡­BOOOOOM Having endured a fatal hit to his spine, Baraquiel directly shot down towards the ground and unceremoniously landed face-first. The explosion caused by the high speed of his crash resulted in plumes of dust, grass, and sand being flung in all directions. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! While Igor could feel that Baraquiel was unmoving through Aura Sense, he had his doubts and immediately got into the stance for the Galick Gun. Charging up the attack, he had no intention of waiting for the dust to clear before firing. But before he could charge up the attack, Azazel appeared in front of Igor like before and stopped him. ¡°Hey, hey, hey! You¡¯ve won. Relax now.¡± Igor briefly looked at Azazel before looking at the ground. With the dust clearing, Igor could see the unmoving form of Baraquiel. The fallen¡¯s wings laid splayed out all around him while his eyes were closed. Focusing his senses on him, Igor could also hear the faintness of his breaths. ¡°Huh¡­¡± A grin slowly formed on his face. ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s payback for all those times.¡± But even though he tried to remain excited, he couldn¡¯t help but frown a bit. [This was¡­too easy.] When he exited the time chamber, he pictured having an epic battle with Baraquiel, where bones would be broken and blood would be shed. He imagined that after hours of a gruelling fight, he would triumph over Baraquiel after an exhausting battle. Yet, it hadn¡¯t been an hour and he already won¡­twice. [Should I wear weights next time?] Igor flew down towards the downed fallen along with Azazel. Both of them landed gently on the ground. It was then that Baraquiel¡¯s situation came to light. Most of his ribs had snapped while his jaw had caved in on itself. There was no point in mentioning his spine. It was completely shattered. Azazel hissed at the sight before moving to help him. ¡°Yeesh. Did my brother cuck you or something?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to cuck?¡± Azazel paused for a bit before sighing. ¡°You a monk or something?¡± ¡°Aaaaaa¡­nope. Pretty close though.¡± Azazel who held a Phenex tear in his hand, froze. ¡°A-are¡­are you¡­¡± He glanced down towards Igor¡¯s crotch, his face turning paler by the second. ¡°What do you¡­¡± It was then that Igor noticed what Azazel was insinuating. The blonde¡¯s face turned dark. ¡°Your mother! Fuck! I¡¯m not lacking in anything, Uncle A!¡± ¡°Oh¡­you sure? I mean, it¡¯s okay-¡± Feeling Igor¡¯s killing intent begin to spread, Azazel chuckled. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll stop. I was just messing with ya.¡± Azazel turned his brother belly-up, ignoring the grating sounds of broken bones and wings on the tenterhooks of snapping. ¡°Bottoms up, brother.¡± He pinched Baraquiel¡¯s nose before nearly shoving the entire vial in his mouth. Even though the vial was empty, Azazel didn¡¯t remove it. He simply waited for a few moments before Baraquiel started coughing sporadically. But with the vial in his mouth, he couldn¡¯t cough out the Phenex tears. It was only when Azazel saw movement down his throat that he released his brother¡¯s nose and removed the vial from his mouth. Standing up as if he didn¡¯t almost choke his own brother to death, Azazel put the used vial into his pocket, with his recently-healed arm. This was something Igor noticed but didn¡¯t ask about. This was more so because the loud cracks of bones resetting themselves was far more interesting to the blonde. ¡°What are these things and where can I find them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re called Phenex tears. They are-¡± ¡°Where can I find them?¡± While it appeared as if Igor was being disrespectful, Azazel could practically see the stars in the blonde¡¯s eyes that were eager to know how to obtain the Phenex tears. ¡°You can find them in the Underworld at the Phenex Clan-¡± ¡°Take me there. Or atleast show me the way.¡± Igor appeared to be having a sugar rush. ¡°Just having a truckload could boost my training by ten-times¡­¡± His quiet mutters were heard by Azazel who let out a boisterous laugh. ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! Kid! You really know how to crack me up!¡± But before Igor could reply, Baraquiel beat him to it. ¡°Shut up, Azazel.¡± The fallen pushed himself up with a groan while at the same time, retracting his wings. Igor¡¯s enthusiasm about the Phenex tears was diverted when he looked at Baraquiel with a grin. ¡°So, I won¡­twice¡­in one day.¡± He tried to, but he couldn¡¯t stop the gradually forming smile on his face. ¡°So, how do you feel?¡± Baraquiel merely scoffed before replying. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that damned red energy of yours, I could¡¯ve won.¡± Azazel saw this as a chance to chime in. ¡°Speaking of that, what is that red energy, Igor?¡± ¡°Oh, that? That¡¯s my Kaioken. It¡¯s an evolution of my Aura-Burning State.¡± Azazel brought a hand to his chin in contemplation. ¡°I see. So it¡¯s similar to the Red-Dragon Empero-¡± ¡°RED-DRAGON EMPEROR! THAT¡¯S THE NAME I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER!¡± Baraquiel curiously looked at the blonde. ¡°You know them?¡± ¡°No. A couple ¡®years ago, I was trying to remember who were some of the strongest people I must keep an eye out for. One of them was the Red Dragon Emperor, but it had been since I last heard the name that I forgot it until now.¡± Sensing an opportunity, Azazel decided to throw out a bait. ¡°Forgot? Just how long did you stay in that time chamber of yours?¡± Contrary to expectations, Igor didn¡¯t panic. ¡°Huh? Around five-no. It¡¯s six decades now¡­I think.¡± Baraquiel was surprised. ¡°Time chamber?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been training to beat you now for the past decade, old man. My efforts paid off.¡± Shaking his head and choosing to gloss over the issue of the time chamber, Baraquiel changed the topic. ¡°Regardless, that Kaioken of yours is a bane to my fighting style.¡± ¡°Because it can increase my strength?¡± ¡°No. Because that aura you emit in that state can suppress my energy.¡± Igor was confused. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°As much as it irks me to admit it, it is true. The efficiency of my attacks are decreased greatly and my lightning can barely penetrate through you. This makes most of my techniques useless.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Igor then came up with an idea. ¡°Then what if I don¡¯t use it? Will you agree to another round?¡± Igor was beyond trying to prove a point. Right now, he was desperately itching for a good fight where he could use all the techniques he learnt. As for Baraquiel, he frowned at the proposal. To him, the handicap the blonde was offering left a bad taste in his mouth. ¡°No need-¡± {Accept, brother. Just treat it as a sparring match. Both of you will benefit from this.} Baraquiel froze for a bit in contemplation of Azazel¡¯s words. In the end, he sighed. ¡°I agree to another round.¡± The blonde¡¯s smile stretched towards his ears. ¡°Yes!¡± AN Fight¡¯s over. It¡¯s time we get into some serious stuff that may, or may not affect the future of canon in the future. Now, you could wait until tomorrow OR, you could become a patron on patre*n. There¡¯s a 7 day free trial for those who want to read three chapters ahead for free. Feel¡­*grits teeth* ¡°free¡± to cancel whenever you want. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯ on the platform. No other name exists other than yours truly. Chapter 26 Baraquiel froze for a bit in contemplation of Azazel¡¯s words. In the end, he sighed. ¡°I agree to another round.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Azazel-kun.¡± ¡°Yes, Cleria?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been three days.¡± ¡°Yes, Cleria.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re still fighting?!¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel was lost for words as well. Three days ago, both fallen and devil had left the two battle-lovers to fight a third time. Having exited the barrier, Azazel and Cleria went their own separate ways since each party had their own job to do. It was only through receiving Shuri¡¯s call asking for Baraquiel¡¯s whereabouts that Azazel realised neither the blonde nor his brother ever returned. So abandoning his work, he went to find Cleria before coming back to the scene. And the scene right now, was a bloodied Igor and Baraquiel still going at it. Baraquiel had all his wings out but all of them were already shrivelled. It could be guessed that he had already withdrawn all the energy stored within them. Thankfully, they still offered him the ability of flight so he could dodge Igor¡¯s attacks. As for the blonde, his condition was quite terrible. Dried blood hung all over his body. Whether it was from the cadre or himself, it wasn¡¯t clear. His hair had already fallen to his sides. The ¡®last seen¡¯ of the rope once holding his hair together in a ponytail was unknown. While their fight was exuberant on the starting day, their motions had gradually slowed down. Having a body with needs, they gradually tired until on the third day, their blitz-like motions were now degraded to the level of a street fight. When before, they could bound the entire clearing in less than the time it takes to blink, now they could barely run to the other end. Since Baraquiel had almost exhausted his light energy, it was natural that the blonde was in a similar state as well. ¡°*Huff* *Huff* *Huff*¡± Stretching out his hand, Igor tried to form a ki blast. But the energy in his hand briefly formed before fizzling out like a dying light bulb. Gruuuuuu ¡°I¡¯m¡­so¡­hungry.¡± Having been distracted by his growling stomach, Igor couldn¡¯t block the punch to the face that Baraquiel released. Gu! Staggering backwards, the blonde tripped over a stone before falling on his back. Baraquiel tried to run forward, but the best he could muster was an awkward stagger. The same was true for the blonde. Having fallen on the ground, he was too tired to get up. At this point, Igor wanted to call it quits. He didn¡¯t even have enough energy to fly at this point. Although the blonde didn¡¯t have an insanely high amount of ki, he could make up for that with the insane level of ki-regeneration he got after the combination of triggering his divine ki and spirit control. But all that ki-regeneration came at a cost. Gruuuuuu It came with the cost of having a high appetite. To constantly generate or regenerate ki, the blonde became a calorie-guzzler. Although he had eaten the equivalent of three cows before leaving the time chamber, all that energy was already spent. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. So his eyelids were threatening to close at anytime, Baraquiel¡¯s nearing steps forced the blonde to stay open. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Performing a kip-up, he successfully kicked Baraquiel in the jaw, causing the fallen to stagger backwards. Ignoring the protests of his body, Igor forcefully compressed a bit of ki into his fist before charging forward with a war-cry. ¡°Raaaa!¡± Baraquiel, too tired and dazed, couldn¡¯t block the punch. Gu! Nailing the fallen right cleanly on the side of the head, Igor tiredly watched as Baraquiel finally fell on his side. He stood quietly for a moment, keenly sensing the fallen¡¯s current state. Upon sensing that Baraquiel was unconscious, the blonde eagerly shouted. ¡°Hahaha! I won!!!¡± Tiredly, Igor fell to the ground on his back. His arms and feet lay spread out, his chest heaving up and down. He was too tired to even remove the lock of hair hovering above his eye. But even though he was tired, his stomach didn¡¯t care. Gruuuuu ¡°Ohhhh...¡± A stream of tears fell down his face. He began releasing a few sobs. The pain of his stomach clawing at him was just too agonizing. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡± The adrenalin had washed off. Now he could feel the full force of his hunger. He looked to the side, hoping to find even a single blade of grass he could nibble on. But unfortunately, most of the field had endured a thorough ¡®grass-cutting¡¯ during their three-day battle. The areas that survived were mostly those at the edges, and as fate would have, Baraquiel and Igor were smack dab in the middle. The only things were sand and rock. Igor looked around. Not even a single bug could be found. Briefly falling into despair for a moment, Igor remembered that a few dozen kilograms of meat was lying just a metre or two from him. ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t even need to consider twice. Briefly sitting up, he tried getting up and was successful for a bit before his legs gave up on him. Falling on his stomach, Igor wasn¡¯t discouraged by this minor setback. He crawled forward, looking at Baraquiel¡¯s bicep like it was the plump roasted thigh of top-grade chicken. This would be the first time Baraquiel wished his skin wasn¡¯t tanned since this only served to further motivate Igor to press on. The blonde was even using his chin to move forward, trying to decrease the centimetres of distance between them as soon as possible. In the end, the blonde got close to Baraquiel and hurriedly grabbed his arm. But in that brief moment, a semblance of clarity came upon the blonde. The image of a chicken thigh was replaced with the bicep of the fallen. Igor tried to let go. He really did. But he couldn¡¯t stop squeezing Baraquiel¡¯s arm. He could feel the meat inside. He reasoned to his stomach that eating people was wrong. But one look at Baraquiel¡¯s wings provided his stomach with enough ammunition to shatter his resolve. His mind raced through all the things with wings. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc. The list went on and with each entry, his eyes glazed over. In the end, he made a simple calculation. Wings + meat = Food And so with that, he opened his mouth filled with saliva. *Chomp* He bit down with all the strength he had. But as the seconds trickled by, he couldn¡¯t break through the skin. ¡°Nnnnnnggggg!¡± The blonde felt like crying again. Meat was already in his mouth and yet he couldn¡¯t get it. He began shaking his head wildly, trying to atleast tear the skin off. But that only served to awaken Baraquiel. It took a while for the fallen to come to. But when he felt the pain in his left arm, he screamed¡­like a man. ¡°AAAAAAAAAH!¡± He began using his right hand to slap Igor¡¯s head with all his might. Pa! Pa! ¡°GET OFF ME!¡± But Igor remained stubborn. The blonde was just too clouded by hunger to let go. And he could feel it. Just a few more seconds and he would be able to pierce through that annoying skin. And Baraquiel could feel it as well since the frequency of his hits desperately increased. It was only fortunate for him that Azazel arrived at the scene with an amused smile. ¡°That¡¯s enough now brat.¡± Placing a finger on the back of Igor¡¯s neck, he released a jolt of light energy that slightly burnt the blonde¡¯s skin. ¡°Ack!¡± Instinctively opening his mouth, Igor began slapping the point where it felt like a mosquitoe had bit him. Although he began slapping and scratching the spot, it was enough for him to regain some clarity. Turning towards Azazel with an aggrieved look, he shouted. ¡°What the hell, Uncle A?!¡± Azazel pointed towards a frowning Baraquiel who was examining the bite mark on his arm. ¡°I never knew that my brother was a¡­delicacy.¡± While Igor wanted to reply, the world around him suddenly grew hazy. The motion of swinging his arms consumed one calorie too many and his body decided to shutdown in order to conserve energy. The last words he heard were of Baraquiel cursing his entire lineage to hell and back. . AN If you want to read ahead, here¡¯s the link to my p@treon: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯. You can read for free on my page without any problem. There¡¯s a 7-day free trial that you can cancel at any time should you not wish to become a patron. If you cancel it, I won¡¯t blame you¡­I swear. Chapter 27 The motion of swinging his arms consumed one calorie too many and his body decided to shutdown in order to conserve energy. The last words he heard were of Baraquiel cursing his entire lineage to hell and back. . |DxD| . Baraquiel and Azazel were at the former¡¯s home. It was now around 14:00, meaning it had been roughly 4 hours since Igor had won. Right now, the blonde was sleeping in the guestroom upstairs while Baraquiel and Azazel were sitting in the dining room. Shuri had already left half-an-hour ago to pick up Akeno from school, leaving the two fallen to continue discussing the contents of the battle. Briefly enjoying the ruffling sounds of the tree leaves coming in through the open window, Azazel stretched his hand to take a batch of chips before speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t feel so bad about losing, brother. Remember, the brat said it himself. He had a decade to train for the fight against you.¡± Baraquiel also stretched out his hand to reach into the packet of chips. He seemed unnerved but a trace of unease could be noticed. ¡°But 10 years? All it took was 10 years, brother? Even without that red aura boosting his power, his base strength is higher than mine. In fact¡­were it not for me using the Phenex tears, my loss would¡¯ve been more miserable.¡± Although Baraquiel had pride, he also knew when to admit defeat. He was thoroughly convinced of his loss. What he couldn¡¯t accept was that just after almost ten years of training, Igor could easily defeat him. But Azazel cut off his thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s not just ten years.¡± Taking the time to chew, he swallowed before continuing. ¡°He¡¯s probably trained for a few decades. The last ten were what he needed to surpass you.¡± ¡°How are you so sure?¡± ¡°I asked Cleria. She had paid attention to him a few years ago. She told me that just five years ago, he was barely middle-class and since all he did was kill a few ruffians, she didn¡¯t bother him. So in my opinion, what was possibly five or six years to us were more than five decades of solid training for him.¡± Looking at his brother¡¯s serious expression, Baraquiel¡¯s own gaze also turned serious. ¡°How sure are you?¡± ¡°Completely. I just checked the brat for a sacred gear and yet all I found within him was something similar to an hour-glass. If I¡¯m right, which I am, then the coveted time chamber Aryans were known for using is within him.¡± Baraquiel widened his eyes. He knew what would happen if word of this got out. Not only was the blonde Aryan, but he possessed the exact same artifact the Aryans were annihilated for. The Aryans were already a stronger variant of the human race. But what made them even more fearsome was the immense power they had. No other race in the entire world could deploy an army comprising of thousands of humans comparable to the strength of ultimate-class devils. The other races didn¡¯t dare to undermine the Aryans. It also helped that the Aryans were known for their relatively secluded lives in their personal dimension. But when everyone caught wind of the reason why Aryans were so strong was because of their time chamber, it was like the opening of Pandora¡¯s box. Greed and envy brewed in the supernatural world for years. It wasn¡¯t until the early 20th century that under the leadership of a few gods, dozens of different races began launching subtle attacks at the bases of the Aryans on Earth. They were also aided by the First World War since attacks were easier to launch. The Aryans did try to fight back at first. But with quite literally, millions of entities attacking them, their meagre numbers couldn¡¯t bring any results. In the end, the Aryans decisively secluded themselves in their dimension and were not heard from again for two decades. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It wasn¡¯t until the late 1930s that the last active entryway for their dimension was found in the regions of Italy. Even if the Angels and the Vatican wanted to do anything to protect the Aryans, they couldn¡¯t. Not only had Adolf Hitler soured the reputation of Aryans, but anyone who even had an inkling of protecting the Aryans changed their mind when they saw the number of races eager to annihilate them. But even though they had massive numbers, the alliance of races couldn¡¯t break through the dimensional gate. It wasn¡¯t until the late 1930s that the wielders of the True Longinus and Dimension Lost sacred gears were found and brought to the gate. After a few attempts, the owner of the True Longinus finally managed to pierce through the gate while the Dimension Lost user stabilised it. And so, in 1939, the dimension of the Aryans was invaded. Despite their strength, they lacked the numbers. They tried to fight from both the supernatural and mundane front with Hitler handling the latter. But they couldn¡¯t even last a decade before they were finally annihilated in 1945. The alliance was ecstatic. They didn¡¯t waste any time and searched the dimension high and low for the time chamber. And yet despite the thorough search, they couldn¡¯t find it. Even as the decades passed, the numerous losses they suffered were for nothing since no one could find the time chamber. Baraquiel was very familiar with this story. Although most of the fallen never participated, Kokabiel was one of the more active fighters. Of course, neither of them cared for the time chamber. Being long-lived races, time held no meaning to them. And with their level of strength, they could already walk backwards on most battlefields. * Although it was undeniable that having such an artifact could indeed boost the strength of their forces, most leaders of several factions were already tired of war. It was also because of his long life that Baraquiel didn¡¯t have any designs on securing the time chamber. Rather, he was worried for the blonde. ¡°Brother¡­word of this must not leave this room.¡± Azazel released a coy smile. ¡°Oho? Have you started caring for the brat?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I care for the young Dimori or not. That boy has a lot of potential that he has yet to realise. We¡¯ve lived for countless millennia, brother. Although we haven¡¯t trained much, we are powerful. Yet this boy, in less than a century, with no sacred gear, has already surpassed us in potential.¡± Silence¡­ Azazel listened to his brother. There was a hint of reminiscence on his face. ¡°Do you care so much because he resembles Yered?¡± Baraquiel shook his head. ¡°That was before. After fighting the brat¡­¡± Baraquiel looked up to the roof while letting out a sigh. ¡°...he seemed to have awakened something in me.¡± He briefly clenched and unclenched his fist a few times. ¡°Brother. We are weak. Although I am many times weaker than you, Dimori will eventually surpass you in strength.¡± He propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward with a serious expression. ¡°Knowing all of this, I¡¯ve decided. I am going to start training again.¡± Azazel looked at his arm that was broken just a few days ago. ¡°Hmmmmm¡­maybe you have the right idea about this. I¡¯ve already studied sacred gears for so long.¡± He grinned challengingly. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time I study our people. Who knows, maybe we could become Super Fallen-¡± Their conversation was cut off when Shuri walked in along with Akeno. ¡°Daddy!¡± Akeno didn¡¯t waste time and ran towards her father the first moment she saw him. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± Baraquiel released a genuine smile as he opened his arms. ¡°Ohhhh! My little princess!¡± Akeno jumped onto his lap and buried her head in his chest. She wrapped her little arms around his torso and tightened them like a vice. While Baraquiel was rubbing her head, Shuri walked towards him and kissed him on the lips before greeting him. ¡°Hello, husband~¡± ¡°Hello, my wife.¡± Looking at the aura of love released by the family of three, Azazel felt as if he had eaten something bitter. While normally he would interrupt this moment, he found his mind drifting to Cleria. Since the moment when they almost kissed, Azazel found himself thinking about her more often than not. While he assured himself it wasn¡¯t love, he couldn¡¯t deny that he was feeling a few emotions for her. But what surprised him even more was that he never once thought of her breasts. It was always her face that ran about in his mind, particularly her smile or her cute frown when he teased her- [Oh no¡­] Azazel looked at the happy family and gradually, the image distorted to show the same scene but with Azazel, Cleria, and their lovely daughter with long white hair. [Am I¡­falling?] . AN I¡¯m pressed for time so I¡¯ll be short. Tomorrow is Saturday and for those who don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t upload on Saturdays. If you want to read three chapters ahead, here¡¯s my p@treon: ¡°[email protected]/HolyGambler¡± Replace the ¡®@¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯. You can read for free on my page without any problem. There¡¯s a 7-day free trial that you can cancel at any time should you not wish to become a patron. Chapter 28 Azazel looked at the happy family and gradually, the image distorted to show the same scene but with Azazel, Cleria, and their lovely daughter with long white hair. [Am I¡­falling?] . |DxD| . Having hugged her father long enough, Akeno popped her head up with a smile. ¡°Daddy! Where¡¯s Igor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s asleep upstairs, my daughter. Don¡¯t bother him for now.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± Like an energetic little minx, Akeno got off his lap and ran to the living room. It wasn¡¯t until a few moments later that the sounds of cartoons started to sound from the television. While Shuri hugged his head, Baraquiel had a content smile on his face. Soon enough, Shuri gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before turning to leave. ¡°Let me get started on cooking. Knowing Dimori-kun, I¡¯ll need the extra time.¡± It was at this point that Azazel found an opportunity to speak. ¡°You might want to prepare more than usual, Shuri-chan. Igor was very hungry after the fight so he¡¯ll need a LOT more food, much more than usual.¡± Shuri merely gave a nod before leaving the room. . |DxD| . With five hours having passed since three in the afternoon, it was already nighttime. With Azazel having left, Baraquiel was standing outside the house with Akeno on his shoulders. Both father and daughter were staring at the stars in silence. Although the breeze that came with the night was cold, neither of them felt cold due to their enhanced physique. While Baraquiel enjoyed the silence, he decided to ask his daughter a question. ¡°Akeno.¡± Akeno leaned over her father¡¯s head to get a look at his eyes. ¡°Yes, papa?¡± * Baraquiel was quiet for a while, as if he was in contemplation. ¡°Papa?¡± But roused by his daughter¡¯s call, he sighed before speaking. ¡°My daughter. Do you want to become strong?¡± It was a thought he had during his talk with Azazel. Faced with the blonde¡¯s ever-increasing strength, the will to train was reignited in him. He also had the thought of training his daughter. But while he did hold the desire, he didn¡¯t want to force her. As for Akeno, she was confused by her father¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Become strong? Why?¡± ¡°Just curious, my child.¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± Akeno pondered the question with the classic ¡®fist to chin¡¯ gesture. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Baraquiel weakly smiled. He knew that when she said she doesn¡¯t know, it usually meant she didn¡¯t want to do it but was afraid of directly declining. So choosing to drop the issue here, he chuckled. ¡°Heh~. Do not worry my daughter. Your answer isn¡¯t needed now. Any time you want to get stronger, you can look for me¡­or your big brother.¡± And just like a switch had been flipped, Akeno ranted. ¡°Stinky Igor is not my brother! He always bullies me! Hmph!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you call him by name.¡± ¡°But why must I call him older brother when I¡¯m older than him?¡± ¡°Because he is older than you.¡± Akeno was shocked. ¡°Whaaa?¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Akeno was right to be confused. Just a year ago, she had been told that she was older. Now, it was the reverse. But Baraquiel couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain the complicated specifics to a six year old. ¡°It was a mistake. Igor is a lot older than you. So you have to rightfully refer to him as ¡®brother¡¯ from now on. If you¡¯re going to say his name, add ¡®brother¡¯ before it.¡± While Akeno did want to argue, she feared the consequences of blatantly disobeying her father¡¯s orders. His hands weren¡¯t that big for nothing. ¡°Yes¡­papa.¡± Baraquiel simply ruffled her hair to cheer her up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, my daughter. Calling him ¡®brother¡¯ is just a sign of respect. Although you may not believe it, Igor is older than your school teachers.¡± There was a reason why Baraquiel suddenly brought this up. While the blonde never acted his age, he always established his seniority as the older brother. If Akeno didn¡¯t listen or forgot, a quick pinch to the gut or a twist of the ear would remind her. But another reason was also because he wanted his daughter to establish good relations with Igor. If the blonde genuinely considered her his little sister, he could be more assured of having a second line of defence for his family. Having received an answer, Baraquiel went back into the house with Akeno. It was also coincidentally when Shuri came out with a bowl of rice and chicken curry. ¡°Akeno-chan. Why don¡¯t you go upstairs and give this to Dimori-kun?¡± Although it was a question, Akeno knew it was an order. So letting her father bring her down, she took the bowl¡­. ¡°Yes, mama.¡± ¡­before walking up the stairs. Reaching the top, she rounded the corner before opening the door into the room where Igor slept. Compared to three days ago, the blonde was now cleaned of blood and dirt that clung to his body. His straw mat, books, and upper clothing were all neatly placed next to him on the floor. Akeno walked forward, the delicious scent of the food wafting through the room. ¡°Brother Igor?¡± She held the bowl in one hand while gently nudging the blonde with the other. ¡°Brother Igor?¡± She continued to shake him but the blonde wasn¡¯t waking up. ¡°Brother Igor!¡± There was still no response. Knowing that it was pointless to try any further, Akeno was about to give up and leave when a suddenly devious thought entered her head. ¡°Hehehe~.¡± Taking a drumstick from the bowl, she first let the soup and oil drip into the bowl first before slowly bringing it over to Igor¡¯s nose. ¡°If you don¡¯t wake up soon, I¡¯ll eat it myself.¡± Ten seconds passed and yet, there was still no reaction from the blonde. Akeno was growing increasingly impatient already. ¡°Hmph. Then I¡¯ll eat this nice juicy thigh.¡± Bringing it close to her mouth, she never quite expected for Igor to suddenly kick the covers and pounce on her like a lion does with its prey. ¡°?!¡± The blonde rocketed towards the chicken drumstick that was already nearing her mouth with laser-like precision. His mouth was already wide open while his left hand went for the bowl of soup she was about to drop. Displaying splendid skills of multi-tasking, Igor grabbed the chicken thigh from Akeno¡¯s hand with his teeth while he successfully secured the bowl with his hand. Not wasting any more time, he quickly devoured the chicken thigh whole along with the bones before furiously digging into the bowl of stew. Hearing the clanging of ceramic against spoon, Akeno stood there dazed for a moment. Her finger traced the part of her lips where Igor briefly made contact. Her eyes turned watery for a moment before she ran out crying. ¡°Papa! Igor is going to turn me into a frog!¡± But she wasn¡¯t fast enough. Igor had already devoured the contents of the bowl, not sparing even the soup on the sides. The blonde could smell the scent of delicious food from downstairs. So, he ran. He exited the room before turning the corner and dashing downstairs. He vaulted over Akeno with a side-flip before he stuck the landing at the bottom of the stairs. Placing the bowl and spoon on the side of the table in the kitchen, Igor unceremoniously began digging into the typical Japanese cuisine. Although the blonde didn¡¯t have a fondness for any other meat besides Chicken, Beef, Mutton, or Pork, his starving stomach didn¡¯t care for any distinctions at that moment. Food was food and all it wanted was food. Whether it was raw or cooked was of no concern at the moment for Igor. But Shuri did have concerns. While Baraquiel remained sitting with a smile, Shuri was on the verge of panicking. She had never seen someone eat so voraciously before. ¡°D-Dimori-kun! I had already prepared food for you.¡± She ran towards the stove before removing the lid of a pot filled with chicken stew. The effect was instant. Igor lifted his head from the bowl he was digging into and stared at the pot. Thanks to having something in his belly, he had regained some lucidity or else he would¡¯ve rushed forward like a madman. Seeing that Igor¡¯s attention was on her, Shuri spoke. ¡°Let me fix a bowl for you-¡± ¡°No! I mean¡­no need, aunty. Just¡­¡± He swallowed a mouthful of saliva before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, aunty. But I¡¯m really hungry right now. Please just¡­¡± Realising that he was overstepping his boundaries, Igor froze for a bit. Baraquiel laughed at the blonde¡¯s actions before speaking with Shuri. ¡°Give the brat the whole pot, Shuri. Only the gods know what he¡¯ll do to you in the next ten seconds if you don¡¯t.¡± Shuri looked at the blonde. She could see his pupils begin to dilate while the little Adam¡¯s apple on his throat began to move up and down. ¡°Fufufu~¡± In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at how desperate the blonde appeared. ¡°Okay, Dimori-kun~.¡± Bringing the pot over to him, she nudged away the bowl of Akeno¡¯s half-eaten food from Igor before placing the pot on top of a cloth. ¡°Eat slowly~.¡± As if the walls of Jericho had fallen, Igor stormed the pot with both hands. His hand speed proved his bachelor status as he shoved drumstick and thigh into his mouth. His powerful jaws crushed the bones to pieces. While the blonde would usually eat like a normal person when he was in Baraquiel¡¯s home, he took no care this time to ponder how the sounds of bones being crushed would loudly reverberate throughout the room. At this time, Akeno who was frozen on the stairs decisively took this moment to run around the table towards Baraquiel. ¡°Papa! Igor kissed me and now I¡¯m gonna turn into a frog!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± *Takes a second to process the words* *Smile slowly disappears* *Holy music stops* ¡°WHAT?!?!?!?!¡± . AN My perfectly good reason for uploading later than usual is that we had no power since 03:00. We only got it back around 21:00. Here I am at 23:30 and I¡¯m drunk on sleep. As usual, you can go to my patreon to read ahead. Just uploaded chapter 31 over there. Users on Fanfiction.net will experience some errors due to the algorithm filtering out the word but you can search for HolyGambler on p@tre0n. There¡¯s no other name as unique as mine. So here''s my p@treon: p@treon.com/HolyGambler Replace the ''@'' with ''a''. You can read for free on my page without any problem. There''s a 7-day free trial that you can cancel at any time should you not wish to become a patron. Chapter 29 AN: Sorry about the upload mistake. Here''s the proper chapter *Holy music stops* ¡°WHAT?!?!?!?!¡± . |DxD| . Igor was somewhat oblivious to Baraquiel¡¯s sudden yell. He was too focused on eating to hear what Akeno said. With his mouth full, the blonde quickly looked up to see what was wrong. But upon looking at the drumstick in his hand and Baraquiel, he became conflicted¡­ *Bites chicken thigh* ¡­for a split-second. [Must eat.] Whatever caused Baraquiel to yell like that, the blonde didn¡¯t care about that right now. But Baraquiel certainly did have a problem. Although his first instinct was to clobber Igor on the spot, he thought rationally about this. So slowly unclenching his fist, he forced a smile through gritted teeth. ¡°Tell me what happened first.¡± Akeno looked at the eating blonde with an expression full of grievance. ¡°When he took the meat from me, he also kissed me! Al-although it was a bit on the edge, i-it still counts right?!¡± She looked up at Baraquiel with puppy-dog eyes. ¡°Papa. I don¡¯t wanna be a frog.¡± Watching from the sidelines, Shuri couldn¡¯t help but let a laugh escape through her lips. ¡°Pfft¡­pfft.¡± Akeno heard those barely restrained laughs and cried out. ¡°Mamaaaa!¡± Her face was full of indignation with little tears stringing down her face. Soon enough, Shuri stopped laughing and walked forward to hug her daughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Akeno-chan~. You won¡¯t become a frog.¡± As for Igor, he remained oblivious to these events. All the brainpower he had was focused on filling his stomach. And with the massive pot he was eating from, he was happy as can be. . |DxD| . The next day arrived. It was already nearing the afternoon and the blonde had just finished ransacking the supermarkets of Kuoh, forcing them to reschedule deliveries for their meat products. It was due to having one of Azazel¡¯s cards that he could walk down the streets with a giant backpack the size of a truck¡¯s cabin filled with different meat products. Walking down the streets towards the outskirts of town, Igor sung to himself while enjoying a meat skewer. ¡°Holy meat~. Holy meat~. All meeeaaat, is HOLY MEAT~¡± Repeating the song he composed on the spot, the blonde had a smile on his face. He had just beaten Baraquiel thrice, equalising the score to 3-3. Furthermore, he enjoyed three full pots of chicken and rice and now today, he was going to enjoy some meat in the silence of the forest. Not caring for the gazes of the few people on the street, the blonde eventually reached the boundaries of the forest and began flying since walking would be too inconvenient with the massive size of his backpack. Rising up into the skies, he showed no signs of being burdened by a backpack over five-times his size. Flying over the trees, he even had time to enjoy the radiance of the sun fell upon him. He flew deep into the forest, covering a kilometre a minute. He wasn¡¯t in any particular rush as of right now. He was still enjoying the afterglow that came with having a very satisfying battle with Baraquiel just a few days ago. Getting to the scene of their battle, the blonde promptly landed. There were slash marks dozens of metres long from his aura sabres and fist-sized holes stretching a few metres underground from Baraquiel¡¯s light spears. There were barely any patches of grass left and in contrast with the rest of the forest, this former field looked like a desert with years of experience. * Flying over towards the edge, the blonde landed by a tree before he begun emptying his backpack of all frozen meat. Taking out a foldable tray from his bag, he laid it out on the ground before turning towards the meat. Unwrapping and disposing of the plastic containers, the blonde began channeling his ki into the meat, quickly cooking it. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The smell of meat quickly wafted throughout the entire forest, attracting some less-than-friendly animals. But a simple release of killing intent chased them away. It didn¡¯t take long before the blonde could smell the meat was fully cooked. *Sniff* *Sniff* ¡°Smells good!¡± Without wasting any further time, he picked the cooked leg of a sheep and began feasting. ¡°And it tastes good!¡± Digging in, it wasn¡¯t until two hours later that Igor ate his fill. Packing everything up, he got ready to make his way back to Baraquiel¡¯s house with a content smile on his face. ¡°After seeing the old man and his family, I¡¯m satisfied. I think I¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning. Training so high up in the Himalayan Mountain Range shouldn¡¯t get me annoying attention from random people.¡± Surrounding himself with aura, Igor flew over to Baraquiel¡¯s home. . |DxD| . Arriving at the house, Igor was just in time to encounter Shuri grabbing her umbrella. ¡°Hey, aunty. Where you goin¡¯?¡± ¡°Dimori-kun. I¡¯m going to the store first then I¡¯ll go and fetch Akeno on my way back.¡± ¡°Oh. Can I come with you, aunty?¡± ¡°Ah? Of course, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°Let me put this bag down first. I¡¯ll catch up to you later, aunty.¡± Giving a gentle nod of her head, Shuri walked away while the blonde put down his backpack. He took out the folded tray inside and leaned it against the wall. Looking over at his backpack laid out on the grass, his expression darkened when it took up a large area. Briefly grumbling about how he would have to fold the backpack, a spark of inspiration suddenly struck him. He grabbed the edge of the backpack and closed his eyes. [I forgot to try this after I went out. But, can I freely enter and exit the time chamber? I don¡¯t want to hide my backpack in that old warehouse anymore.] Thinking along the lines of using the time chamber as a storage treasure, Igor replicated the feeling of entering the time chamber. In almost an instant, a white light covered him and his view changed to the familiar sight of the time chamber. But upon seeing the backpack in his hand, the blonde grinned. ¡°It works-huh?¡± Looking at his hand, Igor could see it was illusory. Even the bag itself was illusory. But upon letting it go, it regained solidity. ¡°...meh. Thinking about how this works is beyond the scope of what I¡¯m willing to learn.¡± Looking towards the massive door in the chamber, he briefly wondered if he could exit without using it. ¡°Since I¡¯m ghost-like, it should work-?!¡± His words were cut off when the view of the time chamber shifted to that of the front yard in Baraquiel¡¯s home. Igor looked at his hands and noticed that he had also regained solidity. ¡°Huh¡­neat. As long as it works.¡± Deciding not to ponder too much about these things, he searched for Shuri¡¯s energy signature while holding two fingers to his forehead. ¡°Aaand¡­there she is!¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . Shuri walked along the streets without care. With a perpetual smile on her face, she hummed a low, sweet tune while carrying her handbag with both hands. Having worn a long dress with floral patterns, she embodied the appearance of a young wife. Her lush, black hair flowed down along her back and despite wearing a sunhat, the male students from different schools were enchanted by the radiance she exuded just from being silent. Many of them were used to her walking along this path and it is precisely why many clubs, especially those related to sports in different schools were lacking male members. Many boys knew of Shuri Himejima who was a miko at the shrine near the outskirts of town. So it was understandable that instead of working to earn sports scholarships or study hard, they would prefer to watch her smiling face and be satisfied with it. For years, they¡¯ve never seen a different expression on her face. Not one of anger or surprise. She was an ethereal goddess that would remain unchanging in their hearts¡­until today. When Shuri happened to walk by another house, Igor appeared behind the wall of that house and vaulted over the wall. Tswii! ¡°Osu!¡± ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Seeing Igor swing his legs over the wall, Shuri dropped her handbag and damn-near relieved herself on the spot. Landing with a thud, Igor flashed his signature sunny smile. ¡°Hey aunty!¡± If Igor could read minds, he would¡¯ve heard a myriad of curses one would never expect from someone as kind as Shuri. ¡°Dimori-kun! You frightened me!¡± ¡°Perception 101, aunty. Death can come from anywhere so always keep your eyes peeled.¡± ¡°I¡­you¡­*sigh*¡± She couldn¡¯t muster any strength to argue with the blonde. So she chose to drop the issue and pick up her handbag. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dimori-kun.¡± With the both of them walking away, the boys on the street stood still, their horizons widened. While some of them were angry at Igor for tarnishing the image of their goddess¡­ [Damn deliquent!] ¡­some were praising the blonde with tears in their eyes. [Fellow brother. Thank you for the ¡®kya¡¯ moment.] The only reason they weren¡¯t jealous was because they clearly heard the ¡°aunty¡±. Otherwise, Igor would¡¯ve been cursed to oblivion. . |DxD| . Igor and Shuri had just come out of the supermarket with two plastics full of ingredients and spices that were finished back home. Now, they were walking towards the kindergarten Akeno went to. Just like before, they walked in silence. While Shuri found it a bit unnerving, Igor showed no signs of being uncomfortable. With the only last words spoken being Igor offering to carry the plastics, Shuri decided to talk about something. Her interest was using this time to find out who the blonde was. ¡°Dimori-kun?¡± ¡°Yeah, aunty?¡± Deciding not to be too direct, Shuri decided to ask in a somewhat roundabout way. ¡°I¡¯m curious. Where are you from?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m from Italy. Well¡­my family¡¯s from Italy while I grew up in America.¡± Noting that information, she continued. ¡°I see. And where is your family now?¡± Without missing a beat, Igor replied. ¡°Dead. They were killed.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, aunty. It was a long time ago so I¡¯ve healed enough to talk about it.¡± Knowing she almost stepped over a line, Shuri decided to stop questioning the blonde¡¯s past and focus on his future. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what do you aspire to be, Dimori-kun?¡± And as if a light had been switched, Igor confidently grinned. His eyes blazed into her soul as he uttered this sentence. ¡°The strongest in the universe.¡± . AN As always, you can buy me a cup of coffee by subscribing to my p@tre0n account. The link is: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. There is a 7-day free trial period so you can read ahead without paying. Chapter 30 ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what do you aspire to be, Igor-kun?¡± And as if a light had been switched, Igor confidently grinned. His eyes blazed into her soul as he uttered this sentence. ¡°The strongest in the universe.¡± . |DxD| . Shuri was quite taken aback by his declaration. While she certainly didn¡¯t expect the blonde to aspire to gain wealth, it didn¡¯t cross her mind that he would make such an arrogant statement of becoming the strongest. But the weird thing was, she believed him. The level of confidence Igor had in his words and the strength he has now proved that he certainly has the determination to reach that goal. It made Shuri even more curious him. ¡°Ara ara, Dimori-kun. I never expected you to have such a lofty goal.¡± ¡°Of course, aunty. You better believe I¡¯m going to surpass everyone and become number 1 on the list of strongest people.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. You certainly have an admirable goal, Dimori-kun. But how will you achieve it?¡± ¡°Easy. I¡¯ll train and climb up the ranks. I¡¯ve already surpassed the old man. Next on my list is Uncle Azazel. Although he doesn¡¯t show it, I know he¡¯s crazy strong.¡± Igor could still vividly remember when Azazel blocked his punch. Although he didn¡¯t pay attention to it at the time, he noticed the issue when he was reviewing the entire battle during his feast. ¡°I still remember when Uncle A blocked my punch. Although I managed to break his arm, it¡¯s like some invisible force prevented me from tearing his arm clean of his shoulders.¡± Shuri almost froze at Igor¡¯s sudden description of the events. ¡°You¡­you broke his arm?¡± ¡°Yeah! Although¡­I feel like he let me break it or something. I think he intentionally weakened himself just to get a feel as to how powerful I was.¡± Shuri was getting a bit light-headed, something Igor noticed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, aunty?¡± Shuri waved away his concern with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Dimori-kun. It just amazes me that you can talk about breaking someone¡¯s arm with such ease.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, you have to be ready to do much more than that if you want to embark on the path of the strong, aunty.¡± Shuri¡¯s face darkened in dread. ¡°What do you¡­mean?¡± Igor easily replied. ¡°I¡¯m talking about killing, aunty. You have to be prepared to either lose your life or take lives if you want to be strong.¡± Shuri had a bad premonition. ¡°Dimori-kun. Have you killed before?¡± Igor looked up in thought. ¡°Yeah. A couple of times actually.¡± There was silence. Shuri did not know how to reply to such an answer. [So young and yet¡­] Noticing that Shuri was suddenly quiet, Igor looked over at her with a frown of confusion. ¡°Aunty? You there?¡± Shuri¡¯s absentmindedness ended when Igor started waving his hand all over her face. ¡°Oh¡­sorry, Dimori-kun. It¡¯s just that¡­I never guessed that you¡¯d killed someone before.¡± ¡°Of course I did. What else am I supposed to do when four guys come at me with knives. Let them go? I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Having replied as a matter-of-factly, Igor continued to regale his story. ¡°It was a few years ago and it was my first time having stepped into Kuoh. I was SUPER hungry at the time so I didn¡¯t know what to do. I then came up with the idea of scavenging some metal from the abandoned factories outside town so that I could sell them to the local scrapyard for money. I was carrying a bundle of copper wire at the time when some random guys I don¡¯t know showed up and told me to drop the wires and go.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. His face then darkened. ¡°Aunty. I did not break bones and tear muscles in my training just to get bullied by some scrubs with missing teeth. I naturally told them no and so they rushed at me with their weapons out. I hadn¡¯t killed anyone at the time so I dodged a few times and tried convincing them to leave. It didn¡¯t work. Since they continued attacking me, I didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. I immediately killed them and took their possessions.¡± He stopped walking right then and there and looked at Shuri directly in the eye. ¡°If I was weak, I would¡¯ve been either forced to go hungry, or die that day. I don¡¯t regret killing them and I would do it again. Because if I have to choose between satisfying my hunger or sparing their lives, sating my hunger is worth hundreds of times more than their worthless lives.¡± Shuri also looked at Igor. She couldn¡¯t understand how the normally sunny boy she had come to like could reveal such a dark expression and harbour such negative ideals. [Just what did you see to make a face like that?] Although Shuri didn¡¯t agree with his method of thinking, she understood. Even though she advocated for kindness, she wasn¡¯t naive. If she was, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay married to Baraquiel for this long. Seeing Shuri¡¯s discomfort, Igor laughed before walking ahead. ¡°Aunty. Don¡¯t embark on the path of the strong. You won¡¯t survive.¡± Shuri was in a daze for a moment before she suddenly processed Igor¡¯s words. ¡°D-Dimori-kun. What do you mean?¡± Letting Shuri catch up to him, the both of them began walking slowly. ¡°Your heart is too kind, aunty. At some point in time, I can see you sparing the wrong person and dying from an attack to the back.¡± Shuri wanted to refute it. She truly did but¡­she could only smile weakly. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I am a healer, not a warrior. I just cannot bring myself to take someone¡¯s life.¡± ¡°You know, aunty, sometimes in life you¡¯ll have to do some things you hate. For example¡­¡± Igor turned to look at her directly in the eye. ¡°If Akeno were to be in danger, would you not kill for her?¡± Shuri clenched her fists. ¡°I¡­would.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very admirable, aunty. But what if the person who¡¯s targeting Akeno is powerful? What if me or the old man aren¡¯t there?¡± Shuri¡¯s eyes instantly darkened. ¡°Dimori-kun. You¡¯re going too far.¡± The blonde released an exasperated sigh. ¡°Aunty. The enemy won¡¯t care about whether they¡¯re going too far or not. What¡¯s important here is what if someone as strong as the current me comes and wants to kill Akeno? What will you do?¡± Not knowing how the conversation had been switched into being about her, Shuri remained silent in the face of Igor¡¯s questions. ¡°...¡± Knowing that she couldn¡¯t answer his question now, Igor continued. ¡°Aunty. I know I look stupid and seem stupid. In fact, I am stupid. But just because I¡¯m stupid doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not observant. Akeno has no grandfather or grandmother, no aunts or uncles aside from Uncle Azazel, and no cousins to speak of. I once read in the library that there is a great Himejima clan somewhere in Kyoto¡­I think. Yet you as a member of the Himejima is here in Kuoh. No one comes to visit Akeno from your side or the old man¡¯s side. It¡¯s easy to guess that Akeno is seen as an abomina-¡± ¡°STOP!¡± Silence¡­ The surrounding pedestrians looked at Shuri with curious gazes, wondering what was going on. But Igor didn¡¯t pay attention to that. ¡°Do you know why I want to be strong, aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because in the eyes of the world, I¡¯m an abomination as well.¡± Shuri looked up, confused as to what Igor meant. The rest of the people watching the scene moved on with their day. Even though both Igor and Shuri were at an intersection, they did not cross the robot despite it being green. The situation was dark but Shuri wanted to know. ¡°What do you mean, Dimori-kun?¡± ¡°Heh~¡± Igor approached closely and whispered in her ear. ¡°Have you heard of Aryans, aunty?¡± ¡°?!¡± Shuri¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Igor went back to walking while swinging the plastic bags in his hand. Despite the grimness of the situation, the blonde seemed to treat it lightly. ¡°You¡¯re looking at one. Whether I believe I¡¯m one or not, the entire world won¡¯t care. Once rumours of my existence come out, my life will get chaotic.¡± ¡°Are you not¡­scared?¡± Igor grinned with an unseen level of confidence. ¡°Scared? I¡¯m looking forward to it! I¡¯m going to train as hard as possible so that when the entire world is after me, I can enjoy a good fight. Hehe. I can already see it. Me, against an army of thousands¡­¡± He eyes grew hazy at picturing such a scene. His battle lust was rising. The Kaioken he kept at 50% started increasing. A faint red aura was starting to emanate from him which caused Shuri to panic. Grabbing the blonde by the shoulders, she began shaking him. ¡°Dimori-kun!!!¡± Igor quickly recovered his senses under her furious shaking and nervously scratched the back of his head. Readjusting his grip on the bags, he smiled with a tinge of embarrassment. ¡°Sorry, aunty. I just get really fired up imagining myself fighting against strong opponents.¡± Shuri rubbed her head in exasperation. ¡°Come on, Dimori-kun. We¡¯re almost late to pick up Akeno.¡± Crossing the intersection, Igor remembered. ¡°Oh right. The reason why I told you about what I am aunty, is because Akeno will soon experience the same thing.¡± Shuri frowned. ¡°Dimori-kun. Can we leave this?¡± Without hesitation¡­ ¡°Nope. When the people with machetes and axes break down your door, they won¡¯t ¡®leave this¡¯ just because you asked.¡± But Shuri really didn¡¯t want to converse about the possible death of her child. ¡°Please¡­Dimori-kun. We can talk about this another time. Right now, I just want to see my daughter.¡± Igor raised his eyebrows at the dismissal of the conversation. Although he wanted to push the issue, he chose to respect Shuri¡¯s feelings. So stealing a stick sweet (lollipop) from the shopping bags, he opened the wrapper and threw it in the trash. ¡°Okay, aunty.¡± But inwardly, he thought. [I¡¯ll have to talk about this with the old man as well. I don¡¯t want to come back after a few years to find out everyone¡¯s dead-] Upon noticing how much he¡¯s come to care about the family of three, Igor smiled weakly. [Tch. There goes my plan of not getting attached.] . AN . I know the drill, you know the drill. I¡¯ll upload two chapters today as part of our silent agreement since I was prevented from uploading yesterday, not writing. Another thing, I¡¯ll cancel the free trial option on my patreon as of 24 hours from now. Reason being, it has come to my attention that people can actually cheat me by using different accounts and other stuff to re-subscribe. Now, I¡¯m pretty sure everyone knows how hard it is to get a job these days. It also certainly doesn¡¯t help my case that I¡¯m still studying. I¡¯m not forcing anyone to subscribe. But it¡¯s damn near depressing when I find out I¡¯m being exploited. I won¡¯t rant any further. Just know that every dollar matters to me and I damn well make sure YOU get your money¡¯s worth. Here¡¯s the link to my page: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Your support will be appreciated. Thank you Chapter 31 [I¡¯ll have to talk about this with the old man as well. I don¡¯t want to come back after a few years to find out everyone¡¯s dead-] Upon noticing how much he¡¯s come to care about the family of three, Igor smiled weakly. [Tch. There goes my plan of not getting attached.] . |DxD| . After walking in silence for a few minutes, Shuri and Igor finally approached the kindergarten that Akeno went to. It was quite noisy since there were dozens of children running around inside the fenced enclosure. Many children stopped playing and looked at Igor. With his long blonde hair and blue eyes, Igor¡¯s appearance aroused the children¡¯s interesting. Furthermore was that he was wearing a blue haori and open-toe boots. His appearance was completely out of place and easily garnered the children¡¯s attention. ¡°Hey! Look at the big brother over there.¡± ¡°Whoa¡­¡± ¡°Awesome! He looks like Trunks!¡± ¡°Hello big brother!¡± The children all ran over the fence and began calling or complimenting Igor. The blonde merely gave them a glance before focusing on finishing his lollipop. Meanwhile, Shuri was silent the whole time. The words she heard from Igor were resounding throughout her mind over and over again. ¡®That¡¯s very admirable, aunty. But what if the person who¡¯s targeting Akeno is powerful? What if me or the old man aren¡¯t there?¡¯ While she did often consider this issue, she believed she was hidden well enough. [With Cleria-sama acting as the overseer of this town, they won¡¯t dare to come¡­right?] Although she rarely engaged herself in the world of the supernatural, she was knowledgeable enough in knowing that if anyone from the Himejima clan wished to come to Kuoh, they would have to go through Cleria. With the bounded field covering the entire town, it was nigh impossible for any of the supernatural to sneak in. Shuri was assured in Cleria¡¯s competence since not once had there been a case of stray devils, exorcists, or any other party infiltrating Kuoh without her knowledge. [Furthermore, there¡¯s my husband and Azazel who also occasionally stay here. With these facts, no one would dare pursue us here¡­right?] Her thoughts were wavering. But she couldn¡¯t ponder any further on them when Akeno came rushing through the door to the reception. ¡°Mama!¡± Rushing towards her mother, Akeno wrapped her arms around her waist. Shuri smiled and gently rubbed her head. ¡°Go and fetch your bag so we can go.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± Turning around, she ran into the hallway towards the room where their bags were usually stored. As for Igor, he was casually paging through a few children¡¯s books placed on the shelves. With each book he paged through, his face scrunched up even more. Faced with the onslaught of pictures of various princesses and princes, he muttered to himself. ¡°Praise the lord my father home-schooled me.¡± Shuri caught that little tidbit of information and approached the blonde. ¡°You never went to kindergarten.¡± Igor didn¡¯t reply but instead showed her the cover of Cinderella. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°My father was smart. When other people were learning these¡­things, he taught me about useful stuff like cars.¡± Shuri¡¯s curiosity was tickled. ¡°Cars? As in identifying different cars?¡± ¡°No, aunty.¡± He closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. ¡°My father taught me how to fix cars. He used to run an automotive-repair shop before he died. Since that garage was our family¡¯s source of income, he took advantage that I was still young to teach me as much as he could about repairing cars, what tools to use, and how to improvise.¡± ¡°And did you understand?¡± He laughed. ¡°Of course not, aunty. I was a snot-nosed brat who would rather watch Popeye than hold a torque wrench. What is important though aunty is that while I didn¡¯t understand at the time, the knowledge remained in my head.¡± Although he was laughing just a moment earlier, his gaze turned pretty solemn. ¡°Though, I guess that knowledge is pretty useless since the shop was probably destroyed. Anyway-¡± It was in that moment that Akeno came trotting back. ¡°I¡¯m back mama- Brother Igor? What are you doing here?¡± Looking at Akeno¡¯s dirtied appearance, Igor¡¯s mood improved. ¡°Why can¡¯t I come, little chick?¡± Akeno clenched her fists. ¡°I¡¯m not a little chick!¡± ¡°You certainly are to me. Your wings haven¡¯t grown big enough yet so of course you¡¯re a little chick-¡± ¡°Raaa!¡± Akeno charged forward and grabbed Igor¡¯s haori before biting his shirt. She looked up as if wishing for him to see her ferociousness. With the lower helms of his shirt captured within her teeth, Igor simply smiled and rubbed her head. ¡°If you keep biting¡­I¡¯ll turn you into a frog.¡± ¡°?!¡± Immediately, Akeno let go and ran over to Shuri with an aggrieved look. ¡°Mama! Help me!¡± Hiding behind her mother, Akeno stuck out her tongue at Igor while she clutched on tightly to her mother¡¯s dress. Shuri as well as the surrounding staff smiled sweetly at the scene. But their faces quickly changed when Igor started stripping. ¡°W-what are you doing?!¡± Having dropped his haori on the ground, Igor gestured to the wet patch on his shirt. ¡°Having a wet patch on my stomach feels uncomfortable.¡± Without further ado, Igor pulled up his shirt and the effect was instant. Many eyes of the female staff and even some wives lowered towards the blonde¡¯s shredded abdomen. As the shirt moved further up, their gazes also moved up with it. Gulp The blonde did not disappoint. That wide, muscled chest of his resulted in the young staff members having reddened cheeks while the more ¡®experienced¡¯ women stared at the blonde with half-lidded gazes. Igor was oblivious to all of this. Folding his shirt into a rough bundle, Igor dropped it on the floor before bending over to pick up his haori. This gave view to the glistening muscles on his back. The way they moved as he bent over made some women directly begin to fan themselves. Standing up, the blonde put on his haori but did not bother to button it. This left a teasing view of his chest and abs. The young receptionist in her late 20s walked over to Shuri and whispered in her ear. ¡°Ne~ nee-san. You don¡¯t mind bringing him here more often, right?¡± Shuri shoed her with her hand. ¡°No, Tanigawa-san.¡± Meanwhile, Akeno was completely confused as to why so many people were staring at the blonde. [What¡¯s so good about this stinky brother? Hmph!] . |DxD| . Exiting the building, Akeno and Shuri were about to walk on when Igor suddenly stopped. Noticing that his gaze was fixed on the car parked on the opposite side of the street, Shuri questioned him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dimori-kun?¡± Igor didn¡¯t reply but continued to watch. Inside the car was a young man who was furiously struggling to turn the steering of the car. Although the wheels turned, he clearly used a lot of effort. ¡°That car¡¯s ball-joints need to be replaced soon.¡± ¡°Ball-joints?¡± Watching with nonchalance, Igor continued. ¡°Yeah. The reason why the steering is so hard could either be a problem with the steering box itself or one of the ball-joints in the front of the car. I can¡¯t be sure just from looking but I¡¯m betting on old ball-joints being the cause. One of the first symptoms of them being old is the steering wheel hardening. If that guy doesn¡¯t replace them, they will break and his car will literally fall to the ground.¡± Shuri nodded weakly. ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was quite clear that she didn¡¯t understand what the blonde meant. With no idea how to carry on the conversation, it was Akeno that came to the save by pulling on the dress. ¡°Please can we go, mama? Detective Conan is going to start soon.¡± She ruffled Akeno¡¯s hair, mentally reminding herself to reward her with some snacks. ¡°Alright, my dear.¡± Taking their first steps, both Igor and Shuri calmly walked by while Akeno was clearly full of energy. It was quite fun for the both of them to watch the young girl try subtle tactics at getting them to hurry up. It only served to make them walk slower just to see her pout. It was still only three in the afternoon, nearly an hour before the anime would start. At their current slow pace, it would only take them thirty-minutes to reach home, leaving more than enough time for her to get settled in before the program starts. But Shuri felt Akeno didn¡¯t need to know those specific details. ¡°You still need to take a bath when we get home, young lady.¡± ¡°Mamaaaa.¡± ¡°Fufufu~¡± The blonde watched these moments with a smile on his face. It made him reminisce about the times when he was still with his family. [Father, mother, little brother. Despite all these years, I still miss you.] . AN . As promised, I¡¯ve delivered. There¡¯s still a chance to read ahead with a free trial on my page before I cancel it. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Again, your support will be appreciated. Chapter 32 The blonde watched these moments with a smile on his face. It made him reminisce about the times when he was still with his family. [Father, mother, little brother. Despite all these years, I still miss you.] . |DxD| . The minutes trickled by and the traffic of people on the streets gradually decreased. The sun was slowly disappearing over the horizon, allowing for a lovely orange glow that slipped past through the trees lining the streets. But while some would stop to appreciate such a sight, Akeno was the complete opposite. ¡°Mama! The sun is going down!¡± ¡°I know, dear. Why don¡¯t we pass by the park and enjoy it?¡± Shuri continued to tease Akeno to oblivion. Taking advantage of her love for Detective Conan, she continued to agitate Akeno by walking slowly. As for the blonde he quietly walked behind them. Even though he was carrying the plastic bags, he never once slacked off with his training. At all times, Igor was maintaining the Kaioken at 50% efficiency. This was the current maximum limit that he could maintain without leaking ki. Any further and a faint red outline would start to surround him. The three of them trudged on further. Under the subtle cries of Akeno, Igor decided to offer an olive branch. ¡°Hey, aunty. Why don¡¯t I teleport us back home?¡± ¡°O-¡± Before Shuri could even complete the first syllable, Akeno ran towards the blonde and enthusiastically grabbed his coat. ¡°Really? Can you? Can you? Pleaaaaase, big brother!¡± Her eyes were practically shining like stars. The concept of instantly reaching home lit up a spark in her. While she would¡¯ve wanted to fly, she was explicitly forbidden. Putting both bags down, Igor chuckled as he picked up Akeno and held her in his arms. ¡°I can, little chick. But you¡¯re gonna have to ask aunty if she¡¯s okay with that. After all¡­¡± He turned towards Shuri with a knowing smirk. ¡°...she did say she wanted to enjoy the sunset.¡± Akeno turned her neck so quickly that her hair slapped the blonde in the face. But she was far too concerned about convincing her mother to use Igor¡¯s proposed method of transport. ¡°Mama please! You¡­you can drop me home first before coming back to the park!¡± Shuri put on a thoughtful expression. She really seemed to ponder the matter, causing Akeno to have no choice but to look on in trepidation. After an excruciating 30 seconds, Shuri seemed to have come to a decision. ¡°Alright. Lead the way, Dimori-kun.¡± Akeno was so happy that a smile bloomed on her face. ¡°Yayyyy-kyaa!¡± But in the midst of her celebration, she nearly fell from the blonde¡¯s arms and had to grab onto his shoulders for dear life. Igor simply chuckled at this as he walked over to join hands with Shuri while her other hand was holding the groceries. ¡°Okay, aunty. Don¡¯t let go of my hand unless you want to get left behind.¡± Having received a nod of confirmation, Igor closed his eyes and spread out his senses towards Baraquiel¡¯s home. [Oh¡­] But upon expanding his senses there, he found that there was no one there, meaning there was no energy signature for him to lock onto. Noticing his frown, Shuri asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dimori-kun?¡± I can¡¯t sense the old man or anyone back home, meaning I don¡¯t have a high enough energy signature to lock on to.¡± Akeno was confused by all these talks about energy signatures and whatnot. ¡°Energy¡­signatures?¡± She cutely tilted her head, trying to ponder what exactly those words meant. She would¡¯ve continued to think further had Igor not flicked her forehead. ¡°Ouch!¡± She furiously rubbed her forehead before punching him in the chest. ¡°You big meanie!¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t think too much about these things, little chick. We¡¯ll talk about them once you get a bit older.¡± He then turned towards Shuri. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Although I can teleport, I need a strong enough energy signature to pull myself towards to, aunty. It would¡¯ve been easier if there were a whole bunch of people where the house is, aunty. But since we¡¯re a bit outside of town, I can¡¯t even collectively treat the smaller energy signatures of ordinary people as one giant signature to lock on to.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She could understand what he was saying to some extent. ¡°Why don¡¯t you move us closer to home then? We¡¯ll walk the rest of the way.¡± With his signature grin, Igor replied. ¡°That¡¯s what I was gonna do anyway, aunty.¡± Preparing to use the Instant Transmission again, the blonde was about to close his eyes when he suddenly caught sight of a store that sold manga. It wasn¡¯t the store itself but a particular manga that had the blonde widen his eyes in shock. ¡°No way¡­¡± He immediately let go of Shuri¡¯s hand and ran across the street to take a closer look at the book. ¡°Dimori-kun!¡± Shuri was right behind as well. While the both of them were moving quickly, it wasn¡¯t outside the realm of a normal human¡¯s means. While they both ran, Akeno held on to Igor for dear life and she did rightfully so. The reason was that the blonde most likely would not have stopped to pick her up should she have fallen from his arms. There was only one reason that could make the blonde lose himself like this other than a fight. ¡°This¡­THIS IS THE BOOK OF THE GODS!¡± Right on the pedestal behind the shop window, was the manga of Dragon Ball. Igor¡¯s heart began beating wildly. ¡°How much I¡¯ve sinned. All these years have passed and yet not once have I journeyed to seek the warrior¡¯s holy bible.¡± He looked at the book with such a zealous gaze that Shuri couldn¡¯t decide between worrying or laughing at such a scene. ¡°Fufufu~. You¡¯re going to frighten all these nice workers if you continue to act like this, Dimori-kun.¡± It was then that Igor raised his head. Two women and one male entered his line of sight. While one woman was apparently afraid, the other two looked more amused than anything. But Igor didn¡¯t have time to care about his public image at the moment. Reeling his free hand back, he was about to punch through the window when Shuri hurriedly grabbed his arm. ¡°Dimori-kun?!¡± Holding back his arm, Shuri looked him directly in the eye. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was only at Shuri¡¯s questioning that Igor regained a brief sense of clarity. He rubbed the back of his head while chuckling in the process. ¡°Haha! Thanks for stopping me, aunty. Stealing such a holy object would be sacrilegious.¡± Looking towards the now nervous workers, the blonde bellowed. ¡°You there! How much for this?!¡± Even though there was a window and some distance between them, Igor¡¯s voice could be clearly heard from even across the street. Luckily, it was evening and this street was relatively desolate so there were not more than three people who witnessed Igor¡¯s spectacle. As for Akeno, the little hybrid sat snugly on Igor¡¯s arm and didn¡¯t create a fuss. She was rather both in shock and awe at how much love Igor had for the Dragon Ball series. [I wonder what he¡¯ll do if I show him Dragon Ball GT.] Knowing that the show periodically aired around late evening as well, she could already imagine the kinds of spectacles she¡¯d see with the blonde. ¡°Pfft-¡± But Igor wouldn¡¯t let her laugh. ¡°Come on, little chick. Let big brother here show you some REAL manga.¡± Trudging with her in his arms, Igor walked over towards the shop entrance and entered. Turning right, he walked over to the copy of the manga and took it in his hand. He showed the manga to Akeno with an enthusiastic expression. ¡°Look here, little chick. If you want to be strong like your super-strong big brother, you have to read this first. You have to study it sincerely.¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Looking at how bewildered her daughter seemed, she couldn¡¯t help but stifle a laugh. ¡°Fufu~. Look at how confused my little Akeno is~¡± Stretching out her hands, she took Akeno from Igor¡¯s grasp and carried her in her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry my sweet princess. Mama will protect you from big brother Igor.¡± Akeno buried her head in Shuri¡¯s shoulder. Her face was completely flushed with embarrassment at being treated like a three-year old. ¡°Mama¡­¡± ¡°Fufufu~¡± Turning towards the store employees, she directly asked for the price of the book. ¡°Ara? Since this brave warrior here wants to buy this manga, may I ask how much it will cost?¡± The male went up and pointed at the price tag behind the book. ¡°It will be 42,000-yen, ma¡¯am.¡± While he did hold his composure, he averted his eyes from the blonde. With Igor¡¯s significantly higher physique, the store clerk had no confidence in beating the blonde in a fight. Putting Akeno down, Shuri then fished out a few yen notes from her handbag and prepared to pay. Akeno who was standing on the sides couldn¡¯t help but worry about the time. [Detective Conan is about to start. Hurry mama! Please please PLEASE!] She was subconsciously tapping her foot on the ground. But before she could get further agitated, she suddenly had an idea. Turning towards the blonde, she walked towards him before grabbing his coat. Before Igor could say anything, Akeno gestured for him to bend over so that she could whisper in his ear. Knowing her plan hinged on the blonde acquiescing, she put on her best fawning voice. ¡°Um¡­big brother? Did you know that Dragon Ball will be on television today?¡± Igor¡¯s eyes narrowed to the size of pinholes. ¡°W-when?¡± Akeno secretly smiled. She knew she got the blonde hooked. ¡°Just before my show-¡± That was as far as she got before the blonde interrupted her with a deadly serious expression on his face. ¡°Say no more.¡± Igor the strode up to Shuri and tapped her on the back of the shoulder. When she turned around, she nearly dropped her handbag when she was confronted with his stone-faced expression. ¡°Aunty. A grave situation has arose that requires my presence.¡± Akeno was briefly afraid that Igor had seen through her plan and would tell on her. But upon hearing those words of his, her heart relaxed. As for Shuri, she was surprised by the blonde¡¯s serious expression. ¡°Ara? What happened, Dimori-kun?¡± Holding on tightly to the copy of Dragon Ball, he continued. ¡°It has come to my attention that Dragon Ball will soon air on the television. As a warrior, it would be complete blasphemy if I missed the holy sermon. As such, I shall apologise for leaving first.¡± Before anyone could react, Igor leaped over the shopping bags before exiting the store and sprinting away. Akeno was left momentarily dazed before she finally reacted. Running through the door, she shouted with tears in her eyes. ¡°Big brother! Big brother! Don¡¯t leave! Don¡¯t leave me, please!!! TAKE ME WITH YOU!¡± And yet, the blonde was already far gone. Akeno couldn¡¯t even see him down the street. With melancholy on her face, Akeno stood rooted to the concrete outside, her mouth wide open After paying for Igor¡¯s manga, Shuri walked outside the shop with an amused smile on her face. ¡°Ara~. Dimori-kun forgot the keys to the house.¡± She could already picture the blonde¡¯s distraught appearance upon getting home. But she only had that thought for a few seconds before the event that happened a few minutes prior played through her mind. Her smile slowly disappeared when she just remembered that Igor was willing to punch through glass for a book. [My door¡­ MY DOOR!] If the blonde was determined to punch through glass for a manga, then there is no way a few locks would stop him from watching the anime. In an instant, her expression became uglier than crying. ¡°My¡­door¡­¡± . AN . We¡¯ve just concluded Volume 1 on my p@tre0n. So come read three chapters ahead. Come on, I cost less than a bundle of flowers. And unlike your crush, you¡¯re getting something back. So don¡¯t hesitate. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Support will be greatly appreciated. Chapter 33 If the blonde was determined to punch through glass for a manga, then there is no way a few locks would stop him from watching the anime. Just knowing those facts made her feel like crying. ¡°My¡­door¡­¡± . |DxD| . Cleria was having a rather uneventful day. Standing over the balcony of her mansion, she took in the wide view of the town she was tasked with overseeing. [It¡¯s almost been fifty years now since I¡¯ve been assigned to this town. Not once has there been such a high presence of exorcists.] The presence of exorcists in Kuoh was increasing. While their official reason was to replace the members garrisoned at the church, Cleria knew there was another hidden reason. While she did indeed want to find out, she couldn¡¯t risk attracting animosity and starting a diplomatic incident over mere speculation alone. Having experience in these sorts of politics, she knew that her personal interference would be heavily exaggerated should she be caught. It would be the same as taking advantage of a person who only grazed the paint off your car to replace the whole bumper. But while she couldn¡¯t directly find out what schemes the church was up to, she now had Azazel who could help her with that. Taking out the touchscreen phone that the fallen had given to her, she opened the contacts list. There alone on the list was Azazel. But contrary to before, there was a faint trace of nervousness. Her little thumb hovered over the ¡°contact¡± button. ¡°S-should I?¡± Unlike before, there were some feelings of shyness due to the sense of ambiguity between them. While their relationship did continue as normal after that day with Igor and Baraquiel, Cleria had found that she couldn¡¯t look at Azazel the same way again. It was like the curtains were pulled back and she began noticing more things about him. Things like how funny he was, charismatic, and charming. Just imagining him appearing in that dashing suit of his with all his wings out made her cheeks heat up. ¡°N-no! I¡¯m simply calling him to help me find out what the church is hiding and whether it is a potential threat or not. There are absolutely NO personal reasons involved.¡± So closing her eyes, she dialed the number and waited for the call to go through. The phone didn¡¯t have the time to ring even once before the other line answered. Azazel¡¯s voice came in with an exaggerated tone. ¡°{Oh, has it started already? I¡¯m coming now.}¡± She was confused when she heard Shemhazai sighing. ¡°{I¡¯m not an idiot, brother. I know that ringtone belongs to your little lover, not one of your contacts.}¡± ¡°{...well-}¡± ¡°{Just go. I¡¯ll handle the work here for now. But ONLY this once.}¡± ¡°{¡­are you okay?}¡± ¡°{Azazel. GO!!! Go before I change my mind and chain your leg to this desk!}¡± It was then that the Cleria heard the sound of a chair falling and the pitter-patter of feet before the line cut off. Slowly moving the phone from her ear, a massive blush covered her face. During the call, Shemhazai had mentioned that she was Azazel¡¯s lover. And yet Azazel¡­ ¡°He¡­he didn¡¯t deny it.¡± While he also didn¡¯t confirm it, what was important was that he didn¡¯t deny it. To Cleria, that already meant a lot. ¡°Since he didn¡¯t say no, does that mean that he-¡± Her musings were cut off Azazel appeared next to her through a magic circle. The fallen was sporting a massive grin on his face as if a huge load had been removed from his shoulders. ¡°Cleria! You have no idea how much paperwork you¡¯ve spared me from.¡± Cleria was silent. In her eyes, Azazel appeared to have become even more handsome than before. Her lingering gaze on Azazel was quite obvious that even the fallen himself noticed it. Sporting a grin, Azazel decided to tease the little devil. ¡°Aww~. Has my dashing appearance mesmerised you?¡± Faced with an attack like that, while her instinctive reaction was to push the fallen away, she mustered up some courage to tease him back. Nearing closer to him, she tried her best to muster the most confident smile she could. ¡°W-w-what if it does?¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. But even if she could, her nervousness at the situation betrayed her. Her mind had blanked out for a few moments, causing her to stutter. So contrary to her seductive appearance, she appeared rather cute when she fumbled her words. This caused Azazel to offer a sly grin before patting her head. ¡°You¡¯re far too young to tease me, Cleria-chan. If you want to tease someone, here¡¯s how you do it.¡± Straightening his expression, he looked deep into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve called me all the way here to your house. We¡¯re all alone on your balcony. There¡¯s a lovely sunset beside us and none of your peerage is here.¡± Cleria couldn¡¯t help but swallow her breath. Her heart was beating wildly each time Azazel closed the distance between them. Soon enough, her back hit the railing and Azazel immediately capitalised by swinging an arm around her waist while the other lifted her chin. But Azazel didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Cleria-chan. Are you trying to tell me something by calling me like this? Or¡­are you inviting me for tea?¡± Cleria was now red like a tomatoe. Azazel¡¯s provocative words sent her mind into overdrive. These continuous attacks were wearing her down to the point that Cleria found her knees were suddenly weak. But with a smooth, soothing voice, Azazel continued. ¡°Cleria¡­¡± And yet before he could continue, he felt his own heart start to beat a bit faster. [There it is again.] Her flushed face and those red eyes that peered into his own violet eyes set off a chain of reactions throughout his body. Her cute petite face and her panting were sending him dangerously close to the edge. Azazel had been around thousands and thousands of women. He had seen the face of a flushed woman just as much as humans have seen the sun- on a daily basis. Yet there was a certain purity within Cleria that couldn¡¯t help but tug at his heartstrings. He subconsciously pulled her closer to him, his head leaning towards her. Cleria was once again awash with all sorts of mish-mashing feelings. Her cheeks were so red that they hurt while her heart beat so fast that she was afraid it would break through her chest. As Azazel drew closer to her, she subconsciously drew more breaths. Her eyes were glazed over while her own arms slowly wrapped around the fallen. She didn¡¯t even realise when she did that. But while her heart was screaming with anticipation, her mind was fraught with nervousness. [No no no no no. This¡­this is wrong!] A myriad of thoughts punctured through her head about how everything about this was wrong. She was a devil and he was a fallen angel. Furthermore, he was the Governor of Grigori while she was the Overseer of Kuoh. While her identity held less status, both were relatively sensitive. She was so afraid of the fallout that could potentially happen that she turned her head to the side. ¡°...¡± That single action caused something within Azazel to shatter before it even had the chance to properly grow. That little bud of love and care he had come to harbour for the devil was immediately crushed beneath the boot of rejection. Although Azazel felt a gnawing sensation in his heart, he was able to suppress it. In an instant, the cadre recovered his wits and laughed. ¡°See? This is how you tease someone, Cleria.¡± He let go of her and placed some distance between them. But looking at her caused him to hurt in a way he had never felt before. Not wanting there to be silence between them, he recovered his wits and got straight to the point. ¡°Okay. So why did you call me? I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t because you wanted to see little old me. Unless¡­¡± He sported a teasing grin¡­ ¡°...you really wanted to see lil ¡®ol me?¡± Facing his teasing, Cleria couldn¡¯t take it anymore and cried out. ¡°Azazel-kun!¡± Seeing her pout of indignation, Azazel also laughed. But if one of his brothers were here, they would be able to tell that hidden beneath that smile, was a sadness caused by a bud that was trampled before it could blossom. . |DxD| . A few moments passed and after hearing Cleria¡¯s request, it was back to business. ¡°So you¡¯re curious as to why there is a sudden influx of exorcists in Kuoh?" ¡°Yes, Azazel-kun. I have a feeling that they¡¯re hiding something. So if possible, please help me find out what it is. I¡¯ll pay you whatever amount you deem appropriate.¡± Azazel was silent for a bit. [Appropriate huh?] In the past, Azazel might¡¯ve capitalised on her last word to tease her to hell and back. In fact, it was already within his instincts to do so. Having really gotten to know Cleria, it was a sort of normal byplay for them. But after seeing Cleria¡¯s stance on his advancement, he decided to tone it down for a while. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you out for free this time since we¡¯re friends. Just know that you owe me a favour.¡± ¡°Oh¡­alright. Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, Azazel-kun.¡± Taking that as his chance to leave, Azazel waved his hand. ¡°Until next time, Cleria.¡± He immediately teleported away, leaving Cleria to pass the sunset by herself. Even though the appearance of the sun disappearing behind the clouds was beautiful, Cleria did not have the heart to appreciate it. Although she knew she was the culprit of this, Cleria couldn¡¯t get what Azazel said to her out of her head. ¡°He called me¡­a friend.¡± She tried to force a smile but it was uglier than crying. ¡°No. This is fine. This is¡­fine. Azazel-kun is the Governor of Grigori and I¡¯m just the Overseer of Kuoh. If¡­if I enter a relationship with him, I-I¡¯ll be his weakness.¡± Cleria was very clear about her capabilities. To an extent, it would¡¯ve been fine if she were a normal devil who didn¡¯t belong to any of the pillar houses. If that was the case, no one would¡¯ve paid attention to her and her relationship to Azazel could¡¯ve been kept a secret. But not only was she the Overseer of Kuoh, she was also part of the Belial Clan and was the beloved younger ¡°sister¡± of the Rating Game Champion, Diehauser Belial. Too many eyes and her and if she had a relationship with Azazel, the Old Satan Faction would most likely use her as the breaching point to destroy the Fallen Angels. And yet despite knowing all of this, she couldn¡¯t help but stop the silent tears that streaked down her face. ¡°If only¡­¡± . |DxD| . Azazel walked into the office without a word and sat down to do his work without a word of complaint. Shemhazai wasn¡¯t at the office during this time, leaving Azazel to wallow alone. Despite the mountain of documents piled up on his desk, Azazel worked in complete silence. Each time his pen moved to sign a few documents, the singular event of Cleria turning her head surfaced like a raging wave. Over and over and over again, the image played in his mind. He subconsciously gripped the pen harder each time the image replayed itself. CRACK In the end, the sound of the pen breaking aroused Azazel from his self-deprecating thoughts. He looked at the pieces of the broken pen as well as the few blotches of ink staining his fingers. He let out a self-deprecating smirk at the situation. ¡°You thought too much, Azazel. You thought too much.¡± He forcefully threw the pen in the bin next to his feet and cleaned his fingers with magic. He took out another pen from the inside pocket of his blazer before he carried on with his work. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot.¡± . AN . Today is Friday. Same story as always, I won¡¯t be uploading tomorrow. But why wait for me to upload on Sunday? Go over to my page to continue reading over there. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Support will be appreciated. Chapter 34 He forcefully threw the pen in the bin next to his feet and cleaned his fingers with magic. He took out another pen from the inside pocket of his blazer before he carried on with his work. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot.¡± . |DxD| . 1996/07/03 - July 8th, 1996 (7 Days After Igor¡¯s Exit From The Time Chamber) Igor finally arrived at the house. The first thing he did was try to open the door and fail. The blonde was so anxious that he began doing what Shuri predicted. ¡°Open damnit!¡± He began punching the door. But when he released two punches, the door still held strong. Each punch he threw caused the house to tremble. ¡°Fuck!¡± The blonde was getting frustrated. All that was between him and his favourite anime was a simple door that under normal circumstances, wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand a single flick of his finger. Realising that half-baked punches won¡¯t cut it, Igor took a step back before reeling his fist back. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me, stupid door!¡± Yet before he could let it loose, Baraquiel appeared at the gate behind the blonde with all his wings out. The cadre was panicking from the bottom of his heart when just a few moments prior, he received a magic transmission that his house was being attacked. But when he saw it was the blonde who was attacking his house, the veins in his head threatened to explode. ¡°STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YA DAMN BRAT?!?!¡± Hearing Baraquiel¡¯s yell coming from behind him, the blonde wasn¡¯t the slightest bit angry. In fact, he appeared to have found his savior. ¡°Old man!¡± He rushed towards Baraquiel like a thirsty man who had found an oasis. The blonde grabbed the fallen¡¯s coat and looked at the man with a begging expression. ¡°Old ma-Mister Baraquiel sir! Please open the door! It¡¯s very urgent!¡± The anger on Baraquiel quickly changed from bewilderment to complete panic. Numerous scenarios ran through his head about how his wife and daughter were probably trapped inside the house with some powerful entity. Without wasting time, Baraquiel blitzed forward and placed his palm on the door. Igor was right there behind him like a desperate child who couldn¡¯t hold their bladder any longer. In his head, all he had were thoughts about not missing even a split-second of Dragon Ball GT. [I can¡¯t miss the sermon. I can¡¯t miss the sermon. I can¡¯t miss the sermon.] Almost immediately, Baraquiel was able to deactivate the magic barrier protecting the house, which made the fallen confused. [Everything feels¡­normal.] But Igor had no patience to let the fallen ponder. Immediately squeezing through, the blonde dashed into the house and made his way into the living room. There, he grabbed the TV remote and began fumbling with it. Due to being completely unfamiliar with the controls, it took him a second or three to find the power button. Before he could get too agitated, he finally found the big red icon and pressed it. Tsifffffff The sound of the television turning on made the blonde halt in his tracks. He eagerly waited for the current channel to display. But upon seeing the logo of the television appear¡­ *Vein Bulge* The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Your mother!!!¡± ¡­he was angered. The appearance of the logo was wasting precious time. As for Baraquiel, his musings were cut off when he heard the blonde¡¯s curse. Making his way into the house, he turned his head towards the right and what he saw made him wish to acquaint the blonde with the bottom of his boot. Standing there in the flesh, Igor was busy fumbling around with a panicked expression on his face. ¡°F-fuck! What channel is it?!¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel¡¯s face turned darker than the bottom of a pot. *Vein Bulge* ¡°You damn brat!!! You nearly smashed my house for this¡­THIS NONSENSE?!?!?!?¡± Baraquiel was completely furious. When he first received a signal that there was an attack on his house, he immediately abandoned his mission and teleported from halfway across the world. He was expecting many things. He was even prepared for exorcists or clansmen from the Himejima Clan who wanted to harm his family. So when he first saw the blonde frantically punching the front of his door, he immediately assumed the worst and thought some powerful entity had hijacked the magic barrier surrounding his house and held his family hostage. That thought was also immediately dispelled as well when he found out he could deactivate the barrier like normal. But of all the scenarios he thought of, not once did it cross his mind that the blonde was willing to punch through the door for some silly little program that he wanted to watch. Having gone through such a roller-coaster of emotions completely made Baraquiel unable to hold in his anger. He was fully ready to fight with the blonde to death right then and there. But to his complete confusion, the blonde didn¡¯t react to his provocation. In fact, the blonde seemed to be more focused on what was being broadcasted on the television. With his rage simmered down by confusion and curiosity, Baraquiel entered the room. [What¡¯s so interesting that it could keep this brat tamed?] Nearing the television, he finally heard what appeared to be the introduction of the show. {Goku vs Ledgic!} . |DxD| . Shuri and Akeno were tired. Both mother and child had unceremoniously ran from the manga store to their home When Shuri saw the wide-open gate to their house, her heart lurched. But she continued on. When she entered the gate, she fully expected to see the front part of their house completely shattered. Instead, all she saw was the fully intact door left wide open. Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief, she pulled Akeno along. Yet before she could even reach the first step, she heard the yelling of her husband. ¡°Are you done yet?! Hurry up before the adverts end!¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying old man!¡± Completely and thoroughly confused, both Akeno and Shuri walked into the house and the sight they saw completely dumbfounded them. There in the flesh, was Baraquiel sitting on the sofa with the remote control in his hand. He was so engrossed in the television that he didn¡¯t even notice them come in. But the fallen wasn¡¯t completely at fault. His eyes were glued to the screen and his wife and child weren¡¯t helping things by remaining silent on the side. As for Shuri and Akeno, neither had ever seen Baraquiel stay in front of the television. The way the fallen was so focused was something that completely shattered their world views. Eventually, Shuri couldn¡¯t stay still anymore. ¡°H-husband?¡± Baraquiel turned his head towards them with mild surprise. ¡°Oh? When did you arri-BRAT! HURRY UP IT¡¯S BACK!¡± The transition of the advertisements ending and Dragon Ball airing again was shown on television, prompting Baraquiel to shout for the blonde to run. As for Igor, his frantic voice could be heard from the bathroom. ¡°Fuck! Why won¡¯t it fall down?!¡± ¡°Shake it, brat!¡± The blonde was covered in a cold sweat as he watched the last drop hang on to his equipment like it was super-glued to it. ¡°I¡¯M SHAKING IT AS VIGOROUSLY AS I CAN, OLD MAN!¡± The situation was dire. Igor knew the transition was already reaching its end. [Damnit! I¡¯ll just buy new underwear!] Quickly sheathing his equipment, he quickly flushed the toilet and ran from the bathroom. Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu The blonde soon appeared around the corner. With the living room having two directions of entry, he came in from the other one. He didn¡¯t bother greeting Shuri and Akeno and instead, ran to the couch. Coming from behind the couch, he vaulted over it before sitting down. Both men were so focused on the television that both mother and daughter just stood there. Shuri was experiencing a lot of ¡®first times¡¯ today. It was the first time Baraquiel watched television. It was the first time he ignored her for this long. It was the first time that he treated her like a stranger. Knowing that all of this was caused by her daughter¡¯s manipulation, Shuri grabbed Akeno by the ear and dragged her away. ¡°M-mama? Waaaaaaa!¡± And thus, it was also the first time that Baraquiel ignored the cries of his baby girl as well. . |DxD| . With the ending of the episode, Akeno immediately came to Detective Conan. Both Igor and Baraquiel weren¡¯t interested in watching it so the both of them left the room. There was the smell of cooking in the kitchen so Baraquiel was about to head there when the blonde held him by the shoulder. ¡°Old man. We need to talk.¡± There was a seriousness in the blonde¡¯s gaze that Baraquiel had only ever seen in their fights. ¡°Alright.¡± When the blonde had that gaze, Baraquiel knew there were no jokes involved. . AN . Well¡­this is a first. I¡¯ve certainly never skipped Sundays before so you can trust I have a good explanation. And that explanation is power outage¡­the whole day. Today is Monday and power only came back around three hours ago since going for a vacation around nine in the morning. Either way, here are two chapters as a sort of a silent promise between us. We¡¯re already on chapter 38 on my p@tre0n. As always, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Help me buy a solar panel by subscribing. Chapter 35 ¡°Old man. We need to talk.¡± There was a seriousness in the blonde¡¯s gaze that Baraquiel had only ever seen in their fights. ¡°Alright.¡± When the blonde had that gaze, Baraquiel knew there were no jokes involved. . |DxD| . Making their way outside the house, Igor and Baraquiel finally stood underneath the tree in the front yard next to the wall. The sun had almost completely disappeared over the horizon and the cool breeze of the night was finally started to move. Baraquiel folded his arms as he regarded the blonde with a serious look. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m listening.¡± Knowing he had the fallen¡¯s full attention, Igor didn¡¯t dawdle any longer. ¡°Old man. When are you going to do something about the people who want Akeno dead?¡± Baraquiel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How did you¡­¡± As far as he knew, no one had said anything to the blonde. So he was very surprised when Igor came out and said this sentence. And naturally, the blonde had a response. ¡°My eyes aren¡¯t for decoration, old man. You¡¯re a fallen angel. Aunty is a human. It would¡¯ve been fine if aunty was from an ordinary family. At most, you could use that mind-magic thing you guys have to hypnotize her family. But aunty¡¯s family is not normal. I can already tell they advocate for human supremacy, bloodline purity, or some other nonsense. My point is, Akeno is a hybrid. Even I can guess that doesn¡¯t look good on the family tree so I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯ll do their best to remove her.¡± He then entered Baraquiel¡¯s personal space and poked him in the chest. ¡°My question old man is, what are you going to do about it?¡± Baraquiel was silent. Igor¡¯s question invoked the old flames nestled deep within his heart. But just as quickly as those flames surged, they were quenched with water. His clenched fists relaxed as he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you think, brat. I do want to get rid of them. I truly do but the Himejima Clan are part of the Shinto Pantheon. And that pantheon is very powerful. If I remove the Himejima Clan, Grigori would be plunged into a war with a pantheon that has millions of gods in their ranks. Not to mention that there are numerous powerful gods in the Shinto Pantheon, all of them possess some level of immortality. We do not have the means to fight against them.¡± Igor listened to all of this with a straight face. He processed Baraquiel¡¯s words for a few seconds and in the end, he frowned. ¡°Smart people like you always think about consequences, the impact, and whatnot. That¡¯s why even a person as strong as you is being restrained like this.¡± Igor then pointed at himself. His brows were furrowed as he looked at Baraquiel right in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m stupid. This matter of consequences and stuff doesn¡¯t register in my mind. All I know is if I hate you, you must die that same day. Who your backer is, what your faction is, who¡¯s your friend, and all that stuff doesn¡¯t matter to me. Forget the gods, Lucifer could be your father or brother for all I care. I¡¯ll still kill you. So I ask again, old man. When will you deal with the Himejima?¡± Igor was getting on Baraquiel¡¯s nerves. It was like the fallen was talking to a rock. Despite him raising the important points, Igor still couldn¡¯t understand. It only served to make Baraquiel more agitated. ¡°I have just explained to you WHY I cannot-¡± With a blank gaze, Igor interrupted. ¡°And I just told you I¡¯m stupid. All I see are two paths here. Either Akeno dies, or the Himejima Clan dies.¡± He lifted both of his hands and listed either option like weighing a scale. ¡°Will you wait for the Himejima to strike first or, will you kill them first.¡± Baraquiel rubbed the back of his neck while sighing in the process. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a brat still wet behind the ears is trying to convince me to exterminate an entire clan.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m atleast sixty¡­sixty-four? Or am I sixty-three? Somewhere around there!¡± Baraquiel waved away the blonde¡¯s words. ¡°Stop speaking nonsense. You¡¯re six years old. Anyone with decent strength can tell your bone age hasn¡¯t even surpassed a decade.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°But mentally, I¡¯m still in my sixties.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still infinitely younger than me.¡± ¡°And so is aunty.¡± ¡°...¡± Both men stood in silence. Baraquiel¡¯s face was dull while Igor glared at Baraquiel with a daring smirk. But the fallen remained silent. He refused to dig himself deeper into the hole he created. Eventually, the atmosphere eased and Igor reverted back to his serious expression. ¡°Enough playing around, old man. Akeno is a hybrid. I admit I don¡¯t know much about the world, but I do know full well that mixed-races are frowned upon. And that¡¯s in the world of the mundane. It isn¡¯t hard to guess that in the supernatural world, it doesn¡¯t just end with being ¡®frowned¡¯ upon. I don¡¯t know all the details, but I don¡¯t need to. I would¡¯ve kept quiet before but I¡¯ve come to like the little chick. Naturally I don¡¯t want her to die. So I ask again. What will be your plan of action? Give me a straight answer, old man.¡± Baraquiel seemed to ponder the question. He ran different scenarios in his mind for what would happen if he killed members of the Himejima clan. Each time, the scenario ended with the anger of the gods and the destruction of Grigori. He couldn¡¯t help but shake his head helplessly. ¡°My answer is still the same. I cannot wage war against the Himejima because not only would it harm Grigori, but also because Shuri would be devastated.¡± Igor looked at Baraquiel. He REALLY looked at him. ¡°What about assassination?¡± Without missing a beat, Baraquiel replied. ¡°Divination magic. Even if I can protect my identity, I cannot protect my race. They will be able to find out that the one who exterminated the Himejima clan was a fallen angel. If they dig deeper, they will eventually tie the whole thing back to me.¡± Eventually, Baraquiel rubbed his forehead while taking in a deep breath. ¡°Look, brat. I want you to understand this very well. I am not terrified of the Himejima clan or the Shinto Pantheon. What I am afraid of, is being the cause for the next Great War. What I am afraid of, is causing the death of my people. What I am afraid of¡­is my wife and daughter harbouring hatred for me.¡± Baraquiel grit his teeth before he continued. ¡°I can bear the hatred from my own family since I know that despite them hating me, they will be alive. But I know Azazel won¡¯t label me a traitor of Grigori. When the war occurs, instead of shedding me off, he would fight with me, even if I begged him not to. I am not afraid of death. But I cannot bear the sight of my brothers dying in front of me. Do you understand me now, Dimori? Do you understand why that despite wishing to cull the threat hanging over my family, I cannot do so?!¡± Silence¡­ The cold breeze blew past the trees. The sounds of various insects was accompanied by the gradual rising of the moon. But so as the moon rose, the blonde did as well. His cold cerulean orbs clashed with Baraquiel¡¯s eyes. On the blonde¡¯s face was something akin to disgust. ¡°No. No I do not understand. I¡¯m too stupid to understand all these things. All I know is if my brother was still alive, and he told me that someone wanted to kill him¡­¡± The faint red aura of the Kaioken swirled around the blonde. ¡°... all it would take is one word from him, and I would even storm through the Gates of Hell to rip out the heart of whoever coveted his life.¡± The pressure of his ki grew, causing a dark, heavy aura to descend upon the vicinity. ¡°Even if the consequence of my choice would be to face the whole world, I would stand back to back with my brother and fight until we triumphed, or drew our last breath.¡± The dense pressure of his ki was so overwhelming that inside the house, Akeno who was sensitive to this couldn¡¯t help but cry out. ¡°Papa!!! Papa!!!¡± She ran out of the house with tears in her eyes towards the two men standing by the tree. She didn¡¯t know where the pressure came from. All she knew was that she felt a sudden weight fall upon her, scaring her into seeking her father. Igor immediately reigned in his pressure after seeing Akeno run out. He could only watch on helplessly as Baraquiel comforted his little girl. . |DxD| . Time passed again in silence. Baraquiel was holding a sleeping Akeno in his arms. She was so frightened that even after Igor¡¯s pressure disappeared, she refused to separate from her father. Eventually, Baraquiel could only hold her until she finally fell asleep. As for Igor, he stood quietly to the side. He had said all that needed to be said to Baraquiel and felt that he didn¡¯t need to speak any further. [I shouldn¡¯t try to impose my own views on him. With how long he¡¯s lived, he should know best what to do.] He had tried all he could but Baraquiel remained steadfast. In the end, even the blonde came to understand the fallen¡¯s situation after a bit of thinking. In the end, he could only make one request. ¡°Old man. Please¡­stay alive.¡± Silence¡­ Baraquiel didn¡¯t reply to the blonde¡¯s words. Igor also knew that the fallen heard him. A few moments passed in silence under the gentle rustle of the trees moved by the night¡¯s breeze. Baraquiel gently swayed while holding his daughter. The love he displayed on his face could not be faked. A few moments passed by again before finally, Baraquiel asked a question instead of replying to the blonde¡¯s earlier words. ¡°When and how long will you be gone?¡± With a slightly solemn gaze, Igor looked towards Akeno and then towards the house. His expression was unreadable but his next words were filled with obvious reluctance to part. ¡°As soon as we¡¯re done here and¡­for a few years. As much as I want to stay, my situation doesn¡¯t allow it.¡± Baraquiel naturally understood what the blonde meant. It was only a matter of time before his existence and the time chamber he possessed came to light. At that time, blood would be shed throughout the supernatural world. Although Igor was strong, he was only comparable to a little brother amongst the truly strong behemoths that inhabited the supernatural world. That was why Baraquiel didn¡¯t try to persuade the blonde to stay. ¡°They¡¯ll be sad if you suddenly vanish, you know? They could overlook it last time but not this time.¡± Igor turned towards Baraquiel with a warm smile. His eyes drooped down to Akeno who was peacefully sleeping on her father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What can I say, old man. I¡¯m not good at goodbyes.¡± Baraquiel also smiled as well, fully understanding the blonde¡¯s sentiments. But like the change of tides, the smile on his face was replaced with a serious gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if I have to give my life, I will protect them. So make sure to come back soon.¡± Hearing the words of assurance from Baraquiel, Igor nodded his head. ¡°Alright, old man. I¡¯ll trust you to take care of aunty and the little chick.¡± White aura with wisps of red surrounded the blonde. ¡°See you later, old man. I trust you¡¯ll be strong enough to withstand a few blows from me at our reunion. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you call me grandfather.¡± Having said that, he took off into the skies without looking back. It wasn¡¯t until the blonde disappeared into the horizon that Baraquiel shook his head with a sly grin. ¡°Call him ¡®grandfather¡¯ he says.¡± And yet, Igor¡¯s words resonated within him. He looked towards his daughter again before he reaffirmed his conviction. ¡°I¡¯ll just need to become stronger than you, brat.¡± . AN . And now we¡¯ve reached the end of Volume 1. Things are about to change immensely now. Look forward to it. As always, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Help me buy a solar charger by subscribing. Chapter 36 ¡°Call him ¡®grandfather¡¯ he says.¡± And yet, Igor¡¯s words resonated within him. He looked towards his daughter again before he reaffirmed his conviction. ¡°I¡¯ll just need to become stronger than you, brat.¡± . |DxD| . High above the clouds, Igor flew across the skies at a comfortable speed of just over half the speed of sound. Stretching out his hand, a white light emanated from it before a rolled-up piece of paper appeared in the blonde¡¯s hand. The domed aura of ki surrounding Igor blocked off most of the wind so the blonde had no problem unfurling the paper to reveal the map within. At the same time, the blonde took out a compass and held it in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m almost there. I just have to continue travelling west and I should arrive soon.¡± Having verified his direction, he placed the map and compass inside the time chamber before surging forward again. [Power, power, and power are all waiting for me!] SUUUUUUUU¡­BOOOOM Tearing through the sound barrier, he rushed towards the Himalayas, eager to restart his training in earnest. . |DxD| . 1996/07/08 - August 23rd 1996, Himalayan Mountain Range, India . A month had passed since the blonde left the country of Japan and embarked on his journey for growth. Knowing that continuing to train in the time chamber would be detrimental in the long run, Igor stayed in the outside world without entering the time chamber for extended periods of time.* The only time he would enter the time chamber would be to sleep and recover from training with his Kaioken. With his body¡¯s potential currently exhausted, the blonde didn¡¯t focus much on physical strength but instead on refining his existing techniques. Igor had chosen to stay high up in the snowy areas of the mountain. With the harsh winds and freezing cold temperatures, most people would be deterred from coming there. Of course, the blonde didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable staying there. He had endured far harsher temperatures in the time chamber. But most of all, Igor valued his spot on the high mountain range for the silence, peace, and convenience. While there was food in the time chamber, the blonde took comfort in knowing that should he temporarily lose access to it, he could simply descend down the mountain to hunt. As of currently, the blonde was practicing his Kaioken. Even though he was bare-chested, not a single flake of snow was on his body or hair. The reason was, his body was releasing so much heat that any snow that fell on him directly melted. He was slowly going through his katas, his breaths maintaining a steady rhythm and his mind at peace. [I can feel it. I¡¯m almost there.] Through Spirit Control, Igor was slowly increasing the upper-limit of the Kaioken he could hold indefinitely. Right now, the blonde was nearing 60%. Having this much progress in a month was substantial because what he was increasing wasn¡¯t his base power but the amount of extra power he could extract from his body without harming it in the long-term. Just being able to extract 10% more made the blonde extremely happy. [If I can increase it to 60%, I can start pursuing higher multipliers of the Kaioken. Then maybe I¡¯ll finally be able to break through the times-thirty barrier.] Having been stuck on Kaioken x29, the blonde¡¯s OCD was acting up. If it was not a multiple of five, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep alright. And so the hours trickled on and night turned into day. The winds calmed down and the sun peeked over the horizon. The warm glow of the morning sun prompted Igor to halt his movements and open his eyes with a smile. His eyes exuded a certain clarity to them that one only gains when they gain an epiphany. ¡°I was right. Instead of scraping deeper, controlling what I have is the way. Fifty-percent was the maximum I could dig from my body before I started getting uncomfortable. But now¡­¡± He instantly activated his Kaioken at 60% of its efficiency. There was a burst of pressure that blew the snow away, but there was not a single leakage of aura. Not even a faint outline of red slipped past the blonde¡¯s skin. Admiring how natural the strength increase felt, Igor got into a stance. ¡°Let¡¯s go through a few moves.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In that instant, he began going through punches and kicks as fast as he could. ¡°Da da da da da da da da da da!¡± He went through various combos for a solid five minutes. The force from his punches offset the snow on the ground and shook the air around him. Throughout this whole time, the blonde had a smile on his face. Having gotten back to doing what he loved, he naturally would be happy. Stopping his motions, the blonde looked at both of his fists that had the sizzling snow on them. ¡°This feeling of gaining visible strength increases is hard not to get addicted from.¡± Just thinking of how a few decades ago he could barely cause a punching bag to move, Igor was very proud of himself. ¡°And now, it¡¯s time for the moment of truth.¡± Clenching his fist, the blonde prepared himself. ¡°If I don¡¯t reach Kaioken x30, I¡¯ll write my name backwards!¡± * Having resolved himself, Igor stood with his back slightly hunched over. Slightly spacing his feet, he bent his knees and clenched his fists. Gritting his teeth, the blonde spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Kaioken!¡± Gruuu Su Su Su Su The familiar cloak of red demi-ki surrounded his body. The aura was gentle and didn¡¯t fluctuate violently, showcasing the relatively high level of control the blonde had over the Kaioken. ¡°X4!¡± Gruuu! ¡°X8!¡± Gruuu! ¡°X12!¡± Gruuu! Having boosted his Kaioken over the double-digits, the calm aura began to fluctuate energetically. The aura also became denser due to the blonde finding it harder and harder to keep the demi-ki inside his body. But this was already a considerable improvement compared to his previous attempts a year ago. ¡°Let¡¯s continue. Times-sixteen!¡± Gruuu! ¡°X20!¡± GRUUU It was after reaching this barrier that he finally had a relatively hard time restraining his aura. Having increased his base strength by twenty times, the amount of demi-ki in his body was humongous and it flowed with such vigor that Igor really had to focus, lest he lose control and deplete his stamina in one go. So Igor took a few moments to adjust himself to the current level of his strength. [I can¡¯t be rash from this moment onwards.] Igor had long since learned that rashly skipping to Kaioken x20 would severely deplete his stamina due to his body experiencing a sudden shock. Boosting in incremental values of ¡®4¡¯ was currently the maximum number of boosts he could withstand in one go. But after reaching times-twenty, he couldn¡¯t boost himself by four again. ¡°X22!¡± GRUUUUU ¡°X24!¡± GRUUUU He took a moment to collect his wits before he continued. ¡°X25!¡± GRUUUU! The blonde stopped at the 25th multiplier for a while. He was losing control of the Kaioken and if he continued boosting himself without grabbing the reigns, then he wouldn¡¯t make it past the twenty-seventh mark. Gritting his teeth, the blonde clenched his fists. ¡°X26!¡± GRUUUUU! His aura surged like a giant red bonfire. His entire body already appeared red from the copious amounts of demi-ki running through every single fibre of his body. ¡°X27!¡± GRUUUUU! ¡°X28!¡± GRUUUU! ¡°Times...twenty-nine!¡± GRUUUUUUU! Igor truly had to stop here. The veins all over his body were bulging and his muscle-mass had noticeably increased. The amount of aura surrounding him had even caused his entire figure to appear illusory. But Igor was determined not to stop here. ¡°So¡­close!¡± He could feel his control over his aura slowly slip through his fingers like wet soap. Already over half his stamina had been consumed in less than a minute. But the blonde wasn¡¯t going to stop now. ¡°GRAAAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUUUUUUUU! Releasing a primal yell into the skies, the blonde finally managed to multiply his base power level by thirty. At this point, his aura had become so dense that his figure could not be seen at all. The aura was fluctuating so violently that the ground cracked and the nearby rocks were blasted off. All the snow in the vicinity had melted away while the winds became violent. Igor was releasing so much aura that it became a pillar that towered over eight metres. It was like a beacon that made all the people who made journeys to the Himalayas, whether for holy or casual reasons, look up to the summit. While the mundane looked at this scene with awe, the supernatural hurriedly fled the scene. After all, they could clearly feel the immense pressure Igor was emitting. Yet just as quickly as this aura surged, it slowly began to plummet. On the summit, Igor could feel that he had exhausted his stamina and almost bled himself dry of ki. Not wanting to experience the feeling of his body going into shock, he gradually decreased the multipliers of the Kaioken until finally, he was in his base state. *Huff* *Huff* *Huff* *Huff* The blonde was on shaky legs while visible steam wafted from his body. Yet despite all of this, Igor had a smile on his face. ¡°I¡­did it.¡± *Plop* Falling down on his knees, the blonde couldn¡¯t support his body any longer before he fell face-first on the hard ground. His breaths were slowing down, his eyes gradually shutting down. And yet, all the blonde could think about was the fact that he succeeded. Unable to muster enough strength to even enter the time chamber, the blonde passed out on the spot. . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Descending from the skies, a short monkey covered in golden brown fur moved over to Igor. He appeared to be elderly and the monk¡¯s cassock he wore made him appear even more so. He approached the youth before lifting him on his shoulders. ¡°Another talented human. Yet while one possesses the True Longinus, this one possesses the mystical artifact of the Aryans.¡± The old monkey smiled to himself. ¡°This is my redemption. I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice.¡± . AN .
  1. Knowing that continuing to train in the time chamber would be detrimental in the long run, Igor stayed in the outside world without entering the time chamber for extended periods of time.*
Explanation: It has been mentioned before that the time chamber halts the aging process. Despite being six years old biologically, the reason why Igor looks 14-15 years old is due to a combination of harsh gravity training and healing herbs. This forced his body to ¡®grow up¡¯ in order to better cope/adapt to the training it has to endure. Like how a 700hp truck can pull heavier loads than a 360hp truck. While this adaptation was good for the initial stages, there was a cap to how much he could milk off from his body before he couldn¡¯t grow any further. This is also why him staying in the time chamber wouldn¡¯t be beneficial. What he needs the most right now is to age. That way, he can ¡®naturally¡¯ grow bigger and his potential can reset itself. Staying outside the time chamber for six years would be much better than training inside it for sixty-years since by the time he comes out, at best he would probably be mid to high-satan class due to only having aged six months.
  1. ¡°If I don¡¯t reach Kaioken x30, I¡¯ll write my name backwards.¡±
Explanation: Rogi actually means deceased in Hindu while the name Igor means warrior and is of Russian origin. Moving on, this could be interpreted as the blonde meaning he will reach times 30 or die trying. Important: I haven¡¯t eaten a burger since last year. Help me buy one by going to my p@tre0n. As always, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 37 ¡°Another talented human. Yet while one possesses the True Longinus, this one possesses the mystical artifact of the Aryans.¡± The old monkey smiled to himself. ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice.¡± . |DxD| . A few days prior¡­ Sun Wukong was in jubilant mood. He was flying in the air with a satisfied smile on his face. Just a few months ago, he had met a boy from a little village who surprisingly, wielded the True Longinus Sacred Gear. He was practicing in the woods with his spear and would slash or pierce trees. Recalling their meeting, Sun Wukong released a smile. He could vividly remember how frightened the child was when they first met. But even though he could feel his fear, the boy still recklessly charged at him with his spear poised to meet with his heart. He still couldn¡¯t forget the dumb look the child released when he stopped his spear with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that feisty kid. I wonder how far he¡¯s gotten with that spear of his.¡± He could already how powerful the boy could be under his tutelage. With his tenacity, Sun Wukong was confident in nurturing him into a powerful fighter. ¡°l¡¯ll teach him a few spear techniques this time and see how everything goes. If he has the heart, I¡¯ll introduce him to that fool, Indra.¡± Sun Wukong was very clear about the power of the True Longinus. If he could recruit the wielder of the spear, the might of Indra¡¯s army would be increased by a great deal and the next war against Shiva would result in a higher chance of victory. If Indra won, then he could finally get the vacation he always wanted. Having gotten to the village, he applied a simple illusion technique and walked amongst the villagers. The village itself wasn¡¯t very big. At the center was a well to draw water from as well as a few stalls that surrounded it. There was also a tavern nearby as well as various other stores that circled the square. Sun Wukong passed by the village square and eventually came upon the residences. As he walked further on, the quality of the houses decreased. It wasn¡¯t until he walked a kilometre or so that he finally reached a poorly-built house near the edge of the village. When he got to the house where the boy lived, an elderly woman called out to him. She was sweeping the excess dust that had gathered in front of her own house with a handmade broom made of one large stick and some twigs tied together that acted as the bristles. When she called out to Sun Wukong, there was still some dust that was flowing downwind. ¡°Excuse me, sir. If you are looking for the people who live here, then I am sorry to say that they have already left this world.¡± Her voice came out labored and hash, almost as if she had a cough stuck in her throat. Yet the old sage paid no attention to it. Rather, it was the woman¡¯s words that caused him to stop. Sun Wukong paused momentarily before asking with some trepidation. ¡°And the son?¡± The old woman sighed while she shook her head. ¡°Alas, I heard that the boy was sold by his parents a few months ago.¡± Sun Wukong froze at that sudden input of information. He didn¡¯t even bother replying to the old woman before turning around and walking away. His heart was filled with saltiness and regret at the sudden turn of the situation. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Leaving the village, he assumed his original appearance but where there was previously a jubilant expression on his face, there was now a semblance of loss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boy.¡± He could already guess that the boy was sold by his parents when he possibly summoned the True Longinus in front of them. Faced with such a supernatural phenomenon, they would immediately assume it was witchcraft. Naturally, they decided to hand him over to traffickers. Of course, this were all his guesses that formed from years of seeing the same situation happen multiple times. There were no lack of sacred gear wielders that were chased out of their families, especially when the parents were part of the mundane. The fear brought by the unknown could easily cause tightly knit families to suddenly be at each other¡¯s throats and commit rash decisions. So while the boy¡¯s misfortune did sadden him, it wasn¡¯t outright grief. ¡°Let me take a month or two to clear my head. I¡¯m sure Indra won¡¯t mind.¡± And so with that decision, Sun Wukong flew away. Knowing that the Himalayas were close by, he decided to fly over them for old-times¡¯ sake. The mountain range held a lot of significance to the monkey sage for while there was also his place of birth, a number of his adventures occurred there. . |DxD| . The days passed and Sun Wukong had still not left the periphery of the Himalayas. He was not in too much of a rush as it is. During this time, the old sage had not concerned himself too much about the boy¡¯s disappearance. Since it was a mistake, he wouldn¡¯t wallow in it for an unnecessarily long amount of time. So travelling through the Himalayas, Sun Wukong flew through the paths that he and his confidants took in the past when journeying to the west. It was a relaxing feeling that brought back numerous fond memories to the old sage. But that was when things started to drastically change. Just when he had taken a break on Flower-Fruit Mountain, the place of his birth, Sun Wukong was surprised to suddenly feel a massive amount of energy come from the west. And that energy was increasing drastically. The old sage looked on with a curious expression. ¡°Such a high power-level¡­ and it¡¯s steadily nearing the upper end of god-class.¡± * Sun Wukong had truly never felt such an energy before. He could tell it was ki but at the same time, it was far more ferocious, more domineering, and far more rebellious, a far cry from the normal ki he knew of. Feeling such a strange and unique ki, Sun Wukong¡¯s interest was thoroughly aroused. ¡°I suppose I could see which young buck is kicking up such a stir.¡± Naturally, he could also sense the youth behind the ki. It lacked the maturity or ¡°feel¡± that came with beings that have lived for many years. With his sensory capabilities, he could everything right down to the gender of the person as well as their current state of mind. So changing directions, he flew towards the ki that felt like newly brewed wine. . |DxD| . ¡°A human boy? The entire world will go bananas if they see this.¡± Right below him, Sun Wukong observed a steaming Igor yell out his multipliers. With this little information, the old sage could already guess the reason. [Some kind of power-multiplying technique? But I¡¯ve never heard of this one before. And I sense no sacred gear in him so what he¡¯s using definitely isn¡¯t a variant of the Boosted Gear-oh? He¡¯s reaching his limits.] After hearing the blonde shout out his 29th multiplier, Sun Wukong keenly observed the flow of ki through Igor¡¯s body. [His ki veins have expanded immensely and the speed of the flow is completely insane. If I didn¡¯t see it myself, I would not believe that there¡¯s a human who can wield such power.] Sun Wukong continued to watch the blonde grit his teeth and power up to times-thirty. Even though the increase was only by a single multiple, reaching the times-thirty landmark directly caused the blonde to lose control of his ki, resulting in a giant visible pillar of red ki to rise into the skies and a powerful pressure to descend upon the immediate vicinity. The shockwaves alone were enough to rattle the snow throughout the entire vicinity. Fortunately, Sun Wukong stopped the potential avalanches with a wave of his hand otherwise, numerous casualties would¡¯ve resulted from Igor¡¯s display of power. But instead of feeling angry at the potential loss of life, Sun Wukong only grinned. [So young in age and yet he could give a large chunk of the supernatural world a beating.] When he suddenly felt numerous spatial fluctuations that indicated several people were spawning magic circles nearby, the old sage snapped his fingers and immediately, the fluctuations disappeared. He locked down this vicinity and prevented anyone from being able to teleport. Watching the blonde finally collapse to the ground in exhaustion, Sun Wukong descended from the skies and finally landed next to the blonde. ¡°Haha! Such a good seedling must not be captured by those factions!¡± He could already feel numerous people rushing towards the scene. So grabbing the blonde by the scruff of his coat, he vanished. . AN .
  1. ¡°Such a high power-level¡­ and it¡¯s steadily nearing the upper end of god-class.¡±
Explanation: God-class is still the same as Satan-class. After that comes Supreme God-class or Super Devils. If I am wrong, feel free to correct me. As always, here¡¯s the link if you want to read 3 chapters further: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 38 Watching the blonde finally collapse to the ground in exhaustion, Sun Wukong descended from the skies and finally landed next to the blonde. ¡°Haha! Such a good seedling must not be captured by those factions!¡± He could already feel numerous people rushing towards the scene. So grabbing the blonde by the scruff of his coat, he vanished. . |DxD| . 1996/08/23 - August 24th, 1996, Flower-Fruit Mountain, Himalayan Mountain Range, India In a small room with simple furniture, Igor was lying on a straw mat while there was a small blue orb of energy freely hovering below the ceiling that lit up the room. The room was relatively simple in appearance. Apart from the straw mat, there was¡­barely anything else. There was a desk and chair as well as a shelf full of books. Beyond that, there was nothing. With a day having passed since his relative success in finally accessing the 30x Kaioken, the blonde was rightfully exhausted. It was only after a proper rest did he finally manage to wake up. Pushing away the thin excuse of a blanket, Igor yawned for a full minute or so. He then slowly got up and walked straight towards the door. He appeared seemingly uncaring or oblivious to the new change of surroundings. Rather, he pulled open the door and the sight he was introduced to was majestic. There were several other buildings similar to the one Igor had just walked out of. Each of them was arranged in a rectangular formation with equal distance between each other. The entire courtyard these rooms were built on was paved and there in the centre was an abnormally large plum blossom tree. Several humans and monkey yokai in simple grey robes could be seen walking through the courtyard surrounding the tree. None of them seemed to notice the half-naked blonde who was idly scratching his stomach. But while none of them paid attention, the blonde only had a simple question in his mind. [Since this isn¡¯t a dream, what the hell did I get myself into?] Slowly rising into the air, Igor continued to extend his senses outward. As he rose higher and higher into the sky, a sudden yell from below reached his ears. ¡°SIR! SIR!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Looking down, Igor was met with the panicked gaze of a talking monkey. ¡°Sir! It¡¯s forbidden to fly here! Please land quickly!¡± Common sense dictated that since the blonde is in an unknown place where there are unknown entities that reside with unknown power-levels, he should obediently land on the ground and observe the situation. But something about the word ¡°forbidden¡± made the blonde smile before looking away. ¡°It¡¯s forbidden huh? I wonder what the punishment is.¡± Igor calmly floated in place while the relentless warnings from the monkey below finally stopped. Already, several people were attracted by the spectacle and judging by the expression on their faces, they were waiting to watch a good show. It didn¡¯t take long however before a tyrannical aura descended on the vicinity. In an instant, a large human towering over two-metres in height appeared beside the blonde with his fist cocked back. Igor instinctively activated his Kaioken x4 on the spot and curled up his body to block the abnormally large fist with both his arms and shins. BOOM A shockwave spread throughout the vicinity, shaking the trees as well as other things not bolted to the ground. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The man widened his eyes in shock. It was also then in that brief moment that Igor was able to fully take in his appearance. He seemed like a barbarian warrior with his massive muscles and the animal fur draped over his shoulders like a cape. Along with his baggy pants were massive black boots that had a steel toe on the front. He had long glistening hair that appeared to be wet and a massive beard that reached right down to his chest. Having assessed his target, Igor offered a grin before suddenly appearing behind the man, ready to deliver a powerful elbow strike to his upper back. ¡°Hoppa!¡± GU! Yet, his attack was blocked by an owner-less staph that suddenly appeared between him and his target. ¡°Haaa?¡± This gave the towering mountain of a man enough time to turn around and open up some space between them. Yet as soon as he saw the staff, the man¡¯s ferocious expression was immediately replaced by a respectful one. He lowered his head while cupping his hands. ¡°Disciple Ragnar greets Master Sun.¡± Feeling particularly mischievous, Igor grinned. ¡°It¡¯s Master Dimori. And I don¡¯t remember taking in an unfilial disciple like you-ACK!¡± ¡°I think he means me, brat.¡± Behind Igor stood Sun Wukong and the elderly sage was pulling the blonde¡¯s ear. As for Ragnar, only the barest faint of a smile at the blonde¡¯s misfortune graced his lips. As for down below in the courtyard, everyone immediately knelt on the ground and bowed their heads. Even with their heads lowered, the reverence behind their voices was passionately displayed. ¡°¡°¡°DISCIPLE GREETS THE VENERABLE SAGE!!!¡±¡±¡± The yell of a few hundred people reverberated throughout the mountain. This caused Sun Wukong to grin mischievously. Leaning close to the blonde¡¯s ears, he spoke. ¡°Have something else to say?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| High up at the topmost peak of Flower-Fruit Mountain, Igor and Sun Wukong were sitting under a gazebo. Even though this location was very high up, there was no trace of frigidness at all. Various trees and vegetation could be seen growing on the peaks and even insects like butterflies could be seen flying around. Under the shade of the gazebo, the blonde and the sage looked at each other. While there were numerous questions Igor wanted to ask, there was only one prevalent one in his mind. ¡°Are you blind?¡± There was no hint of tact or caution in his words. Like ripping off a band-aid, he went straight to the point. From the beginning, he was curious about this blindfold-like thing that the old sage wore around his eyes. Hearing his question, the monkey was taken aback. ¡°Pfft!¡± Sun Wukong who was downing his tea immediately choked on it due to complete surprise and the absurdity at the blonde¡¯s irrelevant question. He expected Igor to ask who he was or what he was doing here. Not once did he expect the blonde to wonder about his sight. It was completely irrelevant to the current scenario. Eventually, the old sage managed to recover his wits and glared at the snickering blonde. He instantly extended his staph and slammed it over the blonde¡¯s head. Gu! ¡°Ow! Shit, that hurt ya old bastard-ack!¡± Igor furiously rubbed the top of his head with an aggrieved expression while Sun Wukong retracted his staph with a sigh. ¡°Of all the things you could ask, you concern yourself with the state of my eyes.¡± Faced with the monkey¡¯s gaze, Igor mumbled out. ¡°I was just curious¡­idio-I¡¯M JOKING!¡± Seeing the staph extend over to him again, Igor was traumatised. Igor was no stranger to pain. He had fallen head first into buildings and had hundreds of kilograms of weights fall on top of him in over twenty-times gravity. His head could be said to be harder than a diamond on steroids. But a simple love-tap from Sun Wukong¡¯s staph really hurt him so much that even after the seconds pressed on, he could feel the buzzing pain on the top of his head. The old sage retracted his staph again and spoke. ¡°First of all, you¡¯re the idiot. Every action so far I¡¯ve seen from you reeks of idiocy. Kid, do you have rotten banana for brains?¡± Igor scowled at the old sage. ¡°At least I have one.¡± ¡°...¡± There was complete silence between the both of them. Then in an instant, both of them extended their respective weapons towards the other. Sun Wukong extended his staph while Igor extended a white aura sword. Clang! The old sage blocked the tip of Igor¡¯s sword with his finger while simultaneously bringing his staph atop the blonde¡¯s head. Gruu! Erupting with a Kaioken x10, Igor blocked the staph with one hand. But as Sun Wukong increased the pressure, the blonde was forced to cancel his aura sabre and block with both hands. Crack! The stone chair beneath him started to crack under the crushing weight of Sun Wukong¡¯s staph. The old sage was leisurely using one hand and yet to the blonde, it felt like hundreds of tons were being pressed upon him. But he wouldn¡¯t yield. GRUUU! Boosting himself to times-twenty in one go, Igor started pushing the staph up. He even managed to get onto his feet as well. His muscles were bulging while grunts of exertion escaped through his gritted teeth. He looked at Sun Wukong provocatively, as if he was saying ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy.¡±. The old sage didn¡¯t speak. With a simple downward movement of his wrist, all of Igor¡¯s momentum was crushed in that instant. CRASH! The chair turned into rubble and the blonde lay groaning on top of it. All the tea was spilt on the table due to the sudden vibrations that caused the table to shake. Sun Wukong watched the blonde¡¯s red aura fade with a tired gaze. [Was I like this as well?] . AN . Unfortunately, I cannot accomplish my promise on two chapters today. I had an unexpected trip to the farm nearly the entirety of yesterday so I had no chance to write. I hope I have your understanding. Also, today is Friday¡­ Chapter 39 The chair turned into rubble and the blonde lay groaning on top of it. All the tea was spilt on the table due to the sudden vibrations that caused the table to shake. Sun Wukong watched the blonde¡¯s red aura fade with a tired gaze. [Was I like this as well?] . |DxD| . Only a few minutes passed again and both man and monkey were sitting on the table again. Both were simply looking at each other in silence. While Igor would normally be angry, he was instead looking at Sun Wukong with a hint of admiration and respect. His own strength that he was proud of, even under the boosted influence of the Kaioken, was crushed like paper. It only served to make Igor curious how the old sage did that. [I have to get him to show me how he amplified his strength with ki. Maybe if I attack him, I can see it in action-] ¡°Stop right there, kid. We don¡¯t even know each other¡¯s names and you¡¯re already itching for a fight.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Igor chuckled with some embarrassment. ¡°Hehe, remember this well monkey sage. My name¡¯s Igor von Dimori, number one contender for the title of strongest in the universe. And you?¡± Sun Wukong idly drummed the table with his finger while looking at the blonde. The silence stretched out but Igor did not seem embarrassed at all. In fact, he sat down quietly as well while waiting for the old sage to introduce himself. But what Sun Wukong said wasn¡¯t an introduction. ¡°Such a lofty goal. But you won¡¯t reach it if you remain this much of an idiot.¡± Contrary to his usual actions, Igor didn¡¯t fly off the handle. He tilted his head in simple curiosity, wondering why the old sage said that. Knowing the blonde was waiting for him to continue, Sun Wukong didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°You possess the time chamber artifact of the Aryans?¡± While it was posed as a question, Igor knew it was rhetorical since Sun Wukong must¡¯ve sensed it. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You are an Aryan?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± While the rhythm seemed cut off, Sun Wukong didn¡¯t pause. ¡°You possess the time chamber of the Aryans. So you are an Aryan.¡± But Igor¡¯s brows scrunched up in confusion. ¡°But aren¡¯t Aryans born ridiculously strong? I started off with the strength of a normal human, monkey sage. Saying I¡¯m Aryan is the same as saying all this power I worked hard to earn came naturally.¡± Sun Wukong scrutinised the blonde for a bit before speaking. ¡°Who said Aryans are born powerful?¡± Igor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Huh? You mean they¡¯re not?¡± Appearing confused, Sun Wukong decided to enlighten the blonde a bit on the common misconception of Aryans. ¡°When Aryans are born, they are no stronger than a normal human baby. If they grow up in the mundane world, they won¡¯t exhibit any strength beyond the norm. The reason why there is such a misconception in the first place, is to reduce the chances of the offspring being kidnapped¡­especially by other humans.¡± Igor stood up with a start, a look of complete shock on his face. ¡°Please explain further, old man.¡± But Sun Wukong remained silent. He gazed into the pristine view of the lush valleys of Flower-Fruit Mountain. There seemed to be a hint of reminiscence and forlorn in his gaze, something Igor noticed. Yet before he could point it out, the old sage spoke. ¡°A long, long time ago, I stumbled upon a child, a girl. She was just a newly-born while her mother was lying next to her¡­dead. The mother had a bloodied knife next to her , on her stomach a massive cut.¡± Igor processed the words before it suddenly hit him. ¡°Did¡­did she¡­¡± ¡°Yes. She cut open her stomach and took out her child. She did not want her child to die with her. When I arrived there, she had a hole in her chest. Over half her heart and left lung had been torn apart. She was using ki to keep herself alive¡­for her child.¡± Igor felt like a basin of cold water was dumped over him. He couldn¡¯t even imagine what was going through her mind in those last moments. ¡°So then-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the rest of the story next time.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Sun Wukong then stood up. ¡°The main focus is, that child had absolutely no power within her while her mother still had ki comparable to a high-class fighter.¡± But Igor wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Come on old man! Don¡¯t leave me hanging like this!¡± Sun Wukong seemed to ponder. ¡°Hmmm¡­I won¡¯t tell you much. After all, you haven¡¯t paid me in full for the information I¡¯ve given you.¡± Igor banged his fists on the table. ¡°What?!¡± For the first time since they met, Sun Wukong laughed. ¡°Pwahahahahaha! There¡¯s no such thing as a free banana in this world, kid!¡± ¡°But you dragged me here in the first place stupid old man!¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s mouth twitched slightly at being called ¡®stupid¡¯ but he shoved his grievance down. ¡°If I didn¡¯t ¡®drag¡¯ you here, you¡¯d be in some cage held by against your will by whoever captured you first. That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re an idiot, idiot.¡± ¡°Even if I was captured, I could easily escape them!¡± Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the blonde. ¡°You vastly underestimate the supernatural world, kid. Many before you thought the same and became arrogant. Yet whether it be their confidence in teleportation, or YOUR confidence in hiding within that artifact of yours, there are numerous methods to prevent you incapable of using your abilities.¡± ¡°...¡± There was silence as Igor carefully processed the monkey¡¯s words. He was confident in using Instant Transmission or escaping into the time chamber if he couldn¡¯t overpower whoever captured him. [But like the old sage said, I¡¯m underestimating the world.] Igor¡¯s brows creased in annoyance. ¡°Hmph, fine then! What do you want?¡± Like the flip of a switch, Sun Wukong suddenly gained a mischievous grin. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. But for now, I¡¯ll give you another little tidbit. The descendants of that child eventually settled down in Italy about 200 years ago.¡± ¡°I-Italy?!¡± . |DxD| . Grigori Headquarters, Underworld . In an office filled with only a few stacks of documents, Azazel was working through different documents at the same time. Most of them floated in the air and a pen went through each one and signed them. Even though the lights were on, the atmosphere was dreary with all the stacks of signed documents placed on the floor. Azazel was working silently, his face completely neutral without a single ounce of positive or negative emotions. It was as if he was simply going through the motions of everyday life- like a typical office worker. This was the sight that Shemhazai came to when he entered the office. Closing the door behind him, the fallen carefully navigated around the stacked documents on the floor. ¡°Greetings brother.¡± Azazel looked up from his paperwork with a smile. ¡°Ah, brother. What do the reports say about the brat¡¯s little light show?¡± Shemhazai walked over next to Azazel with a few documents in his hand. ¡°Reports state that Dimori-kun released a massive burst of power that spread throughout the region that could be felt halfway across the world by most supernatural entities.¡± He then placed the documents on the table and showed Azazel coloured images of the giant red pillar of ki that emanated from Igor as well as eyewitness reports stating that they saw the red ki. ¡°I believe that this is the Kaioken technique you told me about?¡± Azazel leaned back into his chair with a yawn. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s some kind of power-multiplying technique that can boost the brat¡¯s overall power-level.¡± Shemhazai shuffled the papers with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Truly? How powerful is this Kaioken compared to the Red-Dragon Emperor¡¯s ¡®Boost¡¯ ability?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Azazel stroked his beard as he mentally compared the two abilities. ¡°For starters, both depend on stamina but if we take the quality and retainability of the boosts into account, the Kaioken wins. I¡¯ve noticed over the years that while the Red-Dragon-Emperor can boost their power, it ultimately depends on the wielder themselves. When they boost, they will quickly begin to lose their power. Sometimes, they will lose that power in an instant due to not being able to retain it for long. That is why even if they boost ten times in a short interval, they will only retain that strength for a moment before it disappears. At the very least, that is what I have observed.¡± Azazel then sat up properly and pointed towards the picture of the ¡®Red Pillar¡¯. ¡°As for this Kaioken technique, I don¡¯t have much knowledge about it to be honest. I¡¯ve never even heard of such a technique until I met the blonde and saw it for myself. Different than the Red-Dragon-Emperor, the blonde can seemingly maintain his ¡®boosts¡¯ indefinitely. As long as he has stamina, he can keep that technique active. Of course, the higher the multiplier he uses, the more stamina he drains. I¡¯ve seen him use a power multiplier of four and he soundly defeated our dear Baraquiel. And judging from the aura we just felt a few moments ago, I can safely say that he can multiply his power by more than twenty-times.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Shemhazai then collected the documents and neatly placed them on the side of the desk. ¡°How is our relationship with him?¡± Azazel released a smile as he thought about Igor¡¯s antics. ¡°It¡¯s quite good. I heard from Baraquiel that the blonde has taken quite a liking to them, especially little Akeno. He even affectionately calls her ¡®little chick¡¯.¡± ¡°Mm. That¡¯s very good indeed. Do we know when he will return?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t specify, but we do know it will take a few years.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°...¡± The silence grew unnervingly long. Shemhazai still stood next to Azazel while the latter was now looking up at the former in confusion. ¡°Anything¡­else?¡± ¡°No. Since you¡¯ve been working so diligently for the past month, I have nothing I need to give to you. In fact, we¡¯re already way ahead of schedule.¡± Azazel perked up. ¡°Oh? Well that¡¯s certainly nice. I¡¯ll go and grab myself a drink after this.¡± ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve been working so hard in silence that not once have you ever left the office. Not even to deliver the information you got about the exorcists to¡­what¡¯s her name?¡± Azazel stopped moving, his expression gradually darkening. ¡°Do not go there, brother.¡± But Shemhazai had no intention of listening. ¡°It was¡­Cleria, right?¡± But Azazel slammed his fist on the table in anger. The topic of Cleria was a sore subject for him. It was mostly the embarrassment and humiliation he felt towards himself that he overthought things. ¡°Shemhazai!! Do NOT ask. Do NOT ask around. What has happened, HAS happened.¡± Silence¡­ The silence in the office was disturbed by the cracking sound of wood slowly splitting. Azazel tapped the desk with a finger, quickly mending it before the crack could spread further and compromise the structure of the table. A few more seconds passed before Azazel sighed. ¡°I have received a clear answer from her. There is no need to pursue this matter any further, brother. So please¡­¡± Azazel did not want to revisit this topic anymore. It made him feel pathetic and that feeling only served to make him angry. He was not angry at Cleria rejecting him, but at himself for overthinking things and ruining their relationship with his impulsiveness. Shemhazai watched as his brother looked at the wood patterns on the desk with melancholy. [You have finally experienced your first love, brother.] Besides Kokabiel who showed no obvious interest in such matters, Shemhazai and Baraquiel had always wanted their wayward brother to finally settle down and experience the peace and fulfillment it brought. Shemhazai still clearly remembered the unconscious smiles and the sparkle of life in his brother¡¯s eyes whenever he mentioned Cleria. [I will not let things end like this, Azazel. Not when you were so close.] . |DxD| . AN . First off, the grammar error of writing ¡®staff¡¯ as ¡®staph¡¯ has been corrected thanks to the suggestion of LongSongGolden. Secondly, we are back to normal schedule. Thirdly, visit my p@tre0n if you want to read ahead of the general public. Here¡¯s the link if you want to read 3 chapters further: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 40 A few more seconds passed before Azazel sighed. ¡°I have received a clear answer from her. There is no need to pursue this matter any further.¡± . |DxD| . Shemhazai had noticed it within the first week that something was off about his brother. Usually, Azazel would never stay for more than three days on his desk without causing some sort of fuss. And yet he didn¡¯t complain about wanting a break or some free time. He didn¡¯t even fiddle around with his sacred gears like he usually did, which was a major cause for concern in Shemhazai¡¯s eyes. At first he didn¡¯t think much of it. But as the weeks drew on, he finally discovered the reason why. It was when Azazel sent a messenger to deliver documents to Cleria Belial that Shemhazai caught on. Ever since they met under the mutual issue of Igor, Azazel always personally engaged with her. At first, it was to build relations and rapport with her. But lately, it was because he purely enjoyed her company. And yet for Azazel to suddenly change all of that, it was easy for Shemhazai to deduce what happened. Knowing that his brother had potentially fallen in love with Cleria, Shemhazai didn¡¯t want him to give up on this issue. It is why that even though Azazel showed clear signs of not wanting to converse on this issue, he would relent. ¡°Brother. Will you truly let it end like this?¡± Azazel looked up from his paperwork at Shemhazai. He truly appeared as if talking about this was uncomfortable for him. But knowing his brother¡¯s quirks, Azazel could only sigh in defeat. ¡°What do you expect me to do, brother?¡± Cleria¡¯s subject was becoming a sore spot for Azazel. ¡°Tell me, Shemhazai. What do you expect me to do?¡± And yet instead of replying, Shemhazai had a question of his own. ¡°Do you love her?¡± Azazel froze in thought. Both of his elbows were propped up on the desk, his hands supporting his cheeks. He seemed to gaze at something only he could see. Azazel slowly pictured the times he spent with Cleria. Everything from sharing news about the blonde, to figuring out how to hide his existence. Eventually, it grew to them just spending time together whenever he went to visit Baraquiel. His mind then drifted over to the last week they spent together, where he slowly realised that he had begun to view her not as a friend, but something more. Recalling all these things made Azazel chuckle. ¡°Heh~. Have you ever seen me wallow over a woman, brother? Me, the great Azazel?¡± His meaning was clear. Since he sat here in the office ¡®wallowing¡¯ over a woman, then it was clear that he harboured great affection for her. But Shemhazai wanted proper confirmation. ¡°Brother. With our age and experience, a day is more than enough for us to know if we want to spend the next millennium with someone.¡± Shemhazai practically glared at Azazel with how focused his gaze was on him. ¡°I ask again, brother. Do you love the Belial girl?¡± Azazel closed his eyes in contemplation. But it didn¡¯t last long before he released his breath and turned to look at Shemhazai. His gaze was filled with assurance and finality. ¡°I do.¡± A gentle smile spread on his face. ¡°Surprisingly, I do. But so what? She rejected my advancements.¡± Shemhazai merely nodded before a teleportation circle spread beneath him. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡± He then vanished. ¡°...¡± Azazel truly couldn¡¯t be bothered to investigate what his brother was up to. He simply picked up his pen and set to evaluating the reports Shemhazai brought in about Igor. . |DxD| . ¡°It¡¯s already been a month.¡± Cleria was silently sitting on one of the park benches in Kuoh. While there was the warm sunshine and the laughter of children, she couldn¡¯t enjoy such a feeling due to the knot in her heart. Her days felt a little colder than before, something she wasn¡¯t used to. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°A week had never passed without me seeing him.¡± As much as she tried to endure it, she had grown too used to his presence to the point that her days felt dull without seeing his coy smile or hearing his laughter¡­ his voice. Cleria couldn¡¯t help but shake her head with a sigh. [What am I going to do?] All it took was one year and she had become attached to him. To her, Azazel was the only other person she could comfortably be around with other than her elder cousin, Diehauser. She could just be ¡®Cleria¡¯ around him. And as ironic as it sounds, Azazel never had any lecherous intentions against her. Aside from the teasing, everything was all in good fun and she honestly, from the bottom of her heart, enjoyed every single moment. ¡°*Sigh*¡± But right now wasn¡¯t the time for her to think about her decisions. Approaching her was a man in casual clothing. He had long black hair and his athletic build was hidden by his loose jeans and jacket. Walking towards her, he had a warm smile on his face. [He must be the exorcist they sent to lie to me with a cover-story.] . |DxD| . A few minutes prior . Masaomi Yaegaki was not having a good day. Walking with his hands in his pockets, he kicked a pebble along his path as he walked. There was a clear frown on his face due to the current issue bothering him. [Just because I¡¯m young, they choose me to go talk to the devil overseer.] *Kicks pebble* [I could be training with my sword from Shidou-sensei but NO.] *Kicks pebble* [¡°We have more important issues.¡± they say. ¡°We trust you with this.¡± they say.] *Kicks pebble* [Why don¡¯t you old bastards go eat shit then! I¡¯d rather kill a devil than do this diplomacy nonsense.] Making his way into the park, Masaomi stopped at the entrance and looked around for the devil he was supposed to meet. [They said she was some lady with white hair. Probably an old woman with rotten teeth and stuff. I¡¯ll have to shower with holy water after this.] He kept his senses peeled for any devil aura as he walked into the park. He tapped his foot in annoyance, the burning sun not helping things either. He would¡¯ve took off his jacket but he had weapons inside them. [Stupid sun. Stupid devil. Stupid fogeys. One person would¡¯ve been enough to deliver the holy sword to Shidou-sensei. So why is an entire squadron required? Oh right! ¡°I¡¯m too young to understand.¡±. I¡¯m 21 for crying out loud and have killed more stray devils in one week than you pot-bellied idiots have done in ten years!] Yet as his anger reached his peak, he finally caught the aura of a devil a few dozen metres from him. ¡°Fina¡­ly.¡± And there she was, in all her beauty. A beautiful white dress with cute floral patterns. Unblemished white skin that seemed so perfect it was as if it was snow itself. Her figure was shapely like that of a developing teenager- everything was in proportion. Her long lustrous hair poured over to her back and spilled over the bench like an avalanche. She was idly shaking her legs in boredom, yet even that simple action drew his eyes to those perfect legs that ended in cute furry sandals with a flower drawing on top. Masaomi couldn¡¯t move. He was so mesmerised that he even forgot to breathe for a moment. *Gulp* His mouth was dry, his heart beating so fast he was afraid it would burst out of his chest. His stomach felt empty, almost as if he was riding a rollercoaster. And when she glanced at him, it was as if all the floodgates were opened. But it was also due to her glance that he quickly recovered his wits. Striding towards her, he had to avert his eyes to their surroundings in order to control his thoughts. Ever since he was a young exorcist in training, Masaomi had been told that devils are hideous creatures that seek to enslave humankind. Yet when he looked at her again, she seemed as pretty as an angel. Knowing that he was staring again, Masaomi took deep breaths. [Alright Masa. Take deep breaths. Play it cool.] He strode over confidently towards her and did his best to calm his rampaging heart. ¡°Greetings, Lady Belial. My name is Masaomi Yaegaki of the Protestant Church. A pleasure to meet you.¡± Cleria offered a curt nod of her own as she patted the space next to her. ¡°It is indeed a pleasure to meet, Yaegaki-san.¡± *Badump* [Her VOICE!!! It¡¯s so¡­HEAVENLY!!! No! Calm down, calm down.] Masaomi chuckled as he sat down. ¡°Hehe. Not only is Lady Belial pretty. She also seems easy to talk to.¡± It was such a cheesy line that Cleria couldn¡¯t help but giggle at how he delivered it. ¡°Won¡¯t your friends back in church reprimand you for flirting with a devil?¡± ¡°Not if they are as beautiful as you~.¡± Masaomi smiled when he saw Cleria laugh again. Although it appeared as if he was simply teasing her, he had truly become smitten with her the first time he saw her when he entered the park. In his eyes, she looked no different from a normal human girl. All the belligerent and aggressive strategies he was told to use went down the drain. Instead, he wanted to get to know her a bit more. It was to the point that he had even forgotten the purpose of their meeting. But Cleria didn¡¯t. ¡°Thank you very much. I truly appreciate the compliments Yaegaki-san. But please tell me the reason why you all suddenly came to Kuoh?¡± Masaomi leaned back into the bench to emphasize his chest. But when he realised he was wearing a jacket, he scowled internally. [I knew I should¡¯ve worn a vest.] Yet not wanting to keep the beauty next to him waiting, he explained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Lady Belial. We were sent here to replace some of our personnel who had been stationed here for a while. Nothing serious, I promise.¡± He didn¡¯t want to lie to her, but he was clear about where he belonged. Telling her that they¡¯re transporting a holy sword to an exorcist living in her territory wouldn¡¯t be received pretty well. Yet in front of his words, Cleria only displayed a polite smile. [You¡¯re barely twenty years old and yet you¡¯re trying to lie to me?] Cleria was aware that she appeared to be a teenager due to her height. But having centuries under her belt and having grown up in a political family allowed her to easily spot lies. ¡°I see. I appreciate the clarification Yaegaki-san.¡± Getting up to leave, Cleria was about to walk away when Masaomi stopped her. ¡°W-wait!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± [Crap, I stuttered! Don¡¯t ruin this Masa! Don¡¯t stammer. Don¡¯t appear clingy. Just speak casually.] Taking a short breath, he looked into her eyes. ¡°When will we meet again?¡± ¡°?¡± Realising his blunder, Masaomi hurriedly clarified. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t I usually have to keep you up to date with these kinds of things? It¡¯s so that you won¡¯t suspect us of having bad intentions.¡± Cleria watched Masaomi¡¯s flustered appearance and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. [How cute.] And just as quickly, the memories of Azazel making her flustered rushed into her head like karma. Feeling her cheeks brighten, she stammered out a¡­ ¡°A-alright.¡± ¡­before retreating. Watching Cleria leave, Masaomi also had equally bright cheeks. Having seen her face scrunched up like a hamster¡¯s at that last moment, his heart was beating wildly. ¡°...¡± And it was also in that moment that he realised something. [Crap! We didn¡¯t negotiate our next meetup!] Masaomi gripped his hair in panic, internally berating himself in the process. [You¡¯re useless Masaomi!!! Useless! Useless! Useless!] . AN . Important notes will come after two the next two chapters. Enjoy Chapter 41 [Crap! We didn¡¯t negotiate our next meetup!] Masaomi gripped his hair in panic, internally berating himself in the process. [You¡¯re useless Masaomi!!! Useless! Useless! Useless!] . |DxD| . Having exited Kuoh Park, Cleria was suddenly intercepted by young man with long silver hair. Contrary to the weather aside, he was dressed in warm clothing. Cleria noticed him and giving a friendly smile, she greeted him. ¡°What a lovely surprise to meet you, Shemhazai-san.¡± Approaching the fallen with gentle steps, extended her hand. Shemhazai took it with a kind smile. ¡°Indeed it is, Belial-san. You won¡¯t mind if we have a little chat, do?¡± Although she was cautious at this sudden turn of events, she did not refuse him. ¡°Not at all, Shemhazai-san.¡± But hidden beneath her smile was a sense of trepidation. It had already been over half a decade since Cleria had last communicated with him. Even then, it was only a polite greeting, not this sort of drawn-out conversation. But her years of experience weren¡¯t for naught. Hiding any sense of unease in her heart, she followed Shemhazai to a much quieter location. The both of them eventually winded up near a tuckshop. Standing next to it, Shemhazai didn¡¯t waste time and got to the point. ¡°Belial-san. I came today to ask you something.¡± Cleria saw no reason to refuse so she nodded. ¡°I¡¯m listening, Shemhazai-san.¡± Shemhazai quickly brought some candy from the clerk for them to chew on during their talk. Not only would this help to calm the clearly nervous Cleria, it would also seem as if he wasn¡¯t here to prod or interrogate her. Handing her a sweet, he spoke. ¡°My wife has been sad that you no longer visit her.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Cleria was truly surprised. She expected that Shemhazai would come here to talk about her relationship with Azazel. But upon hearing the fallen enquire about his wife, she started to relax. Unwrapping the sweet in her hands, she responded with a relaxed smile. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m so busy that I don¡¯t have the time to visit her anymore.¡± Cleria lamented in her heart about one of her very few genuine friends. Eveline was a middle-class devil that she met around a century ago. Both of them enjoyed watching rating games and it was also because of them that they both met. Their friendship was a fruitful one and once it was verified that Eveline didn¡¯t possess any malicious intent against her, Cleria began to truly treat her as a friend. Having been friends for decades, it came as a complete shock to her when Eveline revealed to her that she had married the Vice Governor-General of Grigori. It was three years ago when she first heard the news. She was apologising for not inviting her but Cleria understood the reasons. If word of their union went out, countless assassins would be sent to kill her. Unfortunately, the last time they spoke with each other was over a year ago. Eventually, Shemhazai and Cleria started chatting about Eveline. Shemhazai would ask questions about his wife under the guise of wanting to know more about her. They continued speaking and Cleria would enthusiastically answer any questions the cadre had. They would order sweets from time to time and continue talking, the atmosphere between them gradually relaxing. It was only after a little over two hours of speaking that Shemhazai looked up at the setting sun. The shop behind them had closed down and the park had emptied out. ¡°Thank you for today, Belial-san. I never knew that Eveline had such a ¡®rich¡¯ history. But alas, I must get going now.¡± Cleria softly smiled in response. ¡°Indeed it was enjoyable speaking with you, Shemhazai-san.¡± She also gazed at the sunset as well, her clasped hands slowly moving towards her chest. ¡°You must truly love your wife.¡± Shemhazai had a gentle smile on his face. ¡°With all of my heart. I¡¯ve loved her since the first moment I saw her, just like how you love my brother.¡± ¡°Yes, I do¡­¡± Silence¡­ It was then that Cleria realised what she had just admitted. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°W-w-w-w-wait!¡± So engrossed was she in Shemhazai¡¯s words that she didn¡¯t even notice her little blonder. But he didn¡¯t care. Just that simple ¡°Yes¡± was more than enough for him. ¡°My job here is done.¡± ¡°Waiiiit!¡± Shemhazai simply smiled while a teleportation circle formed under him. ¡°Thank you for your confession, Belial-san.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Hey old man. Tell me more about those descendants in Italy.¡± Right now, Igor was flying with Sun Wukong down the mountain. The blonde now wore a long-sleeved black shirt after some insistence from the monkey sage for him to wear something on top. Igor was genuinely curious about the descendants of that woman. Hearing the word ¡®Italy¡¯ had struck a chord in the blonde since in his previous world, the Dimori family was based in Italy. Even if it was just the tiniest sliver of a chance, Igor genuinely wanted to seek some of his kin in this world and if possible, find someone who shares the same surname. Hearing the blonde continue to enquire about his possible relatives, Sun Wukong stopped. With his nose pointed in the air, he spoke with confidence. ¡°Alright alright, I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll even travel with you to them. But in exchange, you¡¯ll have to do me a small favour.¡± Sun Wukong was absolutely sure the blonde would agree. He had long since figured out that Igor was yearning for a family connection, something he would take advantage of. [Hehe. Once he agrees, I¡¯ll bind him to this favour and recruit him to Indra¡¯s army. After all, being recruited to fight is a ¡®small¡¯ favour compared to finding family members, right?] But instead of receiving a response, Sun Wukong only found Igor to be staring at him weirdly. [Small favour my ass!] The blonde was truly considering whether he should run, but he bit the bullet instead. ¡°Let¡¯s do it like this, monkey sage. You show me where the descendants of that lady are, and I¡¯ll consider whether to accept your favour depending on what it is. You have my word that I won¡¯t back out without a proper reason.¡± As slim as the chance might be, Igor couldn¡¯t bring himself to let go of such an opportunity. As long as they possessed the same blood, he would wholeheartedly treat them as family. Such was his yearning when he was thrust in an unfamiliar world. Sun Wukong accepted the favour with a nod and grabbed the blonde by the shoulder. ¡°Alright kid. I¡¯ll bet on your word this once. Let¡¯s go.¡± And like that, they vanished. . Rome, Italy . Igor and Sun Wukong were walking through the richer districts of the city. The monkey sage used a transformation technique to appear like the human version of himself in his fifties. Both monkey and human walked down the streets in relative silence. It was sunrise so the traffic on the streets had increased immensely due to people leaving work for home. Hundreds of people were walking on the sidewalk and yet the duo paid no attention to them. Struggling to ignore the noisiness of the city, Igor was grateful when Sun Wukong eventually led him to a less populated area of the district. Seeing the beautiful houses, Igor couldn¡¯t help but whistle. ¡°These people are living the soft life.¡± Sun Wukong didn¡¯t show much care for the extravagance of these houses. ¡°They worked for it. Now come on. We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Okay, monkey sage.¡± Following Sun Wukong, the duo soon came upon a massive mansion with large black gates attached to tall white pristine walls. Rows of trees and carefully maintained gardens could be seen from outside the gate. Igor and Sun Wukong didn¡¯t approach too close, but stood quite a way from the gates. ¡°Kid. I want you to follow my lead from here.¡± . |DxD| . Shemhazai teleported away from Cleria with a barely perceptible smile on his face. [Just as I thought.] Using a roundabout way of interrogating her, Shemhazai found out that Cleria held feelings for his brother, something he already guessed was possible. His line of questioning confirmed a few things. Cleria was not against fallen angels. Her happiness for him and Eveline was genuine. She also did not seem to be seeing anyone. He was initially curious about the exorcist that came earlier than him but having heard the contents of their conversation, those worries were extinguished. There were times when she stared absentmindedly at the surroundings whenever he talked about his relationship with his wife. He had a hunch as to who she might¡¯ve thinking about for her to zone out like that. So he laid that little trap at the end to bait her in. Even now as he walked along the paved grounds of Grigori, Shemhazai released an imperceptible smile. He could already imagine his brother¡¯s happiness. [I can already see all three of us brothers sharing drinks and talking about our women.] Yet while he contemplated the future, Cleria was stuck in the present. Looking at the spot where Shemhazai vanished, her face was buried in her hands, a steam of embarrassment sifting through her fingers. ¡°Waaa~ I said it. I really said it.¡± She didn¡¯t even know that she was led into a rhythm and before she knew it¡­ ¡°This is embarrassing¡­¡± ...her true thoughts were fished out without her noticing before it was too late. . Grigori, Underworld . Azazel was sitting near one of his lakes with a fishing rod in hand. Fishing was one of the pastimes he genuinely enjoyed doing. As the Governor-General of Grigori, the job itself came with its own headaches. Doing something as mundane as fishing helped him relax. Yet even as he held the rod, his mind was elsewhere. He had heard the whole conversation his brother shared with Cleria. He had also especially heard the last part. The fact that she said ¡°Yes¡±, even if it was subconsciously, made him smile because if she truly despised him, then she wouldn¡¯t have said yes even if a knife was on her throat. Hearing the soft sounds of shoes moving through grass, Azazel didn¡¯t look up when Shemhazai stood behind him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to. But, thank you.¡± Shemhazai crouched down and gave Azazel a friendly shoulder pat. ¡°No problem, brother. Every one of us knows you deserve this the most.¡± Turning around, Shemhazai took a few steps forward before he paused. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long, brother.¡± With that, he continued walking away, leaving Azazel to continue his fishing. [Hehe¡­] Try as he might, Azazel couldn¡¯t stop the slowly spreading smile on his face. Even if he tried to frown, his lips would tremble for a bit before the corners of his lip curved upwards. He only held the fishing rod for a few more seconds before he put it aside. ¡°Well¡­I can¡¯t waste my brother¡¯s efforts now, can I?¡± He adjusted the cuffs on his shirt, a confident grin spreading through his face. ¡°Brother! Handle the paperwork for me!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Old man.¡± Hovering above the mansion under the cover of an illusion, Igor¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°Why don¡¯t we kill them?¡± Igor could still vividly remember how Sun Wukong immediately found out about how they had abandoned their own daughter at an orphanage simply because she was a girl. It made Igor so angry that they could so easily abandon their own blood that Sun Wukong had to stop the blonde from killing them on the spot. Even when the couple got on their hands and knees, begging for forgiveness and mercy, the blonde could only go so far as crippling their legs with two well-shot ki beams to the spine before Sun Wukong ¡®finally¡¯ stopped him. But even when the couple middle-aged couple was crippled from the waist down, Igor wasn¡¯t fulfilled. ¡°Scum like them should have their lease on life ended.¡± Sun Wukong didn¡¯t oblige the blonde. Instead, he grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Come on kid. Leave their life and death to their daughter. Now let¡¯s go to that orphanage they spoke of.¡± Chapter 42 But even when the couple middle-aged couple was crippled from the waist down, Igor wasn¡¯t fulfilled. ¡°Scum like them should have their lease on life ended.¡± Sun Wukong didn¡¯t oblige the blonde. Instead, he grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Come on kid. Leave their life and death to their daughter. Now let¡¯s go to that orphanage they spoke of.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Come on, little Asia. You have to eat your vegetables if you want to grow big and strong like grandpa.¡± In a small room filled with plush toys and flowery bedding, a tall elderly man with white hair cradled a five-year-old blonde-haired girl. He was struggling to feed her some vegetables from a bowl of food as the girl vehemently shook her head. ¡°Grandpa! I don¡¯t wann-?!¡± Taking the opportunity, the man who was named Vasco Strada, quickly shoved the spoon of salad into Asia¡¯s little mouth, eliciting a cry of defiance from the girl. ¡°Mmnggghhg!¡± Yet Vasco simply chuckled when she balled up her fists. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Grandpa is very happy when Asia eats her vegetables.¡± But Asia thought differently. ¡°Woooo~woooo~wooo~. Grandpa is bullying me.¡± She sobbed at the sudden taste of greens in her mouth. The taste was awful and she was tempted to spit them out. But she knew how fiery her grandpa would get if she spat them out. So she swallowed them with great difficulty. ¡°Now, now. Show grandpa that you¡¯ve swallowed your food.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wanting to prove she swallowed, she opened her mouth to show him. ¡°Aaaaah.¡± Seeing her empty mouth, Vasco quickly moved the spoon and shoved another batch of salad mixed with soup into her mouth. ¡°?!¡± In an instant, Asia glared at Vasco with an expression of grievance, yet Vasco only gave her a grandfatherly smile. Asia could only quietly swallow her food, but she did her best to show him how angry she was. Yet all that amounted to was a pout with her chubby cheeks puffed up like a squirrel¡¯s. Over the course of the past few months, Vasco had truly come to care for this child he had now wholeheartedly considered his granddaughter. He had first come across her when he was supposed to look for sacred gear users. After the massive explosion of ki that occurred in Japan a year ago, the church doubled its efforts to search for more sacred gear possessors. The town of Kuoh in Japan was one of the very few strategic bases that they could use to spread out to the rest of Japan. After such a large explosion occurred near it, there naturally would be measures taken in place. Furthermore, there was also the added threat of the cadre-class fallen angel Baraquiel. Recent rumours have developed of him frequenting Kuoh as of late, prompting the church to take defensive actions in preparation. Although the church had a relatively powerful exorcist in town by the name of Touji Shidou, they felt the need to bolster their defenses even further. And thus, they sent a group of talented exorcists along with the holy sword Hauteclere. So until further notice, the church would maintain a level of vigilance for a period of time while also increasing the number of sacred gear wielders they draft into their fold. By monitoring each orphanage and searching for any abnormal aura or supernatural feats, they were able to gather quite a large amount of sacred gear wielders. But the chief amongst them was Asia Argento. She was the one that Vasco personally found when he offered to scour the orphanages in the city. At that time, Asia had seen his scarred face and desperately wanted to heal it. This caused her to manifest her sacred gear, Twilight Healing. It was such a monumental discovery that Vasco immediately offered to take care of her and adopted her as her guardian on the spot. Now, the both of them lived in a small house within the Vatican. Aside from a few maids sent to regularly clean the house, they lived alone. But it was not a problem nor a cause for concern. Staying with his surrogate granddaughter was something Vasco enjoyed wholeheartedly. The original plan was for her to stay a year where she would acclimatise to her new living conditions. After that, she would be trained to wield her sacred gear and would therefore, become the Saintess of the church. With her abilities, not only would she be able to heal exorcists and other people, she would also aid the church in gaining more believers. If there were more believers, more blessings from above can be delivered, making the whole faction powerful. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. All these possibilities stem around Asia being taken care of very well since her importance could be very pivotal towards the rise of the church. Yet even with all these thoughts, Vasco found himself not caring that Asia possessed a sacred gear. Her kindness combined with the brashness of childhood truly made him consider her family. Having dedicated his entire life to the church, he never had the chance to sire his own children. Even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t. Vasco knew full well that over the course of his life, he had gotten himself numerous enemies. As he got older, so to did the number of eyes on him increase. In the last twenty years alone, more than ten assassins had been sent after him. Most of them were remnants from the Second World War when he killed numerous races in place of protecting the Aryans. Apart from a few others, he was the one who protected the last dimensional gate until he was overwhelmed with injuries. Despite his efforts having proved fruitless in the end, the amount of enemies he gained in those few months of arduous fighting had greatly increased, forcing him to endure numerous attempts on his life the moment he left Italy. It was only when he entered his twilight years that he also started having to watch the food he ate and where he slept. Knowing that even the people who were supposed to be his own comrades had been bought, Vasco chose to seclude himself in a small house he personally built within the walls of the estate. Growing his own food and purchasing his own meals, Vasco also rarely had to worry about assassins due to the powerful wards protecting his house. Only a select few maids were allowed to enter to clean and even then, he scrutinised them personally. But with all these measures in place, his loneliness grew. The years turned into decades and gradually, the few comrades he knew died. While his hair turned white, the graves he dug increased. In the end, every single comrade he fought with in the Second World War died, leaving him to spend the next two decades in solitude. Yet all that loneliness vanished when he finally met Asia. He could still remember her running towards him and grabbing his exorcist cloak with her tiny little hands, pure concern written over her face. It had been such a long time since he experienced the feeling where someone was genuinely concerned about his wellbeing. Cradling the little blonde on his lap, Vasco felt at peace. Just having Asia next to him could make up for all of the things he went through because for her, he would kill anyone who would dare touch a single strand of her hair with ill intentions. Putting aside the now empty bowl of food, Vasco gently rubbed her head as she started to fall asleep on his stomach. He tried to lay her down on the couch yet, Asia had such a strong grip on his clothes that he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I swear on my life. No one will take advantage of you as long as I am alive-?!¡± His words were cut off when he suddenly felt a high power-level making its way towards him at high speeds. He carefully put Asia down, not interrupting her slumber, and stood up with a grim expression on his face. [Which yokai would be so brazen?] He was getting ready to walk out and yet before he could even move towards the door¡­ Tswii ¡­Igor in all his glory suddenly appeared inside the room with his Instant Transmission. Vasco was immediately put on high alert. Yet before he could act, he was bewildered when the blonde looked towards Asia. ¡°Sister!¡± . |DxD| . A few minutes prior¡­ . Under the cover of an illusion, both Sun Wukong and Igor flew towards the Vatican. Their search at the orphanage had yielded results. They found out that roughly nine months ago, she was taken in by a cardinal priest of the church in the Vatican. Igor was initially disappointed that all that was left of that woman¡¯s descendants with traces of aryan heritage was a single person. He was genuinely hoping that he would maybe find a large clan full of people with blonde hair. But during their flight, Sun Wukong explained to him everything about how relations between aryans and normal human would further dilute the aryan blood within them. This meant that out there, there were humans with aryan ancestry but were lacking the defining traits. While aryan blood was strong, successive generations of mixed human-aryans marrying normal humans would further dilute the blood and therefore, slowly erase the aryan traits of pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Asia¡¯s father was an example. He possesses the typical aryan traits of blonde hair and blue eyes while his wife possessed brown hair and green eyes. In the images of Asia they were provided with in the orphanage, she had blonde hair and green eyes. Having looked at her sunny appearance, Igor was very curious to meet his blonde comrade who shared the same ancestry as him. At this point, the blonde fully accepted he was Aryan. Knowing he was in a mystical world, he was fully prepared to accept what he was after coming across irrefutable logic. It was also this reason why he was curious as to just who his parents were in this world and why he so desperately wants to find any traces of his lineage. But while the blonde was consumed by his thoughts, something happened that caused him to stop. When they were roughly ten kilometres from the Vatican, he felt something like a rope that was rushing out of his heart towards the direction of the Vatican in front of him. His instincts were screaming at him to follow it and each time he hesitated, it felt as if his heart was twisting in on itself. Cold sweat formed on his brow as he looked further on. ¡°Argh!¡± His hand reflexively moved towards his chest, his indecision leading to further pain. Igor was confused as to what was happening. He briefly considered the notion of it being an enemy attack. But standing like this and doing nothing went against his character. [Screw it! Fight first! Plan later!] Not looking towards Sun Wukong, Igor was covered in white aura before he rushed forward. SUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuu¡­ ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong stood there with his hand meekly reaching out. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t go¡­¡± But his facial expression was completely different from his words. Even though he appeared as if he wanted Igor to stop, one look at his face and anyone could tell he was itching to watch a good show. Shrugging his shoulders, Sun Wukong looked on ahead. ¡°Well¡­I tried.¡± . AN . And we¡¯re back. A few things happened that caused me to delay uploading, one of them being sick. But I won¡¯t bore you with the details. Just know that this series hasn¡¯t been abandoned. Also, a casual reminder here that you can read three chapters ahead on my p@tre0n. Here¡¯s the link if you want to read 3 chapters further: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 43 Sun Wukong stood there with his hand meekly reaching out. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t go¡­¡± Yet on his face was a smile of immense curiosity. ¡°Well¡­I tried.¡± . |DxD| . Igor moved forward towards the Vatican, not caring that he was charging into the base of one of the most powerful factions in the supernatural world. All that was in his mind at this moment, was the fact that he could feel as if something very important to him was nearby. He could feel it in his blood, like a hunger that must be satisfied at any means necessary. Igor did not try to hide his aura. He didn¡¯t even consider it. So drawn he was by this feeling that all rational thought had been erased. But soon enough, he felt it. That empty feeling in his heart finally felt as if it was fulfilled. That empty invisible string he had been following finally connected to its target. A series of basic information appeared within Igor¡¯s head. ¡°Female. Five-years old.¡± Yet there was an extra important part that Igor paid extra attention to. ¡°Family¡­¡± It was an unavoidable fact. He could instinctively tell that whoever that girl was, was family to him. Although faint, there was a blood resonance between them. He no longer wasted any time. Putting two fingers to the top of his head, he immediately locked on to the girl through the blood connection and vanished. Tswiii . |DxD| . Igor appeared in a spacious room filled with all kinds of plushy toys and pink decorations. But he didn¡¯t care for that. *Badump* Right in front of him, lay a little girl who was in a blissful sleep. She slept on her arm, which cutely scrunched up her chubby cheeks. But that wasn¡¯t the complete reason that made Igor¡¯s heart rate suddenly spike. *Badump* *Badump* *Badump* His heart was beating so quickly because this girl looked awfully like his mother. From the golden hair to the contours on her face. Everything about her resembled his mother. The contrast was so perfect that his eyes almost became wet around the edges. Yet before he could take a step forward, a massive fist suddenly closed in on him. ¡°Get away from my granddaughter!!!¡± ¡°?!¡± Igor was so surprised by the sudden appearance of Vasco that he could barely block in time. From the moment he entered the room, he never noticed the existence of the towering elderly male. And now he paid for it. BOOM! Although he managed to quickly put up his guard, he was off balance. Thus, the blonde was sent crashing through the walls of the house. ¡°...did that just¡­happen?¡± Flying through the air, it took a good second or two for him to properly process that he was in fact, sent flying through the wall. Frowning in annoyance, Igor flipped himself and landed on his feet. He looked ahead with a serious gaze, a small outline of fiery white aura surrounding him. ¡°That punch was strong.¡± As for Vasco, the elderly titan put a simple ¡®sleep¡¯ spell on the terrified Asia who was roused by the loud crash. Knowing that exorcists will come to take Asia away later, he charged forward, determined to capture this strange boy who could suddenly teleport into his warded room with ease. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As for Igor, he stood a few hundred metres away from the house in silence, ignoring the numerous exorcists surrounding him. The blonde looked straight ahead with cold fury visible in his eyes. As soon as Vasco appeared a few dozen metres from him, Igor directly addressed him. ¡°I am not here to fight. All I want is my little sister who you¡¯re holding here. Give her to me, and I will leave with only property damage as my crime.¡± The underlying tone in the blonde¡¯s words were clear. Either Vasco hands over Asia, or there would be bloodshed. Igor truly did not want to fight at that moment. Having lived for decades, the fact that he found the closest thing to his blood relative made him increasingly eager to meet Asia. It was also for this reason that his patience was wearing thin as the seconds passed. To him, Vasco was like the obstacle that stopped him a thirsty man from reaching an oasis. Playing around was the last thing on his mind. There was truly no battle lust within him. But for Vasco, the only impression he had on the blonde right now was that he was an enemy who somehow discovered that Asia had unlocked the Twilight Healing sacred gear. Nevermind him, Asia¡¯s importance to the church and the faction as a whole was important. Under no circumstance could she leave his sight. And adding personal reasons to the mix, Asia was the light in his heart that gave him a reason to live. To him, the blonde was a threat to the granddaughter he loved with his whole heart. And thus, he must be eliminated. Su! Charging forward, Vasco focused holy power into his fist and aimed it at the blonde¡¯s face. BOOM! A giant shockwave cascaded from the clash. Yet as everyone¡¯s sight finally caught up, all they saw was Igor calmly blocking Vasco¡¯s fist with his hand. Multiple gasps of shock and hisses resounded the area. Every exorcist observing the scene was thoroughly shocked to the point that some of them dropped their weapons. As for Igor, multiple veins on his forehead were threatening to burst from rage. He could feel that Vasco was just slightly stronger than him in his base form. But that was in his base form without the Kaioken. Igor constantly had his Kaioken activated at 60% efficiency, meaning that Vasco¡¯s fist filled with holy power did absolutely nothing to him. On a normal day, he would¡¯ve entertained the thought of fighting the strong elderly man in front of him. But he was so anxious to meet Asia that the mere fact that he was being prevented from meeting the only family member worthy of his acknowledgement, made him truly wish to boost himself twice and instantly kill Vasco. Yet even though he was struck first, Igor gritted his teeth and spoke. ¡°I am not here to fight. All I want is my little sister. Do NOT force my hand.¡± The only reason the blonde hadn¡¯t lost his rationale was because he could still feel Asia sleeping in the house. Furthermore, he felt that he couldn¡¯t teleport into the room any longer, likely a defensive measure that was executed by the old man glaring at him. And his pride wouldn¡¯t let him run past Vasco to go to Asia. The last thing he wanted was being chased all over the world. Just the number of exorcists surrounding him was more than enough for him to know that simply up and leaving with her would cause endless troubles. And if he could, he would rather kill them all here to rid himself of possible trouble. But like his initial intentions, he truly did not want to reap lives unnecessarily. He was not clear about the whole situation yet. When he first saw Asia, she looked so peaceful and there was no sign of abuse. That is why he could still hold himself back with gritted teeth, even though his rage was threatening to bubble over. Vasco jumped away from the blonde and without pause, summoned Durandal in his hand. ¡°Surrender yourself peacefully, or face the consequences.¡± ¡°...¡± su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°You really treat me as a vegetarian, don¡¯t you?¡± GRUUUUUU! A violent red aura manifested around the blonde. He tried diplomacy, but it wasn¡¯t working. He didn¡¯t attack first, yet the elderly male in front of him was truly pushing every button in his body. As for Vasco, he was even more determined to stop Igor from advancing any further, especially after sensing the violent ki emanating from him. He was even more sure that Igor was a yokai in disguise. Immediately, he charged forward and swung Durandal at the blonde. Yet¡­ *Grab* ¡­Igor stopped the blade with his hand. ¡°I¡¯m done asking.¡± With his power having increased tenfold, his power had already surpassed that of the mid-satan class. Taking into account his powerful body nurtured by gravity training and numerous herbs, it was easy for him to grab the blade of the holy sword, especially with demi-ki shrouding his entire body. Igor coldly looked into Vasco¡¯s eyes, a terrifying pressure spreading from him. Reeling his fist back, Igor tore away the sword from Vasco¡¯s grasp before punching the man in the stomach. Boom! He acted so quickly that Vasco could barely see the blonde¡¯s actions. By the time his brain caught up, he was already sent flying through the air. ¡°?!¡± Quickly reacting, Vasco performed a backflip before righting himself on the ground. His hand clutched his stomach, right on the spot where a dark red corruption seemed to spreading from it. But that pain paled in comparison to what he saw Igor do. Igor was holding Durandal with a tight grip while the sword seemed to be vibrating immensely. Yet the blonde cared not for the sword rejecting him. It was with his next words that Durandal finally stopped resisting. ¡°Obey, or be destroyed.¡± With the blonde finally channelling demi-ki into Durandal, the sword finally stopped shaking and willingly submitted to Igor. Feeling the sword¡¯s acquiescence, Igor pointed it towards Vasco. His words were cold, his judgement final. ¡°Die.¡± Tswii! . AN . Things are looking pretty neat. I¡¯ve settled into a schedule so right now, this should be my normal uploading time until further notice. Moving on, here¡¯s the link if you want to read 3 chapters further. There¡¯s a particularly nice scene ahead that may melt-¡­okay, I¡¯ll stop here since this would count as spoiling it for you. Again, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 44 With the blonde finally channelling demi-ki into Durandal, the sword finally stopped shaking and willingly accepted Igor. Feeling the sword¡¯s acquiescence, Igor pointed it towards Vasco. ¡°Die.¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . It was almost nighttime in town. The evening breeze flowed in in and the streets gradually emptied. Husbands and fathers were coming home from work to a home filled with the warmth of their wives and families and a warm meal. Yet among the people who lived alone, Cleria once again spent another day alone at her home. As for her peerage, they were either in the underworld conducting various business or patrolling Kuoh for any stray or unauthorised supernatural entity. Cleria, as the overseer of Kuoh, acted as the brains behind everything and so was responsible for coordinating all of her peerage¡¯s movements. While a few pawns would patrol, most of her other pieces would form new contacts or maintain existing contacts. Cleria took her job as the Overseer of Kuoh very seriously. As such, she needed to keep up to date with the latest news on whatever happens in the supernatural world and whether it would affect her territory. Right now in her office, Cleria was mulling in her head about how to handle the church. With the aid of Azazel, she had received intelligence depicting that an unknown holy sword had been transported into town. She had no idea if the church was planning to attack her or had a greater plan in mind. She had been monitoring their movements for the past few days yet nothing of note happened. Looking at the latest report of the church¡¯s movements in her hand, Cleria dropped the paper before burying her head in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m really tired of playing this game. Just what is the church up to?¡± The fact that a weapon that could literally erase her from existence is in such close proximity to her made her restless. The fact that she couldn¡¯t decipher the church¡¯s intentions made her even more restless. Even when she personally tailed a few of their exorcists, they never said anything of note. All of this became an immensely frustrating experience for her. ¡°Should I increase the surveillance? Or should I maybe-¡± It was then that she suddenly felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her body. She was about to panic but when she heard the voice of the owner¡­ If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°-ask Azazel for help?¡± ¡­she panicked even further. But this time, for a complete different reason. ¡°W-w-what are¡­¡± ¡°Ssshh¡± Silencing her, Azazel stretched out his hand towards one of the documents and picked them up to examine. Meanwhile, Cleria was already blushing up to her ears, the feeling of his hot breath on her neck making her body shiver. She silently endured the ¡®torture¡¯ while Azazel made occasional hums as he read through different documents. Cleria trapped the hems of her skirt between her fists, her head lowered to the point that her chin touched her chest. Yet even though her shyness level was rising through the roof, she made no move to try and escape the enclosure of his arms. [They-they feel¡­warm.] But Cleria would never say that out loud since it was too embarrassing to admit. So while Azazel seemingly read through the documents, she quietly waited for him to speak, not daring to speak first. She knew that if she spoke first, her voice would crack like before. She lifted her head to sneak a glance at him, yet as she saw the seriousness his gaze, she was instantly entrapped by how calm he appeared. With his eyes calmly scanning through each of the documents she got headaches from¡­ *Badump* *Badump* *Badump* ...her heart began beating so loud she feared Azazel could hear it. And judging by the sudden smirk on his face, he clearly did. Quickly lowering her head again, she felt so hot that she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if steam began escaping through her skin. Her fists tightened on her skirt. [Wawawawawa! This is embarrassing!] As for Azazel, he peered through each document, a grin forming on his mouth every few moments he read Cleria¡¯s intelligence reports. [No wonder Cleria couldn¡¯t see through their movements. They covered their tracks quite well. Well¡­not well enough.] In the end, he neatly placed the documents on the desk before moving his hands to massage Cleria¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Leave this to me. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Hearing those same words again, Cleria¡¯s embarrassment was replaced by guilt. She remembered how he said the same words to her when she first came with the issue of the influx of exorcists. She rejected his advances and yet he didn¡¯t renege on his deal. S Even now with his appearance again, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to accept his help like nothing ever happened. ¡°N-no¡­I-¡± ¡°Ssshhh. I said leave this to me. I can feel that you¡¯re tired and stressed.¡± But Cleria couldn¡¯t relent. She felt completely ashamed that even after pushing him away, he still came to help. ¡°But-¡± ¡°Cleria.¡± The vibrations caused by his deep voice penetrated into her neck. The way he said her name made her shiver to the point that her ears turned red. Yet his next words made her heart flutter in ways she never thought were possible. ¡°You are a very important person to me. That is why I am helping you. When I am here, I do not want you to face unnecessary difficulties, not while I am still alive. Do you understand?¡± ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t find any words to say. All she focused on was the first part of the sentence. It went on and on like a replay in her mind. The complete confidence when he said those words made her trust him. And it was also because she trusted him that she felt inferior. ¡°A-Azazel. I can¡¯t. We can¡¯t.¡± Although her words seemed ambiguous, Azazel understood them. She was still referring to the implications of what would happen if they furthered their relationship. But Azazel was not going to tolerate that kind of nonsense. Gripping her shoulders, he turned her around to face him before looking straight into her eyes. ¡°Cleria. I love you.¡± ¡°?!¡± His sudden declaration caught her completely off guard. The firmness in his gaze and the assurance in his words made her eyes widen. Every strand of conviction she mustered up to refuse Azazel¡­ *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* ¡­was breaking apart. She couldn¡¯t hold herself back anymore. Standing up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and¡­ Chuu~ Chapter 45 She couldn¡¯t hold herself back anymore. Standing up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and¡­ Chuu~ . |DxD| . A few moments prior¡­ . Sun Wukong was enjoying the good show below while eating a banana. He was high up in the sky and was observing the situation below Dozens of exorcists had surrounded Igor while Vasco stood a few metres away from the blonde. Even though the situation seemed grim for the blonde, Sun Wukong had no intention of interfering in this little debacle. Taking another bite from his banana, he grinned. ¡°Haha! Good show! Good show! What will that punk Vasco do now?¡± Another moment passed and when Vasco pulled out Durandal, he stopped chewing in order to observe Igor¡¯s reaction. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s quite the aura he¡¯s releasing-¡± ¡®You really treat me as a vegetarian, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Hearing that line, Sun Wukong doubled over in laughter. ¡°Puahahaha! He really said such a line?! How long has it been since I¡¯ve heard that sentence?¡± Sun Wukong continued to watch with great interest as Igor used the pressure from his Kaioken to immobilise everyone in the vicinity. Apart from Vasco, every other exorcist was already struggling to remain upright. But Sun Wukong did not care for those little scrubs that could barely qualify as high-class in power. What intrigued him more was¡­ *Grab!* ¡°Oho?¡± Seeing Igor grab the blade of Durandal with his bare hands, Sun Wukong¡¯s interest peaked. ¡°To be able to grab that little thing¡­is it his aura that is suppressing that sword?¡± Sun Wukong knew that whenever Vasco wielded Durandal, he could cut through almost anything with ease. Yet for him to fail to slash through Igor¡¯s hands raised a few intriguing questions about the blonde and his Kaioken. And in a short moment, his questions were answered. The moment Igor grabbed Durandal by the handle and channeled his demi-ki into it, the monkey sage was able to sense what was happening. ¡°So it¡¯s suppression. That strange ki of his can completely suppress the holy power within that pesky sword.¡± Sun Wukong truly wanted to see what Igor would do next. But when he sensed the subtle killing intent the blonde released, he knew he had to intervene. . |DxD| . Having lost every ounce of patience within him, Igor pointed Durandal at Vasco. His words were spoken with finality, his judgement decided. ¡°Die.¡± Tswii! Appearing above Vasco, Igor stabbed down with cold determination and intent to Vasco¡¯s skull as a sheath for Durandal. But¡­ *Grab!* ¡­Sun Wukong appeared in an instant and stopped a potential war between the yokai and heaven by trapping the blade between his fingers. ¡°?¡± Igor stared wide-eyed at Sun Wukong stopping him from delivering the killing blow. But he was more curious than angry. From the little he knew about the monkey sage, he seemed to be the type to never interfere in most matters unless it was necessary. As for Vasco, the elderly male finally noticed the tip of the blade hovering above his skull. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°?!?!?!¡± He quickly sidestepped away from his rather precarious position. A cold sweat formed over his brow after experiencing the literal expression of ¡®Death looms over you¡¯. But Vasco was no stranger to dangerous situations. Regaining his composure, he was ready to fight again but¡­he was completely unprepared for the sight of Igor and Sun Wukong suddenly bickering with each other. The old monkey was hovering above the ground, his height level with the blonde as he screamed into his face. ¡°Ya stinkin¡¯ kid! Do you know just how troublesome it would be you killed that punk?!¡± Igor¡¯s face turned red from anger, his throat muscles working themselves to deliver a severe tongue-lashing to the meddling sage. ¡°Who the hell cares who that old man is! He blocked my way even when I asked! Get it?! I ASKED. Since he blocked me from seeing my sister, then naturally I would kill him!¡± Hearing the blonde¡¯s ¡®logic¡¯, Sun Wukong grew veins on his forehead. Pointing towards Vasco, he berated the blonde. ¡°Kill, your behind! That punk before you is the strongest exorcist. If he dies, the church will become an annoyance! And not just for you, but for my entire race as well ya little shit!¡± ¡° ¡®Little shit¡¯, your ass! Who told him to block my way when I clearly came in peace?!?!¡± ¡°Your sense of peace is warped you stupid lil¡¯ shit! Listen here. This is Vasco Strada. If he dies then kill yourself as well!¡± Sun Wukong grabbed the stem of his nose in helplessness while Igor remained silent in shock. ¡°Now I regret letting you come here. I should¡¯ve grabbed you by the ear!!!¡± Sun Wukong was very clear about the position of Vasco Strada. He was one of the peak combat personnel that the church had. If Igor killed him, the church wouldn¡¯t be meek, but instead attack radically in order to preserve their reputation. It would not be a stretch if Seraphs were sent after the blonde. Furthermore, Igor used ki which is currently known to only be usable by yokai. Just this alone would cause an irreconcilable grudge between the Heaven Faction and the Yokai Faction. The reason the grudge would nigh unsolvable, is because the death of Vasco Strada would open a floodgate that could only be closed with Igor¡¯s corpse. If the church did nothing, then they would be showing weakness and several other factions would begin to take advantage. That is why Sun Wukong immediately stopped Igor. Because Vasco dying would be far more troublesome. But furthermore, Sun Wukong believed Vasco was not someone who should die meaninglessly. Yet the blonde considered none of this. When Igor heard Sun Wukong say ¡°Vasco Strada¡±, a chord was struck within the blonde. Every ounce of anger vanished in an instant when he once again looked at Vasco. An expression of fanaticism was on his face, almost the same as a fan looking at their idol. ¡°Vasco Strada? You¡¯re THE Vasco Strada?! The strongest human?!¡± There was so much admiration in the blonde¡¯s gaze that neither Sun Wukong nor Vasco knew how to react to the sudden turn of events. The gaze in Igor¡¯s eyes was so genuine that Sun Wukong didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or sigh in relief. As for Igor, he laughed awkwardly as he extended his hand towards the elderly male. ¡°Hehe¡­sorry about before, Signor Strada. I was just too anxious to see my sister that I couldn¡¯t recognise you.¡± While Vasco stood in a daze, Sun Wukong slapped Igor on the shoulder. ¡°Kid! What nonsense are you talking about? Do you know this punk?¡± ¡°Punk?!¡± Igor turned to glare at Sun Wukong. ¡°Call Signor Strada a punk again, monkey sage! I dare you! I double-dare you!¡± Ignited by the blonde¡¯s taunts, Sun Wukong fired back. ¡°Punk! He¡¯s a punk! His whole family is filled with punks! What will you do now?!¡± Igor spit some saliva to the side before glaring at Sun Wukong. ¡°That¡¯s it! If I don¡¯t beat you into the ground in ten years, I¡¯ll change my bloody name to Shit von Dimori!¡± ¡°Well you might as well change it now!!!¡± Sun Wukong was so riled up by the blonde that his entire face had turned red. He had never met a brat so insufferable that even he who had seen entire dynasties rise and fall, could be angered to death by him. While Sun Wukong and Igor argued with each other, Vasco finally regained his wits and let out a boisterous laugh. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± The situation in front of him was truly too hilarious. Vasco had already swept the matter of nearly dying under the rug. Such a scenario was not rare for him. Rather, the sudden event of the blonde showing him great respect and even referring to him as ¡®Signor¡¯ (Mister) truly made him unable to hold back his laughter. It was like a sudden twist in a tale. Furthermore, it was truly entertaining to watch ¡®The Venerable Sage¡¯ Sun Wukong completely lose his composure to a lad who appeared to be in his teenage years. Wiping a tear from his eye, he looked at Sun Wukong. ¡°Old Sun. Where did you find such an interesting lad.¡± Sun Wukong merely crossed his arms while he looked away from the blonde. ¡°Hmph! Even after all these years, you¡¯re still addressing me so casually, you punk.¡± Vasco only laughed harder, causing Sun Wukong to groan. Igor looked at these two elders who suddenly appeared to have an amicable relationship. He was about to enquire as to how they knew each other, but a sudden tugging in his heart made him pause. In his mind, the image of Asia being carried away by an exorcist surfaced. The little blonde was struggling with all her might, her screams of resistance falling on deaf ears. ¡®Let me go! Let me go! Grandpa! Help! Please help!¡¯ His head instantly whipped towards her location, his body oozing killing intent. He didn¡¯t question the vision nor harbour any doubts. Whether it was a trick or an illusion did not enter his mind at all. All he knew was that the girl he wholeheartedly considered his little sister was crying for help. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!!!¡± In an instant, he activated Kaioken x20 and charged forward. Any lethargy or pain he might¡¯ve experienced by suddenly boosting his base strength by twenty was suppressed by pure rage and stress that churned through his blood. Both elders watched on as the blonde soared away in a red blaze of fury. But while Vasco was heavily concerned, Sun Wukong only glanced once in the blonde¡¯s direction before huffing and grabbing Vasco¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The one who¡¯s going to die deserves it.¡± Sun Wukong had instantly sensed the ill-intentions the party who kidnapped Asia had. He had absolutely no qualms in the blonde killing him. . AN . Yesterday was Saturday. So here¡¯s two chapters to make up for missing Friday. As always, visit my p@tre0n for extra chapters Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 46 Both elders watched on as the blonde soared away in a red blaze of fury. But while Vasco was heavily concerned, Sun Wukong only looked once at the blonde¡¯s direction before huffing and grabbing Vasco¡¯s pants. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The one who¡¯s going to die deserves it.¡± . |DxD| . Igor blazed forward, his target entering his sight. He could see the man was wearing a robe with a hood covering his head. But the blonde cared not for his appearance. All he could see was that his sister was struggling to escape, and this man was about to inject her with a substance. In that moment, all Igor saw was red. Pure unadulterated rage stemming from primal fury resulted in a roar of anger that shook the surroundings and stunned the kidnapper. ¡°RAAAAA!¡± Tswii! BOOM The man couldn¡¯t even properly react before his head was blown to pieces by Igor¡¯s punch. The impact was so fast and powerful that everything from the neck up was shattered into pieces before being flung into different directions by the force of the punch. The scene was so gruesome that if Asia had witnessed it, she would¡¯ve been traumatised. Luckily, Igor had ripped her away from her would-be kidnapper and tossed her to the side before delivering the final blow. With the now headless corpse about to fall over, Igor immediately paid attention to Asia who had covered her ears and was in a fetal position. The crunching sound of bones cracking and exploding completely terrified her young and fragile mind. Although she did not witness the gruesome scene, just the auditory aspects were more than enough for her to completely shiver in fear. The little blonde was so scared that Igor wasted no time and hurriedly went over to console her. He knelt down and brought her into his embrace. Immediately, Asia moved her hands from her ears and wrapped her arms around his waist. Burying her head into his chest, she did not consider whether he was an enemy or not. All she wanted in that moment, was to latch on to the nearest source of comfort. Igor was momentarily surprised but did not reject her. He rubbed her back while muttering words of comfort over and over again. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.¡± The blonde himself was also smitten with panic. In that brief moment when the kidnapper was about to inject Asia with the syringe, he felt more panic than fear. It was fear that came from the depths of the heart, the same fear that comes with almost losing a loved one. Thus, these words of comfort were not just for Asia, but for himself as well. In mind, he kept telling himself that it was over. There was a tiny part of himself that questioned the rationality of all of this. Holding such immense affection for a little girl he just met was completely irrational. But that tiny part slowly disappeared under the massive waves of affection he now harboured for little Asia. All he knew was that his feelings were genuine. Asia was family and that was more than enough for him. The hows and whys were for smarter people to consider. He simply went with his gut feeling. Sun Wukong and Vasco kept their distance from the two blondes. While Vasco did repeatedly insist on rushing towards his surrogate granddaughter, Sun Wukong stopped him. The old sage knew that Igor was like a mother hen protecting her chicks. If anything even remotely dangerous approached them, he may lash out. And having given Vasco a once over, he appeared completely dangerous. With his absolutely muscled physique, the lack of any sag would make anyone question if he was truly an elderly in his seventies. If it wasn¡¯t for his hair full of white, many people would rather be beaten to death than believe Vasco Strada was a man old enough to become their ancestor. Standing with his arms crossed, it took a while for him to eventually temporarily suspend the idea. Instead, he decided to address a question he had that had recently risen in his mind. ¡°Old Sun. I was wondering for quite a while now. Why does that boy treat my little Asia as his sister? Is he a yokai that imprinted on her?¡± Sun Wukong summoned his staff and ruthlessly bonked him on the head with it. ¡°Did your senses rust after all these years? Focus on his aura and properly feel him.¡± Vasco begrudgingly rubbed his head and extended his senses towards Igor. In that instant, all his grievances vanished when he finally sensed that Igor was indeed human. ¡°?!¡± To say that he was surprised was an understatement. As far as his knowledge went, it was impossible for humans to use ki. It was a universally acknowledged rule that had been known for countless years. Vasco couldn¡¯t help but glance at the blonde again. Even though he was old, his eyesight remained far superior to that of a normal human. Thus he could scrutinise the blonde in detail. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Over the course of ten seconds, his eyes gradually widened, the profoundness of Igor¡¯s abnormality dawning on him. ¡°He¡­he truly is human.¡± If there was one thing that Vasco prided himself on, it was his senses, especially after having had Sun Wukong¡¯s tutoring. Having battled numerous foes that take on a human form, being able to recognise their race was absolutely vital, especially in his latter years when they disguised themselves in order to get close and assassinate him. Faced with such a discovery, the elderly exorcist couldn¡¯t help but turn towards Sun Wukong who was grinning to himself. ¡°Old Sun. How is this possible? There¡¯s absolutely no trace of yokai heritage that I can find within him.¡± Sun Wukong grin only widened. ¡°Of course you can¡¯t. Even I¡¯ve never seen such a scenario before. Not even the Aryans that came before him could use ki. It makes me wonder whether he awakened a sort of bloodline mutation or something else.¡± Compared to before, Vasco was not surprised about Igor¡¯s Aryan heritage. He had suspected it due to his appearance and the power he had. But instead of being worried, he felt pride. He looked towards Sun Wukong a grin. ¡°Old Sun. My human race has another powerful member in its ranks.¡± *Slight Vein Twitch* Sun Wukong only looked away with a huff before replying. ¡°Hmph. I thought the beating he gave you would lower that arrogance of yours.¡± * Vasco placed a hand on his waist as he laughed out loud. Knowing he riled up the old sage, he couldn¡¯t help but take a jab. ¡°Hahahahaha! Didn¡¯t you hear the lad? You have ten years to prepare those buttocks for a beating, Old Sun!¡± *Vein Bulge* ¡°You punk! Is that how you speak to your elders?! See how I discipline you!¡± Vasco didn¡¯t take Sun Wukong¡¯s threat seriously. ¡°Hahahaha, Old Sun! You remind me of the old days!¡± A few decades ago, friendly banter like this was the norm between them. During the Second World War and a few years after, Vasco had spent a lot of time with Sun Wukong when he was routinely deployed across the world. Knowing that Vasco was trying to rile him up, the old sage merely scoffed. ¡°Tch. Even as an elder, you¡¯re still annoying you damn punk.¡± Instead of riling Sun Wukong any further, Vasco smiled as he gazed in the direction of Igor and Asia. He could still remember the numerous times multiple people of the supernatural world tried to kill him for interfering in their attempt to destroy the Aryans. If Sun Wukong had never interfered or taught him some of his skills, he would not have lived long enough to grow a gain a crown of white. Looking at the touching scene ahead, Vasco spoke. ¡°Thank you, Old Sun. If you hadn¡¯t saved me, I wouldn¡¯t be alive to see this.¡± Right there cradled on Igor¡¯s lap, Asia was already dozing off while the elder blonde scratched her scalp with absolute care. The gentle gaze on his face was so peaceful compared to his usual boisterousness that Sun Wukong couldn¡¯t help but shiver in awkwardness. Covering his face with his hand, he looked away. ¡°This¡­this is too abnormal. The Igor I know isn¡¯t like this.¡± There were literal sparkles around the blonde¡¯s face. The gentleness in his gaze and the care in his eyes was a complete opposite to the absolutely murderous expression on his face just a few minutes prior. Even now, this picture of serenity was ruined by the headless corpse of the former kidnapper causing a puddle of blood to form on the spot. The fact that Igor could casually caress Asia with a corpse less than five metres from him was the only reason that Sun Wukong was assured the blonde wasn¡¯t an impostor. There were numerous bits and pieces of bone, meat, and brain matter acting as impromptu fertiliser yet not once did the blonde flinch. It was as if aside from him and Asia, nothing else existed. Vasco didn¡¯t understand why the old sage was shivering. He could only watch in confusion as Sun Wukong covered his face. [I don¡¯t get what is going on in this old monkey¡¯s head. I know I would¡¯ve done much worse to that scum and still cradled my lovely granddaughter with love.] . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± All the exorcists surrounding the area quietly looked at each other awkwardly. Neither knew whether they should retreat or secure the vicinity. And with how things were, neither of them had the guts to approach Vasco, especially with Sun Wukong in the mix. They could still vividly remember how they suddenly couldn¡¯t move when they tried to intervene in the fight between Igor and Vasco. They were aware of who was responsible and that only further added to their feelings of hesitation. Despite being top class elites, they were still human too goddamnit! ¡°So¡­what do we do?¡± Unfortunately or fortunately, that exorcist¡¯s question was heard by Vasco. Immediately, the strongest exorcist bellowed. ¡°What are you damn wastes waiting for?!?! Secure the perimeter immediately or else I¡¯ll triple your training tonight!!!¡± ¡°¡°¡°?!?!?!¡±¡±¡± Immediately, they moved with silent precision. Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Just the threat of their training being tripled was more than enough for them to move at full speed. Their blurry figures dashed all over the Vatican as they sealed it off so tightly that even a fly would be able to buzz through. Any spies that tried to pass off any messages were immediately apprehended. It cannot be seen whether it is fate or a stroke of luck, but the delayed reaction from the exorcists made the spies bold under the assumption that the Vatican was on the verge of falling. How wrong they were. Right now, the supernatural world was on the verge of turmoil. Numerous existences had sensed Igor¡¯s ki in the Vatican and were extremely curious as to why the same energy signature that was in the Himalayas had also appeared at the Vatican. If the Kaioken didn¡¯t significantly alter Igor¡¯s ki signature, they might¡¯ve also connected him to Kuoh as well. With two major events having occurred and the Church¡¯s sudden increase in security made everyone all the more curious as to what exactly happened. Yet the party in question cared not for what he just did. Right now, his only concern was Asia who was sleeping on his lap. The affection in his gaze could not be hidden in the slightest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry any longer. Big brother Igor will always be here for you, little sister.¡± . AN .
  1. ¡°Hmph. I thought the beating he gave you would lower that arrogance of yours.¡±
Explanation: When Vasco mentioned humanity having another powerful member in its ranks, the keywords are ¡°another member¡±. This means that Vasco included himself in the list of powerful members, hence Sun Wukong¡¯s reply. You¡¯re welcome to visit my p@tre0n for extra chapters. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 47 Yet the party in question cared not for what he just did. Right now, his only concern was Asia who was sleeping on his lap. The affection in his gaze could not be hidden in the slightest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry any longer. Big brother Igor will always be here for you, little sister.¡± . |DxD| . Baraquiel was slowly going through his movements on a small remote island owned by Grigori. It was a relatively lush landscape filled with various shrubbery and large bushes. A few pine trees dotted the island but they were few in number. In the place of grass was white beach sand that covered the whole island. Standing on that sand was a topless Baraquiel. He was also barefoot, only a pair of black pants covering him. With his eyes closed, his mind flashed back to the two moments he felt Igor¡¯s strength from nearly halfway across the world. [That brat has gotten so strong in such a short time. If this carries on, even Brother Azazel would be hard-pressed to fight him without his any of his sacred gears.] Having felt Igor¡¯s previous thirty-times Kaioken in the Himalayas and his sudden outburst in the Vatican, Baraquiel was clear that the blonde had a peak combat capability that was situated around the upper end of god-class (high satan-class). To Baraquiel, this kind of fast growth in power was on the level of, or already surpassed that of Longinus wielders. Knowing all this pushed Baraquiel to train even harder. The sand shifted beneath his feet as he slowly moved around with timed precision. While his movements seemed meaningless, the muscles on his body were bulging immensely with sweat dripping down his forehead. Even though he was laid bare to the burning sun, Baraquiel remained focused. A few crackles of golden lightning would occasionally escape his body every dozen-or-so seconds. In tune with those brief crackles, he would suddenly switch movements and explode with cold ferocity that would cause a loud thunderclap to resound. But he remained moving. From slowly punching forward, to raising his leg in a high kick and holding it in the air for a certain amount of time. After a dozen seconds passed, he would instantly lower his leg and punch forward, crackles of holy lightning appearing around his body like a golden sash. Each time he went through his movements, he only had one thought in mind. [Get stronger. I must get stronger. For my wife and child, for my brothers, and for my race, I must get stronger.] With the Igor¡¯s arrival, it finally hit Baraquiel just how weak he was. That little brat that could barely take a proper punch from him without getting knocked unconscious completely surpassed him after training for ten years in his time chamber. While it seemed long for others, it was a short time for Baraquiel. It still struck him hard to this day that all it took was just over sixty years of training for the blonde to move from a complete weakling to an entity far stronger than him. Not even a week had passed since Baraquiel felt Igor¡¯s demi-ki permeate the world from the Himalayas. It had come as such a complete shock to him that if the blonde had gone all out, he wouldn¡¯t have lasted a second. It was such an eyeopener that just feeling his power made him completely redouble his training. Besides the blonde¡¯s aura, he had also felt numerous powerful energy signatures that had lingered around where Igor was. A part of him was astonished that so many powerful people existed. But that only served to remind him that the supernatural world was broad and numerous hidden existences roamed it. This fact only further cemented his desire to train. They weren¡¯t at the top anymore. Unlike the beginning of time when they were considered to be very strong, this wasn¡¯t the case anymore. Numerous years had passed and numerous entities had come into existence. With each new generation coming, they surpassed the old. Well¡­Baraquiel no longer wanted to be surpassed. With sweat dripping down his cheeks, he further assessed the current situation. [Of all the three factions, only the Fallen have stayed relatively stagnant. The Devils have the likes of Sirzechs and Ajuka while the Angels have numerous sacred gear wielders and figures like Strada. Although we have a few talents here and there, our development is too low and¡­] A slight crackle of black lightning formed around his body before it quickly reverted to gold. [Tch. It is about time we evolve as well.] . |DxD| . Vatican City, Italy . On a nice and sunny day, flowers would blossom and bees would buzz around them to collect nectar. Birds would release lovely mating calls while butterflies would flutter around the fields. That was the kind of peace and serenity that most of the city was experiencing. Yet in a certain area of the Vatican Estate¡­ *Glare* *Glare* ¡°...¡± ¡­Igor and Vasco were at a standoff. The atmosphere between them was so heavy that not even a fly dared to get close to the corpse lying on the ground. Metaphorical dark clouds hovered about the two god-class entities as they glared each other to hell and back. The only reason hell hadn¡¯t broken loose was because the little bundle of sunshine that these two behemoths were disputing over was still in the area. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. To be specific, in the blonde¡¯s arms was Asia who was peacefully snoozing on his shoulder. Igor held her very tightly like the overprotective brother he was. But that was not the reason for the suddenly tense situation. Standing just a door¡¯s length from Igor, Vasco stood there with his hands outstretched. His intentions were clear- he wanted to carry Asia. For over a minute, both parties stood at a deadlock. Neither was willing to step down. The object of their affection was far too much for them to acquiesce. Sun Wukong only acted as a bystander ready to watch a good show. Observing them silently dispute over the honour of carrying the little blonde, the old sage suddenly had the idea of simply snatching Asia and seeing their reaction. But he immediately cancelled that little thought due to how dire the consequences would be. Even though he was much, much stronger than them, he knew full well how annoying it would be to fight two knuckleheads without fear of death. Having resolved to not allow his intrusive thoughts to win, Sun Wukong silently chose to continue observing the situation. And the situation was gradually descending into pandemonium. Sparks were flying between Igor and Vasco as the former refused to hand over his dear little sister. Although Igor viewed Vasco as his idol, that was worth squat in the current situation. Under no circumstances was he going to compromise and hand over Asia. It did not matter that during the first years of his training, Vasco Strada was the person he would repeatedly chant his name over and over again whenever he was on the verge of giving up. It did not matter that his idol was standing in front of him and asking for something that could be easily accomplished. Asia was non-negotiable and the blonde was completely firm on his stance. Hell hath no fury like an overprotective brother, and Igor was determined to show the exorcist what would happen if he so much touched a single strand of Asia¡¯s hair. Unfortunately for the blonde, Vasco either didn¡¯t notice, or chose to ignore Igor¡¯s subtle killing intent. Similarly to the blonde, Vasco was relentless and he had more than enough patience to continue waiting like this. He was more than confident that the moment Asia woke up, she would kick up a fuss just to come to him. It was that as opposed to the blonde¡¯s snarl, he had a slight smile on his face. ¡°Lad. I¡¯m waiting.¡± Yet while his smile appeared kind, the sudden increase in killing intent flooding the vicinity stated the complete opposite. Just this straightforward action summed up that he wasn¡¯t asking. In front of this towering behemoth of a man, most would¡¯ve already cowered under his gaze. But Igor wasn¡¯t most people. Matching Vasco¡¯s gaze, the blonde remained unwavering. ¡°Signor. There is no need to trouble yourself. I will take care of my little sister.¡± The blonde delivered his statement with respect, assurance, and complete authority. It was only because he respected Vasco from the bottom of his heart that Igor didn¡¯t broaden the man¡¯s vocabulary with a few colourful words. But Vasco wasn¡¯t willing to relent. Asia was his granddaughter in all but blood. He deeply wanted to hold her after all that had happened recently. Yet before he could continue to fight, an exorcist quickly appeared in front of him with a bow. ¡°Father. Your presence is required by the council.¡± ¡°...¡± *Subtle Vein Bulge* For the first time in his life, Vasco wished the church never existed. . |DxD| . A few hours passed and the evening sunset was about to reach its climax. A beautiful orange glow cascaded over the entire area and blended well with the lightly coloured buildings of the estate. Currently, Igor was sitting alone outside on the grass. He had hugged his knees together while his eyes roamed over Vasco¡¯s garden. He was in complete silence, his gaze revealing that he was in contemplation. When Sun Wukong happened upon this scene, his curiosity was incited. Moving over to the blonde, he sat beside him. ¡°What has your brain running around like a monkey chasing bananas?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor seemed to ignore the old sage, but Sun Wukong didn¡¯t take offence since he knew the blonde was still thinking. [For him to think this much, I wonder what he will say?] The quiet drew on for a minute or two before Igor finally responded. His words were unusually soft and yet strong. But the sincerity behind them could not be faked. ¡°Monkey sage. Thank you. You have helped me find someone to call family. As we discussed before, I am willing to honour the deal between us.¡± The blonde turned to face Sun Wukong, his gaze serious. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Sun Wukong mulled over the thought a bit. Over the period of time he had gotten to know the blonde, his evaluation of him had changed. His thoughts of drafting him into Indra¡¯s army had all but disappeared, especially after he saw how carefully he treated Asia. Sun Wukong would never forget how the same hands that nearly crushed Durandal could so carefully caress a face. [If before I had a hunch, now I am completely sure that he will not get along with Indra. They will inevitably clash.] But even with this thought, the old monkey was still curious. He wanted to now know what a person who has found family, feels about a particularly sensitive topic. ¡°Kid. What do you think about war?¡± Igor looked at Sun Wukong with a confused gaze before it shifted into one of uncertainty. ¡°I¡­what about the deal-nevermind. If you want my take on war old man, is that I don¡¯t have one.¡± *Eyebrow Raise* ¡°Don¡¯t have one?¡± Compared to having an answer, not having one seemed to be more intriguing. ¡°Tell me why you don¡¯t. The humans I know either advocate for war, or abhor war.¡± Igor shrugged his shoulders before turning to face the garden. ¡°Before I answer, let me first ask monkey sage. I know I¡¯m pretty strong now. Although I¡¯m not the strongest, but I¡¯m getting there soon. So here¡¯s the thing. Let¡¯s say in ten years, you and I fight. Our battle is explosive and numerous towns and cities around the vicinity are affected by our fight. Is our fight considered a war since widespread destruction was caused? Is there a certain number of men needed for our fight to qualify as a war? Or does there need to be a clash of ideologies?¡± Sun Wukong looked ahead in contemplation. This was a question he never truly gave thought. Although there were some aspects that the blonde failed to list, he had gotten his point across. But fortunately, he had an answer for it. ¡°If you ask for my opinion, a war is considered a war when the stakes are high enough. The number of people or the ideology does not matter. If the risks of loss are high enough, then a conflict can be considered a war.¡± Calmly receiving the answer, Igor posed another question. ¡°Then, can it be considered a war if I go to fight and my life is at stake?¡± Sun Wukong replied without hesitation. ¡°Yes. Your life is a high enough stake. If there is a chance of you or others losing their life when dealing with another entity, then it can be counted as war, regardless of numbers.¡± The blonde couldn¡¯t help but grin at the old monkey¡¯s answer. ¡°If that is indeed the case, then I advocate for war because only in a war will I get stronger. Me against ten-thousand people with my life at stake sounds like a pretty good way to spend a Sunday don¡¯t you think, monkey sage?¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong couldn¡¯t help but blink once or twice at Igor¡¯s statement. ¡°You¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t hold himself anymore. ¡°Pfft¡­Pwahahahahaha! I like you more and more, kid! You truly possess the heart of the strong!¡± Sun Wukong knew that if Igor¡¯s statement was heard by others, they would immediately shower the blonde with curses without bothering to crucially analyse the meaning behind what the blonde said. Just from this conversation, Sun Wukong knew that Igor would definitely become someone who can reach the Strongest Top Ten. He looked at the blonde again with a gaze full of approval. ¡°For someone your age, you speak great words, kid! Only someone who is willing to fight can earn their seat among the strong!¡± . AN . Huh. Chapter 47. You¡¯re quite far behind, you know? There¡¯s my p@tre0n if you want to read ahead of the general public. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 48 Just from this conversation, Sun Wukong knew that Igor would definitely become someone who can reach the Strongest Top Ten. He looked at the blonde again with a gaze full of approval. ¡°For someone your age, you speak great words, kid! Only someone who is willing to fight can earn their seat among the strong!¡± . |DxD| . Sun Wukong felt immense pride at that moment. He viewed the young blonde completely in a new light. He felt that with how Igor viewed the world, he was worth his attention. In the end, he decided to offer him the opportunity to gain some insight. Looking directly at Igor, the old monkey spoke. ¡°Kid. Would you like to see a real battlefield?¡± ¡°?¡± Contrary to expectations, Igor did not jump up in excitement. He only looked forward with his eyes closed in contemplation. This was a significant decision that could change the course of his life forever. [Going to a battlefield means I will get to see an uncensored view of complete bloodshed.] Although Igor was not one to shy away from killing, having to witness thousands of deaths in a single moment was an entirely different thing. The amount of gore and the screams of those facing a slow and painful death would be commonplace. The wails of men who had lost their comrades would be ever-present. But¡­ ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Igor wasn¡¯t willing to let go of such an opportunity. He had over sixty years to ready his mentality. Even before he transmigrated, he had a clear understanding that all those who had walked on the path of the strong had to see and cause bloodshed. And after numerous decades having been trapped with his own thoughts, he had long since prepared himself for every possible scenario. At worst, he would have to grit his teeth and endure. If he shied away now, this would become a dark smog in his heart and a devastating hit to his pride. Refusing the opportunity to evolve his mentality now would become a regret in his subconscious. The last thing Igor wanted was to look back on this moment a hundred years from now with regret in his heart. The blonde knows himself. He knows full well that if he declines this moment out of fear, it would become a stain on his conscious. Even if the years passed on, he would always look back and think, ¡°What if?¡±. Those kinds of thoughts would be detrimental to his future advancements as a warrior. As a warrior, he would lose all qualifications to call himself one if he refused to see a little bit of blood. Therefore, if he wanted to continue on this path he had chosen, he had to accept. To outsiders, this may have been a simple request. But to Igor, this was a decision that would impact him for many years to come. And so, he wanted to make the proper decision. Looking at the old monkey in the eye, Igor delivered his answer. ¡°I want to witness a battlefield with my own two eyes.¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s grin could not grow any wider at this point. All that went through his mind was one thing. [He¡¯d make a good partner for my descendant.] His mind drifted back to Bikou, one of his most promising descendants. He had already started showing talent and was being groomed to be the next Monkey King. The old sage was very interested in what sort of powerful partnership would stem from their cooperation. Given their slightly similar personalities, he had complete assurance that they would work together. Although¡­ [I¡¯ll have to personally invest in Bikou¡¯s training after this.] In his base state alone, Sun Wukong was already sure that the blonde had surpassed most of the upper echelons from the three factions. In terms of raw power alone, Igor completely decimates over 90% of the supernatural world. He had the power and it would continue to grow even further. But what he needed the most was experience and a battlefield would give him that. Although the blonde had the power, he still fell short on how to use it. Sun Wukong already began running through a list of things he wanted to show the blonde. In his mind, Igor had already become half a disciple. With how Igor carried himself, Sun Wukong had already come to value the blonde. His convictions and beliefs made Sun Wukong have no problems aiding the blonde a bit on his path to becoming stronger. From what he knew of his character, Igor was not a tyrant. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. And so he had no problem preparing to shape him into a proper warrior. [Besides honing his experience, I might as well give him a few tips on Aura Sensing-] *Finger Snap* Igor looked at Sun Wukong with a confused gaze. ¡°Hey, monkey sage. You there?¡± Igor¡¯s action of snapping his fingers brought Sun Wukong out of his contemplation. He suddenly appeared as if he had gained an epiphany. Looking at the blonde, he quickly grabbed his shoulder and spoke with finality. ¡°We leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°???¡± The blonde was confused by the sudden statement before it finally clicked in his head. ¡°?!¡± Igor started panicking. He tried to reach out to Sun Wukong to renegotiate the parameters of their departure. ¡°W-wait a minute-¡± But Sun Wukong vanished on the spot. He already knew what the blonde wanted to say yey he wasn¡¯t having it. He had already stayed for too long and the date for the next battle between Indra and Shiva would commence by the end of the week. The last thing he needed was to face an irritated Indra. And he did not want to negotiate the terms of departure with the blonde. As for Igor, his eyes were filled with complete panic. ¡°No no no no no no no!!!¡± On a normal day, he wouldn¡¯t have cared. In fact, he would¡¯ve insisted they left immediately. But now, Asia was in the mix. He really couldn¡¯t bear to part with his little sister. It was already hard enough for him to leave her alone to sleep. Yet as Igor grabbed his hair in indecision, he eventually lowered his hands in acceptance. ¡°Stupid monkey sage¡­¡± Although he wanted to curse Sun Wukong, he understood that he couldn¡¯t afford to take long rests on his path to power. So as much as he wanted to stay with Asia, it would be detrimental in the long term. Igor was fully aware of the waves he had caused and sooner or later, strong people will come to either enslave or kill him. Yet he did not regret his actions since they are what led him to him meeting Asia. Restricting himself in any way was not in line with his personality. . |DxD| . Asia was terrified. The scene of being grabbed by a hooded figure continuously replayed in her head. It was so detrimental towards her young mind that she continuously screamed with cease. The scene replayed over and over again and each time she would get so terrified that she would continuously call for her grandfather. But nothing ever changed. Without any rest in between, her kidnapping would end at the point where she was about to be injected before starting all over again. She would feel someone pick her up and when she opened her eyes and failed to recognise them, she would try to get out of their embrace yet her struggles would prove fruitless. It would eventually end with a needle approaching her before starting all over again. These repetitions were grinding heavily on her fragile young mind. Her psyche was wearing down with each playthrough. She was already dabbling within the depths of despair, her eyes growing more and more soulless with each playthrough. But just when she thought she would have to endure all of it again, the surroundings darkened. In the abyss of blackness, she started hearing someone call her name over and over again. ¡°Asia! Asia! Asia!¡± ¡°?!¡± She looked around frantically, trying her best to find whoever was calling her. She treated it as a figment of her imagination at first. The first thing her mind would try to do in a completely hopeless situation is to find sources of hope. So when she no longer heard the voice after what seemed like an eternity, her shoulders slumped down in defeat. Her legs could no longer support her body as she collapsed to the ground. Her choked sobs cleared the silence, her tears streaming down her face. ¡°I-I wanna go home. I wanna see g-grandpa. Please¡­PLEASE LET ME GO!!!¡± Her tears came out in a downpour. Her pleas for mercy were met with cold silence, complete hopelessness and despair invading her heart like a tsunami. But when all seemed lost, a ray of golden radiance pierced into the darkness. ¡°Asia! Asia!¡± ¡°?!?!¡± Asia darted her head all over in search of the voice. Her eyes were wide open in a desperate search for the source. ¡°Asia! Asia! Asia!¡± ¡°Y-yes? Where are you?! Please tell me where you are!!!¡± Yet all she was greeted with was silence once more. Asia was truly breaking now. Her eyes slowly became lifeless. The constant crescendo between hope and despair was shattering her unexperienced mind and to defend itself, it began to shell itself away, lest the owner lose her sanity. Asia no longer ran anymore. She only sat down on the ground with her knees to her chest. Silent tears escaped her eyes yet there was no emotion behind them. She had already resigned herself to living in this darkness, yet the same golden radiance from before appeared. This time, it tore through the darkness like how the sun eliminates the shadows. The same voice she heard before suddenly resounded throughout the world of darkness. ¡°ASIA!!!¡± Immediately, the darkness cleared and the scene that greeted her left her in a daze of confusion. Holding her by the shoulders, a teenager with blue eyes and long blonde hair in a ponytail was staring at her in relief. She didn¡¯t even have enough time to properly comprehend everything before she was pulled into a very warm embrace. Her instinctive reaction was to panic but when she heard the voice¡­ ¡°Asia! You¡¯re okay now.¡± ¡­tears automatically welled up in her eyes. ¡°Waaaaa!¡± She immediately held on to Igor like he was her lifeline, because he was. When she recognised that it was his voice that had been calling out to her, she couldn¡¯t contain the emotions she had bottled up before. Burying her head in his stomach, she absolutely refused to let go. Naturally, Igor did not even entertain the thought of doing so. Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. His fingers softly caressed her hair, his voice coming out soft and comforting. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. You¡¯re safe.¡± Asia¡¯s response was to only hold on tighter. She still couldn¡¯t differentiate reality from the dream. But upon feeling his skin, inhaling his scent, and hearing his voice, she gradually grew to believe that all of this was real. Every sensation she was experiencing was real, the proof that she was out of that dark place. Yet the moment Igor tried to break free, she immediately held onto him. ¡°NO!¡± Burying her head in his chest, she couldn¡¯t help but plead. ¡°D-don¡¯t leave. Please don¡¯t leave¡­b-big brother.¡± . AN . So¡­quick question. This is unrelated to the story. I just truly want to know something. Does showering with cold water help grow muscles? I¡¯ve been weightlifting for almost a year now yet this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of this. Chapter 49 The words were so soothing that she immediately hugged him back. The level of comfort she felt made her very reluctant to let go. Burying her head in his chest, she couldn¡¯t help but plead. ¡°D-don¡¯t leave. Please don¡¯t leave¡­b-big brother.¡± . |DxD| . Igor never expected Asia to have a nightmare like this. When he heard her frantic screams a few moments back, he immediately teleported to her room to provide comfort. Even as he held her in his arms, he couldn¡¯t help but feel immense hatred for the dead kidnapper. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to resurrect the kidnapper and slowly torture him to death for his actions. Her shaking like this in fear almost had him frothing from frustration and regret at having killed the kidnapper so quickly. Furthermore, he now felt absolute hatred towards whoever orchestrated the kidnapping. Just because he was ignorant doesn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t observant. Igor knew full well someone must¡¯ve paid the exorcist to kidnap Asia. There was no other viable reason for that exorcist to kidnap Asia just for himself. The gains far outweighed the risks. So the only conclusion he could come to was that someone from outside wanted her and they paid the exorcist to get her. He also guessed that Asia was someone important to the church. There was no other reason for someone as powerful as Vasco Strada himself to stay with a little girl. Igor briefly entertained the thought of Asia being Vasco¡¯s granddaughter, but they looked so different from each other that he immediately crossed out the thought. The only last viable reason was that Asia had something important, something like a sacred gear. Yet Igor cared not for this. All he knew was that Asia was his little sister. She could grow horns for all he cared and he¡¯d still hold her. Cradling the little blonde desperately gripping the fabric of his coat in her hand, Igor discontinued his thoughts and focused on comforting her. ¡°Big brother is here, Asia. Big brother is here and no monsters will dare to come here.¡± He felt Asia weakly nod against his stomach, which made him sigh. Such a little action reaffirmed that these feelings of desire to protect her were his genuine feelings. There was no mental prompt or compulsion forcing him to feel this way. To him, she truly felt like a little sister. Although the reason remained unexplained, he was comfortable enough to dwell in these moments. Yet as he held Asia, he couldn¡¯t help but bemoan the fact that he would be leaving tomorrow. Second thoughts were piling up like rocks in his mind. Scenarios like staying behind or taking Asia with him surfaced all over. Yet the blonde knew those were either foolish or temporary comforts that would bite him later on. [Don¡¯t waver, Igor. You can play with Asia once you come back.] . |DxD| . The moon and came went as the sun set and rose. Igor stayed with Asia the whole night while Vasco never came back. The whereabouts of Sun Wukong were unknown but the blonde knew he would soon come for him. The old monkey had the uncanny ability of appearing out of nowhere at the strangest of times. The only problem Igor had was that whenever Sun Wukong did that, he could not sense the old monkey¡¯s aura. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It had become something of a little project for him to now solve. ¡°I wonder when he¡¯ll come.¡± Feeling the first rays of the sun peel through the windows, Igor couldn¡¯t help but glance down at Asia. The little blonde was calmly sleeping with one arm hooked on his thigh. The pillow beneath her head threatened to swallow her little face, yet even it failed to hide her content smile. Igor couldn¡¯t help but remove a few strands of her hair and gently rubbed her cheek with his finger. The soft smile on his face perfectly conveyed the love and care he held for her. He truly wished to enjoy these last few moments, but upon feeling the sudden displacement of the air, he sighed. Turning his head towards the source, he glanced towards Sun Wukong standing in the middle of the room before shifting his gaze towards the clock on the wall. It was already the seventh hour of the day, far too late for the blonde on a typical day, but much too early under his current circumstances. Looking back towards Sun Wukong, Igor was about to speak when the old monkey cut him off. ¡°No. I¡¯m leaving now, with or without you. Ten seconds.¡± The old monkey was unusually stern this morning, but he had his reasons. He wanted to test Igor¡¯s conviction now that a ¡°distraction¡± had fallen upon him. He particularly came in the morning when his sense of unwillingness was particularly high and he gave him ten seconds to decide since he didn¡¯t want the blonde to delay unnecessarily. But it seemed that once again, he underestimated Igor. ¡°No need, monkey sage. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Igor was completely clear on his priorities. Slowly peeling away Asia¡¯s hand that hooked around his thigh, he got up from the bed and looked at the sleeping little girl. Even with his convictions clear, his hands couldn¡¯t help but clench into fists. Looking down at her, he seemed to dispute a decision in his head before finally coming to a conclusion. Leaning down, he brushed away the mop of hair on her forehead before delivering a tender kiss to it. ¡°I will come back soon, little Asia. It may not be today, tomorrow, next month, or even next year. But I will definitely come back.¡± Standing up again, he was about to speak when he noticed the monkey grinning at him. ¡°What?¡± Sun Wukong waved him off. ¡°Nothing. Just grab my hand so we can leave.¡± Igor grabbed it without reluctance. ¡°Let¡¯s go, monkey sage.¡± Sun Wukong looked up to the blonde before shaking his head and chuckling. ¡°Heh~¡± And in that moment, both of them vanished from the scene. . |DxD| . Vasco was returning to his house after a long meeting that lasted all night. It was already nearing the eighth hour and he knew Asia would soon wake up. And also¡­ ¡°Old Sun must¡¯ve left by now.¡± Vasco was used to Sun Wukong¡¯s habits by now. He used to do the same exact thing whenever he visited him. Without fail, the old sage would leave early the next day. What he was curious about though was¡­ ¡°Did the boy leave?¡± Although it was for a short while, he had seen how overly attached the blonde seemed to be towards his surrogate granddaughter. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he stayed, but he would be slightly disappointed. Vasco knew of the blonde¡¯s potential. Igor had not even exited puberty and his strength already had the potential to surpass his at his peak. Vasco was extremely clear on how powerful Sun Wukong was and how beneficial his training would be. [Old Sun trained me for seven years and my strength surpassed even that of Lord Michael. If he were to train young Igor, I wonder how explosive his growth would be.] Over the course of World War II and a year after, Vasco endured secret training from Sun Wukong. Just a few words of guidance and by 1946, he was the strongest card the church had at just 25 years old. The combination of the war and some words of guidance from the former monkey king allowed him to progressively grow in power to the point that he was at the absolute peak of god class (peak-satan class) in power alone. Unfortunately, age played a significant factor as after he turned 40, his power progressively began to lower until it stabilised around the upper end of low-god class. Shaking his head at the memories of his glory days, Vasco pushed open the door to his house and entered. Upon finding numerous banana peels on the floor, he placed a hand on his forehead in exasperation. ¡°Of course. Of course you would leave me a gift like this, Old Sun.¡± Grabbing the broom by the door, he began to sweep them away, his mind wandering curiously. ¡°I wonder how many years it will be before I see them again.¡± Chapter 50 Upon finding numerous banana peels on the floor, he placed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. ¡°Of course. Of course you would leave me a gift like this, Old Sun.¡± Grabbing the broom by the door, he began to sweep them away, his mind wandering curiously. ¡°I wonder how many years it will be before I see him again.¡± . |DxD| . Indra¡¯s Palace, Svargaloka, Heavenly Realm . Both Sun Wukong and Igor appeared in a secluded courtyard filled with golden radiance. Golden statues of warriors were neatly placed at equal distances from each other. There was no sun in the sky. Rather, there seemed to be a beautiful blend of purple and gold that visibly melded like liquids. While Igor tried to look around and enjoy the sights, Sun Wukong interrupted him by tapping his shoulder. ¡°Remember now, kid. Indra is much, much stronger than you. So show him proper respect, and you won¡¯t have any problems.¡± The blonde now became truly curious as to who Indra truly was that he could make the old sage rate him so highly. A slight itch to fight such a figure spawned in his heart but he quelled it before it could show outwardly. Looking at Sun Wukong right in the eye, Igor gave a casual reply. ¡°Relax, monkey sage. I will not cause unnecessary problems or anything like that. I will respect Indra since he is a god, but don¡¯t expect me to get on my knees or lower my head and all that stuff. I have my pride ya know?¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong truly looked at Igor. Knowing the temperaments both the blonde and Indra had, the old sage truly had a bad hunch that things might go terribly south. He initially had trust that maybe the blonde could hold himself back, but that slight battle intent he sensed from Igor had him thinking twice about the whole ordeal. Releasing a defeated sigh, he chose to grit his teeth and led the way forward. In front of them were stairs that led to massive golden doors. The old monkey didn¡¯t go in but stood there. He turned towards Igor and spoke with a tone of finality. ¡°Kid. Indra and I have history. So I can talk to him however I want. But, do not copy me. You do not have the appropriate strength to converse with him in whatever manner. Should he wish to, he can kill you before I can even react to save you. Just like you have your pride, he has his. I want you to remember that. He is NOT like me. Do you understand?¡± Igor did not flinch from Sun Wukong¡¯s gaze. In fact, he stared right into it. ¡°I know my place, monkey sage.¡± As much as it grated Igor to say it, he understood the importance of hierarchy. To others, he was strong. But to the old monkey, he fell short. And if there was someone stronger than Sun Wukong, then he had to know his place. The blonde was not blind to this fact. But just because the other party was strong, didn¡¯t mean he would start shaking in his boots. If that was the case, he would¡¯ve become a part of Grigori a long time ago. He would show respect, not subservience. ¡°I will acknowledge his power, not fear it. You have my word that I will not cause unnecessary problems for you, monkey sage.¡± Satisfied with Igor¡¯s reply, Sun Wukong grabbed the blonde¡¯s hand and vanished along with him. It didn¡¯t take long before they appeared inside some sort of command room. There was a large round table with more than twenty chairs surrounding it. A large window stood on the side of the door and it overlooked hundreds of square-kilometres of land. From this view, everything below appeared relatively small to the point that if a normal person looked down, they would be hard-pressed to identify a house as nothing more than a single dot. This confused Igor since the palace appeared to be 10 storeys high at best. Then it clicked in his head. [Maybe this is a secret bunker floating high above the ground or something similar. I wonder what will happen if this building suddenly falls over.] Having gotten bored by the view, Igor then turned his head towards the rest of the room. Standing hunched over some documents was a relatively muscular man with a greenish-brown buzzcut. And to Igor¡¯s complete bewilderment, he wore a simple white shirt and shorts. To complete his casual look, circular sunglasses were propped on top of his forehead while he wore flip-flops on his feet. While Igor was surprised, that was all he was- surprised. That was because a completely different emotion surfaced in his heart, one of¡­excitement. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Unlike Sun Wukong who had even less presence than air, Igor could feel it. [Strong. He¡¯s very strong.] Igor could instinctively FEEL that the person in front of him was strong. He was so strong that the blonde knew even if a hundred of him were to use their Kaioken x30, none of them would leave a scratch even if they used their strongest attacks on him. It was such a frightening thought because Igor knew that with his current power, a casual attack from him could completely obliterate a city without leaving anything behind. * Yet despite these odds¡­Igor couldn¡¯t help but feel fired up. [A mountain. I found another mountain!] After these last few weeks, Igor had finally found a target he could aim to surpass. His first aim was Baraquiel and he eventually surpassed him. His second was Azazel. But the blonde knew that even before the third year ends, he would¡¯ve surpassed the governor. But Indra was an entirely different ordeal. Indra was so strong that Igor was afraid he would need more than a hundred years in the time chamber just to even get within spitting distance of his power level. But that was what made everything so exciting. Igor looked at Indra with newfound respect. [Worthy of being a god. But still, I¡¯ll surpass you sooner or later¡­with or without the time chamber.] With his constant use of Kaioken, Igor was inching slowly but surely towards the realm of godhood. As it stands, his lifespan alone had increased to over three centuries. By constantly having his Kaioken activated at 50% efficiency, his lifespan had increased over the last ten years. During that time, constantly keeping the Kaioken active not only allowed him to become more proficient, he was also able to gain roughly 20 years of lifespan every year. And with having achieved the Kaioken x1.6, he could expect to gain 24 years of lifespan a year. But Igor could care less about that. It had taken him a while to notice, but keeping the Kaioken active would also strengthen his body constantly. So theoretically, he could constantly grow stronger. And if he has enough time, he would soon grow strong enough to rival Indra. While the blonde began fantasizing about what training methods he would use, Indra looked at Igor for a moment before glancing towards Sun Wukong. ¡°Well, this is a first. Wukong. You brought a brat?¡± His voice was calm yet laden with curiosity. ¡°Yes I did. And you¡¯re not nagging me?¡± Sun Wukong was also curious. He wholeheartedly expected Indra to nag him for disappearing for so long or at the very least deliver a line with sarcasm. But Indra waved away his concerns. ¡°Of course not. I can feel the amount of strength he has. He will be a great asset to the army-¡± Immediately, everyone paused at the subtle twinge of killing intent that suddenly spread throughout the room. Two heads turned towards the blonde who already had a red aura surrounding his body. It was like a misty haze that surrounded him like a cloak. Igor looked at Indra directly in the eye, his gaze unyielding. ¡°I am no asset. I am Igor von Dimori.¡± Indra looked at Igor with a blank gaze. ¡°Oh.¡± He waved his hand and immediately, the blonde was sent flying towards the wall of the room. BOOM Indra then stood up straight, a disdainful expression on his face. ¡°Do I look like I care?¡± Igor got up from the floor, the red aura around him increasing in intensity. He glared with absolute defiance at Indra while Sun Wukong watched on with a sigh of helplessness. He knew Indra¡¯s quirk of bullying powerful newcomers into submission. It was already a tradition and although reluctant, Sun Wukong knew it was necessary. The old monkey had a hunch that the blonde¡¯s arrogance would cause this to happen. Thus, dousing the blonde with some painful reality would help humble him and make him more cautious in the future. The last thing Sun Wukong wanted was for Igor to die because he was too hotblooded. He would rather let Indra teach him a lesson or two since he knew the man wasn¡¯t too heavy-handed in his methods. Even though Igor expressed his desire to not join the army, the old monkey would not interfere as long as Indra did not go too far. Sun Wukong watched the blonde struggle to stand straight, his face staring at the floor and his hair hanging all over his face like a mop. [Hopefully, this will humble-] GRUUU! Without warning, Igor suddenly multiplied his power twenty times over. His red aura was as fierce as his glare. Sun Wukong watched with a blank gaze as Igor got into a stance. [He really forgot everything I told him, didn¡¯t he?] . AN . I missed a day, so naturally I have to follow regulation. Hopefully, you enjoyed these two chapters. Moving on, here is an explanation.
  1. It was such a frightening thought because Igor knew that with his current power, a casual attack from him could completely obliterate a city without leaving anything behind. *
Explanation: At this point, Igor CAN destroy a planet. Yes. I mean a planet. He was actually capable of it even before he had the Kaioken. That was when he was around peak-high class. Now, why do I say that? The keyword is capability. At that point, he had enough ki and ki-control to point his palm down and charge a strong enough attack to pierce through to the planet¡¯s core and cause a series of chain reactions that would result in the destruction of the planet. HOWEVER, that does not make him a planetary-level entity. Now, this is a personal opinion. But to truly qualify as planetary-class, you need to have enough power to quite literally obliterate the planet out of existence. Relying on the planet destroying itself does not make you planetary. That is why Igor was still classified as city-level because if his strongest attack could completely obliterate a city. He could destroy cities and tank attacks that could destroy cities. Another thing, I want to illustrate that attacks don¡¯t necessarily have to destroy cities for them to have the potential. We know that once you reach satan class (god class), you can destroy countries or even entire continents. Vasco Strada certainly can¡¯t destroy continents as far as we know, yet he could probably ragdoll pre-canon Serafall at his peak, in this fanfic atleast. That is because he lacks the capability to cause as much destruction as Serafall can, yet he can clobber like nobody¡¯s business. Now, let me explain what is meant by ¡°casual attack¡±. When it is said that a casual attack can destroy a city, it means that mid-conversation, Igor can raise his hand, charge a ki sphere for a second, fling it, and an entire city will be destroyed. That is what is meant by ¡°casual attack¡±. He doesn¡¯t even need to try. Destroying a city is the same as spitting to the side. I hope this clears things up and you didn¡¯t skip this non-spoiler-containing information. Also, you can read ahead on my p@tre0n. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Today is Friday so until Sunday. Thank you Chapter 51 However, even though Igor expressed his desire to not join, the old monkey would not interfere as long as Indra did not go too far. GRUUU! His eyes moved over towards Igor who had suddenly multiplied his power twenty-times over. [He really forgot everything I told him, didn¡¯t he?] . |DxD| . Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Igor stared defiantly at Indra, a steady stream of blood running from his lips. The impact had hurt him so much that he blacked out for the briefest of moments. Yet that did nothing to suade the bubbling rage churning through the blonde like poison. Indra grinned as he shook his head. The guts that Igor had amused him, yet also irked him. ¡°You¡­¡± But he was interrupted by the blonde charging forward. Swoosh ¡°RAAA!¡± Igor charged forward with his fist outstretched. Tswii! In an instant, the blonde appeared above Indra, ready to launch a falling heel kick to the head. But¡­ Tswii! ¡­he quickly vanished and appeared in front of Indra, ready to launch a gut punch. Tswii! Again, he disappeared again and appeared above Indra with his knee level with his face. And just when he seemed fully committed to his attack¡­ Tswii! He vanished once more and appeared behind Indra. This time, his hands were clasped together in the tiger seal. Two of his fingers pointed outward, their aim apparent. Igor rushed forward, fully determined to launch the one attack he knew would work on the god. The blonde knew that his attacks most likely wouldn¡¯t work on Indra. But if he could successfully trample on his dignity, then was willing to use whatever methods necessary. Yet just when his hands were only inches away from Indra¡¯s buttocks, a heavy pressure descended that instantly pushed him towards the ground¡­hard! BOOM The impact was so hard and so sudden that once Igor slammed into the ground, he immediately blacked out. This caused him to inevitably lose his Kaioken. But the blonde wasn¡¯t completely unconscious. Although it took a few seconds, Igor¡¯s mind finally regained clarity. Standing up, the blonde was now face to face with Indra who appeared to be dangerously calm. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ignoring the strained chuckles of Sun Wukong, Indra glared at Igor with a subtle trace of killing intent. ¡°You¡­you really want to die, don¡¯t you?¡± Despite the beating he¡¯s received, Igor wasn¡¯t one to lose a stare-down. ¡°If I die, then I¡¯ll have died as a warrior.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Indra shook his head in disdain. Then with one finger flick to the forehead, sent the blonde flying again to the wall again. BOOM The impact was so forceful that Igor rebounded from the wall before falling on his butt. ¡° *Cough* *Cough* *Cough* ¡± The blonde could already feel that several of his bones were broken. There was also the part where his spine was damaged, thereby temporarily paralysing him from the waist down. Blood dribbled down his exposed chest, his legs splayed out awkwardly on the ground. But Indra did not care for this. Slowly taking his time to walk towards the blonde, there was an expression of disdain on his face. ¡°Die a warrior¡¯s death? Aren¡¯t you more like a dog now? What you¡¯re about to experience is a dog¡¯s death.¡± Igor remained silent at his words. The last thing he wanted to do was spit blood in front of Indra. He looked at Indra without any fear, which seemed to irk the god. It irritated Indra that there was someone who continuously defied him. If he didn¡¯t do anything now, it would set a precedence for future generations to defy him. But just as the war god was about to act any further, he suddenly received a voice transmission from Sun Wukong. {Indra. Stop now before you take it too far.} Indra did not break eye contact with Igor. It annoyed him how this little child was able to maintain blatant eye contact with him. It made him want to properly ¡®humble¡¯ him. {Wukong. Out of respect for our partnership and your honour, I told you I will not kill him.} {I know you won¡¯t. But the kid won¡¯t see it that way. Right now, he doesn¡¯t hate you. But if you continue to humiliate him¡­} {Ha! Do you think I care about the feelings of this brat?} {Not now. But he has potential. If you alienate him now, there will be no chance of resolving any issues he has with you.} {Wukong. Are you telling me to swallow my pride on a slim possibility?} {Indra. The only thing you¡¯re doing right now is pushing him towards Shiva. As of now, you are currently a goal he aims to surpass. This means he will stay to observe you, However, if you do what you are currently doing, he will inevitably side with Shiva out of spite.} {Yet all of these conjectures hang on the slim possibility that he can walk out my door.} {Indra. I know you won¡¯t kill him.} {You cannot confirm that, Wukong.} {I can. You have also felt his potential. The kid is a peak-god class entity at such a young age. And he also owns the time chamber of the Aryans. There are only two things that can happen. Try to kill him and earn both mine and his resentment, or nurture him and we gain a hundred-thousand soldiers in one body.} {...} Indra mulled over Sun Wukong¡¯s words. What the old sage made sense. The blonde as he was had a lot of potential to be great and he had the drive. Killing babies in the cradle was not Indra¡¯s method of doing things. He to enjoyed a good battle otherwise, he would not have been named the God of War. Furthermore, he was suddenly curious as to how powerful the blonde would be if given time. The thought of having another powerful figure on the level of Shiva suddenly excited him. Looking at the blonde before him who showed not a single ounce of fear, suddenly amused him. To him, Igor was like a little chihuahua under a leash. When everything was put into context, his little barks suddenly sounded pleasing. Lowering his glasses from his forehead, Indra crouched down, his eyes still managing to ooze amusement through the darkness of his aviators. ¡°You have quite the spine, don¡¯t you? By all rights, I should kill you here and now. But, I am a magnanimous god. As such, I will watch you from now on. Since you dare to call yourself a warrior, I expect you to act like one. If you show cowardice, I will kill you, regardless of whether Wukong vouched for you or not. Do you understand?¡± The logical answer would¡¯ve been to apply in the affirmative. The ordeal had passed and Igor had been given a way out. The opportunity to end things on a relatively good note had arrived and one would need to be stupid not to take it. But with typical blonde fashion, Igor surprised everyone. ¡°A hundred years. If I don¡¯t reverse this situation in a hundred years, I will willingly subordinate myself to you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong almost ripped out the hairs on his body in absolute fury and paranoia. [One job! You had one job! Why are you so stubborn!!!] As for Indra, he matched Igor¡¯s gaze with a confident smirk. ¡°How bold of you. How¡­bold. But out of respect for Wukong, I will accept this instead of annihilating you on the spot.¡± Chapter 52 Sun Wukong almost ripped out the hairs on his body in absolute fury and paranoia. [One job! You had one job! Why are you so stubborn!!!] As for Indra, he matched Igor¡¯s gaze with a confident smirk. ¡°How bold of you. Out of respect for Wukong, I will accept this instead of annihilating you on the spot.¡± . |DxD| . Far away from the palace, Igor and Sun Wukong were walking towards the barracks where the army resided. Aside from a concrete road, some towers, and a few buildings scattered here and there, there was nothing else of note. Both Igor and Sun Wukong were least in their own thoughts, one questioning the intelligence of the other and the other reevaluating their ideals. Along the way, Sun Wukong finally couldn¡¯t help but ask the question that had been plaguing his mind. ¡°Kid. Do you have rotten banana for brains?! What was that!!!¡± The blonde looked to the side abashedly. ¡°Well¡­¡± Igor shrugged his shoulders when he didn¡¯t know how to carry on. Even he was still questioning the intelligence of his actions back there. *Vein Twitch* Sun Wukong glared angrily at Igor. He truly wanted to smack the boy into the concrete. ¡°Are you suicidal, kid? What happened? Or did my warning mean nothing to you?¡± Igor frowned after hearing Sun Wukong¡¯s words. ¡°Come on, monkey sage. How was I supposed to act when he treated me like a number? I¡¯m not an asset. I¡¯m a Dimori. Just because others settle for it doesn¡¯t mean I should.¡± Sun Wukong was speechless. He truly had never heard¡­ ¡°Such idiocy! Instead of keeping quiet, you were willing to lose your life?!¡± Igor became equally angry as well. Having Sun Wukong devalue his convictions also riled him up. ¡°Hey! I¡¯d rather die a man than live as a pansy!¡± To Igor, just the thought of entertaining the scenario of remaining silent disgusted him to the core. Where would his pride as a man be if he did nothing? He would absolutely be disgusted with himself for backing down. Yet Sun Wukong thought differently. ¡°You¡­you¡­YOU IDIOT! YOU¡¯RE GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THAT STUBBORN HEAD OF YOURS!¡± Sun Wukong felt that it was far, far too early for Igor to have such a stiff spine. There were very powerful people who would be willing to kill for far less. The old sage feared what would happen if Igor met them. But for Igor, his thoughts were different. ¡°Hmph. I¡¯d rather die now than live another century having remained silent.¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bulge* ¡°Do you¡­understand what you are saying? Do you TRULY understand exactly what you are saying? Or are you saying all these words just because you think they sound nice.¡± Igor looked at the old sage. His gaze was deep, his manner serious. ¡°Monkey sage. I¡¯m not an idiot. I¡¯ve been alone for over half a century. I¡¯ve had decades of time to be alone with my thoughts. My convictions were born in that time chamber. When I tell you that I would rather die than remain silent, I do not say it as a joke. It is not a gag. I am not trying to act cool or appear tough. I am not trying to portray myself as a fearless warrior. I truly mean, that I would rather have my journey end on the spot, than live with a stain on my pride.¡± ¡°You-¡± ¡°Monkey sage. I fear death. I fear death just as much as a normal person. The concept of death terrifies me to the core, monkey sage. But, I would rather it be my body that dies, than be a dead soul in a living body.¡± Igor took a deep breath, his gaze tilting upwards to take in the golden radiance of the sky. ¡°Listen to me, monkey sage. To me, pride is everything. I am proud of who I am as a person. I am a proud Dimori, a proud human¡­a proud Aryan. My values are worth far more than my life. My dignity is worth far more than my life. My integrity, my values, my PRIDE. All of it is worth far more than my life. Under NO circumstances will I compromise my ideals out of fear. If I shed away my ideals for a chance at extending my life, then I will become no different from a dead soul in a living body.¡± Igor looked at Sun Wukong again, his fists loosened like those of a defeated man. ¡°I will say this again, monkey sage. I am afraid of death. But at the very least, death is instant and hopefully, I¡¯ll reincarnate and start again in my next life. Once I lose my physical body, there is hope in the next life. But if my soul dies first, if I lose my values before a blade, then that is when there is truly no hope for me-¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Sun Wukong cut off the blonde. ¡°There is always hope, kid. There always is.¡± Igor chuckled weakly. ¡°Not for me, monkey sage. Let me tell you something. To you, half a century is short, barely long enough for a nap. But for a fourteen-year-old teenage brat who¡¯s still wet behind the ears, that is an awfully long time to be alone. No parents, no siblings. Just some weights, training manuals, food, and all the time in the world¡­to be alone with the voices in his head. The reason why I hold these values of mine so stubbornly, to the point that I¡¯d even risk death, is because these values of mine are the only things keeping the demons away. My pride is why I haven¡¯t fallen yet. My integrity is why I have not faltered. If I compromise even a little bit, the demons will come in through the cracks of my fractured mind.¡± Sun Wukong listened quietly to Igor¡¯s words. He did not interrupt the blonde since he felt that this was something he needed to get out. And right he was. Igor continued on from his previous words, his fists now clenched tightly. ¡°Indra is strong, very strong. I felt it very clearly when I entered the room, monkey sage. I know full well that even if I were a hundred-times stronger, I wouldn¡¯t be able to touch him. Under your logic, I should lower my head and endure whatever he does. But¡­¡± Igor gritted his teeth when he remembered how Indra referred to him as an asset. He was angry to the point that his Kaioken activated automatically. ¡°I am not an asset! I am a son of Dimori! I can¡¯t live knowing I allowed another person to call me an asset! I can¡¯t! I just can¡¯t!!! I don¡¯t care how powerful he is!!! He doesn¡¯t call me a bloody asset and expect me to say silent!!!¡± With each yell, the Kaioken multipliers shot up with each outburst he had. The concrete creaked painfully with each outburst until it finally started cracking. The amount of rage within the blonde¡¯s aura was palpable. ¡°I WOULD RATHER DIE, THAN LIVE WITH BROKEN PRIDE!¡± The sentence echoed throughout the area. His words were so profound that even Sun Wukong subconsciously repeated them. [I would rather die, than live with broken pride¡­] The old monkey began thinking of his days when he was young, fearless, and unyielding. Now, he was a shell of his former self, time having eroded away the bright spark of his youth. [Hehe. For a kid to make this old man¡¯s heart beat again¡­] Sun Wukong looked at the blonde with a slightly different gaze. But although he admired the blonde¡¯s ideals, he still had a question in his heart. Once Igor had calmed down, the old sage threw the question. ¡°What about Asia?¡± Hearing Sun Wukong¡¯s question, Igor replied, with a slight snarl. ¡°Don¡¯t go there, monkey sage.¡± But Sun Wukong wouldn¡¯t let it go. Levitating up, he grabbed the blonde by the shoulder. ¡°Tell me.¡± He looked directly into Igor¡¯s eyes. He truly wanted to know that for all his talk of conviction and ideals, what would happen now that he had Asia as another reason to live? This was a question that Sun Wukong would have the blonde answer no matter what. Being completely stopped in his tracks, Igor released a sigh. ¡°Monkey sage. I care deeply for Asia. I truly do. But my answer is still the same. I cannot live with myself knowing that I sacrificed my pride just to further my life. I can¡¯t. I truly can¡¯t. You know why, monkey sage? Because I never forget. I will never forget this moment. Even if a thousand years pass and I become stronger than Indra, I will still remember this moment. Right now, I am proud of myself. I am proud that even when I faced a god, I never forsook my pride. But if I even dared to LOWER my head, it would become a stain on my heart that even after a millennium, I would still remember clearly. It would become a demon in my heart and I would be unable to get stronger because those who forsake their pride are not worthy of power. At that point, I would be useless to Asia and would be no better than a pansy.¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong let go of Igor after hearing his words. Although Sun Wukong did not agree with Igor¡¯s methods, he could understand the blonde. Igor valued his pride too much to the point that it became his reason for existence. The old sage stayed silent, a myriad of thoughts circling through his head. [Such a person, is too high risk to form any emotional attachments to.] It was a conclusion that the old sage came to. Igor was someone who was in a race against time. He had to become strong quickly before he offended another powerful figure who would have no qualms killing him on the spot. It was such an unconventional solution that Sun Wukong palmed his forehead in exasperation. [If only he was normal. Yet¡­] He looked at the blonde who was looking at him in confusion. [...he wouldn¡¯t be Igor.] It was only after a short period of silence between them that he decided to speak. ¡°Kid. Here¡¯s a word of advice. Do not get a lover.¡± ¡°???¡± ¡°Listen to me before you interrupt. While I do understand your ideals, I am someone who has family, kid. Everyone that lives on Flower-Fruit Mountain is my family. If they carried your ideals, I fear how many funerals I would have to hold every year. That is why I sincerely hope that no matter what, you will not bind yourself to a woman, at least not while you¡¯re this weak. Because should you do so and you end up dying¡­¡± His words were clear. Igor was a liability to give your heart to. Sun Wukong did not want a young girl getting her heart broken needlessly. At the very least, the blonde must become immensely strong before he considers courting a woman, lest it end in tragedy. But Igor already had that thought in mind, though the root of it was different. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, monkey sage. Women will only get in my way of becoming strong.¡± The blonde had seen many athletes in his past life suddenly grow bellies after five years of marriage. The last thing he needed was a woman interrupting his path to power. With his curiosity satisfied, Sun Wukong let go of Igor¡¯s shoulder and continued to lead the way ahead. [All this time I thought this kid was actually an utter airhead. Yet to have such conviction, his achievements will surely be one of a kind.] The images of Igor¡¯s resistance against Indra filled the old sage¡¯s head. His evaluation of Igor soared into the skies, to the point that he considered the blonde as a true warrior. Even the last question he had was shifted to the side by him. ¡°Kid. I would¡¯ve asked you why you didn¡¯t hide in your time chamber, but I guess you had too much pride, huh?¡± Silence¡­ Sun Wukong gradually stopped hovering ahead when his words were met with silence. He turned around to clarify, but when he met with the blonde¡¯s blank face, he suddenly had a bad feeling. As for Igor who was covered in cold sweat, he looked down on the ground in shame. ¡°Hehehe¡­I forgot I could do that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hehe¡­yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked up with some concern on his face. ¡°Monkey sage?¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong¡­was absolutely furious. His evaluation of Igor soared right down to rock bottom. ¡°IDIOT!!! YOU IDIOT!!! YOU TRULY DO HAVE ROTTEN BANANA FOR BRAINS!!!¡± ¡°W-wait, monkey sage-¡± ¡°IDIOT!!!¡± . AN . We had a power outage in my area yesterday so I couldn¡¯t upload. But, I still remember the drill. Hope you enjoyed the two chapters. As always, you can read ahead on my p@tre0n. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 53 ¡°IDIOT!!! YOU IDIOT!!! YOU TRULY DO HAVE ROTTEN BANANA FOR BRAINS!!!¡± ¡°W-wait, monkey sage-¡± ¡°IDIOT!!!¡± . |DxD| . Sun Wukong and Igor finally reached the barracks. The duo entered without fuss and soon, the old monkey led the blonde to what seemed to be a large cafeteria. Numerous people of different races were walking around the large hall. Although they appeared different, the majority wore brown battle armour and each of them carried a spear and shield. A few looks were given at them but that was all it was. Igor raised an eyebrow, fully expecting there to clamour around the old sage¡¯s arrival. But when he remembered how Sun Wukong could hide in plain sight, he didn¡¯t think much further about it. Igor gave the room a once-over and glanced at a few people, but that was all he gave them. Although seeing so many different races in one room was fascinating, that was all it was. None of their power was high enough to garner the blonde¡¯s interest. The strongest person Igor could feel was barely at the cusp of high-class, something he couldn¡¯t truly bother with. They walked towards where people were standing in line with empty trays before Sun Wukong tapped Igor on the shoulder. ¡°I will leave you here, kid. Things will get hectic in a few days so enjoy this momentary peace while it lasts. Order some food and pick a table. I¡¯ll send someone later to guide you to your temporary quarters. Again, try not to cause any trouble, kid.¡± ¡°No promises, monkey sage.¡± ¡°...¡± Knowing that was the best he would get at the moment, Sun Wukong could only sigh before vanishing on the spot. Igor looked around but no one seemed to notice the old monkey vanish. Shrugging his shoulders, the blonde grinned. [I have to learn how he does that. But now, it¡¯s time for me to leave.] Placing two fingers on his forehead, Igor began to focus on the energy orb he left back in Italy. [Come on come on. It shouldn¡¯t be taking me this long.] Igor expanded his senses far and wide. Yet as the seconds strolled by, his face turned darker. [We¡­we¡¯re not on Earth, are we?] No matter how far his senses stretched, he couldn¡¯t encounter anything that even remotely resembled Earth. Every lifeforce his senses passed through was immensely higher than the average human¡¯s. Even the animals possessed much more vibrant lifeforce. Igor removed his fingers from his forehead with a sigh. [I¡¯ve already covered over 20,000 kilometres in every direction and I am now absolutely sure that we are not on earth.] Lowering his fingers with a sigh, the blonde was about to go and get some food to pass the time when suddenly, another human-like male approached Igor. He had brown hair and very noticeable golden-brown eyes. Although it didn¡¯t appear like it, Igor could see the muscles hidden beneath his robes. The male appeared to be slightly older than him, yet the bright smile on his face made him appear much younger. Igor was immensely curious, especially when he noticed his oddity. [Another one. He looks human but I can tell he isn¡¯t. I can already sense a whole bunch of similar people to him all over this realm, yet he¡¯s the only one here in this part of the barracks.] This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. When the boy walked over, he pointed at the blonde. ¡°Hi. My name is Atid. Were you trying to do the Instant Transmission like Goku?¡± Immediately, something like a switch had been flipped in the blonde. His eyes widened as he looked at the boy. ¡°Y-you know of Dragon Ball?¡± There was something along the lines of hope within the blonde. Although he never cared before, he did want someone to share the love of Dragon Ball with. He couldn¡¯t be sure whether Baraquiel counted and it would be quite a while since he saw the old man. So he placed his little hope on Atid, and he did not disappoint. Atid¡¯s eyes were wide with wonder as he excitedly spoke. ¡°Know of? I BREATHE Dragon Ball!¡± Tears started forming in Igor¡¯s eyes. He was like a man who had found an oasis after days of drinking ¡®homemade¡¯ water. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Both boys shook each other¡¯s hands with manly tears in their eyes. Upon feeling the grip strength of the blonde, Atid cried out again. ¡°Such a strong grip? A true brother! You are a true brother!¡± Igor was equally excited. ¡°You as well! I can feel just how much training you¡¯ve put in to have such a strong grip!¡± Atid laughed loudly. The current situation made him very happy. None of his fellow devas cared about anime so he came to the lower barracks to find a fellow brother or sister amongst the different races. Never did he expect to strike gold on the first day. Laughing excitedly, he grabbed Igor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Brother! To commemorate this day, I will show you my most prized collection.¡± He then leaned down towards the blonde¡¯s ear. ¡°I had to sneak all the way over to the human world to get. I had to sneak past a few dozen guards. I¡¯m telling you, it was very hard.¡± Then discreetly, he pulled out a book from the inside of his robe. ¡°Look, brother. The book written by the heavens themselves.¡± Igor looked down and his eyes widened. ¡°The¡­the book of the gods?! You have the book of the gods?!¡± Immediately, a white flash appeared in the blonde¡¯s hand before it revealed the manga of Dragonball. ¡°I also have the holy book!¡± Both boys traded sparkles of delight at each other. The stars in their eyes were so bright that even the lights in the hall appeared dull in comparison. Igor placed a fist to his chest, his face comically serious. ¡°Brother Atid. You have the respect of I, Igor von Dimori! Never have I thought that I would meet another enlightened one in this realm.¡± ¡°Haha! You flatter me, Brother Dimori.¡± ¡°No no no. Call me Igor, Brother Atid. It is only fair between us brothers.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen to Brother Igor.¡± The conversation between the two boys went unnoticed. With the hall being so large and there being so many people, everyone was too engrossed in their own matters. It was during that tme that Igor¡¯s gaze suddenly turned solemn. The blonde grabbed Atid by the shoulder and looked at his fellow compatriot with a deadly serious expression. ¡°Brother Atid. This is the moment of truth.¡± Igor closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. ¡°Goku or Vegeta.¡± The atmosphere immediately grew tense. Atid couldn¡¯t help but freeze up at the question. With Igor asking such a question, his answer could make or break their new brotherhood. He felt it was too soon for such a question to be answered, yet he also understood that some things were better tested early. Knowing it was inevitable, Atid felt obligated to answer. ¡°Brother Igor. I truly apologise, but I am Goku.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid was truly ready to fight at the moment. If Igor also wanted to be Goku, he was ready to fight the blonde to death to maintain his right. Just like how there could never be two Gokus, there could never be two friends who could call themselves him in the same area. One would have to lose the right, and Atid was determined not to lose the right. But on the contrary, the blonde laughed. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Then, a surging white aura emanated from the blonde that made his hair shoot up. His ponytail came undone by the fiery force of his ki. He looked at Atid with a crazed smile, his head tilted to the side. ¡°Kakarot! FIGHT ME!!!¡± Atid looked on with a surprised expression. The power emanating from Igor, while not powerful, was certainly enough to raise a few questioning eyebrows. As for Atid, he finally regained his wits and smiled. He recognised the plot Igor was trying to emulate. So copying the blonde, he manifested a golden aura around him which similarly made his hair rise up. Yet his expression was calm, his gaze serious. ¡°Vegeta, I will fight you. But not as enemies. Let¡¯s push each other to become stronger.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Igor could no longer restrain himself. Atid¡¯s expression was so on point that he truly seemed like Goku when he was about to fight Majin Vegeta. The blonde couldn¡¯t keep the plot anymore. Atid had passed with flying colours and truly proved that he was a follower of the holy book. ¡°Brother Atid! Let us embrace the saiyan ways and converse further with our fists!¡± ¡°Hahahaha! You read my mind as well, Brother Igor! Let us not talk any longer! Our fists will convey our feelings!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Swoosh Swoosh¡­Clash Right there in the cafeteria, stupid decisions were made. . AN . If you want to read ahead here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 54 ¡°Brother Atid! Let us embrace the saiyan ways and converse further with our fists!¡± ¡°Hahahaha! You read my mind as well, Brother Igor! Let us not talk any longer! Our fists will convey our feelings!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Swoosh Swoosh¡­Clash Right there in the cafeteria, stupid decisions were made. . |DxD| . It was a peaceful day in the heavenly realm. Indra and Sun Wukong were still in the command room overlooking the entire heavenly realm. The royal purple skies filled with golden radiance coated the horizons, numerous little buildings laced with gold laying erect down below. The kingdom of Indra was large and well governed. Although the Deva population belonging to Indra wasn¡¯t particularly large, each member was very well off, enough to be compared to millionaires on Earth. Indra valued perfection and his governance showed it. Both monkey and god stood next to each other, their gaze roaming Svargaloka. Both men were quiet, the atmosphere between them slightly tense. Igor¡¯s aura still permeated the room, the special seals lining the wall not allowing it to easily dissipate outside. They were quiet, their gaze roaming the scene down below. This continued for a while until Indra tilted his head to look at Sun Wukong, a question in his head bubbling. ¡°Wukong. Why do you care so much for the boy?¡± It was truly a question that had the god in quite the bundle of confusion. He had known the old sage for centuries, yet not once did he show such concern for anyone apart from his comrades or family. It was such a conundrum that Indra couldn¡¯t help but ask the question to satisfy his curiosity. Sun Wukong looked ahead with a sigh, a myriad of thoughts in his head. ¡°Because, Indra¡­that kid reminds me of myself in my youth.¡± Indra raised an eyebrow at this. There was slight confusion since he was sure there were quite a few people like the blonde in the army- ¡°You probably think there are many like him, right?¡± Looking at Sun Wukong¡¯s sly grin, Indra huffed. It always irked him when the old sage accurately predicted his thoughts at the worst of times. It made it seem as if he was the younger one between them. ¡°As if. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, Wukong.¡± Sun Wukong looked at Indra with puffed cheeks, the wind trapped inside threatening to rush out in bursts of laughter. ¡°Pfft¡­hahahahahaha! Admit that the blonde is interesting! After all, many dared to resist, but none have ever attacked you. Out of thousands, he¡¯s the only one who took a stance against you.¡± ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong was right. During the course of his life, many existences had resisted Indra, but none dared to attack him directly. The Heavenly King was so powerful that those who were weaker could only silently endure or secretly grit their teeth. Out of the few hundred exceptional warriors that entered his command room, only the blonde dared to directly fight against him. It was so infuriating, yet so intriguing that Indra couldn¡¯t help but continuously think about that moment. It was the first time that a person of lesser strength dared to defy his authority right in front of him in their lonesome. ¡°Wukong. Tell me about that kid-no. Tell me about¡­Dimori.¡± ¡°???¡± Sun Wukong was rightfully surprised. In all his years of working with Indra, very few people were able to make the war god remember their names. Even then, it was after a few decades or centuries had passed. Not even a day had passed and Indra being able to call Igor by his surname made the old monkey curious as to what was going on in the head of the one he called a friend. But first, he decided to answer the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the kid. I¡¯ve barely known him for more than a week as it is. What I can tell you, is that this kid has so much potential that it¡¯s astounding. Even the most talented Aryans weren¡¯t so monstrous. But what truly has me support the blonde, is because of his purity.¡± Indra raised an eyebrow. ¡°Purity? Elaborate.¡± ¡°Heh~. Indra. In all my life, I have never seen a person with such pure aspirations. Do you know what the kid wants to be? He wants to be strong just for the sake of being strong. Whenever he speaks about his aspirations, there is no underlying motive.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Indra was genuinely intrigued. Although rare, there were a few people across history who truly wanted to reach the limits of their strength just for the sake of it. But, they were truly very few in number, to the point that in a single human generation, the number would not surpass ten in a census of billions. It was why Indra wanted to confirm. ¡°No revenge? World domination?¡± Indra shook his head proudly, almost as if the subject of the conversation was his son. ¡°None. He simply wants to be strong just for the sake of it. And he works so hard to get there. It is as if becoming strong is an instinct of his. With such pure aspirations, is he not worthy of reaching the top?¡± ¡°...¡± Indra turned away with a scoff. Even though Sun Wukong put it quite nicely, Indra still had one thought in his head about the blonde. ¡°He¡¯ll die before he can reach that goal.¡± The old sage merely shrugged in response. ¡°And given what happened before, he rather would. You see, I had a little talk with him. I¡¯ll summarize what he said in one sentence. He said, ¡®I would rather die, than live with broken pride.¡¯.¡± Indra looked up in mild shock and surprise. ¡°He truly¡­said that?¡± Sun Wukong nodded with a smile. ¡°Intriguing, is it not? Very few people can abide with such an ideology. That kid, was truly willing to die for his ideal.¡± ¡°...¡± The silence in the room stretched on, Indra stuck in his own thoughts. ¡° ¡®I would rather die, than live with broken pride.¡¯ ¡± The sentence itself seemed so simple, yet at the same time, profound, to the point that very few people would be able to grasp the essence of it. The war god seemed to be lost in his own mind, Igor¡¯s sentence especially resonating with him. It especially struck a chord in him since he was a god. As a god, especially one of war, Indra valued his pride greatly. As such, he truly understood the term, ¡®Die with pride, than live in disgrace.¡¯. Indra smiled, his lips releasing the quote again. ¡° ¡®I would rather die, than live with broken pride.¡¯ ¡° ¡°What do you think? Quite poetic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Indra smiled lightly. ¡°Indeed it is.¡± Sun Wukong looked at the god with a smile of his own. ¡°I wonder what sparks will result when he finally meets your son. It surely is bound to be explosive.¡± BOOOM! ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Indra and Sun Wukong looked down towards the rising plume of smoke with curious expressions. The old monkey was about to enquire when he suddenly felt a familiar source of energy. *Vein Bulge* ¡°¡°That brat/Atid!¡±¡± Indra and the old monkey looked at each other before the former grinned. ¡°It certainly is explosive, Wukong. How about you become the seer in my army?¡± Noticing the sarcasm, Sun Wukong huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll handle those two.¡± . |DxD| . Igor and Atid looked at each other with matching grins of excitement. Both boys had their clothes torn in their battle, their eyes gleamed with so much delight that even the spectators watching them couldn¡¯t help but shiver. The cafeteria was already a huge mess. Tables were destroyed and the walls had massive cracks on them. Windows were shattered and people were scared. Despite they themselves being soldiers, none of them could hope to interfere in a battle between two powerhouses of the god class. Besides feeling it from their aura, the damage in the hall alone was sufficient proof. Every single block used to construct the hall is laced with blessings and seals that enhance their strength and durability to the point that even ultimate class entities would have a hard time laying a scratch on it. Yet those very walls were now riddled with cracks caused by the two boys. Igor looked at Atid, not caring for the slight bruises and the dried trail of blood on his mouth. ¡°Brother Atid. I had no idea you were this strong. You hid your strength pretty well.¡± ¡°You flatter me, Brother Igor. I thought I was already the most powerful in my generation, but you broadened my horizons.¡± When one heard these words of flattery being passed at each other, they would think that their fight had come to a conclusion. They had already done enough damage to the hall and to themselves. Their clothes were torn and in disarray. The blonde had already removed his coat and was left bare-chested while Atid had his robes torn so badly that he may as well tear off the upper half due to how many holes and tears it had. With the both of them having drawn blood from each other, it was reasonable that everything would end. But the fiery aura emanating from them said otherwise. Noticing that Atid¡¯s aura was gradually recovering, Igor got into a stance. ¡°Brother Atid. Can I assume that this isn¡¯t your full power?¡± Atid rubbed the back of his head with a laugh. ¡°Hehe, Brother Igor. I can¡¯t say this power is mine, but it is a part of me since I was born with it. Besides, I also felt that Brother Igor has a hidden card, right?¡± The blonde grinned. ¡°You guessed correctly, Brother Atid. But, I want to see your hand first.¡± Atid chuckled. ¡°Then I will embarrass myself in front of Brother Igor.¡± Then, Atid¡¯s left hand was covered by a brief light for a moment before it unveiled a red dragon-like gauntlet with a massive green gem on the back of its palm. Atid clenched his left hand a few times before looking at Igor. ¡°Watch, Brother Igor.¡± Then from the gauntlet, a deep voice bellowed. ¡°[BOOST]¡± Gruuu! Igor widened his eyes when he felt Atid suddenly get twice as strong. There was only one other method he knew of that could allow a user to amplify their power. ¡°Red Dragon Emperor¡­¡± Atid chuckled. He flexed his fingers, crimson claws covering. He then clenched them, his eyes locking with Igor¡¯s. ¡°Hehe. Brother Igor guessed right. I am this generation¡¯s current Sekiryuutei. I wonder if Brother Igor is still willing to fight?¡± ¡°[BOOST]¡± Gruuu! Igor was silent for a while, which prompted Atid to be concerned. [Is¡­is he afraid?] Yet before that slight disappointment could well up, Igor began to laugh. ¡°Hahahahaha! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I finally found you!¡± The blonde then pointed towards Atid with an excited expression. ¡°Watch, Brother Atid. I want to see which is better between your ¡®Boost¡¯ and my¡­¡± A red aura started melding together with Igor¡¯s white aura. ¡°...KAIOKEN!!!¡± GRUUU! His aura exploded fiercely, the shockwave offsetting debris and shattering any remnant pieces of glass in the window frames of the hall. The blonde looked at Atid with a completely maniacal expression. His grin was so wide that if it stretched a notch further, his lips would tear. Yet his gaze remained focused on Atid. ¡°Brother! Let¡¯s FIGHT!!!!!!¡± It was already too late. The blonde was so fired up that even if Atid did not consent, he would attack. Fortunately, his fellow compatriot seemed to have a similar ideal. With a matching grin, Atid also got into a stance. ¡°Indeed, Brother Igor! I can no longer wait! RAAAA!!!¡± ¡°RAAAAA!!!¡± Their powerful aura clashed with each other, resulting in a massive explosion to engulf the entire hall. BOOOOM! . AN . And I¡¯m back. The reason why I couldn¡¯t upload for almost a week had to do with my pc breaking down and so I had to take it for repairs last Wednesday. And it is only today (Monday) that I got it back. Hopefully, nothing unexpected happens again and thanks for sticking around. Like I said, I¡¯m not abandoning this work. Chapter 55 ¡°Brother! Let¡¯s FIGHT!!!!!!¡± It was already too late. The blonde was so fired up that even if Atid did not consent, he would attack. Fortunately, his fellow compatriot seemed to have a similar ideal. With a matching grin, Atid also got into a stance. ¡°Indeed, Brother Igor! I can no longer wait! RAAAA!!!¡± ¡°RAAAAA!!!¡± Their powerful auras clashed with each other, resulting in a massive explosion engulfing the entire hall. BOOOOM! . |DxD| . Sun Wukong had just arrived at the scene and the sight before him made him freeze for a moment. The entire hall had shattered to pieces, not even leaving the roof behind. The explosive force of their aura had literally blew away everything around them. Even the ground was not spared, to the point that tiles had cracked away to reveal the cracked foundation beneath *Vein Bulge* ¡°You brats!!!¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s voice was so loud that both boys immediately covered their ears with a wince. Yet while one endured in silence, a certain blonde decided to make his displeasure known. With blood seeping through his ears, Igor yelled angrily with an expression of grievance. ¡°Fuck your mother! Shit!¡± With his senses having heightened in preparation for battle, the old monkey¡¯s sudden scream nearly made Igor suffer an intense headache due to how loud his yell was. Usually, his body would¡¯ve subconsciously lowered its sensitivity once the sound waves reached his ears. But Sun Wukong¡¯s yell was so loud and concentrated that even if Igor¡¯s senses had regressed to those of a normal, he still bled from his ears. But Sun Wukong didn¡¯t care about the blonde¡¯s pain. In response to Igor¡¯s yell, he summoned his staff, extended it, and whacked it over the head of the still inebriated blonde. ¡°Ow! That hurts goddamnit!¡± Sun Wukong ignored the blonde and turned towards Atid. He looked at the brownhead with a somewhat disappointed expression. ¡°How you¡¯ve grown, Atid. You can ignore military regulations now, huh?¡± Atid cupped his hands and lowered his head respectfully. ¡°Good morning, Uncle. I am not ignoring regulations persay. Brother Igor and I did not fight. We merely massaged each other at high speeds.¡± ¡°...¡± How Atid could say such lies with a straight face always confused Sun Wukong. Ever since he had known the boy, he could spout nonsense without his mouth twitching even once. But none of his escapades compared to this excuse he just delivered. Truly, the old sage had never heard such bu- ¡°I see. So why are your clothes torn?¡± Atid did not flinch at Sun Wukong¡¯s dry gaze. ¡°It is an inevitability when our pace transcends the speed of sound. Might I request permission from Uncle to commission for-¡± The monkey couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His tolerance was already weighing thin due to Igor¡¯s recent nonsense in Indra¡¯s command room. Now with Atid¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but place a hand on his forehead. ¡°Alright! Stop. Just stop. I¡¯ve heard enough of your nonsense. The money to repair the hall will be taken out of your allowance. Is that enough?¡± Atid smiled warmly. ¡°Whatever you deem fit, uncle.¡± Sun Wukong rubbed his scalp with a sigh. [I sometimes forget how annoying Indra¡¯s brat is.] Turning to face the blonde again, it made him smile when he saw the blonde was still hunched over with his eyes closed and his hands towards his ears. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It was truly a sight for sore eyes. ¡°Heh~¡± He drank in Igor¡¯s appearance, using the blonde to recharge his tolerance bar before turning towards the source who would guzzle it down if given the chance. But, he suddenly had an idea in his mind that made him smile mischievously. Looking at Atid in a sagely manner, he stroked his beard. ¡°Before I leave, know that your father knows about this matter. Also, if this hall isn¡¯t rebuilt within a week, I will burn your manga collectio-¡± ¡°NOOOOOOOOOO!!! I¡¯LL BUILD IT! I¡¯LL BUILD IT!¡± Atid¡¯s composure took a leave of absence the moment his manga collection was threatened. Many of those were original copies taken directly from the homes of each author. That meant only one existed. If they were burnt¡­ Atid shivered at the thought. ¡°Uncle. Please don¡¯t burn it.¡± Sun Wukong smiled evilly. ¡°Hahahaha! Don¡¯t ever get smart with me, kid.¡± He then vanished on the spot, leaving Atid with shell-shock and Igor silently cursing his ancestors. If he had stayed to listen to the blonde¡¯s words, then his tolerance bar might¡¯ve really taken a hit. . |DxD| . Two weeks had passed since Igor¡¯s arrival at Svargaloka. Due to ¡®certain¡¯ reasons, the offensive against Shiva was delayed by another week. Now, the army marched towards the battlefield where Shiva¡¯s army waited for them. Forming the center squadrons were the deva race. Forming the flanks were a myriad of different races with the crux of them being yokai. Overlooking the army from above was Indra and dozens of different Buddhas and other Devas of the supreme god class. Standing next to him on his right was Sun Wukong, his most trusted partner and aide. Indra¡¯s army for this fight totalled at a quarter of a million with the Deva race making up 80% of that amount. The strongest amongst the foot-soldiers was around the entry-level of god class. The weakest general that commanded the troops was low-god class while the strongest was peak-god class. Every Buddha hovering in the sky was in the supreme-god class, their individual strength varying. As for Shiva, while the strength and number of their upper echelons was roughly the same, his foot-soldiers had higher strength on average. This was what Igor could roughly glean from spreading his senses. Having not seen Atid for the past three days, he aimlessly stood to the side and watched troops ready themselves for battle. The tension in the air was palpable. As the distance between the troops changed from kilometres to metres, intense bloodlust suddenly clouded the air. Igor was taken by surprise by it since never had he ever felt such intense bloodlust. Yet instead of making him scared, he found himself grinning, almost as if he was home. The pressure in the air excited him right down to his subconscious, the aura of intense killing intent stroking his battle-lust. The killing intent he received from Baraquiel had nothing on the collective bloodlust of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. With the armies separated by a distance of 500 metres, they came to a complete standstill. The respective bigshots of each army hovered above without any movements. It was clear that the infantry would fight first. And fight they would. ¡°CHARGE!!!¡± ¡°¡°¡°RAAAAAA!!!!!¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡°¡°FOR THE HEAVENLY KING!!!¡±¡±¡± SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH Everyone rushed forward with compete determination. Some flew in the air while others dashed on the ground. Horses in a supernatural war were completely useless. In fact, they would be considered a liability. CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG Igor watched as the armies met in the centre. His eyes were wide open to witness the sight of blood peppering the skies. His expectations were completely thrown off the roof. ¡°T-that quickly??? I thought there would be a minute or two before blood started flying!¡± Yet what Igor just witnessed was the cold reality. Some unfortunate new recruits tripped over themselves and had a sword to the head break their fall. Some warriors were simply unlucky and came face to face with someone above their level, forcing them to be demoted from soldier to temporary sword sheath. The minutes drew on, the war getting fiercer. Blood was spilled and souls rose into the skies and sucked into mirrors that would be used to revive them later. This was one of the reasons why the Hindu mythology was so strong. Wars like this happened every month and each warrior did not have to fear a permanent death. But unfortunately, pain still existed. Soon, war cries were soon replaced by screams of pain accompanied by severed limbs and pierced hearts. Those with lower stamina and power were being gradually sifted out. Shiva¡¯s army was pushing Indra¡¯s back. The bellows of commanders shouting orders could be heard amongst the serenade of screaming men. Igor was gradually being introduced to the fact that war was indeed, bloody¡­very very bloody. The ground had already been dyed red and soldiers tripped over the corpse of their own comrades. The sounds of weapons clashing was replaced by the soft sound of flesh being pierced. Flashy techniques some people trained in their yards were replaced for the simplest of sword swings and spear thrusts. It was impossible to tell friend from foe when everyone had their armour dyed red. They could only attack forward, their weapons piercing whoever was facing them and ignoring whoever had their backs turned to them. Although unsightly, it was not rare for a man to be felled by his own ally in a moment of confusion. Their minds are too chaotic to even sense if someone is from their army or not. And so the sounds of weapons smashing against each other ensued, the desperate screams of soldiers overshadowing the commands of generals. Yet even as Igor witnessed this, he wasn¡¯t frightened. Rather, he was getting excited. The scent of blood, the killing intent permeating the air, all of this served to make him itch to jump in. It was such an irrational reaction yet the blonde did not question it. To him, it was as simple as feeling hungry or thirsty. The need to jump in and fight was too intrinsic that just like how a starved man would not check food for poison, Igor would not question why he was consumed by the desire to fight. So while the starved man would wolf down his food¡­ Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°I can¡¯t hold it anymore.¡± ¡­he would embrace his desire. He was so excited that he could no longer stabilise his Kaioken at 60%. Rather, he was subconsciously increasing the multiplier. The need to fight was stroked so rapidly that Igor found it very hard to hold himself back. He had been told by Sun Wukong not to interfere. But simply watching couldn¡¯t do it for him anymore. ¡°Sorry, monkey sage.¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°But I can¡¯t stop myself!¡± GRUUU¡­Swoosh! Chapter 56 ¡°Sorry, monkey sage.¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°But I can¡¯t stop myself!¡± GRUUU¡­Swoosh! . |DxD| . Igor flew over to the battlefield with a crazed smile on his face. His Kaioken was fully activated, making him appear as a red streak that was descending towards the frontlines. He was flying so quickly that very few people could perceive him. But, they could definitely perceive his aura. BOOOM! Silence¡­ A giant plume of dust rose up, the sounds of combat lowering in turn. Igor¡¯s single action quietened the entire battle. Yet it wasn¡¯t his entrance that hushed everyone¡¯s weapons. Rather, it was the raw battle intent oozing from the dust cloud that froze everyone in their tracks. FUUUUSH A powerful pressure swept away the dust clouds and revealed a ferocious-looking Igor. His smile was wide, his eyes blood red almost as if he was on the verge of going berserk. The crushing aura filled with his battle intent was like a basin of cold water that cooled down even the most bloodthirsty warriors. It was especially worse for those who were unfortunate enough to be next to the blonde. Despite the distance separating them and Igor was less than three metres, none of them even entertained the thought of stabbing him. Igor was oozing power belonging to the god class. Even though there were other god class fighters on the field, almost none of them could withstand Igor¡¯s battle lust. It With a fiery red aura surrounding him, the blonde puffed out his chest and roared to the skies. ¡°LET¡¯S FIGHT!!!!!!!¡± GRUUUU! As if in resonance, his aura exploded with a shockwave that knocked back everyone within a hundred metre radius. With hundreds of soldiers toppling over themselves, a wide clearing was formed with the blonde as the epicentre. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Blatantly running his senses through the entire battlefield, Igor searched for the largest concentration of strong- *Catches Arrow* Grabbing an arrow with his hand, Igor slowly turned to the right, his smile gradually widening. Locking eyes with the person who fired the arrow, he laughed. ¡°Hehehe¡­HAHAHAHA!!!¡± Swoosh... ¡°?!¡± The archer responsible for the arrow barely had any time to react before the view of his comrades changed to that of the reddest fist in existence. BOOOM! The strike was so powerful that his head was blasted clean off his shoulders. Not just him, everyone for the next hundred metres in a concave formation suffered differing injuries. The ones in the immediate vicinity instantly lost their lease on life without delay. Those a bit further away were blasted away with severe injuries that essentially made them free achievement points on the battlefield. Even those nearing the end of the range had to trade a litre of blood to extend their life subscription. Yet out of dozens of people, only three stood tall with barely any injuries. They were heavily armoured warriors from Shiva¡¯s army that wielded massive shields and long swords. Each of them were powerhouses of the god realm, warriors that faced the blonde without fear. Igor was similarly excited as well when he met each of their gazes. His blood was running so hot that visible mist seeped through the gaps in his teeth. He got into a charging stance, his body crouched and his arms spread back like wings. The aura around him grew intense, his Kaioken threatening to burst through the restraints of the times-two multiplier. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The already hardened earth beneath his feet cracked, his gaze locked on to his targets. The three warriors also looked at the blonde, their swords gradually being covered in golden light. The situation was tense. Everyone had stopped fighting and instead, spectated. They could fight against each other again in the following months, but there was no guarantee that they could witness such a battle like this. It also helped that neither side were truly enemies, thus they could stand side to side without any issues. With the surroundings completely silent, the stare down between Igor and the three armoured warriors gradually reached its end. Giving a coy grin, Igor charged forward first. Swoosh¡­ Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh The three warriors also charged ahead to meet the blonde, their armour not restricting them at all in terms of speed. Three golden streaks rushed forward to meet one red streak, the rest of the warriors instinctively retreating to provide space. And their decision was correct. BOOOOM Their clash was so monstrous that the shockwave alone shook the entire battlefield, disorienting everyone in the process. A sound like a dozen thunderclaps caused some of the weaker soldiers to start bleeding from their ears, their passive auras not enough to block out the majority of the sound waves. As for Igor, he had used two aura blades to block the two swords that had curved towards his neck. The third warrior had his shield up, smoke wafting from it after he had to block a sneaky mouth blast from the blonde. Everything was once again quiet, as if a temporary cease fire had been issued. The situation was in a standstill, giving everyone just the briefest of seconds to take in the scene¡­before all four of them suddenly vanished. Then¡­ BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM The sounds of impact cascaded from the skies and the ground. Most of the people present could regretfully, only hear the sounds of battle. They were simply not powerful enough to perceive such high-speed combat. Only those within the peak of ultimate class could follow the battle with their eyes. Their necks swivelled at every turn, their frightened eyes exposing the fear and shock emanating from deep within. Everyone knew that above ultimate class, god class was the new beginning. Yet very few could comprehend just how wide the gulf between the two classes was. It was not a simple chasm that could be spanned across with a bridge. The difference between god class and ultimate class was so high that even if a hundred peak ultimate class warriors arrived, they would barely be able to defeat an entry-level god class entity. This was a fundamental truth that the peak-ultimate classes watching understood, their individual thoughts aligning. [[[I wouldn¡¯t last a second.]]] Such was the spectacle they witnessed that any thoughts of interfering were tossed aside. As for the few god class fighters in Indra¡¯s army, none of them went on to help the blonde. Their reason was not out of fear or maliciousness, but rather out of respect. They could accurately gauge that Igor wanted to fight all three of them alone without any outside help. And judging by¡­ ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!!! GOOD HIT!¡± ¡­the blonde¡¯s excited voice ringing through the vicinity, their choice couldn¡¯t have been more correct. Igor was wholeheartedly enjoying the fight. Although it was three on one, the blonde still had activated his Kaioken, his doubled strength placing him at the absolute threshold of low-god class to mid-god class. It was not just his power, but his reaction speed had been doubled as well. This allowed him to counter the numerous attacks launched at him from all directions. Furthermore, it was even worse for the three armoured warriors since¡­ GU! ¡°THIS IS FOR THE PUNCH YOU GAVE ME!¡± ¡­the punch Igor received a few moments prior reset his hard drive and lowered the bubbliness of his blood. It allowed him to fully focus all his rampaging emotions of excitement into the fight, into enjoying the battle, analsyse his opponent¡¯s moves, and grow. And the blonde certainly grew. Tswii¡­Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu *Crunch* Appearing to the side of one armoured warrior, Igor released nearly a dozen punches to the side of his helmet like a gatling gun. The punches came in such quick succession that the unlucky warrior¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body dropping towards the ground like a ragdoll. The side of his helmet had caved into his skull, his blood coming out from his eyes, nose, and mouth. The two remaining warriors remained on the spot, their shock, fear, and caution being vividly displayed. They never assumed that their comrade could die so quickly and to pure physical strength at that. The blonde had been dominating them with his fists, his aura swords only manifesting with the task of defending or parrying strikes. It would be understandable if their comrade died to those swords. Yet for him to die to a punch, made them fear just how strong Igor¡¯s physique was, to the point that even their divine armour couldn¡¯t withstand it. Igor¡¯s physique was truly monstrous and rightfully so. For sixty years, he had been enduring varying multiplications of Earth¡¯s gravity. And quite recently, he was able to endure over a hundred-times Earth Gravity. Having trained in such a high gravity level for over five years, Igor was able to go past the peak of ultimate class and enter the leagues of the gods. It was why he was able to contend against divine armour with just his fists, and why the warriors were in complete shock. Igor watched them with a smile and spread his hands in a sagely manner. Were it not for his wide grin and his right hand covered in brain matter, he might¡¯ve truly appeared like a sage. Nonetheless, the blonde didn¡¯t care about his current appearance. ¡°Your armour is tough. I had to test it out a bit but, nothing my good ol¡¯ fist can¡¯t punch through.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Their caution had heightened. They got into their stances while Igor swung around his elbow with a cocky grin. ¡°The two of you aren¡¯t enough. Bring thirty more.¡± Silence¡­ If the battlefield wasn¡¯t silent before, now it truly was. Even the observers hovering high in the sky quietened down at the blonde¡¯s arrogant remark. While some wore expressions of disdain and mocking, only three people had one of interest. They were, Sun Wukong, Indra¡­and Shiva. . AN . And we¡¯ve reached the end for today. Upload schedules will resume as normal. If you want to read ahead here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 57 ¡°The three of you weren¡¯t enough. Bring thirty more.¡± Silence¡­ If the battlefield wasn¡¯t silent before, now it truly was. Even the observers hovering high in the sky quietened down at the blonde¡¯s arrogant remark. While some wore expressions of disdain and mocking, only three people had one of interest. They were, Sun Wukong, Indra, and Shiva. . |DxD| . Indra didn¡¯t even bother to suppress the smirk on his face after hearing Igor¡¯s words. So impressed was he that he truly wanted to see how the blonde would fair were there to be thirty-two heavily armoured warriors after him. Although, he was quite sure the blonde could win, especially after Igor had released the power of a high-god class entity in his office. But furthermore, he heard from Sun Wukong that Igor apparently could become as strong as a peak-god class entity if given a minute to properly power-up. Although peak-god class entities were not worth mentioning to him, it was a different thing entirely if the one in question was a kid who¡¯s barely started growing hair. Indra stared menacingly at Shiva, yet the god of destruction appeared to be ignoring him in favour of observing the blonde. *Vein Twitch* [Ignoring me again, I see. Hmph!] On the other side, Shiva watched with a slight smile as the blonde challenged his army. Even though he should feel offended, he felt intrigue. But, Nandi, his chief attendant thought differently. The pale blue man instantly appeared next to him, his face the epitome of humbleness and respect. Nandi was dressed in a black robe that had a blue sash tied around his waist. He also wore a black cuirass that had orange and yellow decorations. But his most interesting features were his scepter and the large halo ring around his neck. His distinctive pale blue skin was further enhanced by his long silver hair tied up in a bun, making him appear rather effeminate. Yet for all his noble appearance, very few people know that he was both older and far stronger than Shiva. Furthermore, Nandi was an angel, an existence that serves to train and attend to a universe¡¯s god of destruction. Even though Nandi was more powerful, he remained a faithful attendant to Shiva, addressing him as lord and catering to his every need should his wife not be around. For millions of years, pale man had accompanied him through thick and thin, aiding him in matters that would normally be deemed too low for Shiva to personally oversee. Just like now, the man had gone down to oversee the situation in Shiva¡¯s place and came back to report, his hands respectfully clasped together. ¡°My lord. This young fellow is lowering the morale of our combatants. Any orders, my lord?¡± Although his attendant spoke as if he was concerned, Shiva knew he was more amused than anything. ¡°Give the boy the thirty warriors he desires to fight, I truly wish to see, just what is the extent of his powers.¡± Nandi nodded. ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡± And just like that, he vanished from sight. It did not take long before several powerful auras filled the battlefield. What followed next was the blonde¡¯s cackle and his power level doubling, bringing him into the realm of mid-god class. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. It intrigued Shiva since he knew of Indra having a son that possessed the Boosted Gear, so his initial thoughts were that he was being remotely boosted by the sacred gear¡¯s [Transfer] ability. But that thought had barely lasted a single second before he had thrown it out. Even after a few minutes had passed, Shiva remained interested by Igor¡¯s ability to suddenly boost his strength with the only drawback being stamina consumption. Shiva knew of a few techniques that could do the same, but they usually required sacrifices or lifespan in exchange. But the god did not feel any connection of blessings coming down on the blonde or his lifespan decreasing. In fact¡­ ¡°His lifespan is increasing? Truly intriguing. Even the most powerful Aryans barely lived past their third century, yet his range is nearing the fourth. Such a divine technique, I wonder how he chanced upon it.¡± Yet for all the Kaioken¡¯s special properties, it was not relevant to him. It was a simple passing interest laced with a tinge of curiosity. If all Igor had going for him was this technique, Shiva would¡¯ve most likely forgotten his existence by the end of the battle. What truly made Shiva pay special attention to Igor, even to allow the honour of his army to be sullied by sending thirty warriors against one person, is because Igor¡¯s physique impressed him. He could already tell even now that should his own warriors use the Kaioken at the blonde¡¯s current level (x4), they would not make it past the thirty-second mark. The technique was so ferocious that without a sufficiently strong body and enough stamina, a user could potentially kill themselves if they failed to meet the requirements of the technique. But Igor could continuously maintain it without issue, his face showing absolutely no sign of exhaustion. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM Shiva watched on as the blonde attacked first, his body exploding in a burst of speed, agility, and power. The blonde was so elusive and his strikes so powerful that Shiva gave a nod of approval. [A strong body. A healthy spirit. A fortified mind. A steel heart. Truly a rarity-] ¡°THIS IS FUN! FIGHT ME MORE!!!¡± Su¡­BOOOM! ¡°...¡± Igor proceeded to rush into the middle of the thirty warriors, fully taking advantage of the cramped space to diminish the use of their long swords. Shiva showed no intentions of sending aid to his troops that were clearly being pushed back by the slippery blonde. It was rather funny watching men who lived for centuries being pushed back. They were completely unable to touch Igor, proof that his combat instincts were completely out of this world. He moved like water through them, abusing his [Instant Vanish]* to the point that the soldiers were losing their heads over how he could instantly switch locations. The blonde could be aiming a kick to one warrior only to suddenly kick another warrior five metres away in the head. In a way, Igor¡¯s way of fighting was said to be suited for fighting against multiple enemies. For his foe, their combat capabilities were restrained due to how close their other companions were. Furthermore, due to there being over twenty of them, hesitation was commonplace since they could inadvertently harm their own comrades should they fully commit to an attack and the blonde dodges. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! That annoying sound entered their ears again, followed by the sounds of armour being crushed and blood being coughed out. Igor was not lenient with them. All his attacks were aimed to kill. Already having felled over five of them, the blonde was far from satisfied and fatigue was something he would never feel for the next few hours, and that is only due to using the [Instant Vanish] technique. Previously, Igor could barely use the [Instant Vanish] twice without being tired. Back when he was still high class, he needed to utilise the [Aura-Burning State] technique to break the limit cap on the [Instant Vanish] technique. But, the [Aura-Burning State] came with its own disadvantages, the main one namely being that it guzzled down the caster¡¯s ki to the point that they would barely even be able to form the simplest of ki blasts. But with the Kaioken, the blonde got the best of both the [Aura-Burning State] and the [Aura-Flowing State]. His already incredible physique was greatly enhanced and the issue of the limited use of his [Instant Vanish] was resolved. With a superior physique honed from decades of gravity training and a technique that allows him to move dozens of metres in moments, the blonde was an absolute thrasher that punched his way through the elite armoured warriors with his fists. . AN .
  1. He moved like water through them, abusing his [Instant Vanish]* to the point that the soldiers were losing their heads over how he could instantly switch locations
Explanation: Just a simple refresher. The Instant Vanish is different from the Instant Transmission. The former works on the principal of moving very quickly to a location at the cost of stamina while the latter is genuine teleportation. As always, if you want to read ahead here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 58 With a superior physique honed from decades of gravity training and a technique that allows him to move dozens of metres in moments, the blonde was an absolute thrasher that slaughtered his way through the elite armoured warriors with his fists. . |DxD| . Shiva watched indifferently as Igor made his way through the armed warriors. Tensions were running high with how the warriors were losing so terribly. Nandi noticed this and chose to offer his input. ¡°My lord. Army morale is decreasing rapidly. I suggest we-¡± But Shiva waved him off. ¡°No, Nandi. There will be no need. Let this child be the fire that ignites the fire of my men for the next battle. Let¡¯s retreat.¡± The words of Shiva were heard by all the Buddhas and other fighters hovering in the sky with him. His words took all of them by surprise. Retreating now would be the first time the army would suffer such a fatal and embarrassing loss. While some were ready to unquestionably follow Shiva¡¯s orders and retreat, some already wanted to dispute. The most notable of them was Mahabali. He was a handsome man with long black hair, pale skin, and wore a sari dress. He was muscular, his temperament fierce, but calm. Mahabali was one of the few people who genuinely hated Indra to the core. The War God was responsible for killing his father during the Asura war, resulting in an unforgivable grudge that he would hold until the end of time. It was understandable why he was one of the few people who were extremely unsatisfied with Shiva¡¯s decision. So gritting his teeth in determination, Mahabali flew over to Shiva and bowed his head. ¡°Lord Shiva. Please allow me to suggest that we continue pressing on. We may not hold the advantage now, but I am confident our generals can quell the threat our men are facing below.¡± As much as Mahabali wanted to descend himself and handle the blonde, he knew that someone from Indra¡¯s side would immediately stop him. It was already sort of an unspoken rule between the two armies that anyone in the supreme-god class cannot interfere in a battle of god-class entities and lower. It was why Mahabali could only relay the responsibility of quelling the blonde towards the generals. But Shiva remained stalwart. He had already made his decision and did not want to be questioned on it. And he let that be shown through his aura, something which caused Mahabali to tense up and lower his head even further. Sometimes, people would forget how powerful Shiva was. With his appearance of a handsome middle-school boy, his luscious blue-black hair would make him seem like a target of underestimation. This was further enhanced by how he was laid back in nature, the representation of a polite and well-spoken person. But that was when his authority wasn¡¯t questioned. ¡°What did I say?¡± A cold sweat covered Mahabali¡¯s head. ¡°F-forgive me, my lord. We will retreat at once.¡± Mahabali went away and immediately relayed the order to retreat. As for Nandi, he smiled kindly at Shiva, amusement written on his face. [Once again, my lord has taken the opportunity to retreat, not for the noble reasons he stated, but because he wants to sleep.] Nandi had served Shiva for countless years. He was already clear with his lord¡¯s antics. Although he appeared rather eloquent on the outside, he was very lazy when he was within the confines of his own home. It was fairly understandable given that Shiva was already an entity that already had the power to destroy the universe. With no one to challenge him anymore, his rate of gaining strength had decreased and sleep had become his favourite pastime. But beneath all of that, Shiva was a warrior through and through. Having come from the bottom as well, he valued genuine hard work. Having been born a mortal, he put in his all into becoming stronger. And when he was selected as a candidate for the title of ¡®Destroyer¡¯, he put in even more hard work, surpassing all the candidates chosen along with him. Even when he succeeded and became a god, he continued to work hard to surpass his limits and eventually reached his current level of power. It was why Shiva appreciated people who sought personal strength and abhorred politics and schemes. A person with a strong body and a strong heart was someone he would always have a good impression of. And right now, he had a good impression of Igor. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Nandi watched from the corner of his eye at Shiva¡¯s slight grin. It made him more curious at the object of his lord¡¯s positive mood. Scrutinising the berserk blonde in detail, Nandi silently pondered. [Will he become a person my lord can finally fight?] Very few people knew this, but Shiva¡¯s strength far surpassed the supreme class. Even conceptional beings like Ophis and Great Red could barely compare to him. Shiva was so powerful that should he wish to, he could destroy the entire universe. Yet, it was only publically known that he could destroy Earth. It was why that gods like Indra dared to challenge him and why Shiva always appeared bored. To him, Indra was so weak that he could erase his entire existence with a single finger. The only reason why he hid his power, why he tolerated the war with Indra, was to preserve his life. As powerful as he was, his other fellow gods, Brahma and Vishnu weren¡¯t as powerful. That would not be a problem, except that his life was linked to theirs. Shiva was part of the Trimurti and in that trio existed Brahma The Creator, Vishnu The Preserver, and he, Shiva The Destroyer. As a destroyer god, his power needed to far surpass any possible threat in order to preserve the sanctity of the universe from major threats that could serve to completely destroy all life. It was why even after receiving his title, he continued to train under Nandi, breaking through his limits and finally becoming a universe class entity. Yet in order to keep him in check, his life would be linked to two of his fellow gods. Should they die in anyway, he will die as well. It as an insurance reason to prevent him from becoming a tyrant that ruled the universe like an overlord. Shiva had no problem with the arrangement except for the fact that his fellow gods were much weaker than the threats he was supposed to destroy. It was why if his true power was known, then it would only be a matter of time before his weakness would be discovered as well. That was why he hid his power, to not make people completely afraid of him. Because the first thing they would do is scour every possible way to defeat him and who better to get that information than from his fellow gods. If several supreme class entities teamed up, they could overwhelm Vishnu and Brahma and with how wide the supernatural world was, numerous methods of extracting information existed. Shiva was by no means benevolent. He did not seek the approval of people or cared for their opinions. But he had a job to prioritise and he cared not for fame. If people severely underestimated his power, then so be it. None of them were stronger than even his presumed power and should they become a threat, he can destroy them in an instant. Rather than have the entire supernatural world wary of his power, he would rather spend time with his family, sleep, and occasionally train every once in a while. As for fighting Indra, it was a combination of boredom, expectations, and keeping up appearances. Hundreds upon thousands of years ago, Indra approached him looking for a fight. Out of boredom, he fought Indra and eventually saw potential in the fledgling War God. He believed that given a few thousand years, Indra could become an opponent on equal footing with him. Yet his disappointment surged with each passing millennium. Indra had completely stagnated, his strength no longer increasing due to the god no longer trying to increase his power. The War God believed that with his power having reached the point of being able to obliterate an entire planet out of existence, it was enough to rival the God of Destruction. But while Shiva was disappointed in Indra, it also sparked an idea within him. Using Indra as a premise, he began recruiting warriors while the War God did the same. While the latter assumed it would be a simple competition between each other, Shiva¡¯s intentions stretched further. He would look for a talent, someone with an absolute thirst for power, and someone who adored battle. And today, he found a potential candidate. With the appearance of the blonde, he took an interest. But that was all it was- an interest. There were many, many people who came before the blonde. All of them had talent and the capability to reach for the peak, yet none of them satisfied his requirements. They all softened as they advanced in years, none of them holding that thirst for battle that they had in their youth. Shiva had observed in the likes of Sun Wukong, but was eventually disappointed when the Great Sage also stopped advancing. Although his requirements were harsh, he did not need another Indra to waste his time. Holding on to Nandi¡¯s hand, Shiva thought to himself. [Since he spent over six decades in that little chamber of his, if he reaches supreme class within the next hundred years, I will consider nurturing him.] It was an impossible goal, even if the blonde was an Aryan. But that was precisely the results Shiva expected at this point. He believed that if Igor truly had the conviction, the drive, and the singular mind to reach that goal, he could become a supreme class entity within a century. The blonde already had the foundation. His physique was already one of the best Shiva had seen in his years of life. He had the time chamber artifact, meaning he had a private place to fully train without consequence. With all this in place, if Igor cannot reach the supreme class within a hundred-year timeframe, then Shiva will ignore him like the rest. [I hope you have the necessary conviction.] He then grabbed Nandi¡¯s arm, his eyes not leaving Igor¡¯s form. ¡°It¡¯s about time I retire.¡± With that little sentence, both he and Nandi vanished in a pillar of blue light. . AN . A great thanks to those who are still reading my work. Your feedback is appreciated always and I¡¯m thankful. Now enough with the cringy sappy stuff. If you want to read three chapters ahead here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 59 The blonde already had the foundation. His physique was already one of the best Shiva had seen in his years of life. He had the time chamber artifact, meaning he had a private place to fully train without consequence. With all this in place, if Igor cannot reach the supreme class within a hundred-year timeframe, then Shiva will ignore him like the rest. [I hope you have the necessary conviction.] He then grabbed Nandi¡¯s arm, his eyes not leaving Igor¡¯s form. ¡°It¡¯s about time I retire.¡± . |DxD| . A week had passed since the war ended. During the week, Igor was assaulted by numerous praises from many individuals in the army. His feat of driving Shiva¡¯s army to retreat was witnessed by everyone. The constant parade of dozens of people coming to greet and congratulate him was grating on his nerves. Too many people were trying to make friends with him yet the blonde had no interest in them at all. To be precise, he didn¡¯t want hordes of people lining up outside his room everyday. Even as the subject of the praise, Igor was more annoyed than gratified at having his privacy constantly invaded. So in typical blonde fashion, he punched the lights out of anyone who approached him after the third day. And so for the rest of the week, his days had been relatively peaceful. It was miraculous how sending an overly enthusiastic ultimate-class into a coma for the next three months could suddenly bring peace into his life. And it was with this peace that the blonde finally set out to do what he wanted to. Currently, Igor had flew back to the battlefield. He was standing right in the middle of it, specifically within in the area he had fought in. The traces of blood had vanished while the scars that lined the ground had almost fully been repaired. Corpses, weapons, and pieces of armour had also vanished without a trace. Compared to the bloody river it was a few days ago, the field had reverted back to its barren appearance of rocky deserted grounds. But he was not interested in the appearance of the field nor the magic or divine power used to repair it. Rather, he was interested in reliving the fight he had been through. Now that he had calmed down, Igor began reviewing the fight in its entirety, evaluating where he showed flaws, where there were missed opportunities, where he exerted more effort than necessary, where he took too long to strike, and so on. Analysing these little details would greatly help in his growth. The blonde treated this matter with absolute importance since knowing where he made mistakes, could help him improve in combat. Although Baraquiel had taught him how to fight and had imparted his experiences to him, there was a difference between theory and a practical session. But one important thing that the Fallen had taught him was¡­ ¡®Brat. Remember that after every single battle you fight, review it in its entirety. It does not matter whether you lost, or won. I don¡¯t care if your opponent was a god or an ant. Whether it was a devastating loss, or an overwhelming victory, ALWAYS review the fight.¡¯ Even though Baraquiel had only taught him for a month, Igor still remembered the old man¡¯s lessons. Although he might be stronger than the Fallen, his insight and experience was still a bit lacking. Baraquiel had lived for thousands of years so the blonde wasn¡¯t about to dispute the man¡¯s words, especially when they were true. Even now, the blonde had already analysed a few errors that he had made during his fight. Reliving the fight with his eyes closed, Igor carefully went through the entire fight, the staggering amount of errors he made shocking him to the core. It was to the point that the veins on his forehead twitching from frustration. [Damnit! I could¡¯ve ended that one in a single shot but I didn¡¯t because I was laughing.] The blonde was reliving the battle like a spectator. Similar to an out-of-body experience, Igor was able to watch his actions with a 360-degree view. Watching how he appeared demented in the moment, the blonde couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of embarrassment alongside his rage. His random cackles, the bloodthirsty look on his face, and the way his eyes glazed over in euphoria when confronting the legion of 30 warriors made Igor feel completely and utterly embarrassed and ashamed in himself. Stolen story; please report. It was such a humiliating sight that the blonde immediately stopped reviewing the fight. ¡°Aaaah! I look horrible!¡± Just like how a starving person would drool at the sight of food, Igor appeared to be possessed at the sight of battle. There was a stark difference between living in the moment, and reviewing the moment. At the moment, he was excited but thinking back on it now, the blonde felt like slapping his past self for why he smiled like a crazy person. There was nothing more he wished to do than rewind time on the spot. But unfortunately, he lacked the power to do so. Either way, there was nothing he could do about it. Gritting his teeth, he analysed every single detail of the fight right up to the moment when the armed warriors suddenly flew away while the army retreated. He crucially analysed every scene, taking note of the things he could¡¯ve done to end things a bit quicker. He endured the humiliating sights, even when his body shivered at some of the things his past self said. No matter when he felt like plucking his eyes out or strangling himself to death, he endured and continued to watch everything. He could only chant one mantra in his head everytime he watched his past self quite literally drool at the sight of dozens of swords coming towards him. [For power, you have to endure. You have to endure!] And having finally endured everything, he came to a conclusion. ¡°If I was smarter, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to go beyond Kaioken times-two. Most of them were low-satan class so there was no need for me to amp it up so much. I just wasted energy and a good fight unnecessarily.¡± As much as he was stronger than them, he still took this little lesson to heart. Igor knew he was powerful, but wasn¡¯t even close to the top brass that hovered high up in the clouds. In fact, just remembering now that dozens, if not hundreds of supreme class entities were watching his little fight almost made him weak-kneed at how arrogant he appeared. Palming his forehead, he sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t get arrogant, Igor. We¡¯re still far, far away from the likes of the monkey sage and Indra.¡± The last thing he wanted was to get drunk on power and eventually degrade into scum that bullied the weak and feared the strong. People like those were ones that the blonde hated since they would never improve and would act as a bar that would prevent the truly determined from passing through. Shaking his head at those wayward thoughts, Igor took a minute to himself to readjust his mind, to bring himself back to reality and reflect on his actions. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s start this slow.¡± Gru Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Activating his Kaioken, the blonde bent his knees and got into a stance. He closed his eyes, the sudden darkness being replaced by the appearance of three armed warriors. He took in deep, calming breaths, the fluctuations of his aura steadying. [Let¡¯s try this again.] He kept his eyes closed, his legs ready to charge at his imaginary opponents. [Alright!] Su! . |DxD| . In the command room high in the sky, Indra and Sun Wukong were watching the blonde whiz through the battlefield, launching and blocking attacks launched by imaginary opponents. He was moving so fast that his figure could barely be seen aside from the momentary streaks of red. Igor went all over the battlefield, perfectly emulating the scenes that happened a week ago. But unlike before, his power was controlled and his moves were decisive. Igor was so into his training that there were also moments where he appeared to be struggling, his aura even fluctuating to mimic the imaginary situation. Having limited himself to his Kaioken x2, the blonde was trapped within the peak of low-god class, almost level with his opponents. And yet with these restraints, his usage of [Instant Vanish] was more concise. With him being serious and in control of his mind, he was able to use his superior strength and agility to place himself in an advantageous position. Seeing the blonde so immersed in his training made Indra reminisce of the time when he was just a fledgling god. At just a mere few centuries of age, he had rushed to Shiva¡¯s mountain and challenged the god to a fight. He was beaten so thoroughly that when he got back to his mountain, he did the same thing as the blonde and relived the fight to see where he went wrong. Watching the blonde do the same made him smile. Turning towards a wide-eyed Sun Wukong, he laid his hand on the shoulder of the sage. ¡°I remember that you promised to train Dimori? Train him well.¡± Placing his hands into his pockets, he walked away, a satisfied smile on his face. [How strong will he get, I wonder.] As for Sun Wukong, he sighed in defeat when Indra brought up the matter again. Truthfully, it was more of a fault on his part due to his big mouth opened by bananas, alcohol, and happiness. It all began when Indra dragged him from the celebrations and asked him for a way to keep Igor in the army without resorting to force. Without thinking, he littered out his thoughts. ¡®The only way ya gonna keep the kid is if ya train him, old Indra. Money, women, and power won¡¯t work on that annoying kid. He¡¯s too annoyingly resolute, even if he¡¯s stupid.¡¯ ¡®Oh? Do you think you can train him?¡¯ ¡®Me? Well there¡¯s no other person more suited for the task than ¡®ol Wukong here. I¡¯ll whip that kid into shape that he¡¯ll practically beg me to stay here.¡¯ Remembering his drunken words at that moment, the old sage really cursed his loose lips. ¡°This¡­haaaaaa.¡± He lowered his head in complete defeat. He could already imagine how hard it would be to teach a loose cannon like Igor. ¡°I will never drink again.¡± . AN . I know the drill so here I am with two chapters. I genuinely hope you enjoyed this one and will also enjoy the next one. Chapter 60 ¡°This¡­haaaaaa.¡± He lowered his head in complete defeat. He could already how hard it would be to teach a loose cannon like Igor. ¡°I will never drink again.¡± . |DxD| . Over a month had passed since the war and things were relatively peaceful in Svargaloka. Two weeks ago, Igor had met up again with Atid and their reunion was¡­explosive. As self-proclaimed followers of the Dragon Ball religion, there was only one way they could ever greet each other- through battle. Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh For the last two weeks, the boys had constantly sparred with each other, their conversations always devolving into battle. With both knowing the existence of Super Saiyan 4, it was always a debate between who was stronger between Vegeta and Goku. As a devout follower of Vegeta, Igor always felt it was his duty to disprove Atid¡¯s reasonings. And the way to do that was through beating him in a fight. ¡°[BOOST]¡± ¡°Goku will always be the strongest!¡± *Block!* ¡°Bullshit! Vegeta is the number one warrior in the universe!¡± Swoosh Swoosh Just like every other day, the boys had another argument and they were solving it through their fists. So far, there was no definite winner in their scuffles, though Igor was clearly the one who came out looking nicer in the end. His agility gave him an edge over Atid who, although was quick, was more linear and didn¡¯t possess the same flexibility as the blonde. But that didn¡¯t mean he was easy pickings. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± As a hybrid between a mixed deva-human and a god, Atid possessed immense power and stamina. Once he used the Boosted Gear¡¯s Balance Breaker, his power could skyrocket to upwards of a thousand times his initial strength. But that would only last for less than a second before his strength would start rapidly decreasing. While the Boosted Gear did truly have the ability to continuously double the strength of a user, it had its weaknesses. The strength gained by boosting is finite and the duration depends on the wielder¡¯s capabilities. Furthermore, if the user is not proficient enough in using the gear, they may not gain the total doubled power from boosting. It was not rare for a user to only gain a fifth of the total [Boost], the other four-fifths having been lost during the process of boosting. But Atid had been training himself in using the Boosted Gear ever since he was a child. After over a decade of training, he doesn¡¯t suffer from loss of power during the [Boost] process and his highest controllable boosted power could last for a second compared to the mere moments from before. Although a second sounded short, it was relatively long between these two warriors. In a fight of their magnitude, Atid would have roughly three chances to hit the Igor, and that was with the blonde doing his hardest to stay away from his fist. Although Igor was certainly slow in terms of locking on to an energy signature in this combat situation, he could become quite a nuisance once he¡¯s gotten used to a particular energy signature. Having sparred with Atid for so long, Igor had gotten so familiar with his energy signature that he barely needed to focus to maintain his lock-on on Atid. And he was about to become a nuisance again. Having heard Atid boost ten times in succession, Igor also amped up his Kaioken to the twenty-fifth multiplier. With Atid having increased his strength to over a thousand times, his only hope of reacting quickly enough to the hybrid¡¯s attacks was ¡®boosting¡¯ himself to Kaioken x25. So with two fingers to his forehead, the blonde gave off a grin before vanishing. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Atid almost groaned in annoyance but he held it in. With Igor spamming [Instant Transmission], the hybrid would have to focus and time his attack just right. Having trained with his sacred gear for years, he had fully learnt to control his boosts and keep the attained energy from escaping, thus fully doubling his power with each [Boost] instead of losing over 75% of it due to improper control. But even with all that power, he only had a second to use it before his strength would begin to rapidly plummet. Having over a thousand times his strength for one second, he was just barely able to see Igor vanish in and out of existence. But he was remained undeterred. Closing his eyes, he began focusing on feeling the vibration of the air and the direction of the sounds made by Igor¡¯s disappearance and appearance. [Find the pattern.] Igor continued to teleport around Atid, his movements seemingly random. But the hybrid could already tell that while the movements seemed erratic, a pattern was gradually forming. He had sparred with Igor long enough that the blonde had a tendency to teleport behind him more often than in front. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii¡­ [Twice in front, six times at the back, four times at my sides.] If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Having picked up a vague pattern, he just had to time everything right while he still had his boosted power. With the second almost ending, he had only a few moments to strike before all his efforts were rendered naught. He had to calculate the distance between them as well as the interval between the blonde appearing and vanishing. While Igor could simply vanish somewhere else in Svargaloka and wait a second before coming back, there were three reasons why he did not do so. The first reason was to train his instincts. The blonde did not know if he would face such a similar situation in the future and would not have the liberty of teleporting somewhere else. The second reason was that having to search and lock-on to another energy signature would take too long compared to simply teleporting around Atid. It takes him a good two or three seconds to lock-on to another energy signature and form a connection strong enough so that even if he entered the Teleportation Zone, he could use that energy signature to bring himself back to reality. However, in those few seconds he needs, Atid can [Boost] himself much faster than he can lock-on. And in the process of locking on to an energy signature, the blonde is left vulnerable since his attention is split, significantly damaging his reaction speed should he be attacked. It was simply easier to lock-on to Atid since he was both closer and he was more used to his energy signature. The third and most important reason, was that it was too cowardly. If he did such a thing, he would be disgracing himself and would not have the face to call himself a disciple of Vegeta. So the deadly wait continued. With Igor abusing [Instant Transmission], Atid stood silently, his eyes closed under his crimson armour. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! On and on, the sounds of Igor vanishing filled his ears like an annoying fly. But after battling the blonde numerous times, he¡¯s gotten used to his rhythm. Thus¡­ *Eyes Open!* He spotted an opportunity. Swoosh-Tswii!-BOOOM! ¡°...damnit.¡± He missed, having only struck empty air. While the power behind his fist caused a loud thundering sound, Atid was not satisfied causing such a phenomenon. ¡°Damnit!¡± Feeling the power within him begin to fade away, he frantically went after the blonde, but it was no use. With his power steadily decreasing to half of what it was, he had also lost the required perception needed to spot the blonde. It was not by luck though that he missed Igor. While Atid observed Igor, the blonde also observed him. So when Igor noticed the slight movement of Atid, he teleported one last time and entered the teleportation zone. Instead of instantly vanishing as soon as he materialised in the colourful dimension, he powered up his Kaioken by one level, increasing it to the 26th multiplier before leaving again. And with the added perception, he was able to vanish again in just the smallest of seconds before Atid¡¯s strike landed. The blonde appeared a few dozen metres away from Atid, a hungry grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you up now.¡± Tswii¡­Gu! With a powerful kick to the jaw, Atid was sent flying upwards into the golden sky. He was completely unable to react to the swift kick, his body and mind too tired to put up a preemptive block. The hybrid¡¯s last chance had been wasted and his stamina was beginning to wane. Having fought for over three hours, he was starting to feel the repercussions that came from boosting so many times repeatedly. As for Igor, he only had a slight trace of sweat on his forehead. Although the blonde¡¯s breaths were slightly heavier, he was in a much better condition than his fellow warrior. Whereas Atid functioned as an explosive type fighter, Igor was more balanced but specialised in drawn-out battles. His strong physique, considerable energy reserves, and his high rate of regenerating ki gave him a bigger edge the longer the fight lasted. As long as he was well-fed before a fight, he could afford to be a bit reckless with his energy. With his stamina, it was already considered a feat that he could hold the Kaioken at the 20th multiplier for these past few hours on top of constantly using the [Instant Transmission]. For the sake of preserving stamina, he only increased the multiplier to twenty-five whenever Atid began boosting. Even though he could not compare to the hybrid in terms of short bursts of power, he was a stamina freak in his own right. Atid could boost multiple times, but his accummulated strength would always disappear after ten seconds at most, forcing him to boost himself again. Even if Igor did not have the [Instant Transmission], he could still use his [Instant Vanish], albeit with some injuries. Whereas [Instant Transmission] was untraceable, [Instant Vanish] could be tracked since when the blonde used the latter, he was only moving at high speeds whereas for the former, he genuinely teleported, making him nigh untraceable between Point A and Point B. But even with all these advantages, Atid was not to be underestimated. The hybrid could still put up a fight and even injure the blonde on several occasions. Those punches of his packed quite a lot of power and his instincts enhanced by those of his dragon and godly side made him a severe challenge for the blonde who was almost fifty years older than him mentally. And he was putting those instincts to good use. ¡°[BOOS-]¡± CLASH! Their battle was getting explosive. Igor was taking the opportunity to abuse his advantage in this fight. With him still having stamina, he stuck to Atid like glue, not letting him gather enough time nor concentration to boost himself. Having not gotten as injured this time compared to their previous clashes, the blonde was able to maintain a solid combo on the crimson-armoured hybrid who was currently twenty-times weaker than him. In order to maintain his stamina, Igor regressed back from the 26th multiplier because that was when he truly began to lose energy rapidly. Although it was only a difference of one level compared to the 25th multiplier, that one level was his breaking point in controlling the Kaioken. Even then, times-twenty-five still took a lot more out of him compared the 20th multiplier. So he wanted to end this quickly before Atid could recover. Despite being that much stronger than the hybrid, the armour protecting him was a nuisance altogether. And since this was a little banter between them and not a true battle, energy attacks were not permitted as a silent agreement between them. So his only option was to thrash and slam Atid all the way to the ground and bash him to the point that his armour broke or the brunet passed out. After dozens of consecutive draws and close losses or victories, the blonde was not about to let this chance to land an overwhelming victory slide by. This was his chance to prove that the way of Vegeta was the ultimate path and he would be damned if he disappointed his idol. Appearing next to Atid, Igor reeled his fist back and let loose a few fast punches. Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Focusing more on speed than power, his fists struck Atid like a machine gun, the speed and concussive force stunning the hybrid. Luckily for Igor, the side of his helmet had already cracked, exposing the sides of his sweaty hair. And with another punch, Igor was able to shatter it, revealing Atid¡¯s ear. He only needed one more shot and he would be able to say with complete confidence that he won. Unfortunately, Sun Wukong appeared just as the blonde was about to end everything with a quick roundhouse kick. ¡°Enough!¡± CLASH! Silence¡­ *Smile fades* With the old sage stopping his hard-earned victory, Igor frothed at the mouth. ¡°?#$^@!¡± . AN . I¡¯ll leave it at that. Today is Friday so I¡¯ll come back with a chapter on Sunday. If you want to read ahead here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 61 CLASH! Silence¡­ *Smile fades* With the old sage stopping his hard-earned victory, Igor frothed at the mouth. ¡°?#$^@!¡± . |DxD| . Igor watched Sun Wukong with a deadly gaze. It had been a few minutes since his victory had been stolen from him. Even though Atid had been rendered unconscious before his last shot, the blonde was still sour about not being able to get that last hit in. The perfect climax had been ruined for him by the old monkey who was prodding his unconscious friend with his staff. Sun Wukong whistled as he turned towards the blonde. ¡°You really did a number on the poor little brat.¡± ¡°...¡± Instead of immediately replying, Igor lied down with a sigh. ¡°Monkey sage. What brings you here?¡± With the battle having ended unsatisfactorily, all Igor wanted to do at this point was sleep. He barely had any energy to cuss out the old sage at this point with most of it having been sucked by the Kaioken. The appearance of Sun Wukong just served to make him even more tired and unwilling to have any long conversations. Naturally, Sun Wukong noticed and didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°I¡¯ve come to you with another offer. Indra is impressed with your talent and he acknowledges your wish not to be directly incorporated into the army. So how about this. In exchange for you continuing to fight on our side, I will personally train you for the foreseeable future. You get stronger, and we get more wins on our side. You are free to walk away at any time. We will not bind you to us. So, what do you say, kid?¡± Igor sat up and crossed his legs. He supported his chin with his hand and stared at the monkey in disinterest. Yet within that gaze, clear signs of skepticism were visible. ¡°What can you teach me?¡± Sun Wukong was undeterred. He already guessed that the blonde must¡¯ve had some sort of teacher or training manuals on his person. Otherwise, there was no other believable way that Igor got this strong and knew such advanced techniques without external help. So he knew that if he wanted to trigger the blonde¡¯s interest, he must arouse him with something practical. And he just so happened to know where the blonde currently lacked. ¡°Aura sensing. You¡¯re much better than the average person in sensing aura, but you¡¯re terrible in my eyes, not even worth squat. Once I¡¯m done with you, sensing for someone across the entirety of Earth will not be a problem.¡± Sun Wukong had watched the fight between Atid and Igor. He noticed how the blonde always wasted precious time whenever he initiated teleportation. Furthermore, his style of locking onto an energy signature was too blatant that even Atid was able to feel Igor latch onto his lifeforce like an anchor. Although the brunet was a bit too slow to counter, he could brace himself for any attacks that came his way. Sun Wukong knew that if Igor did not improve on his aura sensing, his signature technique would end up being fatally countered in the future. He could already imagine a scene in the future where Igor tries to attack with [Instant Transmission], only to suddenly get impaled without knowing how. Not wanting to see such a future happen, he continued explaining. ¡°For us who are sensitive to lifeforce, we can feel when someone latches onto it. For instance, if you were to try and teleport next to me, I can guess at what side you will appear based on where my lifeforce feels ¡®dragged¡¯ the most. Then all I¡¯ll have to do is stick out my staff at the spot where you¡¯ll appear and¡­you¡¯re impaled.¡± Igor did not comment on Sun Wukong¡¯s words, but instead lowered his head in thought. It was a new concept to him that someone can feel when their lifeforce is being locked-on to. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Yet before he could raise a question about how that worked, the old sage continued. ¡°Furthermore, I can teach you how to completely suppress your power. Right now, you cannot mingle amongst ordinary people as you are. The power you give off will oppress them.¡¯ Igor raised his head up, his gaze running through the monkey like he was an idiot. ¡°Huh? Not oven two months have passed and I was able to walk around Italy without a problem. What changed now, monkey sage?¡± Sun Wukong closed his eyes, taking deep breaths in the process so as to suppress the urge to slap the blonde into the dirt. He kept them closed, not that Igor would know due to the band covering them. It was one of these days that the old sage wished he had his pipe with him. ¡°The reason why kid, is because of the change in your aura. Whenever someone experiences a battlefield for the first time, their gaze changes. It deepens and their mind matures. For you, it went a step further. Your aura changed. It now holds killing intent within it. Normal humans and any other weak entities will have a subconscious fear towards you.¡± Instead of concern, that sentence only served to make Igor smile. With a flash of white in his hand, an oversized chicken leg appeared within his grasp. Taking a bite out of it, he looked at Sun Wukong. ¡°That¡¯s good news, monkey sage. A lot of troublesome situations can be avoided.¡± Igor could already imagine that if he had this amazing aura a few years ago, no one would¡¯ve sought trouble with him due to his foreign heritage. But, fate cannot be controlled. Yet, Sun Wukong only grinned before delivering the finishing blow. ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s fine if little Asia fears you as well?¡± ¡°???¡± Igor dropped the chicken leg out of shock. He was first confused why the old sage brought up such a question. But it then clicked in his head that Asia was a human, a weak human. He never imagined that Asia fearing him would be a consequence as well. The thought alone was quickly rising up to be his number one nightmare. As for the old monkey, he chose to drive the nail in harder instead of consoling the kid. ¡°Your aura can make full grown men wary of you, not to mention little children. I can already imagine the scene: you visiting Asia, and her running away from you to her ¡®grandpa¡¯.¡± That did it for the blonde. The scene had already formed in his head and was already replaying over and over again. Just imagining Asia squirm from his presence alone made him anxious. Overcome by fear, he vanished from his spot and grabbed Sun Wukong by his robes. Yet instead of malicious intent, there was a frantic expression in his eyes. ¡°Monkey sage! Please help me control my aura!¡± The blonde was this close to tears. Truth be told, he had also felt a slight change in his aura as well since that day, yet he never cared much for the consequences. But he never imagined that the consequences would be possibly alienating his only sister. That was something he could not bear. And that was something the old sage would use. ¡°I will, I will. So long as you refer to me as ¡®master¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± The light in Igor¡¯s eyes faded. As soon as he heard the word ¡°master¡±, he let go of Sun Wukong¡¯s robe. ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ll just figure it out myself.¡± With a white light covering him, he was about to vanish into the time chamber when Sun Wukong grabbed him. ¡°Stop! I was just testing you. Come on, I¡¯ll teach you how. Just win a few battles for us like you did and that will be enough payment. As long as you¡­¡± Sun Wukong rattled off as many words as he could. The last thing he needed was the blonde disappearing due to his words and Indra bursting his eardrums. The war god had pinned his hopes on Igor remaining here for the next few years at the very least until he found a way to keep the blonde in the army. Until that time, he placed Sun Wukong with the task of keeping the blonde in Svargaloka for as long as possible. If Igor left, it would bring him a headache. If he left to an unreachable place like the time chamber, then he would have no head to have a headache. In order to keep the blonde here, the only commodity that could be used was training. And so with the promise of free training, Igor had no reason to leave. ¡°I see. Then I agree, monkey sage.¡± Looking at the blonde¡¯s smile, Sun Wukong breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. Now go get whatever it is you need to get. We¡¯re leaving as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°What? Did you think I would teach you here? We¡¯re going back to my mountain. There will be no wars for the next few months so there¡¯s no reason to stay here.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Then the blonde turned to the side where Atid was peacefully sleeping. ¡°Heh~. Wait until I come back, brother. I¡¯ll beat you into the ground.¡± But Sun Wukong quickly shut down that smile. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited kid. Indra will be retreating to his mountain, meaning Atid is about to get some training from him. If you don¡¯t pull your socks up, you¡¯ll be the one losing.¡± Igor stared blankly at the old sage before shouting. ¡°Well what are we waiting for?! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± The blonde was extremely wary of Atid in his balance-breaker form. He was not confident of winning like this a second time. The last thing he wanted was for the hybrid to get a headstart on him. [I should see about mastering Kaioken x30. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll beat me once I achieve that!] Igor eagerly grabbed Sun Wukong¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well???¡± The old sage sighed with a smile. ¡°Fine then, kid. I¡¯ll make sure to ¡®thoroughly¡¯ teach you.¡± ¡°...¡± It was at that moment that Igor had regrets. Not because that he was afraid of the potential training he would have to endure, but because of how the old sage smiled. Red alerts were going through his head, his memory flashing back to how Baraquiel would sometimes look at Shuri. His eyes widened in fear, when he ¡®felt¡¯ the old sage look at him a bit too eagerly. [P-pedophile!!!] Unfortunately, it was too late to let go. . AN . You know the drill. Visit my p@tre0n for extra chapters. Here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 62 Red alerts were going through his head, his memory flashing back to how Baraquiel would sometimes look at Shuri. His eyes widened in fear, when he ¡®felt¡¯ the old sage look at him a bit too eagerly. [P-pedophile!!!] Unfortunately, it was too late to let go. . |DxD| . 1996/10/04- July 16th, 1999 (Friday), Flower-Fruit Mountain, Himalayan Mountain Range, India . A long three years had passed since Igor began training under Sun Wukong. During those years, many things had happened. As promised, the old sage taught Igor the intricacies of sensing energy and different auras. The supernatural world was vast and many different types of energies existed. But according to Nakamura¡¯s books, all of them could be classified under four types. There is ki which largely represents lifeforce energy or a by-product of it. There is chakra which is closely related to nature. There is nature energy which is the neutral energy that chakra and ki comes from. Various concepts are born from nature energy and could be said to be the energy that holds the universe together. Divine energy would also fall under nature energy. Then there is chi which is the culmination of both ki and chakra. Igor wasn¡¯t clear on the full capabilities of ki yet since all the book said was that harnessing the energy would allow him to gain the power to kill constellations. The term ¡®constellations¡¯ alone confused him since he had no clue what constellations were or what they represented. But that was currently too far for him in the future. He still hadn¡¯t fully explored the full capabilities of ki yet and was still far from completely unlocking god-ki, which he still wasn¡¯t fully clear on what it was. Either way, those were things that would reveal themselves in due time. As of now, he still had to demonstrate everything he learned from the old sage during these past three years. The blonde had put in a lot of work into enhancing his aura sensing capabilities. Although Igor was confident in himself, Sun Wukong would be the judge of that. Today, he was evaluating Igor¡¯s perception. High in the skies above the mountain, Igor was hovering in a meditative position. His eyes were covered by a black blindfold which served to not only invalidate his sense of sight, but his hearing and smell as well. The focus of this training was to sense Sun Wukong through only his aura. Although the process seemed simple, it was more complicated than it appeared. Igor¡¯s previous method of sensing involved spreading out his own aura like a sonar wave that would detect any foreign aura. While that method worked to a certain extent, it became useless after a certain level. For instance, there is a limit to what Igor could actively sense. Nature energy or any other related type of energy rendered his style of sensing useless. For those who have bonded with nature, loved by nature, or can utilise the energy of nature, they can easily bypass his senses. That is because to Igor, they are similarly one with nature so his aura sensing will not react to them. It was why Sun Wukong was always able to sneak up on the blonde even when he was fully focused on sensing for his arrival. It got to the point that he could only rely on his physical senses to detect the sage. But that was only a temporary measure that lasted for the first few months. When the old sage got a bit serious, it was hard for Igor to even sense the displacement of air when the old monkey appeared. That was because a that point, Sun Wukong had begun using senjutsu to not only hide his presence, but become a part of nature as well. Not only was Igor not able to detect the old sage, but he couldn¡¯t even block a staff to the head as punishment for sneaking off to visit Asia in Italy. So the blonde had no choice but to fully immerse himself into studying aura sensing in order to reach the set milestone and earn the right to visit Asia. But after a few months of failure, Sun Wukong finally gave the blonde a clue as to what to do. ¡®Instead of branching out your ki to detect foreign energy, why not act as a receiver and feel the energy changes in the air?¡¯ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. It was a bit cryptic for Igor when he first heard those words. But through a bit of analysis and observing the other yokai on the mountain, he finally found out what he had to do. In order to sense other types of energies, he had to lower the presence of his own ki. It is similar to how in order to better perceive other sounds, one must be silent themselves. However, in order to be able to use this method of sensing, the blonde had to brush up further on his ki-control otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to lower the presence of his ki without being able to control it. The blonde thought his level of control was already quite good, but according to the old sage, it was passable at best. ¡®Just good enough to survive, but not something you should be proud of.¡¯ Those words made the blonde retreat into the time chamber and try to find other books that could help him increase his ki-control. But it was to no avail. While Nakamura, the author of the books he used had other volumes, they were not accessible to him yet. Just like how the secrets to the Kaioken required him to have the Kaioken, the secrets to further ki-control required him to have a certain level of ki-control. It made absolutely no sense to the blonde at the time as to how he had to have a higher level of ki-control in order to gain access to further volumes. But he still remembered Nakamura¡¯s writing that suddenly appeared when he failed to peel open the next page. It was a temporary shock, but he still kept them to heart to this day. ¡®Lad. You don¡¯t expect me to spoon-feed you everything, do you? Find your own way to increase your ki-control. I¡¯ll give you a clue. Go back to the basics.¡¯ And go back to the basics he did. The blonde found himself using the [Iron Sharpens Iron] training method as well as the [Yin-Yang Breathing] technique. The latter involved him rapidly raising and lowering his ki as much as possible within the span of a breath. If he breathed in, he would power up as much as possible, circulating his ki as fast as possible without damaging his ki-veins in the slightest. When he breathed out, he would draw in all the aura he emitted while powering up within the shortest time possible. His goal was to immediately go from emitting a violent aura to appearing like a normal person within the span of a single breath. To add to the difficulty, he did not cancel his Kaioken and used it at its 1.6x multiplier. Although it added to the difficulty, it also showed just how much the blonde needed to regain control over his aura. Ever since he had awakened his strand of divine ki, his ki-control had suffered due to gaining the Kaioken as well as an immense amount of ki. Although the blonde could still create aura swords and sabers, it never truly hit him how much his ki-control suffered until he tried creating aura blades. Whereas before he could create blades that stretched over a hundred metres, now he was barely able to extend them past forty metres. It was such a blow to his pride that he could not tolerate such a mishap. And so secluding himself, he trained his ki-control again, using the same method of utilising the [Yin-Yang Breathing] method in conjunction with extending his aura blades. While he could¡¯ve used the time chamber, Igor still abided by his policy of abstaining from using it as much as possible in order to age. As of now, he was eight-years-old when his age was calculated through his bone age, yet he looked to be nearing fifteen in appearance. The blonde knew that his potential was increasing and he was roughly only another five years away from when he would finally enter the period of his most explosive growth. By then, he was confident that his base strength would be at the peak of god-class and once his body reached thirteen years, he would ¡®truly¡¯ enter puberty.* But that was far in the future. Right now, he had to detect Sun Wukong before he strikes. Having trained his aura control for the past two years and his passive aura sensing for the past year, he was confident he could pass the old sage¡¯s assessment. If he could pass, then he could finally visit Asia without having to take Sun Wukong¡¯s staff to the head as punishment. Although the old sage would strike him once, it was enough to knock him out for an entire week, a massive waste of time in the blonde¡¯s eyes. Either way¡­ *Glances to the left* He would pass and finally leave this place. [Found you.] Tswii! . AN .
  1. By then, he was confident that his base strength would be at the peak of god-class and once his body reached thirteen years, he would ¡®truly¡¯ enter puberty.*
Explanation: So far, we know that Igor hasn¡¯t entered puberty. Now to the important question that I know you have. Despite appearing to be over 14, does his ¡®equipment¡¯ work? Initially it didn¡¯t and here¡¯s you why. Remember that at first, he only ¡®grew¡¯ in order to adapt to the time chamber. So ¡®everything¡¯ grew in proportion, but no pipes were really working. He was initially around thirteen years of age in appearance but after awakening his divine ki, that was when he truly grew. It was explained that depending on a person¡¯s initial age, divine ki would either make them younger or older in order to bring them as close as possible to their peak. Now considering that all Igor has is a strand of divine ki, he only got a boost of a year or two but that was enough for ¡®production¡¯ to begin. Hope that settles a few lingering questions. Now, I announce an upload schedule change. Due to an increase in workload, I have decided to swap the times when I write and when I do my assignments. Instead of writing at home, I will write at school and do my assignments at home. The reason is, yesterday I had absolutely no energy to think about the next plot. ChatGPT can help me with my assignments, not writing. So this will roughly be my new upload for the rest of this week. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 63 If he could pass, then he could finally visit Asia without having to take Sun Wukong¡¯s staff to the head as punishment. Although the old sage would strike him once, it was enough to knock him out for an entire week, a massive waste of time in the blonde¡¯s eyes. Either way¡­ *Glances to the left* He would pass and finally leave this place. [Found you.] Tswii! . |DxD| . [He¡¯s worked hard.] Sun Wukong watched in complete silence as the blonde focused on trying to find him. Igor was completely focused in sensing the various energies around him, something the old sage took great pride in teaching him. He had dedicated a great deal of time in teaching Igor how to sense the various energies travelling through the atmosphere. He had assumed it would take the blonde a long amount of time to sense energies related to chakra. Yet to his complete surprise, a week hadn¡¯t even passed and Igor was able to sense every yokai in the mountain. It was shocking but he eventually left the reason to Igor¡¯s strange constitution that allowed him to wield ki. To this day, the old sage could not decipher how the blonde had ki and why it was so different from normal ki. His ki was far more potent, purer, and leaned more towards destructive capabilities. Every Aryan in history he knew of only used magic, with a few being able to use touki also. There was never an outlier like Igor who used ki. Another interesting fact is that the blonde also appeared to be immune to chakra and youki.* He had tried healing the blonde with senjutsu after a particularly nasty failure of an attempt at Kaioken x33 two years ago. To his complete shock, the blonde seemed to be in more pain when his youki went inside his body. When the old sage analysed the process, he discovered that his youki seemed to be ¡®eating¡¯ the blonde¡¯s ki, making him even weaker than he was. It was such a complete shock that the old sage was convinced that Igor¡¯s ki was absolutely and completely different from their ki. Even though he used lifeforce, the composition of his ki was completely different. He was planning on teaching Igor how to use senjutsu, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could anymore due to the differences between their respective ki, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have spent so much time teaching the blonde how to sense aura. Truth be told, he had dived far into the topic than he initially intended to. Once the blonde had learned how to passively sense different energies nearly two years ago, he would¡¯ve delved into senjutsu. But because he was unsure whether his methods would work, he decided to turn Igor into an absolute annoyance of a sensor. The blonde was intuitive and his comprehension was astounding. He had learnt that showing Igor how it¡¯s done before going into theory was the best way to hammer things into his head. It was an odd way of learning since the opposite was the usual go-to process. But the normal way clearly didn¡¯t work for the abnormal blonde and it was only after the old sage caught the boy almost successfully emulate the method to passively sense energy that he finally changed his teaching method. And now, his efforts had gradually paid off. The blonde was so good at sensing now that even he had to actively conceal himself just to escape his detection. Igor had become so good at sensing users of ki and chakra that few could escape his detection. And that was only when his senses were functioning passively. If it was like now when the blonde was actively looking for him, then the old sage had to focus more than usual otherwise if he slackened a bit, then there¡¯s no doubt that Igor would find him. Most of this had to do with the fact that Igor had become extremely sensitive to his youki and slightly sensitive to nature energy. It seemed that after having injected senjutsu energy mixed with his youki into the blonde the first time, his body had become attuned to it as a precaution, almost like a vaccine. It was very intriguing. Him trying to heal the blonde had inadvertently help him get a feel for what nature energy is like and that came with a whole lot of its own headaches. Although Igor could not use nature energy, he had become sensitive to large concentrations of nature energy. This fact alone had become both an annoyance and a challenge for him because it was now that much harder to hide from the blonde. This was especially due to the fact that Igor was particularly sensitive to his youki to the point that on an instinctual level, the blonde would always be wary of him. Even if Igor himself didn¡¯t know it, the old sage could pick up how his ki would gradually ¡®tense¡¯ whenever he approached. It seemed that even after two years, his body could not forget the trauma it suffered and would always remain aware of him. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And just like now, he was interested in seeing if the blonde could detect him after he hid himself better than even most gods could even hope to try. Sun Wukong¡¯s skill level was so high that very few people could rival him when it comes to concealing himself. Of course, he wasn¡¯t doing his best to hide from the blonde right now otherwise if he did, then Igor would not find him even if the old monkey stood right in front of him. Sun Wukong¡¯s only goal in this moment was to test if the blonde had the necessary foundation to detect the majority of enemies he would possibly encounter so he used around a fifth of his full concealing capabilities. Although the fraction appeared low, it was already much more than what the majority of the supernatural world could ever hope to achieve. If the blonde could find him, then he would have a bit more confidence that the blonde could survive for a bit longer. And to his expectations, the blonde didn¡¯t take more than five minutes to sense him. *Igor glances in his direction* [I guess he can.] Watching the blonde disappear, he stopped concealing himself. Tswii! Igor appeared in front of Sun Wukong with a triumphant grin on his face. Even with the blindfold on and his physical senses completely dulled, he was able to look in the right direction. Removing the blindfold, the blonde handed it over to Sun Wukong. ¡°Monkey sage. You¡¯ll keep your promise, right?¡± Sun Wukong took the blindfold with a grin. ¡°Hmph. Do what you want, kid. Go see your precious little sis-¡± The blonde didn¡¯t even wait for him to finish. Tswii! ¡°...¡± Sun Wukong blinked once or twice before sighing. ¡°He didn¡¯t even blur.¡± With his enhanced sensing capabilities, Igor could also track different energy signatures and lock on much faster than before. This indirectly also improved his [Instant Transmission]. His lock-on speed and the strength of the connection he forms with the target of his lock-on allowed him to travel much faster. If before it was as if he was travelling on a road riddled with potholes, now he was travelling on a four-lane highway. And although Asia¡¯s energy signature was relatively weak, he had gotten used to it to the point that he didn¡¯t even need to focus to find it. When the blonde first had to focus for over a full minute just to pick out Asia¡¯s little energy signature in a country filled with powerful humans, he had made it his first mission objective to completely memorise her energy signature so that at any point in time, he could teleport to her in an instant. Currently, his strength was seated firmly in mid-god class. Although the strength increase wasn¡¯t much, he was almost unrivalled within the realm of god-class. With his ki-control having increased, he was able to master Kaioken x30 and keep it active for an hour before he would start to feel any strain. With his enhanced ki-control, he was able to fully make use of his already powerful physique to extend the duration of his Kaioken technique. And now, he was finally able to keep the Kaioken x2 active on a permanent basis. Although his base power did not increase much, his foundation was strengthened and his skills were polished even further. So Sun Wukong felt that even if it was for a while, the blonde deserved to go and meet Asia after not seeing her for almost a year. And more importantly¡­ ¡°Finally¡­inner peace.¡± Putting the headband into his personal space, took in the fresh air filled with silence. With the blonde gone, he could finally rest like he always wanted. Igor was a training freak and would pester the old sage with questions. So with Igor gone, Sun Wukong could finally breathe easily. . AN .
  1. Another interesting fact is that the blonde also appeared to be immune to chakra and youki.*
Explanation: Chakra and ki are like fire and water. They do not mix at all, atleast without some sort of intermediary. So the reason why Igor appeared immune was because his vast ki which acted like fire would immediately evaporate any particles or droplets of chakra (water) that threatened to enter his body. Now here¡¯s an explanation for youki and this may be slightly confusing. According to Nakamura, yokai fall under demons and demons use chakra. Yet here in DxD, the yokai use ki and they also call it youki. Now, we can attribute this to the fact that the world of DxD is a backwards universe that doesn¡¯t conform to the normal multiverse standards. So what yokai confuse for ki is may actually be the inherent origin chakra that they are born with or form from. Youki and nature energy are different since youki more or less falls under the category of chakra. We don¡¯t have much information at this point to come to complete conclusions, but hopefully we¡¯ll gain some proper clarity in the future. And let me take the time to give my thank to all the comments I¡¯m receiving. You have no idea how inspirational they can be. And I also give my thanks to the webnovel readers who continue to give me powerstones. Moving on, if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 64 ¡°Finally¡­inner peace.¡± Putting the headband into his personal space, took in the fresh air filled with silence. With the blonde gone, he could finally rest like he always wanted. Igor was a training freak and would pester the old sage with questions. So with Igor gone, Sun Wukong could finally breathe easily. . |DxD| . Vatican Estate, Italy . It was nighttime in Italy. After a long day of healing people with her sacred gear, Asia was shepherded away by a nun back to Vasco¡¯s house. Ever since she had been introduced as the saintess of the church two years ago, she had begun using [Twilight Healing] to heal hundreds of people. While tiring, she still enjoyed it, even to this day. She could still remember how Igor reacted when he first found out about her healing dozens of people in a day. It brings a giggle to her everytime she remembers how he nearly blew up the chapel where people lined up for her to heal them. It was only when she told him that she was willing that he finally let the matter go. Still, it warmed her little heart that there was someone else other than Vasco who showed extreme care for her. Unlike the rest of the others, they were either envious, neutral, or only saw her as the saintess. Just like the nun next to her, Asia could feel the hidden maliciousness. She was no stranger to it, but it did unnerve her everytime someone was hostile towards her. She still couldn¡¯t fully understand why since her gift was being used to heal people. Many people with debilitating injuries had been saved by her gift, so it made no sense to her that someone would hate her. But she soon learned to cope with it over the course of the past two years. The only bright lights in her life were her grandfather and her elder brother. Yet both of them were always busy with different matters. Vasco would routinely leave for missions or train an elite class of exorcists in various branches all over the world. The last time she heard, he was currently in America. As for Igor, he was training in the Himalayas. She didn¡¯t understand why he still wanted to get stronger, especially when he was already stronger than her grandfather who was said to be the strongest human. She had heard from Vasco that Igor was most likely within the top one hundred of the strongest supernatural entities in the supernatural world. That was already plenty strong in her opinion. But whenever she questioned the blonde, he always rubbed her head and told her there were two reasons. ¡®Why I want to get strong? Well for one, I just want to. Just like how the rich want to get richer, I want to get stronger while I still can. The second reason is¡­you. I can¡¯t protect my cute little sister if I¡¯m weak, right?¡¯ Stretching her hands towards the top of her head, she could still feel the spot where he rubbed when he said the last part of that sentence. It spread a warm feeling throughout her body when she pictured every interaction with her big brother. She truly cherished the little things he did for her whenever he came. From bringing her different foods whenever he visited, to stroking her hair until she fell asleep at night. All those little things warmed her heart and made her truly recognise and respect Igor as her elder brother. It was also because of these memories that she could still maintain her pure heart. No matter how sad she was, she knew that her big brother would come back as he always promised. If it is not her big brother, it will be her grandfather that she also loved. Although it had been half a year since she had last seen him, she never made a fuss because he also promised to come back. So she would hold on. Even if she no longer liked it here, she would hold on¡­because this was her only home, the place where they would come back to. It had hurt her terribly to learn that her parents had abandoned her. When she had brought up the question, she could vividly see how tense both the most important people in her life had gotten. Upon learning the truth from Igor, she was saddened. To this day, a part of her still regrets asking where her parents were. But she was no longer sad. Compared to her parents who threw her away, she got a strong grandfather and a super strong big brother in return. And she wouldn¡¯t trade them for anything. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Now if only one of them could take her along their trips. ¡°I should ask big brother...¡± Although she spoke in a low voice, the nun leading the way picked up her mutter. ¡°Pardon, ¡®saintess¡¯?¡± Asia could practically hear how she hissed the last two syllables. But she didn¡¯t dwell on that. She was already used to this way of treatment. So shaking her head, she walked on forward. ¡°Nothing, Sister Miriam.¡± The nun scoffed. ¡°And here I thought Miss saintess had some words of revelation to share with us. Don¡¯t sputter nonsense next time.¡± Asia lowered her head, not saying anything in retaliation. Even though she was used to it, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but water, her fists clenching in the process. She had been enduring silent abuse the whole day but this final moment was the last straw. She stopped in her tracks, unable to move due to her body trembling. She was so focused on holding in her tears that she didn¡¯t even notice the sound of footsteps moving towards her. She certainly didn¡¯t feel the sudden pressure in the air that caused Miriam to fall to the ground, though that was due to the causer. But she did feel a pair of arms suddenly envelop her, her fear instantly skyrocketing at the possibility of punishment. But that fear lasted for only a short moment before she suddenly recognised how these arms were bigger. ¡°?!¡± She recognised that familiar scent. She recognised the hardness of that stomach. This was a feeling she was extremely familiar with. But she was too scared to look up, too afraid that this was all a dream. Yet¡­ ¡°Sia.¡± Hearing that familiar voice and feeling those rough hands gently scratch her hair, Asia shivered again. But this time, it was not out of fear, but out of complete relief. Vasco had left six months ago, leaving her in complete loneliness. All the nuns who were supposed to serve her food and clean the house treated her as an object of respect. They never dared to get too close to her. Rumours of what was done to the kidnapper who tried to harm Asia all those years ago had scared them into never getting close to her. The fear of being left as a rotting corpse and serving as flower manure terrified them greatly to the point that they never dared to try and harm her. Although Asia never knew this, the reason why they treated her with so much respect was because Vasco had pulled all of them to the side and showed them the remains of the last person who harmed her. His headless corpse was enough to shatter even the tiniest bit of malice in their hearts, leaving only fear. It was only Miriam, the elderly nun that recently begun to escort her that dared to openly show her hostility. But because of her kind nature, Asia did not report her which led to the nun getting braver. But she forgot all those thoughts when she felt her head pressed into that hard, yet comfortable abdomen. Unknowingly, she started crying silently, her tears staining Igor¡¯s bare stomach. But Igor did not care about all of this. He simply held his precious little sister, the fondness, sadness, and anger in his gaze unable to be hidden. The blonde had completely forwent the idea of wearing a shirt, only leaving himself with blue pants, shinobi sandals, and his haori. Yet his casual look did very little to offset the dangerous killing intent bubbling beneath his skin. Turning his head, Igor glared at the nun out of the corner of his eye, his killing intent spilling onto her. The blonde felt so much hatred for the nun. He heard her words, felt her hostility, smelled her viciousness and now, he sensed the rapid beating of her heart that he so dearly wished to silence. Glaring at her, he only mouthed one word. [Stay.] His word was sharp and concise, his intentions clear. She was not to leave her spot until he said otherwise. And knowing she would not dare to leave, Igor turned to face Asia, his snarl replaced by a kind smile. He continued to rub Asia¡¯s head, his urge to murder being suppressed by the love he felt for his precious little sister and the desire to shield her from such dark matters. It was unreasonable that with his meagre understanding of the context, he was willing to end an entire life on the spot. But his love for Asia was so overwhelming, his adoration so humungous that any notion of morality scattered. The fact that the elderly nun made her cry was more than enough reason to kill her on the spot, even if the rest of humanity would state otherwise. But that could wait for a while. Igor plucked up Asia¡¯s chin with his finger, her teary gaze almost resulting in his barely restrained killing intent threatening to spiral out of control. Yet he surprisingly endured. The desire to shield his sister from witnessing the death of someone suppressed his urge to kill the nun. At the very least, Igor would make sure Asia would not bear witness. But right now, he had to comfort and reassure her. So giving her a brotherly smile, he pressed her head into his abdomen. ¡°Sia. Big brother is here, and he will get rid of whoever made you cry.¡± . AN . And that¡¯s that. Now, we have an issue. Well, I have an issue. Even with the use of Grammarly, I do tend to miss mistakes. For example, a word may be missing or the tense may be incorrect. I even spotted an error where I used ¡°hear¡± and instead of ¡°here¡±. I will do my best to proofread twice instead of once like before. However, I do hope you may understand that any mistakes aren¡¯t due to my incompetence in English, but because I am too competent. When I read, my mind automatically corrects any errors. Moving on, if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 65 The desire to shield his sister from witnessing the death of someone suppressed his urge to kill the nun. At the very least, Igor would make sure Asia would not bear witness. But right now, he had to comfort and reassure her. So giving her a brotherly smile, he pressed her head into his abdomen. ¡°Sia. Big brother is here, and he will get rid of whoever made you cry.¡± . |DxD| . Igor picked up Asia and held her in his arms. He allowed her to cry into his shoulders, her hands clasping around his neck tightly. The blonde turned around so that she wouldn¡¯t have to look at one of the people responsible for her sadness. But that gave the blonde a direct view of the nun, and he did not hide his displeasure. He looked at Miriam deeply, not breaking eye contact in the slightest. Meanwhile, he was also soothing Asia, gently scratching the back of her head in comfort. The little lass was slowly calming down, her breaths steadying and her stream of tears ceasing. All this time, the blonde maintained a serious gaze on the nun until Asia fell asleep. When he felt the little blonde¡¯s breaths fall into a steady rhythm, he finally uttered his first words towards the nun. But instead of being laced with killing intent, they were calm¡­dangerously so. ¡°Tell me. Why is my precious little sister crying like this? Are you not supposed to take care of her?¡± Miriam could not answer. She was shaking from complete fear, Igor¡¯s presence having completely messed up her mental state. The burst of killing intent she received before, killing intent earned through multiple wars had caused her state of mind to deteriorate. But Igor did not care about her state of mind. All he wanted were answers and names. So extending his hand forward, he spoke. ¡°I will kill you if you do not answer.¡± He was deadly serious. He would truly and utterly kill her if she did not answer. He would not allow someone who caused psychological harm to his precious little sister to continue breathing the same air as her. He was confident he could erase her corpse without giving her the chance to scream so in a way, Asia wouldn¡¯t bear witness. Unless Miriam showed complete repentance and sincerely apologised to Asia, the blonde was willing to kill her. Him asking her for answers and names was to gauge her sincerity. If she even once tried to lie or hide information, he would execute her on the spot. Liars around his sister were absolutely not allowed. Igor was capable of detecting any lies and falsehoods due to his ability to read aura fluctuations. If she told a lie or hid information, her aura would fluctuate. As long as there was even the tiniest shred of a falsehood, he would pick it up through her aura suddenly fluctuating. If that happened, her fate would be sealed and she would have no place among the world of the living. So with his hand extended, a small golden sphere the size of a stress ball formed. ¡°Five¡­four¡­three¡­¡± ¡°?!¡± Hearing the blonde count down finally jogged Miriam¡¯s brain. Instantly kneeling on the ground, she clasped her hands together, tears streaming out of her eyes. Such dangerous threats were something completely new to her. Being so blatantly shown that she would be obliterated within the next few seconds completely scared the wits out of her. The last thing she wanted was to lose her life. ¡°P-please spare my life! I¡¯ll talk-¡± ¡°Sshhh. If she wakes up because of you¡­¡± Miriam immediately covered her mouth after hearing the subtle threat. The blonde did not want Asia¡¯s rest to be interrupted so meaninglessly. So moving forward, he went past Miriam without sparing her a glance. ¡°Follow me.¡± . |DxD| . Igor walked slowly with Miriam trailing behind him. A circle of thoughts were running around his head, yet his expression did not change. The blonde had never trusted the church. If it were up to him, Asia would¡¯ve never stayed there. The only reason he never brought up the issue was due to Vasco being there and him being swallowed up by training with Sun Wukong as well as fighting for Indra as tuition fees. But seeing that his sister was clearly unhappy here made him feel shame. ¡°She was always treated like this.¡± It was a statement, not a question. And Miriam had far bigger things to worry about than try to defend the church. As for Igor, he continued walking until he reached the house and opened the door. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Once he entered, he felt like he had just walked through a bubble. He recognised that feeling as the high-level wards installed around the house. Brushing off the feeling, Igor continued to walk through the house with familiarity until he reached Asia¡¯s room. Typical of a girl¡¯s room, there was lots of pink and a set of dolls and other toys in a basket. This room was the only place where Asia could be normal and dress normally without being force-fed scriptures. This was the only measure Vasco could currently take to normalise her life as much as possible. Walking through the carpet, Igor neared closer to the bed. Peeling open the blankets, Igor placed Asia under the covers before blanketing properly. He then caressed her hair with a smile, gently removing the strands that were hovering over her eyes. Whenever he looked at Asia, his blue eyes somehow darkened, almost like a black hole. ¡°You know, nothing in this world is more precious to me than family. And right now, Asia is my only family.¡± The nun behind him had her head lowered, her face covered in sweat and her body trembling from fear. But the blonde paid no attention to her current state. Right now, he just missed his sister after not having seen her for so long. It felt like an eternity to him and just basking in her presence was enough for him. Looking at her chubby little face caused him to continuously smile. ¡°I will do anything to protect Asia. I will kill anyone to protect Asia. If it means protecting the radiant light inside her, I will destroy anything that threatens to darken it. After all, that is my basic duty as an elder brother. Don¡¯t you think so, sister?¡± His words were dark and laced with absolute conviction. When he turned towards Miriam, his smile was kind. But in the eyes of the elderly nun, she could see a dark silhouette manifest around the blonde that truly scared her. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Miriam shivered again at his words. She had a feeling that the blonde meant everything he said. She could see it in his eyes, just how willing he was to act on those words. Already nearing seventy years in age, Miriam had seen a lot and what she saw in the blonde terrified her. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Asia had such a terrifying brother. There was absolutely no news of his existence at all in the church. But she was sure of one thing. The person responsible for killing her nephew three years ago was him. But any thoughts of avenging him were squashed after feeling just a hint of Igor¡¯s power. It was also because of recognising his power that she came to a decision. She decided to reveal everything she knew. She had no choice after all. She had a feeling that if she didn¡¯t take proactive action soon, she wouldn¡¯t live to attend the evening prayer in half an hour. So calming herself down, she spoke with fear-induced respect. ¡°People¡­people are envious of Lady Asia.¡± Igor¡¯s movements paused. ¡°Oh?¡± The blonde turned around, his face completely serious. ¡°Tell me why.¡± Faced with those glowing blue eyes, Miriam had no intention of concealing anything. ¡°It¡¯s because of her sacred gear. Her ability to heal people made the upper echelon take great care of her, allowing Lady Asia to receive many benefits that others aren¡¯t entitled to. They are envious because even after serving for decades, none of them have personally drank tea with the Pope or Father Strada.¡± She respectfully delivered her observations on the matter, being careful not to leave out anything. The threat of death made her not even consider the thought of lying. And that was apparently a good choice since the pressure on her lightened slightly. But it was not over yet. Igor walked over to her, his eyes staring directly into hers. ¡°Aren¡¯t you envious as well, sister?¡± Miriam tensed slightly. She could feel his breath on her neck. Yet what she felt was far from arousal, because even though the blonde smiled, there was a subtle trace of killing intent within his gaze. Miriam knew that this was the true defining moment. She couldn¡¯t lie, yet she feared the truth was what would get her killed. But the blonde was not willing to give her more time. Placing his hand in front of her face, he began counting down. ¡°Five¡­four¡­¡± Watching as each finger lowered, Miriam no longer hesitated. As much as she wanted to lie and say she also envied Asia, she was almost certain that her lie would be spotted immediately. So gritting her teeth, she uttered her first sentence. ¡°You killed my nephew! I resented Lady Asia because my nephew died because of her. If it wasn¡¯t because of Lady Asia, my nephew would still be alive and my household wouldn¡¯t fade out of existence.¡± She immediately shut her eyes in preparation for her doom. She already knew she would die, but as long as she released this last resentment, then at least she would be able to move on to the afterlife. But contrary to her expectations, Igor didn¡¯t kill her. Instead, the blonde walked around her while stroking his chin in thought. ¡°By nephew, do you possibly mean the person who tried to kidnap my little sister three years ago?¡± Miriam widened her eyes in shock. ¡°K-kidnap?! No no no no no. That¡¯s not right. What do you mean by he kidnapped Lady Asia?¡± Miriam couldn¡¯t bring herself to so easily believe the blonde. As far as she knew, her nephew was one of the best exorcists the church has ever had. There was absolutely no reason for him to do so. Yet Igor repeated his statement. ¡°Black hair, brown eyes, large nose, mole under right eye. I remember the features of that exorcist scum clearly. If your nephew matches my description and he indeed was an exorcist who died three years ago, then he was the same person who dared to kidnap Asia. And that is why I killed him. Is there a different story I am not aware of?¡± Miriam brought her hands to her face, tears in her eyes. She had never imagined the story would be like this. According to what she knew, her nephew died after trying to protect Asia from the demon who invaded the Vatican. It was the news that was delivered to her as an explanation for the loss of her nephew¡¯s life. Eventually, it was due to Vasco being able to drive away the demon that the Church won with her nephew being the only casualty. But after hearing Igor¡¯s point of view, she couldn¡¯t help but be shaken. Although she was terrified of the blonde, she was sure he wouldn¡¯t lie to her. There was absolutely no gain in lying to someone he could easily kill. So she was sure that he was speaking the truth. Furthermore, she wasn¡¯t naive. She knew the church had a tendency to label incidents differently in order to preserve its reputation. Therefore¡­ ¡°I apologise.¡± She got down on her knees and lowered her head in front of Igor. ¡°I truly apologise for my recent actions on Lady Asia. Until she wakes up, I will remain here until I can apologise to her.¡± There was no other option now. She had no choice but to display a complete change in attitude if she wanted to continue living. Now that things had come to this, sincerity was the only way she could make it out alive. But Igor wasn¡¯t focused on her. ¡°...¡± Far in the distance, he could sense the energy signature of Vasco rushing towards here at high speeds. Although he was not sure why the old man would be running this quickly, it was an opportunity for him. ¡°Save your apologies. I have a feeling that Signor Strada will give us the answers we both need.¡± . AN . Well that¡¯s quite a change in Igor¡¯s personality. Wonder what happened that caused him to seem so¡­cold? We¡¯ll just have to see in later chapters. I haven¡¯t gotten the drill. Hope you enjoy the next three chapters. Chapter 66 Far in the distance, he could send the energy signature of Vasco rushing towards here at high speeds. Although he was not sure why the old man would be running this quickly, it was an opportunity for him. ¡°I accept your apology sister. But I have a feeling that Signor Strada will give us the answers we both need.¡± . |DxD| . Vasco was currently in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. This was the largest Roman Catholic Church in America and he had been requested to teach the next generation of exorcists for the past few months. With his expertise, Vasco had been known and feared throughout the supernatural world not only for his power, but also his ability to teach. The elderly exorcist was known to be the godfather of numerous elite exorcist squads. Just one of the newer squads was already known to be capable enough to restrain ultimate-class entities. With that capability, it was also why there were so many attempts on his life. They did not want Vasco to nurture another version of him. Currently, the old man was going through a list of names in his room. On his desk were the names of sacred gear wielders and non-sacred gear wielders. But the name he was focused on the most was the one of Dulio Gesualdo. He was a ten-year-old boy with golden hair and green eyes. In a squad full of teenagers and young men in their twenties, he was certainly an outlier. But the reason why Vasco had to train him was because it had been discovered two years ago that he had the Zenith Tempest sacred gear. If that was all he had, then Vasco wouldn¡¯t have had to deal with him. But it turned out that Dulio was extremely talented to the point that he was seen as another ¡®Vasco Strada¡¯. In these times where powerful figures were popping up left and right, the pope decided to bind the prodigies from different generations to one another. For two years now, Vasco had fulfilled his duties and taught Dulio the ropes. But there was one problem he had with the boy. Dulio Gesualdo simply adored food to the point that everytime Vasco moved to another region with the boy, he had to take a week off just to send him to every restaurant because if he did not, Dulio would randomly disappear, like now. Just looking at the name alone gave the old man a headache. ¡°This brat. Where did he run off to now? I swear, once I find him-¡± He was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. He looked at it and felt out for who it was. It took him a good second, but he was able to tell that it was one of his students. He gave a nod of approval at how his student was able to hide his presence. [Good. I¡¯ll increase the scope of his lessons a bit more.] Not wanting to keep the person waiting, he called out. ¡°The door is unlocked.¡± The door opened gently to reveal an exorcist in a hooded white robe. The man was relatively tall, easily reaching 190cm in height. His figure could not be seen through his robe, but his hands were filled with callouses and minor scars, particularly on the balls of his fist. The man walked in and when he got to Vasco, he got down on one knee while taking out a letter from the inside pockets of his robe. He lifted it up for Vasco to inspect, his head lowered in respect. ¡°Father. We have just recently received a letter from the church of Saint Jude in the town of Kuoh situated in Japan. It was marked as urgent and so I have brought it to you for your viewing, your holiness.¡± Vasco didn¡¯t mind the man¡¯s righteous way of speaking. Instead, he took the rolled-up letter and opened it. The seconds drawled by as he read the letter, his expression neutral for most of the time. But that was until he read the last part. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Members of the Himejima clan have been spotted in Kuoh?¡± He was surprised at first, but then it descended into shock. That was because he could guess first-hand what the Himejima were doing in Kuoh. He got up from his desk with a calm expression. ¡°Does the church of Saint Jude have a teleportation circle yet?¡± The man kept his head lowered. ¡°No, your holiness. Preparations had been made but were not initiated.¡± Vasco almost clicked his tongue. Yet he couldn¡¯t because he knew the reason why the circle was not installed in the church. Due to Kuoh belonging to the yokai and yet being run by a devil, the situation had not stabilised enough. To put it in simpler terms, Kuoh was a stepping stone to spread the faith into Japan. But it was not one with enough guarantee for the church to spend money and materials on laying a complex teleportation circle. So Vasco could only compromise. ¡°Prepare the teleportation circle here and set it to the closest church to Saint Jude¡¯s. Also, send an encrypted letter to Kuoh detailing the exorcists there to delay the Himejima as much as possible. If necessary, kill them in ¡®self-defence¡¯.¡± The exorcist¡¯s response was prompt. ¡°At once, your holiness.¡± The man vanished in a burst of speed in order to quickly complete his task. As for Vasco, he stood rooted on the spot, his head tilted up in contemplation. He was worried because he was among the very few people who knew of Baraquiel residing in Kuoh. To take it a step further, he was also aware that Baraquiel had a wife from the Himejima clan and that they both shared a child. He was not worried that the Himejima clan were there to possibly kill the child. It was already a definite because he was aware of their practices and ideals just as much as the rest of the supernatural world. What he was most worried about were the repercussions. He was already aware that Igor had a relationship with Baraquiel and his family. Due to the giant sphere Igor had launched on Baraquiel almost four years ago, he had to go and personally investigate the issue at some point in time as well. He was able to dig up some old footage from a CCTV near an elementary school of Igor happily roaming the streets of Kuoh with Shuri and Akeno. It was easy to guess that the blonde had a very good relationship with them. However¡­ [Those idiots!] Vasco was very worried that if either of them died, then the blonde would go on a rampage and would instantly issue a blood-feud with the Himejima clan. The problem here lies in the fact that many people would be pulled into the fight. The Shinto Pantheon would have no choice but to hunt the blonde down in order to preserve their reputation. Herein lies the crux of the matter. Igor was associated with too many people. If someone properly dug things up, they could find Igor has relations with Grigori through Baraquiel, the Yokai through Sun Wukong¡­ [And the church through me and Asia.] Vasco couldn¡¯t help but release a sigh. He could already see a great war happening if things were to reach the extreme. While there was the option of cutting off relations with Igor, he already knew it was highly unlikely and very much an unintelligent move. Not to mention that the blonde had very good relationships with the higher-ups of each of the three factions, but it was also because he was already strong and had a very strong chance of reaching the realm of supreme class in the future. Having an ally like Igor would be a massive boon for anyone and a stomach-churning regret for anyone who had the chance but turned him down. Vasco did not want the church to become the latter. It was even more so because Igor was a human. Although he was an Aryan, he was still human. This would not violate any teachings of the church and the blonde could be taken openly as an ally. If political and logical reasons were to be used in the place of emotions and morality, Igor was the biggest wildcard that would benefit whoever managed to get him. The reason Igor was a wildcard was because he showed no preference for a particular race, even his own. This means that anyone from any race had the chance to establish an alliance with the blonde. It had been a while since he had last seen the boy but he already had enough grasp of his personality that he valued every meaningful connection he had. This meant that the blonde was loyal and any chance of poaching him was very slim. Although Vasco was not sure if Igor would truly join a faction or pantheon one day, just having a significant connection with the blonde would be good enough in the future. Now putting aside politics, Vasco did not want a war to happen because he did not want a bright child like Igor to go through unnecessary loss. He was too used to the blonde¡¯s colourful personality that the last thing he wanted to see from him was the darkness of vengeance should either or both mother and daughter die. Giving out one last sigh, he folded the paper and placed it into his inner coat pocket. It was just in time too since the exorcist from earlier suddenly appeared in front of him on one knee. ¡°The circle has been set for the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo, your holiness. Further transport to Kuoh is being prepared as we speak.¡± Vasco brushed him off. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I can run faster than whatever you can prepare-?!¡± In the midst of his words, he suddenly felt the wards of his house back in Italy being tripped. Although there were suddenly two extra people in his house, the most notable presence he felt was that of Igor. In an instant, he grabbed the exorcist by the shoulder. ¡°Change the coordinates to the Vatican! NOW!¡± The exorcist humbly accepted his orders. ¡°At once, your holiness.¡± Su! Vasco was then left alone again in his thoughts. [It¡¯s a good thing he came back.] If he could get in touch with Igor, then the blonde would be able to get to Kuoh much faster with his [Instant Transmission]. He could only hope that it would not be too late when he arrived. Chapter 67 ¡°Change the coordinates to the Vatican! NOW!¡± The exorcist humbly accepted his orders. ¡°At once, your holiness.¡± Su! Vasco was then left alone again in his thoughts. [It¡¯s a good thing he came back.] If he could get in touch with Igor, then the blonde would be able to get to Kuoh much faster with his [Instant Transmission]. He could only hope that it would not be too late when he arrived. . |DxD| . ¡°I accept your apology sister. But I have a feeling that Signor Strada will give us the answers we both need.¡± As soon as Igor said that, he took a step back and moments later, Vasco appeared in the room in all his glory. He was covered by a black robe yet beneath it, Igor could spot the heavy battle armour. Curious as to why the old man looked as if he was ready for war, he was about to ask before Vasco cut him off. The old man wasted no time and grabbed the blonde by the shoulder. ¡°We need to go to Kuoh now. The Himejima clan are moving and are after Baraquiel and his family.¡± ¡°...¡± It took the blonde a good second for the words to properly process in his head. ¡°What?¡± His expression morphed into that of an angry snarl. Killing intent began to seep out of him, his rage threatening to boil over. But Vasco had no time for this. Slapping the blonde on the shoulder, he yelled. ¡°Stop wasting time and move! Use your [Instant Transmission]!¡± Wordlessly, Igor set to the task and placed two fingers on his forehead. Not caring for subtleties, he immediately entered Kaioken x20. Gruuu! If Asia hadn¡¯t woken up before, she definitely woke up now. The little blonde cutely rubbed her eyes and looked around her room. Her attention was immediately drawn to Igor who was covered by a blazing red aura. Her eyes widened in horror. It was her first time seeing Igor in his Kaioken so the first thing that ran through her mind was that he was on fire. Jumping off the bed, she ran to him with budding tears in her eyes. ¡°Big bro-¡± But Vasco immediately grabbed Asia and shushed her. ¡°Calm down, Asia. Your big brother needs to focus.¡± Yet Igor paid no attention to either of them at this moment. It was not that he was ignoring them, but that he didn¡¯t even hear them. He was so focused on extending his senses as fast as he could that he automatically dulled out any outside interference. With his abilities boosted, he blatantly extended his senses all the way to Japan, not caring for who would feel offended by his ki running through them. In order to spread his senses as fast as possible, he had neither the time nor the care to hide how ¡®loud¡¯ his ki. While passively sensing would also yield benefits, the effective range of sensing a target relied on how far they were in the first place in respect to their power. Currently, Igor was thousands upon thousands of kilometres away from Japan. That alone would require that either Akeno or Shuri be god-class entities in order for him to sense their passive energy fluctuations. This wasn¡¯t the case like Asia where the blonde memorised their energy signature up to the point that he could sense them from anywhere across the world. As far as the blonde was concerned, their energy fluctuations would be hard to sense even outside Kuoh. So his next best method was to actively seek their energy signatures out. Although he hadn¡¯t memorised theirs like he did with Asia¡¯s, he could certainly pick them out from a group of millions of people. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. However, the blonde was unfamiliar with Japan, much less how Kuoh felt in his senses. All he could hope for right now was that by extending his ki like a concave sonar, he would at the very least be able to run over Shuri or Akeno¡¯s energy signatures. And so the seconds trickled by as the blonde analysed every single energy signature in desperate hope of finding either the mother or the daughter. The clock was ticking and every minute of delay might mean the Himejima were getting that much closer to killing them. Igor ran over every energy signature he encountered and tossed every non-matching signature aside. His senses had already extended far beyond the Himalayas and yet the blonde had no clue where his senses were currently running through. For all he knew, he could be sensing the inhabitants of China. It was only when he started sensing very small amounts of lifeforce that he guessed his senses were hovering over the stretch of ocean separating Japan and the mainland continent of Asia. So he sped up. He ignored all the sea life that gave off weak energy signatures and the few humans he sensed here and there. It was until he reached the coast that he gradually started to analyse energy signatures again. He couldn¡¯t be sure how far inland he had went and so he didn¡¯t want to take chances. He thoroughly went through each energy signature he encountered throughout Japan. But that was until he remembered something important, something that almost made him despair. ¡°Signor. There is a barrier in the forests of Kuoh. That¡­that will prevent me from sensing anyone there.¡± Although his voice was calm and his visage seemingly level-headed, his fist was trembling as the sounds of the clock ticking entered his ears. He kept two fingers to his forehead as his senses combed Japan. He had that faint hope that maybe, just maybe the barrier was destroyed. But the fact that the Himejima may have somehow bypassed the barrier without destroying it made his heart rate begin to increase in panic. Fortunately, Vasco was much calmer. ¡°I see. Are you unable to teleport somewhere else in Kuoh?¡± Igor¡¯s fist clenched harder, almost as if he was extremely disappointed in himself. ¡°I¡­I do not know how far Kuoh is from here. So unless there is an energy signature I am familiar with, I will not know where or who to teleport to.¡± Igor lowered his head in shame. Without having a rough idea of where Kuoh is from Italy, his senses could extend past Kuoh and he wouldn¡¯t even know it. It was a flaw of his that he never assumed would cause him problems until now. Whenever Igor stretched his senses, his perspective changed to black with only figures of yellow that denote an individual and the energy or lifeforce they release. Based on the race and type of energy, the colour might differ but humans and animals in general appeared yellow in his senses. But that was it. Mountains, infrastructure and other landmarks one would use for region identification would not appear at all. Although Igor was a good sensor, he wasn¡¯t yet skilled to the point that he could sense the extremely low frequency energy of things like small plants or the sparse nature energy in the air. So without the ability to tell where his senses had reached and without knowing whether or not Shuri and Akeno were under a barrier, he had to think of another plan quickly. It was then that the blonde finally thought of Cleria. ¡°Cleria! I¡¯ll use Cleria!¡± It was a spur of the moment idea that suddenly came into his head. Although he wasn¡¯t familiar with her energy signature to instantly point her out, it was different from that of a normal human. As a devil, it would be easy to pick her out through his senses. To his senses, all devils appeared black-grey in colour, much different from humans. Not waiting for Vasco¡¯s input, the blonde closed his eyes and got to sensing again. With his frown having turned upside down, Igor expanded his senses to the east and south-east. Covering such a large area, it was then that his grin gradually disappeared. Igor was sure that he had passed China at this point, yet¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± The shocking number of devils he was sensing served to demotivate him. He was unfamiliar with Cleria¡¯s specific energy signature meaning, he couldn¡¯t pick her out from over the thousands of devils he had sensed. Even when his senses expanded over the ocean, he could still sense the presence of devils. Although devils in Japan were fewer, there were at least a few hundred that he had come across. Faced with such factors, Igor¡¯s will began to waver. ¡°D-DAMNIT! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DEVILS OUT THERE!!!¡± Panic was seeping in, the situation itself becoming hopeless. He couldn¡¯t hope to pick out Cleria¡¯s energy signature when there were numerous devils all over Japan. Igor was restless to the point that his aura began to fluctuate violently, a visual representation of his frantic mental state. Removing his fingers from his forehead, the blonde cursed. ¡°Fuck! I¡¯ll teleport as close as I can and then fly over!¡± GRUUU! Just when he was about to take off through the roof, Vasco calmly placed his hand on Igor¡¯s shoulder. The blonde instantly whipped his head towards him, his expression clearly displaying his sense of energy. ¡°What!¡± But upon seeing Asia flinch at his outburst, instant regret soured his heart. Asia was staring at him fearfully, almost as if she couldn¡¯t recognise him. She was holding on tightly to Vasco¡¯s collar, the fabric scrunched up in her tiny fist. Igor was unsure how to act at this point, but Vasco wouldn¡¯t wait for the blonde to resolve his inner conflict. He knew Igor loved Asia, but bigger things were at stake here. ¡°Can you sense massive outbursts of power?¡± Sensing the seriousness in his gaze, Igor calmed himself down while giving an apologetic smile at Asia. ¡°Yes. As long as it differs from the rest, I can find it.¡± Then suddenly, Vasco placed a phone to his ear. ¡°You heard him. Do what he says and use the holy swords.¡± While Vasco would¡¯ve preferred to send a letter through a magic circle, there was no time for that anymore. He just hoped that the conversation would seem too vague for anyone who would try to investigate, although that would be pointless given what was about to happen. Regardless, his words seemed to reignite that faint spark of hope within the blonde. So as Igor waited and waited, he finally caught the violent fluctuations of energy coming from the east. Without even waiting for Vasco¡¯s input¡­ Tswii! ¡­he vanished. ¡°...¡± Chapter 68 While Vasco would¡¯ve preferred to send a letter through a magic circle, there was no time for that anymore. He just hoped that the conversation would seem too vague for anyone who would try to investigate, although that would be pointless given what is about to happen. Regardless, his words seemed to reignite that faint spark of hope within the blonde. So as Igor waited and waited, he finally caught the violent fluctuations of energy coming from the east. Without even waiting for Vasco¡¯s input¡­ Tswii! ¡­he vanished. ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Kuoh, Japan, Half-an-hour earlier¡­ . In the town of Kuoh, it was still in the wee early hours of the morning. Shuri and Akeno were comfortably asleep in their homes while Baraquiel was still training far away on an island. Inside the forest, around twelve figures in black hooded robes were making their way towards the house, their intentions anything but kind. One of the men leading from the front spotted the house and pointed towards it with an excited expression. ¡°I see it.¡± Peeling back his hood, he was revealed to be a man with spiky short black hair and black eyes. On usual days, he would be handsome. But the cocky grin etched onto his face said otherwise. The man looked at the house with literal drool escaping through his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found Shuri nee-chan. Now I can finally break that spell controlling her and we will finally be together~.¡± His name was Himejima Masaru, a muscular man in his early twenties. From a young age, he had sincerely admired Shuri when she still resided in the Himejima clan. Her kindness had made him fall madly in love with her to the point of craziness. Another of the men, the true leader of this expedition peeled back his hood to reveal a very pretty and somewhat effeminate face. It didn¡¯t aid things that he had long black hair tied into a ponytail and pretty black eyes. But there was a reason he was the leader. ¡°We will proceed in accordance with the plan, Masaru. Am I understood?¡± Masaru lifted up his hands in mock surrender, yet his smile did not fade. ¡°Sorry, Kazuhiko-¡®sama¡¯. I was just too happy to see my fiance after all this time. You¡¯ll forgive me, right?¡± Himejima Kazuhiko was the third-born son of the patriarch of the Himejima clan. Nearing thirty years in age, he was the most talented son with an expertise in swordsmanship that far surpassed his brothers. Kazuhiko narrowed his gaze at Masaru, his mind seemingly deciding something. Masaru also stared back at Kazuhiko, his widening smile silently goading Kazuhiko into trying something. Both these two men had sort of a rivalry going on between them. From the sides, Takumi, the third leader of this expedition was watching with a weary gaze at the both of them. Himejima Takumi was the fourth son of the patriarch and the younger brother of Kazuhiko. Different from his elder brother who specialised in the sword, he had a particular talent for wards and other sorts of barrier magic. His expertise in the field of wards made him a key figure in this operation due to the fact that he was the one who had the highest capability of breaking through any wards they may encounter. Unlike his two co-leaders who had somewhat fiery personalities, especially Masaru, he was reserved and often appeared standoffish. Yet unlike his brother Kazuhiko who radiated the coldness of a swordsman, he seemed more like a sunny teenager who still believed dog-licking would get him a girl. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. It was also partly because of his personality that he was made a vice leader. He would be able to function as an intermediary that would dispel Kazuhiko and Masaru who were like fire and water. Giving off a nervous chuckle, Takami rubbed the back of his head before pushing them apart.¡± ¡°Come on guys. Can we not do this now?¡± The two men were about to ignore Takami, but when he opened his eyes, there was a subtle darkness behind them. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to fail this mission after all.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Masaru was the first to withdraw his gaze first with a laugh. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± His mocking laughter continued on, causing Kazuhiko to reflexively put his arm on his blade. But Takumi stopped him by placing his hand on Kazuhiko¡¯s. He looked meaningfully at Kazuhiko. ¡°Stop, brother. At the end of the day, we all share the same surname. We don¡¯t murder our own in cold blood.¡± Kazuhiko looked at Masaru who continued to drool at the sight of Baraquiel¡¯s house. The man was so amped up with desire that he either didn¡¯t notice or care for the looks he got from Kazuhiko, Takumi, or the rest of the team. Instead, he always seemed to be muttering Shuri¡¯s name over and over again, his eyes as dark as a black hole. ¡°Hehehehehe¡­nee-chaaannn~.¡± Masaru was crouching down, his hands glued to the side of his cheeks. He was so out of it that his drool flowed down his cloak like a river. His eyes quite literally had hearts on them, his desire that had been bottled up for years finally manifesting itself in the most¡­weirdest of ways. If roles were reversed and Masaru was a girl, this situation may have been somewhat erotic. But he was a bulking mass of muscle with spiked hair and sharp cheekbones. This only served to unnerve his fellow clan members, causing even a few of them to even retch at the sight. As for the rest, they could only watch in silence while their brain cells slowly died. ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± Kazuhiko only watched on for a moment longer before he turned his face away in annoyance. He never understood how a brainless idiot like Masaru was allowed to even join their squad. ¡°Tch.¡± Unfortunately, it was too late to make any objections. The great elder had put together this squad and his orders were absolute. Even if he was the son of the patriarch, he couldn¡¯t raise objections. He could only swallow the bitter arrangement whole. Yet taking a glance again at Masaru, he felt he might vomit more than just the ¡®arrangement¡¯. So wanting to take his mind off the muscled mess muttering ¡°nee-chan¡± over and over again, he decided to get this mission underway. Folding his arms, he faced everyone and began to relay orders. ¡°Sons of Himejima. Today we are here to eradicate the scourge and the abomination that was created from the blood of our sister and the cursed blood of the Fallen Cadre, Baraquiel. We have waited over nine years for this opportunity men. We have received news of Baraquiel having been spotted near the Cuban coast. We have no knowledge of when he will be back, so we must be quick and efficient. Team 1, you will once again be responsible for disabling any wards we may come across. I will leave that to you, Takumi. Team 2 will follow me and annihilate the abomination. We must be swift. Team 3. You will be responsible for capturing our sister in order to return her to the clan. Are there any questions?¡± All the men stayed silent, aside from Masaru who was grinning widely in anticipation. As the leader of team 3, he was responsible for restraining Shuri. He could already imagine himself holding her in his arms. It was such an excitable thought that he began hugging himself while repeatedly muttering Shuri¡¯s name. ¡°Shuri-nee. Shuri-nee. Shuri-nee. Shuri-nee. Shuri-nee. Shuri-neeeeeee-chaaaannnn~. Your Masaru-chan is comiinnnggggg. Hehehehehehe~.¡± Kazuhiko clicked his tongue at Masaru¡¯s unprofessional display, his gaze filled with disgust. ¡°What was the great elder thinking placing him on our squad?¡± Takumi chuckled at the sight of Masaru. ¡°Well¡­he is the strongest out of all of us. He¡¯s the only one here that can handle Baraquiel should he come.¡± ¡°...¡± Kazuhiko was silent at that declaration. It annoyed him that someone younger and less privileged than him was stronger, and not by a small margin either. Masaru was the strongest youth in the Himejima clan and possibly bordered towards the realm of being the strongest in the entire clan. Being a brute fighter who only used his fists, those muscles on him definitely weren¡¯t for decoration. It was only fortunate that with the growth of those muscles, his brain grew smaller and smoother. Just thinking of Masaru¡¯s recent brainless mistake made him smile lightly. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he the one that got us detected by those exorcists.¡± Takami simply shrugged. ¡°Yes. But he killed them, didn¡¯t he? Most of us would¡¯ve died without him.¡± ¡°...¡± Kazuhiko clicked his tongue at the memory. ¡°That holy sword wielder was indeed an annoyance.¡± ¡°That ¡®holy sword wielder¡¯ was Masaomi Yaegaki. Since he¡¯s dead, it¡¯s safe to say that this place will be swarming with more exorcists from the church soon. So¡­¡± Getting annoyed by Takumi¡¯s condescending smile, Kazuhiko let go of his blade and clapped his hand to gather the attention of the rest. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move out. There is no room for mistake.¡± He then clasped his hands together and lowered his head. ¡°May Lady Amaterasu guide us.¡± ¡°¡°¡°May Lady Amaterasu guide us!¡±¡±¡± Turning around to face the house, a cold killing intent emanated from Kazuhiko. ¡°So shall it be. Let¡¯s move out.¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! x4 . AN . And that¡¯s that. There are some times when I can¡¯t upload, but I do prioritise members of my p@tre0n when it comes to uploading. If you want to join, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 69 ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move out. There is no room for mistake. May Lady Amaterasu guide us.¡± ¡°¡°¡°May Lady Amaterasu guide us!¡±¡±¡± Turning around to face the house, a cold killing intent emanated from Kazuhiko. ¡°So shall it be. Let¡¯s move out.¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! x4 . |DxD| . Shuri had just woken up when she suddenly saw the barrier surrounding the house destabilise for the briefest of moments, resulting in a visible sheen in the air that lasted for less than a second. It was something most would¡¯ve missed, but as a mother living alone with her child, her paranoia was particularly high. Suddenly seeing the only thing currently protecting them fluctuate like that did not do wonders for her existing paranoia. It was a complete coincidence that the moment the barrier fluctuated was precisely the moment she would need to wake up Akeno to urinate. Her little girl had a particular issue of wetting the bed and so to remedy that, Shuri would always wake her up between the early hours of morning. But after seeing the slight disruption of the barrier surrounding the house, she decided to first check what was going on. As much as she wanted to ignore it, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to. It was almost as if some external force was urging, almost begging her to investigate. When she had thoughts of investigating after sending Akeno to the bathroom, an uncontrollable urge suddenly caused her to put investigating as her priority. So she chose to listen to her gut feeling or whatever it was that influenced her. Descending down the stairs, she was quick and silent as usual. Although she was a housewife, she was considered an elite operative of the Himejima clan once upon a time. Her prowess as a field operative was what led to her being sent to Kuoh with the intent of monitoring Cleria. As a complete human, there was less chance of her being detected as a spy than if a yokai were to do it. And with her being the best of the best, she was chosen after having received the most nominations. Although relations between the yokai and humans used to be strained, the wars of the 20th century worked to bring them together and forget past transgressions against each other in order to defend their shared homeland. Shuri was also very active in the late ¡®70s and early ¡®80s. With the consequences losing many people to the Aryans, nuclear bombs, and other enemies seeking to take advantage of a weakened Japan, yokai and humans had united to fight against all of their foes both overtly and undercover, especially in the supernatural world. Shuri was especially skilled and her abilities earned her major renown amongst both yokai and other humans. So even though almost a decade had passed without her taking on a mission, her senses hadn¡¯t dulled in the slightest. And the last thing Shuri would mistake, was the sound of someone picking the lock on her door. She immediately went on high alert. [Who?!] Common thieves would never be able to make it here due to there being wards specifically made to deter normal people from coming. Stray devils, if they somehow managed to reach here, didn¡¯t pick locks. Very few people knew of her relationship with Baraquiel and those that did were generally friendly. So that only left the option of an enemy who specifically came here for her¡­or her child. [Hunters!] Hunters- an elite squad in the Himejima clan dedicated to hunting down anyone who had betrayed the clan or its rules. That was the only assumption Shuri could come to given how there is nothing of value in her house that would attract another specialised team that could bypass high-level wards. As much as fear clouded her heart, she had no time to waste. So acting quickly, Shuri silently retreated up the stairs, her face serious yet laden with sweat. The clock was ticking and she guessed she only had 10 -20 seconds to escape. The door itself was high level and the locks were personally fitted in by her when she first moved in, way before Baraquiel ever set foot in this house. She quietly made her way through the hall, careful not to make any overt sounds. As humans, they had many ways of using their mana to amplify specific body parts. She did not want to take the chance and alert anyone who was listening that she was awake and most of all, aware of their presence. She may take slightly longer to reach Akeno¡¯s room, but it was better than the hunters smashing her door down. Opening the door to Akeno¡¯s room, she opened a window to the outside. The cold breeze instantly entered along with the vague mutterings of a man. She stood silently, her ears straining to hear their every whisper. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Are you truly unable to break such a simple lock?¡± ¡°I am sorry, Kazuhiko-sama. This lock is extremely complicated but I am getting close.¡± ¡°Hmph. You better hurry.¡± ¡°Yes, Kazuhiko-sama.¡± Shuri¡¯s eyes widened in fright. [K-Kazuhiko? Why him!] Her fear skyrocketed after hearing the name. If she was the most talented woman in the clan, Kazuhiko was the most talented male. She had amicable, but friendly feelings for him while he showed clear and decisive interest in her. Being the son of the patriarch, they were both set to marry ten years ago until she cut off contact with the clan. Any lingering feelings she may have had were dulled out when she met Baraquiel. She loved the fallen and she had a beautiful daughter with him. She did expect that the clan would come hunting for her at one point, but she thought it would be when she or Akeno were outside of Kuoh. It was why she stayed in Kuoh and never tried to leave the town. With the protection provided by Cleria, the feeling of safety she had from the Himejima continued to grow over the years. She just never expected that over ten years later, the clan would manage to sneak into Kuoh. It also ached her heart a bit to see Kazuhiko would be one of the people hunting her down. She shared lots of good memories with him, so it did hurt to hear the man she once considered a friend whisper-shout orders to open the only thing between them and her daughter¡¯s death. Unknowingly, a single tear flowed down her eye. [I underestimated how far my clan would go to kill my child.] Her assumption that they would leave her as long as she remained anonymous was naive and this was a painful way to find out. What her clan was doing was risking not only making themselves enemies of fallen angels and being placed under scrutiny by the devils, but they would also risk alienation from the Shinto Pantheon and they would undoubtedly sour relations between them and the Yokai Faction should word of their actions come to light. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have the time to stand and reminisce. She had long since viewed herself as someone not part of the clan, even when she was still in it. So she never truly grasped how far the clan would be willing to go just to follow the rules and kill her ¡®abomination¡¯ of a child. Wiping away the tear, she resolved her heart. [I won¡¯t let them touch my daughter.] Moving over to Akeno, she gently grabbed her sleeping little girl and moved over to the edge of the window. She craned her neck outside to search for anyone who might be loitering this side. Upon seeing no one, she put her foot on the windowsill and jumped from the second floor. *Puff* Her landing was silent even with the additional weight of Akeno. She scoured her surroundings again before running. She vaulted over the wall in a single bound and once she made it past, she sprinted into the woods. While there was a shortcut to town, it wasn¡¯t under the cover of the forest and with the low visibility of the moon, it was just bright enough for their figures to be seen should they take the path. Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa She ran with all her might towards town while taking a slightly longer route. Her speed was fast, almost three times as fast as an ordinary human¡¯s. While she could go significantly faster, the energy she would emit then would be detected by the hunters. She had no clue how many they were and their power-levels. She had no information on their tools or capabilities. Shuri was quite confident of her strength. Although she had rusted a bit, she had the capability of bringing down a high class entity. So it was only right to assume that the clan would¡¯ve sent quite the number of high class entities to combat her. Yet Shuri had no intentions of fighting, especially with her daughter on the line. But unfortunately¡­ [My senses have dulled.] ¡­she felt the presence of someone following her. And knowing that a confrontation was unavoidable, she continued running. Under normal circumstances, she would¡¯ve stopped to confront them. But with her clan members being roughly only a kilometre away, she wanted to place as much distance between her and them before inevitably having to confont whoever was following her. So she continued running, not caring that she was barefoot or in her pink nightdress. Shuri continued to keep her senses on the person following her, slightly thankful that whoever they were was content in simply tailing her. There were only two more kilometres until she could reach town and just a kilometre left before she would finally reach the edge of the barrier surrounding the forest. This time, she had no goals of reaching town. Her intuition told her that whoever was following her wouldn¡¯t allow that to happen. But¡­ [As long as I can pass through the barrier, I can immediately alert Lady Cleria by releasing all my energy.] She had no idea how the hunters made it past both Cleria¡¯s and Baraquiel¡¯s barrier. Just passing through them without being detected would take immense expertise in wards or a powerful enough distraction. She had no idea which method they used nor the time to figure it out. All she had on her mind was one goal, but it seemed her pursuer wouldn¡¯t let her reach it. ¡°?!¡± Feeling something rapidly come towards her back, she darted to the side. Swoosh! She had just enough time to spot a figure rush past her former position before skidding across the ground. Krrrrrrrr Silence¡­ Shuri stood in silence, her arms cradling the still sleeping Akeno. Her heart was beating quickly, her nerves threatening to freeze. Her legs were numb, her knees trembling in fear. That was because Shuri could feel how strong the man in front of her was. Although the man was facing away from her, Shuri could sense just how outclassed she was based on the aura he exuded. She was brought to near absolute despair by the hulking mass of muscle currently facing away from her. [Why now? Why now???? I WAS CLOSE!!!] It nearly brought her to tears how she was barely a hundred metres from the edge of the barrier. She was not worried for herself, but for the safety of Akeno who was in her arms. She could not let her precious daughter die no matter what. Her only singular hope was that the man in front of her was a friendly. But judging by how he suddenly stopped her, those thoughts hopeful were fleeting. So she stood quietly and waited until the man attested his intentions. And the man did not let her wait any longer. Turning around with heavy breaths, the man looked at Shuri with eyes as dark as a blackhole. His eyes were glazed with drool escaping his lips. ¡°I finally found you¡­Shuri-neeeeee!¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 70 Her only singular hope was that he was a friendly. But judging by how he suddenly stopped her, those thoughts hopeful were fleeting. So she stood quietly and waited until the man attested his intentions. And the man did not let her wait any longer. Turning around with heavy breaths, the man looked at Shuri with eyes as dark as blackholes. His eyes were glazed with drool escaping his lips. ¡°I finally found you¡­Shuri-neeeeee!¡± . |DxD| . Fear and more-so confusion, were clouding Shuri¡¯s mind at the moment. That is because this bulking behemoth of a man was flexing in front of her. It didn¡¯t make sense to her why he was doing such a thing. He had thrown his coat to reveal an absolutely chiselled and muscular upper body. He was flexing everything from his biceps to his pecks, striking various poses to highlight each and every one of his muscles. Masaru puffed out his chest, a winning grin on his face. ¡°What do you think, nee-chan? I¡¯m strong now, right? I¡¯ve worked all these years to get strong just for you nee-chan. I¡¯ve trained from morning until night for you nee-chan. I¡¯ve never even missed a day nee-chan. Everyday I¡¯ve been thinking about your words nee-chan. You said you wanted someone strong, nee-chan. Remember? You said those words to me when I was eight, nee-chan. You remember, right?¡± Masaru was breathing heavily. He had waited so long for this day, to show the woman of his dreams how hard he had worked to prove himself to her. He could remember the moment that started it all like it was yesterday. He had suffered a burn wound on his calf that would¡¯ve left him horribly scarred for life. It was caused by improperly controlling the element of fire which went out of control when he tried to wield it. It remained vivid in his head how Shuri who was in her late teens at the time, rushed forward to heal him when everyone else was either laughing, or remained rooted on the spot like bystanders. He could still remember that feeling of warmth which spread through his leg, that warm smile on her face that made the pain go away. It was love at first sight for Masaru and within a week, he declared his love for her. Yet although her answer broke his heart, it also gave him hope. ¡®Ara? Even though you¡¯re cute, I only like big and strong men, you know? If you grow up to be big and strong, onee-chan will think about it, okay? Good boy~.¡¯ And so aiming to fulfil her requirements, he became big. He became strong. Even when he heard of her getting bewitched by Baraquiel, it only served to motivate him more. While lights out was at eight for everyone, he stayed up and trained until midnight. When everyone was still groggy after waking up at seven in the morning, he had been up three hours earlier, fueled by the desire to become the perfect man for his ¡®nee-chan¡¯. Yet, he could see the look of confusion in Shuri¡¯s eyes which caused him to start hyperventilating. He could see that she could neither recognise him nor that fateful day that changed everything. He didn¡¯t want to acknowledge this. He didn¡¯t want to accept that the one he held dear in his heart for over a decade couldn¡¯t even recognise him. That fact alone would cut deeper than any wound he endured, hurt deeper than any muscle he tore. So he could only hope, plead that Shuri would remember him. ¡°Shuri-neeee! You remember, right?! RIGHT?!?!?! Tell me you remember that day!!!!¡± The panic in his voice was audible. The look of further confusion on Shuri¡¯s face made him die a little. He couldn¡¯t accept it. His mind refused to process this. He gripped his hair frantically, his widened eyes staring at Shuri with lines of red in them. He was about to burst forward, yet Shuri¡¯s flinch made him step back. He lowered his head, his voice coming out more sorrowful than before. ¡°You¡­did you forget me, nee-chan? It¡¯s me? It¡¯s me, Masaru!¡± ¡°...¡± Upon seeing her not show any signs of recognition, he lost it. ¡°How could you forget your Masaru?! Even if you forget my face, you can¡¯t forget my name! I still remember the day you healed my burnt leg! So how could you forget that fateful day when it made me who I am today?!?!? HOW NEE-CHAN?!!! Tell me it¡¯s a lie! TELLLLL MEEEEE!!!!¡± Shuri remained rooted on the spot from fear, caution, and apprehension. She was completely on guard against him, the man¡¯s mental state not giving her any leeway for peace. Masaru¡¯s booming voice also managed to awake Akeno who was asleep. The little fallen, completely drunk from sleep, assumed the loud voice was the television. So in her drunken stupor, she tossed and turned in Shuri¡¯s arms. ¡°Mmmm¡­mama? The tv is loud.¡± Yet Shuri paid no attention to her daughter. That was because Masaru was staring murderously at Akeno, his intent unhidden. His gaze was hollow yet filled with hatred. His demeanor became more menacing, his body suddenly towering over Shuri by a good margin when the man finally stood up straight. This frightened Shuri to no end, especially when Masaru said his next words. ¡°I see, I see. The reason why my Shuri-nee doesn¡¯t remember is because of this pest. Maybe Shuri-nee will remember if I remove this pest-¡± Stolen story; please report. Shuri froze for a split-second, her mind calculating numerous plans in a single moment. She had only moments to act in order to save her daughter¡¯s life. She could still feel how dark and horrifying his words were. They were said without any emotion, almost as if everything had been left to instinct. Masaru was so hurt that his emotions repressed themselves, leaving only desire¡­the desire to kill the ¡®thing¡¯ preventing Shuri from remembering him. In response to this, Shuri gripped Akeno with her hands and immediately tossed her in the air as fast as she could. In the next moment, she charged towards Masaru in a burst of speed. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt my daughter!!!¡± Shuri jumped on top of Masaru and wrapped her legs around his neck while her hands began frantically striking forehead. She did her best to apply pressure to his neck in hopes of somehow temporarily paralysing him. Fwop! Fwop! Like she calculated, Akeno instinctively released her wings upon being tossed into the air. The little fallen was wide awake at this point, her violet eyes taking in everything with a gaze filled with horror, confusion, and shock. Akeno¡¯s brain was going into overdrive trying to process what was happening, but Shuri had no time for that. Desperately hammering Masaru, she turned to Akeno and yelled with all her heart. ¡°Akeno!!!! RUUUUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Shuri had no tactics she knew of that would work on Masaru. She had no clue if Masaru was not moving based on her techniques having an impact or if he was just standing there like a juggernaut. But judging from how his knees remained firm as ever, her hope on her strikes working faded. It was why she was so frantic. She had no clue what stunned him and she had no assurance how long this would last. It was why she wanted Akeno to get away from here immediately. Unfortunately¡­ ¡°...¡± Akeno stood levitating on the spot, tears bubbling through her eyes as the situation finally became apparent. ¡°M-m-mama-¡± ¡°RUN!!!-¡± Shuri was suddenly smothered by Masaru who caught her in his arms. The towering man buried his head between her legs, his heavy sniffs audible. The man was so lost in hugging Shuri that he didn¡¯t notice her form a flame in her hand. ¡°G-get away!¡± BOOM While Masaru was sent skidding back, Shuri back-flipped before landing on all fours. She then got up and turned towards her daughter aimlessly floating next to the trees. She mustered all the air in her lungs and all her emotions into her plea. ¡°LEAVE AKENO!!! PLEASE!!!!¡± That was the last straw that finally caused Akeno to fly away. As for Masaru, he watched as Akeno flew away without even trying to stop her. In fact, he appeared to be in euphoria and his head just conveniently tilted towards Akeno. His eyes were open yet his gaze was blank. Then, he suddenly covered his nose, his mutterings audible. ¡°Nee-chan¡¯s scent. Nee-chan¡¯s scent. Haaaaaa¡­nee-chan¡¯s smell is so-¡± Shuri wasn¡¯t going to wait for Masaru to finish. Spotting a chance, she bolted to the sides. She made haste to close the few dozen metres between her and the edge of the barrier. She used far more than her usual speed, her urge to escape that powerful. But just like before, Masaru instantly appeared in front of her and blocked her path of escape. ¡°Finally. We finally have some time to ourselves, Shuri-nee~.¡± From the start, Masaru never cared about Akeno. All that mattered to him was that he got Shuri. Now that the both of them were alone, it was more than enough for him. He could resolve the problem of her not remembering him later. As for Shuri, she glared at Masaru with the calmest expression she could muster. ¡°I hate-¡± Swoosh! Shuri¡¯s next words were cut off when Masaru instantly appeared in front of her and grabbed her waist with his hands. The man had a maniacal smile on his face, his eyes betraying the lust hidden within them. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Shuri-nee. It¡¯ll break my fragile heart. You don¡¯t want my heart to break now, do you? Because if it does, the pest might not make it out of the forest alive~.¡± ¡°?!¡± Shuri had never felt such hatred for anyone in her life like she did now. She hated them. She hated the one before her. She hated the hunters. She hated the Himejima. She hated the world that forbid her love. But most of all, she hated herself. [If only¡­] She was helpless in Masaru¡¯s grip. The man was just too strong for her measly capabilities to overwhelm. Her hands were restrained, and her kicks wouldn¡¯t work against him. Masaru was just too powerful for her. The gap between a high class who had never seen combat in years against a god class who¡¯s last exercise was a few minutes ago was astounding. Shuri was gradually losing hope. Instead of fighting, her mind was veering more towards seducing Masaru in order to buy time for Akeno to escape. But before she could resolve herself to say some flattering , she spotted a weakness. Masaru¡¯s neck was exposed. All she had to do was lunge forward and snap it with her teeth. If she enhanced her jawline with mana, she was confident she could pierce one of his major arteries with her teeth. Yet, her will was wavering. As talented as Shuri was, she had never taken a life. She was no stranger to witnessing the death of people. Having been part of squads filled with killers, she personally witnessed her own partners kill people. But that was vastly different to directly taking a life. It was why even with the opportunity presented to her, there was hesitation. It was also in that moment that the conversation she had with Igor from three years ago replayed in her head. ¡®If Akeno were to be in danger, would you not kill for her?¡¯ ¡®I¡­would.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s very admirable, aunty. But what if the person who¡¯s targeting Akeno is powerful? What if me or the old man aren¡¯t there?¡¯ ¡®Dimori-kun. You¡¯re going too far.¡¯ ¡®Aunty. The enemy won¡¯t care about whether they¡¯re going too far or not. What¡¯s important here is what if someone as strong as the current me comes and wants to kill Akeno? What will you do?¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ The exact situation that Igor described was happening now. Neither he or her husband were here. Her daughter was facing danger at every turn and she couldn¡¯t afford to die here. As much as she revolted the idea of taking a life, her daughter was far more important than her ideals. At the time, she didn¡¯t have an answer for Igor¡¯s words. But now, she did. [If neither of you are there, I will take the matter into my hands!] Craning her neck forward, she decisively bit down right on Masaru¡¯s neck. *Crunch* ¡°AAAAAAAAH!!!!!¡± *CRACK* Her ribs were immediately crushed by a panicked Masaru, yet Shuri held on tightly with her teeth. Tears of pain were streaming down her face, yet she did not let go. In fact, she bit even harder. ¡°AAAAH! Let go!!! Let go, Shuri-neeee!!!!¡± But no matter what, Shuri would not relent. Even as the pain spread through her body like lightning, her resolve remained strong. She would do whatever it took to give her daughter the best chance of escape. If she could kill Masaru right here, then Akeno¡¯s chances of living to see another day would increase exponentially, especially since she could fly. As humans, they were disadvantaged when it came to flying since the magical energy required to fly would be much higher than other supernatural entities. Akeno had a higher chance of escaping from the other hunters since they couldn¡¯t fly for long due to their lower energy capacities. But if Masaru chased her¡­she feared to think what would happen. It was why under no circumstances will she allow Masaru to leave here alive¡­ *Crack!* ¡­even if every single bone in her body was broken. The pain was threatening to drive her mad, yet she endured. As the tears silently streamed down her face, she only had one request to any god listening to the pleas of her heart. [Please¡­as long as my daughter lives.] . AN . I could not upload on Thursday and Friday due to having exams on those two days and this affected the amount of time I had to write. Fortunately, it is Sunday and for this entire week, my schedule is clear. Chapter 71 But if Masaru chased her¡­she feared to think what would happen. It was why under no circumstances will she allow Masaru to leave here alive¡­ *Crack!* ¡­even if every single bone in her body was broken. The pain was threatening to drive her mad, yet she endured. As the tears silently streamed down her face, she only had one request to any god listening to the pleas of her heart. [Please¡­as long as my daughter lives.] . |DxD| . Just before the hunters arrived at Shuri¡¯s home . Masaomi was lying in a puddle of his own blood, his wounds grievous and his body in a critical state. Six more of his comrades lay strewn about with only one difference between him and them. He was still alive, but barely hanging on. His abdomen was completely crushed, his ribs digging into his organs. His entire midsection was a complete mess with even his abs appearing to be in disorder. His stomach area was especially red due to veins bursting and contributing to his internal bleeding. Yet Masaomi still stubbornly clung to life. He held on to Hauteclere, the only thing preventing his entire body from being consumed by the flames of the Himejima clan. He was using the sword¡¯s ability to purify the flames ravaging through his body. Although the flames were not dark by nature, the ones using them were. Furthermore, the holy aura from the sword had the affect of driving out the flames, allowing him to slowly heal. It had been over ten minutes since Masaomi had been lying on the ground. With the little magic he had, he was able to stop the majority of his internal bleeding by ¡®burning¡¯ his internal wounds shut with his magic. It was all he could do to make sure he would not die before delivering an update on the Himejima. It was of vital importance that he notified his superiors of the existence of a god class fighter. Masaomi himself had already stepped within the ranks of ultimate class. The combination of dedication and an extreme affinity for Hauteclere allowed him to advance a lot in these last few years. But ultimate class entities were not worth mentioning in front of a god class. Despite his best efforts, he failed to make Masaru break a single sweat. As such, he had to get to the church first. Yet any communication devices they had were crushed and he certainly didn¡¯t have enough magical energy left to release a distress signal. So left with no choice, he began pushing himself off the ground. ¡°Ke¡­ki¡­argh!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but vomit blood. The effort alone had aggravated his injuries, causing the pain to be so blinding that he lost strength in his arms. *Doof* He slammed back into the ground, a blood-filled cough exiting his mouth upon landing. Masaomi was tired and the adrenalin he had was gradually exiting his system, leaving him exhausted and floating between consciousness and unconsciousness. That same pain that was being numbed by the adrenalin was coming back in full force. And with how crushed his abdominal region was, the pain he was feeling was immense. And so he had no choice but to lie there in agony, barely having enough strength to even groan. His fight with Masaru had already taken a lot out of him before he even got hit with that final punch that almost ended his life. Even now, Masaomi felt great sadness at having lost his comrades. Their corpses lay all around him, adding further toil to his mental state. At this point, the man felt like giving up on life. He was already an orphan with no family to speak of. His only best friend lay dead just a few metres from him, his death still fresh in his mind. The tears that he had been holding back during the fight clouded his eyes. The anguish he felt when he saw their corpses crash onto the ground like ragdolls was rising up like a volcanoe. Those horrifying scenes of complete helplessness at the death of his comrades came rushing back like a torrential wave that wanted to batter his already worn state of mind. Masaomi...truly couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Why¡­¡± The tears began flowing out of his eyes. Like the first trickles of a shower, the amount gradually increased into a steady stream that had no gaps. There were no choked sobs, no wails, or moans. Just the sounds of teardrops hitting the bloody concrete. With his eyes covered by a misty curtain, all Masaomi had in his heart was a question. ¡°Why did this happen?¡± Too many things had happened in a single night for his mind to process. The adrenaline had worn off and the reality of the situation was gradually hitting him. His will to survive was waning, his grief fueling his desire for a permanent rest. Masaomi was an experienced exorcist. Having turned 24, he had went on a lot of missions over the years. Yet nothing compared to the horror he witnessed when he fought Masaru. The man overpowered them in every single way possible. And worst of all, he toyed with them. Oh how Masaomi wanted revenge. He was so desperate for it that he was willing to do whatever it took. Yet, he knew his body, his fate. [I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m going to die.] It was a heartbreaking thought for a young man in his prime to acknowledge. As one of the future talents of the church, Masaomi had a bright future in front of him. He was a certified holy sword wielder who was acknowledged to be one who could potentially rise to the heights of Sir Oliver de Vienne, the first wielder of Hauteclere. Yet that was all about to become a simple dream. His previous attempt at sealing his wounds failed the moment he tried to get up. As it was, he was slowly bleeding out and there was no hope of help arriving before his demise. Thirty minutes hadn¡¯t passed since their last update to the church. So for atleast the next ten minutes, no one would be coming to check along their route. The only reason why no one, including the devils received any news of the fight is because of the ward that was silently erected to lock in any energy that was released during the massacre inside. Even Masaomi only realised it much later that there was a ward surrounding them the entire time. It irked him that he couldn¡¯t sense the ward activate or notice the barrier covering them until he was down on the ground and left for dead. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do in this moment. As he neared his dying breath, there was one wish that he had in his heart. ¡°If only¡­I could see Cleria-nee. Just¡­one¡­last¡­time.¡± It was a sincere wish from the bottom of his heart. He had come to cherish the woman over the last few times they talked. Although his heartfelt confession over two years ago was rejected, he had come to see her as an elder sister that he never had. The void that she filled in his heart warmed him greatly and had given him another reason to live. It was why even in his last moments, he truly wished to say his goodbyes to the only sister he ever acknowledged. ¡°Cleria¡­nee¡­¡± A single tear rolled out of his dry eyes, and with it, his dying breath¡­ . . . . . . . Silence¡­ SHIIIIIIIIIIIING A magic circle suddenly formed in front of him, the clear symbol of the Belial clan within it. When the light faded, it revealed Cleria who immediately revealed a horrified expression. ¡°Masa-chan!!!¡± Cleria rushed forward without thought and placed her hands on his body. She did not care in the slightest that her hands, her dress, her shoes, and even the tips of her hair were dirtied in blood. Pure concern was visible on her face, the horror of the situation getting to her as she realised that Masaomi was already dead. Her bloodied hands trembled for a moment, her gaze taking in Masaomi who died with his eyes open. There was a clear trail of tears on his face which only served to summon Cleria¡¯s own tears. She couldn¡¯t believe that just by temporarily leaving Kuoh on official affairs from the Underworld, so much would happen in just a few days. It was such a coincidence that Cleria felt it likely wasn¡¯t. The fact that she and her entire peerage were summoned to the underworld only served to further enhance her suspicions. But, this wasn¡¯t the time nor the place. Masaomi¡¯s soul would dissipate soon and Cleria was going to make sure she didn¡¯t. Reacting quickly, a small white light formed in Cleria¡¯s hand before it revealed a mutated chess knight piece. It was her only piece left that she got from her cousin, Diehauser. It was supposed to be used in securing her a powerful dragon from dragon mountain, but she couldn¡¯t care about that anymore. Right now, the most important thing to her was reviving Masaomi before his soul truly passed on. Placing the piece to his chest, she deeply hoped it would work. ¡°Please work. Please work. Please work.¡± She watched as the piece descended into his chest, yet there seemed to be no further reaction. ¡°...¡± Despair was threatening to settle in, her heart refusing to accept that reviving Masaomi was about to prove impossible. By now, a reaction should¡¯ve happened proving that the process of reincarnating Masaomi into a devil was either successful or a failure. But for the next few seconds, nothing happened after the piece sunk in. Yet before all hope was lost, there was suddenly a red-black light that emanated from his chest. The light was intertwined with layers of golden radiance before it finally receded. The radiance was so bright that it had released a pillar reminiscent of an upside-down pyramid. This was a phenomen that Cleria had never encountered before. ¡°What¡­¡± Before Cleria could even begin to decipher why she didn¡¯t feel any connection with him that would signify their connection, Masaomi shot up from the ground like a spring, his power overflowing. It was like an uncontrollable surge that even pushed Cleria back. There was a mix of gold and blue aura surrounding him like a cloak of flame. It was another phenomenon that Cleria had never seen before. There was nothing even within the books she had read. But before she could process THAT phenomenon, another thing happened. Tswii! Igor appeared. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 72 Before Cleria could even begin to decipher why she didn¡¯t feel any connection with him that would signify their connection, Masaomi shot up from the ground like a spring, his power overflowing. It was like an uncontrollable surge that even pushed Cleria back. There was a mix of gold and blue aura surrounding him like a cloak of flame. It was a phenomenon that Cleria had never seen before. But before she could process that phenomenon, another thing happened. Tswii! Igor appeared. . |DxD| . Igor appeared with an aura much¡­much more powerful than Masaomi¡¯s. The pressure he released alone would¡¯ve been enough to send shivers into anyone. But now, his aura was mixed with a very cold killing intent. The gulf between them was so wide that Masaomi¡¯s presence seemed nonexistent in comparison. If Masaomi¡¯s dazzling display of releasing his power was awe-inspiring before, now he seemed to appear like a candle in the wind. The unconscious exorcist continued to release his power, yet Igor aid no further attention to him. As far as he was concerned, his job had been done. The blonde turned towards Cleria with a dark expression on his face. ¡°Sister Cleria. Do you know where Aunty Shuri and Akeno are?¡± The blonde went straight to the point without bothering to offer any greetings. As for what was happening with Masaomi, he held no interest. The moment he was tagged as a friendly, Igor no longer paid any heed to him. His only goal was to find Akeno and Shuri. Cleria was silent, visible confusion and shock on her face. Looking at the bright red aura covering Igor, she never once expected in her life that the blonde would grow so much in strength. She could still vividly remember the fight he had with Baraquiel. He was certainly not this strong. She was quite rightfully stunned for a while, but she eventually managed to bring her head in gear. Shaking her head, she replied to Igor¡¯s question. ¡°No. I only just got back from the Underworld so I have no clue where they might be.¡± While she wanted to ask what was wrong, she had enough discernment to know that right now was not a good time. Just the powerful killing intent the blonde was emanating was enough to tell her that something was wrong. So she held her tongue while her mind raced to put the pieces of what had happened during her departure. [My peerage and I were called over to the Underworld for our monthly report over two weeks early. This is already odd since there is rarely a case where my entire peerage and I had to go. My familiars can manage the town barrier in our absence, but they aren¡¯t proficient enough in wards to detect the subtle breaches in the barrier. So someone from the Underworld colluded with outsiders to infiltrate Kuoh. But to attack the church? No. If that was the case, then Dimori-san wouldn¡¯t have come back.] Cleria¡¯s thoughts were running at hundreds of miles a second. Theories and several prognoses were sprouting in her mind like weeds. In a single blink, several different theories had arose and been swept to the side. Her mind was working overtime to make sense of the current situation. Cleria had long since had the ability to observe and theorise many things since she was a child. It was a talent that was fostered by her natural cat-like curiosity. It was also because of her deduction abilities that she was chosen to become the overseer of Kuoh. So it was no surprise that in less than the time it took to draw two breaths, she eventually came to a conclusion which, if true, terrified her. [Kuoh was infiltrated in my absence. Masa-chan and his squad were attacked, most likely as collateral damage. Dimori-san suddenly appears in a rush and is asking for the locations of Shuri-san and Akeno-chan. Then¡­the Himejima? But this doesn¡¯t make sense! But that¡¯s also the most likely conclusion. If it is, then¡­?!] Cleria looked up at Igor, sudden concern visible on her face. ¡°Dimori-san! Are you here for-¡± GRUUU¡­Suuuuuu! Unfortunately for Cleria, the blonde had no time to dawdle. The moment Cleria revealed her lack of knowledge on the whereabouts of Shuri and Akeno, he decided to take things into his own hands. He was so focused that he hadn¡¯t even heard her words before he powered up and ascended into the skies. He flew up for only a few hundred metres before he stopped. While Igor did want to go the forest and search there, he had a better idea. Now that he was in Kuoh directly, he would be able to sense the location of Akeno and Shuri, even with the barrier in place. He couldn¡¯t use this method when he was in the Vatican due to how far he was. But now that he was here, it was a sure-fire way of finding Shuri and Akeno even if they were inside a barrier. His method may be a little violent, but it would work. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Breathing in, Igor gathered his ki before spreading it out¡­violently. FUUUUUUUUSH! If he wasn¡¯t blatant before, he certainly was now. His ki was so violent that an audible ¡®BOOM¡¯ sound was released. Igor spread his ki far and wide, his energy shattering every single barrier it came across. He didn¡¯t care that due to his stunt, numerous windows of several homes were shattered. As long as his ki was powerful enough to shatter any and all barriers, it was fine. And shatter them it did. It wasn¡¯t long before his senses stumbled across a signature he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Despite having separated for a few years, Igor would never forget her signature. [Akeno!] Placing his fingers to his forehead, he wasted no time and vanished. Tswii . |DxD| . Akeno was hiding behind a tree in complete panic. Her wing was mangled and visibly burnt while her forearm was bleeding. Yet the little lass didn¡¯t make a sound, not even a choked sob. She was terribly unlucky. When she flew away, she just so happened to fly towards the direction of the hunters who were chasing after her. Inexperienced and caught by complete surprise, one of the hunters from the Himejima clan managed to attack her with a fireball. If she hadn¡¯t blocked with her wing, her body would¡¯ve been burnt in its place. She was able to glide a bit further with her slowly burning wing until a sharp object pierced her arm, which caused her to lose all control and crash into the forest canopy. She had curled her body up and fell onto the forest floor. But despite the pain, her sense of self-preservation overwhelmed her desire to scream. Her dress was in tatters and her left wing had lost the majority of its feathers. Her body was covered in bruises and her lip was busted. As much as she wanted to cry in pain, her current situation didn¡¯t allow it. Akeno pressed her back to the tree, her feet not moving in the slightest for the fear of upsetting the forest litter and creating a sound. She didn¡¯t even dare breathe too loudly for the fear of exposing her location. Her mind had been locked in survival mode, copious amounts of adrenalin flooding through her body. Were it not for it, the knife wound on her forearm might hurt a lot more. Currently, she could only hide in panic as she heard the sounds of leaves being crushed beneath feet. A myriad of different emotions were going through her head. Fear, shock, and sadness were the most prevalent. But the only thing she wanted now was¡­ ¡°Papa¡­¡± She desperately wished Baraquiel was here to stop these people from hurting her and her mother. She didn¡¯t know why they were after her, but she wanted it all to stop. Even now, she could hear their footsteps growing closer. ¡°?!¡± She only realised her mistake too late. Her subconsciously calling for her father was more than enough for hunters with enhanced hearing to find her location. And find her they- FUUUUUSH! A terrible shockwave passed by that made everyone stumble. Even the hunter that was next to Akeno was unable to remain standing properly. His dagger that was aimed for Akeno¡¯s throat shifted and hit the trunk of the tree. ¡°Tch! You won¡¯t be lucky twi-¡± *Crunch!* Silence¡­ ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± There was absolute silence. One of the hunters fell to the ground and with his fall, Igor was revealed with the man¡¯s still-beating heart in his hand. Badump¡­Badump¡­ Kazuhiko watched with a calm expression on his face. He felt no remorse for the death of his clan member. He felt nothing from Igor but because the blonde looked no older than fifteen, Kazuhiko didn¡¯t put him in his eyes. He calmly looked at the blonde. ¡°Who are-¡± ¡°Die.¡± Su! *Crunch!* The next person to die was Takami who was discreetly setting up another ward. The blonde felt the sudden shift in the ambient energy and immediately took him out. Igor offered no preferential treatment. If the subordinate had their heart ripped out, so will the boss. Kazuhiko watched with widened eyes as his brother¡¯s lifeless corpse collapsed towards the ground. Takami died with his eyes wide open and two streams of blood trailing down his mouth. With how horrified his expression was, it was guaranteed he would become a lingering spirit. Unfortunately, Igor did not care for him. Looking at Kazuhiko right in the eye, Igor gripped Takami¡¯s heart tightly before crushing it in his fist. *Splatter* The blood covered his face and stained his coat, dying it from blue to red. Streaks of blood spread across one half of his face, yet not once did he blink. All this time, he maintained deep eye contact with Kazuhiko. ¡°You will all die here.¡± ¡°...¡± Kazuhiko¡¯s expression gradually turned maniacal, his anger bubbling through his skin. ¡°Kill him! KILL HIM!!!¡± Kazuhiko drew his sword and was ready to fight the blonde to the death. He had no idea just how outmatched he was. Su Su Su Su Su *Crunch!* *Crunch!* *Crunch!* *Crunch!* Igor treated everyone with equality. Everyone had their heart ripped out of their chests. He was extremely fast, barely leaving a blur. He did not care for pleas nor for last words. Even when he got to Kazuhiko, he didn¡¯t allow the man one last speech before punching right through his chest and grabbing his heart. With the same emotionless expression he showed in the beginning, he ripped out his heart and crushed it. Kazuhiko had no strength to speak. Unfortunately, he had enough oxygen in his brain to witness. Igor offered the man no respect. Even when he killed Kazuhiko, he did it like he was taking out trash, not even bothering to dignify the man by looking him in the eye. Discarding Kazuhiko like trash, Igor vanished again in order to reap the lives of the rest of the hunters, not even deigning to give the man a second glance. Akeno barely had any time to process everything before the sounds of hearts being ripped out rang all around her along with the screams of several men. Yet that barely lasted a few seconds before the forest suddenly quietened down. Akeno had covered her ears and crouched down on the floor. Her eyes were closed in fear, the crunching sound of a chest being punched through and the squelching sound of a heart being ripped out terrifying her. She didn¡¯t know what these sounds were, but she was terrified of whoever caused them, terrified that they would kill her too. Yet, Akeno had already lost strength in her legs and was paralysed by fear. The entire ordeal was far more than what her nine-year-old brain could process. The fear she felt and the potential death she would face all served to overload her brain and send her body into shock. She could already feel that someone was in front of her, yet she dared not open her eyes. But that was until she felt a hand gently pat her head. Furthermore, despite having covered her ears, she heard the nickname she thought she would never hear again from a voice she would recognise anywhere. ¡°Little chick. I never thought we would meet like this.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 73 Akeno barely had any time to process everything before the sounds of hearts being ripped out rang all around her along with the screams of several men. Yet that barely lasted a few seconds before the forest suddenly quietened down. Then, she heard the nickname she thought she would never hear again. ¡°Little chick. I never thought we would meet like this.¡± . |DxD| . Igor¡¯s right hand was covered in blood right up to his elbow. The right side of his coat (haori) was covered in patches of blood with the highest concentration being on the sleeves. As it was, the blonde was still holding a beating heart in his hand when he turned towards Akeno. Igor had a somewhat awkward smile on his face. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was frightened by his current bloody appearance. But he couldn¡¯t help it. When he first arrived here, he was unable to restrain his rage and directly ripped out the hearts of each and every hunter he saw. It didn¡¯t help that he was holding a heart right now. Upon noticing that, he quickly threw it away with a chuckle. ¡°Hehe¡­I wonder what that was.¡± He was silently hoping that with her age, Akeno would have no clue what a heart was. But contrary to expectations, Akeno didn¡¯t run away screaming. In fact, she ran towards him with watery eyes. ¡°Big brother!¡± The little fallen didn¡¯t care that Igor was covered in blood or had held a heart in his hand. She was just relieved to be safe. After all she had been through, the only thing she cared about was that she finally had a shoulder to cry on. It didn¡¯t matter if the shoulder was stained a bit with a unique red dye. Pressing herself against his stomach, she let out all the sadness she felt in her heart. ¡°Hik hik¡­b-brother¡­hik-¡± Akeno was silenced by the blonde scooping her up into his arms. He pressed her head into his chest, not caring at all for the sudden wetness. He held her like this in silence for a few seconds, a silent reassurance that everything was alright. Akeno had been through a lot and for a girl who had her first life-threatening experience, she was taking it relatively well, though she would still need that bit of comfort. Yet as much as Igor wanted to stay like this, he still had to find Shuri. He wasn¡¯t able to sense her whereabouts due to abandoning his search and teleporting over to Akeno. Every moment he spent staying with her could lead to greater danger for Shuri. So, he reluctantly had to inform Akeno of his departure. ¡°Little chick. I¡¯m going to send you to a safe place now-¡± ¡°NO! Don¡¯t leave! PLEASE DON¡¯T LEAVE ME!¡± Akeno wasn¡¯t having it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tightened her legs around his stomach. With her current grip, even a full-grown man would wince at this sudden bear hug. But all Akeno wanted was not to be sent away. The last thing she wanted was for Igor, one of the very few people she trusted to leave her alone. She looked into his eyes, her own eyes misty. Her lips were trembling, the little fallen doing her best not to cry her little heart out. ¡°Please¡­¡± Igor smiled lightly, stroking her hair in the process. He could feel her body trembling in fright. It only made him wish he hadn¡¯t killed the hunters so quickly. The fact that the Himejima could do something like this made him swear to himself that he would repay this grievance. Igor would never claim to be a saint. But even he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill an innocent child. The flawed logic of the Himejima clan only served to further stroke his urge to pay them a visit. But right now, he had to calm the little fallen that had glued herself to him. So, holding Akeno tightly, he offered her reassurance. ¡°Alright.¡± Akeno didn¡¯t reply, but Igor could feel the grip around his neck lessen while her trembling started to cease. At the same time, he lightly chopped the back of her neck, knocking her unconscious. Feeling her body go limp against him, he smiled sadly. ¡°Sorry, little chick. But I still need to go find your mother. Then we can have some roast chicken tonight.¡± Placing two fingers to his forehead, he vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . Cleria was gently rubbing the back of Masaomi who was mourning the loss of his comrades. Shortly after Igor had vanished, Masaomi had come back to normal. The aura around him had ceased and his mental acuity gradually returned. When he finally regained complete clarity, he immediately fell down on his knees and bowed his head on the ground. It seemed he was oblivious to Cleria¡¯s presence since for the last minute, he kept muttering ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± repeatedly. Cleria could only silently offer her support while a bit of guilt rose within her. Although her reasons were justified, it did not change that deaths occurred in her territory. The fact that the Himejima were able to infiltrate would leave a stain on her record that had remained clean for the last several decades. It was also a complete possibility that she would be replaced by someone else after this. As the overseer of Kuoh, people would view her as incompetent without understanding the reasons why. She could already imagine the fuss this would cause were this incident to get out. Her mind had already went through several different outcomes, especially after Igor¡¯s little ¡®stunt¡¯. The amount of work she would have after this would be tremendous. Unfortunately, her peerage was still in the Underworld so she was temporarily alone for damage control. She had left without her peerage after hearing Masaomi¡¯s wish to see her through the flier she had given him shortly before her departure to the Underworld. It was an extra counter-measure she had set up just in case a diplomatic incident occurred and she was needed urgently. Looking back on it now, she severely wanted to scold Masaomi for not calling her earlier. In fact, she could already imagine that with how air-headed he was, the man had even forgotten that he had her flier. But, she couldn¡¯t focus on that now. Her job right now was to provide comfort and support to Masaomi. She couldn¡¯t truly sympathise with his loss, but she could at the very least offer her full attention. Other things like how Masaomi didn¡¯t feel like a devil and why Hauteclere wasn¡¯t burning his hand could be theorised later. And so the seconds stretched on as Masaomi¡¯s mutters grew silent. The silence stretched on and would¡¯ve stretched for longer were it not for Igor suddenly appearing. Tswii! ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Both Cleria and Masaomi were surprised. The latter had immediately placed Cleria behind him with a wary expression on his face. Masaomi didn¡¯t know Igor, but he could feel his strength. The only reason he hadn¡¯t attacked or even showed hostility was because the blonde was carrying Akeno in his arms. That made Masaomi not regard him as an enemy¡­yet. He had just lost his best friend and his comrades less than thirty minutes ago due to his incompetence. He could not risk things and lose Cleria as well, otherwise he might really lose his mind and lose his will to live. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. But Igor wasn¡¯t paying attention to Masaomi. He had no knowledge nor care for what happened. He could guess what had happened, but everyone in the area besides Cleria was unrelated to him. So rather than show nonexistent concern, he cut to the chase. ¡°Sister Cleria. Can you take care of Akeno for me?¡± Igor didn¡¯t even wait for a response before he instantly closed the few metres between them. ¡°?!¡± Cleria was startled again by his insane speed. She still hadn¡¯t gotten used to how he could so easily evade her perception. But the moment Igor gestured for her to take Akeno, she opened her arms to scoop the little lass. Akeno was peacefully sleeping with light breaths coming out of her little mouth. Her wings had retracted and the hole in her arm had stopped bleeding. Igor didn¡¯t dawdle too long either. The moment Cleria took Akeno, he had spread his senses. After his initial burst of ki, the barrier surrounding the forest as well as the town had all been destroyed by the shockwave. So it didn¡¯t take him long to find Shuri. The only problem was, her lifeforce was weak. ¡°Aunty!¡± Tswii! ¡°¡°...¡±¡± The three of them were once left alone. But while Cleria was focused on Akeno, Masaomi was still awestruck. The speed Igor had shown, while having scared him, also brought him hope. [He¡¯s fast¡­faster than him.] A smile formed on Masaomi¡¯s face, a sense of relief flooding his body. . |DxD| . Igor was silent, his fist clenched tightly in bubbling rage. Right in front of him laid Shuri who was on the verge of death. Her arms and legs were strewn about in odd directions. Her nightwear was torn and bloodied, revealing just how crushed her midsection was. To her side laid the corpse of Masaru. A large chunk of his neck had been bitten and it could be seen that he died from blood loss. The hulking behemoth of a man was dead, the gaping wound serving as confirmation. It was Shuri¡¯s accomplishment that she who could barely qualify as a proper high class managed to fell a god class. Shuri seemed to spot Igor¡¯s gaze and chuckled lightly. ¡°Not bad for an aunty like me. Right, Dimori-kun?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t find her joke funny. It wasn¡¯t funny at all. She was lying here on the ground in a critical state, her lifeforce nearing its end. There was no hospital in the world that could save her, but he remembered Asia. With sparks of hope lighting up in his eyes, Igor knelt down to Shuri with a smile as bright as the sun. ¡°Aunty! There¡¯s a way to save you. I have a little sister who has the Twilight Healing. If I can bring her here-¡± ¡°Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°-(then) she can definitely heal you, aunty! I¡¯ll go get her right now-¡± ¡°Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Igor looked at Shuri with a worried, yet impatient gaze. Time was ticking and the blonde didn¡¯t want to delay things any longer. The sooner he brought Asia, the sooner she could heal Shuri. The option of teleporting Shuri to Asia was out of question. For Igor to teleport with someone, it involved him channeling a bit of his ki into and around them so that they would be able to teleport with him. And that was where the problem lied. The last thing Igor ever wanted to do was compromise Shuri¡¯s condition even further by channeling his ki into her. It was a risk he wasn¡¯t willing to take, especially when it was unnecessary. All it would take is a second or two and he would be back with Asia. But just because he would be quick didn¡¯t mean he wanted to delay things. So he looked at Shuri with a questioning gaze, almost silently begging her to say her words so that he could go. Yet contrary to his expectations, Shuri asked a question that threw Igor completely out of the loop. ¡°How is Akeno?¡± ¡°???¡± Igor¡¯s face scrunched up in confusion. ¡°Aunty. This isn¡¯t the time for this. You¡¯ll see Akeno yourself when you¡¯re all nice and patched up.¡± But Shuri relented.. ¡°Dimori-kun. How is Akeno?¡± This time, a bit of anger and irritation displayed on Igor¡¯s face. ¡°Aunty! This isn¡¯t the time! Just wait for me to come back, alright? Sia can definitely save you.¡± In response to Igor¡¯s words, Shuri shook her head with a sad smile. ¡°It¡¯s too late, Dimori-kun. Not even a phoenix tear managed to save me-¡± ¡°BULLSHIT-¡± He saw it. Right in her hand was an empty vial. It was an empty vial, but it shattered every single hope Igor had. ¡°W-w-what?¡± It was terribly unfortunate. Too much time had passed since Shuri had killed Masaru. In turn, she suffered several broken bones, including her ribs. Those very ribs were caved in and had dug into several of her organs. As it stood, her organs were failing one after the other and internal bleeding had caused massive complications to her body. The fact that she was still alive was a miracle in of itself, yet that wouldn¡¯t be true for long. Shuri knew this and was well aware that she was far beyond saving. When she killed Masaru, her wounds were beyond repair. She couldn¡¯t risk letting go of the man¡¯s neck to quickly gulp down a phoenix tear. And when Masaru finally died, her condition was far beyond saving. So in her last moments, she repeated her earlier question. ¡°Dimori-kun. How is my daughter?¡± Her voice was weak, a consequence of using up too much of her strength to talk. Her lifeforce was like a candle in the wind, something that could be easily snuffed out. As for Igor, he was still silent. In truth, he had felt that Shuri¡¯s situation was terrible yet he clung onto the hope of bringing Asia. But when Shuri even brought up the failure of the phoenix tears, his hope was replaced by grief, his smile replaced by tears. Igor looked at Shuri through gradually misting eyes, the reality of the situation burying itself in his heart. ¡°She¡¯s alright, aunty. I left her with Sister Cleria.¡± ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s goo-¡± ¡°But she still needs you, Aunty!¡± Igor pleaded desperately. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to accept such a situation. He had trained for years and possessed immense strength. It did not make sense to him that despite being this powerful, some low-grade clan from Kyoto was able to (mentally) harm him like this. So he looked deep into Shuri¡¯s eyes, the clear unwillingness to accept the truth in his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t leave yet, aunty. You can¡¯t! You just can¡¯t!!!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor¡¯s words caused tears to start forming in Shuri¡¯s eyes. She tried her best to pass on with a smile, yet Igor¡¯s words shattered her facade like a sledgehammer to glass. Her body began trembling, the fear she buried deep within resurfacing. ¡°I¡¯m¡­afraid.¡± She was afraid of no longer being able to see her precious people. She was afraid of what would happen after this. She was afraid of the unknown that faced her. She was afraid of dying. All these uncertainties that she had ignored manifested themselves in that moment. She turned her head slightly to look at Igor right in the eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want¡­to die.¡± She spoke with such heartbreak that Igor felt his own tears stain his cheeks. He grabbed Shuri¡¯s face, clear desperation in his eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t die, Aunty. You won¡¯t. You hear me? You won¡¯t!¡± Shuri smiled weakly. She was aware of her situation. Even now, she could feel her lifeforce gradually thin out. And so did Igor, yet the blonde refused to accept this. ¡°Stay with me, Aunty! Stay with me! PLEASE!!!¡± Shuri could do nothing in front of the blonde¡¯s pleas. Even now, her vision was getting blurrier by the second. She knew she could do nothing. It saddened her that she would never live to see her daughter graduate from high school, go to university, or get married. It saddened her that even in her final moments, she couldn¡¯t see her beloved husband whom she loved with her entire being. She didn¡¯t blame him. She knew that if he was aware of what was happening, he would be the first person to rush back here. Yet, she truly did wish that when she died, it would be when her hair had greyed. Her tears poured out, her body¡¯s last will to respond to its owner¡¯s emotions. ¡°Hug me¡­Igor.¡± Igor could feel it. Her lifeforce had thinned considerably and could vanish within the next few seconds. It hurt him. It hurt him so deep inside that he couldn¡¯t do anything. So he hugged her. He laid his head on her chest, his arm gently grasping her sides. He could feel her heart beating slower by the second, her breaths slowing. His tears spilled onto her chest, his heart aching every time her heartbeat slowed. He could do nothing to stop the inevitable. It was happening right before his very eyes. He was witnessing the person he had slowly come to love and cherish as a mother pass on. Since he couldn¡¯t stop it, he could at the very least say what he had always wished to say. ¡°I love you, aunty. When I was alone in this world, you and the old man took me in, gave me food, and showed me care. You showed me what it was like to have a family again¡­and a mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t reply. Her smile was so joyous that tears came out of her eyes. It was a warm smile, one that elicited a smile from the blonde too. Shuri gazed warmly at Igor, her gaze full of motherly love. ¡°Thank¡­you¡­son.¡± Silence¡­ That tiny trace of lifeforce that she had vanished like a candle in a wind. Her head tilted limply to the side, her eyes closed with a smile. She passed away peacefully with a loved one by her side. Her silent complaints and grievances had vanished with just Igor¡¯s presence. In that very moment, there was nothing more that Shuri could¡¯ve ever asked for. But Igor couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡°Aunty¡­¡± Couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°AUNTY!!!!¡± Tears of grief and anguish spilled like a torrent, the pain in his heart multiplying tenfold. He shook Shuri¡¯s corpse like a madman, hoping to hear even a yelp of pain from her. Yet Shuri remained still, that very same motherly smile remaining on her face. It was like the final nail in the coffin that drove the reality into Igor¡¯s head, that Shuri was dead. Igor gripped his head in panic, his eyes wide open as he truly processed everything. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± The overwhelming grief threatened to crush him. His wails of anguish were muted by the forest, almost as if it wanted to give him his privacy to grieve. And grieve he did. Knelt next to Shuri¡¯s body, Igor wept continuously. His tears came out like waves that refused to stop. The minutes passed by as Igor grieved next to Shuri, his hands desperately gripping the fabric of her clothing like an anchor. His wails were replaced by sobs and his sobs by silent tears. This was reality and acceptance. Shuri had died and he couldn¡¯t stop it. He was silently blaming himself for his weakness, his error of getting sidetracked. But worst of all, he blamed the clan responsible for all of this. *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* The ground began to shake as the blonde stood, a heavy pressure descending upon the entirety of Japan. His power was skyrocketing, yet no aura was emanating from him. His head was lowered, his fists clenched tightly yet no sound coming from his mouth. Igor looked at Shuri¡¯s corpse for a good ten seconds before he finally¡­lost it. ¡°HIIIMEEEJIIIMAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Replace the ¡®@¡¯ and ¡®0¡¯ with ¡®a¡¯ and ¡®o¡¯ respectively. Or just search for ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Chapter 74 The ground began to shake as the blonde stood, a heavy pressure descending upon the entirety of Japan. His power was skyrocketing, yet no aura was emanating from him. His head was lowered, his fists clenched tightly yet no sound coming from his mouth. Igor looked at Shuri¡¯s corpse for a good ten seconds before he finally¡­lost it. ¡°HIIIMEEEJIIIMAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± . |DxD| . The supernatural world was already in turmoil due to Igor expanding his senses through the territories of several different pantheons and factions at once. It was an unprecedented event that sent shockwaves throughout the world and had many rumours forming. Several factions and pantheons, especially the Chinese, were angered at Igor¡¯s blatant display of spreading his senses through their territory. It was the equivalent of having a spy plane fly over your yard. But none of them dared to move an inch. Many gods that would¡¯ve smited the blonde fell silent because a request had came in from Nandi, Shiva¡¯s attendant ¡°asking¡± them not to interfere. The reasons were unclear but no god dared to question why. Even with what happened next, no one dared to act. FUUUUSHHHH Overwhelming power flooded the world and caused the entire area to shake. And that power was gradually increasing. But what was worse was the monstrous killing intent fueling that power. It was such an unprecedented event that several energy signatures were teleporting to Kuoh just to observe what was happening. Yet none of them were prepared for what they witnessed. . |DxD| . Shame, grief¡­ANGER. Emotions Igor had never felt before ran prevalent in his head. This wasn¡¯t like the time he rescued Asia from the kidnapper or protected her from Miriam, the nun that was supposed to take care of her. He felt anger and the desire to kill back then, yet none of those feelings came close to the overwhelming desire for vengeance he felt. GRUUUUUUU His aura exploded outward in a mix of black and red. His overwhelming energy was like a giant pillar of red flames with numerous streaks of black. His aura fluctuated violently and grew bigger with each multiplier. There was no restraint to the levels his Kaioken was rising to. Igor was so overcome with rage that he had long ascended past the 50th multiplier and entered into the 80th. His pupils had disappeared due to the overwhelming power that was coursing through his body. It was his brain¡¯s adaptation of allocating resources from processing sight to stopping his body from exploding with the amount of energy in it. Yet his body that should¡¯ve broken apart due to the strain was stronger than ever. The world seemed to listen to his desires and so, copious amounts of tainted nature energy seeped into his body, reinforcing the muscles and veins that would¡¯ve been torn apart under the power of the Kaioken. The more malevolent energy he took in, the higher the number of black streaks in his aura. Unknowingly, Igor was taking in the darkness of the world. His already existing bloodthirst was enhanced, yet he maintained his will. His only desire was to eradicate the Himejima clan from existence and nothing could change that. His pride, hatred, and will were far too much for the tainted energy of the world to influence him. His power continued to shoot through the roof, the Kaioken multipliers gradually reaching the third digit range. His teeth were grit as his strength soared, his fists clenched in exertion. Any semblance of rational thought was clouded by the immense desire for blood and revenge. When his Kaioken surpassed the 99th multiplier, his hair started to straighten like spikes. His body was reaching the limit on the amount of ki it could contain within. So his hair began to act as a valve that would act as one giant exhaust for the excess energy. As his Kaioken stretched into the ranges of the 100th multiplier, his hair turned into a dull red colour while his skin darkened in colour. His power was peaking and as he drew closer to maximum power, he let out a roar. ¡°RAAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUUUU! A powerful shockwave spread throughout the vicinity as all the excess ki escaped in a violent burst. With his strength multiplied over a hundred times, Igor¡¯s power-level was had stepped into the realm of supreme class, and nearly every single supernatural entity all over the world felt it. Anyone on Earth who had entered the realm of high class would not be able to miss Igor¡¯s signature. His power was just so monumental that anyone who was passable in sensing energy signatures wouldn¡¯t miss it. This also included entities in other realms who were able to sense the disturbance. Igor stood rooted on the spot, widespread destruction around him. The ground beneath his feet had cracked like glass. Every tree within a certain radius was either uprooted or had toppled over. Just the sheer uncontrolled power-up had caused much more damage than the great sphere he flung at Baraquiel in their fight three years ago. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. But strangely, not even a pebble around Shuri was crushed by the heavy pressure. Even the smile on her face was unaffected, but it did affect Igor. It affected him deeply to the point that his heart hurt. It wasn¡¯t fair to him that a kind woman like Shuri had to die while scum like the ones who ordered this got to live. Seeing such a kind smile on Shuri¡¯s face made Igor crouch down and gently rub Shuri¡¯s face. Even with the maliciousness of the world in him, it couldn¡¯t stop the sadness coursing through his veins. He was silent as he caressed Shuri¡¯s face. Despite his body being covered in dense malicious aura, no harm came to Shuri¡¯s corpse. Looking at Shuri¡¯s peaceful face, a single tear flowed down Igor¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not fair that you die, and they live.¡± He quietly grieved for a moment, giving himself a single minute to silently let out all of his sadness because after this, he would perform an act that could potentially change him forever. He had to harden his heart because by the end of the day, he will have committed what many would consider an atrocity. So wiping the last of his tears, he lowered his head and gave Shuri a kiss on the forehead. ¡°Forgive me, aunty. I know that wherever you are, you will not like what I am about to do. But I want you to rest assured. I am doing this for me, for my heart to rest easily. You are a very important person to me, and they killed you. I cannot let this matter go. Never.¡± His voice turned darker. ¡°I will kill them, aunty. I will!¡± He stood up again, his aura surging with vitality and killing intent. The winds themselves shook along with his declaration. His resolve had been hardened and his will strengthened. He knew what he would do, and the consequences of it. Yet he still chose to continue down this path. Igor raised his head to the skies, his vow firm. ¡°Himejima¡­I¡¯LL KILL YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUUUUUU!!!! . |DxD| . SUUUuuuu He was terrifyingly fast. The wide distance between Kuoh and Kyoto was covered in an instant. In less than a blink, Igor was hovering above the bustling city of Kyoto, the shared territory of the Yokai Faction and the Shinto Pantheon. Kyoto was truly a metropolis with numerous high-rise buildings and beautiful scenery. The view from the sky was perfect, lush scenery adding to the beauty of the city. But that mattered not to Igor. Who governed this territory and how disrespectful his actions were meant nothing to him. All he wanted to do was find the Himejima clan and slaughter them all. He had already memorised the energy signature of the hunters. Now all he had to do was find the largest concentration of similar signatures. Common sense said he should be subtle. But common sense can never be used on an angry man. FUUUUSH! His senses spread all over Kyoto, penetrating through every barrier that wasn¡¯t strong enough to resist his ki. He ignored the few energy signatures he felt, not even remotely curious why such a massive city barely had any other energy signatures. Igor only had one goal- to find the Himejima. If the energy signature was not similar to that of the hunters he killed a few minutes prior, then he would ignore it by default, regardless of whether it was weak or powerful. His senses spread all over Kyoto in an instant and began branching out into the outskirts. His senses broke through the barriers of the other Four Principal Clans. Upon feeling the energy signatures to be different, he ignored them, until he reached the fifth clan. Unfortunately for the Himejima, their barrier wasn¡¯t strong enough. When Igor¡¯s senses roamed through the clan, his killing intent intensified when he felt the very energy signature he had come to greatly despise. Immediately, he zeroed in on their clan compound situated far into the countryside and flew there. Su! . |DxD| . In an instant, he appeared above the Himejima clan compound. The size of the land itself was huge and even had its own wide expanse of farmland. The scenery was pristine and appeared to be clearly maintained. The buildings were based on traditional Japanese architecture- elegant and refined. Yet Igor couldn¡¯t appreciate that kind of beauty. Partially was because he was legitimately blind. With only his supernatural senses, he couldn¡¯t see the world in colour. All he ¡®saw¡¯ were human-shaped spectrums of energy that were waiting to be snuffed out. Just ¡®seeing¡¯ the familiar energy signatures stroked the flame of rage within him. He could feel that all of them carried the similar lifeforce of Shuri. For her to be hunted and killed by her own kin was an irrevocable sin for someone like Igor who greatly valued family. So just like how they killed her, he would repay the debt a thousandfold. ¡°HIMEJIMA!!!!¡± The barely controlled rage let itself be known in that very moment. His shout revealed all the anger and hatred the blonde felt against the clan. His intentions were very clear in his shout and there was no room for negotiation. From the bottom of his heart, Igor hated the Himejima, hated their ideals. But that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Just voicing his hatred wouldn¡¯t satisfy him. So he took action. Zuuuuuuu Bringing his hands together, a dark red sphere mixed with black streaks formed between his palms. It appeared chaotic, almost as if it could explode at any moment. But his hands remained steady as the sphere grew in size¡­and power. Igor did not hold back on pumping his demi-ki into the attack. He wanted to thoroughly destroy the entire Himejima clan without giving any of them a chance of survival. He wanted them dead from their very roots and turn the five clans into four. And so the sphere continued to grow. As soon as it grew into the size of a watermelon, Igor slowly clasped his hands together, his action compressing the sphere. The act of compressing it caused the dark red colour to shift into black. The act of compressing it caused Igor to grit his teeth in exertion, his hands trembling from the massive amount of demi-ki and malevolent energy he had to handle. The sphere began to cause the surroundings to tremble. The massive amounts of energy contained within was desperately trying to break out. But Igor continued to compress it until he finally interlocked his hands. His hands continued to shake for a bit until¡­silence. For an entire second, Igor made no further movements. The world seemed to hold its breath in curiosity just as numerous gods from their domains watched the scene. This continued until Igor suddenly raised his hands towards the sky. In that instant¡­ FUUUUUSHH A gargantuan black sphere appeared above Igor. Its size was so humongous that the size of an entire shopping mall paled in its size. The sphere¡¯s diameter alone covered several kilometres, enough to blot out the sun and cast a shadow upon the majority of Kyoto. But the size paled in comparison to the power it was releasing. Just gazing into the sphere was like gazing into the abyss. The darkness and the malevolent power were palpable. Anyone who was in the vicinity could not move, not to mention the Himejima who were the targets of this massive monstrosity. Igor appeared puny in comparison to the sphere, but his voice was loud enough, his judgement clear. ¡°DIE HIIMEEJIIMAA!!!!¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 75 But the size paled in comparison to the power it was releasing. Just gazing into the sphere was like gazing into the abyss. The darkness and the malevolent power were palpable. Anyone who was in the vicinity could not move, not to mention the Himejima who were the targets of this massive monstrosity. Igor appeared puny in comparison to the sphere, but his voice was loud enough, his judgement clear. ¡°DIE HIIMEEJIIMAA!!!!¡± . |DxD| . The sphere was massive to the point that anyone who witnessed it would feel a deep pit of fear form within their hearts. Luckily, the entire city of Kyoto was empty with not a civilian or yokai in sight. From the streets to the buildings, not a single soul remained. The cars and busses on the streets were empty. The doors to every vehicle were open, clearly denoting that every citizen was evacuated in a somewhat orderly way. After witnessing the destruction caused by nuclear bombs, Kyoto was one of the few major cities that had massive teleportation circles installed to evacuate the entire population in an instant. An alarm and mass text messages were sent to all people telling them to stop whatever they were doing, especially drivers. Once that was done, everyone was teleported away. In order to preserve the secrecy of the supernatural world, large scale hypnosis magic was installed in these circles to let the masses believe something else happened other than teleportation. It was a complicated procedure that involved removing the citizens from the city and placing them in another dimension where they would be placed under suspended animation. Naturally, a massive amount of energy would be required to fuel such a massive teleportation circle. Fortunately, this is where the ley lines came in. Yasaka, the leader of the Yokai Faction was necessary for powering the circle and evacuating the citizens of Kyoto. Having acted swiftly and decisively, Yasaka had not delayed in the slightest and emptied the streets of Kuoh as soon as she felt Igor¡¯s power and declaration for the extermination of the Himejima clan. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Five Principal Clans resided outside the city and therefore were not within the range of the circle. Far away in a high-rise building, Yasaka was watching with a trepid expression on her face. She had barely managed to teleport everyone in time before Igor arrived so she was still a bit tired. All nine of her tails and fox ears were out and her eyes were still glowing yellow in colour. There was a slight trace of sweat on her face while her robes were wrinkled. But she never dared to display lack of vigilance. Yasaka was in her office observing from her window, her brows furrowed as she bore witness to the formation of a gigantic sphere manifest above the land she was tasked with protecting. She could feel the copious amounts of negative energy contained within it, energy that had her shivering in trepidation. On her face wasn¡¯t fear, but anxiousness. [As I suspected.] She had felt Igor¡¯s power and heard him yell the name ¡°Himejima¡± all the way from Kuoh. In all honesty, she was terrified. His power far eclipsed her own and she had no confidence in stopping him or the giant sphere above his head. In the small window between his yell and him arriving to Kyoto, she had followed her gut-feeling and organised the retreat of numerous yokai and humans. It only took her feeling his power ascend far beyond high-god class for her to decide there was no point in fighting. All it would result in was pointless sacrifices and the last thing she wanted was to send her own people to their deaths, especially when they weren¡¯t most likely the targets. Yasaka was aware that in the face of Igor¡¯s current power, no wards, numbers, or tactics would work. There was a limit to what teamwork and strategy could do and Igor had exceeded whatever tactics that could work. It was because of this that she could only grit her teeth in silence. In the city, there was currently no one stronger than Yasaka. She was a war veteran who had managed to reach the realm of low-god class half a century ago. With the use of the ley lines she was connected to, she had the ability to use the endless energy to combat a high-god class. Yet Igor was someone who through the use of Kaioken x100, had broken into the realm of low-supreme class. Yasaka was aware that this power was something she couldn¡¯t hope to overcome with her current capabilities. Yet her responsibility as the leader of the yokai dictated she at least tried. As futile as it seemed, she would try every method she knew of to stop Igor. Be it conversation or seduction, no option was off the table in desperate times like these. She gripped the windowsill, causing the slab of concrete to crack under her grip. She was alone in her office with her most trusted aide, the only one who refused to retreat with the others. It was both reassuring yet saddening that out of all her aides, Kurohime was the only one who stayed behind. Kurohime was a cold beauty with long blonde hair and serene blue eyes. She wore a long black dress similar to that of noble woman in the early 20th century. It matched well with her pale white skin that seemed to never have known the taste of the sun. But while she appeared soft, the calluses in her hands dictated otherwise. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Yasaka slightly turned her head to view her out of the corner of her eye. ¡°Is Kunou safe?¡± Kurohime lowered her head and replied respectfully. ¡°Yes, Yasaka-sama. This one personally verified Kunou-sama¡¯s portal entry to Honshu Island. Amaterasu-sama personally received her.¡± Yasaka took a deep breath in before asking with a slightly shaky voice. ¡°Is Amaterasu-sama still¡­¡± ¡°Apologies, Yasaka-sama. But Amaterasu-sama still stands by the decision to not offer any aid.¡± ¡°...¡± *CRACK!* The windowsill she was holding onto finally couldn¡¯t endure her grip and collapsed into a pile of concrete rubble. Yasaka was growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action from the gods. The worst part was she couldn¡¯t understand why since this wasn¡¯t a situation she could handle alone. But before she could descend any further into her frustrations, Kurohime continued. ¡°Amaterasu-sama informed this one this we were alone that the reason why no god can interfere is because in her words, ¡®Shiva-tan is being mean again.¡¯.¡± Yasaka turned to face Kurohime with widened eyes. ¡°Shiva-sama is involved?¡± Her body began to tremble. She could never forget how with a single hand, Shiva simultaneously destroyed ten nuclear bombs that were launched by the Americans and Russians during the Cold War. She was extremely aware of how powerful these bombs were since she had barely managed to stop a third one from landing on Kyoto in August 1945. Knowing that the most powerful god was most likely nearby almost caused her to fall down on her knees. ¡°If a person like Shiva is preventing every single major god from interfering, then¡­what am I doing?¡± It was better to be left unsaid. Stating that their odds of success were one percent was an understatement. Yasaka was unsure how to act at this point. But regardless of circumstances, one percent was still a chance. She turned towards Kurohime, her eyes betraying her intent, intent that Kurohime instantly noticed. ¡°This one will not leave Yasaka-sama.¡± Kurohime remained steadfast. She had served Yasaka long enough to know what her mistress was thinking, which is somewhat unfortunate for Yasaka. ¡°Kurohime. Are you sure?¡± Kurohime remained standing with her head bowed. ¡°Yasaka-sama. This one owes you her life. Unless Yasaka-sama herself retreats, this one will humbly refuse to leave.¡± Kurohime lifted her head up to look at Yasaka in the eyes. ¡°Yasaka-sama. This one will follow you even unto death.¡± ¡°...¡± Yasaka sighed weakly. She knew she¡¯d lost. Whenever Kurohime dared to look straight in her eyes, it was when she knew she wouldn¡¯t budge on her decision. So smiling sadly, she turned to look at the now fully-formed sphere. ¡°Alright. Then help me stop that attack.¡± Without wasting any further words, she jumped out the window and soared towards Igor. In the process, she began to transform into a giant fox over a hundred-metres tall.* Her power exploded as the energy from the ley lines flooded her being. She galloped forwards on four legs with Kurohime following behind her from atop the buildings. She managed to easily keep up with Yasaka who had longer strides. Both women travelled towards Igor without breaking stride nor wavering in the slightest. But Kyoto was large and they weren¡¯t fast enough. They had barely made it to the outskirts of the city when they suddenly heard Igor¡¯s yell. ¡°DIE HIIMEEJIIMAA!!!!¡± And then, it happened. GRUUUUUuuuuuu As the giant sphere descended, a massive pressure instantly descended on the vicinity. Yasaka found herself collapsing to the ground under the crushing weight of the unrestrained ki. Her giant form wrecked apart dozens of houses and apartment complexes, the damage monumental. It was only fortunate that these buildings were entirely empty otherwise the consequences would¡¯ve been unimaginable. But because of the pressure, Yasaka and Kurohime were temporarily rendered unable to move. So they could only watch with wide eyes as the sphere descended towards the Himejima clan. Yasaka¡¯s eyes widened in complete shock and horror as she could only helplessly watch the sphere descend. This sphere wouldn¡¯t just destroy the Himejima clan. It would wipe out the entire city and possibly the whole of Japan if it were to explode uncontrollably. The consequences alone would cause worldwide tsunamis and other natural disasters. Yasaka helplessly looked on in trepidation as her heart furiously questioned. [Just who did the Himejima provoke?!?!] Yet in just an instant, the same sphere that threatened to destroy the entirety of Japan, instantly vanished. Suuu! . |DxD| . A few moments prior in Mount Kailasa . On a large mountain filled with trees, it was illuminated by sunny blue skies. On that mountain just a few dozen metres from a modest house, Shiva was dozing underneath a tree. It was his favourite pastime that involved enjoying the cooling breeze after enjoying a delicious breakfast made by his wife, Parvati. Even though he seemed to be asleep, he was keeping careful tabs on Earth, specifically on Igor. He was aware that Igor had made it to supreme class, though with some external help in the form of tainted nature energy. Nandi, his trusted aide had informed him of the reasons pertaining to Igor¡¯s sudden transformation. And so out of curiosity to see how the blonde would resolve things, he sent Nandi to inform the other gods to not interfere whatsoever. Now, he was just waiting for what the blonde would do now that he arrived at the Himejima clan. But as soon as he felt the rapidly condensing ball of destruction, he reluctantly opened his eyes. ¡°*Sigh*. He¡¯ll destroy the planet if this continues.¡± Shiva could turn a blind eye to many things. But the Earth¡¯s destruction was not one of them. So getting up from the ground, he dusted himself of nonexistent dust before vanishing. Su! . |DxD| . Su! Shiva instantly teleported in front of the sphere that was headed for the Himejima clan. Even though it was right in front of his face, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the sphere itself. It was to the extent that a subtle smile formed on his face. [Impressive. Combining the tainted nature energy with his ki to create something like this? Truly, creativity is inspired by emotion. Unfortunately¡­] Shiva extended a finger forward. [...I cannot allow this to continue.] He touched the sphere with a finger and in an instant, it was destroyed. Fuuuuu . AN .
  1. In the process, she began to transform into a giant fox over a hundred-metres tall.*
Explanations: Originally, Yasaka was an Ultimate class and was said to be ten metres tall in her fox form. But due to evolving in the war and reaching god-class, her strength and size increased, though the number of tails remained the same. Furthermore, if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 76 [Impressive. Combining the tainted nature energy with his ki to create something like this? Truly, creativity is inspired by emotion. Unfortunately¡­] Shiva extended a finger forward. [...I cannot allow this to continue.] He touched the sphere with a finger and in an instant, it was destroyed. Fuuuuu . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Confusion and rage clouded Igor¡¯s mind. He did not expect that the attack he put so much effort and energy into would suddenly disappear without a trace. His face contorted into a vicious snarl, his senses violently spreading out in search of whoever did this. He knew someone was responsible¡­and they revealed themselves. Igor remained floating in the air, his angered gaze focused on the person who decimated his sphere. He recognised it was Shiva and he knew that the god was powerful, much more powerful than him. He never saw the man¡¯s power, but his instincts never lied to him. He was aware that even with his current strength, he would pose no challenge to Shiva whatsoever. Yet he was so clouded by anger and hatred that he couldn¡¯t help but bellow out. ¡°Why?! Why did you do that?!¡± It had taken him a lot of effort to create an attack like that. It contained all of his hatred and determination to wipe out the Himejima. Just like how the sphere was dark, so was his heart. All the killing intent he harboured was used in nurturing the instrument that would ensure that the Himejima clan would be erased from existence. For it to be suddenly erased like that truly made him angry. Usually, Shiva would never tolerate disrespect. The God of Destruction had lived far, far too long to be addressed so casually by someone as young as Igor. And today was no exception. Appearing in front of the redhead, he glared at him right in the eye. ¡°Your desire for vengeance is understandable. But it will not come at the cost of the planet itself. Do you understand me?¡± There was silence for a brief moment as Igor¡¯s face contorted into one of confusion. ¡°...¡± He was lost. His anger was temporarily suppressed by the Shiva¡¯s words. He absolutely had no clue what the planet had to do with everything. ¡°Pla¡­net?¡± Shiva was stern. ¡°Yes. Had I not interfered, this entire planet would¡¯ve been brought to ruin by your actions.¡± Silence¡­ It was as if the anger in his heart was ripped out of him. Igor never considered that his attack could potentially destroy Earth. Hearing this from Shiva of all people truly shocked him to the core. It was not that he cared about the planet, but the people that lived on it. His mind couldn¡¯t help but think of Asia, Vasco, Sun Wukong, and Akeno. All of them lived on this planet and the last thing he wanted to do was inadvertently kill them. The thought itself alone was like a basin of cold water that significantly dampened his killing intent. His hands began trembling as his mind gradually reached its breaking point. The events of today had taken a great toll on him. From narrowly failing to save Akeno¡¯s life, to actually failing to save Shuri¡¯s life, these events had taken a great toll on his mind. Losing Shuri had already brought him towards the edge of insanity. But the fact that his actions brought about by rage could¡¯ve killed everyone he cared about threatened to topple him over the edge. ¡°No. No no no no no. I¡­I didn¡¯t mean to- IT WASN¡¯T MY INTENTION!¡± He appeared to be talking to himself more than trying to justify himself to Shiva. All the emotions he felt in such a short timeframe were wreaking havoc on his mentality. The fact that he was so close to killing the very few people he cared for traumatised him to the core. It slowly occurred to him that he was so blinded by anger and hatred that his seemingly justifiable action of vengeance would¡¯ve ended in his heart being completely crushed. He would never be able to live with himself if he found out that his actions had caused everyone he knew and cared about to die. His mind gradually began descending into a downward spiral of possible outcomes that could¡¯ve happened, the cataclysmic events that could¡¯ve resulted had Shiva not been there. The faces of Vasco, Sun Wukong, Akeno, and Asia played through his mind. ¡°Haaa¡­Haaa¡­Haaa¡­Haaa¡­¡± His breaths started getting heavy as he descended into a panic attack. He didn¡¯t know how to process all of this. His mind was working far too fast for him to bring himself under control. His aura was fluctuating with his breaths, his mind gradually descending into- SLAP! Shiva gave the blonde a good one before speaking. ¡°The fact that you realise the potential consequences of your actions make me believe there is still some hope for you. So, let me offer you some advice.¡± He then grabbed Igor by the shoulder. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Vengeance is not wrong. However, do not let it cloud your mind. The act of revenge is not for the hot-blooded, but for the cold-hearted.¡± Shiva looked down at the Himejima clan. He could see the panic down there as various members of the clan ran in many directions. He discreetly set up a barrier that would prevent them from leaving for no other reason than he felt like it. He then looked up again, his hand still on Igor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do not pursue vengeance for satisfaction, but for equality. You may not have experienced this, but revenge rarely brings satisfaction. At times, it may bring closure. But often times, it leaves you empty. They¡­¡± He pointed down to the clan with one hand. ¡°...have taken from you what is important. Therefore you must do the same. But do not do it in the pursuit of satisfaction, but of resolving the status quo.¡± He let go of Igor¡¯s shoulder and gave him some space. ¡°However¡­¡± He smiled lightly. ¡°...it is up to you to decide how many lives will be worth the one you lost. It is said that the value of a life is within the eye of the beholder.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked down as well and his heart gradually began to surge with calm, cold anger. Shiva¡¯s words had the effect of calming him down and letting him see the bigger picture. This time, he didn¡¯t let himself go crazy after sensing their energy signatures. Instead, his gaze turned cold yet his mind stayed focused like all the times it did during his time on the battlefield. His heart retained the desire for vengeance yet was no longer clouded nor dominated by it. He kept his gaze on the clan, his power gradually surging. ¡°Thank you, Lord Shiva.¡± Igor had a newfound respect for the god that came from deep within his heart. ¡°Shuri Himejima was a person I considered dear to me. Their lives aren¡¯t even worth a single finger on her hand. But¡­¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°... I will still exterminate them all.¡± Su! Like lightning, he descended down upon the Himejima clan and his landing¡­was not light. BOOOM A massive plume of dust and rubble rose up following his landing. Yet while the dust cloud hid his figure, it did very little to hide the immense pressure and killing intent he was releasing. FUUUSHH There was absolute silence. The Himejima members who were running around like headless chickens stood still in that very moment. It was so quiet that their collective heartbeats were loud enough to be heard. There were thousands of men in the massive compound, yet all of them had lost their will to fight. Soon, the dust cloud gradually cleared to reveal the fiery figure of Igor with his blazing aura. With a head full of red and tanned skin, no one would be wrong to call him a deliquent. It was especially the case with his unbuttoned navy coat exposing his chest and his casual way of dressing with long pants and sandals. But they couldn¡¯t ignore the dried blood on his body. They couldn¡¯t ignore the enlarged muscles on his body. The bulging veins all over his body were coursing with anger-fueled power that just a moment ago, created a large enough attack to end the entire bloodline on the spot. Yet looking into those pupil-less eyes oozing with cold killing intent, the very few that were able to think couldn¡¯t help but wish the former had happened. Anything¡­absolutely anything was better than looking at those eyes. Igor looked at each member of the Himejima clan with a seemingly uninterested gaze. But that was because he was screening them for the leader. He did not want to kill all of them¡­yet. His pride demanded that he do more than just kill them. It demanded that he crush their hearts and bring them to despair, just like how his heart was crushed and his mind brought into despair. And the best way to do that was to find the leader. Leaders were the light of followers and the same is true for the opposite. He wanted to find the leader, to find the patriarch, and then make them watch as he slaughters his followers in front of him. Not only would the subdued leader bring the followers into despair, the leader would also be brought closer to the realm of insanity. At this point in time, he was able to pick out who was the leader from experience. After three years of fighting, he could tell that a leader necessarily isn¡¯t the strongest person. It¡¯s the one who everyone unconsciously flickers their eyes to. It¡¯s the one who naturally bears the resemblance of a leader, the one with the straightest back. The one, with the deepest gaze. ¡°Found you.¡± Shiiing¡­*puchi!* In an instant, Igor released a long aura blade from his finger and pierced the elderly man he instantly identified as the patriarch. The elderly male had tried to be somewhat discreet, but he couldn¡¯t hide from the redhead. Igor calmly gazed into the man¡¯s eyes and asked one simple question. ¡°You are¡­Suou Himejima?¡± Suou Himejima, an elderly man who had witnessed two major world wars defiantly gazed at Igor, even with his stomach pierced. ¡°Yes. I am the Patriarch of the Himejima Clan, Himejima Suou-¡± GRUUUU! As calm as Igor tried to be, he couldn¡¯t stop his power from fluctuating in anger. His face morphed into a barely-restrained snarl that threatened to release the beast within. Suou¡¯s arrogant introduction roused Igor¡¯s rampant desire to raise his hand by a few centimetres and bisect the man in half. But he didn¡¯t want to, not yet. Killing Suou this quickly wouldn¡¯t do. He calmed his heart and his aura followed suit. ¡°I see.¡± Even if all of Igor¡¯s vitals were visible, none of the Himejima dared to take the chance. They didn¡¯t even dare utter a peep, such was the sheer difference in power. As loyal as they were to Suou, they all had witnessed the power Igor possessed. They had evacuated the women and children into underground bunkers in order to fight. Yet their will vanished the moment that giant sphere came crashing down on them. Any illusions of resistance had disappeared the moment that soul-crushing pressure descended upon their clan. Ideals and loyalty would never trump instinct and right now, their instincts were telling them to not even move despite their leader suffering fatal damage in front of them. So Igor was unhindered even as he walked forward towards Suou. *Clack* *Clack* *Clack* *Clack* *Clack* He casually walked on the cobblestone while the rest of the men backed even further away, not daring to make eye contact. Like a school of fish parting before a shark, Igor walked unimpeded towards his target. The length of the aura blade shrunk with the closing of the distance between the two of them, yet Suou could not move because the blade had severed his spine. Whether it was intentional or not, Igor had lengthened the blade just long enough that it would pierce through his spine, yet not even damage the back of his skin. It was a miracle how the Suou could keep his composure despite being crippled on the spot by such a casual action. But he had to. Suou knew he was the pillar that could not break. He could not afford to lose composure in front of the members of his clan. And so he didn¡¯t avert his eyes from Igor. Igor walked forward uncaringly and eventually, stood right in front of Suou. His gaze was dark, his pupil-less eyes appearing like a white abyss into nothingness. Even without pupils, his killing intent could not be hidden. The only difference now from before was it was cold¡­extremely cold. Suou would shiver if he could. A trace of sweat appeared on his face, his will crumbling in front of the coldness he felt. The longer he stared, the more his resolve weakened. The instinct to panic was gradually becoming harder and harder to suppress. The only reason he wasn¡¯t flinging fireballs out of desperation was because Igor¡¯s ki had spread throughout his body and paralysed his ability to draw upon the power of fire. Suou was angry about this and he wished to burn Igor right down to cinders. But the next lines Igor delivered would make him regret his every action. ¡°Suou Himejima. Since you took Aunty Shuri from me, I will take everyone from you. And you will watch.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Today is Friday and I¡¯ll come back with a chapter on Sunday. Thank you for reading my work and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the encouraging comments, though the ones from the previous chapter scared me a bit. Chater 77 The only reason he wasn¡¯t flinging fireballs out of desperation was because Igor¡¯s ki had spread throughout his body and paralysed his ability to draw upon the power of fire. Suou was angry about this and he wished to burn Igor right down to cinders. But the next lines Igor delivered would make him regret his every action. ¡°Suou Himejima. Since you took Aunty Shuri from me, I will take everyone from you. And you will watch.¡± . |DxD| . Dread. That was all Suou felt in that very moment as Igor uttered those words. ¡®I will take everyone from you.¡¯ Those words echoed continuously in his head. It felt like an hour had past yet not even a second had went through. He could feel it, the boy was serious with his words and he would commit to them. There was not a single ounce of hesitation in his words, not a single tremble of his lip nor the briefest of stutters. For the first time in decades, Suou finally felt what fear was. His clan had been abandoned. It was a simple fact. Too much time had past since Igor arrived and not a single god arrived to provide reinforcement. Not even one of the other clans had arrived to provide help. A part of him couldn¡¯t help but wonder if their clan was secretly hated this whole time. It would make sense given the situation. Their rules were always under scrutiny, their laws always deemed too harsh. Many had been dissatisfied yet did nothing because their clan was too important. But with the arrival of Igor who did not care about the Himejima¡¯s standing, Suou reached the conclusion that many would take the opportunity to turn a blind eye. The potential fact that politics may result in the destruction of his clan made him both fearful and angry. [D-damnit!] The Himejima clan as it was, was in danger. Faced with this redhead who was willing to eradicate them, he couldn¡¯t help but regret. He could see it in Igor¡¯s eyes. The boy had the will and the capability to do so. And all this happened because of one simple order he gave. [If¡­if only I didn¡¯t.] He loved his niece, Shuri and a part of him loved Akeno. But before being an uncle, he was the patriarch. As the patriarch, he had to follow the clan rules and show no favouritism. It was his duty and he was doing what he had to. Yet a part of him couldn¡¯t help but think, couldn¡¯t help but fathom. [Maybe if we had evolved, this boy could¡¯ve been our ally.] In the face of fear, his mind instinctually thought of the possibilities. But this wasn¡¯t the time to contemplate. Suou had a quick mind and he realised that there was method he had that could allow his clan to fight this great threat. So he had to prevent the destruction of his clan through other methods, through any means necessary. He was approaching the realm of desperation. The great Himejima, one of the Five Principal Clans of Japan could not perish in his life. He could not allow thousands of years of history, a mountain of legacies, to crumble in front of his eyes. As prideful and noble as he was, he was willing to lower his head. ¡°W-wait-¡± But Igor did not wait. ¡°Watch closely.¡± He wanted to morph Suou¡¯s desperation into the very same despair he felt when Shuri¡¯s life slipped out of his grasp. He wanted to bury those eyes that held on to hope under the dark. He wanted to shatter ANY illusion, that his clan would see the next day. Su! As if to make sure Suou wouldn¡¯t miss a thing, Igor made sure he was just barely observable and with his aura blade, began cutting up the members of the Himejima clan. He was neither fast, yet slow. With thousands of members, he was not worried they would escape due to having sensed the barrier Shiva laid. So whenever a red flash appeared, several bodies would drop either dead or crippled. ¡°¡°¡°AAAAAH!¡±¡±¡± ¡°MY ARM! MY ARM!!!¡± ¡°W-wai-*puchi!*¡± ¡°RUN!¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. No one dared to fight back. All they had in their minds was to preserve their own lives. It was everyone for himself. Camaraderie and coordination became nonexistent in the face of absolute power. Whether it was fathers or brothers, they would use each others as shields just to survive a second longer. Igor¡¯s power had devolved nearly everyone to their baser human instincts. The smell of blood, the sounds of pained groans, and the sight of death. One angry boy caused the Himejima clan to descend into complete chaos. Thousands of warriors existed, yet not a single one dared to take up arms. Many tried to run yet escape remained impossible. Igor¡¯s slaughter was methodical yet chaotic. He appeared in the most random of places where he killed a few men being vanishing again. Whenever that red flash appeared, sworn brothers would climb over each other without hesitation just to survive. With a barrier to prevent escape, the situation appeared to be the same as shooting fish in a barrel. Despite his ability to do so, Igor didn¡¯t pressure them to stand still. He wanted there to be panic, for there to be chaos. He wanted to mimic the very situation Shuri was in, the feeling of imminent death yet not knowing when it would come. Just like how Shuri had her limbs crushed, he would dismember theirs. He would put them through every single stage of panic until their eyes turned lifeless. He would cause so much suffering to them to the point that they would lose their minds. He would make it so that whenever he appeared, they would run towards him instead of away. He would become their greatest fear, and their greatest salvation. This vengeance of his would be served¡­in the coldest way possible. [Aunty had to run. So I will make them run. Aunty despaired, so I will make them despair. Aunty felt pain, so they shall know pain!] Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! All anyone could see was a red flash before they suddenly died or if they were unlucky, had to bleed out first. Igor¡¯s way of killing them was wild, yet very cold. He was not aiming just to kill them physically, but to torment them right down to their very souls. He had picked up a lot of things in his time with Sun Wukong and Indra, especially Indra. The War God had shown him that there is more to fighting than just swords and spears. He had been taught how killing someone a certain way could make them become wandering spirits, and how torturing someone could make them become a malevolent spirit. Igor never thought he would ever have use for this knowledge until today. As much as he was willing to kill people, he never wished to use such a method¡­until today. A life for lives was his philosophy and Shuri¡¯s life alone was worth more than the entire Himejima clan combined. Their entire population put together would barely be worth a single fingernail on her hand. But he would take what he could. Just killing them wouldn¡¯t be enough. He wanted them to be hunted to just like how they hunted Shuri. If they turned into malevolent spirits, they would inevitably be purified. Just like how they wished to cleanse Akeno of their bloodline, he would cleanse them of this world. But Igor wasn¡¯t completely without heart. For the common Himejima member, he crushed their hearts. He had no maliciousness towards them. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He could feel it by their aura, the maliciousness within them. It was as if the world showed him who were his true targets, the ones who really had a hand in Shuri¡¯s death. The more involved they were, the darker their hearts appeared in his senses. So for those with minimal involvement, did his best to kill them instantly while leaving them a full corpse. It was the most respect he could offer them given the current situation. Then for the ones who had dark wisps in their hearts, he severely injured them in ways that would make them bleed to death. As long as the aura he sensed from them was vile, he would not be lenient. He sliced off their limbs and left them to bleed out on the ground in pain. For the ones who appeared darker, he shoved his hand into their stomach and ripped out their entrails. As long as it was not an instant death, it was enough. They would slowly bleed out and their last moments would be watching clan member after clan member die. Their psyche would be greatly affected and their souls greatly stimulated by the negativity in the atmosphere. Not only was Igor killing them, he was going to turn this entire region into a ghost town, a place filled with so much yin energy that nothing would grow after. This was a mark, a mark for future generations to remember what happened when the noble Himejima clan touched someone who was important to him. This would be his warning to the supernatural world, to never touch anyone related to him. Indeed, he was cold. To be so ruthless in his actions was something that impressed Shiva who was silently watching above. The God of Destruction would not interfere in this matter so long as the world itself would not be affected. Of course, there was also some personal reasons for this. He had come to quite like the boy over the past few years. Although this was the first interaction he had with him, Shiva considered himself a great judge of character. Furthermore, Igor had fulfilled his requirement of reaching the realm of supreme class within a hundred years. At the beginning, this requirement would only be enough for him to consider taking him in. This was because he did not want another Indra that would stagnate after reaching a certain level of strength. Yet throughout this three years, he had come to quite like Igor¡¯s character. He was always training constantly without rest. Unless it was sleeping or eating, it was training. After having satisfied his requirements for character and strength, Shiva now considered Igor to be his somewhat nominal disciple. And that was very important because he was the only thing standing between him and the gods of the Shinto, Hindu, and Chinese Pantheons. The boy had angered all these pantheons with his actions up until now. From blatantly releasing his senses to suddenly attacking a Principal Clan, all of this was more than enough reason for numerous gods to attack. Though Shiva found it quite funny that as soon as the blonde transformed, they turned timid. He could still feel their gazes upon Igor, yet none of them stepping forward due to his presence and the redhead¡¯s power. ¡°Weaklings.¡± . AN . To save some time, I¡¯ll write a quick explanation here. I know some of you will probably wonder why the truly powerful gods aren¡¯t interfering. Well, we can see from a few chapters back that¡­they don¡¯t really care. We saw from Amaterasu¡¯s words through Kurohime that she said, ¡°Shiva-tan is being mean again.¡±. My guess is all those truly powerful gods have lived for so disgustingly long that some brat running his senses or killing a clan isn¡¯t really enough to get them to act. That¡¯s my guess. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 78 The boy had angered all these pantheons with his actions up until now. From blatantly releasing his senses to suddenly attacking a Principal Clan, all of this was more than enough reason for numerous gods to attack. Though Shiva found it quite funny that as soon as the blonde transformed, they turned timid. He could still feel their gazes upon Igor, yet none of them stepping forward due to his presence and the redhead¡¯s power. ¡°Weaklings.¡± . |DxD| . Suou couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His clan with over thousands upon thousands of strong warriors was being laid to waste in his generation. Their corpses littered the tiles and the roofs and blood splurt out of those with severed stumps like a fountain. Yet he could do nothing to help. His legs were useless and he couldn¡¯t use the power of the Vermillion Bird. It was as if something was blocking the connection he needed to fully utilise the power. It served as further proof to him that his clan was left to die in the hands of the redhead. But he could still use his normal fire manipulation. Futile as it may be, he didn¡¯t know what else to do. So out of desperation, he futilely began firing fireballs at the red flash. His voice was hoarse, tears of pain rushing down his eyes. ¡°STOP! STOP IT! PLEASE!!!¡± His dignified appearance had crumbled down in the face of reality. The very scenario he was afraid would happen was being executed right in front of his eyes. His eyes trembled with every thud of a corpse and his heart bled with every scream he heard. His mind was reaching his limits, his breaking point approaching. Yet Igor did not stop. He continued killing and crippling his way through every single clan member until there were only a few dozen left. Few dared to fight back, none left a scratch. With only a single crimson aura blade laced with the darkness of the world, he tore his way through the army of fire-wielding men. Suou could only watch as hundreds of years of history was gradually snuffed out right in front of his eyes. It was a horrifying sight that was burnt into his brain. For the last few minutes, his mind was on the brink of losing sanity, but his strong will held him together. Yet, he was gradually approaching his limits. And that limit was reached when right in front of his eyes, Igor punctured the heart of his first-born son. ¡°NOOOOOO! MY SON! YOU KILLED MY SON!!!!¡± Suou had already long guessed that two of his children, Kazuhiko and Takami had died in Kuoh. He beared through that. Despite it hurting, he remained strong. But his heart could not bear to see the heart of his child punctured right in front of his eyes. Witnessing and speculating were two very different things. And right now, he was witnessing. ¡°DIE!!! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! DIIIIEEEEE!!!!¡± Tears were flowing out of his eyes as he unleashed fireball after fireball in fatherly rage. Igor paid little attention to his rage and continued doing what he was doing. Su Su Su Su *Puchi!* *Puchi!* *Puchi!* *Puchi!* His next kills were the average men of the Himejima clan. But they were not his targets. He had a good memory and a keen ability to sense auras. He did not expect that his last kill would be Suou¡¯s son, but it gave him an idea. The redhead was not ignorant. He was very knowledgeable that leaders of clans will never have just one son. There must always be more, and he will find them all. In order for Suou to feel the most pain, he spread his senses in order to find the person with the most similar aura to him or the other son he killed. Su Su Su Su He continued killing while Suou crawled over towards his son with a heavy heart. The elderly man appeared to have lost any connection with the world. All he did was mutter ¡°My son. My son.¡± over and over again with tears in his eyes. He loved his clan, but his own blood was lying dead on the ground. Cruelly killed in front of him, Suou could only wallow in grief. On the other side, Igor had spread his senses until he heard someone shout. ¡°You killed my brother!¡± Turning around, he was able to spot a bare-chested middle-aged man carrying a sword in his hands. His body was trembling, his eyes teary. Yet his glare was filled with killing intent. In response to that, Igor gave a smile before appearing in front of the man and grabbed his throat. Suou who was grieving noticed it and bellowed out. ¡°Leave him!!!! LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!¡± He released a very powerful fireball with the intent to drive Igor away from his second-born, the last of his bloodline. But¡­in a twisted turn of events, Igor didn¡¯t jump out of the way. The redhead, without hesitation, tightened his grip on Suou¡¯s son before placing the man on the path of the fireball. ¡°?!¡± Suou could only watch with a horror-filled gaze as Igor used his son like a human shield. ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t even hear his son scream in pain as the last thread of sanity in his mind finally¡­snapped. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!¡± . |DxD| . Igor silently watched as Suou screamed like a madman. The elderly patriarch had finally lost his mind, the events of today having borne too much strain on his mental state. Igor could recognise that lost look on the man¡¯s face. It was the same as looking in the mirror and only through seeing Suou suffer did his anger lessen. Suou valued his clan highly and placed the rules above all else. The Himejima clan was his life, his pride, and his reason for existing. He placed the clan above even his own feelings. Under his care, the clan had been elevated to greatness and its strength had skyrocketed under his leadership. He had planned the clan¡¯s development for the next century and even trained all his sons into capable men that would aide his successor without fail. Yet all it took was one single order to shatter everything within a day. His clan, his legacy, everything was gone. He couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He couldn¡¯t bear to see centuries of history decay in his hands. And his final breaking point was losing two of his children in front of him. Igor watched in silence as Suou gripped his head and began bashing his skull on the ground. His eyes were empty without a trace of pity for the elderly man. He could imagine his pain because he felt it. He felt it when Shuri¡¯s lifeforce vanished like a candle in the wind. He felt his pain when her head lifelessly tilted to the side. Suou finally knew his pain, and his vengeance was complete. ¡°You have taken from me, so I have taken from you.¡± He dropped the burnt corpse of Suou¡¯s second son before slowly walking over to the man, yet Suou was not aware of Igor¡¯s approach. Blood covered his forehead like a curtain of red, his eyes blood red from the amount of grief he felt. But Igor remained unfazed. He conjured a very long aura blade that he swung around, bisecting any clan members that were trying to run away. With Suou driven to insanity, there was no need to let any of them live any longer than necessary. All this time, his steps never faltered nor did his hand waver. Among the toppled bisected corpses were buildings that were also slashed apart. Buildings that were once the immense pride of the Himejima now toppled to the ground. The dust from an impromptu demolition enveloped the entire clan like a dense mist, signifying an end to the prosperous Himejima Clan. He had accomplished his goal of driving Suou beyond the brink. ¡°What you are feeling now, what you are experiencing, you almost made me like that.¡± His voice was devoid of any excitement, of any satisfaction. ¡°I have lost my aunt to you, someone I considered a mother in this world. You have lost your clan and your sons, the things you were a father to. I am no longer angry at you as we have both lost things we hold dear. From now on, we are equal.¡± He stood right in front of Suou who was a crippled mess in front of him. With his mind broken, he was no longer immune to Igor¡¯s oppressive aura. Although the redhead wasn¡¯t doing anything, just his presence alone was enough to arouse Suou¡¯s instincts to make himself seem as insignificant as possible. Right now, the elderly man was a pitiable mess. He was crippled, fated to never feel his lower half again. His mind was broken, the loss of his clan and his sons having sent him beyond the brink. He could never sire an heir again and he was already old. From a normal standpoint, there was no point in killing him. But¡­ ¡°I hold no hatred for you anymore. But you must die.¡± He grabbed Suou by the scruff of his robe and held him up. ¡°You must die because you are the patriarch.¡± *Puchi!* Raising his hand, he decisively pierced Suou¡¯s chest and ripped out his heart. He watched coldly as Suou gradually lost the light in his eyes, blood streaming from his mouth. Yet there was not an ounce of fear nor pain on his face. It was as if his soul had died and his body was just following after. Igor did not avert his eyes for a single moment. He wanted to witness this to the very end, to see this grudge reach its conclusion. It was his resolve to see everything through that made him continue to watch as Suou¡¯s lifeforce faded away. When Suou finally stopped breathing, Igor dropped his corpse to the ground. He looked around and took in the sight of the carnage he wrought. The beautiful compound that was the hallmark of Japan¡¯s history was now a treasure trove of horror. Owner-less limbs lay strewn all over the place. Among the few headless corpses lay hundreds of bodies with sizeable holes in their chests. Dozens of ripped-out hearts still continued to beat, their rhythmic sounds resounding in the silence of the vicinity. Hundreds had already pumped their last, the lack of fresh blood and oxygen having drained their vitality. Igor did not avert his eyes. He took in everything with an impassive expression. The walls were dyed with streaks of blood while the cobblestone pavements had turned into a sea of blood. It was a crimson nightmare filled with the groans of dying men. He could feel the dwindling lifeforce of those who¡¯s limbs he ripped off. Out of the hundreds he maimed, less than ten were still breathing. Yet in the following minute, all of them died one by one. Everyone had died. He turned to look at Suou¡¯s corpse, his expression hollow. ¡°I will leave you a full corpse. Consider it my last mercy to you.¡± His aura was calm like a gentle flame. That fiery aura that threatened to unleash untold damnation was now like a simple woodfire. His gaze was calm as he looked at Suou¡¯s corpse. The elderly man died with his eyes open, the expression on his face contorted in fear. Igor only paid brief attention to Suou before turned to look far off into the distance. Just a few kilometres away, he could feel the energy signatures of several thousand more Himejima clan members. He already guessed that they were the women and children of the clan. He stood still without moving, his senses still on them. He could ¡°see¡± how all of them were huddled up together, their individual auras fluctuating in distress. ¡°...¡± He wouldn¡¯t let them go. Tswii! . |DxD| . Igor appeared above a forested region. He could feel the clustered energy signatures hidden underground. The signatures were lighter, less tainted with darkness. There were also numerous smaller life signatures he could sense. They were the women and children of the clan, the lifeblood that could rejuvenate the Himejima name. His hand trembled slightly, his resolve wavering in the face of having to slaughter innocent lives. It was a heavy burden in his heart, a battle between his ideals and the desire to prevent future enemies. As much as he wanted to let them go, he could not afford not to. With a trembling heart, Igor raised a hand to the sky. ¡°Forgive me-¡± Shiva appeared next to Igor and grabbed his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Dimori.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°I said that¡¯s enough. You have already reached your limits.¡± It was true. His had gone through too much in a single day and everything had taken a toll on his mind. ¡°If you continue, you will lose everything.¡± Shiva couldn¡¯t let Igor continue any further. He knew that if he let him continue with his actions, it would kickstart a downward spiral into insanity. He did not want that to happen to someone as promising as Igor. ¡°The moment you hesitated was your mind, your soul telling you to stop.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor clenched his fists, his frustrations making themselves evident. He did not want to do this, but he felt it was necessary. If he did not kill off all the Himejima, then it would be the same as giving them a chance to seek vengeance. It was why even in the face of his heart refusing, he relented. ¡°But I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t leave things to chance. I don¡¯t want to leave here, only for the sons of those I¡¯ve killed to seek revenge. I have slaughtered husbands and fathers. I¡¯ve destroyed their homes. They WILL want revenge.¡± His body began trembling. ¡°Even if¡­even if the consequences involves losing my mind, I cannot let threats to those I care about remain alive. I¡¯ve already lost aunty. I¡­I don¡¯t want to lose anyone else.¡± Shiva sympathised with Igor¡­for only a brief moment. Slap! . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 79 ¡°But I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t leave things to chance. I don¡¯t want to leave here, only for the sons of those I¡¯ve killed to seek revenge. I have slaughtered husbands and fathers. I¡¯ve destroyed their homes. They WILL want revenge.¡± His body began trembling. ¡°Even if¡­even if the consequences involves losing my mind, I cannot let threats to those I care about remain alive. I¡¯ve already lost aunty. I¡­I don¡¯t want to lose anyone else.¡± Shiva sympathised with Igor¡­for only a brief moment. Slap! . |DxD| . ¡°Listen here, Dimori. I am not asking you. I am not suggesting. I am telling you to stop. You do NOT have the capacity to kill innocents.¡± Shiva looked at Igor right in the eye as he spoke those words. The last thing he needed after investing this much effort was the boy to gradually descend into insanity simply because he did something that was far beyond what he could handle. ¡°...¡± Igor stayed silent because everything Shiva said was true. A killer he may be, but the thought of killing innocent women and children caused a tremor within his soul. The action of spilling the blood of a mother protecting her child made his body tremble because it made him draw parallels to Shuri¡¯s situation. It was not to say that there were no innocents among the men either. However, his definition of ¡°innocence¡± differed from the globally accepted definition. To him, anyone who supported Shuri¡¯s death didn¡¯t qualify as innocent. Whether they had killed or never killed before, it did not matter. He was able to tell just how ¡°guilty¡± someone was by the darkness in their hearts. It was the sudden instinctual ability that came with his rapid absorption of malevolent nature energy. When he took in the energy of the world, all that was in his mind was to kill everyone responsible for Shuri¡¯s death. And gradually as he dominated the malevolent energy, the world seemed to acquiesce to his demands and ¡°showed¡± him all those who actively had a hand or silently supported the death of Shuri and Akeno. But for some reason, none of the women had that spark of darkness in their heart. Their minds were as light as a feather and naturally, the children had absolutely no clue what was happening. It was why he was so hesitant in killing them. Because it wouldn¡¯t be just killing them anymore, it would be murder. Trash was killed. Nothing more, nothing less. But his mind wavered at killing innocents. Just like Shiva said, he did not have the capacity to do so. Despite this concerning the future, he found this action more difficult than anything else. It wouldn¡¯t even take long. A moderately sized ki blast and everything would be finished. But he still showed signs of hesitation. Yet he couldn¡¯t understand why someone like Shiva would stop him. As the God of Destruction, it was extremely peculiar that he would take time out of his day to help him like this. In fact, it seemed more natural for the god to be nonchalant at the lives of mortals. But Shiva stopped him not out of a sense of preserving morality, but of preserving his sanity. So Igor turned to face the god. ¡°Why. Why help me?¡± Shiva looked at Igor meaningfully. He could tell that the redhead wanted a proper reason. ¡°The official reason is balance. You are the Adam of this era. If you reproduce, humanity will ascend in status within a thousand years, placing it amongst the ranks of dragons or at the very least, yokai. Keeping you alive would be paramount in gradually restoring the balance of power. But, my personal reason is simple. I want to see how far you can grow.¡± * Shiva began flying around Igor with his head held up. ¡°I¡¯ve lived for millions of years. Among the gods that exist, I am the most powerful. With one word from me, I can make sure that no god ever dares attack you. Many are watching us, yet none dare act because of my presence.¡± He then turned towards Igor with a slight smirk. ¡°I mean, truly. Did you expect that you could waltz into the heart of the Shinto Pantheon and murder off one of the principal clans without repercussions?¡± ¡°...¡± Just from Igor¡¯s silence, Shiva could tell that the boy was so blinded by rage that he didn¡¯t even consider the consequences. Yet given the circumstances, it was understandable. Having lost someone important to him, it would¡¯ve been more suspicious if he didn¡¯t set out for revenge. Though, a normal person wouldn¡¯t have been this blatant about it. Regardless, Shiva could feel that Igor¡¯s power was quite something. ¡°Of course, I recon that even without my presence, you could¡¯ve still exacted vengance, though not this simply. Regardless, all the gods have stagnated and my position has grown unchallenged for years.¡± He did not elaborate any further and chose let Igor have his own intepretations. ¡°However, don¡¯t you think it appropriate that you cancel your technique? You are using up quite a bit of lifespan maintaining it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­right.¡± Boasting such a powerful power-level, it did not come without a price. To maintain this much power had required Igor to pay up in lifespan. Despite only twenty minutes having passed, ten years of lifespan had been used to maintain his recent transformation. Because his body had far surpassed the brink of the Kaioken multiplier it could handle, only the pure healing power of lifeforce could aide in making sure that he did not suddenly explode into a mess of blood and gore. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Although his total lifespan had surpassed five hundred years, further losing lifespan pointlessly was not something he could afford yet. With his Kaioken x2, he was only able to earn an average of forty years of lifespan a year. Losing ten years in less than an hour was a bit too much. So he started by cycling down his multipliers, his power visibly decreasing. His hair gradually reverted from its spiky red appearance to its original smooth blonde appearance. It fell down like a floppy, wet mop. Without the hairband to hold it back in a ponytail, it showed that his hair had grown longer over the years with it reaching just beyond his shoulders. The bulging veins and inflated muscles gradually shrunk as well while the malevolent nature energy he absorbed slowly dissipated. The dark energy evaporated from his body like mist under the sun. He powered down completely to his base state without the Kaioken. He appeared slightly drained but that was all¡­which confused the Shiva. This matter of how Igor was still able to stand on two feet greatly interested him. [Oh? Could it be that the state he accessed wasn¡¯t just a simple multiplier, but a transformation?] It would explain why the blonde wasn¡¯t down on the ground crying his lungs out. Just a few months ago in the Heavenly Realm, he had used Kaioken x50 to fight off a literal army of high-god class elites powered by blessings that boosted their powers. It was a good battle that the blonde eventually won. But the moment he exited the Kaioken, he collapsed on the ground in a crying mess. Logically, Shiva expected the same scenario to happen here. [It seems that he managed to tap into some kind of state?] Shiva narrowed his eyes and examined Igor¡¯s body in its entirety until he found what he was looking for. [Ah. His strand of divine ki shows subtle traces of mutation. Did absorbing the malevolent energy of nature somehow allow him to attain a sort of demigod transformation? Truly intriguing. But Nandi should know more than me.] However, while he was intrigued, it was evident that the blonde didn¡¯t notice any peculiarities. It was rather odd given how Igor was always aware of his body. Rather, his mind was currently elsewhere. Shiva followed his gaze and saw that Igor was looking intently at the plot of forest on the ground. But it was not the forest itself that had his attention, but the bunker underneath it. Shiva could tell that the blonde was still worried about leaving potential trouble, yet did not have the desire nor resolve to kill people who were still innocent. It was a massive internal battle that had Igor still clenching his fists, an expression of worry filled on his face. Those serene blue eyes that had never once faltered, were now filled with hesitation and indecision. To kill everyone and prevent any cases of revenge, or let them live and he lives on with a clear heart. It was a situation that had him unable to calm his heart. But, Shiva grabbed the blonde¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It seems you underestimate just how much destruction you have caused to the Himejima. Do not worry about their revenge. It will not happen, not when they witnessed your power.¡± Those words were true. Just the massive sphere he conjured would silence any dissenters and his power, power which would only continue to grow would dissuade any vengeful hearts. If that wasn¡¯t enough, the reasons for his actions would place him in a positive light and the world would support his actions given how terrible the reputation of the Himejima were. But Igor wasn¡¯t one for thinking of politics like this. He looked down on the ground. He could ¡®see¡¯ their closely huddled bodies, the crying babies and the confused children. He could see the worried mothers pacing about and other women huddled in prayer. There was only one elderly male that he sensed, but he didn¡¯t feel ¡®dark¡¯ like the ones he killed. Now that he truly took the time to feel each and everyone of them, he now more than ever, didn¡¯t want to kill them. So he looked at Shiva, his eyes pleading for confirmation. ¡°Can I really leave them alive?¡± Shiva did not hesitate. ¡°Yes.¡± In an instant, it was as if a heavy weight on his shoulders had been lifted. He was not overly familiar with Shiva, but he had enough conversations with Sun Wukong to know the god was honourable, meaning his words could be trusted. The blonde took a few deep breaths before looking at Shiva again with clear gratitude in his eyes. Those very same eyes that had dulled in colour had regained a semblance of their normal ocean blue. His smile was sincere as he looked at Shiva. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shiva waved him off. ¡°Go now. Settle things properly.¡± Igor smiled sadly. He knew what Shiva meant and he would get to it as soon as possible. Shuri was still lying on that cold forest floor. He had not buried her because he could not do so with a heart clouded by vengeance. But now that he had killed those responsible for the hunt, he could now bury her, the grudge, and his grief. He could bury her with peace of mind in knowing that he sent thousands of men to serve as her footstools in the afterlife and left the truly treacherous ones a fate worse than death. Just the thought alone made him feel a sense of peace. ¡°Yes. I will go now.¡± So giving Shiva a respectful bow, he vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . Igor did not expect many things when he teleported back to the forest of Kuoh. His only goal was to take Shuri back to her house and wash her body of all the blood and dirt it had. Then he would dress her in the finest clothes and steal the finest coffin for her before finally bringing Akeno to grieve and say her farewells. As for Baraquiel, he did not even entertain the thought. Igor was angry at the fallen not because he wasn¡¯t present, but because he had warned him of the Himejima three years ago. Yet he spouted nonsensical reasons that led to him not taking action. There was no way Igor could tolerate his presence at this moment. But, he never expected that when he appeared, he would find Shuri sitting upright as if she had just woken up from a nap. Her face and neck were still covered in Masaru¡¯s dried blood that she got from tearing open an artery in his throat. Her nightdress was still in tatters and it teasingly exposed her beautiful body. Her limbs which had been horrendously broken were now straightened from the tips of her fingers right down to her feet. Her long hair flowed down her back like a curtain. Even with it being dirtied, it significantly enhanced her beauty. With the destroyed landscape of the forest acting as a backdrop, Shuri appeared like a lioness that just had its first kill. Igor was mesmerised not by her beauty, but by the bright lifeforce he could sense from her. This wasn¡¯t the lifeforce of a dying person. This lifeforce was vibrant, equating to a completely healthy body. *Badump* His heartbeat quickened when he felt it was her and not something else possessing his body. The lifeforce wasn¡¯t different in the slightest. Her aura was the same signature he was used to. Yet even with all this proof in front of him, proof that Shuri was alive, his mind couldn¡¯t help but dread the possibility, the possibility that all of this was an elaborate prank or a joke. He feared that this was some sort of illusion. He couldn¡¯t bear it if this was some trick that was being played on him. Igor feared that his mind would really break if all of this was some sort of joke. But when Shuri spoke¡­ ¡°Ara¡­where am I?¡± ¡­all his doubts vanished. ¡°Aunty!¡± . AN .
  1. ¡°The official reason is balance. You are the Adam of this era. If you reproduce, humanity will ascend in status within a thousand years, placing it amongst the ranks of dragons or at the very least, yokai. Keeping you alive would be paramount in gradually restoring the balance of power. But, my personal reason is simple. I want to see how far you can grow.¡± *
Explanation: Confusing part here. Shiva could either be talking about the Aryans or the ancient humans when he speaks of restoring the balance of power. Chapter 80 He feared that this was some sort of illusion. He couldn¡¯t bear it if this was some trick that was being played on him. Igor feared that his mind would really break if all of this was some sort of joke. But when Shuri spoke¡­ ¡°Ara¡­where am I?¡± ¡­all his doubts vanished. ¡°Aunty!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Aunty!¡± Puff! Igor slammed into Shuri and wrapped his arms around her. He buried his head into her chest, his ears listening for her heartbeat. His hug was like a vice grip that refused to let her go, which greatly confused Shuri since she was unsure what happened. All she knew was that she awoke in a destroyed forest with tattered clothes before she was suddenly enveloped by this strange boy with dry blood on his body. She felt no fear since she couldn¡¯t sense or feel any hostility from him, but she was curious who he was. So gently patting his head, she asked. ¡°Who are you, handsome boy?¡± ¡°?!¡± Igor lifted his head and stared intently into Shuri¡¯s eyes. He could see the genuine confusion in her gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t recognise me, aunty?¡± Shuri squinted her eyes slightly as she tried to remember who he was. It hurt the blonde a bit that she didn¡¯t remember him, but he would choose to have her being an amnesiac rather than a corpse. With that thought in mind, he gently pushed himself off her with a cheery smile. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as you¡¯re alive, aunty!¡± Shuri frowned. ¡°Ara¡­how do we know each other?¡± Igor placed a hand on his chin in contemplation. ¡°Hmmm. How much do you remember, aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri remained silent. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want to answer, but because she couldn¡¯t. When Shuri searched her head for any memories, she could find¡­ ¡°Nothing. I remember nothing.¡± Then suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere. ¡°Fufu~. I think I can help with that.¡± A teenage girl with long black hair in a hime cut and black eyes appeared. She wore a long black dress and a pair of leggings that, even though she dressed modestly, did very little to hide her beauty. She was standing just a few metres away from the duo with a kind smile on her face. However, her sudden appearance was not taken well by the blonde. GRUUU! On instinct, Igor immediately entered Kaioken x30 and placed Shuri behind him. His eyes glared menacingly at the strange woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. As calm as the blonde was, he was still reeling from Shuri¡¯s loss and he was in a very, VERY overprotective state. The woman lightly laughed at Igor¡¯s sudden display of aggression before introducing herself. ¡°Fufu~. No need for alarm, Dimori-kun. I come here in peace. You can call me Amaterasu, the-¡± GRUUUUU! Without delay, Igor instantly boosted himself to Kaioken x50. He brought Shuri into his arm and placed two fingers to his head. For all rights, Igor was not the brightest in the room, but he was not ignorant. And he was not ignorant of the Chief Goddess of the Shinto Pantheon. Having investigated all the major gods after Baraquiel¡¯s excuses for not dealing with the Himejima clan, he was made aware by Sun Wukong that she was very, very strong. It was why he didn¡¯t even get into a stance. With his Kaioken active, his reaction time had soared and if she made even the slightest move, he would teleport away with Shuri. The blonde watched Amaterasu like a hawk, his eyes betraying the anxiousness in his heart. ¡°Are you here to avenge the Himejima?¡± Igor could only imagine one reason why the Chief Goddess of the Shinto Pantheon would appear so suddenly. With his recent massacre on the Himejima, he did expect that there would be retaliation. But not this soon. With Shuri here, his anxiousness was because he was afraid of implicating her. He was very confident in his survival abilities. With his Instant Transmission and his time chamber, he could evade any vengeance seekers and train until he was strong enough to face them. But all of that would be pointless if Shuri died again. Amaterasu smiled at Igor¡¯s display of aggression. She did expect to face hostility but not to this extent. She could feel Igor¡¯s entire focus was on her, waiting for even the slightest move. She found his actions quite cute, but scaring a blonde wasn¡¯t on her agenda. So she lifted up her arms in false surrender. ¡°Relax, Dimori-kun. I¡¯m just here to see if you like your gift?¡± Igor¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion, apparently taken aback by the goddess¡¯ continued lack of hostility. ¡°...gift?¡± He looked at Amaterasu in complete cluelessness until the goddess gave a quick glance to Shuri. ¡°?!¡± Igor looked at Shuri once or twice before his eyes turned back to Amaterasu. ¡°You¡­revived her?¡± ¡°Yes. Are you happy?¡± Igor looked at Amaterasu meaningfully before dropping his Kaioken. Thoughts of her lying to him would make no sense given her power and standing. And with her power, reviving Shuri wasn¡¯t something beyond her capabilities. Thoughts like why Shuri doesn¡¯t remember anything were something he pushed to the side. He was just grateful that he didn¡¯t have to bury a loved one. So responding to her earlier question, he clasped his hands together respectfully. ¡°Thank you. I am very happy.¡± His words were sincere without his usual boisterousness. It was to the extent that Amaterasu couldn¡¯t help but draw parallels between the vicious boy who destroyed a clan of one of her most devout worshippers and the respectful boy in front of her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Amaterasu looked at Igor right in the eye before giggling. ¡°I like you, Igor-chan~. But don¡¯t you want to know why she doesn¡¯t remember anything?¡± All this time, Amaterasu looked at Igor right in the eye as she awaited his answer. She was interested in what kind of answer the one Shiva chose, would give. And he did not disappoint. Not once did Igor¡¯s pupils waver. ¡°As long as aunty breathes, other things do not matter.¡± He remained steadfast in his words. With Shuri standing behind him, he took comfort in the fact that her lifeforce was abundant and that her heart was beating. To hear her breathe again was already an immense luxury that he would never question. It intrigued Amaterasu that he was serious with his words. [Kyaaa! He¡¯s so cute when he makes such a straight face. Shiva-tan was right. Igor-chan is interesting.] She restrained her urges to glomp him and instead, faced Shuri who had been quiet this whole time. ¡°I can see you¡¯re confused, Shuri-chan. Want to know what happened?¡± Shuri lowered her head respectfully. As blank as her head might be, she still retained her knowledge and skillsets. And she definitely knew that if the presence of the woman in front of her was enough to make the blonde suddenly power up, then it was best she showed respect. And also because she was indeed confused. ¡°Yes, Amaterasu-sama.¡± Amaterasu clapped her hands together. ¡°Alright. You are Himejima Shuri from the great Himejima clan. Well, former. You have a nine-year-old daughter with a fallen angel named Baraquiel and until recently, you were hunted and killed by your clan for giving birth to a hybrid. Igor-chan here was not happy that you died and so he killed off many people from your clan in revenge. Does that explain it?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri was quiet with a slightly confused expression on her face. It was abundantly clear that Amaterasu¡¯s words did not explain the situation. And the goddess clearly noticed that. ¡°Hehe~. It¡¯ll be too long and confusing if I explain it in detail. So I¡¯ll show you Igor-chan¡¯s memories.¡± When Igor was about to groan at being called ¡°Igor-chan¡± again, his body froze when he finally processed the whole sentence. ¡°Eh? Memo-¡± In an instant, Amaterasu appeared in front of him and placed her hand on his forehead. At the same time, she placed her other hand on Shuri¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your body can¡¯t handle everything yet, Shuri-chan. So I¡¯ll only show you just enough to understand what¡¯s going on. Aannnd¡­done!¡± It was a quick process that barely lasted a second. Igor touched his forehead and scanned his body multiple times. Upon finding nothing, he frowned even more. ¡°What did you do?¡± Amaterasu didn¡¯t say anything but motioned towards Shuri who was fervently looking at him with him. ¡°Aunty?¡± . |DxD| . Shuri could see snippets of everything. From the first moment she met Igor up until recently. Scenes of the loving family she had were all shown from his perspective. She could feel how calm and happy he was when he spent time with them. Their moments during dinner to the funny moment when he watched an anime with Baraquiel. She appeared in these memories like a spectral spectator, a ghost that could not interact or interfere. But her heart warmed when she watched these wondrous scenes. She even looked at her former herself who was standing in the hallway watching the two boys gush with a light smile on her face. Then the scenes rapidly shifted to the Vatican. The happy and harmonious moment from before fell apart to reveal an atmosphere of urgency and fear. Shuri could feel the deep anger and trepidation Igor went through when he received news of the Himejima attack. She watched his desperate efforts to find them, felt the different emotions he went through when his efforts showed hope only to crash. She almost fell to her knees as she felt his ki quite literally, flow through her like a shockwave. It had the effect of making her gasp as if she was suddenly thrown off a high building. Then the scene rapidly shifted to Japan when he first sensed Akeno. The change was sudden as she was still reeling from the previous sensation. *Puchi!* Shuri was suddenly rendered aware to a sound she could keenly identify as a chest being pierced. When she opened her eyes, she bore witness to the swift visage of Igor as he slaughtered every single hunter with a heart full of anger. She was not fearful, but rather curious as to why he had went on a rampage like this. It didn¡¯t make sense to her until she suddenly saw him approach a little girl who looked just like her. Her heart bled when she saw him comfort the little girl who leaped into his embrace. She smiled when she saw Akeno cling onto him and Igor providing her with the reassurance she needed. The emotions of relief and care were overwhelming that she thought everything was over. Then suddenly, the scene shifted to another part of the forest. ¡°W-what?¡± A deep, overwhelming feeling of sadness and rage bombarded Shuri. It was so heavy that even as a spectral form, she found herself gasping for breath. She couldn¡¯t figure out what was causing Igor to feel such heart-wrenching emotions until she finally saw the cause. ¡°That¡¯s¡­me.¡± She saw herself lying on the ground, her mangled body resting only a few metres from another man. But that wasn¡¯t her focus. It was the dialogue between her former herself and the blonde that caught her attention. She endured the heavy feelings that he was going through, the sense of helplessness, the unquenchable rage, and the endless sadness. She looked on intently at what was going on. She listened, observed, and felt. ¡®I love you, aunty. When I was alone in this world, you and the old man took me in, gave me food, and showed me care. You showed me what it was like to have a family again¡­and a mother.¡¯ She could feel that these were his genuine feelings. His love, his appreciation, everything was transmitted into her. There were no falsehoods in the adoration he held. There was absolute sincerity in his emotions. And her other self could sense that since even in the state she was, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Thank¡­you¡­son.¡¯ Those were her last words, and Igor knew it. Yet he couldn¡¯t accept it. ¡®Aunty¡­AUNTY!!!!¡¯ Tears streamed down Shuri¡¯s cheeks as she watched Igor scream her in pain. The absolute anguish and despair as he shook her corpse made Shuri rush over to comfort him, to tell him she was still alive¡­ ¡­that she was there with him. ¡°Dimori-kun!¡± But her phantom self couldn¡¯t touch him. She knew it was a memory. She had just seen the blonde not long ago. Yet she never comprehended that her death would cause him so much pain. She watched him grieve, watched the tears stream endlessly. All the while, she felt the deep pit of regret and helplessness he was feeling. Shuri knelt next to him and tried to hug him. But she couldn¡¯t touch, couldn¡¯t hold him, couldn¡¯t comfort him. With tears flowing down her cheeks, it made her wish with every single fibre of her being that she could hold him. And she tried. She tried to hold him in her embrace. Although she couldn¡¯t feel his skin, she kept her arms around him and offered as much silent comfort as she could. But then, Igor began to stand up. The emotions of sadness were being replaced by absolute rage and fury. She could feel his power level silently creep up as he stared at the corpse of her former self. But like a switch, that absolute rage and sadness vanished like a candle in the wind. She could feel no emotions from him, almost as if a part of him had died in that moment. There was absolutely nothing she could feel from him. When she touched his face, he appeared like a statue with a gaze as dark as the depths of the ocean. For a good ten seconds, his mind was completely hollow, his eyes empty. Then¡­ ¡®HIIIMEEEJIIIMAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡¯ All that rage, anger, and desire for vengeance came rushing back. She collapsed to the ground, her mind overwhelmed by these dense emotions that threatened to crush her. ¡°Haaa¡­.haaaa¡­haaa¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t handle it. His overwhelming rage was like a mountain that pressed down on her back. Shuri felt like she truly going to die in that moment. The emotions she was feeling from him threatened to drown her entirely. But thankfully, the scene changed again to the destroyed forest. She could see herself now, sitting up and looking around in confusion. Unlike before where she was watching from a third-person perspective, she was now in her body and watching from a first-person view. She was still reeling from the intense waves of emotions from the previous scene so it took quite a while for her to recover. When she finally did, she looked around and noticed the empty forest. She was wondering where Igor was when the blonde suddenly appeared in the clearing. His eyes were empty and all she could feel from him was a sense of resignment. There was some amount of dried blood on his person and his eyes appeared listless and lost. Those muscles and abs that she admired a moment before were no longer her focus. Instead, it was those eyes that seemed to have no life in them. But that changed when he finally looked up, when he finally saw her. She could instantly feel his senses instantly roam over her entire body, not a nook or cranny left unchecked. She could feel his ki run through her mind in deep search for anything that dared to occupy her body. From top to bottom, she was awash with the warm feeling of his ki desperately searching for any illusions. When Igor felt nothing was amiss, Shuri bore hope to the sudden sparkle in his eye, the deep sense of trepidation gradually being overwhelmed by hope. She wanted to beckon him over, to offer her embrace when she found she couldn¡¯t control her body. Before she could panic, she suddenly found herself speaking. ¡°Ara¡­where am I?¡± And that was when the scene ended. Her vision gradually shifted towards reality. The first thing she saw was Igor looking at her with eyes full of concern. Those same eyes that she found cute just a few minutes prior now held a higher profound meaning. She understood what those eyes had seen and had been forced to endure. She couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. ¡°Dimori-kun¡­¡± When she thought of all the things Igor did for her, felt for her, her heart couldn¡¯t help but melt. With misty eyes, she wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Thank you.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 81 Those same eyes that she found cute just a few minutes prior now held a higher profound meaning. She understood what those eyes had seen and had been forced to endure. She couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. ¡°Dimori-kun¡­¡± When she thought of all the things Igor did for her, felt for her, her heart couldn¡¯t help but melt. With misty eyes, she wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Thank you.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Eh?¡± Igor was surprised at Shuri¡¯s sudden show of affection for him. It was unexpected due to how just a few moments ago, they were more or less like strangers. For her to suddenly initiate such an intimate act briefly stunned him. But eventually, he raised his head from her chest and looked into her eyes. ¡°Aunty?¡± Shuri pulled back a bit from him and placed a finger on his lips. ¡°Shush. Let me hold you a bit longer.¡± She then pulled him back into her embrace like before. It was warm and for a moment, his mind felt true peace. [Aunty is still aunty.] With his head buried in her chest, the blonde also returned the hug. His growth spurt wouldn¡¯t come in for the next few years so he was still just slightly shorter than her. But feeling her touch, his lips stretched into a joyous smile. So instead of remaining still, he picked Shuri up and spun around with her. ¡°Ah?¡± Shuri was rightfully surprised, but her eyes then caught sight of Igor¡¯s cheery smile. It was bright and wide like the sun itself. His smile was infectious and she gradually found herself descending into a fit of giggles. ¡°Fufufufu~¡± Igor on the other hand was very happy. He did not know what Shuri saw in his memories that made her suddenly act like this and he didn¡¯t care. Overthinking things was not his forte. All he had in his mind was to enjoy this brief moment of respite. He laughed along with her and enjoyed this sweet reunion with her. This continued for a few seconds before he slowed down. Gently putting Shuri down, he looked at her right in the eye, his hands on her waist. ¡°I am very happy today.¡± Without his eyes wavering in the slightest, he told her how he truly felt from the bottom of his heart with a smile. *Badump* Shuri was momentarily enraptured by that pure, and innocent gaze. She could feel he was genuine and it touched her heart. All it took was her existing to make him smile like this. Her mind briefly flashed back to how much anger was in those eyes, how much power he wielded and the killing intent he released compared to now. She could still remember how menacing he was to the hunters, how merciless he was as he slaughtered them. It was wondrous how the very same boy who slaughtered men without batting an eye could release such a warm smile that made her body tingle all over, how a simple sentence made her eyes cloudy, and how those eyes as deep as the ocean could penetrate into her heart. Amaterasu watched with a smile at the interaction between the two of them. However, her eyes were a little weird. [Am I witnessing a¡­what is it called again? A green-] She was suddenly interrupted by Igor¡¯s enthusiastic yell. ¡°Alright! We gotta go to Akeno. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be very happy to see you, aunty!¡± The blonde grabbed Shuri by the waist, eliciting a yelp from the woman, before placing two fingers on his forehead. ¡°Thanks Amaterasu!¡± Having locked on to Akeno¡¯s energy signature, he was about to vanish when Amaterasu called out. ¡°Wait, Dimori-kun. You can¡¯t leave yet. There are some things you have to understand about your¡­beloved aunty~.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. She casted a teasing glance at the boy, yet she was only met with his stern visage. The moment it concerned Shuri, he delivered his outmost attention. He did not wish for there to be any complications with her. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± The sudden change in change in his attitude caught Amaterasu offguard for a moment before she recovered. ¡°First of all, it is highly unlikely that Shuri-chan will ever recover her memories. I want to say impossible, but you never know in our world. Why I say this is because her soul had already been cleansed when I went to retrieve it. So it isn¡¯t a lie to say she is an entirely different person-¡± ¡°Lies.¡± He looked at Amaterasu without flinching in the slightest. ¡°Aunty still feels the same. She still speaks the same. Her smile is still the same. Those eyes are still the same. Everything about her is the same. Her memories are gone, but who she is as a person is still there.¡± He said all those words without stutter, his sincerity as paramount as the tallest mountain. Igor said all these words because they were true. His senses were very enhanced and the moment he touched Shuri, there was no doubt in his mind that it was her. Even without her memories, her presence and how she felt were all the same. Amaterasu wasn¡¯t angry that Igor cut her off. Rather, she was amused, amused that he didn¡¯t ask her about Shuri¡¯s memories or showed any signs of being anxious or dissatisfied. The fact that he was simply grateful for Shuri¡¯s revival was more than enough for Amaterasu to view the blonde in a good light. However, she still felt it was best he understood what happened. ¡°Wait for me to finish speaking first, Dimori-kun. Your words are not false when you speak of her character at heart. However, memories do affect individuals to a certain extent. To you, she may be the same. But to others, Shuri-chan may be an entirely different person from their memories of her.¡± She let those words sink in as she watched the blonde¡¯s face intently for any change in his expression. Unfortunately, she was going to be disappointed. With a shoulder shrug, he replied. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Aunty is still aunty.¡± ¡°Eh? But-¡± Igor waved his hand in a ¡®stop¡¯ motion. ¡°Don¡¯t make this complicated for me, aunty. I¡¯m stupid. Long fancy words and whatnot makes my brain hurt.¡± Amaterasu was slightly taken aback at being referred to as ¡°aunty¡±, especially when her current form made the term ¡°sister¡± more suitable. But the blonde didn¡¯t give her enough time to complain. ¡°See, I go by my gut and right now, my gut says Shuri is Shuri. This whole thing about her soul being cleansed simply tells me that she will no longer have to remember what her clan did to her. As for other things, they don¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll handle Akeno and explain the situation. As for ¡®others¡¯, I¡¯ll beat them up until they accept that aunty doesn¡¯t remember them.¡± Having stated his point, he put two fingers to his forehead again. ¡°Thank you, Lady Amaterasu. If you ever need me to do anything, I will offer my help. Until then, goodbye.¡± With Shuri in his grasp, they both vanished. Tswii! ¡°...¡± Amaterasu quietly stood on the spot with a smile on her face. ¡°A favour, huh?¡± Her mind explored the numerous possibilities. ¡°With the Himejima virtually gone, part of our power has vanished. He won¡¯t accept coming under our pantheon but¡­¡± A coy smile suddenly spread its way on her face. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± As a woman and a mother, Amaterasu recognised the look Shuri gave the blonde. ¡°It was full of admiration, but¡­it can always change-ah!¡± Any further musings were cut off when a hand suddenly touched her shoulder. When she turned her head, she came face to face with a pair of glowing purple eyes. When she saw him, she suddenly felt a pressure that made her shiver. But that wasn¡¯t all. When she heard his commanding voice, her knees almost buckled. ¡°Amaterasu. Are we scheming again?¡± She could feel his breath on her neck which nearly caused her body to nearly convulse on the spot. But with a grace befitting that of a goddess, Amaterasu controlled herself. Freeing herself from his grasp, she turned around to face him with an expression of grievance. ¡°Mou¡­Shiva-tan! Why do you always appear out of nowhere like that?¡± The purple glow in Shiva¡¯s eyes faded to reveal their usual dull black. But unlike before when he took on the form of a middle-school boy, he appeared to be a stunning young man with an athletic figure hidden behind those grey trousers and jacket. Even in such a casual attire, Shiva¡¯s authority was still there even as he delivered a casual sentence. ¡°Regardless, how do you find him, Amaterasu-¡± ¡°Ama. Call me Ama. And add ¡®chan¡¯ at the end, Shiva-tan!¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva proceeded to look at her with a blank gaze before speaking. ¡°Amaterasu-¡± ¡°Ama-chan!¡± ¡°Amate-¡± ¡°Ama-chan!¡± ¡°...¡± Amaterasu was unyielding. Unless Shiva acquiesced to her demands, she would make sure this conversation would lead nowhere. Both god and goddess looked each other in the eye. But while one pair exuded hope, the other pair grew increasingly dull. As much as Shiva was interested in hearing her opinion on the blonde, he was not that interested. Acquiescing to Amaterasu¡¯s demands was just not something he would do. Su! Like the wind, the god of destruction vanished without a trace, leaving Amaterasu alone under the dark clouds of the destroyed forest. The winds blew her locks of hair as she stood in place with a blank expression. One could almost guess that Shiva¡¯s act of disappearing on the goddess made her sad. But on the contrary¡­ ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± Amaterasu collapsed to the ground with a dangerous smile on her face. ¡°Haa¡­Shiva-tan was so mean again.¡± As the Chief Goddess of the Shinto Pantheon, Amaterasu had long since gotten used to giving orders. Even her brother Susanoo would eventually listen to her words if she was forceful enough. Men and women alike were not immune to her charms and many had fallen for her beauty. For hundreds of thousands of years, this had remained true until she met Shiva, the only god she met who never fell for her charms. A simple global diplomatic meeting following the extinction of the Aryans had changed her life forever. What started as a simple interest eventually spiralled into an obsession that lasted for decades. Now¡­ ¡°Haa¡­haa..¡± ¡­she didn¡¯t know when it started, but his simple presence made her knees feel weak everytime. But today was the first time he touched her directly¡­ *Drip* *Drip* ¡­and she couldn¡¯t control her body¡¯s reactions. . AN . Today is Friday so, until Sunday. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 82 ¡°Haa¡­haa..¡± ¡­she didn¡¯t know when it started, but his simple presence made her knees feel weak everytime. But today was the first time he touched her directly¡­ *Drip* *Drip* ¡­and she couldn¡¯t control her body¡¯s reactions. . |DxD| . Ruined Himejima Clan, Kyoto, A few minutes prior. . Yasaka and Kurohime walked through the bloodied remains of the Himejima clan. The atmosphere was dark with grey clouds hanging above the clan. Numerous crows had already made themselves known and were casually plucking at the empty eye holes of the fallen. While Yasaka had a look of sympathy on her face, Kurohime was impassive as she respectfully followed behind. The amount of gore shocked Yasaka and until now, she couldn¡¯t understand why this happened. When she caught the sight of a crow fleeing with a ripped-out eye in its beak, she sighed. ¡°This is¡­horrible.¡± This was a truly horrible ending that would scar the land for years to come. Yasaka could clearly sense the negative energy in the air fueled by the aggrieved souls of the dead. She could see it on the corpses that many were not instantly killed, but died slowly and in pain. As for Kurohime, she quietly followed behind Yasaka with the grace of a barbarian. Without care or respect for the dead, she cared not if she stepped on her hand or crushed a rib. With absolute grace, Kurohime maintained the same length of distance between her steps. On the other hand, Yasaka was different as she respectfully avoided stepping on the corpses. Kurohime only silently watched as Yasaka showed visible concern on her face. [Truly, you are kind, Yasaka-sama. Unfortunately, this one can never forgive them.] It was a trait that Kurohime admired because unlike the rest of the world, she knew first-hand just how truly treacherous the Himejima clan was. The whole reason that a girl with such a foreign appearance like hers was in Japan is due to the Himejima clan in the first place. Yasaka seemed to notice that Kurohime was dragging behind. Her blonde aide seemed to be lost in thought, those blue eyes of hers appearing somewhat covered in a haze. ¡°Hmm? Are you-¡± It was then that she remembered where they were. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Kurohime. You can leave if you wish to.¡± Kurohime lowered her head in respect. ¡°This one will be alright, Yasaka-sama.¡± But Yasaka couldn¡¯t¡­wouldn¡¯t believe everything was fine. She was aware of how much pain the Himejima had caused to her blonde aide. It was to the point that Yasaka wouldn¡¯t believe that Kurohime was alright. So she stepped forward and brought her into her embrace. ¡°Tell me if it gets too hard, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± Kurohime couldn¡¯t reply. She had been able to keep her emotions in check. But because of Yasaka, the suppressed emotions were suddenly hard to hold back. Her fists were clenched, her body trembling in sadness. Her dam of emotions which had been well until now crumbled under Yasaka¡¯s embrace. Yasaka hugged her tightly in silent comfort, her love and care being conveyed in her warmth. She let Kurohime silently cry on her chest, not caring in the slightest for her garments wetting. She cradled her chin on top of Kurohime¡¯s head, while she gently scratched her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± But suddenly, Kurohime grabbed the hems of her clothes. ¡°No. This one¡­¡± She looked up to Yasaka with red eyes. Yet instead of sadness, there was some semblance of desperation and anger. ¡°His corpse. This one has to see his corpse.¡± Yasaka looked sadly at Kurohime. ¡°Alright.¡± The both of them walked through the strewn bodies of the Himejima towards the centre of the compound. The manor of the Himejima was immensely large and every single inch of it was drenched in blood. While Yasaka felt a trace of pity, Kurohime was observing each of them for a certain man. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Time passed as the two of them walked and eventually, traces of fire damage began to show. The ground and walls were charred black by the numerous fireballs that had clearly missed their targets. There was still a trace of magic in the air so it hadn¡¯t been too long since these fireballs had been launched. As the two of them continued walking forward, Yasaka spotted the only burnt corpse in the clearing. Having stepped forward to examine it, the body was charred black without hope of identification were normal means to be used. It had been reduced to a silhouette and even then it looked to be one strong breeze away from disintegrating. But despite the corpse¡¯s state, Yasaka knew the one person who had the skills and the magic to identify it. So she turned to Kurohime. Her aide was very capable when it came to magic and would be able to identify who this person was through her unique methods. But¡­ ¡°Kurohime?¡± When Yasaka turned around, her heart nearly flew out of her chest. Just a dozen metres from her, she saw a sight she never thought she would have to see again. Her trusted aide, the one who held her composure even in the hardest of times, was now shaking like a leaf. Kurohime was breathing heavily with her body trembling rapidly. Her expressionless visage had now contorted to reveal something between hatred and anguish. Yasaka darted her eyes down and it was then that she recognised who¡¯s corpse that was, the corpse of Suou Himejima. And it was his corpse that Kurohime knelt down to and began to strangle. ¡°Finally! Finally you died! How did it feel? How did it feel to have your family taken? To watch their lives fade in front of your eyes? How did it feel?! HOW?!?!¡± Her composure was lost as tears flooded her cheeks. Even her servile way of speaking and referring to herself in third person faded before the overwhelming pain that flooded her heart. Seeing the corpse of Suou brought back memories that she had desperately tried to suppress for years. ¡°Fifty years. It¡¯s been fifty years since you killed my family!¡±* Suou¡¯s neck was making audible cracking sounds, a result of Kurohime¡¯s strong grip. Her dainty hands locked around his throat like a vice that crushed his windpipe. ¡°Do you remember, Suou? Surely you remember very well. You raided my home, stormed my family¡¯s castle, murdered my father, mother, and all my brothers. Everyone I had ever known died in your hands.¡± She could vividly remember how the young Suou lined up her family and hung them. It was a scene that haunted her dreams for decades, resulting in her having sleepless nights and drenched pillows. She could still see how two by two, her family had their necks fastened in a noose and rapidly pulled up. Their deaths were slow and she was forced to witness it all. Their bodies convulsing, their bodies relieving themselves, their eyes bulging out and the way they hung lifelessly after over dozens of minutes of a torturous slow death. She could still see the images of her mother and father being hung while a prideful Suou bragged about his achievements, all the while remaining oblivious to the little girl hiding beneath the floorboards, her trembling eyes taking in everything through a crack. That same little girl had now grown into a vengeful beauty that shouldered the weight of the decimation of her clan, her people. ¡°Just two more years. I only needed two more years and you would¡¯ve died by my hands. I had planned everything and made all the preparations. Just why?! WHY¡­why did you die so soon¡­¡± Her anger subsided in the place of her sadness which skyrocketed. ¡°My maid¡­my lifesaver¡­my only friend. For the sake of my life, she impersonated me, AND SHE DIED BY YOUR HAND!¡± GRUUU! Her mana began to fluctuate along with her emotions. The pressure alone caused the air to become heavy with her emotions. Blue aura manifested around her as her power instantly soared into god class. Having been stuck in the peak of ultimate class for years, it was truly substantial just how much hatred she felt. The pure sadness and rage that Kurohime had buried for all these years came out as she vented. ¡°Not once have I ever forgotten your face, Suou. Not once. I hope¡­¡± She pulled Suou¡¯s corpse right to her face, her tone filled with pure venom ¡°I hope you felt more pain than I did when you killed my family, burnt my home, and slaughtered my race.¡± Kurohime could never forget the day, the day when her entire realm was invaded by a myriad of different races. She could never forget how everyone had been caught offguard. Access to their realm was sealed and most of their forces were guarding the Antarctic entrance so when there was a sudden breach in the Italian entrance, it resulted in a complete slaughter. Numerous of her clansmen rallied to fight, yet they were suppressed by the invading alliance. Her family was powerful, but so were the attackers. With her father and brothers having been defeated, they retreated to the palace where they were suddenly ambushed by the Himejima. In their heavily weakened and grievously wounded states, her father and brothers who were all in the god class or ultimate class were unable to combat the Himejima with their artifacts which made all of them exert the power of peak-high class to ultimate class entities. It was only through the quick-thinking of her maid that she was quickly hidden underneath the cupboards before the gruesome scene of the Himejima¡¯s ambush happened. Having sat for hours in hiding, it was only through the dimension collapsing that she was ¡°spit¡±. With her hair having turned white from the trauma, her Aryan heritage was hidden. Having appeared in the allley ways of Kyoto, she was forced to wonder the city streets until she ran into Yasaka. For five decades, she harboured this grudge, always preparing for when she would strike back. She trained in her clan techniques, the knowledge of every single technique having been passed into her head. For decades she endured and pushed her body to the limits. At daytime she would train in the sword while at night she would train her magic. All of this was so that when the time came, she would be strong enough to exact vengeance. But it appeared that her grudge no longer needed to be held. Looking at Suou¡¯s lifeless face, she dropped his corpse to the ground. ¡°I hope you never rest in peace.¡± She looked at him like he was the scum of the earth. All that was left was absolute disgust in her eyes yet, hating someone who had died wouldn¡¯t help her anymore. Yasaka who was standing afar couldn¡¯t help but finally speak. ¡°Kurohime-¡± ¡°No. I will no longer use that name.¡± She turned towards Yasaka and gradually, her luscious blonde hair turned white. Her true appearance which she had concealed for years revealed itself. ¡°From today onwards, I am Aurelia, Aurelia von Drachenberg.¡± . AN .
  1. ¡°Fifty years. It¡¯s been fifty years since you killed my family!¡±*
Explanation: Fifty years have passed yet she¡¯s still a beauty? It¡¯s those Aryan genes at work. In chapter 57, Shiva muses about how Aryans seem to naturally have long lifespans. To quote when he observed Igor in his Kaioken:¡°His lifespan is increasing? Truly intriguing. Even the most powerful Aryans barely lived past their third century, yet his range is nearing the fourth. Such a divine technique, I wonder how he chanced upon it.¡±. So from this, we can guess that at the very least, Aryans can live for two centuries. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 83 ¡°Kurohime-¡± ¡°No. I will no longer use that name.¡± She turned towards Yasaka and gradually, her luscious blonde hair turned white. Her true appearance which she had concealed for years revealed itself. ¡°From today onwards, I am Aurelia, Aurelia von Drachenberg.¡± . |DxD| . Yasaka sighed when she heard Aurelia¡¯s words. The moment her aide uttered her true name, she knew there was no stopping it. She could see it in her eyes that her decision was final, despite the dangers that came with her name. Aurelia von Drachenberg, a name which means ¡®The Golden One From The Mountain Of Dragons¡¯. The Drachenbergs were the royal family of the Aryans and their rule was solidified through their immense power. Having remained as the ruling family for thousands of years, their name was well known throughout the supernatural world that if Aurelia were to keep the name, she would no doubt be assassinated. Even her first name alone was risky given how significantly rare it was and although it was unlikely, there was a chance of her being investigated just from having the name alone. Yet even with all these risks, Aurelia chose to follow through. Whether it was because of no longer wanting to hide, Yasaka wasn¡¯t sure. [Was she perhaps influenced by that boy?] She still had a very strong impression of him and how he didn¡¯t falter in exacting his vengeance on the Himejima. It was the only reason she could think of that would make Aurelia dare to be so bold in a world of people that seek to annihilate her race right down to the last bloodline. But, Yasaka was sure that she definitely wasn¡¯t suicidal. ¡°I am sure you have your own reasons and I will not ask you why. However, what are you going to do now?¡± Aurelia looked at Yasaka and lowered her head in sincere respect. ¡°Yasaka-sama. This one will forever be grateful for your help and will never forget your kindness. However, debts must be repaid and this one shall seek out the one who brought destruction upon the Himejima.¡± She had ingrained everything from his appearance to his aura in her mind. That red hair of his was something she would never forget. Although his power felt sinister, it might as well have been holy in her eyes. As such, she would find him, no matter what it takes. ¡°I hope Yasaka-sama accepts this one¡¯s selfish demands to seek for that man.¡± Yasaka smiled lightly at her words. ¡°I understand, Aurelia. I shall also do my best to help you find him. He came from Kuoh so perhaps you should begin there?¡± Aurelia gave a respectful nod. ¡°At once, Yasaka-sama.¡± With a starting location given, she wasted no further time. A golden magic circle formed beneath her before she vanished in a flash of golden light. Vwong! With Aurelia¡¯s departure, Yasaka finally released a sigh she had been holding. ¡°She really is no longer hiding her heritage.¡± Although Yasaka never vouched for the annihilation of the Aryans, she was no stranger to fighting them. As such, she was able to recognise that the dragon insignia on Aurelia¡¯s circle was also the one used by some of the warriors from the Drachenberg. The memory alone made her look at the fallen Himejima. ¡°Atleast she isn¡¯t arrogant like her clan members.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Hey aunty. Are you done?¡± ¡°Fufu~. Not yet, Dimori-kun.¡± In Shuri¡¯s home, Igor was waiting for Shuri to change clothing after she had decided that she couldn¡¯t go and meet Akeno dirty and in rags. The blonde acquiesced to her request and brought her here. However, what should¡¯ve been an affair that shouldn¡¯t last fifteen minutes had doubled and Igor was already getting tired. Sitting outside on the windowsill, the blonde was idly swinging his legs with his chin propped on his hand. He had already cleaned himself in the time chamber and swapped his bloody coat for a black long-sleeve shirt, black pants and black sandals. It was casual wear that was breathable and easy to maintain. The blonde had prepared himself quickly in order not to waste Shuri¡¯s time, even going so far as to not eat. With the amount of blood dried blood on his body and his hair, he had to continuously scrub himself for just over three hours in the time chamber. But while he was rather fast, it seemed the opposite had happened in the real world. More than fifteen minutes had passed since he arrived and the blonde was lamenting the amount of food he could¡¯ve eaten within that time span. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He peeled back the curtains to look into Shuri¡¯s room. His brows scrunched up when he saw over a dozen dresses laid out on her bed. As for Shuri, she was covered by the closet doors and was casually observing dresses before throwing them on the bed. Such actions made the blonde scrunch his brows in confusion before he groaned. ¡°Come on, aunty. Just pick a dress already. Anything is fine. ANYTHING.¡± Igor couldn¡¯t understand what was so hard about choosing a simple pair of clothing. In his mind, it shouldn¡¯t have taken more than ten minutes for her to shower and get ready. The only blood she had was on her clothes so she didn¡¯t have to scrub individual strands of hair like he had to. In regards to his cry out outrage, all he got in response was Shuri peeking her head out. Her hair was wet with droplets of water flowing along her strands before toppling to the floor. Her face was flushed due to just having gotten out of her shower. Her collarbone was exposed, giving a teasing view to a part of her neck. Looking straight at the blonde, she pouted lightly. ¡°Ara? Does Dimori-kun not want me to look pretty?¡± The blonde tilted his head in confusion. He closed his eyes for a bit as if trying to process her question. In the end, he looked at Shuri with an even more confused gaze. ¡°What does being pretty have to do with your choice of clothes?¡± Unabashed, Shuri giggled lightly. ¡°Because clothes make a woman pretty, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°?¡± A part of him wanted to say that she never cared about clothes before, but he changed his words. ¡°Aunty. You were pretty in rags. What you wear doesn¡¯t matter. Just pick a dress already.¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± Shuri smiled at his answer and disappeared behind the closet. ¡°I¡¯m flattered that Dimori-kun thinks I¡¯m pretty. But I think I just need a bit more time.¡± ¡°EH???¡± Without hesitation, the blonde jumped into the room and strode towards her. ¡°Nope. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± Having picked up a random dress, he stretched his hand around the closet door. ¡°Here¡¯s a dress, aunty.¡± The dress was blue and the design was modest. Some decorative folds were there and upon closer look, there appeared to be a modest slit by the leg. Yet Shuri did not grab it. ¡°My hands are a little occupied, Dimori-kun~.¡± With a teasing voice, she implied what the blonde had to do. But contrary to expectations, she heard him sigh. ¡°Aunty. Don¡¯t do this. I know I you like teasing people, but this is going too far. You have a husband. It would be disrespectful both to you and the old man if I saw your body instead of him.¡± Shuri was silent. It wasn¡¯t because she felt offended, but because she couldn¡¯t help but wonder about that ¡°husband¡± of hers. ¡°You say he is my husband, Dimori-kun. But where is he?¡± Her fists clenched yet there was no sign of anger in her voice. ¡°When his family was being hunted, where was he? When Akeno almost died, where was he? When I died, where was he?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor couldn¡¯t answer. Even now it made no sense that Baraquiel didn¡¯t arrive. With the ability to teleport, it simply didn¡¯t make sense that the fallen couldn¡¯t come to Kuoh. But Shuri wouldn¡¯t wait for him to ponder. ¡°I may have lost my memories, Dimori-kun. But I have my knowledge. Did you know that there are barriers and wards protecting this house? There are barriers that cover both the forest and this house as well as several different wards.¡± Her voice then turned icy. ¡°He is linked to them, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°?!¡± Igor sharply raised his head, his eyes darkening as he gradually understood what Shuri meant. Although he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it before, the blonde knew that the barrier surrounding the house and the forest were all broken with the latter having been broken by him. By all rights, Baraquiel should¡¯ve received some sort of magical notification informing him of these barriers being broken. But he couldn¡¯t accept the worst possible truth. The blonde knew Baraquiel loved his family too much to abandon them. ¡°Maybe something held him up, aunty. The old man is a warrior like me. Maybe he was injured or unconscious when everything happened.¡± A part of him wanted to rationalise this, to lean onto the scenario that some sort of circumstance held him back from protecting his family. But Shuri wouldn¡¯t accept this excuse. ¡°No. Too much time has passed for that excuse.¡± Pushing back the door of the closet, she revealed her towel-covered form. Contrary to how lean she appeared in her normal clothes, Shuri was generously gifted in all the right areas. But right now, her aim wasn¡¯t to tease the straight-faced blonde who still kept eye-contact without flinching. Taking a step forward, she gently cupped his cheeks with a gentle expression on her face. ¡°He wasn¡¯t there, but you were. I saw it in your memories, Dimori-kun. I saw how you tried to hard so find us. I saw everything and felt everything. When Akeno almost died, you were there. You protected my daughter and insured her safety. When I was in my final moments, you were there with me. You insured that even if my body couldn¡¯t be saved, my soul would pass on safely.¡± She rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs, her face inching closer. ¡°Did you know, Dimori-kun? In our culture, we believe that a soul that passes on with grievances will not be able to reincarnate. They will turn into lingering spirits that would exact vengeance on the living. This is what would¡¯ve happened to me if you hadn¡¯t come. If you hadn¡¯t stayed with me until my final moments, offered me comfort, warmth, and safety, I would never have been able to pass on in peace. This means that Amaterasu-sama would not have been able to revive me.¡± She leaned in closer, their noses nearly touching. ¡°Do you understand, Dimori-kun? In our darkest hours, you were the one who saved us.¡± Shuri looked into those blue eyes of his. She could see them sparkling, almost as if the layer of darkness covering them had retreated. In the short time she spent with Igor, she understood that sincere words alone would never resolve the guilt he kept hidden in his heart. Only words with tangible proof of action and results could ever hope to dislodge that lump of regret in his heart. And with how his eyes lit up, she knew it was working because in them¡­ ¡­she could also see relief. ¡°I see. So I¡¯m not a failure?¡± Shuri smiled lightly before kissing him on the forehead. Chuu~ She then brought him into her embrace. ¡°No, Dimori-kun. You¡¯re not a failure at all.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor closed his eyes, as he laid his head on her chest. [I feel¡­warm.] . AN . I¡¯ve read some comments asking why Aurelia or Igor couldn¡¯t sense each other like how the blonde could sense Asia. Unfortunately, any sort of explanation I try to offer would count as a spoiler. So¡­bear with it for a bit until they meet. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 84 ¡°I see. So I¡¯m not a failure?¡± Shuri smiled lightly before kissing him on the forehead. Chuu~ She then brought him into her embrace. ¡°No, Dimori-kun. You¡¯re not a failure at all.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor closed his eyes, as he laid his head on her chest. [I feel¡­warm.] . |DxD| . Soon after receiving that line of encouragement, Igor was finally a bit more receptive to waiting. Sitting on the windowsill outside, he was pondering as to why Baraquiel didn¡¯t arrive. He couldn¡¯t understand why the fallen hadn¡¯t arrived despite nearly an hour having passed since everything ended. Not wanting to just sit and ponder, he clasped his hands together and gradually began sensing all over Kuoh. [There¡¯s Sister Cleria. There¡¯s Akeno. But there¡¯s no other energy signature I can recognise.] The minutes passed as his senses extended several kilometres outward. Unlike before where he was blatant in his sensing, this time he allowed himself to sense the energy in the air. Like a powerful receiver, he submersed himself in the different signatures that travelled throughout the air. For him, sensing Baraquiel¡¯s energy signature would be fairly easy. He had fought the man enough times to know what his aura felt like. If he was around Kuoh, he would find him. [There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t come, right?] His hopes were dashed when he couldn¡¯t find a single lick of his aura in the area. Despite holding on for another minute, Igor became sure that the old fallen was definitely not in Kuoh. Opening his eyes, he cupped his cheeks in a frown. [Should I spread my ki over Japan?] He was considering the idea when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. ¡°Hm?¡± Turning his head, his eyes widened slightly to find Shuri dressed in the same blue dress he had tried to hand-over to her earlier. At the time, the blonde had arbitrarily taken it out of annoyance at waiting, but he never imagined that it would suit her this well. The dress gently hugged her figure all the way down to her knees, giving way to a slim, white pair of smooth legs that ended with unblemished toes slipped into a modest pair of brown, strapped sandals. Her hair flowed down like a waterfall that disappeared behind her shoulders, the strands tucked together so neatly that her hair appeared like one smooth black curtain, a dark abyss one would get lost in. Even someone as uncaring about beauty as Igor found himself lost for words. Her modest appearance made one focus on her eyes, eyes that were brown as moonstone. There was an appeal to them that the blonde never noticed before. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± That was all he could muster in his entranced state, something that made Shuri smile. ¡°Ara~. How do I look, Dimori-kun?¡± Her words managed to bring him back to reality. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Feeling embarrassed by being lost so easily in her gaze, the blonde sheepishly rubbed his head. ¡°I have to admit, aunty. You look really, really beautiful.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. Thank you Dimori-kun. Your words flatter me.¡± With her now being dressed, Igor wasted no further time and grabbed her hand before placing two fingers on his forehead. ¡°Well? Ready to go, aunty?¡± Shuri was silent for a bit. A part of her was worried about what Akeno might think. She had already accepted her as her daughter, however she was concerned if she would be accepted as a mother. Without her memories, Shuri was unsure how her former self acted around Akeno. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she could act as a proper mother to her. It was why she looked to the blonde with a slightly pleading look. ¡°Can we¡­walk first? Just to prepare myself.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Igor focused on Akeno¡¯s signature. Having already locked onto it, he began analysing it for a bit. Although he was a bit far from her, he could vaguely feel the current state of her body by gauging her aura fluctuations. Upon having sensed her state, he turned to Shuri with a light smile. ¡°Alright. Akeno seems to be asleep so we can walk.¡± Shuri sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you.¡± Although she wanted to meet her, Shuri couldn¡¯t do it so abruptly. First impressions mattered and she didn¡¯t want to fumble it by freezing up in front of Akeno. With their decision to walk resolved, Igor stood up on the windowsill. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs, aunty.¡± Flashing a thumbs up, he began falling backwards. ¡°?!¡± Watching his form fall towards a three-metre drop, Shuri felt her heart stop. ¡°Dimori-kun!!!¡± She hastily grabbed the ledge and leaned over just in time so see him backflip and land on his feet. It was then that her mind finally caught up. Palming her forehead, she sighed. [Of course he can survive, Shuri. What am I thinking?] Despite knowing so, her remaining hand on the ledge still trembled a bit. ¡°Hey, aunty!¡± Brought out of her dazed state by the blonde, she looked down to find him looking at her with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, aunty? I heard you call me!¡± She shook her head lightly. ¡°No need to worry, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde looked at her for a moment longer before shrugging. ¡°Okay, aunty.¡± . |DxD| . The two began walking along the dusty road bordered by trees on both sides. The path was just barely wide enough for a car to drive through and the both of them walked in the centre. With the repetitive sound of their footsteps against gravel, Shuri calmed down. When she glanced towards the blonde, she found him to be walking with a carefree smile on his face. With his hands behind his head, he appeared to be as relaxed as can be. Shuri found herself drawn to his face. Despite having witnessed his power, she still couldn¡¯t picture that this boy who walking with such a carefree expression on his face was the very same boy who annihilated a clan just over an hour ago. But Shuri could never understand how her simple presence brought peace to Igor¡¯s mind. Grief? Apprehension? Anxiety? All of that disappeared the moment he locked eyes with her. Even now, he was listening to the rhythmatic beating of her heart. Simple things satisfied Igor in life and hearing someone he considered kin breathe was one of them. With the silent and relaxed atmosphere between them, everything seemed peaceful despite it being chaotic a few moments ago. So much had happened in a single day that few would believe the story. The soft whispers of the wind ruffling the trees and was proof that the world continued to rotate. And having such a peaceful opportunity to talk, Shuri decided to spark a conversation. ¡°Dimori-kun. Can you tell me about yourself?¡± Having some of his memories were one thing, but she was genuinely interested in hearing more about the blonde from his mouth. ¡°Hm? Alright.¡± Pointing at himself with his thumb, Igor confidently grinned at her. ¡°My name is Igor von Dimori, number one fighter in the universe. Don¡¯t let anyone else tell you otherwise. The things I love are meat, training, and fighting strong people. I hate vegetables, scum, and cowards with all my heart. But I will tolerate vegetables because I need them to grow stronger. But the vegetable I hate with every fibre of my being is broccoli. That thing is tasteless and disgusting at the same time!¡± Shuri giggled at the clear look of disgust on his face. ¡°Fufufufu~. Then if I decide to cook, what would Dimori-kun like to eat.¡± As if a switch had been flipped, Igor¡¯s stomach proceeded to growl at that moment¡­loudly. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± It had truly been too long since the blonde last ate and with how much energy he had consumed in the last few hours, it took a lot of energy from him. He had been hungry ever since he trained with Sun Wukong on passive sensing, having to go for hours without food. With his stomach having been quite evident in its desire for sustenance, Shuri walked over and touched his stomach with her hand. ¡°Ara, Dimori-kun. Your stomach really is¡­flat. I¡¯ll cook for you when we get back home with Akeno-¡± Igor grabbed her shoulders with eyes filled with wonder. ¡°Really???¡± The allure of food was too great for him. Furthermore, it was food cooked by Shuri. Igor truly had missed her cooking after three years of ¡®enduring¡¯ the cafeteria food in Svargaloka or Flower-Fruit Mountain. In Flower-Fruit Mountain, the food he got had so little meat that he had to hunt for his own food in the Himalayan Mountain range. As for the Heavenly realm, he relied on the meat his time chamber generated to satisfy himself and Atid when his fellow brother came to the lower barracks. But nothing, absolutely nothing could trump Shuri¡¯s food. ¡°Do you know how much I missed your food?! Nothing beats your cooking, aunty!¡± His enthusiasm was so much that Shuri couldn¡¯t restrain a blush from spreading on her face. ¡°Ara? I¡¯m¡­really flattered Dimori-kun. Then just for tonight, I¡¯ll cook you a nice stew. What do you think?¡± Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them and looked her in the eye. ¡°Aunty. I think I love you.¡± ¡°...¡± It took a second for Shuri to process the words. ¡°E-eh?¡± However, the blonde had already let go of her. With his head facing sideways, he seemed to be lost in his world. ¡°No, wait. I already did¡­¡± He then looked at her again. ¡°Aunty! I think I love you even more!¡± It was then that Shuri understood he was just expressing his thanks. ¡°Oh...¡± For some a reason, a very tiny twinge of disappointment flashed in her heart before it vanished. ¡°Fufufu~ Then I¡¯ll make sure Dimori-kun loves me more and more from now on.¡± ¡°Eh? But that¡¯s impossible¡­I think.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because aunty is family and us Dimoris love our family!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°¡­this is a lot of damage, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°...yeah.¡± The duo had just exited the forest when they chanced upon numerous construction workers and machinery patrolling the streets. Some workers were cleaning the numerous shards of glass on the roads and pavements while contractors were fitting in new windows into the homes of some people. Many houses already had cardboard or plastic bags covering the empty window frames and there were still many pot-bellied fathers covering the empty windows or negotiating with contractors. People in suits and clipboards could be seen patrolling the streets with calculators in their pockets and cold sweat on their faces. It was clear just from this scene that many deep pockets were about to be turned inside out due to every single house in Kuoh suffering not only from every single window being shattered to pieces, but lightbulbs and numerous other electronics being destroyed. Boys all over Kuoh had woken up to find their precious computers had short-circuited and their hard drives destroyed. It was truly a tragedy that even had the blonde smile awkwardly at the destruction he unintentionally-intentionally wrought. Glancing to Shuri who was looking at him funnily, Igor proposed a question. ¡°How about we¡­¡± He gestured by placing to fingers on his forehead. ¡°Fufufu~. Yes, Dimori-kun. Let¡¯s go see Akeno.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 85 Boys all over Kuoh had woken up to find their precious computers had short-circuited and their hard drives destroyed. It was truly a tragedy that even had the blonde smile awkwardly at the destruction he unintentionally-intentionally wrought. Glancing to Shuri who was looking at him funnily, Igor proposed a question. ¡°How about we¡­¡± He gestured by placing to fingers on his forehead. ¡°Fufufu~. Yes, Dimori-kun. Let¡¯s go see Akeno.¡± . |DxD| . Two Hours Prior¡­ . Baraquiel was currently in Cuba stocking up on supplies. Having secluded himself into training for the past three years, he had made the relatively deserted island of Palmya Atoll his temporary abode. As always, he would dedicate a single day within a month to rest and he had found Cuba to be the most optimal location. The small nation known for its exports was loved by the fallen not only for its exotic dishes and lovely people, but because the influence of gods and factions was very low compared to other countries. Just like any other day, Baraquiel was going to enjoy a well-earned rest and return to his little island the next day when all of a sudden¡­ Fuuuush It was faint, But Baraquiel was able to sense a very familiar ki signature. ¡°Dimori? What is that brat up to now?¡± He looked at the direction where he felt the blonde¡¯s ki signature from and then looked at the recently delivered coffee on his table. ¡°...¡± Looking at his piping hot mug of black coffee, it wasn¡¯t even a debate. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Picking up his coffee, Baraquiel took a sip before reading the newspaper again. With his gruff look, black coat and combat boots, the fallen was a hulking figure that oozed a sense of solidarity. Very few people dared to come talk to him, except for a cheery waitress who without asking, slid into the chair opposite him. She was tanned like the man himself and displayed noticeable features of African-European descent. Her cream-white dress hugged her developed figure very well and her long, smooth hair was tied up into a neat bun. The woman appeared to be in her late twenties but with her cute face, she appeared much younger. She sat on the table and propped her head between her hands. Silently staring at Baraquiel, the old man in question didn¡¯t even bother lowering his newspaper. He had become somewhat used to her somewhat strange gaze and he no longer paid attention to it. But the woman persisted, even releasing a giggle when she saw he was ignoring her. The silence between them continued like this for over five minutes with neither side making a move, until the woman spoke. ¡°Baraquiel~. Your coffee will grow cold, you know?¡± It turned out he couldn¡¯t completely ignore her presence. ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, he stretched his hand to grab the mug only to feel something soft within his grasp. ¡°?¡± He gave a squeeze only to hear a moan come from the woman. ¡°Nnn~. Feeling brave, aren¡¯t we~?¡± ¡°?!¡± Baraquiel lowered his newspaper only to find that in the place of his mug, the woman had placed her chest on the spot. ¡°A-Alicia?!¡± Whipping his hand away from her, the fallen stood up in a fit, his cheeks having turned red from the sudden scare. The sultry smirk on her face did not help in slowing down his blood circulation, her visage the peak representation of seduction. He tried to step back, but Alicia grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast, a coy grin on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Baraquiel-¡¯chan¡¯? Do you not like~?¡± It was a critical hit. The cadre found himself dazed for a moment, his heart and his mind arguing over how to answer. But soon enough, he recovered his composure and ripped his hand from her bust. Rubbing his forehead in exasperation, he sighed. ¡°Alicia. I am a married man and I have a beautiful daughter waiting for me at home.¡± Alicia chuckled before she closed the distance between them. Placing her dainty hands on his chest, she began rubbing them all over before they lowered, clearly searching for something else rather than assess the coat¡¯s quality. She lifted her chin up to gaze at the fallen, her grin widening at his slightly embarrassed expression. ¡°Baraquiel. The question is very simple. Do you¡­¡± Her hand slipped through the gap between the buttons¡­ ¡°...not like~?¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡­and found his pants. ¡°?!¡± The fallen stiffened up, the feeling of her fingers gradually stiffening his¡­ ¡°No Alicia! You¡¯re a good woman. You can¡¯t do this!¡± Unfortunately, all he got in response were her dexterous fingers nimbly unbuttoning his pants before slipping in. ¡°You say ¡®no¡¯, yet¡­you clearly want this, don¡¯t you~.¡± Baraquiel had his eyes closed at the moment, his body tense from the ministrations of her fingers. She was maneuvering them with nimbleness that he couldn¡¯t help but hiss at the sudden tingle of pleasure that spread throughout his body. But gradually, he mustered up the will to resist. ¡°W-what if-mnn¡­what if p-people come in?¡± In response, Alicia stood on her tiptoes and leaned into his neck. He was immediately engulfed in the scent of lilacs, the subtle yet womanly aroma entering through his nose and bringing his mind into a haze. But that paled in comparison to what she did next. *Lick~* His eyes immediately shot open. A jolt of electricity flowed through Baraquiel when he felt her tongue gently lick his skin. The sudden sensation both tickled, pleasured, and aroused him greatly. When he turned his eyes to look at her, he was enraptured in those beautiful olive eyes that glowed like gemstones, eyes that looked at him like prey. ¡°?!¡± Combined with the feeling from her fingers, it was such a strong sensation that he almost fell to his knees. But he wouldn¡¯t fall yet. ¡°Haaa¡­.A-Alicia. P-people¡­¡± He hissed the last syllable when he felt her fingers travel up his shaft and painfully, yet gently rub the head. ¡°Fufufu~¡± Alicia kissed his neck before teasingly licking that very spot again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that~. You see, today we are closed. Meaning, today is just you and¡­*chu~*¡­me~.¡± She continued to tease him, her hands moving gently between his pants. Her kisses were soft, her tongue sending shivers across his spine. Alicia was working him slowly, crumbling his resolve stroke by stroke, kiss by kiss, lick by lick. She looked into his eyes closed in embarrassment, a feeling of pride forming in her heart. [Ah~¡­finally. After two whole years, I¡¯ve finally got him in my grasp.] In that brief moment, her mind travelled back to the past. Alicia had just opened her restaurant for a year when some hooligans sought to take advantage of her. Given that her country was still facing economic shortages, hooligans seeking free meals were rather common and given that she was a woman operating alone, she was a prime target. It was only because of Baraquiel teaching those boys a proper lesson that they never dared to come back. Since then, Alicia began paying attention to this strange customer of hers. He only came once a month, ordered a coffee, and left. When he left, he would purchase goods in bulk from several businesses before finally disappearing into thin air. After asking around about him, she heard many praises from the stores and vendors about how kind he was and how much good he had done for them just by purchasing their wares. For the next few months, this habit of his persisted and her interest in him grew. In the end, Alicia decided to personally serve him whenever he came as a form of gratitude. But to her woe, the man was always silent and only ever gave curt responses. But Alicia was undeterred. The months stretched into a year and things seemed to be destined to be monotonous, until one special day. Her restaurant had started to do poorly due to bad rumours about her lack of sanitation. For over two months this persisted until on the third, the rumours suddenly vanished. It wasn¡¯t until some digging and asking around from other business owners that she found out the reason. The same hooligans who had tried to take advantage of her a year prior used their connections to start bad rumours about her. Yet all of a sudden, they disappeared off the face of the earth. As for the ones responsible, all that was found was a single coat button. Alicia would¡¯ve been saddened, were it not for seeing the same set of buttons on a very familiar coat worn by a very familiar man the following month. It was in that moment that her feelings gradually began to shift beyond just gratitude. For two whole years, she silently nurtured these feelings, doing her best to find out everything about him. She pried through that stone-scold front and got him to open up about some mundane facts about himself. It saddened her that he was already married and had a wife, but she wouldn¡¯t give up. At most, she would be the second and that suited her fine. For the man she came to love, sharing him was a much better alternative than not having him. And so comes this moment. She was in his arms, his back against the wall. The curtains were drawn and they were all alone. Alicia was not willing to wait another month. For all she knew, he wouldn¡¯t come back again if she failed here. She has to foster an attachment to him soon, to ingrain herself into his heart, his mind¡­and his body. *Swu!* Very quickly, she pulled her hand from his pants and nimbly unbuttoned his coat, exposing a piece of his chest hidden behind his formal shirt. She lunged for his collarbone and began sucking on it, her nether region gradually wetting at the sound of his mewls. ¡°N-no¡­you¡­can¡¯t.¡± But she could and she would. Grabbing his hand, she pulled it towards her nether. ¡°Mnnn~¡± She was momentarily surprised by how big and rough his hand felt through her panties, but she persisted. She felt him tense just slightly and she began struggling to keep his hand there. It was quite obvious that he was trying to pull away out of embarrassment. Pulling away from his collarbone, Alicia looked at Baraquiel in the eye. ¡°Do you feel how wet I am, how much I want you?¡± She took his other hand and placed it on her chest. ¡°Feel my heart, Baraquiel. Do you feel it? I am not some whore who just wants a good time.¡± Baraquiel was left stunned by her sudden actions. She could feel her heart beating wildly and her love juice dripping through her panties. For a man who had been starved of affection for three years, his desires were threatening to subdue his will. But Baraquiel wouldn¡¯t cave in just yet. ¡°I can¡¯t, Alicia.¡± Those words hurt her, especially because of how he said it with a clear mind. Alicia could feel tears prickling through her eyes, but she couldn¡¯t give up, not when she¡¯d come this far. ¡°Two years, Baraquiel. I have loved you for two years. I tried staying away when you told me you had a wife, but I couldn¡¯t. Everytime I see you, my heart jumps for joy and everytime you leave, my heart hurts. I find myself counting the number of days until you return and everytime, I wait for your arrival. Baraquiel¡­¡± She placed her arms around his neck, her head leaning closer to his. ¡°I know you have a loving family waiting for you. I understood that and so I tried. I tried to stay away, to respect your wishes. But I cannot do it, not anymore¡­not when I have come to cherish your presence so much.¡± Her words were sincere, her emotions inscribed into the words that pierced into the fallen¡¯s heart. He looked into her eyes, his will wavering in the face of no falsehoods. Her head was inching closer to his, his head remaining stationary, making no move to retreat or escape. Their lips had just touched when- FUUUSHH This time, Baraquiel felt Igor¡¯s aura, it becoming much more intense than ever. He could feel the immense bloodlust emanating from it and the absolute force of power behind it. Instinctively, he whipped his head to the side, his brows turning serious. Alicia widened her eyes at the sudden action. Her heart nearly shattered to pieces when she saw him look away. She was about to apologise and leave when she noticed the fallen had a rather grave expression on his face. Rather, it seemed he was looking at something she couldn¡¯t see. ¡°B-Baraquiel?¡± She was nervous now. The cadre seemed to be lost in thought until he turned towards her with a grave expression on his face. ¡°Alicia. I sincerely apologise for leaving like this. But a serious matter that requires my attention has arose.¡± He then turned his head to the side. ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll come back.¡± Without waiting for her response, he vanished right in front of her. Su! . AN . I would kindly like to ask everyone of you, not to jump to assumptions. Many things can happen and different things can change...or stay the same. I will leave it at that. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 86 ¡°B-Baraquiel?¡± She was nervous now. The man seemed to be lost in thought until he turned towards her with a grave expression on his face. ¡°Alicia. I sincerely apologise for leaving like this. But a serious matter that requires my attention has arose.¡± He then turned his head to the side. ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll come back.¡± Without waiting for her response, he vanished right in front of her. Su! . |DxD| . Baraquiel did not hope for much when he appeared. His only hope was that this malevolent energy he felt all the way from Cuba had nothing to do with his family. The fact that he felt such a burst of energy coming from Kuoh was what made him leave Alicia in the first place. But when he appeared outside his home, his heart tightened when he found the door left open. ¡°No¡­¡± He could see the signs of the lock being tampered, the trampled grass indicating a group of people had been there. Far off in the distance, he could vaguely feel Igor¡¯s energy coming from Kuoh, and it was terrifying. The fact that he could ¡®feel¡¯ the blonde¡¯s anger served to make him tremble at the reasons why. Turning back to look at the open door, he desperately hoped his fears wouldn¡¯t come true. But it was also then that he noticed something, something that made his anxiousness shoot through the roof. ¡°The barrier¡­¡± He could not sense the barrier around the house or the one around the forest. ¡°I should¡¯ve received a notification.¡± Baraquiel frantically began rolling up his sleeves. If he indeed received a signal, then there would be a slight burn on either of his forearms. It was a more archaic method of linking a barrier to one¡¯s senses, but it was the most reliable. But he felt that reliability was false when he suddenly froze in his tracks. Right there on both his forearms, two blue lines had formed on his skin and appeared to have been tattooed there. His heart leaped to his throat when he realised the barriers had done their jobs. But unfortunately¡­ ¡°SHURI! AKENO!¡± ¡­he was in such a lust-induced haze that he did not feel the magic sear onto his flesh. Or rather, he confused that tingly feeling he felt all over his body for Alicia¡¯s ministrations. The fallen wanted to slap himself on the face for such a misdemeanor, a brief momentary haze that could potentially cost him the lives of his wife and daughter. Running into the house, he began scouring every single room. He was frantic with clear panic on his face. Everytime he kicked down a door, he held hope that somehow, he would find his wife and child huddled together. But there was also a deeper fear that he would find their mutilated corpses. When he finally burst into Akeno¡¯s room, a small sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he found clear signs of them having escaped. Dashing forward, he peered out the window, and the destruction he saw made his eyes narrow into pinholes. A large part of the forest had been completely destroyed. Like a gaping wound, the once lush woodland had turned into scattered parts of uprooted lumber, torn branches, and rubble. Even more, Baraquiel could feel the remnant malevolent energy coming from the vicinity. It was like a hazy mist that made him subconsciously tense, his instincts warning him to be wary. He gripped the windowsill, his instincts screaming at him not to get closer. ¡°Damnit¡­¡± Jumping through the window, he spread his wings and flew towards the place. A trace of cold sweat covered his brows as the atmosphere grew dense. The remnant traces of killing intent, malevolent energy, and absolute power made Baraquiel feel like he was flying through water. He was not sure what happened for there to be so much killing intent in the air, but as he got closer, he felt all those thoughts vanish without a trace when he saw what he never hoped to witness. His eyes widened in his disbelief as he increased his speed. ¡°No no no no no. It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Su! Like a bullet, he rushed forward and landed in the clearing with wavering steps¡­because right in front of his eyes, was the corpse of his wife. ¡°Shuri?¡± His heart lurched as he took a few steps forward. ¡°Shuri!¡± He rushed towards her and collapsed on his knees, his arms reaching out to cradle her corpse. ¡°Shuri!!!!¡± He hugged her corpse and began giving faint taps on the cheek. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Shuri wake up! Wake up!!!¡± He began shaking her vigorously, his anguished screams filling the clearing. ¡°SHURI WAKE UP! PLEASE!!!!!¡± But it was to no avail. Her cheeks had long since paled and wounds that would be gushing blood had slowed to very small drips, the signs of clotting already beginning to show. Her once boisterous heart had quietened and there was no trace of her soul in her body. His lips quivered as the undeniable reality set in. *Drip* *Drip* He hugged her tightly as tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°Shuri¡­my wife...¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. He couldn¡¯t believe that the person he had been with for over a decade had left him like this, killed nonetheless. Her limbs were broken like a dog¡¯s, her once noble appearance reduced to dying in rags. It was an undignified death, an undeserved ending and worst of all, it was his fault. Baraquiel looked into the distance with budding rage in his eyes. ¡°Himejima¡­¡± It was not hard for him to guess with all these clues. There was only group that would want Shuri dead. And judging from the massive power he felt from Kyoto, Baraquiel guessed Igor knew too. He could feel a faint trace of the blonde¡¯s presence in Kyoto. The power he felt made him evaluate the blonde as just slightly above high-god class, not even close enough to pass the legion of gods the Shinto Pantheon has. He truly wanted to let Igor destroy the clan, maybe even join him. A sick, twisted part of him wanted to let the blonde destroy the Himejima. Very few knew of the relations between them and if need be, he could deny it in the future. It was sick of him to have such grief-induced thoughts and he knew it. As a cadre of Grigori, Baraquiel knew he couldn¡¯t afford to exact vengeance without endangering his family and he shared too much of a good relationship with the boy to let him die. So with a defeated voice, he muttered. ¡°H-he can¡¯t. Not yet¡­¡± It pained him, but neither he nor the blonde could afford to go up against the Shinto Pantheon. The fact that he could not avenge the murderers of his wife hurt him deeply to the core. But sadly, this was the reality for him. So gently laying Shuri¡¯s corpse on the ground, he spoke to himself. ¡°I must stop him.¡± He felt like a waste. Even in his grief-stricken state, he could feel the power the boy wielded far surpassed his own and could even contend with Azazel¡¯s. But as powerful as Igor was, Baraquiel knew he would not be able to contend with the myriad of deities in the realm of god class, especially not with their pseudo-immortality. So with a resigned gaze, the fallen stood up. *Crackle* *Crackle* *Crackle* Streaks of black lightning formed around him as his power gradually rose up. In his period of training, Baraquiel did not get much of a strength increase. Although he was only able to move from low to mid-god class, his focus from the beginning wasn¡¯t on gaining power, but on obtaining speed. With his specialty lying in lightning and being a more close-quarters fighter, improving his existing abilities was more optimal than seeking methods to his increase his strength. And as a result, he was able to evolve his golden lightning into black lightning. Not only was his attack power increased monumentally, but his speed far eclipsed his previous capabilities by a tremendous margin. Su! Bounding off from the ground, Baraquiel vanished in a streak of lightning. Although his strength was only in the mid-god class, the cadre was confident his speed alone was unrivalled in the realm of god-class. Right now, his goal was to retrieve the blonde and escape with him as soon as possible before the Shinto Pantheon responded. [Please stay alive, brat.] He had already lost Shuri and he was unsure about Akeno. He did not want to potentially lose the boy who reminded him so much of his first student. With that determination in mind, he streaked across the skies and had almost reached Kyoto when he saw a pale figure, a figure that Baraquiel dared not have any thoughts on blitzing around. With his very iconic robe, pale blue skin, and his scepter, the fallen immediately stopped in his tracks after recognising Nandi, the attendant of Shiva. The angel had no presence. With that ever-small smile on his face, he appeared like another kind person in the wide supernatural world. But Baraquiel knew that even Nandi witnessed slaughter, he would still maintain this same smile. And right now, that light smile was directed at him. . ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t the Lightning General himself. How long has it been, Baraquiel?¡± Baraquiel didn¡¯t dare be disrespectful in front of him. It did not matter how sad or panicked he was. One wrong word and his life would be forfeit. So, controlling his rampant emotions, he replied respectfully. ¡°I believe it has been four-thousand years, Lord Nandi.¡± The angel chuckled lightly. ¡°Please. Remove the ¡®lord¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel dared not address Nandi with his name directly. Even if it has been four-thousand years, he still felt a great instinctual threat when he faced Nandi. There were no known tales of his power, only speculation. But even rumours have their basis in truth and one fact was known, the one who served Shiva would never be weak in any regard. And he certainly wouldn¡¯t stop him without reason. ¡°Please tell me what you need from me?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You may have guessed it Baraquiel, but I am indeed here to stop you from reaching the son of Dimori.¡± ¡°...¡± It was slight, but Nandi sensed the faint hostility emanate from Baraquiel, which caused him to laugh. ¡°Hohohoho~. Fret not, Baraquiel. My lord harbours no ill-intent against the boy. And, even if I did let you pass¡­¡± Nandi made a gesture with his hand and the faint power Baraquiel felt from Igor suddenly multiplied exponentially. It made the power he felt before seem like a complete joke. The power Igor had was¡­ ¡°S-supreme class???¡± It came as a complete shock to him that the blonde would suddenly come to wield such power. The wave of oppression he felt made him hold a faint trace of hope that maybe, just maybe, the Himejima would not get away with it. But as he drowned in Igor¡¯s power, he suddenly remembered that there existed people like Susanoo, a war god who would have no problem cutting down the blonde. His fists clenched as apprehension fueled his determination to take the blonde away even more. But like mist in the wind, Nandi gestured with his hand and the power faded away back to what it was before. He then waved his finger like he was denying a child. ¡°Ah ah ah, Baraquiel. I can sense your thoughts and unfortunately, I still cannot condone your passage.¡± Baraquiel was about to protest when Nandi offered a subtle glare which immediately caused the cadre to fall silent. ¡°...¡± Giving off a light smile, Nandi continued. ¡°Even if I did let you pass, do you perhaps think you could stop him, Baraquiel? He is in quite the foul mood and I dare presume outside interference would not receive a warm welcome, even from you.¡± He couldn¡¯t respond. The power he felt from the blonde far eclipsed his understanding. Forget him, even Azazel and the whole of Grigori would fail to stop him. His power was just that monumental, so monumental that Baraquiel feared how powerful the blonde would become if given a few years, years that could be used to get stronger and exact proper vengeance without fear of retaliation. Sensing that Baraquiel would continue to remain silent, Nandi decided to speak. ¡°Rest assured, Baraquiel. Nothing will happen to the boy. Perhaps you should best make use of this time by visiting your daughter. Akeno, was it? Her temporary residence should currently be in the homestead of the Belial¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel knew to take a hint when he saw one. He was being dismissed in quite the kindest of ways. Even if he had the power, he would not fight when he received news of his daughter, especially when he just received confirmation that the blonde would be alright. So nodding his head lightly, he spoke. ¡°Thank you.¡± Su! . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 87 ¡°Rest assured, Baraquiel. Nothing will happen to the boy. Perhaps you should best make use of this time by visiting your daughter. Akeno, was it? Her temporary residence should currently be in the homestead of the Belial¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel knew to take a hint when he saw one. He was being dismissed in quite the kindest of ways. Even if he had the power, he would not fight when he received news of his daughter, especially when he just received confirmation that the blonde would be alright. So nodding his head lightly, he spoke. ¡°Thank you.¡± Su! . |DxD| . After leaving Nandi, Baraquiel flew towards Kuoh without further hesitation. The only thing on his mind right now was seeing his daughter. It was his foremost desire, the need to see his own flesh and blood in front of him. As for Shuri¡¯s corpse, he didn¡¯t want to touch it, not yet. The malevolent energy that was in the area strangely didn¡¯t harm her body like it did the other plant matter. Rather, it seemed to hover around her like a barrier. Baraquiel knew that if he tried to move her body, then he may risk decaying or damaging it further if he were to try and take it through field of malevolent energy. So as he flew back from meeting Nandi, he could only fly forward, his head only briefly diverting to take a look at the corpse of his wife. Black lightning coiled around his body like a snake, his speed increasing tremendously until his form began blurring. He seemingly disappeared from sight, his speed allowing him to cover kilometres in less than an instant. Having reached the outskirts of Kuoh, anyone who looked into the sky wouldn¡¯t be able to see him. He flew over the town, not caring in the slightest for the damage he saw. It was chaotic down below but order had begun to take place. Various trucks and vans now filled the streets as well as construction machinery that was brought in for the relatively high-standing buildings. Sweepers were roaming the streets with the equipment they used to get most of the glass shards off the roads and pave the way for vehicles. Although crime was relatively low in the town, police officers and troopers could be seen roaming the streets with their greatest focus being in the areas of commerce. With windows destroyed and electrical devices such as cameras down, it was up to them to stop any opportunistic civilian from trying to take advantage. At least for today, Kuoh could be considered to have come to a crippling stop with numerous businesses having been forced to close for the day. Baraquiel only had one destination in his mind and he would have to travel a bit further to reach it. Having slowed down his speed, the cadre maintained a high altitude as well as applied some obscuring magic. Upon reaching the richer neighbourhoods of Kuoh, he flew towards the prestigious houses that were built on the hills until finally, he spotted Cleria¡¯s house. It was a relatively small estate with two floors and pristine gardens surrounding it. With high-raised fences, neatly trimmed lawns and a fountain in the middle, the landscape oozed serenity. Baraquiel could spot a few devils and familiars roaming around the house with construction hats on their heads, a clear sign that Cleria¡¯s house had also suffered damages and had just been repaired. It would¡¯ve been concerning for him as a fallen angel to suddenly visit, but he recognised that all the devils and familiars here were part of Cleria¡¯s peerage, meaning there was no cause for alarm. Anxious as he was to see Akeno, Baraquiel knew he should at least follow proper decorum towards someone who took in his child instead of rushing into the room where he sensed his daughter. So landing on the ground, he made his presence aware to the woman who seemed to be tending to one of the plants by the door. She had short black hair that neatly flowed down her sides and she appeared to be around the age of fourteen. With a modest white checkered dress and green gardening gloves, she hummed happily, seemingly lost in her world as she gently tended to the flowers. Knowing that she didn¡¯t hear him landing, Baraquiel decided to attract her attention. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Greetings.¡± The little lady was startled as she dropped her hand gardening fork. ¡°Oh my.¡± She bent down to pick it up before turning towards the fallen. ¡°Oh? Good morning Baraquiel-san. You are here to see Akeno, yes?¡± Baraquiel nodded to her question. Looking at her now, he vaguely recognised her as Lina, one of Cleria¡¯s bishops. ¡°Yes. Please let me see her immediately.¡± Lina replied with a smile. ¡°I see. Then please follow me.¡± She got up and dusted herself before opening the two relatively large doors to the house and led the way in. The inside was a relative mix of retro and modern with a heavier lean towards the former. From the chandeliers to the windows, it was a mix of the interior design from the 1940¡¯s to a few of some of the more recent designs released in the early ¡®90s. Right in front of them was a carpeted stairwell and it was where Lina led the cadre. Starting to climb them, she turned to the fallen with a closed-eye smile. ¡°Akeno-san is currently under the care of Cleria-sama. You can rest assured that she is in good hands.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± His fists were clenched in nervousness, but his composure remained as he was led up the stairs. They made their way to the top before turning left into a long passage filled with clandestine lighting that illuminated ancient paintings which seemed to stem from the times of the Renaissance. There were a few rooms placed parallel to each other with individual artworks placed above the doorposts and right at the end of the hallway, it led to a balcony that led to the view of manicured lawns. They continued walking down the passageway until Lina stopped. It was vague, but inside they could hear the muffled cries of a little girl and the comforting words of another woman. Baraquiel could barely hold himself back from rushing into the room, his apprehension and fatherly concern threatening to overtake him. But Lina managed to grab his hand and shot him a mean glare. She then gestured towards Baraquiel with her finger to stay quiet. ¡°...¡± Having received the fallen¡¯s nod of acquiescence, she then proceeded to gently knock on the door thrice before speaking. ¡°Cleria-sama. A¡­¡± She then glanced towards him before continuing. ¡°...special guest has arrived.¡± ¡°...¡± There was silence for a while before the knob turned to reveal Cleria. There were noticeable bags under her eyes and a relatively large wet patch of tears on her formal dress. The moment the silverette spotted Baraquiel, she closed the door before turning to him with an angry snarl on her face. She lashed out at him in an angry whisper. ¡°Where were you?!¡± ¡°I-¡± Not giving Baraquiel time to answer, she grabbed his hand and dragged him away. ¡°Follow me!¡± Cleria walked forward away from Akeno¡¯s room with Baraquiel in tow. As for Lina, she remained behind and she could be heard asking if Akeno wanted some refreshments in a soothing voice. Baraquiel faltered, wanting to at least hear more of his daughter¡¯s voice, but Cleria wouldn¡¯t allow him that privilege. Yanking him forward, she opened the door to her office before throwing him inside. *Bam* Slamming the door shut, she slapped her hand on it where a magic circle formed and vanished before turning towards Baraquiel. ¡°WHERE WERE YOU, BARAQUIEL?!?!?!¡± Nothing could describe the pure anger that was emanating from those red eyes from her. ¡°Over twenty minutes have passed! So tell me. Where¡­the hell¡­WERE YOU!!!¡± He couldn¡¯t provide an answer. Rather, it was too shameful for him to even speak. His head was lowered in guilt, clear remorse on his face. It did not matter that Cleria was many times weaker than him. The regret he felt in his heart was far¡­far too much and by all rights, he felt he deserved this, if not more. And Cleria would certainly deliver more. ¡°Show me your forearms.¡± ¡°...¡± Apparently, silence was not the best choice. ¡°Show me your forearms!¡± Baraquiel hesitated, but Cleria wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°SHOW ME!!!!¡± Silently, Baraquiel rolled up the sleeves to reveal the very distinct blue marks engraved on his forearms. ¡°...¡± Upon seeing them, Cleria couldn¡¯t speak. Her eyes widened in shock to what she was seeing. The moment she saw the fallen, she noticed his clothes were not damaged in the slightest, meaning he wasn¡¯t in a fight that could potentially delay him from coming. The next option was if the magic notification failed to reach him, but clearly it did. She couldn¡¯t help but look at Baraquiel, her eyes growing misty with each passing second. ¡°Baraquiel. My friend is lying dead on the forest floor. I have been here, comforting Akeno who has repeatedly told me that she hates her fallen blood. Do you know what the Himejima called her? They called her¡­¡± A choked sob came out of her throat, her tears now falling in full force. ¡°Baraquiel. Where were you?¡± She asked softly, her voice pleading for him to answer. But again, the fallen couldn¡¯t reply, and that was enough to set her switch off. ¡°Damnit, Baraquiel!!!¡± She flew forward and grabbed him by the scruff of the clothes. ¡°WHERE WERE YOU! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE¡­*sniff* *sniff*¡± Her eyes widened as disbelief filled them. Her gaze became hollow as she looked at Baraquiel like the biggest scum on earth. She took a few steps back as if being even a centimetre closer to him was unbearable. She looked at him, her heart beating wildly as rage-infused blood pumped through her body. ¡°A-a woman? YOU WERE WITH A WOMAN?!?!¡± . AN . Sorry for the delay in updating. I was delayed on Friday which eventually made me unable to update until today. I do however have two chapters and I hope you enjoyed this one and will enjoy the next. Chapter 88 ¡°Damnit, Baraquiel!!!¡± She flew forward and grabbed him by the scruff of the clothes. ¡°WHERE WERE YOU! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE¡­*sniff* *sniff*¡± Her eyed widened as disbelief filled them. Her gaze became hollow as she looked at Baraquiel like the biggest scum on earth. ¡°A-a woman? YOU WERE WITH A WOMAN?!?!¡± . |DxD| . Cleria couldn¡¯t mistake the scent. The smell on Baraquiel was definitely that of a woman. And judging by how strong the scent was, the contact between them wasn¡¯t brief. Her eyes were filled with horror and rage at the revelation, his guilty gaze serving to push her anger forward. But despite how angry she was, she couldn¡¯t muster the strength to lash out at him. ¡°Why¡­¡± Tears were streaming down her face. She knew how much Shuri loved the man and how much he loved her, atleast she thought so. ¡°Did you have fun? Huh, Baraquiel? Was it fun? While you were out there¡­F-FORNICATING with a woman, your wife¡­MY best friend was bleeding to death. I can¡¯t even get her corpse, Baraquiel!!!¡± Cleria had tried to recover Shuri¡¯s corpse, but the killing intent and malevolent energy in the area was so much that with her current strength, it was simply impossible. Even now, she couldn¡¯t get the image of Shuri¡¯s mangled body out of her head. The sight horrified her to the extent that the first time she saw it, she collapsed to her knees. If she compared the Shuri she saw to her finely dressed husband who reeked the stench of lilacs, the comparison made her want to lose her mind. But Cleria couldn¡¯t even get mad anymore. Everything had taken a massive toll on her body and mind. From having to deal with politics in the Underworld, to almost losing Masaomi and to actually LOSING Shuri, the silverrette wasn¡¯t even given a chance to grieve. As the Overseer of Kuoh, she had to get the city back on its legs and keep the knowledge of the supernatural from the mundane. So much work had been stacked on her shoulders that she was just tired. She lifted her head, her ruby eyes having dulled due to her grief. They were lifeless, her gaze pained yet dry. She looked at Baraquiel right in the eye, her question piercing the man in the heart. ¡°Was everything a joke to you?¡± She looked at him tiredly, her eyes silently pleading for a simple answer. Her question stemmed not from logic, but from emotion. Grief-stricken as she was, Cleria could also see the sadness and regret in his eyes. But she wanted to hear it from his mouth, the confirmation that her best friend did not suffer and give birth to a child for a man who never cared about her in the first place. Ever since they had entered this room, not once had Baraquiel fought back. His head remained lowered in shame, not even trying to refute her words or shift the blame. But he couldn¡¯t accept his feelings towards Shuri being questioned. In the face of Cleria¡¯s question, he lifted his head and looked at her with a slightly dark gaze. ¡°Cleria. Don¡¯t question my feelings about Shuri-¡± ¡°But you were with another-¡± ¡°DAMNIT CLERIA! I LOVED HER! I LOVED SHURI! SHE¡­¡± A single tear escaped his eye, his lips trembling with the pain he was barely suppressing. ¡°She was the best thing that had ever happened to me. This past decade was more meaningful to me than the past millennium I lived.¡± His fists clenched, his anger rising at how Cleria dared to question his love for Shuri. ¡°My feelings for Shuri were NEVER a joke! Do you think it doesn¡¯t hurt me?! Do you think that my heart doesn¡¯t bleed?! IT DOES, CLERIA! IT DOES! IT¡­¡± A choked sob filled with the pain he was trying to suppress escaped his mouth. His eyes were red from grief and regret. Shuri was his lifeline, his only reason for trying to get so strong. No one knew how much pain he had to go through to evolve his lightning, the amount of times he, the lightning general himself, nearly electrocuted himself to death¡­and it was all for her and their family. A small part of him wanted to blame his non-arrival on Alicia. It would be very easy to pin everything on her. His consciousness would be eased since it is a fact that without her intervention, he would¡¯ve felt the magic notification of the barrier being broken. If it weren¡¯t for Alicia, he would¡¯ve been drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper before he felt a shock to his arms. But he didn¡¯t blame her, because he also agreed to it. She was a human through and through. Pushing her away would¡¯ve been very easy with his power. There was no drug that was influencing him nor was he being pressured. It was very simple coercion and seduction. A simple spell and he could¡¯ve put her to sleep. But he didn¡¯t, and it was why he didn¡¯t blame her¡­couldn¡¯t blame her. Alicia had no fault in this and he knew it. He was aware of her particular attraction to him for the past few months, meaning that everything she did was just one very terrible coincidence. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Baraquiel knew that if it were not for the sudden malevolent energy he felt from Kuoh, he might¡¯ve never came back until he received the news of what happened. He was willing to lay with her and it was an irrefutable fact. It was why he did nothing to refute Cleria¡¯s claim, because he knew that he would¡¯ve shared a bed with her. He knew it himself that just as Alicia had said, he liked it and wanted it. To blame his wife¡¯s death on her would only serve to erase the little dignity he had left. But he couldn¡¯t accept Cleria¡¯s words of claiming his love for Shuri was a joke. ¡°Shuri was the most important person in my heart. She was the love of my life. But because of me she¡­¡± He knew it, but he couldn¡¯t say it. He acknowledged it, but he couldn¡¯t verbalise it. He couldn¡¯t put it into words that¡­ ¡°She died because of you, Baraquiel.¡± He couldn¡¯t say it, but Cleria could. Her gaze was dry, her eyes dry from all the tears she released. ¡°She died¡­and you are responsible.¡± ¡°I¡­yes.¡± He was aware of it as well as Cleria. Everything that had happened was because of him. If he had not fallen in love with Shuri or impregnated her, none of this would¡¯ve happened. He failed as a man, a husband, and as a father. His job was to protect his family, and he failed in the most shameful of ways. While he bathed in another woman¡¯s warmth, his family was drowned in the cold embrace of death. The mistakes for his carelessness had manifested in the worst of ways, the result of his inaction finally revealing itself in the most inopportune of times. Nothing could wash away the shame he felt or erase his actions. And he had no one else to blame but himself. ¡°I have no way to atone for my mistake-¡± ¡°Mistake? Do you think this is just a simple ¡®whoopsie¡¯-¡± ¡°Please, Cleria¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria looked into his eyes and she saw that they were red and lifeless, the lifelessness that comes from immense grief, the very eyes that people on the verge of suicide tend to have. As much as she wanted to continue to berate him, to vent out all of her frustrations, anger, and sadness at him, she also realised that he truly did love Shuri, and it hurt him just as much to lose her. And it seemed it hurt him much, much more. Wiping her eyes, she decided to briefly, just briefly put the past behind. There was truly no point in blaming him any further. What¡¯s done has been done and every method she could think of had been tried. Even if she could resurrect Shuri with a peerage piece, her last one was used on Masaomi and none of her peerage were currently high class yet. So with Shuri truly gone, it was unfortunate, but life had to move on. With Igor having flew off to Kyoto for vengeance, Cleria had to consider the possible retaliation of the Shinto Pantheon. As it stood, she had absolutely no hope that they would win and even more grave, was that she didn¡¯t fancy the blonde¡¯s chances of survival. It was sad, but as the Overseer, this was the time for her to use logic instead of emotions. ¡°What will you do now? Dimori-kun went off to Kyoto and we don¡¯t know if he will¡­return.¡± Cleria had felt the immense power he amassed. While it was more than enough to suppress or even eliminate the Himejima clan, she was unsure if he could leave the territory of the Shinto after blatantly targeting one of their own like that. Mimicking Cleria, it seemed Baraquiel had recovered to some extent, but it was very clear he was doing his utmost to keep his emotions in check. ¡°Nothing will happen to him. He has the protection of Shiva.¡± Cleria widened her eyes, the news briefly triggering her curiosity. But given the current situation, she neither had the heart nor the will to investigate any further. ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s good.¡± All she could think of was that there wouldn¡¯t be another corpse that she needed to bury. It was only morning yet the day felt so long. She had to contact many people, perform large-scale memory wipes, and create alternate reasons as to why every single window shattered and every single appliance suffered from a power surge. She desperately wanted to rest, but between burying her friend and resolving everything in Kuoh, she couldn¡¯t leave yet. There were many people she had to contact with some of them including Yasaka, Azazel, and Diehauser. This scope had stretched beyond what she could handle alone since if this matter was not mitigated or handled correctly, a war with the Shinto Pantheon may possibly erupt. With the cadre here, it was somewhat convenient since she desperately needed the knowledge and experience of someone who has seen and survived some of the most gruesome wars in history. ¡°Baraquiel-¡± ¡°Does she know?¡± ¡°...¡± Facing Baraquiel¡¯s sudden interruption, it didn¡¯t take long for Cleria to realise he was referring to Akeno. ¡°No. I haven¡¯t told her yet.¡± Left unsaid was that she couldn¡¯t. She was not in the right state of mind at the time to comfort the little girl who would desperately need a pillar of support after receiving news of her mother¡¯s death. Between dealing with political, economical, social, and emotional issues, it was hard enough maintaining her own state of mind. As for Baraquiel, a twinge of fear and apprehension gripped him when Cleria told her she hadn¡¯t informed Akeno. He remained silent, his indecision threatening to throttle him. He was not there when his family was suffering under duress and now, he had to deliver the news of Shuri¡¯s death to Akeno. ¡°*Sigh*¡± There was nothing he could do except bite the bullet. ¡°Thank you, Cleria.¡± The cadre then proceeded to walk past her, his steps slow and resigned. Having to inform a child, his own child nonetheless that her own mother had died was not an easy affair. His shoulders were slumped as if another invisible weight had been added on top of them. But, it was his job as a father. He had failed his family once and the consequences were horrendous. He didn¡¯t want to fail them twice. He didn¡¯t want to fail the last remaining trace of the love between him and Shuri, his one and only daughter. Having reached the door, he was about to turn the knob when Cleria spoke with a soft voice. ¡°She needs you, Baraquiel. She needs you.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t reply. He simply opened the door and closed it, leaving Cleria alone in her office. As soon as she heard the fallen¡¯s steps retreat down the hallway, she released a sigh before walking over to her desk. One of her peerage had left important documents there that needed to be evaluated and signed. Having rounded her desk, she was about to sit down when she noticed a small, framed picture of her and Shuri smiling in front of the park fountain. Shuri appeared much younger here and she was dressed in a simple brown skirt and white t-shirt. While Cleria appeared very excited, Shuri had a reserved smile on her face with their fingers joined together to form a heart. That picture, one she always found herself smiling at, now awakened the barely suppressed emotions that she had tried so hard to withhold. Her lips trembled as she took the picture in her hands and looked at it. A fresh stream of tears flowed down her face, her chest heaving up and down as she desperately tried to hold back her woeful sobs. But she couldn¡¯t do it. She collapsed on her knees, the picture buried in her chest as she hugged the cherished memento of the first outing with her friend. Because right on the bottom was written¡­ S & CBest Friends ForeverAugust 7, 1981 . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 89 Her lips trembled as she took the picture in her hands and looked at it. A fresh stream of tears flowed down her face, her chest heaving up and down as she desperately tried to hold back her woeful sobs. But she couldn¡¯t do it. She collapsed on her knees, the picture buried in her chest as she hugged the cherished memento of the first outing with her friend. Because right on the bottom was written¡­ S & CBest Friends ForeverAugust 7, 1981 . |DxD| . Baraquiel walked down the corridor with heavy steps. His emotions were a mix of relief and apprehension at having to see his daughter. He just wished he could¡¯ve seen her under much better circumstances. He imagined a scene where once he came back the following year, he could truly start to teach her about her heritage for her tenth birthday. He had everything planned and would even start to slowly train her how to use her holy lightning. Unfortunately, things did not pan out like he truly wished. Shuri was dead and there was nothing he could do. A part of him just wanted to run, just disappear for a few decades and grieve. Few people could understand just how much Shuri meant to him, how much her presence impacted his life. For centuries, all Baraquiel knew was doing missions for Grigori. He was not smart like Azazel or organised and logistical like Shemhazai. He was not politically smart like Kokabiel nor could garner followers like his crazed brother. All he had were his lightning and his fists and so he voluntarily decided to be the muscle for Grigori. Each brother had their roles and he did his perfectly. Decade after decade, century after century, and millennium after millennium, his life was to simply receive intel, infiltrate, and exterminate. He was content with being the brute force of his family until one fatal day, he got injured on a mission and with a hasty teleportation, landed in her path. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was manipulation. Or maybe it was sheer coincidence. But under her care, his heart that had turned to stone slowly crumbled under her radiance. His mind that only knew how to kill slowly began to yearn for her presence. For months, he kept contact with her. It did not matter in what dimension his missions took him. He would always, ALWAYS, pass through Kuoh to see her before returning to Grigori. Sometimes he deliberately injured himself just to have an excuse to see her. These strange feelings he had, the simple notion of just being content in her presence, of taking joy in simply seeing her smile, hearing her voice, feeling her touch, confused him. It wasn¡¯t until he confided with Azazel that he finally understood that what he was feeling, was love. He found it nonsensical at first. She was a human. How could he fall in love with a human? It made no sense in his mind. But as the months slowly turned into a year, his continued presence around her completely melted his preconceptions. He did not mince words. He was not poetical. As a quiet guy, he was relatively awkward with words, especially when it came to admitting what he felt to the woman who caused his heart to thrum with her very presence. But he did eventually confess. He did not know what to expect, but a kiss was certainly not one of them. And so began their relationship, one where he felt the most joy in his life. But none of it compared to the time when she gave birth to Akeno, his one and only daughter. It was the happiest he had ever been. She gave birth to a beautiful daughter for him and with the three of them, they became a family. Fourteen years had passed since he met her. He never imagined that he would lose her so soon. She was only in her early thirties, far too young for a woman of her calibre to die. But she did, and it was because of him¡­because of his presence. And now, he had to tell his daughter that she lost her mother, that she would never see her again. It pained him. It pained him truly to the point that he felt he would go insane. But as Cleria said, Akeno needed him. So reaching the door to her room, he knocked twice before entering. *Dakaang* Pushing the door open, he was subjected to the sight of Akeno sitting on the edge of the bed while swinging her little legs. At first notice, one would think she was bored. With a sullen face supported by her hands, she did seemingly appear like an un-entertained child. But if one looked closer, they could see that her eyes seemed glazed over, a sign that she was deep in thought. With a cute white dress with flowered patterns, Baraquiel felt his heart bleed a bit. She was the epitome of purity, the little star that brightened his day everytime he saw her. But remembering Cleria¡¯s words, he feared what the Himejima said to his little girl, what cruelty she was subjected to through his period of absence. Akeno was like a husk, a puppet without strings. But upon hearing the door open, she looked up. The moment she saw her father, a sliver of life seemed to enter her body. Immediately, she got up from bed and ran towards him. ¡°Daddy!¡± She galloped towards him and threw herself into his embrace. Her arms wrapped around his legs, her mind finally feeling ease that her father, her source of protection was here. Emotions that were repressed immediately came out. Tears streamed out of her eyes as she tried to speak. ¡°I-*hik* I¡­I-¡± ¡°I¡¯m here now, Akeno.¡± He picked her up and held her tightly in his arms, her warmth helping to ease his mind a bit. But her next question made his heart suddenly beat faster. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°M-mom¡­where¡¯s m-mom?¡± ¡°...¡± The moment had come. He expected it, even mentally prepared himself for it, but he found his spirit waver in the face of this moment. Akeno looked at him with pleading eyes which served to make him feel even more guilty, more useless. ¡°She¡­¡± He found himself hurting, the words he wanted to say failing to escape his mouth. But he had to. She had to hear it from his mouth. ¡°Your mother¡­has left this world.¡± He said it, but she didn¡¯t process it. ¡°What¡­?¡± Her words weren¡¯t from disbelief, but from confusion. She didn¡¯t understand what her father meant by his words. ¡°Did mama go somewhere? Can we go to her?¡± The way she held onto his coat almost excitedly made Baraquiel feel even more sorrow¡­sorrow at the fact that he now had to explain what death was. She had a smile on her face, her jubilance only making it that much harder for him to speak. But he had to. ¡°No, my child. We cannot go and see your mother.¡± She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°...Why?¡± Baraquiel looked at her with a solemn gaze. ¡°Because¡­she¡¯s dead, Akeno. We can never see her again.¡± ¡°...¡± It took a while for his words to process in her head. But eventually, they did. ¡°No¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°NO!¡± She shook her head vehemently as tears came out of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re lying! YOU¡¯RE LYING!!¡± She began trying to get out of his grasp, but Baraquiel held her tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡± ¡°NO!¡± She began pounding her chest, her screams of refusal serving to hurt him much more than her tiny fists could. ¡°I¡¯m so-¡± ¡°NOOOOOOO!!!¡± Her wails were loud as tears of pain gushed down her cheeks. She could comprehend, but couldn¡¯t believe. She couldn¡¯t believe that her mother had left them alone in this world. Akeno knew what death meant, except she only ever saw it in the TV dramas she watched with her mother. She never imagined that the scenes she saw on television would actually happen to her too. It was too much for her to handle, too much for her to accept. But seeing the pained look on her father¡¯s face, she had to accept that this¡­wasn¡¯t a joke. She collapsed onto his chest, her tears soaking through the fabric. Baraquiel held on to her tightly, her wails constricting his heart with guilt. Never had he felt so much guilt and anguish before in his life. Everytime Akeno cried on his chest, Cleria¡¯s words would run through his head. ¡®She died because of you, Baraquiel.¡¯ ¡°MAMAAAA!¡± ¡®She died¡­and you are responsible.¡¯ ¡°Daddy I want mommaaaaa!¡± ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t restrain his pain anymore. The tears poured out of his eyes, the pain he tried so desperately to bottle up releasing itself through his silent tears. ¡°My fault¡­it¡¯s my fault.¡± He cried silently, the weight of the future now on his shoulders. Akeno would have to grow up without a mother and he didn¡¯t have the confidence to raise her properly. As old as he was, this was the first time he was ever this unsure about something. Even choosing to follow Azazel out of heaven never gave him this much pressure. And this pressure, this fear was heightened because¡­everything happened because of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Akeno. I¡¯m truly sorry, my daughter. Everything¡­everything happened because of me.¡± Akeno who was crying on his chest couldn¡¯t help but look up, her eyes filled with pure disbelief. ¡°Momma died¡­because of you?¡± Baraquiel looked at her in the eye. His answer alone could change everything between them. A simple no, and they could remain as father and daughter. If he answers in the affirmative, then the chances of his own daughter hating him would be terribly high. All he had to do was say no. It was a very simple choice, a choice that even a man woken up from a drunken stupour would be able to make. Life was multiple choice but this time, he had the answer sheet¡­and all he had to do was choose Option A. But¡­ ¡°Yes. If it wasn¡¯t because of me, your mother would still be alive. If it wasn¡¯t because of me¡­they wouldn¡¯t have killed her¡­wouldn¡¯t have hurt you.¡± He couldn¡¯t lie to her. Even if he was confident that he could convince Cleria and everyone else to hide the truth, he couldn¡¯t do it. Lying to his daughter was something he didn¡¯t want to do. And so he told her the truth. And the result was just as he expected. ¡°No!¡± She began trying to scramble away from him. ¡°Aaaa!¡± Baraquiel could only watch on with pain as his daughter freed herself of his grasp and stepped away from him. ¡°They were right! Fallen Angels are the worst!¡± She brought her wings out and began trying to tear them off. But Baraquiel couldn¡¯t let her. ¡°NO!¡± He rushed towards her and restrained her arms. But she struggled desperately. ¡°Don¡¯t do-¡± ¡°LET GO OF ME! L-LET GO OF ME!!!¡± Baraquiel could only watch with a pained gaze as the outcome of his absence once again revealed itself. He could only imagine what the Himejima said to his little girl that made her resent her own blood so much. As a hybrid, Baraquiel tried to protect his daughter from the racism the supernatural has against half-breeds. Yet just like now, he failed. Despite that, he couldn¡¯t let her tear off her own wings. ¡°Akeno-¡± ¡°I HATE YOU!¡± ¡°...¡± Her words were like the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. Baraquiel had endured, but he couldn¡¯t endure his daughter releasing such harsh words against him. Her words hurt much more than the words he received from his father. Her words hurt much, much more than the worst wound he ever received. His own flesh and blood, his only daughter¡­declared that she hated him. And he could see it in her eyes that this wasn¡¯t a tantrum. Oh how he wished it was. But the tearful gaze directed at him with every hint of animosity couldn¡¯t be faked. She genuinely held hatred towards him. Baraquiel found himself unconsciously back away from her, the pain of her words reaching towards the deepest depth of his heart. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry, Akeno.¡± ¡°GO AWAY! I DON¡¯T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!!!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing his daughter glare at him with such hatred, Baraquiel couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. ¡°I¡­see.¡± With his heart torn to pieces, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to stay any longer. With tears in his eyes, a teleportation circle formed beneath his feet before he vanished. Vwong! It was cowardly, but he felt that if he stayed any longer, he would lose his mind. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 90 Baraquiel found himself unconsciously back away from her, the pain of her words reaching towards the deepest depth of his heart. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry, Akeno.¡± ¡°GO AWAY! I DON¡¯T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!!!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing his daughter glare at him with such hatred, Baraquiel couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. ¡°I¡­see.¡± With his heart torn to pieces, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to stay any longer. With tears in his eyes, a teleportation circle formed beneath his feet before he vanished. Vwong! It was cowardly, but he felt that if he stayed any longer, he would lose his mind. . |DxD| . Present Day . Boys all over Kuoh had woken up to find their precious computers had short-circuited and their hard drives destroyed. It was truly a tragedy that even had the blonde smile awkwardly at the destruction he unintentionally-intentionally wrought. Glancing to Shuri who was looking at him funnily, Igor proposed a question. ¡°How about we¡­¡± He gestured by placing to fingers on his forehead. ¡°Fufufu~. Yes, Dimori-kun. Let¡¯s go see Akeno.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Grabbing her hand, Igor focused for a bit before they vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . Akeno was feeling immense pain. Over ten minutes have passed since her father left yet it still felt like the second after he told her that it was his fault she lost her mother. She couldn¡¯t stomach it. She couldn¡¯t imagine that her father, the one she used to hold so dearly, was the one responsible for the destruction of her family. She could still remember it vividly, every single thing that happened to her after she ran like her mother told her. She did try to fly towards Cleria¡¯s mansion, but it was unfortunate that she flew right into the path of her pursuers. It was the worst moment of her life, a moment she would never forget. She could remember the clear disgust some of them had in their eyes while others saw her as a toy to ¡°use¡± before killing her. She could see it in their eyes. She was not reflected as a person in those pupils. She was a beast, a creature that must be exterminated, a failed existence that must be eviscerated, an entity that must cease to exist. To her family, she was Akeno. To them, she was a beast that must be put down. ¡®We found the demon!¡¯ ¡®Quickly surround her!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t kill her too quickly! I still want to play with her~.¡¯ ¡®Play with her? With an abomination of all things?¡¯ She did not understand what their words meant, but she knew she had to run. And run away she did. They relentlessly chased her across the forest, their cackles and mocking laughter sounding closer with each flap of her wings. They were toying with her like a dog. They wanted her to feel fear, to descend into despair, to collapse into the hole of hopelessness. She desperately tried to escape their pursuit, yet she couldn¡¯t make it far before their attacks damaged her wing. Akeno could never forget how helpless she felt when she had to hide from their search, how much she had to scurry just to escape their relentless pursuit. The vastness of the trees had served to temporarily hide her, but the Himejima knew she was in the vicinity. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Their constant mocking and the derogatory terms they shouted out during their search made her wish to not have inherited her fallen heritage. Being called a demon, an abomination, and scum that shouldn¡¯t exist were all words she had to listen to as she hid. Even recalling that memory made her feel the worst of pains, the complete feeling of being worthless. It was a memory she didn¡¯t want to recall, but it surfaced to her mind just soon after her father left. To her, it was the fact that he was a fallen that resulted in her mother being hunted. To her, it was because she had his heritage that her mother died. The pain she felt that the bloodline she inherited was the reason for her mother¡¯s death magnified the pain she felt. Akeno couldn¡¯t help but collapse to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks as her anger subsided in the place of sadness. She didn¡¯t try to restrain them. She was angry at Baraquiel, but also sad that he was gone. A deep part of her knew that he was not truly responsible for her mother¡¯s death. Despite that, she couldn¡¯t bring himself to forgive him¡­because he wasn¡¯t there when they needed him the most. When she was on the brink of despair, he wasn¡¯t there. When her mother died,, he wasn¡¯t there. It was all because he wasn¡¯t there that made her feel so frustrated, so angry¡­so sad. Having sat on her knees, her hands were placed on her thighs with her head lowered. In such a big room, she appeared irrefutably small. Despite the gentle morning rays of the sun peeking through the open windows, the atmosphere in the room was incomparably dark. The room was rich in classical paintings and decorations. The room itself could be said to be full of life with stylish furnishings that fully made use of the expansive space. But right now, items and trinkets that would¡¯ve caused her to gaze in awe or childlike wonder held no place in her mind or heart. For a whole minute, Akeno did not move. The only trace of her existence was the occasional choked sob that would escape through her mouth. Not once did her tears stop running. A normal child should be screaming and wailing with all their might. But after everything she¡¯d been through, she no longer had the energy nor the will. She cried when the Himejima hunted her. She cried when she almost died in their hands. She cried when she found out Igor was no longer there. And now she cried when she found out their death of her mother. She no longer had the energy to cry anymore. In light of having lost the two most important people in her life, she only had one person in her mind that she truly wanted to see. ¡°*Hik*¡­big b-brother¡­¡± He was the only one she had left that she could rely on. She could only feel safe when she was in his presence. He was strong and she could depend on him when she now had no family left. No number of mathematical calculations could quantify just how much she wanted to see the blonde in that moment. The absolute relief she felt when he saved her could only be matched by the absolute sense of loss when she woke up only to find he was no longer there. Having lost her mother and harbouring hatred for her father, he was the only one left, the big brother that she could hope to lean on for support. Akeno unfortunately did not know Cleria that well. The amount of times she¡¯d seen the silverrette could be counted on one finger. The same could be said for the blonde, but she knew him longer and spent more time with him than anyone else outside her family. She shared the same house and ate the same food as him for weeks. Having grown up alone due to the scars of being shunned, she never had any friends. The children that tried to befriend her were the same ones that called her monster when she revealed her wings before their memories got erased. Only Igor ever saw her wings without fearing them and it was why in such a moment, she needed someone to tell her its alright, to tell her that she was not a monster, to tell her that her heritage wasn¡¯t what caused her mother to die. In such a situation where she suddenly found herself alone, she was in desperate need of companionship. And it appeared that she would get it. *Dakaang* The door opened, causing Akeno to look up with a brief flash of hope. But her eyes soured slightly when she saw it was only Cleria. The silverrette entered the room before gently closing it. She looked at Akeno with gentle eyes before stepping forward. ¡°Akeno¡­¡± The little hyrbid wiped her tears and stood up to address Cleria¡¯s call. ¡°Yes, sister?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria could only sigh at how Akeno tried to portray herself so calmly. She heard everything from behind the door and could naturally guess just how much the little girl was bottling up in her heart. In all honesty, she did not appreciate how Baraquiel did things. With how he explained the situation, it would be obvious that Akeno would blame him. But she didn¡¯t interfere. A part of her wondered if this was a good move on her part judging from how terrible the little girl looked. Unfortunately, there was nothing much Cleria could do due to how unfamiliar she was with her. The only time she had last seen Akeno was over four years ago when she had to see Baraquiel regarding the incident the blonde had caused with the giant golden sphere he brought down in the forest. They had only crossed eyes and delivered greetings before it ended there. But that didn¡¯t mean she would stay idle. Walking over to Akeno, she crouched down before bringing the girl into her embrace. She said nothing and only served to give her a warm hug. No words were said and none were needed. Slowly, Akeno began to release sobs again. The comforting warmth was like the battering ram that shattered the walls she tried to put up. She tried not to cry, to make herself strong. But in the end, she was only a little girl who hadn¡¯t even reached ten years of age. With how much she experienced in a single day, it was already magnificent that she did not descend into a trauma-like state. She wrapped her arms around Cleria and buried her head into her shoulder. She let out all her tears onto the shoulder she was provided. Even if she tried to, she couldn¡¯t hold them back. She clung on tightly to Cleria like a lifeline in the ocean of turbid emotions she was in. All this time, Cleria remained silent as well. A small stream of tears trailed down her cheeks as she gently rubbed Akeno¡¯s back. In this moment, both of them indulged in the comfort of one another, the pain of loss being eased through embracing each other. But never ever did they imagine, the sudden change of events. Tswii! Silence¡­ ¡°...heh?¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 91 All this time, Cleria remained silent as well. A small stream of tears trailed down her cheeks as she gently rubbed Akeno¡¯s back. In this moment, both of them indulged in the comfort of one another, the pain of loss being eased through embracing each other. But never ever did they imagine, the sudden change of events. Tswii! Silence¡­ ¡°...heh?¡± . |DxD| . ¡°...heh?¡± Silence¡­ Four people were in a room. Two were standing while two were on their knees hugging each other. All of them looked at each other, one duo with confusion and the other with pure disbelief. There was absolute silence with neither side speaking. Igor did not know how to accurately process this scene. Seeing Akeno and Cleria crying on the ground was not something he even remotely expected to see. The last he checked, Akeno was supposed to be sleeping so he expected to see the little chick fast asleep. It was a fault on his part for making such a hasty teleportation out of embarrassment, but the last thing he expected upon arrival was to stumble into a rather awkward situation. Shuri on the other hand, was also the same. She expected to atleast have some time to see the sleeping face of the daughter she unfortunately lost memories of. But contrary to expectations, she didn¡¯t feel any fear or nervousness. Rather, she felt a sudden sense of peace when she saw Akeno. ¡°Ara-¡± The moment she spoke, Akeno cut her off. ¡°Mama!¡± Escaping from Cleria¡¯s grasp, she rushed towards Shuri and leaped into her embrace. Shuri reflexively held Akeno in a hug, a small smile forming on her face. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes, one pair filled with absolute relief and joy while the other held the gentle sprout of tender love. Holding the little girl who was now crying onto her chest, any apprehensions Shuri had immediately disappeared. She felt a connection to the little girl she was holding in her arms, a strong thread of love stretching from her heart and binding her little lookalike. There was no doubt in her heart. This was¡­ ¡°My daughter~.¡± She nuzzled her chin onto Akeno¡¯s head, the overwhelming feeling of the dormant motherly love being awoken in the presence of her child. Unconsciously, tears of happiness fell from her eyes, her fingers gently caressing her daughter¡¯s head. Every single doubt disappeared the moment she held her. Memories or no memories, her instincts told her that Akeno was in every shape and form, her daughter. There was no room for doubt, no room for suspicion, and no room for errors. Akeno was her daughter and her mind knew it, her body knew it, and her heart knew it. From the bottom of her soul, amnesiac as she was, she wholeheartedly accepted Akeno as her offspring. Igor on the other hand looked at the scene with a smile on his face. It satisfied him to see that the family he came to cherish was coming back together. It had only been a few hours, yet the family he had slowly come to love had almost slipped out of his grasp. As someone who lost his own family without even getting the chance to say his goodbyes, the blonde cherished every single tie he had in this world. Now that Shuri was alive and well and Akeno was safe, only one piece of the puzzle was missing. [I gotta find the old man soon. Then we¡¯ll be complete.] He didn¡¯t know where Baraquiel was, but he no longer held any trace of anger or dissatisfaction at the fallen for his absence. All he wanted was for the family to get back together so that things could go back to the way they were. After three whole years of being separated from them, he wanted to catch up on the latest Dragon Ball movies with the old man and introduce him to the original manga. He wanted to race around the forest with Akeno and maybe show her some tricks. And best of all, he wanted to introduce Shuri to Asia, his dearest little sister that he loved with all of his heart. With the both of them being orphans, he genuinely wished for her to experience the love of a family. As for how the church would feel, it didn¡¯t even factor into his mind. He was content to silently watch until he remembered there was also a fourth person in the room. Turning towards Cleria, he was surprised to see her looking at Shuri like she was a ghost, an entity that shouldn¡¯t exist. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Walking over to her, he waved his hand over her face. ¡°Sister Cleria? Helloooo.¡± Her eyes seemed to have glazed over, like she had fallen asleep with them open. She was looking straight at the mother and daughter duo who seemed to be lost in their own world, yet her brain could not process the sight before her. Then like a trap, she snapped her hands towards the blonde and grasped his hands tightly, her arms trembling in the process. Igor was momentarily caught by surprise, the act earning an eyebrow-raise from him. But Cleria didn¡¯t notice because not once did her gaze snap away from Shuri. Her eyes had widened now, almost as if feeling the blonde¡¯s sleeves had served to give her the reality check she needed, that this was not an illusion. Fresh tears steamed from her eyes as she looked at Shuri, her heart accepting yet her mind not computing. She turned to look at the blonde desperately. ¡°Tell me. Tell me this isn¡¯t a dream.¡± Ruby-red locked on to cerulean-blue, her eyes pleading for everything to be true because what she saw just now completely went against all the knowledge she had. The moment she saw Shuri, she had crucially analysed everything. The Shuri in front of her was not an undead, not an automata, and not a devil or any other race. She was not another entity who took on the form of her bestfriend or some trick of the light. Cleria knew Shuri very well. Just from the way she stood to the way she spoke, and even the way she felt, she could tell that this Shuri was her bestfriend. But her mind couldn¡¯t comprehend, couldn¡¯t fathom how it was possible. She had personally SEEN her mangled corpse in the forest. Nothing short of an evil piece would be able to revive her fallen friend. For over ten minutes she had stood in that forest. There was no movement from her corpse or the sudden arrival of another entity. Any and all genuine resurrection methods she knew of would fail to execute after the person had died for more than five minutes since that is when the soul had completely crossed over. Yet her friend stood here in front of her in the flesh, and the only one who could give her the explanations she desperately sought after was the blonde. Hearing her plead for confirmation, Igor was able to piece together that in the short twenty minutes he had went to Kyoto, Cleria had come to the forest and saw Shuri¡¯s corpse. It would explain why her and Akeno were weeping together upon their arrival and why their initial reactions were so out of place. Now that he thought about it, it was normal for people to come and investigate because of the commotion he caused. An entire forest being destroyed was not something that could be easily hidden. Because he now had a clear state of mind, he realised that his actions may have been a BIT overboard in regards to everything that happened after. Taking a glance at the reunited mother and daughter, Igor placed two fingers on his forehead before looking at Cleria.. ¡°It¡¯s better if we talk somewhere else.¡± ¡°Wai-¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . Appearing on the roof of the mansion, the blonde was subjected to the sight of a majestic rooftop garden that bled away to the beautiful view of Kuoh. Ignoring the quite literally, hundreds of red tapes and orange flashing beacons he could see on the ground, the view of the untouched nature was mesmerising, also ignoring the gaping wound in the forest too. With his eyesight, seeing dozens or even hundreds of kilometres into the distance was not a problem if he focused slightly. For a long time he had lived in Kuoh yet not once had he taken the time to enjoy such a view. With all the training he was up to, his mind was always focused on what regiment he would undertake next. It was only now that he truly, truly felt at peace. With the tranquility that came with the views, Igor found himself momentarily lost before he felt Cleria squeeze his hand. Turning to look at the impatient silverrette, he rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle before speaking. ¡°Sorry, Sister Cleria. Yeah, everything wasn¡¯t a dream. Aunty was dead, but now she¡¯s alive. Awesome, right?¡± Cleria frowned before practically hissing at the blonde. ¡°How???? I saw her body with my own eyes. HOW is she alive?!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at Cleria with slight confusion. It wasn¡¯t that he suspected she was displeased at Shuri¡¯s death. He felt no maliciousness in her aura to justify that thought. Rather, he was confused as to why she wanted to know the how¡¯s and why¡¯s when the result should be enough. Shuri was breathing, her lifeforce was abundant, and her aura was the same as before. That was more than enough for him but apparently, not for the silverrette. Taking a moment to think on what Amaterasu said, he started explaining. ¡°Well¡­aunty WAS dead. I saw and felt that myself too. But it turns out that Amaterasu did something with her soul and brought her back to life.¡± He spoke with a smile before looking at Cleria for a reaction. ¡°...¡± Cleria waited for the blonde to continue, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°T-that¡­that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah-oh right. Aunty also lost her memories so don¡¯t try to force her to remember anything or anyone, alright? She was pretty nervous about coming here already.¡± Cleria lowered her head in thought. ¡°I¡­see.¡± She had many questions that she wanted answered. How did he get the help of Shiva? Why did Amaterasu help him? What was that power of his? Could he explain more on how Shuri is alive? But she knew that with how the blonde was, it would be either close to impossible for him to answer, or he would get annoyed at having to answer so many questions. They weren¡¯t familiar with each other enough for her to interrogate him like this. Although the amount of interactions they had could be counted on one hand, including the minutes, Cleria was good enough at reading people that with how simple the blonde was, getting more elaborate answers out of him was close to impossible. But while she didn¡¯t ask questions, the blonde had one of his own. ¡°Hey, sister. Do you know where the old man is? I¡¯ve been spreading my senses all over Japan but I haven¡¯t found him yet. Is he in Grigori or something?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria was not sure how she should answer that question. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 92 ¡°Hey, sister. Do you know where the old man is? I¡¯ve been spreading my senses all over Kuoh but I haven¡¯t found him. Is he in Grigori or something?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria was not sure how she should answer that question. . |DxD| . Faced with the blonde¡¯s question, Cleria wasn¡¯t sure how she should answer. From their short interaction just now, she knew that he valued family a lot. If he possibly found out that the reason Baraquiel didn¡¯t arrive was because of his mistress¡­ She didn¡¯t even dare imagine the consequences. The blonde was powerful, very powerful. That energy she felt from him transcended anything she had ever felt. Given how volatile the situation is, she was not sure what his reaction would be if he knew the ugly truth. Yet she also couldn¡¯t lie as well. Cleria had enough experience to know that when people reach a certain realm of power, their senses become so enhanced that spotting lies becomes very easy. While she couldn¡¯t lie, she could certainly omit. She could provide the ¡°where¡±, but she hoped he wouldn¡¯t ask the ¡°why¡±. Getting her thoughts together, she replied to him. ¡°Currently, I do not know where Baraquiel is.¡± Igor became confused. Any supernatural entity worth their salt would¡¯ve sensed the massive amounts of power he released, regardless of where they were on Earth. He wasn¡¯t sure if his power could transcend dimensional barriers, but there must¡¯ve been atleast spies or informants from Grigori who would¡¯ve informed him that something was happening in Kuoh. He would not claim to know the old man very well, but he knew his character enough to know that if it concerned Kuoh, he would be the first to rush back. ¡°Did he not¡­come?¡± Seeing the wheels of suspicion swirling in his head, Cleria couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°He did come here. You just arrived shortly after he left.¡± ¡°...¡± That was quite the revelation of information. For one, it reignited his faith in the old man. Knowing that he atleast arrived reassured the blonde that his evaluation of him was not wrong. He remained quiet without any change in his expression. He was trying to figure out why the old man would leave if he had arrived. His senses had already spread over Kuoh and the surrounding areas and there was not an inkling of Baraquiel¡¯s presence. It irked him a bit that the only reason they missed Baraquiel was because Shuri didn¡¯t get dressed in time. Cleria was worried that he would get angry. The moment she saw his brows scrunch, her mind was already thinking up several ways to save Baraquiel. As disappointed as she was in the fallen, she pitied him, especially after seeing how much regret he had. It was why she was willing to persuade the blonde into granting him some sort of amnesty. But contrary to expectations, Igor only sighed. ¡°Does he think that aunty is still dead?¡± It was the only reasonable conjecture he could come to. He did not know why he left, but Igor certainly knew Baraquiel wouldn¡¯t have left at all if he knew that Shuri was alive. And Cleria¡¯s words only served to confirm that for him. ¡°...yes. We all thought she was dead until you arrived with her. I¡­still can¡¯t believe it myself. Seeing her alive and breathing is a miracle in of itself.¡± A smile gradually formed on her face as she said those words, her heart truly happy that her best friend was alive. Yet while she was all smiles, it was the opposite for the blonde. Igor could only rub his head with a sigh. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Haaaa¡­what to do? What¡­to..do.¡± He kept looking into the sky in contemplation, his mind swirling with what he should first make his priority. There was still the issue of Asia being mistreated in the Vatican, something he hadn¡¯t forgotten. He also had to go back and thank Vasco for giving him the information of the happenings in Kuoh because without him, he would¡¯ve lost his loved ones and he wouldn¡¯t even know. It was also because of this scenario that he could relate to Baraquiel who seemingly didn¡¯t know of what happened in Kuoh until is was too late. He wasn¡¯t sure how the barriers and the magic notification worked, but he guessed that there was some sort of delay in the signal reaching him or some other type of issue. But something he was absolutely sure of was that he knew the old man loved his family and would be the first to charge in to defend them. His most pressing concern now was if he should leave for the Vatican or find a way into Grigori. TakeAsia away from the people abusing her or find the grieving husband who still believed his wife was dead. Decisions¡­decisions. It was quite hard for him to decide what to do and more than half the time, he found himself locking onto Asia¡¯s energy signature. But his brotherly desires had to wait. Right now, he had to find Baraquiel. ¡°Sister Cleria. Do you have a way to contact the old man or Uncle Azazel?¡± Cleria sighed in relief, her heart at ease because he did not ask why Baraquiel did not arrive in time. ¡°Unfortunately I cannot, Dimori-san. Before everything happened, I was in the underworld and anything I had that could contact Azazel was handed over to the man himself.¡± Igor furrowed his brows for a moment, wondering as to why she would cut off communication with the cadre. That was until he remembered¡­ ¡°Oh, right. Fallen Angels and Devils don¡¯t get along.¡± Cleria could only smile weakly, a statement that was sadly true. ¡°Yes¡­unfortunately.¡± Having been in a relationship with Azazel for three years, it was of utmost importance that secrecy be preserved. Everytime she left for the Underworld to deliver her monthly report, the phone he made for her along with any other communication tools or items that would prove their relations would be handed over to him. This was a counter-measure just in case a scenario arose where someone would secretly try to investigate her. Her romantic rendezvous with Azazel did not need to be known yet. Cleria was only scheduled to meet him the following week so she didn¡¯t know if he would come yet. But given the amount of commotion that happened, she hoped he would arrive soon. The last she heard from him was over three months ago when he informed her that he was close to discovering something new and that it would be a secret. In light of the current situation and her inability to communicate with either fallen, Igor decided on his plan. ¡°Can you send me to Grigori then? I¡¯m sure that someone there must know where the old man is. Maybe he¡¯s there himself. Who knows.¡± Cleria hurriedly rebuked him. ¡°No! You cannot go there, Dimori-san! They¡¯ll immediately kill you if you do!¡± She was looking at him with pure panic on her face. The consequences of him going to the Underworld were far more than what he could ever imagine. ¡°Eh? Is because I¡¯m human?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s because you¡¯re Aryan!¡± ¡°?¡± Cleria could see the look of loss on his face. She had no choice but to explain to him. Heaving a sigh, she began. ¡°Look, Dimori-san. I, Baraquiel-san, Shemhazai-san, and Azazel-kun have all tried to keep your heritage a secret from the supernatural world for many years now. If you go to the Underworld, everyone will immediately identify you as Aryan and WILL kill you on sight, be it fallen or devils.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor wanted to say he could teleport away if need be, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could. He didn¡¯t know if the Underworld was the same as the Heavenly Realm where his teleportation would be restricted and he didn¡¯t want to try unnecessarily, atleast not yet. But¡­ ¡°Did you say all of them will try to fight me?¡± A teeny weeny tiny part of him couldn¡¯t help but salivate at the thought. It¡¯s been a few months since he had a proper fight and his withdrawal symptoms were showing. Having gotten used to fighting for three years in the Heavenly Realm, his love for battle had increased tremendously. Just the prospect of another fight had his hands clenching and his aura surging. A maniacal grin was forming on his face. His fantasy of fighting ten thousand people alone was soon about to be fulfilled. Unfortunately for Cleria, she had forgotten that Igor was someone who was looking for violence. Her sincere warning may have been the same as a green light to him. But she couldn¡¯t allow him to go to the Underworld and entertaining the thought was something she would not do. So she tried to plead with him again. ¡°Listen to me, Dimori-san! You can¡¯t go to the Underworld! It¡¯s dangerous there and-¡± *Dakaang* The door to the rooftop opened to reveal Akeno and Shuri walking together. As soon as the door opened, the little fallen rushed towards Igor with all her might. ¡°Big brother!¡± She lunged forward and clung onto him like a Koala. She grabbed him by the shirt and looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°D-don¡¯t leave. Please¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± It was a very tough decision to make. Igor really wanted to go and fight in the Underworld. But he also really missed Akeno. On one hand, he could have the best battle of his life. On the other, there was the little chick who refused to break eye contact with him. She was just so cute that he found it a bit hard to refuse such a heartfelt request. That and he did miss her. So just this once, he would reluctantly- ¡°Ara? Are you not hungry anymore Dimori-kun? I did promise to cook a full pot for you-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay!¡± There was no need to convince him any further. The Underworld was not going to run away, but the food would certainly grow cold. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 93 She was just so cute that he found it a bit hard to refuse such a heartfelt request. That and he did miss her. So just this once, he would reluctantly- ¡°Ara? Are you not hungry anymore Dimori-kun? I did promise to cook a full pot for you-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay!¡± There was no need to convince him any further. The Underworld was not going to run away, but the food would certainly grow cold. . |DxD| . As soon as the blonde agreed, Akeno raised her arms into the air with a cheer. ¡°Yaayyy~!¡± She had no fear that she would fall due to Igor having held her tightly. It brought a smile to his face to see Akeno become so cheery like this unlike before. It was a stark contrast to the gloomy look she had previously. Seeing that the blonde listened to her suggestion, Shuri took a moment to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Since everything is settled, should we go home? You are welcome to come too¡­Cleria-san.¡± Cleria flinched slightly at being referred to as ¡®-san¡¯. But knowing that her bestfriend had lost her memories, she figured it would be awkward between them. But it didn¡¯t matter. They were able to become friends before so they would definitely be friends again. Smiling at Shuri, she replied cheerily. ¡°Alright, Shuri-chan.¡± Shuri was briefly dazed by such a close way of being addressed. It didn¡¯t bother her but more-so surprised her. She had seen the way Cleria looked at her so she could infer that she was also close to her before her memory loss. Finding it cute and endearing that Cleria didn¡¯t try to awkwardly skirt around the issue of their relation, she laughed it off. ¡°Fufufu~. Then to be fair, may I call you Cleria-chan?¡± ¡°Yes! Absolutely!¡± Cleria was quick to seize the chance. The faster bridges were established between them, the sooner they could recover their sisterhood. ¡°Alright then. Shall we go? Cooking does take a bit of time and I still need to familiarise myself with the kitchen.¡± Akeno, still being held up by the blonde, turned around to face her mother. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, mama!¡± ¡°Fufufu~. Then I will count on you, Akeno.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± She got down from Igor¡¯s arms and ran over to Shuri. Akeno grabbed her arm and and looked at her with bright eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll even show you where you used to shop for the best meat. I even remember the¡­¡± She began rattling excitedly to Shuri about stores and meat which made the blonde salivate at the thought. The food in his time chamber was still in the process of being produced due to having finished it just over two weeks ago. So now he couldn¡¯t even quickly roast himself a drumstick to atleast give his stomach something to survive off. As the mother and daughter duo went through the door that gave way to stairs, Cleria quietly followed behind them with a small smile on her face. Akeno was talking non-stop while Shuri kindly listened and interjected here and there. Igor was also about to follow them when he suddenly stopped, a trace of panic forming on his face. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°¡°¡°?¡±¡±¡± All three of them turned to look at him with a questioning gaze. ¡°Ara, Dimori-kun. Is something wrong?¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Yeah. Is something wrong, big brother?¡± Igor did not know how to explain this. It was embarrassing but he had to ask. So he decided to go ahead and say it. ¡°Aunty. Is it maybe eh...possible for you to make another plate? I have a little sister I left in Italy that I wanted to bring over.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri waited for the blonde to say more. With how nervous he looked, she assumed it would be something very serious. But upon the silence stretching, her confusion gradually became incredulous. ¡°Is that¡­all?¡± The blonde chuckled while he rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Yeah. Is it too much? I know cooking can be tiresome and all but-¡± ¡°But nothing, Dimori-kun.¡± She walked over to him and pulled down his arm before she gradually began straightening out his wrinkled clothes. She then looked at him with a smile, his confused gaze making her struggle to hold back a giggle. ¡°You are more than welcome to bring your little sister here.¡± The way his eyes brightened up made her want to pinch his cheeks. ¡°Really?! Thanks, aunty! I¡¯ll go get her now.¡± Without wasting time, he placed two fingers on his forehead. But before he could leave, Akeno ran over and grabbed him by his sleeve. ¡°Wait!¡± She had an expression of grievance, her face contorted into a pout. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t leave¡­¡± Igor rubbed her head with his free hand. ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m only going to be gone for a minute or two. I¡¯ll be back before you know it, little chick.¡± ¡°...¡± Akeno still didn¡¯t let go of his sleeve. Instead, she even went further as to trap his arm between hers. Her eyes were closed tightly, her grip so strong that if it were a normal human, their bones would audibly creak. Shuri watched this scene with a smile. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take her with you, Dimori-kun?¡± ¡°Heh?¡± ¡°Mama?¡± Shuri chuckled at how their confused gazes were so alike. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go with your big brother, Akeno-chan? I can see you want to go and also¡­¡± She turned to face Cleria. ¡°...I have some things I have to talk about with Cleria-chan.¡± The woman in question came out of the daze she was in when she heard her name. ¡°E-eh? Me?!¡± ¡°Fufufu~. Of course I mean you, Cleria-chan.¡± Shuri then walked over and hooked her arm beneath hers. ¡°You know where the house is, Dimori-kun. Come back soon~.¡± The blonde was only dazed for a moment before a smile formed on his face. ¡°Alright, aunty!¡± With Akeno holding onto him, he didn¡¯t give the little fallen to process everything before they suddenly vanished. Tswii! As soon as they left, Cleria and Shuri heard footsteps ascending the stairs before Lina revealed herself. She stood in front of the two women before respectfully bowing her head. Angling her head towards Shuri, she first offered a greeting. ¡°Greetings, Shuri-sama.¡± Without waiting for her to reply, Lina turned towards Cleria. ¡°Cleria-sama. An emissary sent by Yasaka-sama who goes by the name of Aurelia requests your audience.¡± . |DxD| . 1999/07/16- July 16th, 1999 (No change in date) Vatican, Italy . Tswii! Appearing outside Vasco¡¯s house, it was the same scenery as before. A modest house was in front of him and he could see the fenced garden stretching towards the boundaries of the wall. No other building was nearby, only a paved pathway that led towards the prestigious buildings of the Vatican. Akeno looked around at these new surroundings with visible awe in her eyes. Having never been out of Kuoh, all these massive buildings really widened her worldview. But she was snapped out of it the moment she felt her big brother suddenly start moving. Igor offered no trace of pleasantries as he marched forward. ¡°Asia! Big brother is here!¡± He already treated the Vatican as a place he could come and go, and yelling out his greetings was something that had become normal. Right next to him, Akeno remained glued to his side, her little legs shuffling quickly to keep up with his large strides. He did nothing to hide his presence, or his voice. Compared to Japan where the sun had already risen, the moon was still up here in Italy. With it being the wee hours of morning, his sudden yell was more than enough to attract attention from the guards. But the moment they saw that golden hair and familiar face, they retreated. It did not matter that a fallen angel was hugging his arm. As elites that had been trained by Vasco himself, their brains had a bit more IQ than the general fanatical exorcist. Furthermore, it was a child. Fallen Angel or not, it was still a child. As soon as they retreated, it did not take long for the doors of the house to gently open with an elderly male and a blonde little girl. Vasco was in a white robe laced with golden patterns. His physique was imposing and with how his arms were crossed with a stern face, Akeno held on a bit more tightly to Igor¡¯s arms. As for Asia, she was adorned in a pink nightdress. She was barefoot and her eyes had bags under them. But the moment she saw Igor, any trace of sleepiness vanished. Like her older brother, she wasted no time with greetings. As soon as that door opened, she ran forward with all her might towards his open arms. Igor crouched down to receive her with a gentle smile on his face. ¡°Come here, Asia!¡± As soon as she got close, he scooped her up before pinching her cheek. Whereas she would normally fight, she instead buried her head into his shoulders. Igor expected her to playfully bite him when he suddenly felt her tears trickle down his neck. Immediately, his face darkened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me who they are and big brother will teach them a lesson.¡± Asia shook her head into his shoulder. She then pushed herself up before looking him in the eye. ¡°I-I¡­I thought y-you were¡­gone.¡± ¡°Gone? Impossible.¡± He gave her a kiss on the forehead before ruffling her hair. ¡°Why would I leave my lovely sister behind.¡± Vasco then made his presence known. ¡°Because we all thought you were dead.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Today is Friday and I am thankful for continuing to read this story. Until Sunday. Chapter 94 ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me who they are and big brother will teach them a lesson.¡± Asia shook her head into his shoulder. She then pushed herself up before looking him in the eye. ¡°I-I¡­I thought y-you were¡­gone.¡± ¡°Gone? Impossible.¡± He gave her a kiss on the forehead before ruffling her hair. ¡°Why would I leave my lovely sister behind.¡± Vasco then made his presence known. ¡°Because we all thought you were dead.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Dead? Why would you think I¡¯m dead?¡± Igor asked the question with such innocent confusion that Vasco couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he shook his head. ¡°Three-hundred-and-sixty degrees, top to bottom, you are an idiot through and through. Rushing over to Kyoto like that really was a stupid move, lad.¡± Igor did not take kindly to that analogy. With inflated nostrils, he was unconvinced at his sudden mental evaluation. ¡°Hey! If you¡¯re so smart, then what was I supposed to do!¡± Vasco shook his head. ¡°You misunderstand me, Igor. I actually commend your actions. But first, let¡¯s get this out of the way.¡± He walked over to Akeno and crouched down to her level. Well¡­he tried but with how tall he was, the little girl still had to look up. Vasco tried to portray a kind face but all his smile did was make Akeno grip Igor¡¯s hand very tightly. Igor smiled lightly before reassuring her. ¡°Relax, little chick. Old man Vasco is a nice guy. Look. Even Asia isn¡¯t afraid of him.¡± The little blonde in question looked down at Akeno from her vantage point on Igor¡¯s arm with a smile. ¡°Big brother¡¯s right. Grandpa looks big and mean but he isn¡¯t.¡± Vasco¡¯s lips twitched when Asia revealed that he looked mean. But considering his bulging physique, he guessed it was a fair argument. Akeno listened to their words of encouragement and meekly stepped forward. ¡°Um¡­hello, mister?¡± ¡°Hello there little one? What is your name?¡± Akeno hesitated to answer. But getting an encouraging look from Igor, she replied. ¡°A-Ah¡­Akeno.¡± ¡°Such a lovely name.¡± Vasco tried to reach out to her but apparently that was too much. Immediately, Akeno darted back and hid behind the blonde, her arms wrapping tightly around his leg. ¡°Hehehehehehehe¡­¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the blank face Vasco was making. ¡°Maybe if you comb your hair for once you wouldn¡¯t scare her, old man.¡± Vasco ran a hand through his unkempt white hair. His hair had spiked out almost as if someone ran a current of electricity through him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll shave it instead¡­¡± Knowing his attempts at endearing himself to the little fallen had somewhat failed, he stood up. Straightening his attire, he then smiled at his granddaughter. ¡°Asia. Why don¡¯t you show Akeno around the house? Grandpa has something to say to your big brother.¡± ¡°?!¡± Akeno immediately tightened her grip on the blonde¡¯s right arm the moment she heard she had to be separated from him. This was unknown territory and releasing her grip from him was already asking a lot, not to mention asking her to disappear from his sight. She looked up to him, her violet gaze silently pleading for him to refuse. ¡°Big brother¡­?¡± She was already intimidated by Vasco¡¯s appearance. His hulking figure reminded her of Masaru, the same hunter who killed her mother. With how big and muscled Vasco was, his image overlapped with that of Masaru. Her body trembled just thinking of the deranged hunter. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. But fortunately, Asia was there for the rescue. ¡°Okay, grandpa~!¡± Sliding down from the blonde¡¯s hold, she eagerly grabbed Akeno¡¯s arm but found that she couldn¡¯t get her to budge. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go! Since you call Igor ¡®big brother¡¯ too, that means we¡¯re sisters!¡± Asia¡¯s liveliness made Akeno unsure of what to do. But an encouraging gaze from Igor made her slowly release her grip on his arm. ¡°A-alright¡­¡± It was cute how she suddenly turned shy when faced with different people. But when one thought of the circumstances surrounding her shyness, it was understandable. But Asia really was too persuasive and her smile alone broke down Akeno¡¯s apprehensions and watered down her vigilance. Both girls eventually retreated back into the house, one with a joyful smile on her face and the other who seemed to suddenly have regrets. Once the girls disappeared into one of the rooms, Vasco¡¯s gaze suddenly turned serious, and he did not waste time. Looking at the blonde in the eye, he got right into the topic. ¡°Your individual action of storming into the heart of Japan and launching such an attack was the height of stupidity. The Shinto Pantheon alone harbours hundreds of gods, allowing them to rank amongst the top five most strongest pantheons in the world. A smart person would consider that before going out of their way to annihilate one of the five principal clans that are known to be devout followers of the LEADER of the Shinto Pantheon-¡± The blonde¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡°Old man. Are you saying I should¡¯ve let them get away with what they did? They KILLED aunty. I would never leave them alive. I don¡¯t regret what I did, and I would do it again.¡± Sensing that the atmosphere was getting tense, Vasco waved his hand to calm him down. ¡°You didn¡¯t let me finish, lad. I¡¯m saying, a smart person would think twice before making such a move. They would consider the consequences not only for themselves, but for the people around them.¡± He stopped right in front of the blonde and placed his hand on his shoulder. ¡°But you didn¡¯t. Like a true warrior, you alone stormed into the heart of the enemy¡¯s territory to exact vengeance without a trace of fear. Swift and decisive. I like it. I don¡¯t agree with it, but I like it.¡± Looking into the blonde¡¯s eyes, Vasco could see a trace of his former self. ¡°Your actions made me remember who I was before I also got ¡®smart¡¯, before I started thinking of politics and consequences. I was just a man with a sword. Nothing else. All I knew was that I had to swing my sword to get strong and kill who I have to kill to get stronger. Consequences? Impact? Politics? I didn¡¯t know that. But as I grew older, as I got showered with high positions and praise, my sword was put down in favour of the pen. Fighting was now based on tongues and connections, not steel. If someone wronged me, I had to think twice because maybe they were an important sponsor or supplier of the church. The flame within me gradually died, until today.¡± He tightened his grip on Igor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Igor. You could¡¯ve died today. Do you acknowledge that?¡± Without blinking, Igor replied without a single stutter. ¡°The moment I threw my fist for the first time, the moment I formed ki in my body, I accepted that I might die at any moment. The moment I killed, I was prepared to be killed. As long as I am at my strongest, I have no qualms with dying.¡± He then looked at Vasco with a fiery gaze. ¡°As long as the final blow-¡± ¡°-is not from the back.¡± Silence¡­ Vasco began shaking his head, the words reaching deep within him. ¡°Good words. Good¡­words. A true warrior¡¯s philosophy. ¡®I do not seek a long life, but a worthy death. As long as I am not felled by poison, betrayal, or deceit. As long as my back is clean of scars. As long as the final blow does not come from the back, it will be¡­¡¯?¡± ¡°A worthy death.¡± Vasco sighed in disappointment, more so at himself than the blonde. A true warrior¡¯s code, the crux of their philosophy. Igor¡¯s actions made him remember what a true warrior was. Over the years he had regressed from being a warrior to a schemer. Circumstances forced him to renege on the philosophy he once held. Age came with wisdom¡­and realisation. Politics, connections, backing¡­everything was different from the battlefield. Vasco was sure that if he were fifty years younger, he would¡¯ve made the same decision as Igor and rushed over to Japan for vengeance. An idiotic decision? Yes it was. Consequences? Far too many to list. But he was sure his hot-blooded younger self would seek vengeance, just like how the blonde rushed over without thinking. ¡°I wish I retained the same ideals as you. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t hold so many regrets.¡± He let the statement hang in the air, his mind reminiscing of similar past situations where he was forced to sit back because of the other party¡¯s faction or backing. For too long he had sat down and let his sword rust. But today, he changed his mind. ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistakes this time.¡± He looked at Igor meaningfully. ¡°Lad. I want you to take Asia away from here.¡± ¡°...¡± It took a moment for the blonde to process his words. ¡°Heh?!¡± But Vasco didn¡¯t pay attention to his astonishment. Instead, his gaze turned solemn as he looked at the towering buildings of the Vatican. ¡°I have been in the church all my life. I have seen its good sides and I have seen the bad. Unfortunately, the bad is more prevalent. If nothing is done, Asia will be used as a tool for the rest of her life. I love my little girl too much to allow that, but I also can¡¯t bear to leave the church I dedicated my whole life to. It is why I ask that you as her elder brother, take her away from here. The church, as much as I love it, will not value her as they should and I¡¯m not around all the time to enforce that.¡± Igor was momentarily surprised. He had intended to take her away forcefully if need be, but he never expected Vasco to ask him to take her. ¡°Old man¡­¡± ¡°I know you think the same as well. I talked with Sister Miriam and I learned of the situation. This isn¡¯t a place where a child like Asia should grow up. Since I wasn¡¯t here, I expected the church to treat her as a family. I expected them that to RESPECT my name and my contributions. But it is clear that after a few measly decades, my name no longer carries weight.¡± Vasco clenched his fist as anger threatened to take over. All this time he assumed that Asia was lonely. The little lass never told him about the troubles he was facing and whenever he arrived, everyone hid their envy and loathing behind smiles and treated her with respect. He was immensely disappointed with the church when he learned of the truth from the old nun. ¡°All she is to them is a tool to bring in more believers. As long as she does her job and heals the patients, the church won¡¯t interfere with what the other people do. But I know that if she leaves with you, she will experience the feeling of growing up in a proper family. And¡­¡± He his gaze darkened. ¡°It will soon become too dangerous for her to remain here.¡± Igor processed his words in his mind. He could feel the subtle trace of killing intent emanating from the old man. He wanted to ask what he would do, but he felt it was not his place. So he could only agree to his request. ¡°...Alright. I will take Asia with me.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 95 ¡°It will soon become too dangerous for her to remain here.¡± Igor processed his words in his mind. He could feel the subtle trace of killing intent emanating from the old man. He wanted to ask what he would do, but he felt it was not his place. So he could only agree to his request. ¡°...Alright. I will take Asia with me.¡± . |DxD| . The moment Igor accepted Vasco¡¯s proposal, the old man released a tired smile. ¡°Thank you. It saddens me, but she will be happy with a normal life.¡± For three years, Asia had worked for the church and brought untold benefits to them. The number of followers and believers she brought in for the church in one year was quite literally more than the church had brought in fifty. Her Twilight Healing was quite literally a miracle and not only did her healing ability fill the church halls, it also filled the vaults and coffers with billions in sponsorships and donations. Yet all she received as payment was scorn and empty titles. She wasn¡¯t even compensated for her services on the claims that she was far too young to wield the money responsibly. They were even audacious enough to use reasons such as, ¡°She is doing the work of the lord.¡±, ¡°It is in the best interest of humanity.¡±, ¡°Her gift is by the grace of God. She should use it for God¡¯s people, no?¡±, and many more such nonsensical reasons. She received no benefits and was always locked up for ¡°safety¡± reasons. Unfortunately, Vasco could do nothing about it. Too many politics were at work and as famous as he was, his political power was not much. The ¡®Strongest Exorcist¡¯ was simply a glorified grunt in the eyes of the upper echelon. It did not matter how powerful he was because he was still under their hands. But now, political power did not matter. After sensing Igor¡¯s power and later hearing how the Himejima were exterminated, he realised that in front of strength, things like politics, connections, and money were nonsense. Who you could call did not matter if you were already dead. Influence was nothing when you weren¡¯t stronger than your enemy. Money meant nothing when your adversary was already in front of you and ready to kill. And this realisation made him come to a decision. He will once again pick up his sword and reform the church through his might. The upper echelons of the church? He was stronger than them. The sponsors? He was stronger than them. The pope? He was stronger than him. Vasco knew diplomacy wouldn¡¯t work for what he wanted to do. So he would force them to accept his authority. Blood would be spilt and dissent would be widespread. But he would rather the church bear a few years of turmoil for its betterment than for it to remain the cesspool it is for the next century. And the only way for him to begin reforming the church was to become the next pope. It was controversial and even bordered on heretical. But he would do it regardless. His decision would result in many changes and he didn¡¯t want Asia to be here when it happened. Many people know how much he cared for her and they would surely use her as a weak point. He wanted to call Sun Wukong first, but since Igor was alive, he would be better suited for the role of taking care of Asia. He wanted to distance Asia as far away from the church as possible and if possible, he truly wanted her to experience a normal life. But Igor was very quick to refute that thought. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for Asia to have a normal life, old man. We both know that.¡± ¡°...¡± Vasco couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I know. Or at the very least, I hoped it wouldn¡¯t be the case.¡± There was a faint hope that maybe it was possible, but Igor was right. As the wielder of the Twilight Healing Sacred Gear, a normal life for Asia was impossible. If it isn¡¯t the church, it will be either Grigori, the Devils, or some other faction, organisation, or pantheon that would take her¡­be it willingly, or forcefully. The Twilight Healing was far too valuable for any organisation to let go and the very, very slim chance that Asia could possibly live a normal life was taken away the moment she became a Saintess. Everyone faction knew how she looked and the moment it was revealed that she was no longer in the church¡¯s possession¡­ ¡°They will hunt her¡­¡± It was an irrefutable truth that Vasco had to come to terms with, something that caused the blonde to clench his fists in frustration. ¡°Yes. Those bastards will.¡± Igor had learnt a lot from this incident with the Himejima. It doesn¡¯t matter how powerful he gets. There will be instances where he will be too late. It doesn¡¯t matter how fast his [Instant Transmission] was. If knowledge of the situation was kept from him, it would border on impossible to rescue those close to him. And that will be the same for Asia, unless he did one thing. ¡°They will hunt her, but I will train her.¡± Vasco looked up in surprise, but Igor continued. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.¡°I¡¯ve thought about this for a while old man. When I got to Kuoh, Aunty Shuri was already dead. I was too late, and I had to¡­¡± Recalling the memory made his eyes moisten. ¡°...I had to watch her die in front of me. I was powerless to do anything. I don¡¯t want that to happen again to me. I¡¯m strong old man, but not strong enough to go through that. Not again. I can¡¯t go through that pain again. I¡¯m thankful that Amaterasu revived her but still, it was too close¡­way too close.¡± He then looked up to Vasco with a gaze full of resolve. ¡°It is why I¡¯ve decided to train Asia¡­and them also. I¡¯ll see if I can convince-no. I will MAKE them train. Shuri, Akeno, and Asia. Whether they want to or not, I will make train them by force, especially Asia. I love my little sister and I know she wouldn¡¯t want to hurt anyone, even if that person is attacking her. But I will force her to. I will fasten a weapon to her hand if it is the last thing I do. The world has shown me that it is not kind even to those who try to distance themselves from the supernatural. Even if you live in the middle of nowhere, as long as you have a treasure, someone will want to take it from you.¡± Vasco nodded quietly, his mind recalling a proverb Sun Wukong once told him. ¡°It is a sin to carry jade, without the ability to protect it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vasco sighed. ¡°It¡¯s some sort of Chinese saying. Although Asia wants no trouble and wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly, many people will come after her simply because she has Twilight Healing. Even if she tried to hide and never use it, it is impossible since the entire world knows her face.¡± He clenched his fists, his mind coming to a decision. ¡°You are right, Igor. Asia must get strong. With how important her sacred gear is, many people will come after her in the future once she leaves the church. So I hope you will train her very well, lad. Because I¡¯ll depend on you to protect my granddaughter.¡± The blonde smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old man. My plan is to at the very least, get her to god class. It will be hard and maybe she¡¯ll hate me, but I rather she hate me and be alive than be a corpse.¡± Igor had a good grasp of just how timid the little blonde was. In the first week they met, she felt sad that the person who kidnapped her had died. The memory was something he would never forget. He couldn¡¯t comprehend how she would feel pity for someone who tried to harm her. His philosophy was straightforward. Both good and bad, he would repay a hundredfold. But she believed in the concept of every life being equal. Despite who the person was, their life was equal in value. She hadn¡¯t said it, but she showed it. Regardless of who it was who interacted with her, she treated them kindly even when they harboured malicious intent against her. It was somewhat endearing and Igor was willing to let her maintain such pure thoughts. She was the light and he would gladly eliminate the shadows that threatened to encroach on her radiance because, her innocence was what made him more determined than ever to get stronger. Her kind nature was so rare in this world that he wanted to do his utmost to let it shine freely. He wanted to preserve it, to let that little beacon of purity shine in the dark and turbid world they lived in. In a world where blood was spilt everyday and schemes were concocted at every waking moment, he wanted to let her keep her ideology. Yet realisation dawned that no matter how strong he was, a simple moment was all it would take for him to lose her. In a confrontational situation, Asia would undoubtedly be very easy to manipulate and protecting her who lacked the capabilities to even defend herself against a normal person was hard. Even if he could get her as strong as he could, her naive mentality would make her victim to even the common grunt in any faction. Her trusting and tolerant nature would make it very easy for a blade to be slipped into her heart, something he dreaded. He couldn¡¯t let that continue, wouldn¡¯t let it continue. He loved Asia, but he wasn¡¯t sure if she would still share those same thoughts once he was through with her. Undoubtedly, the hardest part would be for her to take a life. For him, it was a very simple process. He wouldn¡¯t kill randomly, but it also didn¡¯t take much for him to take someone¡¯s life. For Asia, Igor knew firsthand that even if he brought the most vilest of beings in history, she would hesitate. There was even a very high likelihood that she wouldn¡¯t kill them in the end. Her inherent kindness wouldn¡¯t let her. But he would change it. Even if she hated him in the end, as long as she finally got the resolve that was needed to survive in the supernatural world. Because for him, her survival was his topmost priority. [I¡¯ll make her strong through any means possible.] . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 96 For Asia, Igor knew firsthand that even if he brought the most vilest of beings in history, she would hesitate. There was even a very high likelihood that she wouldn¡¯t kill them in the end. Her inherent kindness wouldn¡¯t let her. But he would change it. Even if she hated him in the end, as long as she finally got the resolve that was needed to survive in the supernatural world. Because for him, her survival was his topmost priority. [I¡¯ll make her strong through any means possible.] . |DxD| . The two men continued discussing a matter of things relating to how Vasco would move on after this. The old man did not hide anything and deliberately told Igor of how he planned to assume total control of the church, a process which would take a few years. Gaining absolute control was something he could accomplish within half a year. It was consolidating his power and stamping out any rebellions that would take years. Igor didn¡¯t try to dissuade him because he knew of Vasco¡¯s capability. Besides his own rudimentary knowledge, he heard many stories about the man from Sun Wukong, stories of how he was an absolute beast in the early 20th century, a monster that could clash with a serious Kokabiel. So he was definitely sure that in a place full of pot-bellied old men, Vasco would eventually reign supreme. Though, he still had one question. ¡°Will you need my help with Heaven?¡± Igor never cared much for gaining knowledge beyond that of which was useful for his training. But the monkey sage managed to grind basic knowledge of the supernatural world into his head so at the very least, he knew who were the top brass of each faction. He was very interested in fighting Michael and the other Seraphs. Their respective abilities and their years of fighting experience made him itch to test himself against them. Stories of their feats from the bible and other various sources was something he wanted to see himself. But upon noticing the sparkling glint in the boy¡¯s eye, Vasco waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. A little internal strife won¡¯t make them act. As long as they get their prayers, nothing will happen.¡± And he was right. Far worse things had happened in the church but Heaven never intervened. The angels always said it was to let them maintain free will, but he viewed it as incompetence. He knew of the secretly carried out experiments that would make even the most vilest of beings take notes¡­and the angels did nothing to circumvent them. Them ignoring every single dark thing implied their tacit agreement to their continuation. So it was why he was not worried about their intervention. A little sudden change in the church leadership wouldn¡¯t make them interfere as long as he was quick about it. On the other hand, he was curious about something. ¡°Enough about me. I want to hear it from your own mouth. How did you make it out Kyoto alive and¡­¡± He leaned in closer. ¡°...how is your aunty alive?¡± Vasco didn¡¯t know that Shuri had died. He assumed that the blonde had gotten to Kuoh in time and saved them. But to hear it from the his mouth that she HAD died was something that got an eyebrow raise. It would also explain the blonde¡¯s sudden spike in power since grief tends to act as a spark that allows one to supercede their current strength. He didn¡¯t want to enquire before since he didn¡¯t want to possibly budge his nose in. But too many things were unanswered as to how the blonde could come and go in the heart of Japan as he pleased without consequence. And it seemed Igor was willing to answer. ¡°Alright, old man. It happened like this. I went to Kyoto, killed the Himejima, and left. When I came back to Kuoh, I found that aunty was alive and well. It was then that Amaterasu appeared and told me it was her who resurrected aunty. After that, I took aunty home and after a series of events, I came here.¡± Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± Vasco was not sure what to say. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Hm? Yeah. I¡¯m pretty sure I covered everything.¡± Vasco couldn¡¯t help but palm his forehead. ¡° ¡®Covered everything¡¯ he says.¡± This wasn¡¯t even qualified to be called a summary. Far too many things had been left out that it wasn¡¯t even funny. If Vasco didn¡¯t know the blonde as he did, he would¡¯ve suspected that he was taking him for a fool. The only part Igor even tried to somewhat explain properly was Shuri¡¯s revival. Everything else was so lacking in context and information that it may as well be classified as nonsensical, not even enough to fill up the first page of a dossier. Sighing in exasperation, he decided to change his methods. ¡°Let¡¯s do it like this. I will ask you a question, and you will try to answer. Simple enough?¡± Igor was not alright with how Vasco looked at him. He felt as if the old man was looking at him like an idiot, but he obliged anyway with his words. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Good. First off, what was that power of yours? That was more than your simple Kaioken.¡± The blonde scratched his head. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what it is. I didn¡¯t even notice I had that power until Shiva told me.¡± ¡°...¡± Vasco took a moment to breathe before looking at the blonde. ¡°Shiva?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°The God of Destruction?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± ¡°...the third strongest entity?¡± ¡°Soon to be number four. But yeah, that¡¯s him.¡± ¡°...¡± With how nonchalant the blonde was, Vasco suspected that he may be lying. The boy even had the gall to insinuate he would surpass Shiva soon. If it were that easy, then he wouldn¡¯t have remained the strongest god for as long as he did. It was even more unbelievable that the god amongst gods would actually take an interest in Igor. The gap between the two was just far, far too wide to even comprehend. It was even more absurd than comparing a normal human to Igor in his berserk Kaioken state. A normal human would break their arm trying to destroy a wall yet the other already possessed the power to destroy the world. And the gap between Igor and Shiva was even more nonsensical than this comparison that Vasco couldn¡¯t figure out why Shiva would personally associate with this kid. But then he thought of how it suddenly made sense that Igor could come and go to Kyoto without consequence. Shiva was truly the one god who could silence all dissent against the blonde with his mere presence. And this also served to solve another question he had. ¡°That would explain why your power suddenly vanished from existence.¡± ¡°Heh? My power?¡± Vasco felt he should explain just what kind of a storm Igor caused with his actions. ¡°Listen, lad. Your power skyrocketed from god class to supreme class in less than a minute. Everyone felt it and everyone kept their senses trained on Japan. When you arrived in Kyoto, I felt your power skyrocket once again. That attack you were charging, it was more than enough to bring an end to all life on earth as we knew it. But then all of a sudden, that extra power disappeared and shortly after that, your power disappeared. As in, you seemed to have vanished from existence. Everyone thought you died in that moment.¡± Igor tilted his head as he tried to piece the clues together. In all honesty, all he was concerned with in that moment was wiping out the clan from existence more than what Shiva was actually doing there. But then he remembered the barrier the god had put up. ¡°Oh, right. I can explain that part. Shiva came out and cancelled my attack and then made a barrier to stop members of the Himejima from escaping, atleast I thought that was what he did. I guess that it also stopped people from sensing what was happening.¡± Hearing the blonde¡¯s explanation finally gave Vasco an inkling to what was happening. ¡°He is trying to hide your existence. Your actions have attracted the attention of the entire supernatural world and everyone would¡¯ve investigated you. If the world found out you were an Aryan¡­¡± Even Igor could piece together what Vasco meant. ¡°War¡­¡± ¡°And not just from the supernatural world. Even the mundane would get involved.¡± He then grabbed the blonde¡¯s shoulder and lowered himself to his level. ¡°Igor. I don¡¯t think you truly understand what your existence means. If your existence leaks, the entire world will be plunged into war. You are an Aryan. No one wants the Aryans back. No one ESPECIALLY wants an Aryan who has the same power level as supreme gods. No¡­one. And they will do WHATEVER they can to kill you.¡± Igor crossed his arms and scoffed. ¡°Then I will kill them as well-¡± ¡°Igor, Igor. LISTEN to me.¡± His grip tightened on the blonde¡¯s shoulder, his eyes betraying the immense concern he held. ¡°Do NOT under ANY circumstance, UNDERESTIMATE the supernatural world. You are strong. I acknowledge that. We give you a few more decades and with that time chamber you have, I have no doubts that you can enter the rankings of the Top Ten Most-Strongest. BUT¡­listen properly. BUT¡­there are many methods to defeat someone and unfortunately, many of those methods will not involve a fight.¡± Igor looked down in frustration, shame, and realisation. Just because he wanted a proper fight did not mean the world would give him one. ¡°Listen, son of Dimori¡­¡± Vasco placed his hand on the blonde¡¯s head. ¡°You are a warrior. But you are also the last of your bloodline. There¡¯s a reason why you are alive and possess the time chamber, the very artifact that upon the discovery of its existence, had the entire world launch an attack on your people. I can tell you from what I¡¯ve seen kid, not everything is without reason.¡± His then smiled kindly as he began scratching Igor¡¯s head. ¡°Do this old man a favour, won¡¯t you lad? The reason I am telling you all of this, is because I want you to live. You are a warrior through and through. But the world is not filled with warriors. You want to fight and I can see it in your eyes. You desire a great battle, but the world doesn¡¯t. They will poison you. They will stab you. They may even brainwash the ones you love into betraying you. Trust me, lad. I know.¡± His gaze then turned solemn. ¡°Because the same thing happened to me too.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Usually, I would upload two chapters to compensate for missed uploads, but I can¡¯t do that today. Yesterday was not an ¡°upload¡± issue, but a ¡°write¡± issue. I had to travel to another province (state) on short notice, making me unable to write at all. I will see however about making up for this in two days. Chapter 97 ¡°Do this old man a favour, won¡¯t you lad? The reason I am telling you all of this, is because I want you to live. You are a warrior through and through. But the world is not filled with warriors. You want to fight and I can see it in your eyes. You desire a great battle, but the world doesn¡¯t. They will poison you. They will stab you. They may even brainwash the ones you trust into betraying you. Trust me, lad. I know.¡± His gaze then turned solemn. ¡°Because the same thing happened to me too.¡± . |DxD| . Cleria couldn¡¯t speak. It hadn¡¯t been that long since she sat Aurelia down in the meeting room. After she had received notice of her arrival, she got one of her peerage members to send Shuri home while she handled what would most likely be a diplomatic visit. But never did she imagine that the woman she knew to be blonde before would suddenly have a change of wardrobe. Her usual blonde hair now turned to a beautiful snow-white colour that flowed down like a waterfall. Her normally cold blue eyes seemed to have gained a bit of life, making them appear more like a vibrant ocean than the cold icebergs they were. Yet what was even more astonishing was she could clearly feel that Aurelia radiated the aura of a god class entity. It had only been a year since they last met so for her to suddenly close the gulf between ultimate class and god class in such a short time made her wonder the methods she used. But whatever those methods were, the two of them weren¡¯t close enough for her to ask. ¡°Greetings, Lady Cleria. This one¡¯s name is Aurelia von Drachenburg. However, you may be more familiar with the name, ¡®Kurohime¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± With a small table between them, the both of them had been left alone with refreshments on the table. But no matter how comfortable the couch was, Cleria suddenly sat up when she heard the name ¡°Drachenburg¡±. A look of pure shock was on her face. ¡°Drachenburg?!¡± Aurelia only gave a nod of confirmation. The Drachenburgs were the royalty of the Aryan race. They were known for their fierce warriors who could wrestle dragons in one-on-one combat and win. If normal Aryans were monsters, then the Drachenburgs were absolute behemoths on the likes of the protagonists from Chinese novels. Cleria could remember the saying: one Drachenburg at the low-Ultimate class could hold off ten normal high-Ultimate class beings from other races and survive. It had been seen countless times in history. With their golden armour and fierce temperaments, they were unrivalled in wars and many other races deigned to clash with them because of how fearsome their reputation and power was. And right now, a member of that family was seated right across her. ¡°Are you¡­are you truly an¡­¡± She let the question hang in the air. ¡°Yes, Lady Cleria. This one does indeed hail from the Aryan bloodline.¡± Aurelia took a sip of her coffee before smiling at her. ¡°Does it bother you, Lady Cleria?¡± Cleria maintained her look of surprise for a moment longer before she eventually shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m more interested in why you revealed this information to me. Surely you know that your¡­kind, will not be warmly received in both the mundane and the supernatural world.¡± Aurelia only smiled. ¡°This one is aware, Lady Cleria. However, this one has no reason to conceal herself any longer. If fate deigns this one is to meet her ancestors tomorrow, then she will meet them with her head held high. And¡­¡± She placed her cup on the table, her gaze turning cold. ¡°...this one¡¯s reason for not revealing her heritage was not out of fear, but out of necessity. But this is no longer required since this one¡¯s reason to conceal herself has¡­ceased to exist.¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria¡¯s brain was working at incredulous speeds to analyse everything Aurelia had said. She was trying to figure out why after over decades of knowing her and even remaining oblivious to her true heritage, she would suddenly reveal herself. She did once suspect Aurelia of being an Aryan the first time they met twenty years ago but as the years went by, she could tell that Aurelia was growing older. Now, she couldn¡¯t help but think that somehow, she had the ability to fake her lifeforce and age which would indeed make her seem like a normal human because right now, Cleria could feel her abundant lifeforce and energy signature. It was overflowing and unrestrained, vibrant and full of life. It was very hard to miss such a distinct Aryan trait which only verified that despite having white hair, Aurelia was indeed from that race. Thinking of how she was now blatantly showing off her heritage, Cleria couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she suddenly did this out of the blue. Except, it was not out of the blue. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Quickly connecting the dots to recent events, she finally got a result in her head. ¡°Himejima.¡± It was a statement, not a question. The only reason Cleria could think as to why Kuro- Aurelia, would reveal herself was because of the recent destruction of the Himejima clan. By now, every major faction and pantheon in the supernatural world knew of the fate that befell the once noble clan. And from the information she received from her familiars, it was a total bloodbath that had nearly all the males killed, including the patriarch. Only the women, children, a few young men, and an elder were left. Truly, they had fallen. A glint shone in Aurelia¡¯s eyes when she heard the name of that decrepit clan. Although the Himejima had essentially fallen from grace, she still did not take kindly to the family surname, seeing as she still couldn¡¯t properly control her emotions upon hearing the term. Nonetheless, she calmed herself by sipping her coffee before replying to Cleria¡¯s statement. ¡°Yes, the Himejima. And it is precisely why this one has come to Kuoh. This one personally witnessed the Himejima¡¯s ending. Now, this one merely wishes to meet with the benefactor and give her thanks to the one who brought an end to that clan.¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria felt a bit weird hearing that statement. Lately, it seemed she had been feeling weird and both of the times she did ironically had to do with Aryans. What were the odds that in less than five years, she met two Aryans? In the same town nonetheless. As far as she knew, every single Aryan, be it woman or child, were killed the moment they tried to escape. Only a handful of half-bloods, Aryans that had copulated with normal humans, were left alive since they were no different from normal humans. Cleria was not sure if she should conceal Igor¡¯s existence from Aurelia or not. From the looks of things, Aurelia did not know that the blonde was her kin, or she could be deliberately hiding that knowledge. But then it would make no sense because then why would she come to ask her, a devil, for the knowledge of another Aryan¡¯s whereabouts? Her thoughts whizzed about as she came up with and dismissed several conjectures in less than a second. Her mind then eventually settled on not giving Igor¡¯s location, but on asking Aurelia a question. Sitting up properly with her hands on her lap, Cleria kindly questioned. ¡°Before I answer, do you perhaps know of any other living members of your race?¡± The same time she spoke, her gaze remained intently on Aurelia¡¯s form, her eyes searching for even the most minute of twitches indicating nervousness or appallment. Cleria was not the greatest at lying, but she prided herself on being able to spot them. And if Aurelia even tried to think about lying, she would spot it. But all that was on Aurelia¡¯s face was a trace of sadness. ¡°Unfortunately, this one is the last member of her race. Any of this one¡¯s kin that were alive would¡¯ve been killed the moment they tried to escape the dimension.¡± Hearing the words ¡°dimension¡± made Cleria once again marvel at how magically gifted the Aryans were. Apart from the gods, they were the only other significant race that could manufacture a separate dimension from Earth where they could live in pseudo-isolation. The only reason Aurelia was so sure she was the only one who survived was because of her hair having turned white from trauma. When the dimension collapsed, any Aryans who managed to survive and were ¡°spit¡± out would¡¯ve been immediately killed. For over a decade, any Aryans that managed to survive were killed. In a world of humans, it was very easy to identify them not only because of their blonde hair and blue eyes, but also because of their abnormal lifeforce. It was publically known that after an Aryan child turns ten, their potent lifeforce and magic power would reveal itself. So for the next ten years, any surviving children were killed off. If not for Yasaka discovering her, Aurelia would¡¯ve suffered the same fate too when she turned ten years old. To this day, she is thankful to the fox for saving her life. But she still felt sad that all her kin were annihilated. Hearing Aurelia speak so somberly about her race, Cleria pitied her. ¡°My sincere apologies. However¡­¡± She decided to simply tell her. ¡°...there is another Aryan.¡± Aurelia only smiled. ¡°Lady Cleria. If you mean the half-bloods populating the planet, then this one knows of them.¡± Half-bloods were simply that: half-bloods. Aurelia had no prejudice against them, but it was too much to consider them her ¡°kin¡±. As far as she was concerned, they were no different from normal humans. But Cleria shook her head. ¡°No. I meant that there is another pure-blooded Aryan like you.¡± ¡°?!¡± Cleria was sure that Igor was not a half-blood for many reasons. One was that he had no traceable ancestry. No matter how much she scoured the records and sent someone to investigate, Igor did not ¡°exist¡±. There wasn¡¯t a trace of his data on any system in the world or a family with the last name ¡°Dimori¡±. But the most important reason, was that he possessed the Aryan¡¯s time chamber artifact. There was absolutely no chance that such an important artifact, the pinnacle of Aryan ingenuity, would be given to a half-blood. Those people prided themselves on their heritage and looked down on normal humans. An Aryan marrying a half-blood was simply taboo and the moment a half-blood was born, they would be chased out. It was why Cleria was sure Igor was a pure-blood. ¡°He is the one who killed the Himejima.¡± Aurelia shot to her feet at the sudden revelations. She didn¡¯t expect that there was another pure-blooded Aryan in existence like her, nevermind that he was also responsible for the Himejima¡¯s death. It came as such a shock to her system that she lost her composure and any sense of modicum or courtesy. Placing her hands on the table, she leaned over to Cleria. ¡°Do you know where he is? This one would sincerely want to meet him.¡± Her voice contained a trace of agitation and if one listened properly, they would know that Aurelia wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. But it was understandable considering she suddenly had an opportunity to meet her kin after decades of believing everyone was dead. And Cleria was willing to oblige. ¡°Of course. If you are willing to wait, then you will meet him shortly. Currently he¡¯s not here in Kuoh but he should be back within the hour.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was no longer focused on the fact that her benefactor was not here. Rather, she was more focused on the fact that the same overwhelming power she felt in Kyoto belonged to one of her kin. That same power that prompted the God of Destruction himself to act was currently in the hands of her kin. She wasn¡¯t jealous. Not in the slightest. Rather, she was mad. Mad that a person with such a high power-level was not present when her clan was being exterminated. She was extremely- ¡°But given his knack for causing trouble, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he took a whole week to come back.¡± ¡°?¡± Aurelia¡¯s emotions experienced a sudden stop-gap. It wasn¡¯t Cleria¡¯s words that made her freeze, but the way she said them. The way she spoke of her benefactor wasn¡¯t as if he was talking about a fully-fledged warrior, but a troublesome boy. So she asked. ¡°Pardon me, but this one would like to ask. How old is he?¡± Now that a moment of clarity had entered her mind, Aurelia remembered that the red-headed figure she saw definitely appeared to be no older than eighteen at most. With how short he was, it was a far cry from how tall the average fully-grown Aryan was. Cleria took the time to ponder. The last she checked, he was roughly¡­ ¡°Between 8-10 years old?¡± ¡°...¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 98 ¡°Pardon me, but this one would like to ask. How old is he?¡± Now that a moment of clarity had entered her mind, Aurelia remembered that the red-headed figure she saw definitely appeared to be no older than eighteen at most. With how short he was, it was a far cry from how tall the average fully-grown Aryan was. Cleria took the time to ponder. The last she checked, he was roughly¡­ ¡°Between 8-10 years old?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Aurelia couldn¡¯t comprehend that the person who rushed over to Kyoto and massacred the Himejima clan was a boy who was barely ten years old. It completely blew apart all her logic. It wasn¡¯t so much that he was a boy, but the strength he possessed was far too much. And if he truly wasn¡¯t ten years old, then it would only be more terrifying. If he was high class or even ultimate class, she could still accept it. But the power he displayed was already in the realm of supreme class. Furthermore, what he showed wasn¡¯t magic. As a person who had vehemently studied magic for over fifty years, Aurelia could tell with a glance that what Igor was used was not even remotely close to magic. The power was far too sinister, too full of malevolence to be magic. She could vividly remember his spiky red hair, making her draw a conclusion that what he tapped into was a sort of transformation. The copious amount of excess energy leaving through his hair and the change in colour was a sign of that. * [Was his state a transformation in our bloodline that gave him that strength he wielded?] She couldn¡¯t think of any other reason. His overwhelming power had been engraved into her bones. The scene of that massive sphere was something she could never forget. Aurelia was very confident in her skillset, but she knew her limits. She knew that no matter how much time she was given, constructing a barrier to stop an attack of that scale was impossible for the current her. She had worked countless hours to perfect her clan specialty which related to their own unique inscription and barrier magic. The knowledge of such magic came innately ingrained in their brains and once they turned ten, they would gain the knowledge recorded by their ancestors. From magic, to fighting, everything would become intrinsic like an instinct. It was a clever method employed thousands of years ago by their ancestors and without the new generation having to relearn already-known knowledge, their race could prosper even further and it was what made them so fearsome. But now, it appeared there was someone who was destined to be even more fearsome. [If he¡¯s this strong before he¡¯s come of age, just how more fearsome will he be when he unlocks his ancestral memories?] Aurelia hadn¡¯t even met Igor. But now, she saw the chance for the revival of their race within him. Their race had a very long life and Aurelia was confident she could stretch her life expectancy to five-hundred with the right methods. If Igor could grow to enter the ranks of the top ten in the future, then Aryan¡¯s revival will be ensured. Immediately, she recognised her duty. [He is the last male. And I am the last female.] Like Adam and Eve, it fell up to them to repopulate their race. She did not feel any trepidation. To her, it was simply a sense of duty. With their people effectively wiped out, she wouldn¡¯t let this chance to exercise filial piety to their ancestors and restart a new lineage, go. But that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t want to know more about her soon-to-be husband. ¡°Lady Cleria. May you please tell this one more about him?¡± Cleria was silent in thought before she chuckled. ¡°Meeting him personally will be much better than me describing him to you. All I can say is, he really¡­really loves fighting, for some reason.¡± . |DxD| . Vatican, Italy . After Igor and Vasco talked further about some mundane details, the elderly exorcist retreated into the house and proceeded to bring Asia to pack her bags. It was already a done decision that Asia would depart with them, something the old man deemed a necessity. Naturally, Akeno couldn¡¯t stay in the same room as Vasco without Igor, so she immediately ran out of the house towards him. There was absolutely no hesitation as she shuffled past the elderly exorcist and leaped into the waiting arms of her big brother. A few minutes had already passed since then and the little lass still showed no signs of wanting to descend from his arms. The both of them were outside gazing at the lush vegetable garden Vasco owned. Under the cover of the moonlight, the blonde stood with Akeno in his arms. The midnight breeze, while cold for normal people, did nothing to their enhanced physiques. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. From time to time, Akeno would twiddle with a strand of Igor¡¯s hair with interest, something the blonde didn¡¯t mind her doing. With one hand supporting her body, the other gently stroked the back of her hair. It was a harmonious atmosphere, but not for Igor. His eyes were somewhat glazed over, the contents of the conversation he had with Vasco playing in his head. His issue had more to do with what he should do with Shuri and Akeno. For Asia, she would train no matter what. There were no negotiations to be had there. His mind was set on getting her strong, both physically and mentally. But Shuri and Akeno were another thing entirely. By all means, he wanted the both of them to get strong, but Baraquiel would know the ¡°how¡±, better. And therein laid the crux of the problem. The fallen was nowhere to be found and even now, he wondered if he should ignore Cleria¡¯s warning and descend into the Underworld. Delaying things was not his style and were it up to him, bootcamp would commence as early as tomorrow. But without Baraquiel, he didn¡¯t know where to even start. His only hope was that upon returning to Kuoh, he would be there. But hope wasn¡¯t something he liked to depend on. ¡°Hey Akeno.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The little fallen replied in a daze. It was only when she processed that she was being called that she raised her head from his chest. ¡°Big brother?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was looking at the line of drool stretching from her lips to his shirt. The little minx had fallen asleep, but he wouldn¡¯t fault her for such a little thing. ¡°Akeno. Do you want to get stronger?¡± This question he asked was a simple formality. Regardless of her answer or whether Baraquiel arrived or not, he would throw her into the jaws of training. By fire or by force, tomorrow morning he would begin teaching her a few things along with Asia. It was an instant conclusion he arrived at when he saw just how scarred those violet eyes of hers were. She could try to hide it, but as someone who knows pain, she couldn¡¯t hide it from him. He could never erase the pain she felt, but he would damn well make sure she never had to experience it again. He would show her the basics of how to fight and leave advanced techniques like magic to Baraquiel¡­once he finds him. But for now, he decided to listen to what Akeno would say. He couldn¡¯t help but be interested in what her answer would be after everything she¡¯d seen and experienced. He hoped she would say yes, but if for some reason she replied in the negative¡­he¡¯ll still wake her up at five in the morning tomorrow. But to say her answer intrigued him was an understatement. ¡°Yes. I want to get strong!¡± Igor wasn¡¯t impressed by what her answer was, but how she said it. There was pure determination in her eyes, something that had him smile with pride. He liked those eyes of her and the conviction behind her words. He needed no further confirmation from the little fallen. ¡°We¡¯ll wake up at five in the morning.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± She tried to look fierce, but her puffed-up chubby cheeks and cute face brought the opposite effect. Nonetheless, Akeno hated how weak she felt when everything happened and did not want to experience the same helplessness as before. She remembered that her father once asked her the same question and she danced around the issue. Now, she was firm in her resolution. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll find the old man and see what we can do for you.¡± Hearing about Baraquiel made her feel inexplicable guilt in her heart. ¡°Yeah¡­I wanna see papa too.¡± When the situation calmed down and she saw Shuri was alive, Akeno felt guilty for saying all those words she said to her father. Usually, she would receive a beating for uttering even a single word out of line. But rather than discipline her, Baraquiel left. Akeno was young, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. Her words hurt him and she knew it. It was why she wished he would be found so that she could sincerely apologise to her father. Back in the house, Vasco and a very excited Asia walked out the front door with only a small brown bag in her hand. Vasco noticed the rather delicate atmosphere and tried to stop Asia, but she slipped through his grasp. Dashing forward, the little blonde was quite literally skipping in excitement. ¡°Big brother! Grandpa said I can go with you to Japan!¡± Igor turned around with an eyebrow raised. Their appearance somewhat caught him offguard but that could be attributed to his familiarity with their aura.* Smiling at her, he stretched out his hand towards the little bundle of energy who was literally trembling in excitement. ¡°Yep! And you¡¯re going to love it there.¡± Her eyes sparkled. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. But where are the rest of your things?¡± Vasco replied to that question. ¡°She can¡¯t take them. All of her clothes have a tracking enchantment on them. Only two pairs of clothing were left untouched because I bought them myself. You¡¯ll have to purchase her some clothes. I do hope you have the money.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde remained silent. Money was such a foreign concept to him that he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he held it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old man. I¡¯ll make a plan.¡± Vasco nodded condescendingly. ¡°Ah¡­yes. And funeral parlours are about to experience a big boom.¡± ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t refute that statement. So he chose to bail. ¡°Well, time to go. Later, old man!¡± Asia also chimed in. ¡°Bye, Grandpa~!¡± Vasco smiled. ¡°Bye kiddo-¡± Tswii! ¡°...¡± *Sighs* ¡°I hope they stay safe.¡± As soon as he said that, he stretched out his hand and immediately, Durandal appeared in his hand. A cold glint sparkled in his eye, his muscles bulging as he flexed. With Asia now safely away, he would no longer restrain himself. Killing intent instantly emanated from him. ¡°Time to clean up the rats.¡± Starting from the bottom, he would kill every single person who conducted immoral experiments up to the person who approved them. By sunrise, the church would¡¯ve undergone a bloody massacre that only came second to the Himejima Massacre. . AN .
  1. She could vividly remember his spiky red hair, making her draw a conclusion that what he tapped into was a sort of transformation. The copious amount of excess energy leaving through his hair and the change in colour was a sign of that. *
Explanation: I will not go into too much detail here since further explanations will come in later chapters. However, picture it like this. Hair is like a chimney that can be used to let the excess smoke out. At the time, Igor had so much energy that any excess energy he had not only escaped through him via his skin in the form of aura, but also through his hair.
  1. Igor turned around with an eyebrow raised. Their appearance somewhat caught him offguard but that could be attributed to his familiarity with their aura.*
Explanation: I¡¯ll put it in an analogy like this. If you drag your finger along your arm, you won¡¯t feel much. But if someone else drags their finger on your arm, you won¡¯t be able to ignore the sensation even if you tried. Igor being somewhat caught offguard is because he is just that used to Asia and Vasco¡¯s presence. But place an unfamiliar person in the vicinity and he would immediately sense them. Similar to how you will instantly feel an ant walking on you. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 99 As soon as he said that, he stretched out his hand and immediately, Durandal appeared in his hand. A cold glint sparkled in his eye, his muscles bulging as he flexed. With Asia now safely away, he would no longer restrain himself. Killing intent instantly emanated from him. ¡°Time to clean up the rats.¡± Starting from the bottom, he would kill every single person who conducted immoral experiments up to the person who approved them. By sunrise, the church would¡¯ve undergone a bloody massacre that only came second to the Himejima Massacre. |DxD| . Back in Kuoh, it was turning out to be a sunny day in the town. Damage reparations were under way and enough issues had been resolved that Cleria no longer needed to personally oversee them. Her and Aurelia made their way through Kuoh to Shuri¡¯s house where the woman stepped out to meet them. Having swapped her blue dress for a slightly worn out brown one, Shuri was the exact definition of a house-wife. Smiling as Aurelia and Cleria landed on the ground, she greeted them. ¡°Cleria-chan. Aurelia-san. I trust everything is well?¡± Aurelia gave a polite nod while Cleria replied with a smile. ¡°Yes, Shuri-chan. It turns out that Aurelia-san here is looking for Dimori-kun.¡± Shuri¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°Ara?¡± Her gaze trained on Aurelia with suspicion. With recent turbulent events, having an unknown person look for Igor was not good as far as she was concerned. ¡°May I know why?¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t evade her gaze. ¡°Worry not, Lady Shuri. This one¡¯s purpose is not nefarious. Lord Dimori is this one¡¯s benefactor that she wishes to thank personally.¡± Shuri scrutinised her for a while before smiling. ¡°Very well then. Would you like to come in? They may take a while to come back.¡± Cleria took the lead in stepping forward. ¡°Thanks, Shuri-chan.¡± Aurelia also followed behind Cleria, her head lowered respectfully. Shuri didn¡¯t take her eyes off her. She was still rather untrusting to this new silverrette that was looking for Igor. But, she would let it go for now. Following behind them, she gestured for them to enter the kitchen where there were pots, pans, and all sorts of other ingredients already on display. Shuri made her way over to the stove where the cooking oil was already crackling due to the heat. Adjusting the temperature on the stove, she turned towards the two women who had already sat down. ¡°How are the repairs coming along, Cleria-chan. I assumed you would be busy.¡± Cleria sighed as her head fell on the table. ¡°I WAS busy, Shuri-chan. Thanks to Dimori-kun, paperwork was up to my eyebrows.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. He wouldn¡¯t be Dimori-kun if he wasn¡¯t a bit brash in his way of doing things.¡± ¡°Yeah. And thanks to him, I¡¯ve had to do more work in these past five years than I had to in fifty.¡± Friendly banter was shared between these two friends as Cleria revealed some of the interesting things Igor did since he came to Kuoh. From robbing resident gangs to causing stores to run out of meat, she revealed all the messes the blonde caused in his earlier years. Cleria had to work hard to silence newspapers from reporting on him, especially since it was very hard to find him. ¡°Seriously, Shuri-chan. You have to reign him in before I become the first devil to die from overworking.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. I¡¯ll try, Cleria-chan.¡± Aurelia was content to simply listen to these two talk. The way they talked fondly of the blonde made her evaluate that even amongst other species, not everyone hated the Aryans. And despite Shuri being a Himejima, she didn¡¯t hold any prejudice against her after Cleria told her of what happened as they flew here. In fact, she was rather thankful to Shuri because in a way, she freed her from the coil of revenge that had wrapped around her mind for decades. And also because of her, she was able to find out that she had a living, breathing member of the same race who she would soon meet. For once in her life, Aurelia felt a true sense of peace. She even had the liberty to take in the mundane aspects of life such as the sound of the sizzling pan, the birds singing outside, and the gentle breeze of the wind flowing through the open window. She let her senses spread out with wild abandon. If she was in Kyoto, she would never do this because this was simply leaving her vulnerable to assassination. Walking around the bustling city of Kyoto with enhanced senses, the sound of the cars alone would disorient her. She wouldn¡¯t even know how she died before her world turned dark. Having lived as Yasaka¡¯s personal attendant, there was no end to the racism she got as a human that served as the leader¡¯s most trusted aide. While she did miss Yasaka and Kunou, she wasn¡¯t going to return to Kyoto any time soon, at least not without a ring on her finger. Her mind continued to mill about the future while her senses remained spread out. Like taking off a pair of earmuffs, it was somewhat therapeutic to not have to restrain her senses like before. Cleria¡¯s and Shuri¡¯s voices didn¡¯t get louder, but she could hear more than just their voices. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. For instance¡­ Tswii! A bit different from the normal sounds of birds, Aurelia heard the very familiar sound of something akin to high-speed acceleration. Focusing her senses on the sound, she was appalled to sense three different energy signatures that were not there before suddenly appearing. [Fallen angel, human, and¡­] And then it hit her. [What is this?] She could feel the pure, raw power coursing through the one in the middle. His restrained power alone was on the peak of mid-god class. And he had a ludicrous amount of energy within him and even now, she could subtly feel it climbing up, especially his lifeforce. There was no mistaking that aura. Even if it was very subtle, this was definitely the same energy she felt in Kyoto. ¡°Ara? Dimori-kun and Akeno-chan have come back.¡± It seems it wasn¡¯t only Aurelia who was able to sense them. With her body being restored to its peak, Shuri was able to hear the telltale sound of the [Instant Transmission]. . |DxD| . Igor, Asia, and Akeno appeared outside Shuri¡¯s house. With Akeno in his arm and Asia clutching his other hand, the blonde began walking forward. ¡°I promise you, Asia. You¡¯ll really love it here a lot. You won¡¯t believe the amazing food Aunty Shuri cooks-¡± ¡°And me too!¡± Apparently, Akeno didn¡¯t want to be suddenly left out of the praises. ¡°Yeah, yeah. And Akeno too. Aunty and the little chick are really great when it comes to handling the pot.¡± Akeno couldn¡¯t help but frown at the nickname, especially when she saw Asia struggle to hold back a laugh. ¡°For the last time, big brother. I¡¯m not a little chick!¡± Igor¡¯s response to that was to pinch her waist, causing her to flinch at the mild pain. ¡°Ow!¡± She looked at him with an expression of grievance, but all she got was a cheeky smile from him. ¡°No matter how big you get, you¡¯ll always be a little chick to me, Akeno.¡± Asia looked at the interaction between the two and couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°Hihihi~.¡± Their interaction was genuine, normal, and really funny. It was a far-cry from the people who tried to befriend her back in Italy. Unlike them, she could see no hidden intent in their eyes. It seemed like their banter eased any sort of the nervousness the little blonde had at the sudden change of scenery. But she would not have much time to take it in because the door to the house suddenly opened to reveal Shuri in an apron. Upon seeing the three of them safe and sound, Shuri smiled. ¡°Come in, you three. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.¡± Climbing down from Igor¡¯s arms, Akeno dashed forward. ¡°I¡¯ll set up the table!¡± Without waiting for her mother¡¯s approval, she quickly ran past her into the house, leaving the two blonde¡¯s alone. Shuri then focused her attention on Asia. ¡°Ara, you must be the little sister Dimori-kun was talking about so much.¡± ¡°...¡± Asia didn¡¯t respond to Shuri¡¯s words, mostly because she couldn¡¯t understand a word that was coming out of her mouth. She looked to her big brother for help because it seemed he could understand. But all she got was Igor¡¯s encouraging gaze. ¡°Come on, Asia. Aunty won¡¯t bite.¡± ¡°Um¡­I-¡± Shuri was quick to catch on to the girl¡¯s plight. ¡°Fufufu~. She can¡¯t understand me, Dimori-kun.¡± Clearing her throat, Shuri spoke again. ¡°How about now, Asia? Do you understand me?¡± Asia¡¯s eyes widened when she heard Shuri speak Italian. But she quickly nodded. ¡°Y-yes. I understand now.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. So cute~. You really brought a gem, Dimori-kun.¡± The little girl couldn¡¯t help but blush at the sudden spotlight that was shone upon her. She was no stranger to attention, but the way Shuri looked at her seemed a bit too¡­warm, far warmer than what she was used too. ¡°Hello. My¡­my name is Asia¡­¡± After saying her name, she remained quiet. As for Igor, he seemed completely lost. Asia not understanding Shuri brought up a lot of questions that he previously never considered before. The blonde considered himself a bonafide Italian. So for Asia not understanding Japanese suddenly brought up the question of how he understood it when he never learnt to speak or read it before. Having stayed in Kuoh for years, questions of how he was able to understand the street signs, the labels on the supermarkets and the words of every Japanese he met suddenly arose. Now that he thought about it, even the manga for Dragon Ball was most likely in Japanese, yet he easily read it as if it was written in english. ¡°I¡¯m so confused¡­¡± ¡°Ara? What is so confusing, Dimori-kun?¡± Catching the confused look from Shuri, Igor decided to test something. ¡°Aunty. Are you speaking Italian or Japanese right now?¡± ¡°For Asia¡¯s sake, I am speaking Italian.¡± ¡°Then¡­can you say what you said earlier, but in Japanese?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri mulled over his request for a bit before acquiescing. ¡°Ara? What is so confusing, Dimori-kun?¡± Igor¡¯s confusion only got worse. ¡°You¡­said that in Japanese, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Dimori-kun. Is something wrong?¡± He turned to face Asia and saw that the little blonde was also looking at him with concern. Deciding to get it out of his chest, he revealed his concerns. ¡°Look, aunty. To me, every word you speak sounds either Italian, or English. I can hear your ¡®ara¡¯ and ¡®kun¡¯ with no problem. But every other word sounds mostly Italian to me. I never noticed that until now with Asia. It makes me wonder how I never had problems understanding a language.¡± While no one here had the answer, a third party did. Alerted by the sound of footsteps, all three of them came face to face with Aurelia and Cleria. Being an Aryan herself, Aurelia would be able to explain. ¡°Greetings, Lord Dimori. This one¡¯s name is Aurelia. As for your confusion, this one will be able to resolve it.¡± . |DxD| . Grigori, Underworld . Baraquiel was sitting alone in his office. With wooden flooring and furnishings, only the walls were painted a peach white colour, giving off a rather normal and professional atmosphere. But right now, the curtains were closed and there were bottles all over. Slumped on his chair was Baraquiel who appeared to be a total mess. Gone was his coat, leaving him with only his wrinkled black shirt and trousers. His eyes were dark and lifeless, his hair and beard uncombed. He was grieving¡­heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shuri.¡± He took a long swig of alcohol from the bottle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Akeno¡­¡± Again, he took another swig from the bottle in his hand. He was broken, the results of his failure having finally overwhelmed in. He couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, especially after Akeno told him right to his face that she hated him. It was like the final blow that sealed the coffin. For the past half-an-hour, he¡¯d been drowning his sorrows in liquor, something he had never touched for decades...until today. These bottles of alcohol were all the gifts he received from Odin and a few warriors he used to spar with whenever he got the time to visit Asgard. These gifts that were received during happy and satisfying times were now used to drown the sorrow in his heart. He felt like a complete and utter failure. It wasn¡¯t so much that his wife died with his daughter nearly following, but that he actually swallowed his rage. He was the Lightning General, a Cadre of Grigori. He survived hundreds of wars and witnessed thousands. He was a warrior that even Asgardians acknowledged as a friend. Yet when his family was touched, he shied away from the thought of exacting revenge. The thought alone aroused his rage and frustration. ¡°RAAAAAAH!¡± CRASH! Throwing away the bottle in his hand, it crashed against the wall with glass shards and liquor splattering all over. His face was buried in his hands, grief and hatred becoming the only things that accompanied him. In that brief moment of self-loathing, a thought entered his mind. ¡°Alicia¡­¡± The only person that came to mind in his time of great sorrow was the woman who so easily proclaimed her love for him. He wanted to see her, to feel her warmth. He already lost everything and he was in danger of losing himself. There was nothing more that he wanted to do than to see her. It was to the point that it had become an instinct. He could go to his brothers, but he didn¡¯t want them to see him like this, to see him¡­so broken. Without hesitation, a teleportation circle formed underneath him before he vanished. Vwong! . AN . Today is Friday and thank you for the continued support. It is greatly appreciated, especially the comments I receive from all of you. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 100 The only person that came to mind in his time of great sorrow was the woman who so easily proclaimed her love for him. He wanted to see her, to feel her warmth. He already lost everything and he was in danger of losing himself. There was nothing more that he wanted to do than to see her. It was to the point that it had become an instinct. He could go to his brothers, but he didn¡¯t want them to see him like this, to see him¡­so broken. Without hesitation, a teleportation circle formed underneath him before he vanished. Vwong! . |DxD| . ¡°Greetings, Lord Dimori. This one¡¯s name is Aurelia. As for your confusion, this one will be able to resolve it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­okay? I¡¯m listening then.¡± Igor focused his attention on this random woman. From an objective standpoint, he could admit she was very pretty. Long silver hair, blue eyes and a slim yet proportioned appearance. What he was most interested in were the callouses on her hands. From how deep they looked, he could guess that she wielded a bladed weapon like a sword or dagger. Aurelia didn¡¯t notice his eyes focus on her hands nor respond immediately to his question. Rather, she was taking in his presence. [There is no mistaking it.] She could feel it, almost as if it was an instinct. She could recognise her own kin very easily and Aurelia had no doubt that Igor was a pure-blood like her. Comparing his stature to her people, he seemed to be thirteen-years-old. But taking account into what she felt through his lifeforce, he was almost nine-years-old. It astounded her that he could get this strong without having tapped into the experience of his ancestors. But right now wasn¡¯t the time to figure that out. Not wanting to let the silence stretch longer than it already did, she addressed his concerns regarding his ability to understand foreign languages. ¡°Lord Dimori. The ability to understand other languages is a key trait that even normal humans once used to possess since time immemorial. Is Lord Dimori familiar with the Tower of Babel?¡± Igor was slightly put off by her¡­eloquent language. It didn¡¯t sit right with him that a woman who clearly gave off the feeling of a fellow warrior was speaking so¡­poshly. In his mind, only sissies, politicians, and non-combatants like Cleria could afford to spend time learning big words for simple things instead of doing push-ups. But he shrugged it off. ¡°Can¡¯t say I do know that story.¡± ¡°Very well then. This one shall be brief in her explanation. A long time ago when man shared a single language, they came together to build a tower that could pierce into the heavens. But the¡­¡± She cast a glance to Cleria who was preparing for the pain before changing her words. ¡°But the All-Father was less than pleased at their actions. So he halted their progress by scrambling the language, making them all speak different languages without being able to understand one another. This is not recorded in normal books, but the All-Father went a step further and separated them by dividing the once single landmass into seven continents. But, there was one clan that did not participate in building the tower and spoke out against it. The All-Father spared that clan and gave them the blessing of understanding all scripts and languages. That clan was called, Aria and their descendants were called, Aryans.¡± Igor processed all this information quietly. And apparently, Shuri and Cleria were too. It wasn¡¯t a world shattering revelation, but it helped the blonde make sense of a few things. ¡°So it¡¯s an inherent ability, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Dimori.¡± ¡°...¡± That was enough. Igor couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Can you stop calling me ¡®Lord¡¯? It¡¯s weird and I don¡¯t like it, especially from someone I don¡¯t know.¡± Shuri chided the blonde from the side. ¡°Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s true, aunty. Nevermind that I don¡¯t know her, I don¡¯t recall having done anything to be called a lord or some other fancy title.¡± It sounded rude, but he would rather get straight to the point than dance around the edges. To him, being called ¡®lord¡¯ was the same as being called ¡®president¡¯ for no apparent reason. As far as he knew, only someone with great achievements, a notable family, or of great importance could be called a lord. Aurelia found it ironic that he felt he didn¡¯t deserve the title, but she would accept his demands. ¡°Very well, Benefactor. This one will respect your demands.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Igor looked at the woman before deciding to offer another alternative. ¡°Can¡¯t you call me by name? You¡¯re older than me so calling me by name is better.¡± ¡°Apologies, Benefactor. But calling my-¡­you, by name would be immensely disrespectful in our culture.¡± She chided herself for almost referring to him as ¡°husband¡±. In their culture, a woman calling her husband, the head of the house, by name was disrespecting his authority, his standing, and the spirits of his ancestors who were always with him. Although they weren¡¯t married, Aurelia would aim to correct that very soon. Igor gave up on trying to convince the other woman otherwise. He could smell the food from the house and judging from Asia¡¯s strengthening grip on his hand, she was either hungry or anxious¡­or both. But he was now genuinely curious as to who this woman was beyond her name. ¡°Hey, sister. Who are you really?¡± There was a gnawing itch within him that she felt familiar. The longer he stayed in her presence, the bigger the itch. It was the same as seeing someone you thought you knew and you couldn¡¯t help but take a glance at them from time to time in a bid to figure out who they were. Not aware of what the blonde was feeling, Aurelia replied. ¡°Benefactor. This one¡¯s name is Aurelia and please refer to me as such for the time being. This one unfortunately, cannot divulge certain details for the time being. But rest assured for she wishes no harm towards the Benefactor. May this one be audacious as to ask who the Benefactor is?¡± ¡°...¡± She was using some strong english words, words that took a while to process in his head, but the blonde understood what she wanted to know. Confidently placing a thumb on his chest, he grinned. ¡°Listen well and listen closely. You are looking at the number one fighter in the universe, Igor von Dimori.¡± ¡°Fufu~. This one will do well to remember the benefactor¡¯s name.¡± Igor gave a nod before walking around her with Asia in tow. ¡°Nice meeting you, Sister Aurelia.¡± Aurelia¡¯s way of speaking was not doing wonders for him. Having to decipher her sentences was very taxing on his combat-orientated brain. [The way she talks is strange. ¡®This one¡¯ this. ¡®This one¡¯ that. No man. It¡¯s too early and I¡¯m wayy I¡¯m too hungry for this-] ¡°Please wait, Benefactor.¡± ¡°...¡± A slight frown formed on his face. A huge part of him thought of continuing forward and ignore her. But thinking of how this woman was most likely Cleria¡¯s guest, he could only sigh. ¡°Yes?¡± Shuri chuckled upon seeing his expression of grievance. And the slight pout of Asia¡¯s face was something fun to look at. ¡°Now, now, Dimori-kun. And you too, Asia-chan. Please listen to what dear Aurelia-san wants to say, alright? Meanwhile, I¡¯ll fix your plates- pardon me. I¡¯ll fix Asia-chan a plate. I¡¯ll have a pot ready for you, Dimori-kun~.¡± And with that, she sashayed her way around them and entered the house. Igor couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off her, his mouth open like a lovestruck teenager. The moment he heard ¡°pot¡±, her status in his heart had immediately been elevated to ¡°goddess¡±. With her having promised to fix them some food, the blonde¡¯s patience bar was recharged. Turning towards Aurelia, he was a bit more amicable now, something Cleria was thankful for. She didn¡¯t understand why Aurelia was being so long-winded with someone who she should be straightforward with. But she didn¡¯t raise her question and was fine with being an observer. As for Aurelia couldn¡¯t let him leave without confirming her suspicion. And she had a way to do it. ¡°May this one ask if the benefactor is familiar with the name, Drachenburg?¡± Igor tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What does Dragon Mountain have to do with this?¡± Cleria widened her eyes with shock. She was in awe of what she had just witnessed. Many supernatural species had the ability to automatically speak any language without any problems. It was an intrinsic ability that worked with nearly any speakable language¡­except aryan. If an Aryan spoke aryan, no other race would be able to automatically translate the language. All they would hear was nonsensical gibberish. When Aurelia spoke, she spoke using aryan and the blonde easily understood and replied to her in aryan and from the looks of things, he did it subconsciously. If she was 99% sure that Igor was a pure-blood, then now she was a hundred percent sure. With that discovery, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit more genuinely. ¡°Apologies, Benefactor. This one will reintroduce herself properly this time. This one¡¯s name is Aurelia von Drachenburg.¡± ¡°...oh. Okay.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± The two women were surprised at his mellow response, especially Aurelia. Only Asia continued to stand silently on the side. From her experience, getting involved in the adult stuff would only make her head hurt. Aurelia remained unresponsive. She simply didn¡¯t expect for him to show a complete lack of interest at all. ¡°Did this one perhaps-¡± She was suddenly interrupted by the sound of frantic footsteps. It didn¡¯t take long before Igor was directly in front of her with an inquisitive gaze. ¡°Why is your last name ¡®Drachenburg¡¯? You don¡¯t feel like a dragon.¡± Aurelia quipped back. ¡°This one is afraid the same is true with the benefactor. Your last name is ¡®Dimori¡¯, yet you most certainly don¡¯t look anything like a keeper of fate.¡± ¡°Heh?¡± The blonde backed away from her personal space with confusion on his face. ¡°Keeper of fate? Doesn¡¯t my surname mean ¡®dwelling¡¯?¡± ¡°Publically, yes. However¡­this one believes that Lady Shuri is done with her preparations.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor could admit he was slow, but not so slow that he wouldn¡¯t notice how the woman was paying him back for how he brushed her off previously. But instead of getting angry, he only grinned. ¡°Very funny.¡± Su! In a flash, he appeared in front of her with his fist barely a centimetre from the side of her cheek. To his amazement, Aurelia didn¡¯t flinch in the slightest, nor did she react in surprise. Ocean blue stared into cerulean, one gaze as steady as a mountain and the other, challenging and daring. For a whole five seconds, neither side moved. Aurelia was still standing respectably with her hands held in front of her while Igor was in midair, his body slightly horizontal from having jumped forward with his fist outstretched. Igor¡¯s grin grew wider and wider when he felt how her magic power was supercharged to hit him with what he guessed would be some sort of ice or water-based magic. It was a standoff and with each moment that passed, his thoughts about her improved drastically. Landing on the ground, Igor didn¡¯t tear away his gaze from her. ¡°Hmph. Looks like those callouses aren¡¯t for decoration. You speak like a snowflake, but you certainly aren¡¯t one. I like that.¡± Retreating with his hands stretched behind his head, he grabbed Asia¡¯s hand before he walked away without turning back. ¡°I like you. We¡¯ll continue our talk when I¡¯m done.¡± With those words, he retreated into the house with Asia following silently. When the duo disappeared, Cleria let out a breath she didn¡¯t know she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Aurelia. I¡¯m so sor¡­ry?¡± Cleria couldn¡¯t quite believe her eyes. Aurelia stood ramrod straight with her face maintaining its black visage. But when she strained her eyes, she could make out something she thought she would never see on the straight-laced woman. [Is¡­is that a blush?!] . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 101 Retreating with his hands stretched behind his head, he grabbed Asia¡¯s hand before he walked away without turning back. ¡°I like you. We¡¯ll continue our talk when I¡¯m done.¡± With those words, he retreated into the house with Asia following silently. When the duo disappeared, Cleria let out a breath she didn¡¯t know she¡¯d been holding. ¡°Aurelia. I¡¯m so sor¡­ry?¡± Cleria couldn¡¯t quite believe her eyes. Aurelia stood ramrod straight with her face maintaining its black visage. But when she strained her eyes, she could make out something she thought she would never see on the straight-laced woman. [Is¡­is that a blush?!] . |DxD| . A few kilometres away from the house, Igor and Aurelia stood apart from each other in a face off. With trees surrounding them at every point, there was barely ten metres of distance between each trunk. The sun was high but its rays barely managed to penetrate to the forest floor. Apart from a few insects, other wildlife was scarce in the forest due to Igor¡¯s aura having driven most of the animals away. The blonde stood while he stretched his arms, his eyes locked on to Aurelia¡¯s form. With black pants and his long-sleeved black shirt, he was ready for battle, and his energetic aura certainly showed that. With a full-stomach, the recharge-rate of his ki had boosted by a considerable margin and with all that excess energy, he needed to let out some of it. Aurelia¡¯s previous display had certainly served to stroke his battle-starved appetite. It was to the point that the moment he finished eating, he dragged the woman here, with her permission of course. In front of Igor¡¯s enthusiastic grin, Aurelia maintained her impassive gaze. But she couldn¡¯t hide the feeling of atleast wanting to spar a bit with her soon-to-be husband. It was unladylike and she blamed her ancestry for inheriting this subtle desire for a good fight. Knowing that her current attire was less than fit for fighting a certified speed-demon, she snapped her fingers and a white light covered her body. When it dissipated, it revealed her to be now clad in an elegeant miko dress that had long slits on the side to not restrain leg movement. The dress was red in colour but upon closer inspection, one could notice the tell-tale sign of metal plating by the edges, indicating that underneath the fabric was laced with metal armour for protection. A magnificent black coat was draped over her form with a katana strapped to her side. Opposed to the blonde¡¯s shinobi sandals, she wore calf-length strapped sandals that had quite a thick heel on them. Tying her hair in a ponytail, her current state was vastly different from her subservient maid-like appearance. Despite being a western beauty, she seemed more like a samurai, a likely influence of having stayed in Japan for most of her life. Placing a hand on her sword, she got into a stance. ¡°Benefactor. Though this one may not be on par with you, please do not underestimate her.¡± Igor similarly raised his fists and got into a stance. ¡°And lose an arm? I¡¯m definitely not underestimating you, Sister Aurelia.¡± There was a lull of silence between them, the leaves scattering as the pressure of their gradually rising aura affected the wind around them. Those with keen ears would be able to hear the muscles of each individual tense as they reinforced them with either magic power or ki. Aurelia further channeled mana into her sword, allowing it to gain a faint blue luminescence. As for Igor, he had undone his Kaioken in order to get the most authentic pleasure from this fight. Without it, his power stabilised at the peak of mid-god class. This was currently his maximum power-level without the technique. But he figured with a month of solid training, stepping into high-god class would be a non-issue. While Aurelia was in low-god class, her decades of experience combined with the knowledge from her ancestors had the potential to close, or even surpass the gap between her and the blonde. And with her repertoire of magic spells and swordsmanship styles, she wasn¡¯t necessarily outmatched. But that was only theory on paper. The real test would begin when the two clashed. Gripping her sword tightly, she vanished. Su! Being the first to move, Aurelia appeared instantly in front of the blonde, her sword ready for a quickdraw-slash. As soon as she drew her sword, she immediately slashed behind her. SLASH! Nearly caught by surprise, Igor trapped the blade between his palms, the tip dangerously close to his nose. The afterimage he left to fool her dissipated while he locked eyes with her. ¡°You really want to cleave me in half, don¡¯t you.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Benefactor. This one is confident she can heal you before you lose your breath.¡± Mustering a strained grin, he quipped back. ¡°Your services won¡¯t be needed, sister. Besides, you still haven¡¯t told me who you really are.¡± Issuing a daring manoeuvre, he used his palm to push the sword to the side. At the same time, he spun like a corkscrew to avoid having his shoulder slashed and aimed a kick towards her head. Feeling the power behind the kick, Aurelia deflected the kick with her shoulder before retreating, just in time to avoid an impromptu horsekick that would¡¯ve landed on her chin. Quickly righting himself from his handstand, Igor stood up again. ¡°I¡¯m no good with a sword, but¡­¡± Zuuuuu White aura blades formed in his hands. ¡°...I¡¯m pretty good with these.¡± The blades were barely ten centimetres long if measured from the tips of his fingers, but they were his specialty that he mastered. Having gotten used to fighting more than one opponent, short blades were the best fit for him in a confined space like a battlefield. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The lull of silence between them didn¡¯t last long before they lunged at each other again. Su! Su!¡­CLASH! The exchanges between them were fast. They barely appeared for even a second before they suddenly appeared a dozen metres away. Whether it be on the ground, atop a branch, or even vertically on the tree trunks, they fought, their senses entirely focused on each other. All anyone would be able to see were brief flashes of Igor redirecting a blade or Aurelia blocking a stab before the duo suddenly vanished. As for the mundane, they wouldn¡¯t be able to see more than brief flashes of light. So far, no sort of energy techniques were used besides reinforcing their bodies for maximum physical capabilities. Both displayed superb energy control with absolutely no leakage of aura from their bodies. Aurelia was also especially impressed with how he handled her blows. His spectral blades were able to parry her katana with relative ease. From what she¡¯d seen so far, Igor seemed to be the sort of person who¡¯d be brash in this fight and not fear her blade. But he was cautious, his eyes serious. She was learning more about him in this fight than she could¡¯ve possibly learnt from another source, alleviating to his words during breakfast. ¡®I don¡¯t know you, Sister Aurelia. You seem to know me and you want something from me. But I don¡¯t trust you. Let¡¯s have a good fight first. Only then, will I answer anything you want to know.¡¯ Although she had agreed hesitantly, she couldn¡¯t lie and say she wasn¡¯t enjoying the scuffle between them. It was certainly a nice variation from sparring with Yasaka and the other odd yokai. Though neither of their lives were at stake, she would do her best to win¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s turn it up a notch, Sister Aurelia!¡± ¡°Yes, Benefactor.¡± ¡­because from their exchange right now, she knew he would want nothing less than her one-hundred percent. GRUUU! Igor was the first to step things up. With his power rising, he pointed his arms towards Aurelia before golden orbs formed in them. ¡°Ha!¡± Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Du! Ki blasts began raining at Aurelia from all directions. When the blonde released them, some of them would divert their paths and strike at her from the sides or behind her like homing missiles. It was a superb display of ki control, with none of them hitting the trees at all. One could only marvel just how much one had to practice to continuously calculate the trajectories of ki blasts for an ever-moving target. While Aurelia could marvel at his ki control, she had much bigger things to worry about. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! These supercharged ki blasts were like miniature bombs that she had to constantly dodge or risk suffering considerable injuries. On their own, these blasts weren¡¯t powerful. But if one hit, then just the impact would slow her down enough for other subsequent blasts to hit her. But in a display of agility, Aurelia darted from tree branch to tree branch without issue. Instead of her, all these attacks managed to hit were the trees or the ground. In that time, Aurelia was already focusing her magic power, not content so simply be on the receiving end. Gripping her sword, she channeled mana into her feet before jumping into the sky. Having the blonde in her sights, she quietly muttered. ¡°[One Slash]¡± KACHA! Like the sound of glass breaking, a menacing sword slash that spread dozens of metres wide instantly soared towards the blonde. Even though it was wide, the height/width was very thin, so thin that one would barely be able to see the attack coming even if they squinted. But as someone who¡¯s used [Instant Transmission] for years, Igor was very sensitive to spatial fluctuations, nevermind that his normal senses were extremely heightened. Feeling the looming threat so close to him, he knew that it was far too late to even use [Instant Vanish] to escape. Knowing this attack would cleave right through him if he tried to block it in his current state, he bent backwards. Doof! Moving right over his forehead, Aurelia¡¯s sword slash cut straight into the ground, leaving a very fine gash that extended deep into the ground with no end in sight. But there was no time to admire that because in less than the time it took to blink, Aurelia appeared above him with her sword poised to pierce his stomach. ¡°?!¡± Widening his eyes, he quickly rolled to the side but was unable to escape damage. Puchi! Her sword managed to cut through his side, leaving him with a rather sizeable gash that immediately started to bleed. Ignoring the stinging pain, he got on all three before stretching out his left hand. ¡°[Sunset Flash!]¡± Immediately, golden energy formed in his palm before a powerful blast wave shot from it. Druuuu! The blast wave barreled straight towards Aurelia who immediately reacted by conjuring a barrier. GU! His attack and her barrier met head on, the clash causing a powerful shockwave to spread out. Immediately, all the trees around them were uprooted, a radius of a few metres clearing around them. Aurelia¡¯s barrier cracked, but she quickly channeled her mana into fixing it. In this situation, she could only bide her time. From the power of the blast, she knew he couldn¡¯t keep up such a high-volume discharge of energy for a long time without damaging or even crippling his arm. While she was right, she still underestimated Igor. It was true that he couldn¡¯t keep it up for long, but this much energy discharge was far from his maximum. ¡°HAAAA!¡± KaaDRUUUUUUUU! Knowing his attack had found purchase, Igor no longer had any qualms in channeling more ki into the attack and the results, were massive. BOOOOM! The power behind the attack was so astonishing that the power from the [Galick Gun] he launched on Baraquiel all those years ago seem like nothing in comparison. The radius of the blast wave was so humongous that it appeared as if a giant snake of golden light was slithering through the forest. For over a kilometre, this blast extended before gradually, it dimmed and disappeared. As soon as it vanished, all that was left behind was a smoldering mess of leaf litter and burnt wood. The ground itself was hollowed out like a trench that bled to a straight passage through the forest. The sun that couldn¡¯t penetrate to the forest floor now could, except there was nothing alive for it to nourish with its sunlight besides the blonde who was clutching his bleeding side. The whole region was quiet, the only sound coming from Igor burning his wound shut with his ki. Despite his rather grievous injury, the blonde was all smiles. He didn¡¯t know whether Aurelia could survive the blast without needing intensive care, but he was sure she was alive. And his assumption came true when a few-hundred-metres away, Aurelia walked out of the plume of dust with a menacing aura around her. Her clothes were damaged greatly, her arms singed from blocking the blast. But her eyes, eyes that were previously uncaring oozed the desire for combat. Igor couldn¡¯t help but get lost in them, his heartbeat quickening. He simply couldn¡¯t look away from them for some reason he couldn¡¯t understand. He had seen the same eyes in Atid when they fought, but they never made him forget to breathe. If before she was some random woman he would easily forget, she was now¡­ [Beautiful¡­] She looked like a warrior. Smelled like a warrior. Felt like a warrior. With her sword at her side, a blue aura covered her form like a translucent curtain. All this time, her eyes never once left his. Aurelia cared not for decency at this moment. Despite her clothes being torn and subtly revealing rather compromising body parts, she paid no attention to that. Her armour had been completely destroyed and revealed the black undershirt that was massively torn in several places. But she cared not for that. Rather, it seemed like a fire had awakened within her. That Aryan instinct to fight, the desire for battle that had been suppressed for so many years had awakened when she was so close to death. If she enjoyed the previous fight between them, now¡­ ¡­she wanted to RELISH it. Su! Closing the distance between them in an instant, she stood a few metres away from the blonde. ¡°You have won the first bout. But I will win the second. If I do not win the second, I will win the third. We Will Not Stop.¡± She said those words with conviction and was straight to the point. She was so determined that she even forgoed her usual subservient speech pattern. On the opposite sound, Igor couldn¡¯t help but grin, his aura fluctuating with excitement he felt. ¡°Aurelia¡­¡± Gruuu! A burst of aura covered his form like a gentle white flame. ¡°...I wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.¡± His fire had been stoked and his battle lust soared to its peak. His impression of Aurelia had rose to new heights to the point that he genuinely respected this woman as if he had known her for years. In this fight alone, he verified his gut-feeling that this woman was a warrior, and¡­that she was kin. . AN . I know the rules. Since two days have passed, here¡¯s two chapters. Hope you enjoy them. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 102 ¡°Aurelia¡­¡± Gruuu! A burst of aura covered his form like a gentle white flame. ¡°...I wouldn¡¯t want it any other way.¡± His fire had been stoked and his battle lust soared to its peak. His impression of Aurelia had rose to new heights to the point that he genuinely respected this woman as if he had known her for years. In this fight alone, he verified his gut-feeling that this woman was a warrior, and¡­that she was kin. . |DxD| . Far away from the scene of the fight, Shuri, Akeno, Asia, and Cleria were standing outside the house with worried or awed expressions on their face. While the adults were worried, the two children were awed and rightfully so. From the distance, motes of flashing lights and magic circles were relevant as the sounds of explosions filled the vicinity. The fight between Igor and Aurelia had scaled up to involve energy attacks of various margins. The giant plumes of dust and gravel burst up like brown curtains that continuously spread throughout the forest. The blows and attacks those two traded were beyond impressive. Just the rumbling of the earth alone was a testament to the power behind the attacks. Even the resulting sounds from their attacks and clashes were¡­ Crack¡­BOOM ¡­loud beyond measure. Shuri couldn¡¯t help but worry that the isolation barrier wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the shockwaves. She could see it gleam continuously whenever an attack that missed its target collided against it. She couldn¡¯t help but hold Asia and Akeno a little closer to her just in case they needed to run. Shuri still couldn¡¯t believe that things had come to this point. Everything had happened so suddenly that she couldn¡¯t even put a word in. Breakfast was moving normally with stories being traded across the table. Most of the time, it was Cleria complaining about the blonde or the church while the only boy in the room stuffed himself with food, remaining oblivious to the varied looks he got from everyone. But the most surprising thing was when Aurelia wanted to talk to Igor alone. Then all of a sudden, the blonde proposed a fight and in an instant, they were gone. It didn¡¯t even take long before the sounds of fighting reached all the way over here. Now, Shuri was worried that as the four of them stood here, one of them here could catch a stray blast. ¡°I think we should stop them before it gets too far.¡± Hearing her friend¡¯s words, Cleria walked over and reached up to place a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Shuri-chan. Nothing will happen¡­hopefully.¡± Cleria tried to optimistic because in reality, there was little to nothing either of them could do with their strength. Neither of them could properly qualify as high class entities. At best, they could be seen as middle-class in terms of combat capability. But in a fight between two god class entities, they could forget about trying to interfere. Just the shockwaves from their clash alone would grievously injure them¡­if they were lucky. While the two adults were worried, the two little girls on the side were a different story. Akeno was focused, her eyes squinting in order to catch a trace of the two fighters. Right now, Igor and Aurelia¡¯s fight was not limited to just land. Visible shockwaves and collision points could be seen all across the sky but Akeno wasn¡¯t satisfied with just that. She wanted to see exactly what moves they were making, especially the blonde. As for Asia, she was content to simply cheer her brother on. ¡°You can win, big brother!¡± Her eyes sparkled at the shining motes in the sky, the streaks of light reflecting in her eyes. Her hands were clasped together, her eyes wide open in wonder. She had never seen such a sight before in her life. But if there was one thing she was confident in, it was that her brother would win, because her brother is the best. . |DxD| . At the scene of the battle, Igor and Aurelia were floating a few metres away from each other. The blonde¡¯s hand was visibly red from having deflected an ice-shard while Aurelia¡¯s stomach had a visible red bruise from the result of failing to block a punch. The blonde sported many cuts on his body from Aurelia¡¯s sword, his shirt riddled with atleast a dozen slits. Fortunately, the damage was largely cosmetic. Very few of her strikes managed to do more than scratch his skin. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Aurelia was not without damage either. She was wary of Igor¡¯s punches more than his aura blades because of just how much power there was behind those fists. The case in point was previously when her chest armour bent inwards after a particularly nasty attempt at a liver shot that she failed to block. Her stamina had taken a hit, but a bit of magic allowed her to recover. Both fighters were far from winded, the flames of their aura still radiating brightly. This clash of white and blue had resulted in a draw. Even when Igor pulled out tricks like [Instant Transmission], Aurelia seemed to have been built with an early warning system that allowed her to react quickly. It seemed that just like him, she was also sensitive to spatial fluctuations or at the very least, had a magic spell that allowed her to sense spatial fluctuations. Yet even with this disadvantage, he enjoyed this bout and sincerely wanted to carry on. But before that, he had a something he wanted to confirm with the silverrette. ¡°You are Aryan, aren¡¯t you?¡± He was roughly eighty-percent sure. Ever since he saw her, he got this somewhat strange feeling that he knew her. Although it was restrained, he could tell her lifeforce wasn¡¯t normal. Having spent time with, and fought a lot of long-lived species, Igor could vaguely tell if someone was much older than they appeared or not and one thing was for sure- Aurelia was far older than she seemed. His third suspicion was her way of speaking. It was way too archaic, similar to the way some of the older people in Indra¡¯s army spoke. Although not substantial, it helped aid in his guess that she was old and thus, not a normal human. But the final piece of the puzzle was when they fought. It is nigh impossible to fully restrain one¡¯s aura in a fight unless the gap between the person and the opponent was so significant, that the stronger being could afford to restrain their power. When they fought, Igor finally felt the abnormal amount of lifeforce she had for a human. One, he could tell that it was in the hundreds, her lifespan or lifeforce roughly matching his own. The second was the density or purity of her lifeforce. As a person grows older, the density of their lifeforce increases as the years go by. His was relatively mellow in comparison to hers that was nearing Vasco¡¯s lifeforce in density. He couldn¡¯t pin her exact age, but she was definitely above fifty-years-old. Taking those factors and the notion that his kind had been annihilated over fifty years ago, his suspicions that she was Aryan shot through the roof. Unless there was another race of superhumans that existed, she was definitely an Aryan. His confirmation would¡¯ve been quicker were it not for her white hair. That threw him in a loop for a while. But when she walked out of that plume of dust, when he saw those beautiful eyes lusting for battle, something in him screamed that she was kin. Just like how someone could identify someone from their hometown through their accent, Igor could instinctually feel that Aurelia was someone very familiar, and all it took was an exchange of fists to confirm his gut-feeling. Knowing that refuting was pointless, Aurelia nodded her head. ¡°Yes. I am indeed an Aryan.¡± Scratching his head, Igor frowned in confusion. ¡°No wonder you felt weird. But I wasn¡¯t sure until we fought a few times.¡± His gaze then turned serious. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but my instincts tell me that you are blood. I can see it in your eyes¡­you have that fight in you, the glare of a warrior.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia stared silently at him. When he said those words, her mind travelled back to the speech her father gave her brothers and the soldiers when they were invaded. ¡®Our enemies have arrived, but we are not afraid. Our ancestors were not afraid. We are proud Aryans who have persisted through history. For we are a race of warriors! It is in our blood! It is in our instincts! Take your sword! Take your spear! Take your pike! Take any weapon! We will fight until the last man! We Shall NOT SURRENDER!¡¯ This time, she did not feel sadness, but pride. She cannot bring back her kin from death, but not one of them died on their knees. [I have schemed for so long that it seems I have forgotten what it means to be a warrior.] Facing Igor¡¯s words, her eyes were opened. She had never felt more alive than now when they fought. Her blood sang in jubilee every time she strained her mana veins to block another attack. She enjoyed and relished the feeling of a good fight. Revealing a genuine smile, she sighed. ¡°Benefactor. Thank you for your kind words. Because of you, I have discovered a side of me that I have suppressed for too long.¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t hide her heritage intentionally. But in this fight, she realised that all this time, she called herself a proud Aryan yet didn¡¯t embody that. It was the same as a normal civilian calling themselves a soldier just because their father was a soldier when they never even held a gun in their life. In this fight, Aurelia realised she was indeed like the civilian in this scenario. But now, she has turned into a fully-fledged soldier, a genuine warrior who can bear the monicker of her ancestors, a woman who can bear the name of Drachenberg with pride. ¡°Benefactor-¡± ¡°Igor. Call me Igor. Don¡¯t call me ¡®Benefactor¡¯. It doesn¡¯t suit the current you.¡± He could tolerate being called ¡°Benefactor¡± from a talking robot. But for this woman he admired, her calling him ¡°Benefactor¡± was too¡­¡±meek¡±, for his liking. ¡°I understand¡­Igor.¡± Flashing a thumbs up, the blonde grinned. ¡°That¡¯s better. So¡­wanna continue? To be honest, I can still go a few rounds.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t say anything but gestured around the vicinity. Hectares and hectares of land was destroyed in their fight. Gorges and craters left scars across the landscape that would surely cost thousands of dollars to fill. Trees were strewn about either uprooted or torn apart into pieces of wood, something that would be hard to explain to the mundane. The only good outcome was that despite the intensity of their fight, the isolation barrier was still intact. This meant that for the time being, no one in the mundane world would notice that not even a few kilometres from town, a devastating battle had taken place. Catching the silverrette¡¯s hidden message, Igor frowned. As much as he wanted to fight, he knew Shuri loved this forest and if they fought any further, there was a chance of making restoration impossible, or damn-near impossible. Letting his aura retreat inside his body, he sighed. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll fight another day¡­I guess.¡± Aurelia quietly nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Then immediately, she rushed towards him. Su! Igor widened his eyes and was prepared to take a defensive stance when she suddenly¡­ ¡°Heh?¡± ¡­hugged him. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 103 Catching the silverrette¡¯s hidden message, Igor frowned. As much as he wanted to fight, he knew Shuri loved this forest and if they fought any further, there was a chance of making restoration impossible, or damn-near impossible. Letting his aura retreat inside his body, he sighed. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll fight another day¡­I guess.¡± Aurelia quietly nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Then immediately, she rushed towards him. Su! Igor widened his eyes and was prepared to take a defensive stance when she suddenly¡­ ¡°Heh?¡± ¡­hugged him. . |DxD| . Quick Note: In the previous chapter, it is said that Aryans were annihilated over sixty years ago. That is poor math on my part. It was over fifty years ago. The mistake has been corrected. . Igor did not expect for the person he just fought a moment ago to suddenly hug him. It¡­confused him, for lack of better words since this was something totally outside his expectations. A punch or a kick was more in line with his estimations as opposed to a warm hug. He looked down at the silverrette that had buried her head in his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his back. She didn¡¯t move nor did she show any signs of moving. Igor could feel her distinct mammaries pressed against his stomach, a sensation he didn¡¯t give much priority to given just how odd this situation was. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to react since even though she was holding him tightly, it wasn¡¯t a bear hug by any means so she wasn¡¯t attacking him. This sent his brain for a whirl since if she was an enemy, it would be all the more easy to kick her away and if she was a friend, it would be easier to accept her hug. But to him, Aurelia was in essence, still a stranger. Despite everything that had happened, he hadn¡¯t even known the woman for more than an hour. He definitely liked her after having an awesome battle with her, but random hugs were going too far. If it wasn¡¯t because he had a good impression of her, he would¡¯ve pushed her away, especially since being restrained like this was uncomfortable. * With his hands awkwardly spread, he frowned. ¡°Uh¡­sister? What are you¡­?¡± Igor was not unused to contact with the other sex. If Akeno, Asia, or even Shuri were to hug him out of the blue, he would hug them right back because he had known them for years. Aurelia? That was a different story and he couldn¡¯t figure out why she would suddenly grab him like this. Hearing his question, Aurelia realised what she was doing was untoward (too forward/too much), but she made no effort to let go. Rather, her arms seemed to tighten around his torso. ¡°Thank you¡­Igor.¡± She looked up at him, her eyes displaying her gratitude. ¡°Thank you for¡­avenging my family. Thank you for meeting me. And¡­thank you for showing me what it means to be one of us.¡± ¡°...¡± His expression was relatively blank, but his mind was a chaotic mess of ignorance. [What is she saying?] Her words made no sense to him at all. Avenging? Meeting? One of us? It took his all for him not to look at her like how a child looked at a complicated puzzle. He could somewhat understand the last part. Aurelia had changed greatly from when they first met. She no longer spoke in her previous servile way, which was a big bonus in his opinion. Speaking like a weak servant with her power-level was something he couldn¡¯t understand. But after they fought, it turned into something he could not stand. As for ¡°avenging¡± and ¡°meeting¡±? He was pulling blanks in his head. He could vaguely guess the first maybe had something to do with the Himejima. But the second? He was completely lost to the point that he had no hope of figuring it out. Luckily, Aurelia noticed his confusion. Stepping back to give him space, she clarified. ¡°Apologies for confusing you, Igor. Allow me to tell you everything properly. My name is Aurelia von Drachenberg, Princess of the Principality of Aria. Fifty-three years ago, the portal entrance to our realm in Italy was invaded. At the time, our forces were concentrated on the Antarctic entrance so we were rendered completely unprepared for an attack from behind.¡± Her fists clenched in budding anger. ¡°One of those forces were the Himejima and¡­they killed my family.¡± Her eyes grew watery with that last revelation. It seemed that even after decades, the pain still existed. Whether she knew it or not, her expression was not fragile, but fierce. Gone was the kind, yet cold woman and was replaced by a fury that threatened to burst uncontrollably at any moment. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Igor frowned when he heard the name of that clan again but was quickly pulled out of his daze when he felt the cold pressure emanating from the silverrette. Looking at her, he could see the menacing blue aura that surrounded her like a dense, oily mist. Knowing there would be untold consequences if she failed to control her power, he tried to comfort the woman. ¡°Aure-¡± ¡°Please¡­let me finish.¡± Her eyes were watery, yet filled with the piercing desire to get everything off her chest. She wanted him to know and understand everything that led her here and why she appreciated meeting him so much. She looked into his eyes, silently pleading for him to acknowledge her request, and Igor found himself unable to refuse under such a gaze. Silently nodding for her to continue, the silverrette spoke. ¡°When¡­when my family and kin were killed, our dimension collapsed. Anyone who was not alive would¡¯ve remained in the emptiness of space while any survivors would be randomly teleported to one of the seven continents. As a survivor, I was thrown out into Kyoto where Lady Yasaka eventually found and took me in.¡± Her gaze lowered, her aura threatening to spiral out of control as her anger took hold. ¡°For years I had been plotting the downfall of the Himejima all while I assumed the alias of ¡®Kurohime¡¯. I trained for years for the moment I could finally wipe them out with my own hands. I-I could not get it out my mind that Suou grew older while my family, my people¡­¡± It was too much for her to maintain her composure. She thought she would be strong, but she underestimated the hatred she had buried deep in her heart. Despite the culprits having died, her pain still existed. Even after having seen their corpses and how painfully they departed from this world, she couldn¡¯t let go of the raw hatred she held for them. She couldn¡¯t. She despised them to the core. She hated them with every single fibre of her being. It was one thing to kill everyone she loved. It was another thing entirely to torture them to death and end their lives as warriors by strangulation¡­and she had to watch. She had to watch the single event that haunted her dreams for decades. She could never forgive them even if they were brought back to life and killed repeatedly a hundred times.* Feeling her pain, Igor was now the one to envelop her in a warm hug. He cradled her head into his chest, his chin gently nuzzling the top of her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aurelia. Let it out.¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I¡­I-¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us here. So don¡¯t hold it in.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t want to appear weak, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± ¡­his words broke the last wall of resistance. She clung onto him like a lifeline, a source of comfort that she desperately needed. For fifty-three years, she had never grieved for her father, her mother, her brothers, and her friends. She never grieved for the servants and the guards that so valiantly tried to defend them, nor her kin that died under the blades of the aggressors. She had been so consumed by revenge that she never had the chance to accept their loss and move on. She did not hold back. Clutching his clothes tightly, she silently wept into his chest, her tears soaking the fabric. But Igor didn¡¯t care. He could understand the loss of family since he had been through a familiar circumstance. Though he never personally saw their demise, the first few months in the time chamber without them set in stone that he would never see them again. So he could understand her pain and he knew the best thing he could do was silently console her. Gradually, Aurelia¡¯s choked sobs stopped and her grip on his shirt slackened. But Igor still didn¡¯t let her go. Until she made a conscious effort to, he was fine holding her like this and gently stroking her hair. On a normal day, he would find it a bit funny that he was comforting someone who was old enough to be his grandmother like a little child. But with how long their lives were and his mental age of over sixty years, it was semantics. Finally, Aurelia let go of him and took a step back, her head lowered in embarrassment. ¡°Thank¡­you.¡± Igor dropped his hand on her shoulder. ¡°No sweat, Sister Aurelia. We are kin, after all.¡± Wiping her tears, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yes¡­we are kin.¡± The moment she said those words, there was a brief lull of silence before a white light covered the both of them. Aurelia widened her eyes in alert at the sudden phenomenon. But Igor was more lost than afraid¡­because he recognised this light. This was the light of the time chamber. ¡°What-¡± He barely had time to finish his word before the both of them vanished along with the light. Shuu! . AN .
  1. But to him, Aurelia was in essence, still a stranger. Despite everything that had happened, he hasn¡¯t even known the woman for more than an hour. He definitely liked her after having an awesome battle with her, but hugs were moving too far. If it wasn¡¯t because he had a good impression of her, he would¡¯ve pushed her away, especially since being restrained like this was uncomfortable. *
Explanation: ¡°No matter how many buttons are pressed, the cannon won¡¯t work if there is no ammunition¡±. It was stated that he does in fact produce ¡®soldiers¡¯ but¡­he¡¯s a battle maniac. You¡¯re more likely to get a reaction out of the blonde by showing him ten thousand men than a naked woman. Chronologically, Igor was ¡®possibly¡¯ born in 1987 so his age is roughly between eleven and twelve. We aren¡¯t told when his birthday is. We get this date because in 1991 when he appeared, he was four. Knowing that the time chamber halts his lifespan and presumably, his bone age, he is either nine or nearing nine years of age. Again, we aren¡¯t given his birthday. Biologically, he is around eleven because the awakening of the divine strand of god ki aged him up. A biological age means nothing in the grand scheme of things otherwise, people like Serafall and Cleria would be rated around 14 years old biologically. Mentally, he is in his sixties but at this point, it¡¯s better to say he has decades of training experience rather than life experience.
  1. She hated them with every single fibre of her being. It was one thing to kill everyone she loved. It was another thing entirely to torture them to death and end their lives as warriors by strangulation¡­and she had to watch. She had to watch the single event that haunted her dreams for decades. She could never forgive them even if they were brought back to life and killed repeatedly a hundred times.*
Explanation: We know that multiple races formed an alliance together and plotted to kill all the Aryans out of greed for the time chamber. As for why Aurelia specifally hates the Himejima? Because before killing everyone she loved, they tortured them first. (Warning: Mature Theme from here) Aryans are a warrior race and dying from pulley-hanging isn¡¯t a very honourable way to die. Furthermore, being strung up by your neck is a slow process so I imagine she had to watch for one or two hours, especially if we factor in that the people being hung are superhumans. So we can be sure that atleast fifteen minutes passed before they eventually died from asphyxiation. Furthermore, two people were hung at a time so I imagine she had to watch both her father and mother die in front of her at the same time. Then we have a gloating Suou on the side who bragged about his achievements and really rubbing salt into the wound. So we can imagine why she really, REALLY hates the Himejima. . AN . Because people asked, the cover picture of this story has been updated to that of Aurelia. A picture is also available on Webnovel at the end of the chapter in the paragraph comments. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 104 ¡°Yes¡­we are kin.¡± The moment she said those words, there was a brief lull of silence before a white light covered the both of them. Aurelia widened her eyes in alert at the sudden phenomenon. But Igor was more lost than afraid¡­because he recognised this light. This was the light of the time chamber. ¡°What-¡± He barely had time to finish his word before the both of them vanished along with the light. Shuu! . |DxD| . In the familiar landscape of grey with shining auroras in the dim skies, Igor and Aurelia appeared in a flash of white. Aurelia was taken aback at the sudden change in scenery. Apart from the building in front of her, there was no other structure in sight. In fact, the horizon seemed to stretch on forever. While she was taking in the sights, Igor began walking away from her with a frown on his face. She followed right after and when she saw what he was looking at, she was in a daze. Following his line of sight, she saw two giant hourglasses that had sand trickling through to the bottom. It appeared as if the both of them had just reset since the top half was still full. But while she was in awe of the sight, Igor¡¯s frown only grew. ¡°I can¡¯t bring us out.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was lost, something Igor quickly noticed. ¡°Oh, right. This is the time chamber. I use it to train from time to time.¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°You mean that this is¡­our sacred artifact? The time chamber that over half the world fought for?¡± Igor could only smile wryly at her words, unsure of how to answer them. ¡°I don¡¯t know about sacred. But this is the time chamber.¡± While Aurelia was busy absorbing his words, the blonde was waging an internal battle with himself. [Is it right if I call it the Hyperbolic Time Chamber? It does look like the one from Dragon Ball, but its weaker. Hmmmm¡­decisions, decisions-] ¡°Great! This is simply great!¡± Igor was literally pulled out of his thoughts by the silverrette who suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°If you have it, then it means they never won! Our people¡¯s legacy still remains!¡± Aurelia released tears of joy at the revelation. She had no idea how Igor had the time chamber, but the fact that he, an Aryan had it meant that somehow, their people managed to elude the greedy invaders and kept their legacy safe through him. The continued possession of the time chamber in their hands meant that the blood of her kin wasn¡¯t shed for nothing and their deaths weren¡¯t in vain. Without further thought, she dashed away like an excited child, uncaring for the noble image she had imprinted in the blonde¡¯s mind crumbling. With her snow white hair spread all over, she whizzed around the place and took in the sights. She was truly excited to the point that she couldn¡¯t hold herself back. ¡°This is truly amazing!¡± Meanwhile, Igor stood in place like a proud father. ¡°Heh~.¡± His arms were folded with a small amused smile on his face. Who knew that stern-faced woman he met could suddenly giggle like a child high on candy. The very same woman who had quietly sat at the breakfast table a few moments prior was now flying around the auroras like a four-year-old. It was such a stark contrast that he couldn¡¯t wonder if they were two different people. But they were in fact, the same person. For years, Aurelia kept herself sealed off without having any reason to be happy. Her mind had been so soaked in planning her vengeance that the only one who could even manage to penetrate into her heart was Kunou, Yasaka¡¯s daughter. But even with the existence of Kunou, she could never fully be happy with the Himejima less than fifty kilometres from her. But all it took was one day for her to gradually bloom from the shell she had trapped herself in. The Himejima were no more, meaning she no longer had to harbour thoughts of vengeance. She discovered and met her kin, destroying the loneliness that she was the last of her kind. In one day, the shattered spark of life within her was reforged and rekindled. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. And now, she discovered that the pinnacle of her people¡¯s ingenuity was not taken by her enemies, nor was it lost. It was not secretly hidden away by some organisation or destroyed. Her people¡¯s ultimate creation, the pinnacle of their intelligence, still remained alive within possession of their descendant. The Aryan Time Chamber was the crystallisation of over hundreds of thousands of years of knowledge. The ability to create an alternate dimension with a different time dilation was something no other mortal race could claim to have accomplished solely by themselves. If word of its existence never got out, their race would¡¯ve been set to become the strongest by the end of the century. But circumstances disallowed that. Her people were strong but they barely had the time chamber for fifty years. Facing relentless attacks from the world which resulted in two World Wars, they couldn¡¯t hold on in the end. Although some details of the war were still shady to her due to lack of existing records, Aurelia no longer thought much about it Marveling at everything, she flew down towards the blonde with stars in her eyes. ¡°Igor. This is¡­this is absolutely amazing. Words can¡¯t describe how marvelous this is.¡± The blonde chuckled. ¡°Glad you think so. Because we¡¯re stuck here for the next decade.¡± ¡°...what?¡± Her smile gradually fell. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Igor pointed up to the two hourglasses. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how or why we were suddenly brought here. And I can¡¯t bring us out. What I do know is, we probably can¡¯t leave here until that sand completely runs out and we¡¯re automatically kicked out for a month. It¡¯ll take ten years for that to happen and in the outside world, a year would¡¯ve passed by then.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± On the contrary. Aurelia wasn¡¯t sad or even affected by the news. ¡°It¡¯s just a decade.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was taken aback by how easily she took it. He was used to staying here for a long time he was relatively nonchalant about this. He assumed that she would atleast show some sort of fear or anger. The only reason he wasn¡¯t freaking out is because he wasn¡¯t as worried about the happenings of the outside world. With Asia in Shuri¡¯s hand and with Shiva¡¯s word of no one exacting vengeance, he wasn¡¯t overly concerned. And he knew that news would eventually reach Azazel and Baraquiel and if he knew the old man, he would certainly refuse to leave his family for the next decade. As for Aurelia, ten years were nothing to her. With her long lifespan, she wouldn¡¯t feel the difference. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if those ten years were going to be spent doing nothing. Knowing the purpose of the time chamber was for her people to train, it would be foolish not to make the most of it. And it was also with that thought in mind that she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Igor. How long did you train here?¡± Mentally counting the number of years, the blonde answered. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s been roughly sixty years now. I¡¯ve been training since I was four.¡± Aurelia nodded at his answer before it clicked. ¡°Four-years-old?¡± ¡°Yep. Nothing much to do except train in here.¡± ¡°...¡± She considered the thought briefly. ¡°You trained her for six decades¡­alone?¡± ¡°Of course. I wanted to get strong.¡± Taken aback at how he answered ¡®matter-of-factually¡¯, Aurelia was awed. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t even imagine how strong he¡¯d have to be to endure that. Those who¡¯ve never been alone would never truly understand just how soul-crushing it is to have no one. Loneliness is like a rot that steadily eats away at your sanity until you break. She knew from personal experience since for an entire month, the loneliness from losing her family almost crushed her. She couldn¡¯t fathom how when he was younger than her, he survived the next six decades. Noticing how she got concerned over him, Igor grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, sister. I¡¯m still breathing, aren¡¯t I?¡± Indeed he was. When he first used the time chamber, it was indeed hard for the first few years but eventually, he did get used to it. By focusing on his training, he was able to not think too much about anything else. A brain can¡¯t think when a muscle is torn after all. But Aurelia wouldn¡¯t accept such a flimsy sentence from him. Walking over to him, she grabbed his hands and looked into his eyes with pure concern. ¡°How did you do it? How did you survive?¡± The silverrette knew cases of full grown men who either killed themselves or lost their minds when thrown in isolation. So for Igor to tell her that he¡¯d been alone ever since he was four was something she truly couldn¡¯t comprehend. For all she knew, it was impossible for him to be sane after such a long period of isolation. Feeling warm at how she showed such concern, Igor decided to enlighten her. ¡°What do I say when someone tries to use logic on me?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia knew he was referring to the conversation that was had about him during breakfast. Although she rarely interjected between Shuri and Cleria, she did listen. After a while, her mind clocked in on how Cleria was retelling a story of Igor beating up a thug who tried to threaten him with his boss¡¯ name. In reply to that, Cleria told them that Igor said, ¡®I¡¯m too stupid to understand threats.¡¯. It had the table chuckling at the shenanigans he got into in the early ¡®90s. Having the answer in her head, Aurelia replied. ¡°You say that you are¡­ignorant.¡± Igor shook his head like a teacher refuting their student¡¯s answer. ¡°Don¡¯t try to sugar-coat it, sister. I am stupid, not ignorant. And I am proud of that. There¡¯s no shame.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t process the words. She tried to make sense of them but couldn¡¯t figure out- ¡°Why are you proud of being¡­stupid?¡± All she got was Igor pointing at her with a grin. ¡°Because of that right there. Smart people always think too much. They always sit, contemplate, and consider. They¡¯re always calculating or trying to comprehend something. Simply put, they¡¯re always in their mind. Stupid people? We just do. We don¡¯t think too much. Is it good? Is it bad? We don¡¯t consider that. We just do and I can tell you now, sister. If you want to survive being alone, you need to ¡®think¡¯ less and ¡®do¡¯ more.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia remained silent. Even with her intelligence, she couldn¡¯t quite make sense of Igor¡¯s words in that exact moment. She tried to think upon it but all she saw was Igor¡¯s condescending grin. ¡°You won¡¯t understand if I just tell you. Come on. You¡¯ll understand once I show you.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 105 ¡°Because of that right there. Smart people always think too much. They always sit, contemplate, and consider. They¡¯re always calculating or trying to comprehend something. Simply put, they¡¯re always in their mind. Stupid people? We just do. We don¡¯t think too much. Is it good? Is it bad? We don¡¯t consider that. We just do and I can tell you now, sister. If you want to survive being alone, you need to ¡®think¡¯ less and ¡®do¡¯ more.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia remained silent. Even with her intelligence, she couldn¡¯t quite make sense of Igor¡¯s words in that exact moment. She tried to think upon it but all she saw was Igor¡¯s condescending grin. ¡°You won¡¯t understand if I just tell you. Come on. You¡¯ll understand once I show you.¡± . |DxD| . Igor was walking along with Aurelia to the main building in the time chamber. With three doors in front of them, he walked towards the one on the left which would lead to the gym. ¡°You see, Sister Aurelia. Everyone has little voices inside their heads. They can be positive, they can be negative, or they can be neutral. They¡¯re like¡­the good angel and the bad devil. The problem is, people tend to have more negative thoughts than positive thoughts, so the devil voice is usually stronger.¡± Aurelia nodded along to his words, his examples making sense. She was about to ask why he was speaking like this when he suddenly stopped. ¡°...¡± Igor had his head down in contemplation. He occasionally glanced at Aurelia almost as if he was deciding something. But after taking one final look at Aurelia, he sighed. ¡°Look, sister. It sounds stupid, but I trust you enough to tell you something¡­personal to me.¡± Aurelia looked at his serious expression and nodded. ¡°This will stay between us.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at her for a moment longer before nodding. ¡°Alright.¡± They walked forward in silence for a bit before the blonde spoke again. ¡°When I¡­discovered that I had the time chamber, my father, mother, and little brother were dead. I would never be able to see them again and I had to accept that. I had to but I couldn¡¯t. I could suppress the grief, but I couldn¡¯t acknowledge it.¡± When they got to the door, Igor placed his hand on the handle, yet made no move to open it. ¡°So when I finally entered the time chamber, you know what I did?¡± It was a rhetorical question. ¡°I trained. Not even an hour passed before I threw myself into training. The initial excitement and awe at seeing the time chamber was suppressed by the fact that no matter what I did, I would never see my family again. So what did I do in that scenario?¡± It was another rhetorical question, one with an obvious answer. ¡°I trained like my life depended on it.¡± He opened the door to reveal a large room filled with all sorts of training equipment. From weight benches to treadmills, it had it all. There was even a cleared-out section where techniques and other martial arts could be practiced. Aurelia stepped into the room with an expression of wonder. The room itself was relatively large with white plastered walls and red rubber-flooring. There were small fluorescent lights running along the edges of the wall to provide much-needed visibility in this windowless room. Stepping in after her, Igor presented the gym. ¡°This, Aurelia, is where any and all thoughts I had were killed.¡± He walked around the gym, his eyes showing the reminiscence in them. Igor could see phantom versions of his much younger self training as much he could to block out the painful thoughts he had. ¡®Why are you training when your family is dead?¡¯ ¡®What are you doing? You¡¯ll just lose them again anyway.¡¯ ¡®You were weak. You are weak. And you will stay weak. Acknowledge it.¡¯. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡®What are you doing? No matter what you do, you can¡¯t beat a gun, idiot!¡¯ ¡®Gun? One nuclear bomb and you¡¯re dead. Just accept your wishes were stupid, stupid.¡¯ ¡®Yeah. You¡¯re a human. All this ancient human stuff is nonsense. Think YOU can break God¡¯s curse? Ha!¡¯ He shook his head at the memories and turned towards the woman who was looking at him in concern. ¡°Everyone has voices in their heads. Mine were¡­hehehe. Mine were¡­particularly nasty.¡± Igor then began taking off his torn shirt and tossed it to the side. His body was covered in dried blood but any wounds he had were completely healed without scars. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to completely suppress them for a while until I realised something. Become stupid. Don¡¯t think. Don¡¯t think any more than you have to. Don¡¯t contemplate ¡®what if¡¯. Just train. Train like an idiot. Train until I lose all feeling in my body. Logic be damned. Don¡¯t think. Just do.¡± He then walked over to two panels that displayed the temperature and the current gravity setting. ¡°Did you know that in my tenth year, I almost got killed by a stray devil?¡± Aurelia looked at him in surprise since this wasn¡¯t something that Cleria mentioned. ¡°How?¡± The blonde chuckled. ¡°I had put on some muscle at the time so I thought I was strong. I trained like hell and I had put on some weight. I could run faster than normal people could hope to and for far longer than they could believe. I had built up a decent amount of ki so I thought I was crazy strong. So when I was outside the time chamber for a month, I decided to see if I could run to Kyoto without stopping, just as sort of a test for myself.¡± The blonde shook his head at the memory. ¡°I ran, alright¡­straight into a devil. I wish to say I could¡¯ve killed it. Would definitely sound a lot cooler than say I ran with my tail between my legs. The only reason I even survived was because there was a river nearby. Can never forget that day¡­because that was when the voices came back with companions.¡± His fists clenched briefly before he forced himself to continue. ¡° ¡®I told you to give up. You trained for so long without rest for this? Forget the gods, you can¡¯t even handle a simple devil.¡¯ ¡± Aurelia could tell he was recounting the words he heard when he failed. Even if it was so far in the past, she couldn¡¯t help but want to comfort him. ¡°Igor-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Aurelia. I¡¯m not sad. I¡¯m just narrating for you to understand. Since you told me about yourself, it¡¯s only fair you understand some parts about me. Besides¡­¡± He released a coy grin. ¡°You still want to understand how I survived, right? Well listen closely.¡± He walked over to a weight rack where there were dumbbells ranging from three-kilograms all the way to a preposterous one-ton. Igor picked up a pair of 100kg dumbbells and began doing a standing shoulder-press. ¡°When I got back to the time chamber a few days later, I almost wanted to give up. I mean, I trained, sister. I really, REALLY trained as hard as I could without rest.¡± 5, 6, 7, 8 ¡°So for me to lose to a weak stray devil of all things was a heavy blow to my mind. Like you guessed, I was already feeling the loneliness¡­and losing did not help things.¡± 12, 13, 14, 15 ¡°So I trained in order to try and take my mind off things. I can remember that day vividly. I was doing a chest press on that smith machine right there.¡± 19, 20, 21, 22 ¡°I trained for a while and kept on adding weights out of anger everytime the voices in my head told me to give up, told me to quit, told me I¡¯m a failure and that I should¡­kill myself.¡± ¡°?!¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t believe it. For the life of her she could never imagine that he, the one who proudly claimed to be the strongest fighter in the universe, once contemplated suicide. But thinking of the circumstances, he had already endured a decade of complete solitude. Time chamber or not, it was a feat all on its own that he didn¡¯t succumb, especially when he had no family to hold hope for, to keep him strong. 26, 27, 28, 29 ¡°Whether it was by fate, dumb luck, or sheer coincidence, I almost did die. You see, in my anger, I added two 50 kilogram weights to the bar instead of twenty. I was so out of it that I didn¡¯t even notice how heavy the discs were.¡± 34, 35, 36, 37 ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you can guess what happened right, sister~?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia did not find it amusing like he did. She found himself getting angry at how he was grinning at such an event that could¡¯ve almost gotten him killed. She did not want to imagine how- ¡°When I rolled that bar back, it immediately fell and crushed my chest-¡± ¡°Igor!¡± ¡°What? Hehehehe. It¡¯s in the past, sister.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not a laughing matter!¡± ¡°Anything is a laughing matter if you live to tell about it.¡± ¡°...but still.¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but smile at the concern she was showing. ¡°Fine, sister. I¡¯ll skip that part then.¡± He then continued where he left off with his reps. 38, 39, 40, 41 ¡°In that moment that I was in pain, I quickly mobilised my ki and pushed the bar off my chest. But after that, I couldn¡¯t move. I even passed out a few minutes after just from how painful it was.¡± ¡°Igor¡­¡± The blonde had to suppress a chuckle at the glare she was giving him. ¡°Okay, okay. Anyway¡­¡± 45, 46, 47 ¡°When I woke up after a few hours, I stayed in that position for some time. The gnawing pain on my chest was still there and I couldn¡¯t help but focus on it every time. Even when I was breathing, the pain was still there.¡± 48, 49, 50 ¡°But, I came to a realisation.¡± Doof! Doof! Dropping the dumbbells, there was a satisfied grin on his face. ¡°When I was in pain, I realised that all the voices disappeared. The moment I even subconsciously tried to think, the pain acted like an anchor that pulled me back.¡± Stretching out his neck and rotating his shoulder, he faced Aurelia. ¡°You can guess what I did, right?¡± ¡°...¡± It was a rhetorical question and Aurelia knew it. She hated it, but she knew what he would do. She was absolutely sure of what he did when he came to that realisation. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°...trained like I had deathwish. And that, Sister Aurelia, is why I am proud to be stupid. Because a stupid decision may have potentially-no. It did save my life. Because that stupid decision made the Igor von Dimori of today. That moment of thoughtlessness, of sheer idiocy, changed my life forever. If I was smart, I wouldn¡¯t have done what I did. I would¡¯ve thought things through.¡± He walked over to Aurelia and looked into her eyes. ¡°You wanted to know how I survived? That is how I survived sixty years alone. By being stupid.¡± . AN . Today is Friday, so until Sunday. Thank you for your continued support. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 106 ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°...trained like I had deathwish. And that, Sister Aurelia, is why I am proud to be stupid. Because a stupid decision may have potentially-no. It did save my life. Because that stupid decision made the Igor von Dimori of today. That moment of thoughtlessness, of sheer idiocy, changed my life forever.¡± He walked over to Aurelia and looked into her eyes. ¡°You wanted to know how I survived? That is how I survived sixty years alone. By being stupid.¡± . |DxD| . Shuri was looking over the horizon with a worried gaze. It had been over two hours since Igor and Aurelia had suddenly vanished and it was worrying her greatly. Cleria had already left a while ago after one of her peerage members informed her that some matters required her personal attention. So for now, it was just her who stood alone outside. There was widespread destruction but the bounded field (isolation barrier) still stood strong. Akeno and Asia were inside the house playing with toys. After she had repeatedly reassured them that Igor would soon return, her daughter led Asia inside the house and began showing her around. Even now, she could still hear their giggles and laughter coming from upstairs in Akeno¡¯s room. But unlike these two girls, she couldn¡¯t smile due to worry. ¡°Where are you, Dimori-kun?¡± She was outside the house looking at the forest with a forlorn gaze. With the time nearing midday, her worries only continued to grow. Where was he? How was he? Is he safe? Is he hungry? From his memories, she knew how hungry he could get after a fight. A testament to that was how when he fought her husband, he almost ate him alive. Thinking about the man she called husband, Shuri couldn¡¯t help but think about HIS whereabouts. ¡°And where are you, Baraquiel?¡± She was unsure how to feel about the cadre. From the memories she saw, they were indeed a very loving family and replaying the scenes in her mind, she could see just how the eyes of her former self sparkled with love. But that was just it. It was her former self, not the current her. ¡°What¡­what do I¡­feel?¡± She didn¡¯t like how her mind was descending into these types of thoughts. Although she tried, she couldn¡¯t help but have these sorts of stray thoughts. Having stood outside for over an hour, it was an inevitability that her thoughts would wonder, especially given how the majority of her mind was dominated by Igor¡¯s memories. Sigh¡­ Shaking her head, she turned around and entered the house. [Maybe a glass of water can help.] Passing through the door, she took off her shoes and put on her slippers. Walking through the hallway, she was about to turn into the kitchen when she noticed a picture of her, Baraquiel, and Akeno. Her little girl was on his shoulders while her hand was firmly intertwined with his. Taking the picture into her hands, she couldn¡¯t help but look at it closely. ¡°...¡± She drew a figure over Baraquiel¡¯s form, her feelings ambiguous, yet nonexistent. She wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to feel about him, especially given that not once had she seen him since her revival. She could admit that judging from the picture, he was indeed handsome, strong, tall, and manly. He certainly did tick off the buttons for her preference in males. But he lacked dependability and he had no credibility. ¡°Tch.¡± Putting the picture back, she walked away with a scoff. [If he loves this family, then where is he?] Despite having lost her memories, her experience and general knowledge still existed. Shuri knew full well that the moment the barriers to the forest and the house were breached, magic notifications were sent. Her knowledge with wards allowed her to verify that the moment she checked their functionality. But she didn¡¯t want to think about that right now, not when her thoughts were threatening to go down a dangerous path. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Walking into the kitchen, it was sparkling clean after she had Cleria and the two little girls help with the cleanup. She could admit that magic certainly had its uses. Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, she rinsed it first before pouring some water from the tap. She viewed the scene outside that bled to a view of untouched forest. It seemed that this stretch of trees was the only side left relatively undamaged given the earlier events of today. Smiling, it seems that even after reviving, her love for nature still existed. Putting aside the glass, she allowed herself to enjoy the view since it served to push all these stray thoughts away. She didn¡¯t want to think about anything for just a few minutes. ¡°...¡± She stood quietly by the window with the glass in her hand, her thoughts gradually disappearing one by one. She leaned over the counter and took comfort in the gentle, yet subtle breeze that entered through the window. But with the constant pitter-patter of feet above her head, it wasn¡¯t as easy to focus, especially since the sounds were relatively infrequent. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Not having the heart to tell the two girls to quiet down, she left the counter with a sigh. Making her way outside the kitchen, she made sure not to look at the picture again for she did not want to think about the man. But the more she deliberately tried to push the thoughts away, the more they came rushing back in full force. As far as she knew, hours have past yet not once did he come back. If she were still a corpse, she would be rotting by now under the sun. But then, Igor¡¯s words of his possible injuries or being held up came. Theories of whether he was in a combat situation that did not allow him to see the notifications flared up in her mind. So many conflicting thoughts rushed through her head that she couldn¡¯t even make it out the door before stopping. ¡°...¡± Grabbing her forehead, she decided to dispel her doubts once and for all. ¡°Fine then.¡± Turning around, she made her way to the stairs before ascending them. Her steps were strong, yet light. Despite how quickly she walked up, not once did she make a sound. Her face exuded cold determination as she rounded the corner. Walking to her room, she opened the door and made her way to her wardrobe. Opening it, she was about to push aside the clothes when she caught sight of the blue dress Igor had picked out for her. ¡°...¡± Shaking her head, she pushed aside all her clothes on the coat-hangers to reveal the blank slab of wood making the backdrop of her wardrobe. Placing a hand on it, she channeled a bit of her energy into it and immediately, a blue magic circle formed. Vwong¡­ It glowed briefly before dimming. Then, on the floor of the wardrobe, a sort of safe appeared that Shuri immediately opened. Inside it was a thick book that she took out. It was by luck that she chanced upon it when she was changing clothes. Walking over to her bed, she sat down and began opening the book. Peeling the pages, there were all sorts of entries that showed the name of the person, their race, date, time, region/dimension, coordinates, and even¡­the state of their health. The dates alone went back as far as the late 1970s with her being the first entry. ¡­ Himejima Shuri - Human - 1979/06/14 - 06:00 - Earth - 35.1`15,9¡± N, 135.45¡¯13,9¡± E (Kyoto) - Good ¡­ Judging by the coordinates, she could tell they were from when she was in Kyoto, presumably at the Himejima clan. There were also other similar entries with different dates. From reviewing the logs, she realised that aside from when a magic notification was sent, every 6th, 12th, 18th, and 24th hour of the day, a person¡¯s location, coordinates, and health would automatically be recorded. As she turned the pages, the entries eventually showed Baraquiel¡¯s name and as time went on, Akeno¡¯s too. Baraquiel¡¯s entries were everchanging with the region always shifting. Sometimes it was Earth. Sometimes it was the Underworld. There were even times when it was written ¡®Unknown¡¯ under the ¡®Region¡¯ section. As for his health, there was always a shift between good, moderate, and bad. There was even a time where his health was logged as ¡®Critical¡¯. Shuri was hoping she would see ¡®Bad¡¯ or ¡®Critical¡¯ in order to explain why Baraquiel wouldn¡¯t have come back. It would allow her to give the man the benefit of the doubt and if possible, see them become a family again. But to her immense disappointment, the last two entries she saw almost made her drop the book. ¡­ Baraquiel - Fallen Angel - 1999/07/16 - 03:23 - Earth - 20.20¡¯55¡± N, 74.30¡¯38¡± W (Cuba) - Good Baraquiel - Fallen Angel - 1999/07/16 - 06:00 - Earth - 35.41¡¯ N, 139.42¡¯ E (Kuoh) - Good ¡­ . AN . Relatively Important Notes (No spoilers) I¡¯m simply here to clarify certain aspects about Shuri. I am aware there are opposing opinions about Igor and Baraquiel and whatnot. Dear people. Please consider things from her perspective as is shown here. Furthermore, just because you know what happened doesn¡¯t mean she does. And another thing. I feel as if most of you as readers severely underestimate what it means that she has Igor¡¯s memories. If you go back and read again, you will find out that not only does she see what he saw, but she also FELT every single emotion he had in those different time periods. She felt the love, care, hatred, anger, and everything else in between in great DETAIL. This is by no means a justification for what most of you readers may or may not be assuming. But try and understand what she is going through. And understand this especially. She has NO personal memories of the family she used to have. Nearly everything she knows is from the blonde¡¯s perspective. Again, this is not a justification for what you think may or may not continue. It may happen. It may not happen. It¡¯s all up in the air. Just like how most of us thought Igor wouldn¡¯t destroy the Himejima clan, this ¡®thing¡¯ may turn out differently than expected. But bottom line, please consider things from all the character¡¯s perspective, not just Shuri, and never be quick to judge. With that said, thank you for reading my work. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 107 Shuri was hoping she would see ¡®Bad¡¯ or ¡®Critical¡¯ in order to explain why Baraquiel wouldn¡¯t have come back. It would allow her to give the man the benefit of the doubt and if possibly, see them become a family again. But to her immense disappointment, the last two entries she saw almost made her drop the book. ¡­ Baraquiel - Fallen Angel - 1999/07/16 - 03:23 - Earth - 20.20¡¯55¡± N, 74.30¡¯38¡± W - Good Baraquiel - Fallen Angel - 1999/07/16 - 06:00 - Earth - 35.41¡¯ N, 139.42¡¯ E - Good ¡­ . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Shuri stared at the records with a neutral expression. Her hands only trembled briefly before they stayed still. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. The man that was supposed to be her husband was not in any sort of critical condition, meaning that he should¡¯ve been aware of the notifications that came from the barrier covering the forest and the one covering the house. It was impossible to ignore them since they would produce a stinging sensation once delivered. She took a look at the coordinates again, a thread of knowledge entering her brain. ¡°The one above should be somewhere between Central to South America. The second set are here...in Kuoh.¡± She felt her disappointment grow more and more. ¡°This is supposed to be my husband?¡± She didn¡¯t know how to handle this information. She was rather neutral when she first heard about him to begin with. But as the hours passed, her impression began to sour. Now, it was reaching an all-time low. Closing the book, she considered her options. ¡°I cannot ignore this.¡± She was in contemplation of what she should do in this scenario. [He was in good health. At some point, he did arrive to Kuoh. But then, did he not bother confirming if I¡¯m alive or dead? If he did see my body, shouldn¡¯t he have atleast buried me?] It was a morbid thought to have, but it was one of necessity. She was tempted to simply dismiss him once and for all. He was proving to be a failure in every way possible that she wondered how the past her even loved him. It would be very easy to simply close the book and forget about him¡­until she thought of Akeno. From the memories she saw, the girl loved her father, and she did not want to be selfish. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Sighing, she caught sight of her bedside clock showing the current time of ¡®11:56¡¯. ¡°...¡± She looked at it and then looked at the book. Knowing that a new entry for all three of them would be entered in four minutes, she decided to wait. ¡°Baraquiel. Don¡¯t disappoint me. Please don¡¯t. Because this is your last chance.¡± She would give him this last chance to prove himself because when she thought of how Igor tried to defend him, she wanted to believe that maybe there was some¡­hope? She didn¡¯t even know what she was hoping or expecting for this next entry. Adjusting her sitting position, she calmly waited for the clock to reach twelve. She was mentally counting the seconds, her knee twitching from lack of patience. 11:57 Although only a minute had passed, time seemed to move very slowly. She was tempted to simply close the book and forget everything, but she was still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Meanwhile, her only entertainment was the giggling sounds of Asia and Akeno who were in the room next door. From the sound of things, it seemed as if they were using their dolls to fight each other. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Whuuuu¡­gish! Take that, Asia!¡± ¡°Nooooooo¡­boooooom!¡± ¡°Hahahaha! I win!¡± ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll win next time!¡± Shuri could hear Akeno release a challenging laugh. ¡°Hehe~. Round 6?¡± ¡°You¡¯re on!¡± And just like that, the pitter-patter of feet sounded again along with a variety of sound effects that they made with their mouths. It was clear that the way they used their dolls to fight was directly inspired by the battle between Igor and Aurelia. ¡°Take this, Asia! Kamekameha! Diiiiishhhh!¡± ¡°Hahaha! My doll dodged it!¡± ¡°Na-ah! Impossible! You can¡¯t dodge the Kamekameha!¡± ¡°Hmph! My character has big brother¡¯s Intant Trans¡­Istant¡­¡± ¡°Hihi~. It¡¯s the Instant Transwission¡­no wait! It¡¯s the-¡± ¡°Haha! You got it wrong too!¡± Shuri eventually drowned out their play, a content smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s good to be young-oh?¡± She was brought out of her musings when she suddenly saw the next logs started to write themselves. ¡­ Himejima Shuri - Human - 1999/07/16 - 12:00 - Earth - 35.41¡¯ N, 139.42¡¯ E (Kuoh) - Good Himejima Akeno - Fallen Angel/Human - 1999/07/16 - 12:00 - Earth - 35.41¡¯ N, 139.42¡¯ E (Kuoh) - Good Baraquiel - Fallen Angel - 1999/07/16 - 12:00 - Earth - 20.20¡¯55¡± N, 74.30¡¯38¡± W (Cuba) - Moderate ¡­ ¡°That country again. And¡­moderate?¡± . |DxD| . (1999/07/16)- July 15, 1999, 23:00, Baracoa, Cuba (Timezone difference) . In the coastal town of Baracoa, many businesses were closed on the street except for one restaurant that still had its lights on. Inside, Baraquiel was sitting on a chair with his head on the table. He was clearly in a drunken stupour, his mouth heavy with the scent of alcohol. Alicia stood quietly by his side, her hand gently rubbing his back. It had come as quite a surprise to her that he had come at such a time. It had been just over three hours since his arrival here and all this time, she silently listened to his story. She listened to him monologue about his wife and how she was killed, how he saw her corpse in the woods yet was unable to retrieve it. Her first instinct was to tell him to call the police. But upon thinking how he was able to vanish like he did, she knew that no police force would be able to handle the more people like him. So all she did was remain quiet and let him continue. ¡°I¡¯m a failure, Alicia.¡± ¡°...¡± She did not reply to him. She knew that what he needed right now was comfort. ¡°I failed my family, Alicia. Because of me, my wife is dead and my daughter hates me.¡± He banged his fist on the table, causing it to crack. ¡°And I couldn¡¯t even seek vengeance from her killers!¡± His fists were clenched, regret filling him like a poison that spread through his veins. What pained him even more was that he had to rely on a boy to seek vengeance for him when he lacked the stones. What was even worse was that he tried to stop him. While he wallowed in his sorrow, a bespectacled girl came along with a mug of coffee on a wooden tray. She was darker in complexion compared to Alicia and her hair was tied in a single braid. She walked up to the couple and placed the tray on the table. *Thud* Feeling something hit the table, Baraquiel lifted his head and spotted the piping mug of freshly ground coffee. ¡°...what?¡± He looked at the girl before looking at Alicia with clear confusion. The woman only smiled warmly at him before gently scratching his head. ¡°Drink some coffee, Baraquiel. It¡¯ll help you a bit.¡± ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, he took the mug and began drinking from it. Gulp Gulp Gulp Gulp Alicia smiled before turning to look at the girl. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± ¡°No problem, big sis.¡± Giving a nod, the girl walked away without a second of hesitation. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder who Baraquiel was. [For big sis to pay so much attention to him. I wonder who he is?] Having only recently arrived in town, she was unaware of who Baraquiel was. At the same time she left the room, Baraquiel put the mug down. Some hint of life returned to his half-lidded eyes, but he was very much still drunk. Taking her hand, he looked into her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Alicia. Thank you.¡± Alicia gave a warm smile before enveloping his head in a hug. ¡°Anytime, Baraquiel. I am always here for you.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel made no movement to break free. Rather, he let her hold him. He felt warm inside and he desperately wanted to cling onto that warmth. Slowly, his free hand stretched towards her thigh before gradually going up her skirt- ¡°No, Baraquiel. Not when you¡¯re like this.¡± ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, his hand continued to roam further up- ¡°Baraquiel!¡± The cadre tilted his head upwards and was met with a disproving look from Alicia. ¡°Why¡­? Didn¡¯t you say you want this?¡± Alicia held Baraquiel¡¯s head firmly between her hands. ¡°Baraquiel. I love you. I truly do-¡± He interrupted her by picking her up and pinned her against the wall. His hands were bound tightly around her waist, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°Then?! If you say you love me, then-¡± Feeling him squeeze her thigh, Alicia couldn¡¯t remain silent anymore. ¡°BARAQUIEL!¡± A brief sense of clarity returned to him when she yelled his name, causing him to freeze in realisation of what he was about to do. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± Disgust filled his very being when he realised he was this close to committing an unforgivable atrocity on the very woman who brought him comfort in his time of great need. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Alicia. I¡­I don¡¯t know why. I-I don¡¯t know what I was thinking-¡± The brunet placed a finger on his lips. ¡°Ssshh¡­I know.¡± Her eyes were warm as she held his head. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean it.¡± She hugged his head and brought him into her chest. ¡°I love you Baraquiel and I do want to be intimate with you. But not like this. You¡¯re not in the right state of mind right now.¡± She lovingly rubbed the back of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want our first time to be on a table of all places, after all~.¡± ¡°...¡± Thankful for how she quickly forgave him and for the subtle attempt at humour, Baraquiel hugged her. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He held her tightly. ¡°Thank you¡­Alicia.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 108 ¡°I love you Baraquiel and I do want to be intimate with you. But not like this. You¡¯re not in the right state of mind right now.¡± She lovingly rubbed the back of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want our first time to be on a table of all places, after all~.¡± ¡°...¡± Thankful for how she quickly forgave him and for the subtle attempt at humour, Baraquiel hugged her. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He held her tightly. ¡°Thank you¡­Alicia.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°...trained like I had deathwish. And that, Sister Aurelia, is why I am proud to be stupid. Because a stupid decision may have potentially-no. It did save my life. Because that stupid decision made the Igor von Dimori of today. That moment of thoughtlessness, of sheer idiocy, changed my life forever. If I was smart, I wouldn¡¯t have done what I did. I would¡¯ve thought things through.¡± He walked over to Aurelia and looked into her eyes. ¡°You wanted to know how I survived? That is how I survived sixty years alone. By being stupid.¡± . |DxD| . A week had passed since both Aurelia and Igor were pulled into the time chamber. Over the course of time, the silverrette had come to terms with just how insane the blonde¡¯s training was. It was beyond anything she had ever seen before and the intensity was something else entirely. From gravity training going up to 200x and lifting weights that would total tons in that environment was something she wouldn¡¯t have believed until she saw it with her own eyes. And the most shocking of all was that he was excercising purely with his physique. There was no trace of ki usage whatsoever when he trained. Knowing she couldn¡¯t handle his crazy style of training, she opted to take a different path, one that suited her intellectual capabilities. As of now, she was currently in the library with her main interest being all these books and scrolls that filled the shelves. There were so many techniques contained in these writings that she couldn¡¯t even believe her eyes. There were books specially dedicated to support magic and one of those books would contain dozens of techniques explained in such great detail and analogies that even a complete novice would understand them. The scrolls weren¡¯t just normal scrolls either. When she channeled magic power into them, she unfurled them to discover complicated seals that she never even knew of, not even with her ancestral memories. But there was something even more surprising than that. When she asked the blonde why he didn¡¯t use any of these techniques, his answer was a simple, ¡®I can¡¯t.¡¯. When she showed him the books, he told her how he could only see a book with a blank cover. When he tried to open it, it seemed as if the pages themselves were glued together. When Igor told her the problem, she revealed that she also saw the books from the middle shelf as blank covers and also couldn¡¯t open them. It had come as quite a discovery to the both of them. While she couldn¡¯t read any book from the shelf in the middle of the room, he also couldn¡¯t from any other shelf except the one in the middle. Through process of elimination, they (she) came to the conclusion that she couldn¡¯t read books from the middle shelf because they required ki while he couldn¡¯t read from the other two shelves because they required magic power or mana, the scrolls included. The books that required ki were all the books authored by Nakamura, an entity that greatly interested Aurelia. From Igor¡¯s description, he was a being that could slice apart stars like a sword through mud. The only book on the shelf that she was able to read was the one he authored that was titled ¡®Ki or Chakra. The Dilemma¡¯. The concept of there being three types of humans, namely: Ancient Humans, Cursed Humans, and Original Humans greatly astounded and intrigued her. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. For over three days, she had frequented the library and read the book in order to fully understand how her people were outliers. [According to the memories I have, we were a relatively normal clan up until the Tower of Babylon incident. We never participated in building the tower while the other clans and people did. As punishment, God established a language barrier by giving them all these different languages with neither knowing the other. For us, he rewarded our ancestors by gifting them the ability to comprehend all languages, both written and spoken. Over the course of history, we used this gift to study every single other language and text. And with the knowledge gained, we eventually created our own unique language and writing style.] She then read over the part of cursed humans. ...
  1. Yahweh¡¯s Human (Cursed)
How the mighty have fallen. These, my friend, are the result of arrogance. After thousands of years, Yahweh finally had enough of the arrogance of his creations and cursed them, taking away their strength and sealing their potential¡­ ¡­ She mulled over the passage while she descended deeper into her ancestral memories. This was the first time she travelled so deeply into them, and the process was quite headache-inducing. It was only because she had entered the realm of god class that she could successfully stretch into history dating thousands upon thousands of years ago. Finally finding the memory she was looking for, she reviewed it like a series of reels. Images and short footage played in her mind from the perspectives of different ancestors. From what she saw through different eyes from varying generations, she finally managed to piece together the events that happened. [We were also affected by the curse. But through ingenuity and implementing various magic, we were able to slowly break the first three seals over the generations and in doing so¡­the first generation of Aryans with blonde hair and blue eyes was born.] * Aurelia opened her eyes in shock. This was the first time she had come across such knowledge in her entire life. She never imagined that their hair and eyes were not natural, but an evolution that came from breaking the first few seals placed on them. Quickly delving deeper into the memories, she found that originally, her ancestors used to have dark hair and fair skin, making them no different from any other human. ¡°This is¡­¡± This was a huge discovery because it presented the possibility of reviving their race. If she applied the same seal her ancestors used, she could replicate the same procedure that allowed them to evolve. If her ancestors were able to do it, she would be able to as well if given enough time. [It will take a few generations, but if we select a few groups of humans, the third or fourth generation may be born as Aryans.] She abruptly stood up with a face full of hope, her research notes scattering all over the table. [If half-bloods are used, the process could be shortened to even one generation, and if their blood is not too diluted, perhaps it is possible for them to evolve in their lifetime.] A ray of hope had dawned on the revival of their race. Compared to normal humans, using half-bloods was better because in a sense, they would still be family compared to using random people for the procedure. But at the same time her enthusiasm grew, it also slowly died down. In her head, she was reviewing the seal and she couldn¡¯t help but be amazed and intimidated by the sheer complexity. [I thought it was one seal. But I was mistaken.] Just by analysing it properly, she could make out over twenty different seals connected by different matrices to form one massive seal. From the basic function, she could see it was designed to essentially ¡°hammer¡± through the curse seal God placed on every human. Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but applaud the ingenuity of her ancestors. ¡°This will¡­take me quite a while to understand and re-engineer.¡± As confident as she was in her knowledge of seals, she could barely make out more than its basic function, and trying to replicate such a complicated seal without understanding it would result in more than catastrophic consequences. And even if she did re-engineer it, trying to test it on random people would eventually lead to her being found out. The last thing she wanted the world to know of, is the very seal that set them apart from the rest. [I will have to study this carefully or else¡­I fear the repercussions would be more dangerous than the discovery of the time chamber.] Calmly sitting down on the desk, she carefully rearranged her notes into one pile before frowning in contemplation. [There are too many eyes in the supernatural world. It is an inevitability that I will be found out if I try to use this on multiple people.] She sat there in thought for a while, her fingers slowly thrumming the desk. Gu Gu¡­Gu Gu¡­Gu Gu¡­ ¡°Haaa¡­what to do¡­¡± The time chamber itself was out of the question. According to her memories, only pure-blooded Aryans are able to enter it. The only place she could realistically use was Earth. But the likelihood of being discovered was far too much for her to risk it. Unlike other races, they didn¡¯t have another dimension- ¡°That¡¯s right! A dimension where rarely anyone enters!¡± She was excited because there was a dimension where no one would dare to enter, a dimension where two powerful entities dwelled within. ¡°The Dimensional Gap¡­¡± . AN .
  1. [We were also affected by the curse. But through ingenuity and implementing various magic, we were able to slowly break the first three seals over the generations and in doing so¡­the first generation of Aryans with blonde hair and blue eyes was born.] *
Explanation: It¡¯s not specified how many seals there are, but I¡¯ll take a guess and say there are ten. Aryans normally have three hundred years of life and Ancient Humans have a thousand years of life. So by deduction, breaking three seals gave them three hundred years of life and also gave them that blonde hair and blue eyes. Though the math doesn¡¯t quite fit, I assume we¡¯ll get a proper explanation in the following chapters. Chapter 109 ¡°Haaa¡­what to do¡­¡± The time chamber itself was out of question. According to her memories, only pure-blooded Aryans are able to enter it. The only place she could realistically use was Earth. But the likelihood of being discovered was far too much for her to risk it. Unlike other races, they didn¡¯t have another dimension- ¡°That¡¯s right! A dimension where rarely anyone enters!¡± She was excited, because there was a dimension where no one would dare to enter. ¡°The Dimensional Gap¡­¡± . |DxD| . While Aurelia was busy uncovering their history in the library, Igor was training far inside the depths of the time chamber. With a week having passed and his body currently at its peak, the blonde decided it was time he tried to tap into that state he was in during the Himejima massacre. The region of the time chamber he was in was particularly perilous. With the weather changing every few minutes and the gravity reaching as high as 30x, he was not particularly affected in the slightest. With his physique, he could withstand over ten-times the gravity he was in and the weather did nothing, if very little to ¡®suade his focus. With his eyes closed and his fists clenched, he focused on his ki and started channeling it to the strand of divine ki located in his core region. With the same process he had repeated for years now, he flooded the strand with his ki. ¡°Kaioken!¡± GRUUU Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su A magnificent red aura covered his form like a howling blaze. His aura lashed out like vicious snakes that sought to bite down anything in their range. The shroud of demi-ki flowed about violently without restraint for a while before it gradually calmed down under his control. Shooting up to fifty in one go was slightly straining, but he had become used to it over time. Steadying his aura, he tried to focus as much as he could and replicate the same sensation he felt when he powered up. ¡°...¡± He searched within himself for that spark that could allow him to shoot to x100 in one go. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°...come on¡­¡± The veins on his forearm bulged due to his trying, but failing efforts. He searched deep into his body, even travelling so far as to analyse his strand of divine ki. Nothing was abnormal aside from its slight growth in thickness, which proved that the state he entered last time wasn¡¯t impossible and that, it wasn¡¯t simply a once-off. [Damnit, Igor!] But it was a failure. He could already feel that at his current rate, just stretching beyond the 60th multiplier would be impossible. His stamina was depleting and there was nothing different from when he usually entered the Kaioken. ¡°What am I missing¡­?¡± Knowing that maintaining his current state would be a waste of time, he powered down. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su su su su¡­su¡­su¡­*vanish* His hair fell down like a mop and he didn¡¯t bother tying it back into a ponytail. After stretching out his body to relax his muscles, held his chin in contemplation. ¡°Come on, Igor. What is it that you¡¯re missing?¡± He was tempted to go pedal to the medal and simply ascend as far as he could with the Kaioken. But after a few too many close calls over the years, he could admit he was a little¡­¡®afraid¡¯. There were a few case scenarios like that little fiasco years ago when he first learned the Kaioken, the time when he tried stretching beyond times-thirty with Sun Wukong, and when he overused times-fifty for the first time in the war against Shiva. He did not need a fourth lesson. The ball-crushing pain was something he could do without. Without knowledge of exactly what was the state he entered, he was lost for thought as it clearly wasn¡¯t just a simple Kaioken multiplier. But knowing he was completely lost without a path forward, he realised he only had one choice left. ¡°Haaa¡­here goes.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Silently closing his eyes, he dug into his memories and began rewatching the very scenario that caused him to tap into this state. It was something he did not want to do because the memories hurt too much to revisit, but he had to do it. [I¡¯m not a pansy. Besides, aunty is alive so just treat as a¡­ah fuck it. Just do it!] Letting himself delve into the memory, the scene changed into the forest of Kuoh. It was still in the early hours of morning with the moon clearly visible in the skies. It was a picturesque scene of serenity, one that was further enhanced by the gentle winds. But, even in his memories, Igor could not forget the stench of blood and the feeling of death that permeated the air. There was blood scattered all over the leaf litter and he could feel a rather nasty patch beneath his sandals. But that wasn¡¯t what had his focus. Right in front of him, there was Shuri and¡­himself. Igor was about to walk forward when he felt himself kicking the very thing responsible for the blood beneath his feet. ¡°...¡± Looking down, he saw the dead corpse of Masaru Himejima. Just seeing the man made him snarl subconsciously. But he was immediately brought out of his rage when he suddenly heard his past self screaming. ¡°AUNTY!!!!¡± ¡°...¡± He knew the truth. He knew that Shuri was still alive. He¡¯d seen her in the flesh and even held her in his arms to prove it. But¡­ ¡°Ke¡­ki¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but grind his teeth in anger. His hatred for the clan was seared into his heart. He watched his past self grieve and felt the anguish he felt. He watched as his past self frantically shook Shuri¡¯s corpse despite knowing the truth. Unknowingly, tears flowed down his cheeks, his fists clenched in anger. He could see it, how his former self was teetering on the border of insanity. His eyes were bloodshot and despite his senses telling him Shuri was dead, his mind couldn¡¯t believe it. [It¡¯s just a memory, Igor. It¡¯s just a memory.] Despite telling himself that, he couldn¡¯t prevent the anger that was welling up in his heart. [Damnit, Igor! It¡¯s just a memory-] ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± He was cut off by the pain-filled cry of his past self. It was a cry of anguish, a cry of pain, a cry of¡­acceptance. It was his past self¡¯s last cry for after that followed a deaf silence. His hands tightly clenched onto Shuri¡¯s clothes like a sacred artifact. The forest was quiet except for Igor who slowly walked over to his past self and Shuri¡¯s corpse. Standing over them, he begrudgingly took in the sight of the deceased Shuri. His past self could sense that Shuri was dead, but his mind couldn¡¯t process it. Igor himself KNEW that Shuri wasn¡¯t dead, but it was his body, his heart that couldn¡¯t process it. He had to repeatedly remind himself that what he was seeing was in the past. But the bulging veins in his arms and his clenched fists proved otherwise. [It¡¯s just a memory.] Her nightdress was torn apart, her form covered in blood. Her abdomen was visibly crushed with one of her ribs even threatening to pierce through her skin. [It¡¯s just a memory.] Her once beautiful hair was covered in dirt and twigs, her mouth leaking blood from all the internal injuries she suffered. [It¡¯s just a memory.] Her limbs were sprawled out in awkward positions from having been broken, her once healthy white skin now deathly pale. [It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s just a memory.] Repeatedly, he told himself the same thing many times over. That it was all just a memory. But whether it was because he was influenced by his past self¡¯s emotions or whether the pain was just that strong, he found himself desperately wishing to kill off the Himejima again, and again, and again. *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* The ground began shaking violently as his past self slowly stood up. His face was absolutely dark, his power skyrocketing. The immense killing intent coming from him caused waves upon waves of pressure to descend on the vicinity. But Igor wasn¡¯t paying attention to his past self. He was battling to restrain his own anger that was rising up. His gaze remained trained on Shuri, his eyes oozing murderous intent. His neck muscles and forehead were bulging from the overwhelming fury he was feeling in that moment. [It¡¯s a memory. It¡¯s a memory¡­] He repeatedly tried to remind himself that everything was in the past, that not too long ago, he even had dinner with her. His mind knew. His soul knew. But his heart wouldn¡¯t listen, and his body followed suit. Slowly, his words changed from, ¡®It¡¯s just a memory¡¯ to¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll kill them all.¡± And it seemed, his past self¡­thought the same thing. ¡°HIIIMEEEJIIIMAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡± ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUUUUUU! Back in the time chamber, Igor¡¯s fierce yell was heard before his power started skyrocketing. The immense killing intent combined with his overwhelming aura released a heavy pressure that descended on the vicinity. x50, x60, x70 Every second, his power climbed up further and further, red aura cascading around him like violent fiery waves. x80, x90, x95 His skin slowly darkened from the increased bloodflow, his circulatory network being pushed closer to the surface of the skin to accommodate his ever-expanding ki veins. x96, x97, x98 His eyes gradually lost their light, a result of his brain withdrawing precious processing power spent on vision in order to manage this sudden burst of power. His pupils faded away and left behind a hollow cast of white. x99, x100, x101 And then finally, his hair that spiked up like jagged mountain peaks finally turned red, a result of further excess ki being let out through it. x102¡­x103 And then his power finally peaked. GRUUUUU¡­.Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! His aura violently lashed out like a barely restrained beast. Compared to when he was in Kuoh, there were no black streaks of malevolent nature energy surrounding him. It was pure red powered by pure rage. ¡°Himejima¡­¡± Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! SU SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°HIMEJIMAAAA!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . AN . Okay¡­how to start. First off, this story is not abandoned. I had a really, really, REALLY busy week and I could barely update, even for my patrons. Today is Sunday so I have a free week to catch up on updates I¡¯ve missed. Secondly, since my patrons will be receiving two chapters daily, this will be extended to you as well. However, this will only last until I catch up with the updates I¡¯ve missed. I hope to continue to have your support and kindly enjoy the next six chapters. Chapter 110 His aura violently lashed out like a barely restrained beast. Compared to when he was in Kuoh, there were no black streaks of malevolent nature energy surrounding him. It was pure red powered by pure rage. ¡°Himejima¡­¡± Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°HIMEJIMAAAA!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . |DxD| . ¡°Igor! Igor!¡± Rage clouded Igor¡¯s mind as he felt the power course through him. ¡°Igor. Calm down!¡± It was a torrential wave spurned forward by the hatred he felt for the Himejima. ¡°Igor!¡± But he couldn¡¯t sense them anywhere. He couldn¡¯t sense that vile aura that had come to associate with that clan. ¡°Listen to me, Igor!¡± His essence yearned to rip each and every one of them apart with his bare hands. He wanted to crush them into oblivion. He wanted to- ¡°IGOR!¡± ¡°...¡± He came out of his daze to the sensation of Aurelia looking at him with a worried gaze. Her hands held his cheeks, her expression tense from the burning sensation she was feeling. But she ignored that. The little stinging sensation from his ki was something that couldn¡¯t easily penetrate her skin. What she was worried about was the amount of power he was releasing. The pressure itself was immense, but she feared for his body. ¡°Igor. Are you there¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Igor?¡± Hearing her voice calling for him again, Igor seemed to slowly come to it. ¡°...Aurelia?¡± . |DxD| . Central Building for Foreign Affairs, Underworld . Serafall Leviathan, formerly Serafall Sitri, was NOT having a good day. On her table was information on the recent happenings in both Kuoh and Kyoto. The incident of the Himejima clan being killed off in less than an hour was something that sent a shockwave throughout the entire supernatural world. It was such an unprecedented event that numerous factions were paying attention to the news. And as the Satan of Foreign Affairs, it was apparently also her job to oversee this mess given that the devils were pseudo-allies with the yokai. ¡°Sometimes¡­sometimes I hate this job. I just HAD to be good at it.¡± Having donned a business suit today, she was clearly not in her normal cheery mood. Ever since that massive power was felt from Kuoh, she had to take the situation seriously since the sudden appearance of an unknown supreme class entity was not a matter to take lightly. Sighing, she began analysing the stack of documents that were placed on her desk. ¡°Now, that power came from Kuoh and then instantly appeared in Kyoto. But then¡­that extra power¡­¡± She was not there in person, but she felt the immense hatred and power coalescing into one giant energy attack that was more than strong enough to destroy the planet. It certainly wasn¡¯t the most powerful energy signature she felt, but it was in the top rankings. Given the whole mess in the first fifty years of the 20th century, she had seen and felt far stronger attacks. Refocusing on the documents, she read a few more passages. ¡°That attack seemed to have been focused on the Himejima clan, but then it vanished. And soon after that, whoever created that attack was most likely eliminated. But we can¡¯t be sure of that.¡± She put down the document and began twiddling with one of her twin tails in contemplation. ¡°The entire residence of the Himejima clan has been closed off, meaning we can¡¯t get any more information.¡± From the information she received, the Himejima residence had been sealed off in a barrier and Yasaka was seen to be personally guarding the location. ¡°Is that person¡¯s corpse what they are guarding? But then if that is the case, what did they use to kill that person¡­¡± As far as she knew, there were no reports of any Shinto god descending upon Japan and eliminating the threat. But then again, their intelligence may be lacking. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Sighing, she quickly scribbled something on a document before making it vanish. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Shuu! ¡°Considerations like this are more of Falbium¡¯s job.¡± Looking at the rest of the documents on her desk, she felt a headache coming. Sitting back on her chair, she let her head hit the comfy headrest. Looking up at the ceiling, she began pondering over this matter. ¡°Just. What. Happened¡­¡± There were so many holes in the story that she couldn¡¯t properly make sense of exactly what was happening. Nearly the entire forest of Kuoh was covered in an aura so malevolent that anyone below high class would find it impossible to enter. Soon after, the same entity responsible for the aura appeared above Kyoto and from that point onwards, seemingly vanished. But the Himejima clan was still annihilated. What was worse was that information on exactly how they were killed wasn¡¯t possible. ¡°No no no. There has to be something I¡¯m missing here. We don¡¯t know how the Himejima died, so we cannot be sure if they were killed in an instant or massacred slowly. Details on the situation in the compound are impossible to get without risking the death of our informants. Common knowledge suggests that whoever killed the Himejima was also killed, but I don¡¯t believe it. It is borderline impossible for someone of the supreme class to be killed that quickly.¡± With so many thoughts on her head, she stretched out her hand and reached for a document. ¡°This¡­¡¯Subject #1¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would die so quietly.¡± Lifting the document, she read it again. ¡­ File ID.#18459: Himejima Massacre Date: July 16, 1999 Report Summary On Friday morning at precisely 04:49, there was a sudden burst of energy detected in the town of Kuoh, Japan, where a peak energy output equivalent to low-supreme class was measured. Moments after, this energy vanished and appeared in Kyoto, precisely above the Himejima compound where it was last sensed before it vanished. Report Details It has been theorised that the origin of this power may most likely belong to a rogue or stray yokai, whom will be referred to as [Subject #1]. It is suspected that Subject #1 may also be responsible for the ¡®Red Incident¡¯ in the Himalayan Mountain Range on August 23, 1996, and subsequently, the ¡®False Alarm¡¯ incident in the Vatican the following month. This prognosis was theorised after identifying the auras emitted to be similar in nature, thus coming to the new conclusion that the Church may possibly have an involvement in the Himejima Massacre. Further proof of this stems from when it was discovered that one of the Church¡¯s holy sword wielders, Masaomi Yaegaki and his squad were attacked by who we presume to be hunters from the Himejima clan, leaving Masaomi the only survivor. Reasons as to how or why hunters of the Himejima clan entered Kuoh without consulting Overseer Cleria Belial have yet to be reasoned. But their method of entry suggests that they potentially had a very knowledgeable person in wards. Evidence to support this statement comes from a corroded corpse that was found to possess the tools of a ward master. Further identification on the corpse is currently being carried out but reasons suggest it may most likely be Himejima Takumi, the fourth son of Suou Himejima. The body measurements recorded, his matching profession, and other factors support this conclusion. In regards to Subject #1¡¯s power, information on them has yet to be fully discovered, but this is what has been currently gathered through analysis and cross-referencing. Prior to this incident, Subject #1''s peak power output was measured to be in high-god class. Possibilities as to how they have attained the power of low-supreme class is still to be investigated. But current evidence points to the usage of senjutsu, an ability known to be uniquely possessed by yokai. It is also worth noting that Subject #1 most likely possesses the means to incrementally increase their power as they see fit. In 1996, Subject #1''s power was observed to be in the realm of low-god class at rest and peak-god class at peak. In 1999, the current year this document was written, Subject #1''s power was briefly observed to be between mid-god class to high-god class at rest and low-supreme class at peak. Questions of how this is possible have yet to be answered. But this further eludes to the slim, yet very possible scenario that Subject #1 may be this generation¡¯s Red Dragon Emperor. However, this possibility is slim due to the absence of any draconic aura. Further investigations will be continued to determine who Subject #1 is, their abilities, as well as their motivations. Conclusion Subject #1 is a low-supreme class entity who evidence supports that they may possibly be in league with the church and their attack on the Himejima may be the result of personal vengeance. In regards to the situation, it is believed that the Church may deny knowledge of Subject #1. Should this be the case, it is advisable that Subject #1 be approached for possible recruitment, should they still be alive. Obtaining them as an asset will no doubt issue a new era for the devil race, especially should they be reincarnated. End Report ¡­ Serafall rotated on her chair, her finger fiddling with her hair in thought. ¡°The possibility that this¡­¡®Subject #1¡¯ is a yokai is not entirely baseless. But I can¡¯t help but feel something crucial is missing.¡± When her people entered the forest once the aura dissipated, they found nothing that could possibly be the cause for Subject #1 to possibly release such power. Nearly any shred of evidence that could be used for speculation was likely eroded or obliterated by the malevolent aura. According to the documents she had on her table, the only thing they found of note, was a small clearing no bigger than a car that had vegetation unaffected by the aura. Beyond that, there was nothing more. Serafall took the picture of the clearing in her hand and scrutinised it closely. ¡°Apart from the vegetation on this spot, everything else had been destroyed. But why was this particular patch left untouched?¡± Serafall knew, or most likely suspected that figuring this part out would work as the key to finally finding out why the Himejima were suddenly massacred and possibly, figure out who their killer was. Thrum¡­Thrum¡­Thrum¡­Thrum¡­ Tapping her fingers on the table, Serafall had enough trying to speculate about this. Rather than try to make sense of this alone, it would be better to call the person who would most likely know more than her. Tapping the buzzer on her table, she spoke. ¡°Inform Cleria Belial, the Overseer of Kuoh to prepare herself for my arrival within the next half hour. Thank you.¡± Removing her finger from the buzzer, she didn¡¯t bother waiting for a confirmation that her request was heard. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Falling back on her chair, she cried inwardly. [I miss So-chan already.] . |DxD| . Cleria did expect to be summoned or visited at some point in time. It was a given seeing as how the beginning of everything happened within her territory. Fortunately, she was in the Underworld when most of the events happened, so she could use that as an alibi. And she could further plead ignorance by claiming to have been resolving the damage caused in the town. Her story was solid and initially, Cleria was confident that she could continue to hide Igor¡¯s existence, despite the blonde seemingly doing his utmost to be discovered. But instead of the ¡°Overseer of Overseers¡± requesting her, she was called forth directly by Maou Leviathan herself. This was an unprecedented event since even with her title, meeting a Maou wasn¡¯t something she was eligible for. It was the same as skipping the ATM and going directly into the vault. She had never met Serafall before, but she had heard of her fascination for magical girls since the early ¡®70s. It was a somewhat common topic amongst devilkind about her weird interest in dressing up and whatnot. It cannot be argued however that she is the most famous of the Satans and¡­the least feared. But what was unheard of was how when Serafall was known for this, the image of the Devil race suddenly began improving. Whether it was a deliberate ploy or the outcome caused by embodying her passion, Cleria cared not for either. Just the concept of meeting Serafall ALONE terrified her. But she held herself steady. Twenty of the estimated thirty minutes had already passed. Comfortably sitting in her office, she ¡®calmly¡¯ waited for the arrival of Serafall Leviathan. ¡°I hope this is just routine questioning.¡± As calm as she tried to be, she was not confident in outright lying to a Maou. Chapter 111 Twenty of the estimated thirty minutes had already passed. Comfortably sitting in her office, she ¡®calmly¡¯ waited for the arrival of Serafall Leviathan. ¡°I hope this is just routine questioning.¡± As calm as she tried to be, she was not confident in outright lying to a Maou. . |DxD| . Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su ¡°Sister¡­Aurelia¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Igor. It¡¯s me.¡± Aurelia gently cupped his cheeks and slowly began rubbing them. ¡°I¡¯m here. Can you hear me?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor took a while to process everything. His mind was somehow stuck between the past and the present, making him seem a bit lost and listless. His feelings were so amplified and all over the place that he found it hard to distinguish between reality and illusion. His mind was functioning so quickly that he couldn¡¯t seem to put a stop to it. It was only because of Aurelia¡¯s voice that he could finally put a wrench in the wheel that was his brain. * When he finally came to it, he was momentarily surprised to find that he wasn¡¯t seeing in colour, but in shades of black, blue, and gold¡­the same vision he had when he slaughtered the Himejima. Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU SU His mind was about to be pulled back into the past when he felt a calming energy gradually envelop his being. ¡°Calm down, Igor. I¡¯m sensing massive amounts of stress from you.¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but worry about Igor. The power he was emitting was humongous. It was to the point that she had to use high level body-reinforcement magic just to not get crushed by the pressure he was releasing. She could feel that his mental state wasn¡¯t quite there, almost as if he was on the verge of going berserk. He seemed to be on the brink and was struggling to hold himself back. Yet what she was worried about wasn¡¯t him going berserk, but his body not lasting long enough for him to come out of it. [I have to calm him down quickly. His body hasn¡¯t matured enough to handle this much power.] For Igor, it was like a tug of war between the past and the present. Everytime his mind seems to have escaped the cage of his memory, his heart would remember the pain of losing Shuri and use it to pull him back. Aurelia couldn¡¯t knock him out even if she wanted to. The strength required to penetrate that thick armour of ki surrounding his body was something she didn¡¯t have and any illusion magic wouldn¡¯t work because her mana would be burnt by his ki before it even had the chance to reach his brain. Her options were exhausted and she could tell that with any further delays, he would really go berserk. [What can I try? Words seem to work, but barely.] Her words could reach him, but the effects were minimal at best. The calming magic she tried to send into his body kept getting burnt by his ki before her mana could reach his brain. She could feel the torrent of ki flowing through his veins and she knew that at this rate, his body would only be able to hold on for another five minutes at best. She was genuinely worried for the blonde. Having this much rage bottled up just wasn¡¯t normal. It was hard to think that the same person who smiled like its Christmas at the sight of food could make such a vicious expression. ¡°Igor. You have to-¡± ¡°Himejima¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Now it made sense. [He still holds hatred for them.] Hearing him mutter the name of that clan, she could make out what was going through his head. As kindred who both harbour a special spot for the Himejima, Aurelia could imagine exactly what was going through his head. But as much as she understood his feelings, this wasn¡¯t the time. ¡°Igor. Listen to me. Listen to my voice. The Himejima have perished, remember?¡± ¡°...¡± No response from him. That was relatively good. She considered it a miracle in of itself that she hadn¡¯t been attacked yet. But that may change if she doesn¡¯t think of something soon. And with her words having minimal effect, she decided to try one more method. Removing her hands from his cheeks, she wrapped her arms around his torso. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Calm down, Igor. I¡¯m here.¡± SU SU SU SU SU SU Su Su Su Su Su Su Su The effect was gradual, yet instant. The warmth from another person served as an anchor to pull him out of the illusion he had trapped himself in. Her embrace was warm¡­very warm. His aura that was violently lashing out gradually calmed down and his hair that had spiked up slowly fell. His power level gradually decreased in line with his Kaioken multipliers cycling down. Pupils gradually reformed in his eyes, but they seemed to have no life in them. But that was only for a brief moment. Feeling Aurelia holding him so tenderly, a hint of life returned to them. Weakly tilting head up to face Aurelia, blue locked with blue. ¡°Thank you¡­sister.¡± That was all he could say before his consciousness slipped away. . |DxD| . Igor could confidently say that he had never drunk before in his life. Whether it be beer, whiskey, or wine, none of it had ever entered his lips. But he was willing to bet that with how bad his head was thrumming, it was much worse than any hangover one could ever get. ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± The first thing the blonde did upon waking up was release a sigh at just how bad of a headache he had. Subconsciously spreading his senses, he was aware that he was in his bedroom in the time chamber. He could feel the gym equipment in the next room and the library of books in the other. Sitting up on the bed, he held a hand to his head and ran it through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m¡­never¡­ever¡­doing that again.¡± Finally opening his eyes, he was a bit taken aback at the number of blankets that were draped over him. ¡°One, two, three, four¡­five?¡± Headache or not, the blonde knew three out of five of these blankets were not his nor were they in the time chamber previously. ¡°Weird.¡± But not one to overthink things, he let it go. Pushing them away, he was about to swing his legs when he realised something. ¡°Huh¡­I¡¯m naked. And I¡­smell good?¡± He wasn¡¯t truly naked. All he was dressed in was a set of black trunks, except those trunks were pulled down all the way to his feet. Knowing it was his sleeping habit that caused him to push them down, he promptly pulled them up. Glossing over the fact that he was stripped of his clothes, he focused more on the smell that caught his attention. He could detect the faint scent of something vaguely similar to the smell of... *Sniff* *Sniff* ¡°...vanilla?¡± The blonde had no knowledge of flowers at all so the closest comparison he could come up with was vanilla. It was aromatic and he could admit that he liked the smell. It was in the air and he could make out a scent trail that led out the door. Swinging his legs over the bed, he was about to get up when he felt his body slightly tense. Groaning at the sudden stinging pain, he pushed on and got up. ¡°Yep. I¡¯m never doing that aga-whoa!¡± As soon as he tried to stand up, his legs gave out on him like wet noodles. Falling back on the bed, he looked at his legs. Paaa! Paaa! Giving himself a good slap to the thigh, he frowned. ¡°Well that¡¯s not good.¡± His legs were numb, and felt almost nonexistent. He could barely feel his muscles and just trying to lift his leg yielded no results. But the worst pain came from his calves and ankles. The muscles there were particularly tender and it seemed they had just recovered from being torn apart. ¡°...¡± Igor frowned in thought. He was not oblivious to the fact that he had used Kaioken x100. What confused him was that his upper body felt fine. Logically, his torso and arms should¡¯ve also been shredded from using the Kaioken at such a high multiplier. And if his body was healing, every body part should¡¯ve healed equally. ¡°Meh. I¡¯ve torn more on leg day.¡± Logging the thought as something he would consider later, he decided that since he can¡¯t walk, flying would be his next best bet. But the moment he tried to channel his ki¡­ ¡°?!¡± He descended into a world of pain. ¡°ACK!¡± Losing all strength in his body, he fell on his back and stayed like that unwillingly. All the veins in his body were suddenly bulging from attempting to mobilise his ki. His limbs were frozen stiff with his hand even frozen in midair. Sweat was falling from his brow due to the sudden shock he felt. ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± He found himself struggling to breathe, his chest feeling like it was being crushed by a heavyweight. His mouth desperately tried to suck in more life-giving breath into his body, but he found it incredibly hard to parse it down his throat. [D-damnit!] His eyes were filled with unwillingness because self-suffocation was not the way he would¡¯ve wanted to leave this world. Never mind finding it hard to breathe, he was letting out more air than he could take in. Quickly thinking on his feet, he decided to hold in the remaining breath he had. It was a finite amount, but it was better than nothing. Calming himself down, he had to think of a solution quickly. Just because his physique allowed him to spend a long time without breathing didn¡¯t mean he liked being stingy to his lungs. It was a very uncomfortable feeling for him, especially since he was caught off guard. The heavy feeling in his chest combined with the shortness of breath made it very hard for him to figure out what to do in a short space of time. It was only fortunate for him that soon after, the door burst open to reveal Aurelia. ¡°Igor!¡± As the silverrette rushed in, she quickly tended to Igor and planted her hands on his chest. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright, okay? You¡¯ll be alright as long as you stay calm.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor wanted to tell the woman he was calm, until he saw something that made him widen his eyes. He finally noticed that she was in black training clothes featuring a vest and a tight-fitting tracksuit. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and her sword was strapped to her side. Her enticing appearance didn¡¯t faze him in the slightest. He lost count of how many naked women he¡¯d seen on the battlefield. Rather, it was her attire that had his attention, because that vest and tracksuit were his. [You¡­my¡­you took my-] ¡°Calm down Igor. I¡¯m almost done healing you.¡± The woman was visibly sweating and Igor watched as a drop of sweat fell down her cheekbones and travelled down her chest. That trace of sweat fell downwards, circled around the ¡®meatiest¡¯ part of her breast until it finally collided with the fabric of the vest. Igor watched with pained eyes as a small wet patch formed on the rim of his shirt. He did not care for how enticing she looked nor for the worried expression on her face. It did not matter how much pain he was in or how Aurelia was trying to heal him. All he knew, was that those clothes were his. ¡°...¡± And she defiled the manly sweat in them with hers. A shirt he had worn for fifty years was now feminised, and that hurt him more than the crippling pain all over his body. . AN .
  1. His mind was functioning so quickly that he couldn¡¯t seem to put a stop to it. It was only because of Aurelia¡¯s voice that he could finally put a wrench in the wheel that was his brain. *
Explanation: Remember how the Kaioken amplifies everything or nearly everything, it seems like emotions count as well¡­indirectly though. It says his feelings were amplified, but it appears that has to do more with how his brain is so juiced up on power that he couldn¡¯t control his emotions. It¡¯s like giving a person who has driven a Corolla their whole life a Ferrari. For Igor who was used to Kaioken x50, suddenly jumping to x100 isn¡¯t good for him, especially if he still has unresolved issues in his heart. We still don¡¯t have complete confirmation if Kaioken x100 is a transformation or a simple multiplier. Chapter 112 Igor watched with pained eyes as a small wet patch formed on the rim of his shirt. He did not care for how enticing she looked nor for the worried expression on her face. It did not matter how much pain he was in or how Aurelia was trying to heal him. All he knew, was that those clothes were his. ¡°...¡± And she defiled the manly sweat in them with hers. A shirt he had worn for fifty years was now feminised, and that hurt him more than the crippling pain all over his body. . |DxD| . As the blonde inwardly cried at his change of clothes being used by Aurelia, the silverette reached him and placed her hands on his chest. She channeled her mana into him and the effect was almost instant. Igor¡¯s eyes that had nearly closed opened instantly. The blonde could her energy travelling through his body. It was not uncomfortable but rather, it felt soothing. His muscles relaxed and subsequently, he was finally able to breathe properly. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Letting out a deep breath, he let himself sprawl on the bed with his eyes closed. With the pain in his chest alleviated, he savoured these breaths he could take. ¡°Are you alright now, Igor?¡± The silverette had leaned towards him and placed her hand on his forehead. He could feel her mana flowing all over his body and strangely, prompting a rather neutral response from his ki. He half-expected to be crawling on the ground like the time Sun Wukong channeled his energy into him. But it seemed that wouldn¡¯t be the case today. Feeling himself gradually regain control over his body, Igor was about to reply to Aurelia¡¯s question when he caught a strange scent coming from her. With each breath he took, he came to notice that vanilla scent he smelled before. *Sniff* *Sniff* Aurelia had already seemingly forgotten that she had asked the blonde a question. With her hands on his chest, she was still channeling her mana into him, unaware that his gaze was on her. [Even when his ki isn¡¯t in flow, it¡¯s still¡­so¡­dense.] She was sweating from exertion due to how difficult it was to move her mana through his ki veins. It was so dense that it felt like she was pushing her energy through a sludge of concrete. While she continued trying to repair his damaged muscles, the blonde looked at her intently and couldn¡¯t help but sniff a few more times. *Sniff* *Sniff* *Sniff* ¡°...¡± *...Sniff* [Is that a perfume she¡¯s using? It smells good.] As his gaze lowered from her face to her chest and waist, his expression gradually soured. [Now my clothes are going to smell like vanilla...and the fabric will be loose.] He never paid attention to it before because she always wore some sort of loose-fitting clothes. But looking at them now, they were quite b- ¡°Igor?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Looking up, he was met with a slightly accusing expression from her. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at her, and then looked at her chest. He then looked at her again. With a straight face, he replied. ¡°I never expected they were that big.¡± ¡°...¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Aurelia.exe stopped responding. . |DxD| . Cleria¡¯s Mansion, Kuoh, Japan . It was a long day in the town of Kuoh and even though it was still an hour or so before noon, the Sun was already threatening to unleash a sweltering heat that would strip everyone of their energy reserves. Reconstruction was still going strong and all the major streets had been cleared of glass shards. There were sounds of diesel generators all over due to the power grid also having taken a hit. But reparations at the relevant power stations and transformers were nearing their conclusion. At the current rate things were going, the town would recover by the end of next week, making everyone optimistic. The only ones who weren¡¯t happy however, were insurance companies and Cleria Belial. While the former had to continuously shell out money, the latter was more concerned with keeping her life. The clock was ticking on the wall and only a minute was left until the allotted thirty minutes were over. Cleria wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to do should Serafall not come, but those thoughts disappeared when a blue magic circle formed in her office. Vwong When the circle disappeared, it revealed Serafall to be in her business suit. Despite her rather short height, she was certainly gifted. Despite her suit being rather modest, it failed to completely hide her rather generous assets, especially her rather toned legs. But while many would smile at such a sight, the iciness on her face would stop any downward blood-flow in its tracks. There was no smile on her face in the slightest. Serafall clearly appeared ready to do business. ¡°...¡± Cleria was briefly shocked for a moment, but quickly reorganised herself. Standing up from her chair, she lowered her head respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Maou Leviathan. I, Cleria Belial, Overseer of Kuoh, welcome you.¡± It did surprise her that she and Serafall were equal in height. Cleria had seen pictures and videos of Serafall, but seeing her in person was vastly different. Nonetheless, she would not be so foolish as to act inappropriately in front of a Maou. Serafall was never truly one for pleasantries. Over the years she¡¯s served as the head of foreign affairs, engaging in meaningless conversations with delegates was something she¡¯d come to rather dislike. And today, she had no wish to engage in them. She only wanted to get everything over and done with so that she could see her precious little sister With all the circumstances surrounding her life and her family, Sona was the only bright light in her life. Seating herself on the chair opposite Cleria, she went straight to the point. ¡°Then I will refer to you as Cleria. Tell me everything that has happened.¡± She went straight to the point without any hesitation. Her actions took Cleria by surprise since she expected she¡¯d have to serve Serafall some coffee and have casual chatter before getting to the crux of the matter. But recovering her wits, this method of doing things was also preferable for her. ¡°Very well, Maou-sama.¡± Taking a seat herself, Cleria began to narrate the events that happened earlier today. ¡°Yesterday evening, I received a missive detailing my required presence in the Underworld for an urgent report. The following morning, I was still in the Underworld delivering my report when I felt a pull from a leaflet I had left with the church¡¯s exorcist, Masaomi Yaegaki. Feeling the desperation behind the call, I teleported over to him and was met with him lying in a pool of his own blood, his companions dead.¡± Cleria had no qualms revealing her relationship with the church. While it was frowned upon, it was necessary for her to have some form of contact with the church should there be an urgent case that required her presence. Of course, that was the official reason. But Serafall had a quick question she wanted an answer for. ¡°Why did you give this Masaomi a pamphlet? You should realise he could¡¯ve used it to ambush you at some point in time.¡± ¡°Indeed I do, Maou-sama. But I have known Masaomi Yaegaki for three years. I am aware of his character and betrayal is not in line with his personality.¡± [But he could be manipulated.] Serafall wanted to say that out loud, but discussing Cleria¡¯s safety wasn¡¯t on her agenda. She had many things to do and concerning herself with one devil quite frankly wouldn¡¯t fit into her schedule. ¡°I will trust your judgement then. Continue.¡± ¡°Yes, Maou-sama. Shortly after, exorcists from the church arrived at the scene and took him away to heal him. After he recuperated, we were able to learn that he and his squad had run into the Himejima who had entered Kuoh.¡± She continued to narrate the events and made sure to omit certain parts. She did not reveal her relationship with Shuri nor disclosed anything about the blonde. Serafall did not interject even once throughout the entire time Cleria spoke. The Maou was simply content to listen until Cleria finished describing everything from her point of view. ¡°Is that all?¡± Cleria nodded. ¡°Yes, that is all.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Raising her hand, a small teleportation circle formed before a picture appeared, a picture that Cleria recognised very well. [H-how¡­] She was sure she had hidden that picture so as to avoid incriminating herself. But upon seeing it in Serafall¡¯s hand, her heart felt like it turned to stone. Panic filled her at the realisation that she was caught omitting certain details. Serafall showed Cleria the picture and then looked at it herself. Smiling coquettishly, she giggled. ¡°This picture is very cute, Cleria-chan. I never imagined that you got along so well with Shuri Himejima.¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall placed the picture of Cleria and Shuri on the table before leaning forward. Her rather relaxed persona immediately disappeared. Displaying the full authority of a Maou, she commanded. ¡°Overseer Belial. I suggest you tell me everything from the beginning, and this time¡­¡± A very heavy pressure covered the room, a pressure that made Cleria widen her eyes in fear. ¡°...do not hide anything.¡± . AN . A lot of things to unpack here. Serafall is vastly different from the bubbly Levi-tan we all know and love. However, please take note that the year is 1999, roughly 9-10 years from canon. Chapter 113 ¡°This picture is very cute, Cleria. I never imagined that you got along so well with Shuri Himejima.¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall placed the picture of Cleria and Shuri on the table before leaning forward. ¡°Overseer Belial. I suggest you tell me everything from the beginning, and this time¡­¡± A very heavy pressure covered the room, a pressure that made Cleria widen her eyes in fear. ¡°...do not hide anything.¡± . |DxD| . Cleria was exhausted of all options. In front of Serafall¡¯s imposing presence, the silverette truly did not know how to circumvent this situation. Lying to a Satan was already a crime punishable by death to the extent that even her clan wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything about it. ¡°I...I¡­¡± She hesitated. She was worried for Shuri¡¯s life and if should anything happen to her, Igor¡¯s response. With a case example from the Himejima, she knew exactly what would happen if the devils touched Shuri, Akeno, or god forbid, Asia. ¡°M-Maou-sama. I¡­¡± Her composure had left the room. The frightening yet calm glare that Serafall was giving her genuinely frightened her. The satan only sat quietly with her arms crossed, her mouth neither scowling nor smiling. She was like a queen that overlooked her subjects. And right now, Cleria was indeed one of her subjects. And her subject was disobeying her order. ¡°Cleria Belial. Under my authority as a Maou, I order you to reveal all the information you know. Know that withholding or falsifying any information grants me the authority to execute you.¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria didn¡¯t know how to say this. If she revealed everything, then it was almost guaranteed that Igor and by association, Aurelia would be hunted down because¡­Serafall harboured a deep hatred for Aryans. This stems back to decades in the past to the period of World War II. Caught in the cross-fire in the fight between the Aryans and the Alliance, Aryan assassins targeted her father and when they failed to kill him, they cursed him with the Sleep Disease. The true reason was not known, but it was likely due to the Sitri being one of the key individuals that supplied the alliance army with medicines. This was a story that was never publicised, leaving only a few people that knew besides Serafall and her family. For the last sixty years, her mother had to hold the reigns during the times when her father would enter his periods of deep sleep. Cleria feared that if she leaked Igor¡¯s existence, the world would be thrown into turmoil. Serafall would no doubt seek to eliminate Igor and Aurelia out of vengeance and in doing so, she would pull the entire devil race into a war where their chances of winning would not come without detrimental costs. Desperately wanting to avoid such a scenario, Cleria came to a choice that may possibly¡­be her last. [Father, nii-sama, uncle, aunty, grandpa¡­] It was a foolish decision on her part. But as much as her mind whizzed around in a bid to come up with solutions, she turned up empty. [...Shuri-chan.] She didn¡¯t want her race being plunged into a possible war. The only way she could see this happening if she revealed everything she knew is that Serafall would end up holding Asia hostage due to not being able to find Igor. If the blonde exits the time chamber and hears of this, any chance of peace talks would forfeited due to his anger. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The blonde was far too powerful and with his teleportation capabilities, far too elusive. [Azazel-kun¡­] As such, she decided on her choice right then and there. [I am sorry, everyone.] Standing up, her fearful expression straightened into one of bravery. She locked eyes with Serafall, red meeting blue. ¡°I apologise, Maou-sama. But I cannot reveal the information you desire. If I must die¡­then so be it!¡± Her hands trembled, but she forcibly stilled them. She loved her people and she did not want them needlessly dying. Her leaders were strong, but Igor¡¯s potential was stronger. That fact solidified when she felt him reach the realm of supreme class. If he constantly trained in that time chamber of his for the next ten years, she was sure he would reach a point where he would either be on par, or surpass all four satans. It was with this knowledge that she stood strong. ¡°...¡± Serafall could see the resolution on Cleria. She was confident she could torture the information out of the silverette, but she hadn¡¯t fallen so low that she would subject an innocent to that kind of pain. ¡°I see.¡± Crossing her legs, she leaned on the chair¡¯s armrest. ¡°Then what about your peerage?¡± ¡°They were in the Underworld and only recently came back. They don¡¯t know any more than you do, Maou-sama.¡± [Lies. They definitely know more.] Serafall had half-a-mind to interrogate her peerage members. But before she did that, she first wanted to understand something. ¡°Why would you go so far as to withhold vital information from me? This concerns the safety of the Underworld and you hiding it can be considered treason.¡± Feeling a bit of relief that she wouldn¡¯t die¡­yet, Cleria relaxed her shoulders a bit. Taking a deep breath, she looked into Serafall¡¯s eyes with sincerity. ¡°Please believe me that I am acting in the best interest of our race, Maou-sama.¡± Serafall frowned at the information. ¡°Is the secret you¡¯re keeping so dangerous that informing me would endanger our race?¡± ¡°As absurd as it sounds, Maou-sama, it is true. The less people that know this information, the better it is for everyone.¡± A small smile formed on Serafall¡¯s face. ¡°I see.¡± She then stood up, her gaze darkening. With a single movement of her hand, the desk separating the two of them turned into ice before it suddenly shattered into numerous little pieces. ¡°Then I assume if one less person knows, it would be better, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria couldn¡¯t answer. The pressure that had vanished suddenly returned in full force. The fear that she tried to restrain threatened to make itself known in the face of such overwhelming power. Her body trembled in fright, her eyes growing watery at the fear that death was creeping closer and closer to her. She couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes in fear. [I-I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die-] ¡°That¡¯s enough, Serafall!¡± And just like that, the heavy pressure vanished like it never existed. The killing intent that felt like invisible hands strangling her vanished like smoke in the wind. But Cleria wasn¡¯t focused on that. Rather, it was the voice that caught her attention. She knew that voice and would recognise it anywhere. Opening her eyes, she was revealed to the sight of the naked torso she had often dreamt about many times before. The muscles on the back were bulging and the sight of that dependable back made her cry tears of joy. ¡°A-Azazel¡­¡± The man stood tall in all his glory. His hair had grown longer to the point that some of it hung on his sides. He was barefoot with a black tracksuit being the only clothing he had on him. His muscular torso was laced with traces of sweat, possibly indicating that he was physically exerting himself prior to arriving. Yet although he seemingly appeared tired, he still stood tall. ¡°...¡± Azazel didn¡¯t turn to face Cleria. Rather, he locked eyes with Serafall, his gaze neutral yet hard. He never expected that in the midst of his research and training, he would feel the small magic circle he placed on Cleria flare up. It was a ¡®just-in-case¡¯ sort of thing he secretly placed on her for moments like this, moments he wished would¡¯ve never happened where there was a threat to her life. He was glad he was able to make it in time and prevent his lover from dying, but that brief sense of relief gave way to a gradually sprouting bud of killing intent. ¡°Sera-¡± ¡°Azazel-kun!¡± Cleria couldn¡¯t restrain herself anymore. She rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She clung tightly to his side with tears of joy and relief leaking through her closed eyelids. Her arms were still trembling from fright, but she didn¡¯t dare let go. Azazel wordlessly replied by reaching out with his arm and brought her closer to his side. He placed his arm on her back and held her close. All this time, his eyes never left Serafall¡¯s. His gaze was not jovial nor carefree like it always generally was. There was a fierceness in them that was backed by the power he was releasing, the power of a peak-god class. ¡°Serafall Leviathan. Make one move¡­and I will kill you.¡± . AN . And Azazel himself comes to the rescue and with this, a controversy has erupted. Protecting his lover is admirable and all, but would Serafall truly have killed Cleria? Well that question doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Chapter 114 Azazel wordlessly replied by reaching out with his arm and brought her closer to his side. He placed his arm on her back and held her close. All this time, his eyes never left Serafall¡¯s. His gaze was not jovial nor carefree like it always generally was. There was a fierceness in them that was backed by the power he was releasing, the power of a peak-god class. ¡°Serafall Leviathan. Make one move¡­and I will kill you.¡± . |DxD| . Serafall watched the sight in front of her with visible surprise on her face. With her strength, she did detect that Cleria had a foreign magic circle placed on her. With how she previously acted, it was an attempt to draw out whoever placed clairvoyance-based threat-detection magic on the silverette. But no matter how much composure she had, Serafall never expected that it would be Azazel. She half-expected it would be Diehauser Belial who would¡¯ve placed the circle or at the very least, someone from the devil race. Even if it was a yokai, she could still accept it. But Serafall never would¡¯ve guessed it would be the Governor General of Grigori himself. Even now as she saw it with her own eyes, she couldn¡¯t believe it. [Azazel¡­?] She first assumed Azazel was part of the information Cleria tried to hide. It wouldn¡¯t be unfounded for the fallen to somehow be involved in the Himejima Massacre given how many people he knew. But then she noticed how close they appeared. They were far too close. It then slowly dawned on her as she realised just how tightly Cleria was holding on to him, and how Azazel seemed ready to fight to the death just to protect her. ¡°...?!¡± Serafall was not that old. At best, she¡¯d only lived a few centuries compared to the likes of Azazel who have lived for thousands of years. But¡­ [Azazel and¡­Cleria?] ¡­it didn¡¯t make sense to her. There was absolutely no reason for Azazel, the leader of an entire faction to take Cleria, a simple overseer of a small town as his woman. There was no benefit for him in all of this. In fact, it was a useless risk. Yet she could see it in his eyes and the way he held her in his arm. ¡®Serafall Leviathan. Make one move¡­and I will kill you.¡¯ She now realised that those were not empty words. That was a full-blown threat with the very real intent to end her life should she actually attempt to make any further moves. Azazel was fully willing to provoke an all-out war. This was not in line with his rather pacifistic personality. But for this woman¡­ [Cleria Belial, huh.] ¡­he was willing to throw caution to the wind. Finding the whole situation a bit funny, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a giggle. ¡°Hihihi~. This really is a surprise.¡± And just like that, the tense atmosphere in the room disappeared. Both Azazel and Cleria were confused, especially Cleria. ¡°What¡­?¡± But it seemed Serafall wasn¡¯t paying attention to her words. ¡°This has to be the biggest surprise of the century. Never in my wildest dreams would I picture the big bad wolf Azazel would fancy our meek little Cleria-chan.¡± In her mind, it was like a scene straight out of a shoujo manga. In fact¡­ ¡°?!¡± Looking at them now, she couldn¡¯t help but think of the perfect plot for a manga. Or better yet, a movie. [The super strong handsome bad guy slash villain, and the quiet little heroine that everyone thought would be ignored¡­] Her mind had been stimulated to its peak and her creative drive had been turned to the max. She looked at the couple with bright eyes, a complete contrast to the somewhat bored and impatient gaze she displayed before. ¡°Azazel-chan! Cleria-chan! Do you two want to do a movie with me? Pleaaassse~.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Azazel was borderline confused. Serafall¡¯s clothing did not match the current emotions she was showing. Although every long-lived entity had their unique¡­quirks, Serafall¡¯s was especially unique. It was so unique that instead of trying to possibly blackmail them or banish Cleria, she instead asked them for¡­ ¡°A movie?¡± Hearing his question, Serafall sprinted towards him and grabbed his free hand. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel was taken aback by how her eyes were literally sparkling. [She isn¡¯t faking-] ¡°Just think about it, Azazel-chan. You and Cleria-chan will be like our Romeo and Juliet, but with a happy ending!¡± She then turned away from him, her head lowered in thought. ¡°Ooooh¡­I can see it now. Azazel-chan has a good physique and Cleria-chan really makes a good damsel. If I set the scene up like this and add a few villain-oh! I¡¯ll ask Ajuka-chan for that role and¡­¡± She mumbled several ideas to herself, causing Cleria to truly question if what happened a minute ago was real. Just now, Serafall threatened to kill her and now, she was trying to assign her to a role as a heroine in some fantasy movie she thought up. The mood change was too quick that Cleria had a hard time adapting. ¡°M-Maou¡­sama-¡± ¡°Cleria-chan!¡± Serafall looked at Cleria like a hungry predator. ¡°You¡¯ll join in the production of the movie, riiight?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria didn¡¯t know whether it was a joke or a command. She was like a deer caught in headlights. And her mind was still having trouble processing that one of the Four Satans called her ¡®chan¡¯ multiple times. But regardless, she politely shook her head, her previous fear having vanished¡­mostly. ¡°A-apologies, Maou-sama. But I¡¯m busy with affairs as the overseer.¡± ¡°...I see.¡± Rubbing her forehead, she looked straight at Azazel. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave you and your precious ¡®Cleria-chan¡¯, Azazel-chan~.¡± A teleportation circle formed beneath her feet. But as she was about to vanish, she raised her finger. ¡°Oh. Cleria-chan. Although I never intended to harm you, you still defied my authority as a Maou by refusing to answer my questions. As such, I hereby strip you of your title as the Overseer of Kuoh, effective immediately. Bye~.¡± With a triumphant grin, she vanished. Vwong ¡°...¡± Cleria was left flabbergasted. ¡°W-w-w-w-what-¡± ¡°Bwahahahahahahaha!¡± Azazel couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing ¡°Good one, Serafall. Well played.¡± Azazel realised that not only did Serafall inadvertently indicate that he wouldn¡¯t expose their relationship, but also made him owe her a favour. With how many people he knew, he would most likely act as an ¡®entry point¡¯ for Serafall to possibly establish diplomatic ties with other factions. [Truly well played.] . |DxD| . Time chamber, Gravity/Gym Room . ¡°One!¡­Two!¡­Three!¡­Four!¡­F-Five!¡­¡­S-s-six!¡­¡­¡­.S-se¡­ven!¡­¡­¡­¡­e-eigh-fuck!¡± Clang! ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­damnit.¡± A month had passed since Igor tried tapping into Kaioken x100. With his body being unable to handle such a sheer amount of power, he decided to take matters into his own hands and increase the strength of his physique once more. With him only having completely recovered today, the first thing he did was enter the gym, increase the gravity to 400x, and use the squat rack. ¡°Just two-hundred kilos and I can¡¯t even do ten reps.¡± Sitting down on the safety bars like a bench, he looked at the bar full of weights that he dropped due to failure. ¡°I still have a bit of a headache from trying to push to eight. At least let me do my lats while I recover.¡± Pulling off a single 20kg disc from one side, he was about to stand up when he felt his legs wobble. ¡°Damn noodle legs! Stupid legs! Sandcastle legs! I¡¯ll break you if you don¡¯t listen and stand up straight, you hear me!¡± Slapping his thighs repeatedly, he yelled at his legs. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t support my body weight now? Bullshit! Now get up!¡± Standing up after almost falling back down, he took a good ten seconds to get his wobbly legs under control. Once he could comfortably lift one up without his knees buckling, he went to get another 20kg disc from the other side before standing in front of the mirror. ¡°Alright arms! Let¡¯s do this! Don¡¯t be a failure like Brother Legs or I¡¯ll break you as well.¡± Gripping the discs firmly, he began raising both of them at the same time. ¡°One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten!¡± Doof! Doof! Dropping the discs, he began massaging his wrists with a frown. ¡°Tch! It¡¯s more comfortable to do this with dumbbells.¡± Placing the discs back with the rest of the weights, he sat down on the safety bars again with a contemplative frown. ¡°Alright Igor. No point in pushing back any longer.¡± While he waited for his legs to recover from the set, he decided to confront the issue of the Kaioken. ¡°In the outside world, I was able to get to Kaioken x100 and the only consequences were being slightly tired and twenty years of lifespan. Here in the time chamber, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted much longer according to sister, and when I came out of the Kaioken, my body was suffering from all kinds of muscle tears and bone fractures. But why is that?¡± He went deep in thought and tried to figure out why there was such a difference. He remembered that he lasted for over twenty minutes in the outside world, but here in the time chamber, he wouldn¡¯t have lasted five minutes according to what Aurelia said. ¡°Did Lord Shiva maybe do something to me?¡± He didn¡¯t even consider that Aurelia was somehow wrong in her analysis. The woman had earned his complete trust over the month they¡¯d been together and he trusted her insight. ¡°Come on, Igor. Think for once. Why is it that I lasted so long outside but almost crippled myself in here?¡± It was a dilemma that he quickly wanted to solve so that he could draw up a proper training plan. It was imperative that he got strong as soon as possible while he was here so that he could better combat any threats he might face in the future. Knowing that simply mulling over the matter wouldn¡¯t work, he closed his eyes in thought and pulled up the memories of the two separate scenarios where he reached three digits on the Kaioken. He first reached into the memory of his first transformation. The view shifted to the forest of Kuoh where everything had taken place. Unlike before, he wasn¡¯t trying to learn how to transform, but what happened when he did. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Moving past the memory of Shuri¡¯s death, he watched over the memory of his past-self gradually amassing power. Amidst the gradually rising red aura, he noticed the black streaks of energy mixing with his aura. ¡°That black aura. What is that black aura? It feels like¡­¡± He immersed himself in the feeling of his memories and gradually, he figured out what it was. ¡°Nature energy?¡± Chapter 115 Moving past the memory of Shuri¡¯s death, he watched over the memory of his past-self gradually amassing power. Amidst the gradually rising red aura, he noticed the black streaks of energy mixing with his aura. ¡°That black aura. What is that black aura? It feels like¡­¡± He immersed himself in the feeling of his memories and gradually, he figured out what it was. ¡°Nature energy?¡± . |DxD| Igor was able to fully identify that black aura as nature energy. He could see it gather around his past self and mix with his aura. The dark colour indicated it was tainted energy, but the fact that it surrounded his body confused him even more. ¡°I never learned senjutsu before. So how¡­?¡± Learning the art never even crossed his mind before because he already had his plate full trying to further learn Spirit Control. Despite having purified his ki from the normal blue to its current transparent white, he was still far from the state of completely unifying his soul with his body. But to now witness a situation where he subconsciously drew in nature energy interested him. ¡°Is absorbing nature energy the key then?¡± He couldn¡¯t deny the possibility because he could find no other way to explain why his first and second time were so different. ¡°I haven¡¯t fought senjutsu users before, but I know their bodies become crazy strong when they absorb nature energy.¡± All the senjutsu users he knew or heard of were at the realm of supreme class. Besides Sun Wukong, he had met with a few other people who knew how to use senjutsu in the Heavenly Realm. ¡°I wonder though¡­¡± His thoughts started straying towards Kyoto where there were a bunch of senjutsu users. According to what he currently knew about the supernatural world, the largest concentration of senjutsu users would be in or around Kyoto. ¡°Should I go there?¡± He couldn¡¯t hide his interest in fighting a senjutsu user. It would certainly be a novel experi- ¡°No, Igor! Stop getting sidetracked!¡± Palming his forehead a few times, the blonde stood. His legs were still a bit soar, but nothing he couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°I¡¯ve thought enough for one day. Let me finish this set first atleast.¡± Activating his Kaioken, he lifted the barbell and placed it back on the rack. Getting underneath it, he cancelled his Kaioken and adjusted his feet. ¡°Alright. Two sets of ten reps. Let¡¯s go!¡± Standing up straight with over eight tons of weight on his shoulders, the blonde stepped back, took deep breaths, and began squatting. ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!..F-Five!¡­S-SIX!¡± Standing up straight, he opted to rest himself for a few seconds. ¡°Haaa¡­I¡¯m really feeling that gravity now¡­haaa¡­¡± Glancing at the gravity dial there by the door, he could see that ¡®x400¡¯ displayed on the small screen. ¡°Haaa¡­come on, Igor.¡± Adjusting his stance again, he got down. ¡°Come on, Igor! This is lightweight! Lightweight!¡± Gritting his teeth, he slowly got up again ¡°S-s-seven!¡­¡­.E-eight!¡­come on, Igor!¡±Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to rise up again. ¡°N-n-niiiine¡­last one, come on!¡± Lowering himself again, he tried to do the tenth one, but his legs wanted to give out. ¡°F-Fuck! Come on, Igor! This is lightweight! Lightweight!¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Yet no matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t bring himself back up. He was breathing heavily now, his head thrumming from the amount of stress he was putting his body in. ¡°Damnit! If I can¡¯t do this rep, I¡¯ll change my bloody surname!¡± Yet despite trying, his legs remained locked up. His knees were already buckling and knew that any longer, and he would fail. [Do I have to use the Kaioken to get out of this?] He was already losing feeling in his legs. Once that happened, whether he liked it or not, he would fail to perform the last rep. Although it was one rep, the last rep where the muscles were on the verge of failure was more often than not, the most important. [Come on, damnit! We can do this! It¡¯s just¡­one¡­rep!] Straining himself to pull out every last bit of power he had, he gradually mustered the strength to stand up. With his legs finally straightening out, he looked at himself in the mirror and let out a triumphant shout. ¡°Yeah! Just like that! Lightweight, lightweight, lightweight!¡± Having encouraged himself and mustered every ounce of willpower he had, he finally made it to ten. Feeling the weight on his shoulders, he muttered to himself. ¡°Should I do another one just to-¡± ¡°NO! No, no, no!¡± ¡°?¡± Looking in the mirror, he saw Aurelia glaring at him from the door to the bedroom. The silverette seemed to have just gotten out of the shower since she was covered in a pink towel. Her long white hair was wrapped in a rough ponytail. Her locks were still wet, an indicator that she had just gotten out. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough, Igor. Put the weights down before you hurt yourself¡­again.¡± The blonde stared into her eyes through the reflection with a blank gaze. He could see that those ocean blue eyes that were always neutral were now filled with worry and disbelief. But¡­ ¡°Nope! Still haven¡¯t failed yet.¡± Without waiting for her response, the blonde squatted. ¡°Hoppa! Come on Igor! Let¡¯s do eleven!¡± Watching the blonde squat again, Aurelia clenched her hands with fear. She knew the gravity that was on right now was over twice what she could handle even with spells. It frustrated her because she knew this wasn¡¯t the first time Igor broke or tore something while training. Despite knowing that healing herbs exist, she didn¡¯t like how he was so casual about damaging his body to the point that he¡¯d had to crawl to the bath. ¡°Damnit, Igor!¡± ¡°leven-huh?!¡± Having heard Aurelia shout ¡°damnit¡±, the blonde was taken aback since she was never so crass with her language. This was quite literally, the first time he ever heard her speak so crassly. Losing his focus mid squat, he felt himself falling down. ¡°S-shit!¡± Reacting subconsciously, he burst out with his Kaioken x20. Gruuu! With his power having been multiplied twenty times over, the bar was now truly lightweight. Using one hand to stop himself from falling, he got up and looked at the silverette who was now covered in a blue aura. Her hair had risen up and she seemed just about ready to enter the gym despite the significant amount of gravity in it. But that wasn¡¯t what Igor was focused on. ¡°Did you¡­did you just say¡­¡®damnit¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was shaking. Not from fright, but from anger and embarrassment. She blamed herself for worrying about him so pointlessly. ¡°Tch!¡± Marching away, she disappeared into the room without answering his question and closed the door. But Igor didn¡¯t want to let this go. Smiling in jubilee, he hurriedly put the barbell on the rack before running after her. ¡°Wait, sister! Can you say it again?!¡± Leaping over the bench press and weaving through other machines, Igor ran towards the bedroom and wrenched open the door. Entering the room, he found Aurelia sitting on the bed with a frown on her face. Closing the door after himself, he gradually cancelled his Kaioken. ¡°Hahaha! Can you repeat that sister-ack!¡± Feeling his legs suddenly cramp up, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from falling over towards the floor. ¡°?!¡± Aurelia who was watching him with a frown reacted quickly. ¡°Igor!¡± Dashing forward, she placed her hand on his chest and caught him and subsequently, Igor also reached out to grab her too. ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± The results were instant. One hand was on her shoulder while the other was on her chest. Feeling the sensation in his hands, the blonde couldn¡¯t help but squeeze a few times, his eyes widening in wonder. ¡°Woah. They¡¯re softer than I thought.¡± It amazed him that they could so surprisingly soft. Although it was never something he thought about, he assumed they would be harder than this. ¡°With how squishy they are, there would be no problem fitting them in a man¡¯s plate armour or wrapping them up in bandages. No wonder they didn¡¯t get in your way when we fought!¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing him voice out the rather odd benefits of her mammaries, Aurelia couldn¡¯t even remain angry with how innocent his actions were. ¡°Oh Igor¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but find his thought process a bit funny. She was curious as to how puberty would impact him when it finally hit him. But upon thinking about it thoroughly, she couldn¡¯t picture him seeing any woman in that way. He was more likely to confess his feelings to a dumbbell than a woman. ¡°Fufu~¡± Helping him stand up, she gently sat him down on the bed and crouched down before him. ¡°Show me your legs. I¡¯ll heal them for you.¡± ¡°?!¡± ¡­ The scene in front of Igor slowly changed. His view changed from his spartan room in the time chamber to a child¡¯s room with numerous toys and action figures ranging from Dragon Ball to Ben 10. In front of him was no longer Aurelia, but another woman with blonde hair. Her face looked almost exactly like an older version of Asia, with blue eyes just as kind. ¡°Show me your knee, Igor. Mother will heal them for you.¡± The woman then took out some ointment and rubbed them on his now, skinnier leg. Igor found himself to be wearing shorts and on his knee was a brutal wound. On the floor was an old soccer ball ¡°It hurts, mama¡­¡± ¡°I know, my baby. Mama will make it all go away.¡± ¡­ ¡°Igor? Igor?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Finally coming out of that sudden flashback, he was met with the soft feeling of Aurelia¡¯s palm touching his forehead. ¡°Are you alright, Igor? You were in a daze for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s because I had a sudden thought enter my head. Shouldn¡¯t I be calling you grandma instead of sister? You¡¯re older than Aunty Shuri, so it would make sense, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Calmly standing up, she fixed her towel before turning around. ¡°Your legs are fine. With a bit of bed rest, you should recover¡­¡± Before she went out the door, she turned to give him a slight glare. ¡°...within a ¡®week¡¯.¡± BAM! ¡°...¡± Blinks once Blinks twice ¡°Eh?! A week?!¡± Chapter 116 ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s because I had a sudden thought enter my head. Shouldn¡¯t I be calling you grandma instead of sister? You¡¯re older than Aunty Shuri, so it would make sense, right?¡± ¡°...¡± Calmly standing up, she fixed her towel before turning around. ¡°Your legs are fine. With a bit of bed rest, you should recover¡­¡± Before she went out the door, she turned to give him a slight glare. ¡°...within a ¡®week¡¯.¡± BAM! ¡°...¡± Blinks once Blinks twice ¡°Eh?! A week?!¡± . |DxD| . 1999/07/16- September 28, 1999? (Two years later inside the time chamber) . A total of two years have passed since Igor and Aurelia were suddenly pulled into the time chamber. During this time, both the blonde and the silverette continued on with their separate training. While Igor would spend most of his time in the gym, Aurelia would spend hers either in the library or deep inside the treacherous regions of the time chamber to train herself. For Igor, his main priority during these two years was to increase the strength of his physique. This was so that whenever he decided to attempt Kaioken x100, he would be able to handle the power that came with it. His days would follow long sessions in the gym which would periodically shift between weightlifting and intense training under the heavy gravity. Handling the weights in various ways not only increased his strength, but also the explosive power in his body. Combined with further intense combat training under strenuous gravity, he was able to train his stamina, agility, flexibility, and his techniques. As the months passed, he was able to see results and the gravity he could withstand in his base state increased. Although his focus was enhancing his physique, he never neglected spirit control. Knowing that Spirit Control was the foundation for everything, he gave himself atleast three hours of meditation everyday before beginning any sort of training. Spirit Control by default, was the foundation of everything. Not only would pure and dense ki help heal his body much better, but he would also be able to handle higher levels of the Kaioken with less strain on his body. But while he also trained on his Spirit Control, he also never failed to practice his ki control. Not wanting to repeat the mistake of neglecting his ki control, he would dedicate roughly an hour just to maintain the level of control he currently had. The two basic training methods he always leaned on to perfect his ki control were the Yin-Yang Breathing Method and the Iron Sharpens Iron Method. These were the two techniques he had been using even before the time he first met Akeno. Both methods were basic, easy and straightforward to understand, and provided faster results compared to other methods. Though they were relatively crude in their execution, and a bit dangerous in terms of the consequences for failure, they were perfect for the blonde who didn¡¯t like complicated techniques. Beyond just using gravity to train himself, Igor also started to wear weighted clothing again. With Aurelia having hijacked his original set, the silverette created a new set for him with magic. To this day, he never understood why she took his when she could make her own. But even if she offered to give his set back to him, he would never accept it anymore¡­not when her scent was on them. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. With his new set of weighted clothing comprising of an all black attire consisting of an undershirt, armbands, and leg warmers, he was able to strengthen his physique much faster than before. Initially, boots were an option, but the blonde didn¡¯t like having his feet restricted in an enclosed space like boots. Having initially gotten the clothes a few months into his training, he almost got crushed by the gravity he was currently in. Fortunately, he was able to adapt rather quickly but it came at the cost of not being able to increase the gravity level as rapidly as he could before. But considering that the clothes would weigh a little over a ton in normal gravity, it was a fair trade¡­with a few torn ligaments as hidden costs. By training in his base state and sleeping with varying levels of his Kaioken on, his recovery speed was significantly boosted and it allowed him to quickly see gains in his training. It did however come with an intense hunger that was quickly mitigated by the food supply somehow having increased over ten-times over. And thanks to Aurelia¡¯s cooking skills, he always got a balanced diet. As for the silverette, she worked more on increasing her knowledge on seals and delving deeper into her ancestral memories. With her power now having reached the realm of god class, she could delve into memories dating thousands of years in the past compared to the measly few hundred years she could access as an ultimate class. Most of her day revolved around reading the various books in the small library and delving deeper into her ancestral memories. The sealing knowledge her ancestors pioneered thousands upon thousands of years ago was her main focus. The ability to understand the seals used to break the curse placed on humans was something she still couldn¡¯t completely understand. However, after two years of studying, she did discover a few important things. While the second and third seals eluded her, she came to understand what breaking the first seal did. While the first seal didn¡¯t increase the lifespan like the following seals did, the first seal worked on the basis of eliminating the symptoms of old age. While a human generally wouldn¡¯t live long past a hundred years, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily lose much of their strength as they age. The vitality they had in their teens would still exist in their seventies and eighties. Symptoms such as back pain, arthritis, Alzheimer¡¯s Disease, gradual bone atrophy, and many other symptoms would never appear. Even if they were ninety-years-old, they would still be able to function like a normal thirty-year-old. Even the women at over eighty years of age would still be able to give birth without repercussion. In terms of appearance, the only symptoms she saw in her memories was a head full of white hair. The oldest the first-generation seal-bearers appeared in her memory were forty-years-old at best when in reality, they were over twice the age. Even when they died, their bodies would take over a century to finally start rotting. This was due to the strong physiques they possessed which were enhanced by the powerful vitality they possessed. Strengthened bones, enhanced muscles, toughened skin, and many more were all the benefits that came from unlocking the first seal. But breaking the first curse seal didn¡¯t only require another seal to break it. It could also be broken through a ridiculous amount of training, something that was done by her ancestors. And not only her ancestors, there were also two cases that she knew of who succeeded. The first real-life example she found was the Church¡¯s Strongest Exorcist, Vasco Strada. Already nearing eighty years in age, the only symptoms of old age he showed was his crown of white hair and the faintest trace of wrinkles on his face. He was powerful beyond measure that with just his might alone, he was comparable to Longinus Wielders. She already made plans to meet him at some point, especially after Igor confirmed they had friendly relations with each other. And speaking of the blonde, he was also another case example. With intense training, he destroyed and rebuilt his body so many times that his continuously increased vitality simply overwhelmed the seal. She also suspected that his Kaioken allowed him to break through the second, third, and possibly the fourth seal like her. With the amount of lifespan he possessed, it was a reasonable suspicion. However, research wasn¡¯t all she did in these past two years. The silverette did also continue training her existing techniques but didn¡¯t see any substantial power increase. While she didn¡¯t make it to mid-god class, she was on the threshold with her power bordering around peak low-god class. What she made up for with her lack of advancement though, was her skill in sealing and barrier magic. Originally her specialisation, Aurelia progressed so much in the field of seals that she could put up a proper fight with a base state Igor who had advanced to the realm of high-god class. The blonde wasn¡¯t a normal high-god class by any means at all. His sheer physique and extremely dense, yet pure ki made him an absolute monster that could make him fight over a dozen high-god class entities all on his own without using his Kaioken, Instant Transmission, or Instant Vanish. This was a deduction that Aurelia noted after fighting him at least once every week for the past two years. It still amazed her to this day how he got so far with only pure grit and determination. She could only imagine how powerful he would become when he finally turned ten and awoke the power of their race. But all in all, these two years were productive. . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 117 The blonde wasn¡¯t a normal high-god class by any means at all. His sheer physique and extremely dense, yet pure ki made him an absolute monster that could make him fight over a dozen high-god class entities all on his own without using his Kaioken, Instant Transmission, or Instant Vanish. This was a deduction that Aurelia noted after fighting him at least once every week for the past two years. It still amazed her to this day how he got so far with only pure grit and determination. She could only imagine how powerful he would become when he finally turned ten and awoke the power of their race. But all in all, these two years were productive. . |DxD| . Deep within the cold regions of the time chamber, Igor was in the process of completing one of his early morning routine like always. Sitting cross-legged on his straw mat, the blonde had his eyes closed and his face calm. Every second or two, a red aura would emanate from him and spread out wildly before being pushed back inside his body. His expression never changed and no muscle on his body even twitched from the large amounts of power he was releasing and contracting repeatedly within the space of a few seconds. *Breathes in* ¡°Shuuu¡­¡± *Breathes out* ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± *Breathes in* ¡°Shuuu¡­¡± *Breathes out* ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Today was another day and as always, Igor started by meditating. By mixing his breathing with the technique of the Yin-Yang Breathing Method, it had become a staple way of meditating for him. By releasing and contracting his aura in synchronisation with his breathing, he had succeeded in finally being able to subconsciously do it. He was able to do it initially, but it was his first time succeeding with his Kaioken on. With him having stretched it to the 20th multiplier, the wild aura that was usually accompanied by the power gain was calm like a gentle flame. When he breathed in, his aura would surge like an uncontrollable forest fire that seeked to burn everything. He would willingly let his aura spiral out of control for the duration of his breath as he powered up as much as he could. With his breath acting as the fodder for the flame, he would circulate his ki faster and push the limits of the 20th multiplier to its limits. When he was done sucking in all the air he could, he would gradually breathe out, and in the process, retract all the aura he let out during the process of powering up. The aura that was previously like a wild flame would slowly recede into his body, barely leaving a faint red glow behind. This was a testament to how much control he had over the 20th multiplier of the Kaioken. With the work he put in over two years, he was even able to sleep with it on, which significantly enhanced his recovery speed and allowed him to push himself just that much harder. Continuously breathing in and out, synchronising his breaths with his aura, and clearing his mind of unnecessary thoughts, Igor stood up from his stray mat and slowly began going through his katas. [One body.] ¡°Shuuu¡­¡± [One mind.] ¡°Haaa¡­¡± [Free from thought.] ¡°Shuuu¡­¡± [Fueled by instinct.] ¡°Haaa¡­¡± He moved like the flowing water, his moves naturally leading into the next. He would move slowly like a gentle stream, his movements flowing like a graceful dance. Then like a flash flood, he would strike quickly like a raging torrent, his movements overbearing like a tsunami. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Yet no matter what he did, his breath always remained stable. His aura always completely receded into his body with nary a wisp left behind. It took a long time for Igor to finally master Kaioken x20 to the point that he could hold it for a whole day and a whole night without suffering any unbearable negative consequence. He hadn¡¯t quite reached perfect mastery where he could perpetually hold it forever if he wished to because he would begin feeling a slight strain on his mind and body after three days, and that was without fighting. But as long as he continued to train like he did, he would end up reaching the state of holding it indefinitely. Nonetheless, that wasn¡¯t his current focus. [I¡¯m ready.] Having went through his katas for over half-an-hour, he stopped and opened his eyes. At the same time¡­ ¡°Haaa¡­¡± The aura of the Kaioken quickly receded into his body without leaving a single trace behind. Previously, it would¡¯ve caused his muscles and ki veins some strain if he withdrew it so quickly. But through continuous training, his ki and veins had been strengthened enough to handle the same strain that would¡¯ve previously left him in pain. Picking up his straw mat and rolling it up, he tucked it under his arm and slowly levitated. ¡°I¡¯m ready to try again. But just to be safe, I¡¯ll ask Sister Lia to watch me.¡± While he would¡¯ve wanted to attempt the Kaioken x100 on his own, he figured he didn¡¯t want to worry the silverette any more than he already did. Su! . |DxD| . Today was another normal day for the silverette. While the blonde strutted away deep into the chamber with his trusty straw mat, she went over to the library with her notebook. Since the library itself was just one door away from the bedroom, it wasn¡¯t even a long walk. However, this wasn¡¯t an advantage, but a disadvantage. With the gym just only being two doors away, the noise of Igor¡¯s intense training would reach her. This also made it so that she only had less than an hour before shouts of ¡°Lightweight!¡± and barbells being dropped onto the ground ruined her precious silence. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Crying inwardly at the thought, she pushed open the door and entered the library. Moving past the three shelves in front of her, she made her way over to the desk by the corner where neatly arranged scrolls and a few books were stacked. Sitting down on the chair, she didn¡¯t deign to waste any time. Placing her notebook on the side of the desk, she grabbed a scroll and unfurled it. The scroll revealed an intricate seal carefully hand-drawn with a pencil. It resembled a flower and at the bottom, it was written, ¡°Fifth Design Attempt of The First Seal: Potential Unlock¡±. Carefully placing the unfurled scroll to one side, Aurelia took another scroll and unfurled. Upon unfurling it, it revealed the same, yet rather archaic design. Placing the scroll to her left, the differences were distinguishable at first glance. While the scroll on the right looked new, the one on her left was clearly old. With its colour being a dull brown and its edges slightly torn, it was still in relatively good condition for a scroll from the ancient times spanning thousands of years before Christ. The only thing similar between these scrolls was the flower-patterned seal drawn on the both of them. While one was drawn in ink and the other in pencil, the functionality would not matter because from the beginning, Aurelia wasn¡¯t going to use the scrolls as a medium, but rather, as reference. Placing her hands on both the scrolls, she closed her eyes. ¡°This time, it should succeed.¡± Gently enveloping both scrolls in her mana, she focused for a bit more. Soon, particles of mana began coalescing in the air before they finally revealed a hologram of the two circles. While the one from the old scroll was grass green in colour, the one Aurelia was lime green in colour. When the silverette opened her eyes, her pupils were gone, yet she looked directly at these two circles hovering in the air. ¡°Another failure.¡± The difference in the colour of the scrolls indicated that she was still missing something. ¡°All the concepts have been correctly interpreted. The matrices have been connected successfully. The lines connected seamlessly with each other.¡± With all the important aspects verified, she could not understand where she went wrong. ¡°Do I really need to use sealing ink? But that is irrelevant in this case. I¡¯m not some low-grade incriptionist who needs to use¡­¡± Realising she was losing to her anger, she reigned herself in. ¡°Calm down, Aurelia. Anger will not help you here.¡± Despite saying this, it frustrated her that she couldn¡¯t realise the application of the first seal. She had already studied it to the extreme to the extent that she knew every single aspect about it. But even after over six months of her complete understanding, she couldn¡¯t get the seal to function. As patient as she tried to be, it was still frustating since she couldn¡¯t find the exact problem. Without knowing what the problem was, she couldn¡¯t get to work on completing the seal. And if she couldn¡¯t solve the seal, then bringing back her race would be nothing more than a pipe dream. With her pupils having reformed, she aimlessly looked at the floating circles of mana in the air. ¡°Just what am I missing¡­¡± She was about to ponder further when she felt Igor¡¯s nearing ki. She felt him come towards the library, a rather notable change of events since it¡¯s been well over a year since he set foot inside. She calmly waited for the blonde to enter and soon enough, she did. Dakaang¡­ He walked into the room, bare-chested as always. ¡°Hey, Sister Lia. Can you spot me while I try to¡­sister?¡± Aurelia wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, not after what she just witnessed. ¡°Of course! Of course that¡¯s what I missed!¡± ¡°...¡± Taken aback by how abruptly Aurelia stood up in excitement, it was his first time seeing her like this. It also didn¡¯t help that he didn¡¯t understand why she was so excited. [What¡¯s so exciting about two green circles?] . AN . I couldn¡¯t upload lately because I was working on chapters 120, 121, and 122. It wasn¡¯t writer¡¯s block, but style of delivery since those three chapters have the potential to decide the entire narrative of this story. I couldn¡¯t upload until I was satisfied with them. Same as my patrons, I will upload three chapters now including this one. Then at night (it¡¯s morning now), I will upload two chapters. Thank you. Chapter 118 Dakaang¡­ He walked into the room, bare-chested as always. ¡°Hey, Sister Lia. Can you spot me while I try to¡­sister?¡± Aurelia wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, not after what she just witnessed. ¡°Of course! Of course that¡¯s what I missed!¡± ¡°...¡± Taken aback by how abruptly Aurelia stood up in excitement, it was his first time seeing her like this. It also didn¡¯t help that he didn¡¯t understand why she was so excited. [What¡¯s so exciting about two green circles?] . |DxD| . Igor didn¡¯t notice anything, but Aurelia did. Since he had just flown back here, his ki was still slightly turbulent. This meant that although minor, some of it did leak. Although it was a very, very tiny amount, that miniscule amount was more than enough to cause a reaction within the circles. The circle of her creation, the seal that had troubled her for so long, gradually turned grass green when it came into contact with a wisp of Igor¡¯s ki. ¡°Of course! Of course that¡¯s what I missed!¡± When the seal changed colours, Aurelia was quick to catch onto what she was missing the entire time. ¡°It makes sense now. Ki was the last missing piece!¡± The fact that the solution to all of this was so simple both annoyed, yet excited her. Thinking about it clearly, it made sense that the seal was meant to be powered by ki. Quickly grabbing her notebook, she began scribbling her findings down while occasionally glancing up at the circles. [To break through the first seal of potential, I first assumed a massive amount of energy would be required. But I was wrong. What was needed wasn¡¯t quantity, but quality.] She scribbled down her findings while simultaneously recounting knowledge as to why this was so. [Humans originally were never mana wielders. We always wielded ki as the source of our energy. But after the Tower of Babylon incident, the texts on how to wield ki became undecipherable. Fathers could no longer teach their sons and as time went on, the number of people who could wield ki dwindled until they became nonexistent. Only our people still retained the knowledge.] This was historical knowledge she gleaned from the memories she saw. [Practitioners of ki amongst our people continued for a time until the discovery of mana. However, the first three seals had been completed by then.] Although her people possessed the means to unlock ki, the requirements were extremely harsh. Nothing short of fifty solid years of training would one finally be able to use ki. Naturally, very few were willing to pursue this path, especially when there was a readily available substitute. As time went on, more and more of her people opted to use manaas that was much easier to obtain than ki. This resulted in ki users becoming so few that they practically became nonexistent after the 15th century. Even in her family, neither her father, uncles, or even her grandfather practiced ki. [This explains why research to break the fourth seal never continued. The number of people who could wield ki decreased so much that continuing research became unrealistic. And with frequent attacks from the supernatural world, more effort was placed into creating a safe haven for our people.] With wars and frequent attacks against her people being so frequent, modifications were eventually made to the first seal that beyond just unlocking their potential, it would also generate mana. There was simply no quick shortcut to obtaining ki and taking into account the amount of time required in terms of military necessity, it wasn¡¯t feasible. Mana was simply much easier to acquire and teach. And with the modified seal, this was even more so. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. These modifications resulted in the first ten years of an Aryan¡¯s life making them feel like ordinary humans. The adjustment caused the seal to enter a temporary dormant state upon which ended, the child would burst with power comparable to a high-class devil. [But then¡­] She cast a glance at the blonde who was looking over her shoulder at the notes she had written. He was dumb. That much could be said with total assurance. But it was that same idiocy that made him train himself to this point, the point where he had enough power to make even the God of Destruction take an interest in him. [To think that with his potential sealed, he still managed to get this powerful. And it is thanks to him that I can now complete this seal-] ¡°Hey sister. You done? If you are, can you spot me while I try to attempt the Kaioken again?¡± ¡°...¡± All the goodwill she felt for him vanished down the drain at his sudden request. ¡°Igor.¡± She stood up, a menacing aura emanating from her. ¡°Do you realise what you are saying?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah. I¡¯ve figured out what I was missing all this time and I¡¯m ready to try again-¡± BAM! Slamming her hands on the desk, Aurelia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. He dared to make such a request when he almost died last time? She was really going to give him a piece of her mind this time. ¡°Do you know how much trouble I had to go through to heal you?! How I had sleepless nights taking care of you?! The last time you tried, your bones weren¡¯t just fractured, Igor. They were SHATTERED! All of them were shattered!¡± She never told him because she feared it would damage his spirit. She never told him how he was so close to never walking again. She never told him how his body felt like a bag of water. She never told him how it hurt her to see him like this, especially now when he told her he wanted to go through that again. ¡°Igor. Maybe¡­maybe train some more, alright?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The blonde didn¡¯t acknowledge her request. He was simply looking at her with no emotion in his eyes. There was no frown or smile on his face. Just pure neutrality. ¡°Igor¡­¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t want to see him like this. He didn¡¯t show any outward reactions and it bothered her. So she grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, her chin gently nuzzling the top of his head. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, alright? Atleast not yet. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde still didn¡¯t reply to her. Even as she hugged him, he didn¡¯t return it. For all intents and purposes, Igor wasn¡¯t angry or sad. Just¡­disappointed. ¡°Do you¡­really doubt me that much?¡± There was more disbelief in his tone than sadness. He just couldn¡¯t understand why Aurelia would doubt him so much when she personally witnessed how much he trained. But what he failed to understand was that Aurelia didn¡¯t necessarily doubt him, but was afraid of the consequences of him failing. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you, Igor.¡± Pulling back from him, she cupped his cheeks and looked him in the eye. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s too much of a risk, alright? I know how hard you¡¯ve been training and I know that if you train for a bit longer, you will no doubt succeed.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked down in contemplation. He could sense the immense worry she had for him and the truth in her words. Logically, she was right. Attempting it now would be a risk, an unnecessary one at that. Nothing was forcing him to master the Kaioken x100. There was no threat or adversary he had to fight. But¡­ *Clenches Fists* He was sure he would succeed. He had trained himself specifically so that he could attempt it. ¡°Sister. I know I don¡¯t give you a lot of confidence.¡± He lifted his head to look into her eyes. ¡°But trust me on this one. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°...¡± There was complete assurance in his gaze. She could see it in his eyes that this wasn¡¯t an arbitrary attempt. [He really thought this through¡­] There was no wavering or the momentary twitch of the muscle caused by uncertainty. He was completely sure of his actions and would remain steadfast in executing them¡­with or without her. ¡°I see¡­¡± Without further reply, she took her hands off his face and began sorting out her things. She rolled up the scrolls and closed her notebook with her pen as the bookmarker. The magic circles hovering in the air also vanished into small blue wisps of mana while she sorted out some other things. Igor calmly stood on the spot with a small smile. He already knew that although she was unwilling, she was going to come. [Now the real test is coming.] The blonde wasn¡¯t completely confident about pulling it off. To be specific, he knew he could enter the Kaioken, but didn¡¯t know if he would be able to keep his mind in control and not enter a berserk state. With a solid hundred-times boost in all his abilities, his thoughts become too fast for him to control. And with how fickle the mind was, it was always the dark thoughts that ran prevalent. It was why he needed Aurelia there. If he heard her voice, he was confident he would recover enough rationale to cancel the state. ¡°You know, sister? You were right about one thing. I do need a few more years of training in order to attempt this. If I was alone, that¡¯s probably what I would¡¯ve done.¡± Aurelia¡¯s eyes slightly brightened. ¡°Then¡­?¡± However, the blonde was quick to cut off her hopeful thoughts. ¡°Nope. Since you¡¯re here, we¡¯re doing this now.¡± Grabbing her by the wrist, he placed two fingers on his forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sister!¡± Aurelia could only sigh in defeat. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Tswii! Chapter 119 ¡°You know, sister? You were right about one thing. I do need a few more years of training in order to attempt this. If I was alone, that¡¯s probably what I would¡¯ve done.¡± Aurelia¡¯s eyes slightly brightened. ¡°Then¡­?¡± However, the blonde was quick to cut off her hopeful thoughts. ¡°Nope. Since you¡¯re here, we¡¯re doing this now.¡± Grabbing her by the wrist, he placed two fingers on his forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sister!¡± Aurelia could only sigh in defeat. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . Over a kilometre away from buildings of the time chamber, Igor and Aurelia were in a relatively calm clearing. With the one kilometre mark having been passed, the gravity had gradually doubled to twice of Earth¡¯s normal gravity. But to both these behemoths, a simple 2x gravity was no different from normal gravity. Right now, the blonde was hovering midair with his legs crossed. His arms were clasped together in meditation, his eyes closed as he focused on channeling his ki. Over a minute had passed since he entered this state, leaving Aurelia to stand alone in silence. The silverette was having second thoughts about all of this, but it was already too late to stop it. [Since I am here, I will just have to watch and make sure he stays safe.] She focused her senses entirely on him, monitoring his body for even the slightest of changes. She didn¡¯t use her mana to scan his body for fear of interrupting him, but monitoring his heart rate, his bloodflow, his breathing, brain activity, and other vital functions was still manageable for her. Through a combination of feeling, listening, smelling, and seeing, she was able to monitor Igor¡¯s current state much more accurately than any hospital equipment could hope for. [Please succeed, Igor.] As it is, she could only stand on the side and hope for him to succeed. It irked her that he was so brash about something that clearly wasn¡¯t urgent. But, she couldn¡¯t deny that she admired that part of him. As for the blonde, he was focused entirely on himself. This was a critical moment for him and he wanted to make sure that there would absolutely be no mishaps. By channeling his ki throughout his body in gradually increasing levels of intensity, he was priming his bones and muscles for the power that came with the Kaioken x100. As time went on, a white sheen emanated from his body, an indicator that his ki had successfully penetrated from his bones all the way through his skin. Now, it was time to kick it up a bit. [Kaioken.] su su su su su su The white sheen around his body slowly turned into a red mist that clung tightly around him. Using the Kaioken x2, he used his demi-ki to prime his muscles like he did with his normal ki. If the first time he did this was the same as cleaning a wall for painting, then this time, he was applying the primer. Although Kaioken x2 was a small multiplier, it was enough. There was no need to strain his body more than necessary. Another minute passed and slowly, the red mist around him retracted into his body as he cancelled the Kaioken. ¡°Are you done, Igor.¡± ¡°Yep. All done.¡± Opening his eyes, he landed on the ground and looked at Aurelia with a smile. ¡°Before I start, sister, I want to explain something to you so that you can have some peace of mind.¡± It occurred to him that by explaining his thought process to his sister, he may be able to ease her concerns, especially since¡­ ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me much in terms of¡­¡± He prodded the side of his head with a finger. ¡°...you know? And rightfully so.¡± ¡°?!¡± Aurelia wanted to retort but was cut off before she could. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Don¡¯t try to sugarcoat things, sister. I know it. You know it. Everyone knows it. I don¡¯t have much knowledge nor do I want to obtain more knowledge. I have better things to do than sit and read a book about some boring theory.¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bulge* Aurelia was sure that he was referencing the time she tried to teach him how to do seals. He barely lasted thirty minutes before he vanished from her sight when she wasn¡¯t looking. But the past was the past and she would (try to) let it go. It wasn¡¯t like seals and inscriptions were her favourite or anything. Fortunately for the blonde, he didn¡¯t stay on the issue for long. ¡°But if there¡¯s anything I have knowledge of, it¡¯s anything related to my training. I¡¯ve been using the Kaioken for more than a decade now and I¡¯ve come to know certain things about it. It is a stable power-multiplying technique that only has its limits imposed by one¡¯s own body. I trained for years and eventually, I could reach Kaioken x50. But that was my limit back then. If I tried to ascend any further, my body would give out.¡± He was steadily reaching a point. ¡°As much as I hate to say it, it should¡¯ve been impossible for me to reach Kaioken x100. At most, my limit should¡¯ve been sixty even with the help of nature energy boosting my body¡¯s physique. So I sat down and thought about this. How? Why? I had to figure it out, sister. How did I gain that much power without my body exploding? How is it that on both the times I accessed this power, all I had to suffer was a measly twenty years of lifespan in the first and a month of bed rest in the second. Because if we¡¯re going by what I know about the Kaioken, I shouldn¡¯t even have a body to speak of. I quite literally, should¡¯ve exploded, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°And despite knowing that, you went ahead and tried doing it for a second time?¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde chuckled nervously. ¡°Hehehe¡­I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bul-* ¡°Anyway, I figured that since it was impossible, there must be another reason as to why I was able to ascend. So I thought about it and¡­huh. How do I explain this?¡± He stroked his chin as he looked down in contemplation. ¡°Ah! Wait here, sister. It¡¯s better if I show you instead.¡± Without waiting for her approval, he took off. Su! [...does he really think I¡¯ll let it go-] Su! Barely a second passed before he appeared again with a book in his hand. ¡°I have it here, sister. The Book of the Gods.¡± Standing next to her, Igor started paging rapidly through the book. ¡°I want to show you how this holy book helped me think from a different perspective.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia assumed the book would have some significance. But her hopes were dashed when she recognised that it was a manga. ¡°Igor. A manga-¡± ¡°Look sister. You know Goku, right? He¡¯s this super powerful warrior who fights strong guys and saves the world and stuff. Anyway, there was this fight he had with this villain named Frieza on a planet called Namek.¡± He continued paging until he reached the panels where Goku was fighting against Frieza. ¡°You see here? Goku is using his Kaioken against Frieza and at this point here, he was able to use times-twenty. But notice how tired he is. The use of the Kaioken is straining him.¡± He then began paging over rapidly again until he reached the panels where Krillin had just been killed by Frieza. ¡°Now look here, sister. Goku had just lost his best friend to Frieza and now, he¡¯s about to transform.¡± He then paged over slowly, showing Aurelia the scenes of Goku¡¯s rage that fueled his power until he finally transformed. ¡°See here? He¡¯s now what is called, a Super Saiyan. It¡¯s a transformation that people of the Saiyan race have.¡± He then flipped the pages over again to where Goku was dominating Frieza. ¡°Ignore this part where he¡¯s winning. Notice how he doesn¡¯t look tired? It was revealed that this transformation gives him a fifty-times boost in his power.¡± He then promptly closed the book and looked Aurelia in the eye. ¡°But he could barely handle Kaioken x20. You see where I¡¯m going with this, sister?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia could see exactly what Igor was implying, but couldn¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°Igor. You are saying that Kaioken x100 is¡­¡± ¡°Yep. I¡¯m almost one-hundred percent sure it¡¯s a transformation, sister. Think about it. My hair turns red, my skin darkens, and my pupils vanish. That definitely sounds like a transformation to me. Although¡­the last two effects are more of a side effect from a weak body and a lack of control...¡± Coughing to hide his embarrassment, he continued. ¡°My point is this, sister. Instead of thinking of Kaioken x100 as a simple multiplier, why don¡¯t I treat it as a transformation? When I began to think of it as a state, a lot of things started making sense. Why was it that I needed anger to access it? Why was it that I was ¡®forced¡¯ to reach times-one-hundred? Why not eighty? Why not seventy? Because I can tell you now, sister. It¡¯s like a rollercoaster when I ascend. I couldn¡¯t control where I stop like I normally could. It was either times-hundred or nothing.¡± Aurelia absorbed his words and theories in her head. While his way of explaining things was rather¡­novel, she did understand what he was trying to say. ¡°However, Igor. If it is indeed a transformation, why is it that you almost died when you tried last time?¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s easy, Sister Aurelia. I also thought about that and I came to a conclusion. The reason for both attempts relate to the state of my body at the time. In my first attempt, I was more or less at my peak. With the help of nature energy, I smoothly ascended to times-one hundred from my base state. I¡¯m still not sure about the lifespan issue, but that is either because of a side-effect of tainted nature energy, or something else that I don¡¯t know of. Either way, my body was relatively fine aside from fatigue.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if his lifespan was used to heal him, but he would find out in his third attempt. ¡°As for my second attempt, I had blundered it by going up to Kaioken x50 first. I further attempted to ascend to further multipliers, which only served in extracting my stamina and straining my body even further. Having already tired myself out, I still ascended and I was successful. But my body was too sapped of strength in order to properly handle this newfound power.¡± In Igor¡¯s head, it was the same as travelling slowly up an incline and instead of shifting to a lower gear, he instead shifted to a higher gear. Just like how the transmission would suffer damage, so did his body when he ascended to Kaioken x100 with a weakened body. ¡°I understand your point, Igor. So, this time, you will try to transform?¡± ¡°Yep. But I can¡¯t just go into it willy-nilly. I have a process I have to go through before I succeed. It¡¯s another theory I have, but I¡¯d rather test it before I tell you, sister.¡± He then placed the book in her hands and stepped away from her by a few metres. ¡°Just watch how I succeed, sister. You¡¯ll have the glory of witnessing the first Super Human.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 120 ¡°I understand your point, Igor. So, this time, you will try to transform?¡± ¡°Yep. But I can¡¯t just go into it willy-nilly. I have a process I have to go through before I succeed. It¡¯s another theory I have, but I¡¯d rather test it before I tell you, sister.¡± He then placed the book in her hands and stepped away from her by a few metres. ¡°Just watch how I succeed, sister. You¡¯ll have the glory of witnessing the first Super Human.¡± . |DxD| . Igor stood silently in the clearing with his hands clenched. At his suggestion, Aurelia had given him a few dozen metres of space in preparation for what he was about to do. In both the times Igor reached Kaioken x100, he had also noticed a key detail that he hadn¡¯t noticed until a few months ago. [Remember, Igor. Your ki must be dense. Channel it and squeeze it into the divine strand.] From both the times he accessed the times-hundred Kaioken, he noticed that the key to accessing it was ¡°squashing¡± his strands of ki into each other and then shoving that dense ki into his divine strand. In both times, it was something he did unconsciously. The immense amount of rage he felt triggered his ki to flow in a way reminiscent to the Aura-Flowing State, a chakra technique. [Forcefully increasing the flow of my ki will make it denser, which would also slow my movements. But in this case, I need my ki to be dense in order to trigger the transformation.] Having those details in mind, he began channelling his ki and made it flow faster and faster through his veins. ¡°?!¡± The effect was immediate. [Haaa¡­.so this is what it feels like.] His body froze on the spot like a stiff mannequin. The ki that was flowing through his body was so dense that just twiddling a finger was becoming something impossible. But that didn¡¯t mean he would stop. [Come on Igor. Let¡¯s do this!] su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Slowly, the faintest hint of his aura leaked out of his body. His ki was incredibly dense and his muscles had noticeably swelled. The amount of ki Aurelia could feel from him was staggering. And what was even more astonishing was that he was continuing to generate even more ki. [This is not good for his body.] She was worried because his torso really was becoming massive. If this was going to be his method of transforming from now on, then he would cause damage to his body in the long run. [Should I stop him?] She was about to, but then she saw the white aura around him slowly turned red. Her eyes widened briefly as she thought he was about to succeed, but she felt his power didn¡¯t ascend beyond doubling. Even more, she could see that he was visibly struggling. [Is it¡­a failure?] She was worried as to what it would do to him if he failed at this point, especially after all the effort he put into figuring all of this out. As much as she didn¡¯t want him to do this, Aurelia didn¡¯t wish for his failure. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. But¡­wishes were only that-wishes. ¡°Damnit!¡± As much as Igor struggled, his power was only equivalent to Kaioken x2. He was already making his ki flow as fast as he could, yet all he got were measly results. Feeling some amount of anger in his failure, Igor stopped powering up. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su Su Su Su Su su su su su su... With his body deflating, his aura turned back to white before it also slowly vanished. The blonde stood on the spot, an evident frown on his face from lack of success. ¡°Tch!¡± He crossed his arms in annoyance while Aurelia flew over and stood in front of him. ¡°Are you alright, Igor?¡± He released a frustrated sigh. ¡°More or less. My body¡¯s fine, but I won¡¯t succeed if I try that method. I¡¯ll have to figure out another way. Maybe if I use the¡­¡± Gradually, he seemed to ignore Aurelia as he mulled about in his thoughts. [If I try it that way, it¡¯ll never work. I can¡¯t divert enough of my ki to enter my divine strand.] While Igor did increase the flow, barely a percentage of his ki was entering his divine strand. Even if he tried to control it, at most, only five percent would divert from the ki network into his divine strand. [Think about this, Igor. What do I do? How do I move over this? If increasing the flow speed doesn¡¯t work, then what will?] Imagining everything in his mind, the blonde pictured his ki veins as a pipe. This pipe had a crack where water would occasionally trickle out. What he did was similar to opening the water at maximum capacity, and only getting a slightly bigger trickle of water. The rest of the water would flow through the pipe while only a bit more would leak out through the crack. His only problem was that unless he somehow widened the crack or blocked a part of the pipe, then he would never be able to divert enough water, or in this case, ki, into his divine strand. The only amount of ki he was able to divert by increasing the flow speed was barely enough to activate Kaioken x2. [Should I widen the runoff point? If my ki veins were like a highway that had five lanes and I seclude four lanes as an off-ramp, would that work?] He considered the choice but then shook his head. [It won¡¯t work. Forcefully altering my ki veins is begging to be a cripple.] It was not impossible to do so, but the cost would be too great. Mulling about what solutions he could use, Aurelia did not interfere him. It was a perfect opportunity to dissuade him, but she couldn¡¯t help but admit she was interested in seeing how he would succeed. [I believe in you, Igor.] She was content to simply watch from the sides as he pondered to himself. If it was about mana, she was confident she could provide some hints to help him. But ki was out of her forte. Even the knowledge of ki she had from her ancestral memories was not much. As for Igor, he pondered different theories in his head that revolved around the Aura-Flowing State, but found that no matter what he tried¡­ [Not only would it be impractical for battle, but I¡¯ll also suffer lasting damages.] In face of all of these facts, he could only sigh. [Well. I guess I can only bulldoze my way through this.] It was the original method he came up with, but the consequences of failing to properly execute it would leave him bed-ridden for a month and unable to use ki for a few more months. But instead of fearing the consequences, he only sighed tiredly. ¡°I should¡¯ve just done this from the start instead of trying to act all smart and use the Aura-Flowing State.¡± ¡°...¡± If those words came from another person, Aurelia wouldn¡¯t be worried. But these words came from Igor. In other words, he was about to do something stupid again. ¡°Igor? What are you doing? What is this method you want to try now?¡± The blonde only shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s simple really. I¡¯ll just power up and then shove all of my ki into the strand. ¡°...¡± Aurelia was momentarily surprised. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°...¡± The silverette was momentarily surprised by how ¡°safe¡± it sounded. If all he was going to do was power up and channel his ki in a certain way, then she saw no danger in him doing that. ¡°Oh¡­alright then.¡± But, she forgot one thing. Igor was not very apt in his explanations. To put it bluntly, he was not very forthcoming. He neglected to explain just what he meant when he said ¡°all my ki¡±. Igor was quite literally, going to channel all of his ki into his divine strand. This was dangerous because this included even the ki supporting his muscles and flowing in his brain. Ki was part of his body and it was no different from his blood. By removing all of his ki from his body into his divine strand, not even ten seconds would pass before he would suffer from a combination of brain damage, heart failure, and organ collapse. What he was doing truly was a gamble, a gamble that if he failed, he only had a thirty-percent chance of surviving. Being unable to use ki for a few months was the most optimal outcome in the event of failure. But Igor being Igor, he would do it anyway. ¡°I¡¯m going to start now, sister!¡± . AN . Remember how I said I would upload in the evening? I neglected to take into account some personal circumstances that would prevent me from doing so. Either way, enjoy these four chapters. Chapter 121 What he was doing truly was a gamble, a gamble that if he failed, he only had a thirty-percent chance of surviving. Being unable to use ki for a few months was the most optimal outcome in the event of failure. But Igor being Igor, he would do it anyway. ¡°I¡¯m going to start now, sister!¡± . |DxD| . Standing away from Aurelia, Igor was now fully focused on himself. His body was primed and his mind was clear. Despite the slight setback caused by using the Aura-Flowing State, nothing happened to his stamina. He was well fed, well rested, and had a positive mindset. There was absolutely nothing wrong that could go wrong with this attempt. Spacing his legs apart and clenching his fists, he started powering up. ¡°HaaaaaaaaAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUUU!!! An explosive white aura burst to life around him. Like little vibrant wisps, his aura lashed violently around him. The power he generated alone caused a shockwave that had Aurelia widen her eyes. ¡°This¡­this is¡­peak-god class?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. She was absolutely sure that just a week ago he was still in the realm of high-god class. Yet with how stable his ki felt, he seemed to have been at the peak of god class for months. She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around how he had such an explosive power level since whenever the blonde trained, he never bothered hiding his power. In fact, with how rigorous his training was, holding back on his power would not have been optimal. But thinking back to his training conditions, Aurelia eventually figured it out. [I see. He isn¡¯t wearing his weighted clothing nor is he being pressed down by gravity.] Without being pressed down by gravity and weighted clothing, his ki was fully unrestrained, and it showed. GRUUUUUU! ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± The amount of ki he was emitting was enormous. From afar, he was like a giant grey-white flame. The size of his aura continued to expand as he powered up even further. His body was working to generate all the ki he needed to power up to his absolute max. All his bones, muscles, and even his skin were infused with ki, leaving not even a lick of space between the particles and fibres. His senses and his brain¡¯s processing ability improved significantly, allowing his combat power to gain a qualitative increase. With the quality of his ki having been enhanced by spirit control, his total strength increase was not any less than a hundred and fifty percent, a 1.5x power increase. As Igor finally reached the maximum power level he could obtain in his base state, he closed his eyes in focus. The aura around him cascaded violently while he remained as calm as a lake. Like a controlled blaze, it was aggressive, yet ordered. The aura maintained a steady distance around his body with only the occasional flaring of ki. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Then¡­ Shu! In barely an instant, the aura around him suddenly vanished like it never existed. The massive pressure that was emanating from him also vanished like it was never even there. In one fell swoop, Igor took in all that power and pulled it into his body. There was not even a lick of aura left behind, not even the faintest trace. In a superb ability of control honed by practicing his Yin-Yang Breathing Method, he masterfully controlled every single strand of his ki without failure. But withdrawing it was only the start. With his veins overloaded with ki, the crucial part came now. [Focus¡­] Every drop of ki he had in his body was quickly collected¡­ [Focus¡­] ¡­and sent every single ounce of it towards his divine strand. [Argh!] Time seemed to slow down. The feeling of losing all his ki immediately made him feel weak and lightheaded. Without ki, his body would soon begin collapsing on itself. The timer had begun counting and the blonde was in a race against time, a race that he needed to win. He directed all of his ki towards his divine strand. And as he expected there was a clog up. [D-Don¡¯t lose focus, Igor!] Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Although the feeling was very uncomfortable, this was the decisive moment. He had to use the clog up to ¡°squash¡± his ki together and make it as dense as possible before he finally pushed it forward into his divine strand. There was no stopping this anymore. With his body having been bled dry of ki, only demi-ki could restore him to his peak state. Normal ki simply would not ¡°flow¡± quickly enough to all his organs nor does it possess the subtle healing properties of demi-ki. So it was all or nothing. Utilising his high-level ki-control, he masterfully manipulated all of his strands to ¡°crash¡± into each other in such a small room that he effectively managed to clump them into one giant mass. With everything done, he flooded all that backed-up ki into his divine strand like a massive tsunami. The clumps of ki had no reservations and entered the strand like a violent break-in. There was a delay as his divine strand was overwhelmed, but it quickly got to work. With such an overload of ki, it thickened considerably and began to ¡°digest¡± the ki. It slowly grew bigger and bigger as it swallowed the ki like a massive leech that gorged itself on blood. But as with all natural processes, what goes in, must come out. FUUUUUSHH An insanely dense amount of demi ki was ¡°excreted¡± from the divine strand and in an instant, it flooded his body, quickly filling up the vacant space left behind by the ki that was pulled away. It seemed as if a breath of fresh life was breathed into his body which significantly powered him with enriched energy. Gradually, his power began to skyrocket as very high-quality demi ki was released into his network. Back in reality, there was silence in the vicinity. Igor who was struggling to stand up now stood up straight. His fists that were clenched were now relaxed. An extremely dense mist of red aura was pouring out of his body. It hung tightly to him like a cloak yet ¡°burned¡± like a gentle blaze in a breeze. His power was rapidly increasing, yet there was no outward indicator of this happening. 6x! 8x! 10x! 14x! 18x! 24x! 30x! 38x! 46x! 50x!!! His power skyrocketed before it finally stabilised at fifty-times his base power. Yet where there would be a violent aura around him, it was all calm. His eyes were still closed, his posture relaxed. None of his muscles were bulging and his body was relatively calm for someone who suddenly attained so much power. Slowly, Igor opened his eyes. They were blood red in colour, filled with absolute authority. Just by gazing into them, one would feel an overwhelming pressure. But beyond that, there was immense¡­ [Killing intent?] Aurelia could see it in his eyes. They exuded pure killing intent that made even her surprised. With the amount of people the blonde had killed throughout his life, the killing intent he had was very thick and it showed in those crimson eyes of his. His entire demeanour seemed to have changed. That naivety he always seemed to have had completely vanished. [What is this? He¡¯s like a completely different person.] While Aurelia stared at Igor with a gaze of unsurety, the blonde gave himself one-second glances all over his body. Appearing satisfied he clenched his fists and immediately, the ground¡­began grumbling. *Rumble* *Rumble* *Rumble* *Rumble* Silence¡­ . . . ¡°KAIIIOOOKEN!!!¡± GRUUUUUUUUUU!!! Like a rocket, his power instantly soared to new heights and with the rising of his power, immense shockwaves were released. Catatonic winds were raised by the blonde¡¯s sudden power up, his very presence causing an immense pressure to descend upon the vicinity. Along with his power, his aura simultaneously expanded. It was absolutely demonic in both its size and its intimidating radiance. The red mist that clung tightly to his body was now like a giant crimson bonfire that surrounded him like a massive shroud. The outbursts of ki from his explosive power-up were massive, which in turn caused the ground to shake. This forced Aurelia who had ¡°glued¡± herself to the ground using mana to utilise gravity magic. 70x! 80x! 90x! 100x!!! His power continued to rise and with it, his hair. His long locks of blonde hair slowly rose up as demi-ki entered each individual strand. As each strand rose, they clustered together to form several large spiky locks of hair. As more and more demi-ki was released into his hair, the gradually increasing density caused his hair to not only ¡°spike¡±, but also turn red. ¡°HoooaaaaaaAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUU! 103x! 104x! 105x! His power did not stop increasing. As it continued to rise, so did his aura as it lashed about violently. Yet unlike before, his skin remained clear, a clear showcasing that his body could still handle this power. 106x! 107x! 108x! His power was now firmly in low-supreme class with absolutely no room for doubt. 109x! 110x!!! GRUUUU! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! As he finally reached its peak, his power gradually stabilised. At 110x his base power, Igor could genuinely feel the overwhelming strength flowing through him. His pupils had vanished, but he was still in control. The absolute power he felt made him grin cockily. ¡°Amazing.¡± He stood on the spot, his eyes closed as he savoured this feeling of this power churning through his body. Taking a deep breath, he took in a deep breath before looking down at his arms with those white eyes. Lifting his arms up, he clenched his fists a few times. Then in an instant, he punched out with his fist and the resulting shockwave, was humongous. BOOOOOOM! Without getting into any sort of stance or a wind-up, he released a simple jab that had enough power to kill his previous self in one shot. ¡°Hmph. Perfect.¡± There was no excitement in his voice. Rather there was arrogance in his tone. This was something Aurelia couldn¡¯t understand since it was drastically out of line with his normal character. [He achieved so much power, and yet¡­] It was abnormal for him to act like this. This was not in line with his personality and it worried her greatly. Igor was confident, but never arrogant. Yet looking at the wide grin on his face, she was sure that this was a side-effect of his current state. As for the blonde, he was satisfied with his current strength. All the training he went through and the risks were not for nothing. Unfortunately, he could feel that he couldn¡¯t sustain this full-powered state for long. ¡°Tch. It seems more training will be in order from now on.¡± Gradually, he began cycling down his power level until he sat solidly at fifty-times his base strength. The red colour in his hair faded back to blonde, yet it still remained raised up. The immense aura he was emitting gradually shrunk until it became the misty shroud it previously was. Slowly, the blonde opened his eyes, those crimson orbs glinting ominously in their wake. ¡°Bearable. I should last for about half an hour in this state.¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Igor was satisfied. That much was assured. But anyone who knew the blonde could tell that... [He truly seems like a different person.] . AN . Today is Friday and different from this time, I will only (hopefully) be able to upload on Monday. Reason is because on Sunday I will be travelling. Chapter 122 ¡°Tch. It seems more training will be in order from now on.¡± Gradually, he began cycling down his power level until he sat solidly at fifty-times his base strength. The red colour in his hair faded back to blonde, yet it still remained raised up. The immense aura he was emitting gradually shrunk until it became the misty shroud it previously was. Slowly, the blonde opened his eyes, those crimson orbs glinting ominously in their wake. ¡°Bearable. I should last for about half an hour in this state.¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Igor was satisfied. That much was assured. But anyone who knew the blonde could tell that... [He truly seems like a different person.] . |DxD| . Igor continued to hold the transformation. Recognising the risks involved in obtaining it, he opted to hold it for a while longer in order to fully immerse himself in the feeling. But, it was hard to properly focus with all these emotions he felt. It was apparent that with the more natural boost in power, it also came at the cost of heightened emotions. He could feel that his rage and battle-lust were specifically enhanced. His blood was simmering for no apparent reason and the blonde recognised that. [I will need to learn how to control it properly.] In the meantime, Aurelia approached him and enquired on his current condition. ¡°Igor. How do you feel?¡± The blonde looked at her with a contemplative gaze. Knowing his sister was smart and trustworthy, he decided to be completely honest. ¡°I feel angry. No matter how hard I try, I cannot relax. The more I stay like this, the more I feel as if I want to fight something.¡± Ever quick on the uptake, Aurelia provided a reason. ¡°A constant state of battle-readiness. I suspected that would be the case. Your current state was one initialised by anger so it is relatively normal that you would feel that anger followed by a desire for battle within you.¡± She walked around him with an appraising look. ¡°Your power is truly immense, Igor. But it is imperative that you learn how to control it.¡± She stood in front of him and looked him in the eye. ¡°That rage of yours...you understand what I mean, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sister.¡± How could Igor not understand the implications. He felt it himself how much rage he had. The only reason it had not manifested itself was because he was isolated in the time chamber with Aurelia, someone he only harboured goodwill for. His mind flashed back to the memory of the first time he engaged in war. He lost himself in a haze of killing intent, acted cockily, and displayed astonishing levels of arrogance. It was only fortunate that his opponents were not significantly powerful or used trickery at the time. But what if? What if in the future, he delayed finishing off a threat out of arrogance? That was not an outcome he wished to witness. And to accomplish that, he must not be swayed by his emotions when in combat, otherwise¡­he would truly have no tears to cry for. . |DxD| . Training began in earnest. Barely ten minutes had passed since his talk with Aurelia and he already sat cross-legged on the ground. His eyes were closed in focus as he sought to understand every single thing he could about this transformative state he had achieved. Aurelia on the other hand, had brought over her desk filled with all the books, documents, and seals she was studying. While she continued working on her research, she would watch over Igor and ensure his safety and satiety. With a bit of magic involved, she made sure that any sounds of her moving her chair, flipping a book, or using any magic would not reach his ears. So while the blonde worked to understand his transformation, she went back to working on the seal. Despite the gravity being doubled over, a bit of magic negated it, allowing her to work without any problems. Stolen novel; please report. . |DxD| . [This power is¡­immense.] Deep in meditation, Igor was examining the inner-workings of his body. [Everything: my bones, muscles, organs¡­every single part of my body has been strengthened.] The demi-ki flowing throughout his body was of significantly higher quality than before. Comparing the demi-ki of his Kaioken x50 to the quality of demi-ki he had now, the quality was visible both inside, and outside his body. Both possessed a fifty-times boost to his power. But while one was a technique, the other was purely a transformation, an evolution inspired by a need for power. But that power was not without a price. [Even in this state I can still feel it, the desire to destroy.] It was the same feeling as being in the battlefield again. It was persistent like a headache, a compulsion urging him to fight, to kill. It wasn¡¯t something he couldn¡¯t handle, but it was quite annoying. Being involuntarily left in a semi-permanent battle-ready state was something he would be able to handle. [Let me first get used to this feeling, first.] With the fifty-times Kaioken as reference, Igor began familiarising himself with his newfound power. Having already stood up from his spot, he began going through his motions. He was deliberately slow in his execution of each moveset as he slowly let the ki in his body guide him. Moving his right foot forward, he stretched out his left palm slowly. At the same time, his left foot also moved forward. Mimicking his calm movements like a river, the misty red ki surrounding him also fluctuated around him like the flames of a candle. His hair had risen up in a way similar to two cupped hands. Only two strands hovered over his eyes, yet they did nothing to suade the laser focus in those crimson orbs. [Power must not be wielded arbitrarily. Only through understanding can one advance further.] Taking inspiration from the manga of Dragon Ball, Igor sought to emulate the process of how Goku sought to fully master his super saiyan transformation in the Hyperbolic Time Chambers. If he could accomplish the same feat, then he was confident he could draw even more power from his newfound state without wasting any unnecessary energy. [Only by understanding power, can its full potential be unleashed.] It may be due to the current state of his mind, but he was not in a rush.* As much as a dormant part of him wished to fly through the skies and unleash a massive blast similar to the one he released in Kyoto, his energy would be drained and he wouldn¡¯t be able to study this technique for a while. Gaining access to this transformation in such peaceful conditions was optimal for him. But, he still didn¡¯t have a name for it. [Unimportant. I will consider it later.] While there was the option of calling it the ¡°Super Human Transformation¡±, it did not count as one. With its origins in the Kaioken, his current state cannot necessarily be referred to as a human¡¯s evolutionary form, But, this wasn¡¯t the time for those kinds of thoughts. [Thirty minutes, Igor. Make this count.] As much as he tried to control it, he couldn¡¯t quite grab a complete hold of his energy. With the demi-ki coursing through his body being very dense and flowing very fast, it was hard for him to prevent it from leaking through his body. He was facing a predicament similar to the Aura-Flowing State. But this was a much better figure than his full-power state. Disregarding the raging battle lust he felt then, he found he would barely be able to support that state for five minutes. He tried, but there was absolutely no chance of him preventing the demi-ki from escaping his body. [Power and control go hand in hand. I must learn to master this denser version of demi-ki. Only then will I be able to have a straight back in the presence of the true gods.] The years had passed, but Igor never forgot the bet he made with Sun Wukong when the monkey was disrespecting Vasco. ¡®That¡¯s it! If I don¡¯t beat you into the ground in ten years, I¡¯ll change my bloody name to Shit von Dimori!¡¯ Looking back on it now, it was a promise made rashly. But since those words came out of his mouth, he would still honour them. Besides, out of the ten years he promised, he still had seven left. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure how powerful Sun Wukong was, but he didn¡¯t want to underestimate the old sage. For all he knew, the monkey could be ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times stronger than him in his full-power state. Yet instead of making him despair¡­ su su su su Su Su Su Su He found himself getting excite- [Focus, Igor.] Mentally chiding himself for letting his thoughts get the best of him, he steadily brought his ki under control. But his thoughts were an entirely different matter. Having spent two years in here, he was already suffering from battle-withdrawal symptoms. Having tasted the intense adrenaline rush of the battlefield, he had a relatively hard time readjusting to the peace and quiet of the time chamber. While Aurelia did help him wear the ebb off over the years they¡¯d been here, she wasn¡¯t exactly a strong opponent and in time, he¡¯d gradually surpassed her in his base state. He wanted to experience a- [Focus, Igor!] The clock was ticking and he had no time to be losing his focus over fleeting thoughts. He estimated he had roughly twenty-to-twenty five minutes before he would not be able to sustain this state. He had already analysed his divine strand and his ki-flow. Next time, he was confident that he would not need to risk his life to reach this state again. But that did not mean he would simply cancel the transformation. After all, there was one more man he made a promise to defeat besides Sun Wukong. ¡®A hundred years. If I don¡¯t reverse this situation in a hundred years, I will willingly subordinate myself to you.¡¯ Indra, the God of War was his goal after Sun Wukong. The god was powerful without a doubt. He had not forgotten how Indra treated him in their first meeting. While no longer holding a strong grudge for it, he still wanted to get equal with the god. One way or another, he would make the god look up to him with gritted teeth just like how he was forced to. There was still over nine decades left and he was sure that within that time, he would absolutely surpass the- ¡°Damnit! Why can¡¯t I focus!¡± . AN .
  1. It may be due to the current state of his mind, but he was not in a rush.*
Explanation: As clarified before, Igor had most of his emotions with rage and his battle-lust being the prime focus. In simpler terms, he was in a battle-ready state. Although it is not shown much or rather, there weren¡¯t many opportunities for it to be shown, Igor is a war veteran. We can be pretty sure that patience was something he was instilled by Sun Wukong, or something he forcefully learnt to have himself. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 123 Indra, the God of War was his goal after Sun Wukong. The god was powerful without a doubt. He had not forgotten how Indra treated him in their first meeting. While no longer holding a strong grudge for it, he still wanted to get equal with the god. One way or another, he would make the god look up to him with gritted teeth just like how he was forced to. There were still over nine decades left and he was sure that within that time, he would absolutely surpass the- ¡°Damnit! Why can¡¯t I focus!¡± . |DxD| . Six months later inside the time chamber . Six months have passed since Igor and Aurelia had been pulled into the time chamber. During this time, they had been hard at work. While the silverette continued working on the first seal, Igor¡¯s focus was exclusively on mastering his new transformation. But despite that much time having passed, he still hadn¡¯t quite gotten there yet. The reason is, the ki control he had worked so hard to obtain had suffered greatly. By acquiring his transformation, his ki had also underwent a change. Now, it was not only denser, but it had also increased by over ten times. And the changes didn¡¯t just end with his ki. Similar to the first time he unlocked the Kaioken, the blonde had grown. With his divine strand having thickened considerably, his body was also brought along on the path of evolution. His height had increased and the hint of childishness on his face vanished in the face of a budding young man. Over the course of three months, the blonde experienced a rapid growth where instead of appearing thirteen, he now appeared to between the ages of sixteen and seventeen. In such a short time, he became just slightly taller than Aurelia, who was a pretty tall woman herself with her height nearing 180cm. Yet there was more. Despite the blonde only ever focusing on his ki control and his transformation, his combat capability had been steadily creeping up over the months. This wasn¡¯t by a small margin either. With a solid multiplier, his strength, by Aurelia¡¯s estimations, had increased by five times. Unfortunately, his power in terms of classification, still remained in the realm of peak-god class. The gulf between god class and supreme class was not one that could be crossed so easily and would require more training. The good outcome during this time is that Igor was successfully able to transform at will. With his ki naturally having gotten denser, he no longer needed to use the previously risky method to transform. However, even after a few months of practice, it did still take him some time to enter the transformation, especially his full-power state. Entering his suppressed state was relatively quick¡­from a normal person¡¯s perspective. Despite having tried to shorten the time, Igor still had trouble gaining substantial increases. The issue wasn¡¯t necessarily due to lack of talent, but more with his growth. To masterfully execute a transformation instantly, a certain amount of ki control was required. Igor did indeed never slack off on his ki control. But for these past few months, be it his ki capacity, power level, or physique, they were all growing. With his ki and physique growing at a visible rate, he struggled to maintain the same level of control since all his veins were constantly widening and more ki was filling them. Any time his ki control advanced, his body would grow, making it regress. With this sort of occurrence happening daily, it was the same as playing a game of cat and mouse. As a new day dawned, his control would worsen and he would be forced to catch-up if he didn¡¯t want to be left behind. Yet despite experiencing this scenario for months now¡­ ¡°Bloody hell. Again?¡± ¡­the blonde could never help but mutter a curse whenever he woke up to find he couldn¡¯t grasp his ki like he usually could. . Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. |DxD| . Aurelia prided herself on being a patient woman. Having lived for over sixty years with a majority of her life spent in a political landscape, patience was a must when most battles were fought with tongues. As Yasaka¡¯s personal attendant, she was the subject of scorn due to her human heritage, particularly her western traits at the time which featured blonde hair. To survive such an environment for decades, patience was a very necessary trait. But¡­ ¡°Bloody hell. Again?¡± ¡­even her patience had its limits. Frowning as she lay next to the blonde, Aurelia found herself having the urge to strangle the blonde to death. Husband candidate or not, being woken up by his curses for the nth time was not a comfortable feeling. She could only blame herself for being a light sleeper because even though the blonde cursed silently, she still heard him. Turning over in bed, she faced the blonde who was sitting up with a frustrated look on her face. She was prepared to admonish him, but looking at how frustrated and tired he was, she could understand his predicament. Sigh¡­ ¡°It will pass soon, Igor. Just have patience.¡± The blonde wasn¡¯t even frustrated anymore. Just annoyed. With how frequently this had been happening, he had long since lost the energy to curse with the same fervour she had before. ¡°I know, sister. But it¡¯s not nice, ya know?¡± Not liking his forced smile, she decided to comfort him. Sitting up as well, she placed her hand on his back and began gently rubbing it. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Igor. This will end soon. I promise.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde seemed to enjoy the sensation of her soft hand rubbing his back. His eyes were closed as he let the warmth of her palm dispel the frustration he had accumulated. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always happy to help you, Igor.¡± Patting him twice on the back, she tied her hair into a rough ponytail. ¡°Now come on. We can¡¯t stay in bed all day, can we?¡± ¡°Hehe. Indeed we can¡¯t, sister. Training cannot stop.¡± ¡°Fufu~. That¡¯s good.¡± Glad that his mood had bettered, she peeled open the blankets and got out of bed. Wearing a rather modest one-piece nightdress, it still couldn¡¯t hide her long shapely legs. For some reason, Igor found his gaze drawn to her supple thighs, his thoughts upon ki control vanishing. Unaware, Aurelia walked around the bed towards the counter. There on the mirror, she gradually noticed Igor¡¯s gaze. ¡°...¡± A slight smile came to her face as she pulled open the drawer to get her brush. With the time on the clock she created indicating it had been seven hours since midnight, it was time to get ready to continue her research. As she took out some of her other toiletries, Igor finally brought himself out of his daze by shaking his head. [What was that?] It was just a pair of legs with a lump of fat added to the hips. Yet for some stupid reason, he found himself drawn to them lately. [Enough of this. I gotta get to training this damn control of mine again.] Kicking off the blankets, he got out of bed and grabbed his pants that were on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll shower first, sister.¡± Knowing that Aurelia could take quite the significant amount of time, he decided to move first. Opening the wardrobe by the door, he took a white T-shirt before closing the wardrobe and making his way to the bathroom. Entering it, he closed the door behind him, leaving Aurelia alone in the bedroom. ¡°...¡± The silverette couldn¡¯t help but smile. [Sure enough, it¡¯s not only his physique that¡¯s growing.] Despite having shared the same bed for over two years, it was only a few months ago that the blonde only started showing a reaction to her. Those fleeting glances eventually turned into stares, stares particularly aimed at her legs. [Lady Yasaka was right. Teasing a man like this is quite fun.] With the blonde having been the one to offer to share a bed, she had initially thought he wanted to try something, which would¡¯ve been heavily out of character for him. But when he brought up the matter of there being one room in the time chamber, she eventually agreed. With his childlike persona and the gap in age between them, nothing happened until recently when his transformation forced him to grow. With the blonde experiencing three years of puberty in six months, Aurelia could admit it was quite fun watching him finally ¡°grow¡±. And¡­as shameful as it sounds, it boosted her self-esteem that despite being significantly older, he found her pleasing to the eye. Using magic to cleanse herself, she went over to the wardrobe and took out a dress. Right at the bottom laid some of Igor¡¯s clothes neatly folded into separate stacks of shirts, jerseys, and pants. [And he said he didn¡¯t need a ¡®fancy wardrobe¡¯, yet he uses it.] Under her insistence, the previously spartan bedroom was now filled with lavish furniture she either pulled from her dimensional space or directly created using magic. From a massive bed with a lavish headboard, to a prestigious white drawer with a massive mirror, Aurelia had truly transformed the room from a simple place used to rest, to a room filled with comfort. To date, her greatest achievement was making the blonde accidentally oversleep because the bed was too comfortable. Taking off her nightdress, her form was exposed for only a brief moment before a simple dress covered it. Tying the buttons at the top, she slipped on a pair of sandals before closing the wardrobe. Moving over to the bed, she snapped her fingers and the bed swiftly made itself. Satisfied with everything, she called out to the blonde who was showering. ¡°I¡¯ll go and make breakfast first, Igor. Don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Okay, Sister Lia!¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: patreon.com/HolyGambler Chapter 124 Taking off her nightdress, her form was exposed for only a brief moment before a simple dress covered it. Tying the buttons at the top, she slipped on a pair of sandals before closing the wardrobe. Moving over to the bed, she snapped her fingers and the bed swiftly made itself. Satisfied with everything, she called out to the blonde who was showering. ¡°I¡¯ll go and make breakfast first, Igor. Don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°Okay, Sister Lia!¡± . |DxD| . Food, a commodity treasured by all. Most lifeforms required food to live without exception. For warriors, it was doubly so for them. Having entered the kitchen, Aurelia was walking through the cold room. Correction. It would be more accurate to call it a cold hall. Over time, this room that contained a few dozen headless carcasses of various livestock now seemed like an industrial storage that stored quite literally, thousands of meat products were hung on hooks in neat rows. Neatly stacked in the corners were trays of eggs and other dairy products. There were even sections for frozen vegetables, fruits, and all other sorts of food. Aurelia was not picky. Directly grabbing the carcass of two cows with telekinesis, she walked out with some vegetables in tow. Closing the door to the cold storage behind her, she laid the ingredients for today¡¯s meal on the large stainless steel table. Levitating into the air, she used magic to prepare the meal while simultaneously turning on the stove. Regardless of whether the goods were frozen or not, she was quick in slicing them apart with magic before finally heating them up. With her magic, preparing a massive breakfast for the both of them was something that wouldn¡¯t even take thirty minutes. . |DxD| . Sometimes, Aurelia wondered what if this is what it felt like to be a mother. Watching the blonde fill his cheeks to the brim with steak after steak evoked a sense of pride and accomplishment in her. Despite a fork and knife being prepared for him, he ate with his hands. He¡¯d fill his mouth with some meat and stiff porridge, and then wash it down with some soup. It was an uncanny combination, especially the porridge. But the blonde justified it by saying some warrior tribes from Africa ate like that. Whether it was true or not, she was content to just watch him. There was just something cute about watching him eat like his life depends on it. Over the years, Aurelia could admit that she had genuinely come to view the blonde as a younger sibling. From teasing him every once in a while to taking care of him, it gave her the feeling of an older sister. Having been the youngest in the family, she could now understand why her brothers always spoiled her like they did. [I still miss you¡­all of you.] But, it seemed as if she had stared at him for too long because the blonde was also looking at her with his mouth full like a squirrel¡¯s ¡°Hm?¡± The silverette had to physically hold herself back from laughing. That oblivious and confused look on his face was making it hard for her to remain mature. ¡°Swallow first, Igor.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Nodding, the blonde chewed quickly before asking. ¡°Is something on my face? You¡¯ve been looking at me for a while now, sister.¡± She wanted to point out the crumbs on his face, but she held back. ¡°Nothing, Igor. Just thinking about some things.¡± ¡°Oh. Tell me if you need my help, sister.¡± Without further ado, he got back into gorging himself on food. With his hand dipping into the giant bowl of neatly cut steak, Igor filled his empty plate with food before digging in. ¡°Mmm~. Dwis is weally ood!¡± (This is really good!) ¡°...¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but smile. She had no doubt that even if she told him the entire world was after her, he would stand with her. He seemed to have replied perfunctorily, but she was confident that if worst comes to worst, atleast she would have someone by her side. [Sigh, he really would make a good husband. Unfortunately, this one is too old. Such an outstanding man with favourable prospects. If only we were from the same generation¡­] As much pleasure and pride she took in observing Igor finally enter puberty, she never tried to further anything. With the age difference between them being over six decades, she was aware that asking him to call her ¡°sister¡± was drastically pushing things. Although she had a plausible excuse at the time to marry the blonde, that excuse no longer applied after she successfully managed to cast the first seal. Even without the seal, she was not comfortable with the idea of marrying someone young enough to be her grandchild. As horrible and sad as it sounded, just having her beauty and existence validated by the one she cared about was enough- ¡°Sister. What¡¯s wrong? I can feel you aren¡¯t alright.¡± It was easy for him to feel the turbulent emotions she was exhibiting. He could see it in her eyes. Far from the usual fatigue, they seemed a bit¡­lost. Aurelia was momentarily caught by surprise that she allowed her mind to slip. Quickly putting on a smile, she replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Igor. It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°...¡± Not buying it, the blonde wiped his hands and lips with a cloth before looking at Aurelia again. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s nothing?¡± The silverette only smiled. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s really nothing.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Su! Instantly appearing on the other side of the table, he leaned on the table, his gaze blaring right into her eyes with an authoritative gaze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was taken aback by how brazen he was. She could see he wasn¡¯t going to drop the issue if she continued to provide perfunctory answers. Sighing, she decided to offer him a tidbit. ¡°It¡¯s not an important matter, Igor. Just something I¡¯ve been thinking about lately.¡± ¡°...¡± Realising that she wouldn¡¯t tell him everything, the blonde decided to drop the matter. ¡°Oh. Tell me if you need help, sister. You know I have your back.¡± Returning to his side of the table, the blonde continued to gorge himself on food like nothing ever happened. The sound of meat being gobbled down filled the silence as the blonde continued to fill up his stomach for the intense training that would follow. With his strong stomach, he did not need to fear any indigestion or stomach aches. While the blonde ate, Aurelia decided to also eat her plate of barely touched food. With a plate of four steaks piled on top of each other on the side, she focused on the plate in front of her which had a half-eaten steak, bread, and some soup. Picking up a fork and knife, she began eating elegantly, Neatly cutting the steak apart, she put it in her mouth. She repeated the same action with the bread. Picking up a slice with her fork, she cut off a small piece of it, dipped it in soup, and put it in her mouth. All this time, Igor looked at her weirdly, Compared to her, his fingers were covered in soup, oil, and porridge remains. His cheeks were puffed up like a squirrel¡¯s, his mouth oily to boot. [I still can¡¯t understand why she insists on a fork and knife. It¡¯s so slow!] Pushing the thought to the side, he continued eating. With his hands moving like supercharged excavators, he launched food so fast into his mouth that his hands almost seemed like afterimages. His teeth were like industrial-grade hammers that continued to gnash his food and parse it down his throat. Gnom Gnom Gnom Gnom Gnom Watching the blonde consume his food much faster than usual, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Why are you in such a rush, Igor? The food won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Quickly swallowing his food, the blonde wiped his lips. ¡°The food won¡¯t run, but time will. I still have to train after this, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at his messy appearance, Aurelia could only applaud that despite his voracious eating habits, there was not one stain on his shirt. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll even be able to get married at this rate, Igor.¡± ¡°Heh? Never. Marriage is a waste of time.¡± Clang! Clang! Dropping her fork and knife, Aurelia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What?¡± . AN . I¡¯m finally back after quite a while. I can¡¯t get too deep into the reasons why, but I was occupied with some family events at school. Now that the situation has stabilised, I am free to upload once more. Hope you¡¯ll enjoy the next dozen chapters. A lot of things have happened since then. Chapter 125 ¡°The food won¡¯t run, but time will. I still have to train after this, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at his messy appearance, Aurelia could only applaud that despite his voracious eating habits, there was not one stain on his shirt. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll even be able to get married at this rate, Igor.¡± ¡°Heh? Never. Marriage is a waste of time.¡± Clang! Clang! Dropping her fork and knife, Aurelia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What?¡± . |DxD| . For the longest of times, Igor¡¯s pursuit had always been strength. Other things were not worth mentioning. When he transmigrated to this world, he had resolved himself to push aside distractions and dedicate himself to the road to power. As the decades passed in the time chamber, that never changed. With his strength constantly increasing, his resolve remained stalwart. But, on that fateful day when he met Akeno, he never thought that by meeting her, he would end up growing attached to her, Shuri, and Baraquiel. Even when he returned to the time chamber after dropping that massive sphere on Baraquiel, he would find himself thinking about them. The people he treated as a distraction when he first met them gradually became those he considered family. Over time, he continued to meet more and more people, and each of those people became precious to him. Asia, the little sister he loved with all of his heart without a single doubt. For Asia, he would do anything to ensure she remained happy. Vasco, the man he admired from the bottom of his heart. Regardless of how strong he got, he would always respect the exorcist who had been his inspiration. Sun Wukong, his teacher that he owed a great deal. Without his teachings, he may have been too late to save Akeno. And now recently, Aurelia. Igor wasn¡¯t quite sure what to think of the silverette. Having spent time with her for two years, she was by far the person she had spent the longest time with besides the old sage. With her being six decades his senior, it showed in her actions. Despite calling her ¡°sister¡±, it would be more accurate to say she was like a grandmother of sorts. It was embarrassing for him to admit, but having her around was of great help. Just her presence had transformed the time chamber from a place he only treated as a fridge and a place of training into a home. He genuinely cared for the silverette not only because she was kin, but also because he respected and cherished her. He had not experienced the pain of having his family slaughtered in front of him like she did. In place of where she could¡¯ve killed herself in a hopeless situation, she continued living and plotted vengeance on those who killed her family. If that wasn¡¯t worthy of respect, nothing was. It was why the blonde had no regret forming these attachments, despite being adamant in not having any initially. Knowing all these people and knowing he could trust them just gave him all the more reason to be stronger. But if there was one thing, ONE thing he would never compromise on, was having a romantic partner. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married because, sister, marriage will only affect my speed to becoming stronger.¡± ¡°...¡± The table became quiet at Igor¡¯s revelation. Aurelia didn¡¯t expect that Igor would push aside any notion of marriage. And judging by how adamant he was in that statement, this was an ideal that had cemented itself into his brain. ¡°But Igor, you can¡¯t do that. If you don¡¯t marry, then...our race will¡­¡± Excluding herself from the equation, there was still Asia. Although the little blonde was a half-blood, there was a high chance that Igor¡¯s genes would allow him to sire a pure-blooded Aryan. ¡°Sister. Don¡¯t we have your research? Can¡¯t we use that to revive our race?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a full-proof plan, Igor. I¡¯ve only managed to understand the first seal so far. Judging by the complexity of the second seal, it will no doubt take me atleast twenty years to understand it and another thirty years to fully understand it. For the third seal, half-a-millennium at minimum. And that is assuming I have a team of experts helping me. If I am alone, I will have to spend the next thousand years unraveling it.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The blonde widened his eyes at the revelation. ¡°It¡¯s that hard?¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his confusion. ¡°Igor. This was a seal designed by the All-Father himself. It took our ancestors dozens of generations just to unravel the first seal. The only reason it took me two years to master the first seal is because I had their memories as guidance. But even with their memories, it will take me a long time to comprehend the second and third seal. Even if you allow me to use the time chamber, it will still take me over a century to comprehend everything.¡± She then released a sigh as the weight of everything settled. ¡°Even if I comprehend the seals, it will still need to be tested out and modifications will need to be made, Igor. God¡¯s seals aren¡¯t simple and it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched to assume that after thousands of years, the seal matrices may have changed or evolved. If we put everything into perspective, perhaps it will take me five hundred years to truly unravel everything, or five millenniums without your time chamber.¡± The silverette was exaggerating just slightly, but she wasn¡¯t completely off the mark. With her ¡°current¡± level, it will indeed take her thousands of years to completely solve the first three curse seals god placed on humanity. But the blonde didn¡¯t need to know that. Her concern right now was that he had to sire heirs. Even if he took one wife, it would set the prejudice for a new royal lineage, the lineage of Dimori. With the Drachenburgs gone, a new royal lineage would be needed and Igor had every qualification to begin one. ¡°You have every right to sire a new lineage, Igor. Your clan, the clan of Dimori, is descended from the keepers of fate in a period long before humanity was cursed. Despite your name having almost faded from existence, just your ancestry and historical significance alone places you on the same pedestal as my family. And combined with your strength and future potential, you possess all the qualifications needed to start a new royal family.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was¡­lost. He was completely, utterly, lost. ¡°Whaa¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand how things involved from having a wife to starting a new lineage. A part of him wondered if Aurelia heard his refusal earlier. This talk of royalty, history and whatnot overloaded his brain. ¡°Wait wait wait, sister. I don¡¯t get what you are saying. Why do I need to marry? Can¡¯t you marry someone?¡± Aurelia was quick to shake her head. ¡°No. It has to be you. Only your genes are strong enough to sire pure-blooded Aryans from a half-blood. Your ki combined with the divinity you possess can prevent the curse seal from passing onto your offspring.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± The blonde considered things from Aurelia¡¯s point of view. She was right, but¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t we talk about this in a hundred years or two?¡± Externally, he appeared calm. But internally, he was complaining. [Marriage? Royalty? Children? I haven¡¯t even graduated from being a teenager. Forget children, I can¡¯t even take care of myself. And you want ME to sire a lineage?! ME?! I just want to train in peace.] -¡°I just want to train in peace¡­?!¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia blinked once. Then blinked again. She was surprised by how difficult the blonde was, but it was in her expectations. Although this talk came sooner than she planned, she would plant a seed within him. ¡°I understand your desire to train, Igor. But this should be done as soon as possible, preferably within the next decade. With your strength firmly in the realm of supreme class, few will dare to challenge you. And as for your¡­training time, I and your wife will take care of any children you manage to sire so you will have no problems. That way, your time won¡¯t be wasted and you¡¯ll only need to occasionally sire a new child once a year. As for everything else, I will handle it. You will only need to name the child before you can go back to your training.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor silently processed all of this before vehemently waving his hands. ¡°Nope. That won¡¯t do, sister.¡± ¡°But Igor-¡± ¡°Please listen to me, sister. I¡¯m not against having a partner. I¡¯m against having a partner while being weak.¡± His mind travelled back to the words Sun Wukong said to him all those years ago. ¡­ ¡°Kid. Here¡¯s a word of advice. Do not get a lover.¡± ¡°???¡± ¡°Listen to me before you interrupt. While I do understand your ideals, I am someone who has family, kid. Everyone that lives on Flower-Fruit Mountain is my family. If they carried your ideals, I fear how many funerals I would have to hold every year. That is why I sincerely hope that no matter what, you will not bind yourself to a woman, at least not while you¡¯re this weak. Because should you do so and you end up dying¡­¡± ¡­ This had happened after he had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Indra. At the time, he had treated those words more or less as air. But now, he understood them. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know, sister, but there are many, many people stronger than me. There are gods that are stronger than me. There are possibly even people I don¡¯t know of who are stronger than me. I don¡¯t want to even entertain the thought of having a family when I haven¡¯t reached the peak. I don¡¯t want to risk it, especially considering what we are, sister.¡± Standing up from the table, he wiped his hands as he looked at Aurelia. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have a family, only for them to be attacked when I¡¯m not there. I hope you understand, sister.¡± Without waiting for Aurelia¡¯s response, he walked out of the kitchen. Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu Gu [There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll even think about having my own family, not when I¡¯m still weak.] The incident with the Himejima had only served to reinforce this ideal. Supreme class or not, there were many supreme class entities. He had already seen hundreds in the Heavenly Realm alone. He didn¡¯t want to think how many currently existed on Earth. With his status as an Aryan, he was going to be attacked at some point in his life. The last thing he wanted was for his family to be killed because of that. [If I¡¯m ever going to entertain the thought of having a family, I¡¯ll only have the qualifications to think about it when I¡¯m as strong as Lord Shiva.] Chapter 126 The incident with the Himejima had only served to reinforce this ideal. Supreme class or not, there were many supreme class entities. He had already seen hundreds in the Heavenly Realm alone. He didn¡¯t want to think how many currently existed on Earth. With his status as an Aryan, he was going to be attacked at some point in his life. The last thing he wanted was for his family to be killed because of that. [If I¡¯m ever going to entertain the thought of having a family, I¡¯ll only have the qualifications to think about it when I¡¯m as strong as Lord Shiva.] . |DxD| . Several kilometres into the time chamber, Igor was sitting on his straw mat with his legs crossed. But instead of meditating like always, he was frowning in contemplation. With his hands supporting his chin, the blonde was stuck thinking about the stuff Aurelia said. For all intents and purposes, Igor truly did not want to get a lover. [It¡¯s a waste of time. A woman always makes you stagnant.] It was something he¡¯d seen happen to too many people he knew. From famous people in his previous world, to the men he knew in his current world, none were exempt from that fact. ¡°Tch. The moment all of them get a woman, they lose themselves, their ambition.¡± He did not want to become like that. He did not want his rate of gaining power to be interfered with. ¡°They¡¯ll want to go on dates, they¡¯ll always wonder where you are, they want your attention, they¡¯re always nagging, and tons of other stuff. A waste of time is what they are. And sister wants me to marry? I¡¯m not doing that.¡± Closing his eyes, the blonde cleared his head of this topic. [Sorry, sister. But I¡¯m not getting a woman any time soon.] . |DxD| . ¡®I don¡¯t want to have a family, only for them to be attacked when I¡¯m not there. I hope you understand, sister.¡¯ As Aurelia showered, Igor¡¯s words continued to resound in her head. ¡®I don¡¯t know if you know, sister, but there are many, many people stronger than me.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t fault him for thinking that way. With Baraquiel¡¯s situation as an example, it made sense he would think like that. [But he can¡¯t remain celibate forever. He can¡¯t.] With their race having been listed as extinct for over five decades, she was the most anxious to revive them. It was wrong of her to force her desires upon him and she knew it. She knew it was wrong and she felt guilty about it. Sigh¡­ But she couldn¡¯t help it. They were the last two pure-blooded Aryans alive. And unlike the blonde, she was aware that if she copulated with a half-blood, there was a high chance that she would give birth to a half-blood. She didn¡¯t have potent ki like him which would be able to prevent some of the curse seals from passing on to the child. If she wanted to give birth to a pure-blood, her only option at this point was the blonde himself. Yet the thought of potentially carrying his child sent shivers down her spine. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. [Don¡¯t even think about it, Aurelia. Like he said, you¡¯re already old enough to be his grandmother.] It hurt, but it was the irrefutable truth. Letting the water fall onto her, she immersed herself in the warmth it provided. The shower head sprayed the water all over her body like a magnificent waterfall. Faaaaaaaaaaa¡­ The water trailed through her body, from the top of her head all the way to her feet. Naked as the day she was born, the silverette couldn¡¯t help but glance at her form in the wet mirror. Touching her thighs, she smiled lightly when she remembered the blonde¡¯s reaction this morning. ¡°At least¡­I¡¯m still pretty in his eyes.¡± Admiring herself for a while longer, she shut off the tap and began wiping herself down. While she could use magic, doing such a mundane act every once in a while was something she enjoyed. Stepping out of the shower, some of the water on her hair dripped on the carpeted floors. Wrapping a white towel around herself, she left the bathroom and went to the bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she stood silently as she looked at the bed she¡¯d shared with Igor for the last two years. [Will I have to change where I sleep now?] With the blonde entering puberty and becoming aware of women, it was only appropriate that she left. The only problem was, this time chamber was currently still tailored for one person with only one room available. [If I push aside two shelves in the library, there will be enough room to place a bed.] She was aware of how precarious young boys are. And with the two of them possibly having to remain alone for the next eight years, she didn¡¯t want to cause him unnecessary trouble. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Temporarily pushing aside those thoughts, she made her way to the counter where all her beauty products were. Removing her towel, she opened a bottle of lotion and began gently applying it on her skin. Performing such mundane tasks that could be easily accomplished with magic was one of the few joys in life she had left. At the recommendation of Yasaka, she first did this as a coping mechanism to prepare herself for the day, especially when she had nightmares about the slaughter of her family. Taking her time to shower and do things normal women did allowed her to clear her head. As her hands moved over her abdomen, she let them stay there for a bit longer, her eyes glazed in thought. [I wonder¡­] With a smooth stomach and a lovely little belly-button, she imagined a possible scene where her stomach had grown larger due to pregnancy. Like most women, she harboured that fantasy of carrying the child of the person she loved. Except, she had no one to love. [Most women my age already have husbands, children, and grandchildren. Yet¡­here I am.] As an Aryan, her scope for partners was already low. Barely anyone would be willing to love and cherish her, a member of a race that was hated globally. She didn¡¯t even consider the prospect of marrying a half-blood. The last thing she wished for was to watch her husband, her children, and her grandchildren dying one by one. The thought alone of having to go through such a thing made her remove the option of short-lived species from the table. But that now only left her with the option of races who either could not procreate with her, or were part of the massacre on her people. ¡°Enough thinking, Aurelia. I still have to work on the second seal.¡± Not even bothering to apply lotion on her legs, she walked towards the bed and picked up the dress she had worn earlier. It wasn¡¯t pretty by any means. It was a dull black with only a few stripe patterns here and there. Wearing it, she allowed it to reach all the way to her feet. Slipping on her sandals, she took a lotus-themed band and used it to tie her hair into a ponytail. Satisfied with her appearance, she was about to walk out when she felt Igor¡¯s presence near. Wondering what would make him come back so soon, she decided to wait and find out. Dakaang¡­ The door opened to reveal Igor in a sour mood. Seemingly ignoring Aurelia, the blonde walked straight towards the bed and threw himself on it face first. Doof ¡°...¡± There was silence for a bit before the blonde finally turned his head to face Aurelia with a sour expression. ¡°I blame you, sister. I can¡¯t even train properly without this marriage nonsense clouding my brain.¡± Igor was full of grievance. Ever since he started meditating, his mind would be filled with thoughts of potentially having to marry. He was not blind to the responsibility he had. As potentially the last male Aryan, he had the responsibility of reviving their race. But that didn¡¯t mean he liked that weight on his shoulders. ¡°I just want to ask, sister. We already have long lives. Why do you seem to be in such a rush? Couldn¡¯t we talk about this after two centuries or something? I doubt I¡¯d be ready for a child even after a decade.¡± Inwardly glad that the blonde was still willing to talk, Aurelia sat down next to him. ¡°Please listen, Igor. The reason why I want you to find a wife quickly is because half-bloods are slowly dying out. As more and more half-bloods marry normal humans, any trace of Aryan ancestry will gradually disappear and it¡¯ll end up being harder for you to sire a pure-blooded Aryan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The blonde scrunched up his brows in slight confusion before he sat up. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s say that I¡¯m actually willing to go along with your words. Who did you have in mind, sister?¡± Aurelia answered without hesitation. ¡°Asia. She¡¯ll turn out to be a fine young woman and she would make a good wife.¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks Once* *Blinks Twice* ¡°What?!?!¡± Chapter 127 ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s say that I¡¯m actually willing to go along with your words. Who did you have in mind, sister?¡± Aurelia answered without hesitation. ¡°Asia. She¡¯ll turn out to be a fine young woman and she would make a good wife.¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks Once* *Blinks Twice* ¡°W-what?!?!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Asia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My little sister?¡± ¡°Yes, Igor.¡± ¡°My little ¡®sister¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, Igor.¡± ¡°My SISTER?!¡± ¡°...yes¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde was by all means, flabbergasted. He couldn¡¯t believe that Aurelia would recommend that he marry his own sister. ¡°Let me get this straight, Sister Lia. You want me to marry Asia, my little sister?¡± ¡°To be accurate, Igor. Asia isn¡¯t your blood sister. So I see no problems there.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! The blonde felt like ripping his hair out of frustration. The way his elder sister just casually advised him to marry his little sister almost made him burst an artery. ¡°No! No, no, no, no, NO!¡± There was absolutely no chance he was going to entertain such a preposterous notion. ¡°Sister Lia. Whether Asia is related to me through blood or not, I genuinely consider her as my little sister and she sees me as her older brother. For you to propose that I marry is¡­ugh.¡± The thought alone disgusted him. Bringing his hand to his forehead, he sighed. ¡°We don¡¯t need to discuss this any longer. Asia is my little sister and that¡¯s final. Don¡¯t try to persuade me.¡± Having said those words, he stood up and walked towards the door. With how muddled his thoughts were, he figured some good old-fashioned training would clear his mind. But before he walked out, he turned to look at Aurelia, his gaze slightly threatening. ¡°Don¡¯t try to persuade Asia into this as well. Don¡¯t manipulate her. Don¡¯t direct her. Don¡¯t even hint at it. Asia is my bottom line.¡± Unknowingly, he released a heavy pressure. ¡°Don¡¯t cross it.¡± Walking away, he closed the door behind him without turning back, leaving Aurelia alone in the room. There was absolute silence as Aurelia stared at the door with slightly widened eyes. ¡°...¡± Contrary to expectations, the silverette was neither intimidated, disappointed, or angry. Rather, she was proud. With a small smile forming on her face, she applauded the blonde. ¡°As expected of Igor-sama.¡± Not caring for the slip of the tongue, her eyes were filled with pride¡­and knowing. [Even if I do not do anything, it is nigh impossible for Asia to not develop any feelings for you, Igor.] If she, a bachelorette of over six decades was momentarily charmed by a person five decades her junior, then how will Asia be able to resist? [Maybe if he was twenty years older, then it would be possible. But with only a four-year gap between them¡­] Aurelia was sure that as Asia grew up, her expectations in her partner would largely be influenced by Igor. His presence would certainly make sure of that. Whether it be his strength in the future, his prestige, and even his mentality, all of it would make Asia subconsciously compare every single male she meets to her older brother. The silverette was absolutely sure of that. ¡°Whether Asia-no¡­Lady Asia realises it in her teenage years or later, she will find that a capable man like Igor will be very hard to find. And as she slowly realises that there are no blood-ties between them, she will surely begin viewing him as an ideal partner.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. With the blonde¡¯s rate of growth, the silverette was sure that within ten years, he would become a powerful entity unmatched within his generation. With his steadily increasing rate of growth combined with the time chamber, she was 99.9999999% sure Igor would have no rival within his age group. ¡°With such a dazzling star who shines above the rest, Lady Asia won¡¯t settle for lesser males, no? Especially when that dazzling star was so easily accessible to her.¡± In her mind, there was no need to even think about it. It was only a matter of time. Her biggest concern however, was the blonde. ¡°How will I make Igor consider the possibility?¡± She knew from the beginning how hard-headed he was from how he refused any titles such as ¡°-sama¡± and ¡°Lord¡± added to his name. As stubborn as a bull, trying to convince him otherwise was already a task bordering on the realm of impossible, especially when it concerned Asia. With how hard he refused the notion, she had no means for further suggesting the possibility to him without alienating herself. ¡°And since Lady Asia is still young, there is no feasible method of enticing him.¡± Temporarily mulling over the thought, she chose to temporarily postpone it. ¡°Lady Asia is still young. I will wait until she grows up and hopefully realises that Igor can be more than just a brother. By that time, it won¡¯t be considered manipulating if I ¡®encourage¡¯ her, right? Fufufu~.¡± Chuckling at the sudden thoughts she was having, she left the room as well and went on her way to the library. Meanwhile, a fleeting thought entered her mind. [Since Igor seems to like legs, will it be wrong if I advise Lady Asia to train her legs?] She briefly considered the thought before she threw it out. [No. That would count as manipulation.] There was another reason why Aurelia had so much confidence that Asia would eventually view Igor as more than just an elder brother. [I will let the connection between them slowly have an effect before I possibly suggest that to her.] She could remember how over a year ago, the blonde had excitedly recounted how he and Asia met. At the time, she was curious why he had associated himself with a half-blood so she had asked. Barring the gruesome end of the kidnapper and the stare-down between him and Asia, the silverette had picked up one key point. ¡®I don¡¯t even know how to explain it, sister. I don¡¯t even know how to explain it now. I could just FEEL it in my blood that Asia was my sister. Like, FEEL it. There was no doubt or anything. It wasn¡¯t like as if I knew Asia was my sister all the time or something. It was like¡­ugh! I can¡¯t explain it! It¡¯s like¡­damnit. What¡¯s that word in English? Bloody- it¡¯s right on the tip of my tongue! Aii, forget it. All I know is, I just want to protect little Asia to the best of my abili-no¡­BEYOND my ability.¡¯ Recalling the memory, Aurelia had accurately identified that what Igor had formed with Asia was a soul connection. As for how or why it had formed, she still had no answers. Incidents regarding soul connections were too few and far in-between with very few accounts of them. Even amongst her ancestry, there were very few cases of soul connections. [The only reason I know for a soul connection forming is when lovers from a previous life meet each other again after reincarnation.] As for whether Asia and Igor were indeed lovers in some sort of previous life, she was unsure about that. Maybe it was the desire for family that made him link with Asia who shared the same ancestry as him or some other reason she did not know. Either way¡­ [As long as Igor and Lady Asia have a dozen children or two that will run around the time chamber, I will be happy~.] As for regarding Asia as ¡°Lady¡±, she had no problems doing so. While her clan viewed normal humans and half-bloods as lower, she did not possess such an inclination. There was hardly any room for arrogance to grow when revenge occupied most of the space in her mind. And since there was a high likelihood that Asia would indeed be the wife of Igor, it was not a stretch to refer to her as ¡°Lady¡±. [As Igor continues to accumulate power and prestige, calling her the next Queen of Aria would not be a mistake.] As she had these thoughts, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but smile as she entered the library. While she was confident in completing the seals, she did not want the original ancestral line to die out. If Igor and Asia could establish a royal lineage, then she would be completely satisfied. Even if their children married the new generation Aryans created from the seals, the lineage from the first generation would still be preserved. Although the surname would change from Drachenburg to Dimori, she had no qualms. As a woman, she couldn¡¯t continue the family line and thus unfortunately, would end with her. Sigh¡­ In a rather melancholic turn of events, those latter thoughts gradually soured her rather jubilant mood. Sitting down at her desk, her desire to continue working on the seals diminished. Grabbing a drawing of the perfectly drawn circle of the first seal, her gaze became forlorn. ¡°Mother¡­father¡­brothers¡­sister¡­¡± Recalling all of them who died in front of her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. ¡°Without your bodies, I can¡¯t even try and resurrect you.¡± With the dimension to Aria having collapsed, she wasn¡¯t even sure if there were any bodies to salvage. With their dimension having collapsed, it was already impossible to find it. ¡°Enough thinking, Aurelia. I must continue to work on these seals.¡± The disappointment of having hidden like a coward as her people died resurfaced, and the only way to squash it down was by drowning herself in seals and inscriptions. [I have failed before. But not this time!] . AN . Here are the current rankings for some of the characters. They are not in any particular order. Year: 1999 . Aurelia von Drachenburg Base: Low-God Class (Threshold) Combat Capability: Peak-God Class . Baraquiel Base: Mid-God Class Combat Capability: Peak-God Class (Potentially/Unverified) . Azazel Base: Peak-God Class Combat Capability: Unknown . Cleria Belial Base: High-Class Combat Capability: Low to Mid-God Class (Unverified) . Masaomi Yaegaki Base (Pre-Transformation/Revival): Ultimate Class (Exact Ranking Unspecified) Base (Post-Transformation/Revival): Unknown (Possibly does not exceed mid-god class) . Shuri Himejima Base: Mid to High-Class (Unspecified whether her revival brought her body to her peak or not.) Combat Capability: High-Class? (Loss of memories may have negatively or positively affected her combat capability) . Vasco Strada Base: Low-God Class Combat Capability: Mid-God Class . Igor von Dimori Base (weighted/suppressed): High-God Class Base (normal/full-power): Peak-God Class Super Kaioken?(Suppressed [x50] state): Peak-God Class Super Kaioken?(Full-Power): Low-Supreme Class Chapter 128 ¡°Without your bodies, I can¡¯t even try and resurrect you.¡± With the dimension to Aria having collapsed, she wasn¡¯t even sure if there were any bodies to salvage. With their dimension having collapsed, it was already impossible to find it. ¡°Enough thinking, Aurelia. I must continue to work on these seals.¡± The disappointment of having hidden like a coward as her people died resurfaced, and the only way to squash it down was by drowning herself in seals and inscriptions. [I have failed before. But not this time!] . |DxD| . Time Chamber: 5 years later (7 years after initial entry) . Deep inside the confines of the time chamber, Igor was standing still in the harsh weather only found when one ventured deep into the time chamber. Tossed aside were his weighted clothing which consisted of a black undershirt, armbands, and leg warmers. Left in only his trousers and sandals, the blonde had not moved an inch ever since he took off his weights. Despite the blistering cold, his body was covered in sweat with visible steam wafting off his body. His hair fell down to his sides like a wet mop, his breathing steady despite his prior physical exertion. Training, training, training, and more training. That is what had occupied most of Igor¡¯s time. As soon as his body stopped growing, he immediately dived into training with higher gravity levels, heavier weights, and somehow, even more intense training regiments. With his body having experienced over three years in terms of growth, the amount of gains he could make in his training also increased. The well of potential that he had unearthed over his initial two years of training had been vastly expanded. With his body being eighteen in terms of biology, he was already in his accelerated phase of growth. With his divine strand evolving, the benefits that were brought were considerable. Of course, Igor had never failed to train in his newly obtained transformation. As time went on, his troubles of taking too long to enter both his suppressed form and full-power form gradually became nonexistent. As it stood, it took him just barely less than a second to power up to his suppressed state. It was not quite instant, but it was a satisfactory result no less. Entering his full-power state still took him a good three seconds. He wasn¡¯t completely satisfied, but he was forced to accept that this was currently the best he could do. There was only so much ki he could insert into his divine strand before it became pointless. However, he did come up with a way to compromise. Whereas in his full-power state he was 110x stronger than in his base form, he was able to find a stable state which was exactly at 100x his base strength. In this context, despite the difference only being a mere 10x, the results were obvious at first glance. ¡°Haaa!¡± GRUUU! Exploding with power, a red aura similar to a flame formed around him. His hair spiked up and turned red in an instant while blue eyes bled away to reveal ruby red. His transformation was controlled with barely an outward pressure that affected the winds around him. Apart from the initial outburst of ki caused by rapidly powering up, there were no further events, a showcase of the control he had over his ki. But, he wasn¡¯t completely satisfied with that. [More practice is needed.] Having assumed his transformation, the blonde clenched his fists before he vanished from the spot. Su! ...BOOM! Appearing a few dozen metres away, the blonde let out a powerful punch that caused a massive shockwave. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Su! ¡­Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Constantly vanishing, Igor seemed to be fighting against an invisible opponent, Brief flashes of red could be observed before it vanished. The power from his attacks were like cannons. Each punch and kick packed a very powerful force behind it. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! The minutes trickled by and slowly, half-an-hour had already passed. Yet not once did his momentum decrease in the slightest. Despite not resting for even a single second, Igor was still brimming with vitality and energy. Su! Finally coming to a stop, Igor stood on the ground with his aura still stably emitting from his body. His hair flowed in the wind while his eyes were closed in focus. With steady breaths, Igor slowly drew in his aura until there wasn¡¯t even a wisp remaining. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Letting out a deep breath, he gradually opened his eyes. Surveying his body, Igor was satisfied with this brief exercise. Bending over to grab his weighted clothing, he began putting them on one-by-one. Starting with his undershirt, he had some momentary trouble trying to get his spiked-up hair through the hole. But after about ten seconds, he finally succeeded in putting on his shirt. Briefly levitating to put on his leg warmers, the redhead finally ended by putting on his armbands. ¡°I¡¯ll need to ask sister to increase the weights for me soon.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Having increased the weight of his clothing from one ton to five tons, he could feel that he was getting used to the current weight. In his base state, they were already starting to feel like normal clothing even in over 500x gravity. In his transformed state, they felt like nothing. Putting his hands into his pockets, Igor took out two scrolls that he immediately placed on the ground and unfurled. With the scrolls lying open on his left and right, there were intricate circles with patterns linking them together. He had no idea what the patterns and symbols meant¡­ ¡°Sister Lia said I had to leave a drop of blood and also channel my ki into them.¡± ¡­or what they did. ¡°She only said there would be a big surprise in store for me.¡± He was somewhat curious as to what these scrolls could do. Since it was her personal creation, it must be something truly amazing. ¡°One way to find out then.¡± The redhead brought his thumbs to his mouth and decisively bit on them. Drawing blood, he swiped them on the scrolls and at the same time, channeled his ki. Doof! Doof! The effects were relatively immediate. Not a short while later, there was a burst of smoke that cleared to reveal two Igors who had also transformed. ¡°Heh?¡± These two clones looked exactly like him, dressed in the same clothes, and even released exactly the same aura and pressure. The only difference between the redhead and his clones was that their faces were blank, completely emotionless without that spark of life in their eyes. They were like dolls¡­machines with only one purpose-kill! Su! Su! Without hesitation, the two carbon copies of himself attacked him. Igor subconsciously raised his hands to block the punch aimed for the side of his head and the side kick aimed for his neck. Clash! There was a brief silence as several muscles worked overtime to overcome the three-way deadlock that had suddenly risen. The friction alone from the deadlock caused the area of clothing caught in the crossfire to burn away Fortunately, Igor managed to get his head back in gear after this sudden surprise attack. [I don¡¯t know what they are, nor do they seem like they¡¯re willing to talk.] Gradually pushing away each offending limb, aura began emitting from his body. ¡°You must be the surprise sister mentioned.¡± The aura of flames around his body grew in intensity as his ki churned faster and faster throughout his body. ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank her. A fight is exactly what I needed.¡± He could feel from the aura his two clones were releasing that they inherited his current strength. It mystified him, but only briefly. The how¡¯s and why¡¯s did not matter at the moment. Just as a hungry man does not ask what ingredients were used in the food, so would he not ponder how these two clones came to exist. Su! Su! Su! In nigh perfect synchronisation, all three of them moved and began fighting. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! It was a two-on-one, Igor against his lookalikes. Streaks of red meshed against the aurora-filled sky of the time chamber as fast-paced combat ensued. [I missed this!] Despite being entangled in a seemingly unfavourable situation, his blood only boiled even more. Blocking one attack after the others, he was being pushed back. From the skies to the ground, Igor was continuously forced to retreat. The clones worked so well in synchronisation that he couldn¡¯t even squeeze in a gap to launch a counterattack. Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! With his hands working to parry the continuous attacks issued by his clones, he barely had any time to charge a simple ki blast. But, if there was one thing Igor learned during his stay in the Heavenly Realm, it was that sometimes, resourcefulness was more important than strength. And having gotten used to being attacked by multiple people, he had picked up a few ways of getting out of an encirclement. This time, instead of parrying or dodging, he began diverting the attacks of one clone towards the other in an attempt to disrupt the flow. He did not need long. Even a single moment would be more than enough to build up ki for either an offensive such as a ki blast, a defensive move like an explosive barrier, or neutral techniques for escaping like the Instant Vanish. With the clones constantly sticking close to him, he just had to create an opportunity. Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! *GRAB!* Realising an opportunity had presented itself in front of him, he grabbed a leg aimed for his waist and swung it towards the clone reeling itself to follow with a punch to his chest. The clone with its fist clenched noticed the leg of the other clone coming towards it and as such, was forced to briefly pause¡­and that moment was all Igor needed. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the redhead replied with a trick that had rarely failed him since day one. ¡°RAAA!¡± Opening his mouth, he let out a red blast wave of immense power. Kruuu! The two clones were forced to dodge. Splitting from each other, the ki wave blasted towards the sky before dissipating into motes of red wisps of ki. In face of a threatening attack, their faces remained emotionless like a doll¡¯s. The two clones stood slightly apart from each other, their hands clenched and their outfits billowing in the catatonic winds. They only stood apart by just a few metres, but it was more than enough for the blonde to start launching a counterattack with a technique that was very useful in this current scenario. Placing two fingers on his head, he vanished¡­ Tswii! ¡­and appeared above one of the clones¡­ Tswii! ¡­before appearing beneath the other one. Booom! With a powerful horsekick to the chin, he sent the clone flying into the skies. Locking on to the energy signature of the other clone, he was about to vanish when he suddenly lost it. [Wha-] Tswii! ¡°?!¡± BOOOM! Caught offguard by the clone¡¯s ability to also use the Instant Transmission, Igor was sent flying to the ground by a powerful heel kick to his shoulder. Had he not dodged, it would¡¯ve landed on his head. Fortunately, he was still coherent enough to stop himself from crashing into the ground head first. Backflipping in midair, he gently landed on both feet before looking into the skies at the two clones who had just regrouped. ¡°Heh~. I admit. That was certainly a surprise. I never thought a lookalike could also use the Instant Transmission. This means you can use more of my techniques, right?¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Neither clone replied or even acknowledged that they heard his question. Their eyes remained locked on him, their gaze cold yet empty. Like dolls, their expressions remained neutral throughout the entire time they fought. Like husks, they were only puppets that had a purpose- to destroy the original. Su! Su! And they would be merciless in their task. CLASH!¡­Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Different from his excited state, Igor was serious. His battle-thirsty expression had been replaced by a calm demeanour. Even as he traded blows with the clones, it did not ease. Dodging what he could and parrying what he couldn¡¯t, the redhead remained on the defensive against the onslaught of his clones. Their attacks were clearly aimed to kill, despite the evident lack of killing intent. This was not a normal spar, but a battle of attrition. Facing the onslaught from two of his clones in insanely fast-paced combat, it was normal to assume that Igor would tire out quickly, especially when not long ago, he had been training prior to this without rest. But¡­assumptions could only be assumptions, not assurance. GRUUUU! Having long since primed his ki beforehand, Igor quickly deployed a burst of red aura around him in the form of an explosive barrier. Having successfully managed to repel the two clones again, the redhead didn¡¯t chase after them. Instead, he started stretching his head. ¡°Mmm¡­thanks for that. Now that the cramps are ironed out and my body¡¯s fully warmed up¡­¡± The clones didn¡¯t attack¡­because they couldn¡¯t. FUUUUUSH ¡­because they were locked down by the heavy pressure he was releasing. ¡°...let¡¯s begin round two.¡± GRUUU Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su With a blazing red aura manifesting itself around him, the redhead was finally getting serious. There were absolutely no signs of fatigue anywhere on his body. In fact, he was brimming with vitality. Tswii!¡­BOOM! Chapter 129 The clones didn¡¯t attack¡­because they couldn¡¯t. FUUUUUSH ¡­because they were locked down by the heavy pressure he was releasing. ¡°...let¡¯s begin round two.¡± GRUUU Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su With a blazing red aura manifesting itself around him, the redhead was finally getting serious. There were absolutely no signs of fatigue anywhere on his body. In fact, he was brimming with vitality. Tswii!¡­BOOM! . |DxD| . Stamina. If there was one thing Igor had the most in abundance, it was stamina. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Decades of gravity training honed his body into a machine. With most of his techniques revolving around the use of stamina, his body had evolved to better handle the strain. Techniques like the Kaioken and Instant Vanish that rely primarily on stamina and endurance require strong physiques that can handle the strain of their usage. Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! The scales had tipped and the previous battle of attrition had turned into a blitzkrieg. Utilising his Instant Vanish, Yin-Yang Breathing Method, and if possible, his Instant Transmission, Igor was able to turn the tables on his clones. Tswii! Tswii! BOOOM! One moment, he would seemingly appear committed to attacking one clone before suddenly vanishing and attacking the other. He did not hold back and had no scruples in abusing the Instant Vanish or Instant Transmission. Unfortunately, matters became a lot more complicated when his clones could also use the same techniques he could. With the Instant Transmission¡­ Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! It would become an endless teleportation spree with one aiming to attack the other. As much as Igor enjoyed taking risks, the last thing he needed was getting lost in the Teleportation Zone due to having lost his focus. So his primary attack method defaulted to the Instant Vanish. At the very least, he could see where he was rapidly accelerating to. Despite both him and his clones having the same level of power, they lacked his mentality and combat awareness. No matter how much they tried to team up against him, they couldn¡¯t properly fight back¡­ Tswii! Tswi! ¡­BLOCK! ¡­even if they could also use the same skills as him. *Struggle¡­Struggle¡­* He held their fists firmly within his grasp, his grip firm while their arms trembled. ¡°This is why I like fighting alone. You two prioritise protecting each other over attacking me, which makes it easier for me to exploit that weakness.¡± His words, while they didn¡¯t process in their heads, were true. The clones were only dolls whose basic parameters were to protect each other and kill the original. This severely restricted their means since protecting each other seemed to hold higher priority over killing the original. The redhead managed to exploit this by rushing towards one clone before switching over to the other clone. The second clone would be in a relatively defenceless state due to rushing to the other. And without sentience, they seemed to lack the capability to adapt to this. Having the fist of the clones firmly within his grasp, the clones tried using their other fists, but the moment they tried doing so, he flew down with their limbs still in his grasp. The clones were forcefully pulled down and before they could even react, they were slammed into the ground. BOOOOM! The ground in the time chamber was hard and certainly more durable than even the hardest rock on Earth. But at this moment, two massive craters had been created. The force that Igor threw them with was so powerful to the point that even after a few seconds had passed, the clones still hadn¡¯t gotten up. The redhead remained floating up in the air. Despite the almost overwhelming advantage he had against the clones, he didn¡¯t get off without a few scratches. Despite a few minor wounds here and there as well as his clothes being slightly torn, he was still in a relatively good condition. Compared to the clones that were lying on the ground, he might even considered to be in perfect condition. Their clothes were completely in tatters with one clone even having half of its shirt torn off. Their skin was more red than white with wounds covering nearly every single part of their body. Even the arms Igor held them with were completely broken due to the force of the throw. But contrary to feeling excited, Igor had a slight trace of sweat on his face. ¡°I think¡­I went a bit too far.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Either he overestimated the strength of the two clones or he used too much strength in his throw. Regardless, it was a fact that those clones were Aurelia¡¯s results of painstaking research¡­and those clones were now lying crippled on the ground. ¡°Should I try and fix them?¡± Despite the battle being rather short, he genuinely did enjoy fighting against them. Losing the two clones that could keep up with him in a fight wouldn¡¯t bode well for his battle-addiction. Not having something is much better than tasting it once and then having to survive without it. Having tasted a fight after so long, he truly did not want to endure a few more years without feeling that adrenaline rush again. Gradually descending towards the ground, he was just contemplating what to do when all of a sudden, the clones released a white light before splitting into little motes of light that slowly vanished. ¡°Heh?¡± *Confusion* *Processes Images* *Confusion Recedes* *Realisation Surfaces* *Realisation* *REALISATION* ¡°?!?!¡± The blonde was so taken aback by the sudden phenomenon that he couldn¡¯t even maintain his transformation. ¡°No¡­¡± Like an alcoholic watching a bottle of wine being shattered before his eyes, Igor gradually descended into despair. ¡°No!¡± He flew down to the ground in a burst of speed and began futilely collecting the motes of lights, but they always vanished within his grasp. His eyes were wide open with panic, his hands reaching out so fast that they left afterimages. ¡°Aaaa! Don¡¯t leave me! Don¡¯t leave me! I promise I won¡¯t beat you so much next time!¡± Yet no matter how he pleaded, the motes continued to vanish until finally, not a single sliver was left. Looking at his empty palms, a single tear trailed down his cheek. ¡°Stupid. Stupid, stupid, STUPID!¡± Collapsing to his knees, he began pounding the ground. ¡°Whyyyyyy! Why was I so harsh on them! If I just¡­if only I restrained myself a little¡­¡± Gone was happiness. Present was sadness. His heart felt heavier than the tattered weighted clothing he had on. Even the blood splotches of the clones on his clothes had vanished, leaving him in a pit of endless sadness. Like a gambler who had lost everything, he sat on the cratered ground with his hands on his head in silence. For a whole minute, he did not move. Resembling a person in mourning, there were dark clouds hanging over him. He would¡¯ve continued to brood had he not felt the magic circle of Aurelia manifest next to him. Vwong! With a brief flash of golden light, Aurelia appeared with her ever-neutral expression on her face. Despite being dressed in a simple dress, it did little, if nothing to diminish her beauty. Surveying the area around her, she finally turned around to face the blonde who looked at her with an empty gaze. [What happened for him to be like this?] Despite having been far away in the library, she had been paying attention to the battle. Knowing that the clones had lost relatively easily, she couldn¡¯t understand why he would be in such a state. [He even defeated them just before the five minute mark was up. So logically, he shouldn¡¯t have been dissatisfied.] The clones had a five minute timer on them before they would eventually cease to exist. If the clones had vanished in the middle of the fight, she would understand why he appeared so melancholic. Yet before she could ponder even further, the blonde suddenly jumped up and grabbed her by the shoulders. His gaze was frantic like a thirsty man that had spotted an oasis. ¡°Sister! You can make more, right? You can make more me¡¯s, right?!¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was¡­familiar with this sight. That begging expression, that tight grip on the helms of her skirt, and those quivering lips. She experienced them when he asked her to increase the weight of his clothing multiple times these past few years. She knew that when he made this expression, refusing him would lead to an hour long annoying begging session. So wordlessly, the silverette manifested two more scrolls in her hands. ¡°?!¡± Not willing to stand on ceremony, Igor snatched the familiar scrolls with a maniacal grin on his face. ¡°Haha! Thanks, elder sister!¡± Jumping out of the crater, he sprinted for a few metres before he immediately unfurled them. Fuush! While the scrolls were still in midair, he quickly bit his thumbs and swiped them on the scrolls Doof! Doof! The familiar smoke. The familiar scent. The familiar¡­aura? ¡°Heh?¡± What Igor expected to face were two clones that were transformed, not two clones who were like him in his base form. ¡°What the-¡± Su! Su! Without giving him a chance to process things, the clones charged towards him of their own accord. ¡°Wait wait wait! Transform first goddamnit!¡± Swoosh¡­Swoosh Igor dodged and parried the attacks of the two clones. But with his weighted clothes weighing him down in this heavy gravity deep in the time chamber, he was in a noticeable disadvantage. The clones did not stand on ceremony and took this chance to give him a good beating. With his armbands also having their own weight, the blonde wasn¡¯t quite fast at lifting his hands to parry blows. So he could only curl into a ball and protect his hand and other vital organs. Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! The clones continued attacking him all the way without any scruples. With their attacks aimed at killing him, it was rather smart of the blonde to protect his mid-section and even the back of his neck by covering it with his palms. Having been kicked around by the clones for over a dozen seconds, the blonde spotted an opportunity when one clone kicked him away. Fed up at being made a contemporary punching bag, the blonde exploded with power. Gruu! Bursting out with his Kaioken x10, he finally stood up straight with a murderous expression on his face. ¡°Damn bastards! I¡¯ll give you a proper beating as payback.¡± Su! In a burst of speed, he rushed forward. Reaching them rather quickly, he grabbed them by their throats and pushed them to the ground. Using his aura to suppress them, he turned to look at Aurelia with slightly laboured breaths. ¡°Sister. Why won¡¯t they transform? Why can¡¯t they even use the Kaioken?¡± He then turned towards the clones who were futilely struggling to escape his grasp, yet not a wisp of red aura emanated from them. This mildly frustrated him since he was hoping he could enjoy a two-on-one at his maximum power. ¡°Igor. These are just prototypes I¡¯ve made. I still have a few more things to figure out before I can finally perfect the seals that can create replicas of you. Right now, they can only replicate your current state and nothing more.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor turned to look at the emotionless clones that were unable to move due to the pressure he was exerting on them. ¡°Haaa¡­-oh!¡± Before he could finish sighing, he suddenly came up with an idea. Picking up the two clones by the neck, he reeled back his arm before throwing them away far off into the distance, one after the other. Suuuuuuuu¡­ Not wasting time, he turned to face Aurelia, the aura of the Kaioken receding. ¡°Sister. Please increase the weight of my clothing by one¡­no! Two tons! Quickly! Before they come back!¡± ¡°...¡± The silverette couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the sudden urgency he bestowed upon her. She was already regretting coming here or even creating these scrolls. [If I knew this would¡¯ve happened, I would¡¯ve just focused on the second seal-] Her tired expression was replaced by a dark glint. Feeling particularly mischievous, she hid a smirk behind the palm of her hand. ¡°Alright, Igor.¡± With a snap of a finger, she repaired his clothing as well as increased the weight of them to a total of two tons¡­times ten. ¡°What the?!¡± Booom! Falling to his knees at the sudden weight of twenty tons thrust upon him, the blonde barely had any time to spare a glare towards his dearest sister before two fists covered his view. [Fuck your mother¡­] BOOOOM! Chapter 130 Her tired expression was replaced by a dark glint. Feeling particularly mischievous, she hid a smirk behind the palm of her hand. ¡°Alright, Igor.¡± With a snap of a finger, she repaired his clothing as well as increased the weight of them to a total of two tons¡­times ten. ¡°What the?!¡± Booom! Falling to his knees at the sudden weight of twenty tons thrust upon him, the blonde barely had any time to spare a glare towards his dearest sister before two fists covered his view. [Fuck your mother¡­] BOOOOM! . |DxD| . ¡°Fufu~¡± Few things could make Aurelia smile. With a perpetual icy expression on her face, the things that could melt it away could be counted on one hand. Seeing Igor suffer a beating just so happened to be one of them. ¡°Use the Kaioken, Igor~.¡± ¡°Goddamnit! I don¡¯t need the-ACK! BLOODY PIECE OF-¡± BOOOM! Watching him get swatted down like a fly, the silverette had no intention of helping him in the slightest. Having already distanced herself from the battle site, she was content to simply enjoy the view. ¡°I¡¯m cheering for you, little broth-¡± ¡° ¡®Little brother¡¯ your moth-¡± *Dodges Punch* ¡°Haha! Nice try-¡± Gu!¡­suuuuu¡­BOOOM ¡°Pfft!¡± The silverette nearly doubled over in laughter. Taunting him like this and watching him suffer due to loss of focus was doing wonders in relieving her mental fatigue. Despite the clones having an inherent penchant for targeting vital spots, she was not worried that the blonde would somehow die. For all intents and purposes, Igor could easily win against them if he was willing to use even his Kaioken x2. But for some reason, he was adamant at staying in his base form. [If it wasn¡¯t for the weight¡­no. If it wasn¡¯t for the gravity here, he could¡¯ve fought evenly against them.] With how deep they were inside the time chamber, the gravity had just barely reached the triple digits. With the gravity hovering around 100x Earth¡¯s normal gravity, the blonde was in quite the detrimental situation. If it were mundane or simple tasks such as walking or training, then the weight on him would be no problem. Perhaps even more would be welcome. But if he was engaged in high speed combat¡­ ¡°Get these clothes off of me!¡± ¡­the less weight, the better. Because Aurelia added ten-times the weight he requested, he was constantly on the back foot, Just raising his arms to block was a hassle. And what was more frustrating for Igor was that he could see every fist, every elbow, every knee, and every foot close in on him in real time. Attacks that he would normally be able to block even if he was dead tired were now something he could only watch. [Damn me¡¯s. Why the hell do you have to strike so hard! Tch!] Since trying to block the attacks wasn¡¯t working, the next best thing he could do was try to dodge them. Although his undershirt alone weighed over a dozen tons, it was easier to move his body left and right to dodge than constantly raise his arms. [This better work or father will kill me for ruining this handsome face.] Although the clones were more likely to target his throat than his nose, the possibility still existed. Either way, his arms were clearly inefficient in blocking attacks so he could only resort to his next game plan. Faced with this realisation, the blonde gave up on all forms of blocking and directly began dodging the attacks. Shu! ¡­Shu! ¡­Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Although it was a bit aggravating on his spine, he was able to twist his body side while using his footwork to trail back. For some of the attacks that he couldn¡¯t block, he¡¯d twist his body and let his arms take the hit instead of his ribs. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Tswii! ¡­Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Darting across the landscape, Igor began receiving less and less damage from the clones. As his idea continued to prove its worth, his frustrations eased further. With his frustrations eased, his mind calmed and in turn, his ability to dodge increased. Like an endless cycle, he found himself having to use his arms less and less to block certain attacks at his body. With his highly attuned perception, there were some attacks that he didn¡¯t even need to see before he would ¡®feel¡¯ them nearing his body. In fact, it would be better to say that his ears and aura sense played more of a role in this fight than his eyes. Su! Su! ¡­Shu! BOOOM! Having dodged a falling heel kick that came from above with a sidestep, the blonde was already three steps ahead as he jumped up to dodge a sweeping kick to his shins. ¡°...¡± If Aurelia didn¡¯t know better, she would¡¯ve thought this was some choreographed scene. [He¡¯s bearing what equates to hundreds of tons in weight alone. Yet he¡¯s still able to dodge the clones without much difficulty? If he had created the clones with the weight he had on now, it would be one thing. But the clones were created when he still had five tons of weight on him. He¡¯s currently enduring twenty-five tons of weight and yet¡­] Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! [...he¡¯s not in a disadvantage even when facing two of them.] Aurelia had carefully made the scrolls so that they replicated the person¡¯s exact strength in that moment upon their creation. They still came with some flaws, but she was only a few months into her research and with Igor using an entirely different energy system from the mainstream, it was a bit difficult to tailor the seals to accept ki as well. But what she knew was that right now¡­ ¡°The clones are definitely stronger than him. Be it their power output, speed, or strength, they are superior to him. But¡­they still cannot stage an advantage over him.¡± The clock was ticking and the clones would dissipate in a minute or two. Tswii! Tswii! ¡­Shu! ¡­Shu! Shu! Shu! For over a minute, neither of them had been able to touch him. Regardless of whether they used the Instant Vanish or Instant Transmission, the blonde was able to dodge them with a weight of over two-hundred tons on him. ¡°Igor really is impressive. Even gods wouldn¡¯t be able to do this.¡± For a whole minute, no attack had been able to land on him. It was as if he was able to see it beforehand and dodged in advance. Aurelia was sure that very few would be able to do this at such an advanced level. [If he assumed that transformation of his, he surely wouldn¡¯t be caught lacking in a fight against other gods of the supreme class.] To have such a thought would be nothing short of preposterous. If the ¡®her¡¯ from the past heard this, she would consider it a joke that a human could possibly combat a supreme class. After all, those gods had all sorts of strange techniques and thousands of years of experience. [Fighting them isn¡¯t that simple. But if it¡¯s Igor, he can do it.] And there was no one better than him to assume such a task. In a fight where divine techniques would be used, mortal techniques had no place. In fact, mortals had no place at all. Yet¡­ ¡°Igor cannot be considered a mortal.¡± It was something on her mind for a while now. Getting Igor to explain it fully to her was hard, but when she came to understand exactly what the Kaioken is and how it worked, she had already concluded that the blonde had walked on the path to godhood. [With his lifespan constantly increasing as he uses the Kaioken, he¡¯s already superior to even us Aryans.] Expanding the existing lifespan and gradually increasing it were two different concepts. Whereas her lifespan was already above 400 years, that was the limit. Igor¡¯s on the other hand was¡­ [How much was it again?] Coming out of her daze, she came face to face with the sight of the two clones abandoning their incessant attacks on the blonde to land on the ground and stand rigidly still. ¡°It¡¯s over already?¡± . |DxD| . [The clones are about to vanish again.] Feeling the vitality within them dwindle until there was barely anything left, he knew they would soon disintegrate into little motes of light. And right on point, the clones were gradually covered in a white glow before their bodies disintegrated into little white specks of light. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Knowing that it was over, the blonde allowed himself to sit down on the ground. He was tired both mentally and physically. [This fight tested my perception more than my brute strength.] Once again, he was inwardly thankful for the training he received from Sun Wukong. The ability to acutely sense energy and predict an attack by observing its flow was the key determining factor in him lasting this long. ¡°I gotta try training like that again sometimes. Maybe I¡¯ll cover my eyes with a blindfold or something.¡± Filing that thought for later, he took off his armbands and leg warmers, though there was some amount of struggle. ¡°My arms feel like noodles and I can¡¯t feel my legs at all.¡± With his armbands removed and leg warmers and unfastened, he then looked at his undershirt. ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ Grabbing the collar rim, he tried taking it off, but as he thought, it was hard. ¡°I¡¯m not getting this off with my arms still wobbly like this.¡± He considered using the Kaioken, but he was so tired that he couldn¡¯t be bothered to go through the hassle. So he manifested a ki blade, pointed it at his chest¡­ Zuuu! ¡­and cut the shirt in half. Taking his time, he removed it like a jacket and let it fall to the ground. Thud! ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Raising his arms to the sky and stretching his body, several satisfying cracks rang out. Noticing the minor bruises on his body, especially on his arms and back, the blonde quickly ran his hands over his face before releasing a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew. You can rest assured, father. This son of yours will still be able to find a wife.¡± Stretching his neck one final time, he crossed his legs. ¡°Now¡­time to heal.¡± Immediately, his jovial and relaxed expression was replaced by one of focus. Gradually, white aura formed around him before it slowly turned red. In the process, his hair slowly rose up while also clustering together. His eyes turned red in real time, their previous cerulean colour fading away to reveal crimson red. su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU SU Entering the suppressed state of his transformation, the blonde sat cross-legged with the balls of his fists pressed against each other. Red flame-like aura covered him like a shroud, the cloak of ki making him appear like a¡­ [God. A god. No¡­a demigod.] Aurelia never failed to be mesmerised by such a scene. With how peaceful he appeared, he was like a benevolent Buddha. But that aura surrounding him indicated otherwise. That red aura with his black hair, his crimson gaze glazed over in focus, and those tense muscles covering his torso made him seem like a god. And with his power, he had the qualifications to assume such a title. Chapter 131 Aurelia never failed to be mesmerised by such a scene. With how peaceful he appeared, he was like a benevolent Buddha. But that aura surrounding him indicated otherwise. That red aura with his black hair, his crimson gaze glazed over in focus, and those tense muscles covering his torso made him seem like a god. And with his power, he had the qualifications to assume such a title. . |DxD| . Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Slowly, the injuries on Igor¡¯s body healed at a visible rate. All the bruises gradually vanished along with the signs of fatigue on his skin. With his eyes closed, Igor focused on circulating all the demi-ki around his body. With the subtle healing factor imbued within it, it would only take him a few complete circulations to completely heal his body. But¡­such an ability would not come without a significant cost. gruuu¡­gru¡­gruuuuu¡­¡­¡­gru¡­ Feeling his stomach growl violently, the blonde couldn¡¯t ignore the pains of hunger. [I¡¯ll never get used to this.] Cancelling his transformation, his hair slowly fell to the ground while his aura receded into his body. Subconsciously turning his head to look at Aurelia, he couldn¡¯t help but remember his other sister. [It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve seen Asia¡­and Akeno.] Having gone so long without seeing those two familiar faces, a part of him couldn¡¯t help but worry. [A few months must¡¯ve passed in the real world. No one caused trouble for them¡­right?] With the massacre of the Himejima happening directly underneath the noses of the Shinto Pantheon, the blonde knew he had stepped on many toes regarding that incident. He didn¡¯t regret exacting vengeance on the clan, but he couldn¡¯t be at peace knowing that he wasn¡¯t there. Closing his eyes in focus, he once again tried to will himself to leave the time chamber, but like always, he couldn¡¯t. His body barely flickered for a moment before it stopped. [Haaaaa. I still can¡¯t exit the time chamber.] He had been trying for years, but he couldn¡¯t leave the time chamber. Even the massive doors seemed to be locked, barring his exit. [Damnit. I just hope that old man Baraquiel has returned by now. Sister Cleria wouldn¡¯t have let him stay away for long. And if Uncle Azazel is involved, then atleast they can keep aunty, Akeno, and Asia safe.] He had no hope but to be optimistic like this. This matter concerned the safety and well-being of his loved ones, especially Asia. Vasco had entrusted Asia¡¯s safety to him in hopes that while he dealt with the internal affairs of the church, he would safeguard her since she was a well-known prime target. [No no no no no. She¡¯s safe. They¡¯re safe. Nothing has happened to them. Nothing WILL happen to them.] Nothing can happen to them otherwise- [No. Don¡¯t think about it. This matter is already out of my control.] Shaking his head to clear these thoughts, he stood up. [I still have three years left. I have to maximise my training and gain as much strength as possible during this time.] Adjusting his mood, he was about to walk forward when he suddenly came face to face with Aurelia. ¡°?!?!?!?!?!¡± To be specific, she was so close to him that their noses were almost touching. *Vein Twitch!* Almost releasing a mouth blast on instinct, the blonde was now stuck with puffed cheeks since he couldn¡¯t just release it on his sister. Turning his head to the side, he released the accumulated ki through a large mouth blast. ¡°Pweh!¡± Booom! Wiping his mouth of spit, he turned to glare at Aurelia. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°What are you doing?! I was THIS close to blowing your head off, sister!¡± Yet instead of replying, all Aurelia did was continue to look into his eyes¡­with a judgemental, yet worried gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve been losing your focus more and more frequently these past few weeks.¡±¡¯ ¡°...¡± Such a sentence was so out of the blue that the blonde found most of his anger dissipating. ¡°I¡­really?¡± ¡°...¡± The worry in her gaze gradually turned blank at the stupidity of his words. ¡°You are someone who was trained by the Great Sage himself in sensing aura. Your perception at the very least, is unrivalled within your generation. Yet somehow, I who wasn¡¯t actively trying to evade your presence, was able to walk up to you without your knowledge.¡± ¡°...¡± A hint of embarrassment formed on Igor¡¯s face. ¡°Alright. I admit my mind has been wondering these past few weeks. But¡­I¡¯m just worried for the others, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°...¡± Touched at his care for the others, she decided to reassure him. ¡°Do not worry so much, Igor. Nothing will happen to them. Besides, worrying about something out of your control is rather pointless.¡± ¡°Heh~. Those were my exact thoughts too, sister.¡± ¡°Oh? So you can think after all.¡± ¡°Yep. I sure can-¡± *Realisation* ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± With a golden teleportation circle forming beneath her, the silverette smiled warmly at the blonde. ¡°I am pleased to know that Lord Dimori does have a brain after all.¡± Vwong! ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t!¡± Placing two fingers on his forehead, Igor began searching for her presence. ¡°Calling me an idiot and thinking you can get away with it¡­?¡± Amidst his mumbling, he finally found her presence appear in their room. ¡°Well you have another thing coming!¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . Azazel was in a crux. Ever since he returned to Kuoh, he had been bombarded by shocking news from every angle. Barely three weeks had passed and he still couldn¡¯t process the myriad of news he had received from both Cleria and his informants. From the massacre of the Himejima at Igor¡¯s hands, to the miraculous revival of Shuri at Amaterasu¡¯s hands, all those were big pieces of news. He didn¡¯t even want to get started on Shiva¡¯s involvement in all of this. Overlooking the town of Kuoh from the balcony on Cleria¡¯s mansion, the fallen couldn¡¯t help but release a sigh. There were still signs of construction happening, but compared to two weeks ago, it was much better. ¡°1999. Who knew it would be such a turbulent year.¡± Taking a sip from the coffee mug in his hand, he chuckled. ¡°I suppose it is a great way to end the millennium.¡± It was still early morning. The sun had just barely peeked through the clouds and the winds from the cold night were still billowing. Wearing a gown and some slippers, Azazel was content to simply enjoy this breeze. But, he had something of vital importance to do. [It¡¯s been twenty days since anyone has last seen Baraquiel. Even my informants can¡¯t find him.] While each brother did have certain means of finding each other, it was possible to disable them. But, Azazel knew there was still a possible method he could use to locate his brother. ¡°Haaa¡­I guess it means I¡¯ll have to see Shuri then.¡± He was a bit hesitant in meeting his sister-in-law. After all, although somewhat illogical, a part of him did partially blame himself for what happened to her. As the wife to a cadre of Grigori, she should¡¯ve received extra protective measures. It was an oversight on his part, an oversight that almost cost them dearly. He could only be thankful to Igor because without him, the possibility of Amaterasu resurrecting Shuri would¡¯ve been pitifully low. ¡°But¡­supreme class, huh.¡± If there was anything that surprised Azazel the most, it was Igor surpassing all of them and reaching the realm of supreme class. That news was even more astonishing than Shiva being present in Kyoto. Time chamber or not, Igor reaching the realm of supreme class in less than a century was nothing short of proof of just how monstrous he was. ¡°And if he really did disappear into the time chamber with that lass¡­¡± His mind suddenly churned at the possibilities. ¡°Should we expect children, or a more powerful blonde.¡± He had only seen Aurelia, or ¡®Kurohime¡¯ as she used to be called, with blonde hair. He could clearly remember how beautiful she was and could only imagine how beautiful she would be with white hair. ¡°Hehehe~. With a pretty girl like that, not even a monk could resist not touching her for ten years.¡± With a perverted grin on his face, he was about to descend into a field of fantasies when he was suddenly interrupted by a pair of arms circling his waist. ¡°Hmm?¡± Looking down, he was met with Cleria¡¯s pouting face. ¡°Pretty girl, huh?¡± Cleria was also in a black gown¡­only. With her hair tied in a messy bun, it was evident that she had just woken up. Walking around barefoot, she was far less concerned about the cold tiles and more concerned about who this pretty girl was that had Azazel grinning like this. But, Azazel was already used to such situations of jealous girlfriends and knew how to diffuse them. Smiling warmly at his lover, he placed a palm on her back and began gently rubbing it. ¡°There are many pretty girls in the world, Cleria-chan. But none¡­¡± Lowering his head, he steadily approached her lips. ¡°...as pretty¡­¡± Chuu~ ¡°...as you.¡± Chuu~ With Cleria caught in a daze¡­ [Cute~.] ¡­he couldn¡¯t help but steal a deep kiss from her. ¡°?!¡± The silverette was caught in momentary surprise. The sudden feeling of his lips aroused a tingly feeling all over her body. ¡°Mmmmm~.¡± Instead of trying to push him away, she pulled him closer. With her arms behind his neck and his on her waist, they shared a warm kiss under the morning sun for a whole minute before she finally ran out of breath. ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± Hiding her face on his stomach, she didn¡¯t want him to see how flushed her face was. There was no way she would admit that she actually enjoyed it. Feeling embarrassed at how he so easily tamed her, she tried putting on a brave front. ¡°F-fine. I¡¯ll forgive you for your earlier comment.¡± ¡°...¡± Badump¡­ Feeling his heart tighten at how cute she appeared, Azazel could no longer hold himself back. Tightening his grip on her waist, he picked her up. ¡°Kyaaa! What are you doing Az-?!¡± Before she could complain any further, he kissed her neck. ¡°Wai-nnnn~.¡± Her toes curled at the sudden feeling of her neck being sucked. Instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist, Cleria let herself drown into his embrace. As for Azazel, his fire had been stoked and he would need an hour¡­or two to calm down. [I¡¯ll look for you later, brother.] Chapter 132 ¡°Kyaaa! What are you doing Az-?!¡± Before she could complain any further, he kissed her neck. ¡°Wai-nnnn~.¡± Her toes curled at the sudden feeling of her neck being sucked. Instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist, Cleria let herself drown into his embrace. As for Azazel, his fire had been stoked and he would need an hour¡­or two to calm down. [I¡¯ll look for you later, brother.] . |DxD| . ¡°Akeno. Can you go and check if Asia is done with her bath? Breakfast is almost ready.¡± ¡°Yes, mama.¡± In the Himejima household, morning preparations for breakfast were already underway. The aroma of fried meat and vegetables filled the house and the sound of sizzling pans silenced the bird calls outside. The house was busy with the pitter-patter of footsteps and the stairs seeing frequent use. Contrary to her kind personality, Shuri was rather strict in how she enforced the rules of her house. Despite it only being 08:00, no one was allowed to be asleep beyond that time. With three plates having been laid out and pans sizzling with oil on the stove, breakfast was almost complete. With Akeno having left to call Asia, Shuri was left alone in the kitchen to continue with her work. ¡°Hmm~ hmm~¡­hmm~ hmm~.¡± Humming a melodious tune, she went about stirring the onions she was frying. Ever since Asia arrived, she had begun mixing in Western cuisine in consideration for the little blonde who couldn¡¯t quite stomach true Japanese foods which would consist of squid, octopie, and other traditional cuisine. It wasn¡¯t an inconvenience to her to have to change their whole palate. Trying new things to cook was always enjoyable for her so there were no problems. And¡­it was always especially enjoyable to watch Asia consume plate after plate of food. [Just like her brother¡­] Seeing Asia always made her think of him. Even though their time together was so short it could be counted in hours, his presence was the most impactful since her resurrection. [It¡¯s only been twenty days since he vanished. I hope he¡¯s alright¡­] She felt her heart tighten in worry since¡­ [But where could he be?] There was no sign of his disappearance. All she knew was that the forest became quiet and Cleria telling her he vanished along with Aurelia in a pillar of light. Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Hearing multiple footsteps come down the stairs, she cleared her thoughts and put on a smile as heads full of blonde hair and black hair entered the door. ¡°Asia. Good morning~.¡± The little blonde ran up to Shuri and gave her a hug. ¡°Good morning, aunty~. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine too, Asia. Why don¡¯t you and Akeno take your seats while I dish up, hmm?¡± ¡°Okay, aunty.¡± ¡°Yes, mama.¡± The little girls went over and took their seats while Shuri began dishing up. With the clatter of metal against ceramic, she first dished food for the girls before finally ending with herself. Knowing how voracious Asia was, there was still a lot of food left for anyone who would want seconds. Taking her seat at the head of the table, the two girls waited for her to sit down and take the first bite before they finally followed. And that was the moment when their eating habits were revealed. Fitting her personality, Shuri was elegeant in her way of consuming food. Using a mix of chopsticks and a knife to eat, not even her nails were dirtied. As for the two girls¡­ Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°...¡± Shuri could never get used to how they seemed to eat like animals. At the very least, Akeno was better. Asia was a different story entirely. Ignoring the cutlery placed on the table, the little blonde was very traditional in using her hands to stuff her face. With her cheeks containing traces of onion rings, fried eggs, and bread crumbs, she continued to eat without caring for her image. Shuri could only be thankful that Akeno was somewhat refined. Although her daughter also used her hands, atleast she would pick up her fork every once in a while. But, she was still messy in her eating. Just from observing, she could tell that their eating habits reeked of Igor¡¯s influence. But compared to the blonde, they weren¡¯t so fast that they left afterimages. In a way, him stuffing his face certainly looked better than these two who had their cheeks filled to the brim with food. [Sigh¡­] She could only be thankful that they closed their mouths when they chewed. *Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!* ¡°...¡± A trace of nervousness appeared on Shuri¡¯s face. Just from her senses, she could tell that the person at the door was a fallen angel. The problem was, she couldn¡¯t tell who it was. Apart from Akeno, the only other person she knew who was a fallen angel, was¡­ ¡°Baraquiel?¡± Clang! Hearing the name, Akeno dropped her utensils on her plate, a look of shock on her face. ¡°Papa¡­?¡± Naturally, she also heard the knock on the door. But when she heard her mother say her father¡¯s name, it was like a switch had been turned on. KRRR! Pushing back her chair, she got off her seat and darted straight for the door. ¡°A-Akeno!¡± Shuri tried to stop her but it was already a foregone conclusion. [I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not ready!] Having to potentially meet the father of her child, her emotions were all over the place. From contempt, to nervousness, she didn¡¯t know how to feel. But thankfully(?), her worst fears were soon calmed when she heard her daughter call out a title other than ¡°father¡±. ¡°Uncle Azazel?¡± ¡°Hello, Akeno. My, my¡­you sure have gotten a lot bigger since I last saw you. What are you? Nine, now?¡± When Shuri walked around the corner, she came face to face with a familiar, yet unfamiliar face. [Azazel¡­did he appear in Igor¡¯s memories?] Figuring that maybe he did appear briefly, she cancelled that thought and walked over towards them. ¡°Good morning, Azazel.¡± ¡°...¡± The fallen who was pinching a struggling Akeno¡¯s cheeks widened his eyes when he saw Shuri. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be¡­¡± Azazel observed Shuri and what he saw truly surprised him. [Is this really Shuri?] Just the vitality alone he sensed from her made her seem like a woman fresh out of her teenage years. ¡°Shuri! You¡¯ve grown younger!¡± Finally letting go of Akeno¡¯s chubby cheeks, he approached Shuri with wondrous eyes. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re twenty-three instead of thirty-three. And¡­it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re alright.¡± Seeing her in person like this, he was genuinely happy for her miraculous recovery. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Lord Azaze-¡± ¡°Please. Just Azazel is fine. After all, you¡¯re family.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri felt a bit complicated hearing such a statement. But before Azazel could ask her what was wrong, Akeno hurriedly grabbed the helms of his coat and asked excitedly. ¡°Uncle! Uncle! Are you here to help us find papa?¡± ¡°Heh~.¡± Ruffling her hair, he responded to her question. ¡°Of course! He is my brother too, you know?¡± ¡°Yayy~. Then let me get my things quickly, Uncle!¡± Doof Doof Doof Doo- ¡°Ah? Wait a moment, Akeno.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± With already one foot on the stairs, Akeno turned to face Azazel with a questioning gaze. ¡°Is something wrong, Uncle?¡± Chuckling sheepishly, the cadre explained. ¡°Listen, Akeno. Before we go, I need to talk to your mother for a bit¡­privately.¡± ¡°Oh¡­okay. Then I¡¯ll be waiting, uncle!¡± Not being a stranger to such requests, Akeno gave them some space and returned back to the kitchen. ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± With both Azazel and Shuri left standing alone in the hallway, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Initially, Azazel was going to ask for help, but after spotting Shuri¡¯s earlier expression when he said ¡°you¡¯re family¡±, he could guess that her amnesia did more damage than he thought. [Haaa. I should¡¯ve came with Cleria.] Scratching the back of his head, he was about to reveal his intentions when Shuri cut him off. ¡°Please follow me¡­Azazel.¡± Leading the way into the living room, she gestured for him to sit on the sofa before she also sat down next to him. Not wanting for there to be any lingering husband, she got straight to the point. ¡°I believe your visit isn¡¯t just for pleasantries.¡± Compared to before, her voice was a little sharp, far different from her usual welcoming tone. It was clear that hearing Baraquiel¡¯s name was like a switch that offset her mood. And if it wasn¡¯t even more obvious, the picture of the man in question wasn¡¯t hung on the walls of the hallway like usual. ¡°Alright, Shuri.¡± Getting into business mode, he stopped all unnecessary pleasantries. ¡°I won¡¯t ask when. I won¡¯t ask why. The reason I¡¯m here today is because I need your help in finding my brother-¡± ¡°Cuba. He is in Cuba. In a town called, Baracoa.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel could see it. Her expression was calm, but he could see the immense disappointment in her eyes. And from how she casually recited this information, it was glaringly obvious that she knew his whereabouts for a long time. He was hoping to quickly copy her magic signature and quietly retrieve ¡®that¡¯ book from where it was hidden, find his brother, and bring him back in a stretcher. It was a crude plan, possibly ranking on elementary in its execution. But it was one that maybe would¡¯ve worked considering the current situation. But with Shuri knowing his whereabouts and how that book would specifically log the person¡¯s current state, his plan went down the drain. [Brother. Would it have killed you to atleast come back and bury your wife if you thought she was dead?] He could understand his grief. After all, he wouldn¡¯t know what to do with himself if he had possibly lost Cleria to Serafall that day. ¡°I see¡­¡± Shuri revealing the knowledge of Baraquiel¡¯s location yet doing nothing about such knowledge already indicated that she had no intention of pursuing him or possibly reconciling. And the worst part was, Azazel couldn¡¯t blame her. ¡°I apologise. As his elder brother, I am also ashamed of his actions and can offer no excuses on his behalf-¡± ¡°Of course there are no excuses. Putting myself aside¡­¡± *Clenches Skirt* ¡°He abandoned his daughter¡­¡± Chapter 133 Shuri revealing the knowledge of Baraquiel¡¯s location yet doing nothing about such knowledge already indicated that she had no intention of pursuing him or possibly reconciling. And the worst part was, Azazel couldn¡¯t blame her. ¡°I apologise. As his elder brother, I am also ashamed of his actions and can offer no excuses on his behalf-¡± ¡°Of course there are no excuses. Putting myself aside¡­¡± *Clenches Skirt* ¡°He abandoned his daughter¡­¡± . |DxD| . And there it was. The main reason he did not want to visit Shuri without Baraquiel in tow. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to abandon me. But to abandon¡­to abandon his daughter¡­?¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t prevent her eyes from becoming red. ¡°I¡¯ve barely known Akeno for a month, Azazel. But I already know it in my heart that no matter what, I would never abandon her. So I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t just-¡± Her hands were clenched so tightly around her skirt that veins were already bulging. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand how he could do something like this!¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine herself doing the same. Abandon Akeno? Just the thought alone caused her heart to ache. ¡°...¡± Azazel couldn¡¯t even offer a response. Despite not being the target of her words, even he couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed. [Brother¡­oh brother¡­] Even if he had nine tongues to help him, there was no reason he could think of to justify his brother abandoning Akeno for so long. ¡°She still thinks of her father. She misses him. I always hear her cry for him in her sleep. But¡­apparently he¡¯s too busy having a ¡®good¡¯ time in Cuba.¡± Just yesterday, she had reviewed the logs and without any change, his current condition was always ¡®Good¡¯ for days in succession. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t here, who would take care of Akeno, hm?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please answer me, Azazel. If I wasn¡¯t here, who would have the time to take care of Akeno?¡± The answer was obvious. There was barely anyone who could dedicate that much time to looking after a nine-year-old child. Azazel was the leader of a faction. Cleria was an overseer* and Igor had no need to be mentioned. He himself was a child with no assets to his name. With some of the other options not even having met Akeno, not even the remaining result was suitable. ¡°She can¡¯t even enter an orphanage due to her heritage, Azazel. The church would¡­¡± She left it unsaid, but the result was glaringly apparent. It was already known that numerous factions, especially the church, would prowl orphanages looking for sacred gear wielders. If they found Akeno, a hybrid of a fallen angel and a human, killing her on the spot would be the best mercy compared to the other atrocious actions that could be committed. ¡°I may have lost my memories, Azazel. But I have not remained ignorant. And I am sure that ¡®he¡¯ would know what fate would befall his daughter should she be left alone.¡± Her gaze turned dark as she looked at Azazel with eyes filled with endless disappointment. ¡°Yet not once did he return.¡± ¡°...¡± It was over. He suspected it when he first met her. But now, he was completely sure. Any notion of this family truly recovering had been crushed like porcelain. Even if somehow they could find a way to reconcile, their relationship would never progress to how it was before. The amount of disappointment he could see in her eyes far transcended that caused by infidelity. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sigh¡­ Scratching the back of his head, Azazel stood up. ¡°Shuri. I cannot say I understand your pain nor will I attempt to do so. But right now, there is only one way to get to the truth of the matter.¡± Stretching out his hand, it was clear what his intentions were. ¡°Baracoa Cuba, right? All of this will be solved if we meet my brother in person.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri quietly contemplated this. By accepting, she would finally meet her ¡®husband¡¯ in person. There was still some apprehension in meeting him, especially with her already existing preconceptions of him. But¡­ ¡®Daddy¡­I miss you.¡¯ ¡­she would do it for Akeno. ¡°Alright.¡± Grabbing his hand, she stood up. ¡°I want to see him too.¡± . |DxD| . 1999/07/16 - August 5th, 1999, Baracoa, Cuba, 18:30 (August 4th) . It was already night time in the small town of Baracoa. With the darkening skies signifying the end of the working day, there was lots of traffic on the road from people going to and coming from work. With the street lights brightening the darkening surroundings, only the alleyways were left in the dark. Vwong! Shuri and Baraquiel appeared. After sorting out some arrangements and making sure Akeno and Asia would not face any trouble for the next hour at most, Shuri was resolved to see this matter through as quickly as possible. As such, without waiting for any prompt from Azazel, she took out the logbook and flipped towards the most recent entry. With fluid movements, she spread her palm on an empty page and channeled her mana. Immediately, a purple magic circle formed and as it formed, Shuri muttered a name. ¡°Baraquiel.¡± Zuuuu¡­. At her command, the circle morphed into a compass that immediately pointed eastwards with even the number of metres showing. The meaning was simple. They were to head east for two kilometres. Closing the book, Shuri took the lead. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Azazel.¡± With a serious demeanour, she stepped out of the alley and marched forward with a determined gaze. Having changed out of her normal clothes for her old black mission attire, her gait was unrestricted. ¡°...¡± Azazel stood quietly as he watched her seamlessly blend into the flow of traffic. With all-black clothing hidden underneath a black robe, it should¡¯ve been impossible for her to blonde in. Even just adding the black scarf covering half her face, it should¡¯ve made her stick out like a sore thumb. [It hasn¡¯t even been ten seconds and I¡¯ve already lost sight of her.] Acknowledging her skill, he shoved his hands into his pockets and followed after. Seamlessly blending into the traffic, he was gradually able to catch up to her. *Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* *Chatter* Walking along with the people on the sidewalk, Shuri walked forward with a determined gaze. Her eyes were solely focused on her destination without any thoughts of encouraging deviation. Coming within a few hundred metres of an intersection, she saw the congested traffic¡­ ¡°...¡± ¡­and realised that a necessary detour was required. Slipping into another alley, she applied a basic illusion on herself and calmly waited. Just a moment later, Azazel also stepped into the alley and stood next to her. Shuri, without waiting for him to say a word, directly told him what she would do next. ¡°Rooftops.¡± Without wasting a second, she immediately ran up the walls of the three-floor apartment building. From a normal person¡¯s perspective, she would¡¯ve appeared as a black shadow at best. Having reached the top, she vanished from view. ¡°...¡± Azazel couldn¡¯t help but sigh. [I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so adamant on being secretive like this.] Before they left Kuoh, she was adamant in approaching Baraquiel secretly. Whether it was because she wanted to observe him secretly or some other reason, he didn¡¯t know. But for now, he would follow her. Su! . |DxD| . Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Swoosh! ¡­Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Shuri ran swiftly across the rooftops without the slightest pause. Nimbly navigating around rooftop amenities like pipes and ventilation shafts, the only time when her stride would be broken would be when she was jumping from one rooftop to another. As she ran towards where Baraquiel¡¯s location was, Shuri was not in fact nervous about meeting the man like Azazel thought. Call it a hunch, but over the course of these past two weeks, she had become suspicious of Baraquiel. In the logs, apart from that one time where it was moderate, it had always been logged as ¡®good¡¯. From what she found out¡­ [¡®Moderate¡¯ only means that normal functioning capacity has been slightly impaired, but not too much. Excessive training, general sickness, and fatigue are examples. A ¡®bad¡¯ state, disregarding normal sleep, means normal functioning capacity is severely impaired and can mean a debilitating injury, long-term paralysis, or even unconsciousness. But¡­] Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Swoosh! ¡­Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! [All this time, his state has been logged as ¡®good¡¯.] For a man who had lost his wife, it was odd. Even depression would be logged as ¡®moderate¡¯ since it would impair the body¡¯s normal functioning capacity. But for his state to be logged as ¡®good¡¯ for consecutive days on end? It was too abnormal. Shuri did not wish harm or ill-will on Baraquiel. But what she did want to know, was what was it that could make a man who had seemingly lost everything recover so quickly. [I want to see exactly what it is that made him forget us.] Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Swoosh! . AN .
  1. Azazel was the leader of a faction. Cleria was an overseer* and Igor had no need to be mentioned. He himself was a child with no assets to his name.
Explanation: I¡¯m assuming that either Serafall was joking about dismissing Cleria, or that she hasn¡¯t issued a formal notice. Chapter 134 For a man who had lost his wife, it was odd. Even depression would be logged as ¡®moderate¡¯ since it would impair the body¡¯s normal functioning capacity. But for his state to be logged as ¡®good¡¯ for consecutive days on end? It was too abnormal. Shuri did not wish harm or ill-will on Baraquiel. But what she did want to know, was what was it that could make a man who had seemingly lost everything recover so quickly. [I want to see exactly what it is that made him forget us.] Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Swoosh! . |DxD| . Conventional teleportation magic was relatively easy to detect. Higher entities could especially sense if someone was about to teleport next to them. Knowing such a fact, it was why Shuri was adamant that they did not teleport directly to Baraquiel¡¯s coordinates. Her reasoning was irrational. She couldn¡¯t even fully justify it to herself why she wanted to approach him secretly. It was just a desire she had and she would see it through. Steadily reaching their destination, she took out the book again just to confirm the remaining distance. Zuuu! With the familiar purple magic circle forming, it continued pointing westwards alongside the remaining distance. [Three-hundred metres remaining.] Closing the book and tucking it back into her inner pockets, she surveyed the situation ahead. The general height of the buildings had decreased to average two-floor constructions. There were numerous billboards perforating the storefronts of each building she was running on top of. From furniture retailers, to supermarkets, to even barbers, it was all there. The neon signs had lit up to expose all sorts of fancy titles in bold colours to attract tourists. Yet even though she qualified as a tourist, exploring the town was the last thing on her mind. Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Having already calculated that she had advanced by roughly a hundred-and-fifty metres, her eyes glanced around before she found an alley she could descend into. Standing at the edge of the building, she carefully observed the situation down below, both with her eyes and with her ears. [Clear.] Swoosh! Krrrrr¡­ Jumping off and sliding down the vertical walls, her fall was slowed down enough that she could jump off and land safely without having to use her mana*. With how close she was to Baraquiel, she didn¡¯t want to possibly tip him off by using any sort of energy. With her concealing magic having been dispelled as well, she once again surveyed the area to make sure no one saw her stunt. ¡°Clear.¡± Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­ This time, she did not run, but walked casually. Walking towards the exit of the alley¡­ Su! ¡­she was soon joined by Azazel who instantly appeared next to her. Both walked out of the alleyway normally while navigating the piss-filled puddles and rusty rubbish bins. Yet despite their clear elite-class appearance, neither showed any sort of aversion to the stench of urine, faeces, and rotting food. While Azazel was donned in a suit with a dark coat draped over, Shuri could certainly be mistaken for a rich woman from the colder countries. With a smooth long black cloak and scarf, her appearance would certainly raise a few eyebrows, but they would be more along the likes of envy or admiration over suspicion. As the both of them walked, she examined her gloved hands for any damages. After sliding down the wall, she inwardly gave a nod of approval when she saw that the material still held well. After all, this outfit she was wearing hadn¡¯t seen use in over a decade. It was only thanks to her former self storing it properly that the material didn¡¯t ¡°rot¡±. Satisfied with her current state, they finally exited the alleyway and blended into the flow of traffic. [Fifteen metres now.] Having mentally calculated the distance, she guessed that her ¡°target¡± would most likely be inside the restaurant ahead. ¡°Sabor¡­Caribeno.¡± As she read the name of the restaurant, Azazel offered an explanation for the name. ¡°It means Caribbean Flavour. And judging by how full it is, people must really love it.¡± And right he was. The restaurant was absolutely packed with more patrons coming in than going out. The atmosphere inside was jovial with relaxing music playing inside. Waitresses walked about with trays full of food or menus for newly-arrived customers. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. With decorative banners, balloons, and lighting, there was clearly a festival of sorts that was happening, especially when out of the corner of her eye, Shuri could see special price offers titled, ¡®Havana Celebration Specials¡¯ in the menus that were carried around. But such things were unimportant to her. Standing outside with Azazel, her only goal was to find if Baraquiel was on this floor or upstairs. Scanning the area with her eyes, her expression remained neutral even when she couldn¡¯t see Baraquiel. Continuing to look around, she spoke with Azazel. ¡°Please remain here while I search the first¡­floor¡­¡± Her words trailed off as she saw a tall man with a gruff beard walk out the back with two trays of food on his tanned muscled arms. Unlike the long coat she saw in the pictures, he was in a black striped shirt completed with a bow-tie. With the sleeves rolled up, he had black suit pants and some stylish shoes to complete the look. The biggest addition he had however, was the black apron he was wearing with the words, ¡°Sabor Caribeno¡± embroidered on it. ¡°...¡± She watched-no. She was frozen stiff in shock and disbelief. Her daughter was crying for him in her sleep yet here he was playing waiter on the other side of the world. Her eyes followed his figure as he walked towards a table of customers and hand them their order with a smile on his face. ¡°...¡± Her brain seemed to stop working as he delivered his last tray to the following table. Watching him return to the kitchen, he was intercepted by another tanned woman who grabbed his arm¡­and gave him a quick peck on the lips. And the worst part was¡­he smiled. Crack! ¡°...¡± It was broken. The last shred of hope she had for him was broken. He didn¡¯t dodge. He didn¡¯t fight. He didn¡¯t push her away or even show any dissatisfaction on his face. It hadn¡¯t even been a month since she died and he was already frolicking with another woman while his daughter had to live without a father. Shiinng! All she had left was pure hatred. Drawing out a short sword from her waist, she was about to blindly rush forward when Azazel wrapped his arm around her waist while another restrained her arms. ¡°LET ME GO!!! LET ME GO!!!!!!!!!¡± All she saw was red. The pure hatred on her face was glaringly visible as she looked at Baraquiel like how a priest would glare at a demon. She thrashed about violently, but Azazel¡¯s arms were like a vice. Twisting her body two and fro, she even kicked out with her legs, but it was futile. Azazel held her down while trying to calm her down, but it was for naught. ¡°Shu-¡± ¡°Why?!?!? WHYYYYYYYY!!!!!!¡± Her wails of anger and anguish were heard even by the patrons inside the restaurant. Their eyes darted to this foreign woman who was causing a scene outside. Some held looks of distaste. Most had confusion. Few, upon seeing the tears on her face, felt a trace of pity for her. But one person, felt as if his world had been rekindled. Shock, suspicion, realisation¡­and hope. Those were the emotions Baraquiel felt upon gazing at his wife. ¡°Shuri¡­?¡± He found himself walking towards her, but her piercing gaze filled with hatred stopped him in his tracks. Eyes that used to look at him tenderly with love now glared at him like a sworn enemy. Locking eyes with her husband, tears of pain and betrayal flowed down her face. She didn¡¯t understand why, but she felt an immeasurable pain in her heart. It was like someone took a knife and twisted it in inside. ¡°Baraquiel!¡± Her voice came out hoarse. ¡°Why did you do this to me! Why did you do this to us! Why!!!¡± The crowd of people around her had already cleared a space, especially when they saw the rather long blade that she had clutched tightly in her arms. But Shuri didn¡¯t care about them. Her focus was on her husba-no¡­the man who abandoned her. The man who abandoned his daughter. ¡°TELL ME WHYYYY!!!!¡± ¡°...¡± As the man stood frozen without answering, Shuri became so angry that her skin turned red. ¡°YOU LEFT ME! YOU LEFT AKENO! YOU LEFT YOUR FAMILY!!!! AND FOR WHAT?! FOR WHAT!!!!!¡± Azazel did not try to silence nor calm her down. He only held her tightly while looking at his brother. Even now as he witnessed it, he still couldn¡¯t believe it, couldn¡¯t rationalise it. He out of all people knew how much Baraquiel loved Shuri. But the facts were right before his eyes. His brother was caught red-handed with another woman. And that woman was fidgeting under Shuri¡¯s intense glare. ¡°Did you know that he had a family? Did you know that while he was here, his daughter cried day and night for his r-return?¡± She couldn¡¯t keep her voice from breaking as she looked at Baraquiel. Yet this time, there was only immense sadness ¡°Twenty days. You¡¯ve been gone for twenty days, Baraquiel.¡± She wasn¡¯t even struggling anymore. ¡°In all twenty of those days, have you not once thought about coming home?¡± Her eyes that had dried up welled up in tears again. ¡°Have you not¡­have you not thought of your daughter?¡± Her eyes were flooded with so much tears that her vision had become blurry. ¡°Answer me. Does she matter that little to you?¡± Baraquiel had no words that he could say. His mind was still reeling from the fact that his wife was alive. Yet before he could get excited, he was confronted with her sudden hatred. His mind was suddenly caught in a whirlwind of happiness, surprise, shock, and despair that he couldn¡¯t even think. ¡°Sh-Shuri I¡­it¡¯s not what you think-¡± ¡°LIAR! I¡¯ve seen the book! Not ONCE have you left this place! Not once! Are you telling me that she is worth more than your daughter?!¡± . |DxD| . Azazel had long since sensed Baraquiel¡¯s whereabouts. The moment they were a few-hundred metres away, he had detected his brother. Naturally, his ability to erase his presence and the stealth enchantments on Shuri¡¯s clothes made Baraquiel unable to do the same. Maybe if he was focused, it would¡¯ve been possible. But¡­that was not the case in his current state. As smart as Azazel was, he would¡¯ve never expected that his brother of all people would be having another relationship. Not that it was wrong, but the timing was¡­just atrocious. Even as he held back Shuri, even as the minutes trickled by, he still couldn¡¯t process what he just saw. ¡°Let me go, Azazel! LET ME GO!!!¡± With Baraquiel¡¯s pathetic explanation of ¡°it¡¯s not what it looks like.¡±, her anger had been reawakened. She was struggling furiously to regain control of her blade arm trapped within Azazel¡¯s hold. He did not acquiesce to her request. He of all people knew what would happen if he let her go. And knowing that her current state was too volatile, he had to resort to some extreme methods to silence her. ¡°Sorry, Shuri. We¡¯ll talk properly when you wake up.¡± Pa! With super quick movements, he tapped the back of her neck and effectively knocked her out. Feeling her body slump in his arms, he tossed her over his shoulder while also grabbing her blade. Having subdued her, he turned to look at his brother¡­ ¡°Cleria¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡­with a very¡­very disappointed gaze. ¡°You have some explaining to do.¡± Not caring for the bystanders observing the situation, a teleportation circle formed underneath him before he vanished along with Shuri. Vwong! . AN .
  1. Jumping off and sliding down the vertical walls, her fall was slowed down enough that she could jump off and land safely without having to use her mana*
Explanation: As far as my knowledge extends, it was never specified exactly what type of energy those from the five principal clans use. So until I am corrected, mana will be used to specify the energy type the average human can use. Chapter 135 With super quick movements, he tapped the back of her neck and effectively knocked her out. Feeling her body slump in his arms, he tossed her over his shoulder while also grabbing her blade. Having subdued her, he turned to look at his brother¡­ ¡°Cleria¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡­with a very¡­very disappointed gaze. ¡°You have some explaining to do.¡± Not caring for the bystanders observing the situation, a teleportation circle formed underneath him before he vanished along with Shuri. Vwong! . |DxD| . 16/08/1999- August 5th, 1999, Kuoh Town, Japan (Twenty days since Igor and Aurelia vanished) . Compared to the bustling nightlife in Baracoa, it was peaceful here in Kuoh. It was nearing the times of late morning and the sun had fully peeked out. Since it was Thursday, schools were operational and people were already at work. The streets were relatively empty with only a few vehicles and pedestrians roaming about. Reconstruction was already in its closing stages with only a few non-vital jobs left. Tasks such as clearing the streets of shattered glass were still ongoing with uniformed workers sweeping the streets and pavements for the remaining pieces. But compared to the Zero-Day incident, today was much more calmer, a bit more casual. Yet, that could always easily change. Vwong! Back in Cleria¡¯s mansion, Azazel appeared in the office of the owner with Shuri tossed over his shoulder. The silverette that was initially working on documents had her raised smile morph into confusion, before being completely replaced by fear and concern. Krrrr! Abruptly standing up from her chair, there were no pleasantries issued nor elegance used in her actions. ¡°What happened?¡± Azazel could only sigh in exasperation. ¡°Haaaa. Baraquiel happened. I had to knock her out.¡± Just thinking back to how he had to restrain her made him feel tired. Unnecessary strenuous activities was truly something he would prefer to avoid at all costs. As for the silverette, upon hearing that Shuri was only unconscious with no injuries, her state of panic finally relaxed. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s good.¡± Faced with Azazel¡¯s answer, Cleria could only accept it as she sat down again. Although she normally wouldn¡¯t approve of his method, she trusted his judgement enough to know that if there were less intense methods, he would¡¯ve used them. ¡°How horrible was it?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you, Cleria.¡± ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± Letting that tidbit of information sink in, Cleria decided to first prepare some accomodations for her unconscious friend. Pressing a buzzer on her desk, a dull sound played before without any delay¡­ Vwong! ¡­one of her servants teleported into the office. It was a rather old portly male with a short stature. With noble clothing similar to that worn by the French upper-class in the renaissance time period, his out-of-place attire made him seem like a target not worth taking seriously. However, the gaze in his eyes was sharp as he radiated the power of a high-class devil. ¡°Madam Cleria. I am at your service.¡± Never failing to find his evident French accent delightful to the ears, she respectfully replied to him. ¡°Be at ease. I have a simple task for you. Please take good care of my friend here.¡± With Azazel gesturing for the servant to take Shuri, the servant once again bowed. ¡°I will endeavour to complete this task successfully, Madam Cleria.¡± With the fallen having gently eased Shuri into his arms, the servant promptly left the office via teleportation. Vwong! Feeling the presence of her servant appear again four rooms away, she found his usage of teleportation for such a short distance rather odd. No matter how many times she did it, she never understood why. Regardless, now that Shuri was taken care of, it was time to tackle the reason why she had to be knocked out in the first place. Sitting properly on her desk, she clasped her fists together before placing them under her chin. This issue concerned her best friend so this required her full attention. ¡°Alright. What did he do?¡± Her aura had shifted into what Azazel liked to call her ¡°analytical mode¡±. In such a state, he knew that he would not need to be long-winded, especially when he himself was still troubled by Baraquiel¡¯s actions. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Taking the seat opposite her, he got straight to the point. ¡°My brother was kissed by a woman¡­and Shuri saw it.¡± ¡°...¡± In the supernatural world, such scenes were not something to make such a fuss about, especially if the man involved was strong. Baraquiel certainly did qualify as a strong man with a strong standing in the supernatural world. Him having an affair or two would not be something to write home about. However¡­ ¡°What?¡± ¡­this scenario was rather complicated, so complicated that even Cleria who could pride herself on her ability to keep her composure couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock. ¡°Azazel. Are you saying that¡­for the past three weeks¡­?¡± It was a sentence that did not need to be completed. With a tired sigh, he confirmed her guess. ¡°Yes. For these past few weeks, Baraquiel had been in Cuba with this woman. And from how he was even helping her in the restaurant, this relationship possibly isn¡¯t new. In fact, it possibly may pre-date Shuri¡¯s death.¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria lowered her head in thought, the shock of the situation giving way to a realisation. The memory of him having a woman¡¯s scent and the guilt in his eyes still remained as clear as day in her head. ¡°You¡¯re right, Azazel. Baraquiel is not one known for his promiscuity so you are right to have doubts. But when he returned to Kuoh after Shuri¡¯s death, I once caught the scent of a woman on him. Therefore, I am willing to guess that same scent I caught belongs to the same woman you saw.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel couldn¡¯t even reply to such a statement. He had never asked why Baraquiel came so late. He only knew that the reason he left was that his daughter directly told him she hated him. He could understand why he left. Being told such words by his daughter right after he lost his wife must¡¯ve been hard for him. But he also found it rather idiotic that he took the words of a child so seriously. ¡°A woman¡­¡± Yet, there were limits to stupidity. There were limits to irresponsibility. ¡°Yes, Azazel. Shuri died because of that wo-¡± ¡°No. Do not fault that woman for my brother¡¯s mistakes.¡± Standing up, from the chair, Azazel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°My brother can fight with gods and win. A human woman can never do anything to him, nevermind force him. If anything, it is my brother who is at fault for being so weak-willed.¡± Silence¡­ A long silence introduced itself after Azazel¡¯s statement. Cleria had a hand to her forehead while the fallen had his head lowered. Whether it was in shame or disappointment, no one could tell. But the bulging veins on his clenched fists indicated one thing. He was angry. ¡°No need to speculate. HE will explain everything.¡± He was immensely disappointed when Baraquiel had abandoned his wife and child for another life in Cuba. But now, he was angry because while his wife and child were in mortal danger, he was with another woman. As a cadre of Grigori, his actions were both disgraceful, and inexcusable. As the Governor of Grigori and as an elder brother, this was not something he could nor would casually ignore. He could ignore many of the antics his brothers got up to. But this¡­this had crossed the line, and there would be consequences for doing so. ¡°...¡± Turning his gaze towards the door, he felt the presence of Baraquiel appear in the front yard. Just as Cleria also stood up, he stopped her with a motion of his hand, his head not even turning to look at her. ¡°I will handle this. You take care of Shuri in case she wakes up.¡± Without waiting for her reply¡­ Su! He vanished. . |DxD| . Baraquiel was in a daze. ¡°...¡± Everything had happened so quickly that he still couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. [Shuri¡­] His wife was alive and well. In fact, she was full of life. But¡­ ¡°Damnit¡­¡± They met at the worst possible time. ¡°Damnit it all¡­¡± Even as he stood quietly on the front lawn, he could feel her presence on the second floor. He so desperately wanted to barge in there, to see her, to touch her, hold¡­and kiss her. But, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to. He was self-aware of his actions and of how deplorable they were. He knew that he didn¡¯t deserve to touch her, despite his heart desperately aching to. *Clenches Fists* His wife, the one he wronged. His daughter, the one he abandoned. Not a single day passed by without thinking of them. His wife that he thought was dead and his daughter that he left alone. His actions were inexcusable, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to come back, not to the place of his failures. He just wanted a few days to gather his thoughts, but such an excuse was pathetic in front of his actions¡­his crimes. The crime of failing as a husband. The crime of failing as a father. The crime of failing as a man. Just one was already a heavy enough weight on his shoulders. Yet, he committed all three. [What a mess I¡¯ve caus-] Su! ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ He dreaded it, but it seemed the time has come. Turning away from the window to the room Shuri was in, he came face to face with Azazel. ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°...¡± He was met with no response. All he received in return was the icy gaze of his elder brother. ¡°I-¡± ¡°On the day of Shuri¡¯s death, what were you doing?¡± No greetings. No formalities. Azazel wanted an answer to this issue that grating him inside. Just looking at the pathetic appearance of his brother in a waiter¡¯s uniform made him want to skip questions and punish him on the spot. But¡­ ¡°Before anything, I want to hear it from your mouth, Baraquiel.¡± *Fists Clench!* ¡°On the night when your wife and daughter were attacked-no. Hunted¡­ by the Himejima clan, where were you?¡± Azazel wanted no other knowledge. The fact that his brother was gone for almost three weeks was something inexcusable, but understandable. ¡°Answer me.¡± But if Shuri died while he was out there with another woman¡­ ¡°Baraquiel.¡± ¡­then it wasn¡¯t just inexcusable. ¡°Where. Were. You.¡± It was unforgivable. ¡°...¡± Baraquiel couldn¡¯t answer. To this day, it was his biggest regret. Due to his negligence, and due to his weak mind, his wife died and his daughter was left with trauma. It was his duty to protect them, but because of his weak will, he allowed himself to be swayed by a woman. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know how to begin. With his head hung low in shame, he didn¡¯t know how to bring up such a horrible incident caused by a lapse in his judgement. But¡­he knew he had to answer. It was the very least he could do. ¡°I was in Cuba¡­with a woma-¡± Gu! ¡­CRASH! Without any hints or warning, he was suddenly punched in the face and sent flying across the yard before eventually crashing into the perimeter walls. Silence¡­ Covered in pieces of rubble, Baraquiel couldn¡¯t get up. The punch was so powerful that he was still in a state of disorientation. A large circular crack was left on the point where his back hit. Sitting on the ground with his head lowered in a daze, it was only thanks to the enchantment on the wall that he wasn¡¯t sent flying through it. Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­ Walking over to where Baraquiel was currently lying on the ground, Azazel stepped onto the rubble and grabbed his brother by his neck. Without any scruples¡­ BANG! ¡­he punched him in the gut. ¡°Puaah!¡± Coughing out saliva, Baraquiel¡¯s eyes widened in pain. ¡°...¡± Despite causing his brother pain, Azazel¡¯s gaze remained firm. ¡°Your actions are unforgivable.¡± BANG! Delivering another gut punch, Azazel was unfazed by the bits of spittle landing on his face and clothes. ¡°You brought disgrace upon Grigori.¡± BANG! ¡°You failed in your responsibility as a husband.¡± BANG! ¡°As a father.¡± BANG! ¡°And as a cadre.¡± BANG! ¡°What you did¡­¡± Reeling his fist as far back as possible, memories of despairing fellow fallen flashed in his head. With those memories fueling his rage¡­ BANG! ¡­he let loose a powerful gut punch on Baraquiel. ¡°Argh!¡± Blood flew out of his mouth, but Azazel remained unfazed. Bringing him closer, he looked at him directly in the eye with an angry, almost furious gaze. ¡°What you did, is just like what our father did.¡± Chapter 136 ¡°And as a cadre.¡± BANG! ¡°What you did¡­¡± Reeling his fist as far back as possible, memories of despairing fellow fallen flashed in his head. With those memories fueling his rage¡­ BANG! ¡­he let loose a powerful gut punch on Baraquiel. ¡°Argh!¡± Blood flew out of his mouth, but Azazel remained unfazed. Bringing him closer, he looked at him directly in the eye with an angry, almost furious gaze. ¡°What you did, is just like what our father did.¡± . |DxD| . The existence known as God, an omniscient and omnipresent entity who was known in all realms. The creator of the world and the All-Father to both angels and humans. There was no one Azazel despised more than his father, the one who so willingly abandoned them without a shred of mercy. He had never shown it or even acted on it, but he harboured it. He hated God and everything he stood for. He hated how he abandoned his so-called ¡°children¡± in their time of desperate need and turned his back upon them, even when he possessed the power to help them. And what Baraquiel did, is too similar to what God did. BANG! Striking his gut again, this time, he did not stop. BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! Delivering hit after hit, it was like multiple gunshots were going off. Baraquiel couldn¡¯t even put up the barest hint of resistance. Despite his limbs not being restrained in anyway, he already suffered a few too many liver shots. Resistance¡­was just something he could not muster. ¡°What you are feeling now pales in comparison to the despair they felt. You had the power to stop everything. But your incompetence made your family suffer irreversible damage.¡± BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! ¡­BANG! Held by the neck, the cadre of Grigori, a man with substantial standing in the world¡­ BANG! ¡­was reduced to a ragdoll. ¡°Endure it. Because I am not done yet.¡± Azazel showed no indication of stopping. This man who was normally the least likely to resort to violence, was showing exactly what would happen if he got angry. Yet, he was both angry and rational at the same time. This sort of rational anger was most often, the most dangerous. BANG! He was angry enough to harm his own brother, but rational enough to just barely bring him to the brink of death. With the massive difference in strength between them, the power in his fists alone had already caused Baraquiel to suffer severe internal bleeding... *Reels Fist* ¡­along with ruptured organs. ¡°Stop, Azazel! You¡¯ll kill him at this rate!¡± Flying down from the balcony, Cleria couldn¡¯t bear it any more. The area of clothing around his waist area had been completely destroyed from Azazel¡¯s constant punches and gave way to a heavily bruised stomach. Rushing forward, she grabbed Azazel¡¯s fist that was already primed for another release. ¡°Please, Azazel. Calm down!¡± Seeing him like this wasn¡¯t something she was used to. To see the man who occasionally cracked jokes and teased her all the time have a dark face like this was the last thing she wished to see on him. ¡°...¡± Standing in silence, Azazel had his head lowered, his eyes hidden underneath the shade of the sun. With Baraquiel firmly within his grasp, he considered Cleria¡¯s plea and ultimately decided to accept her request. ¡°Fine.¡± Dropping him onto the ground, he turned to look at his woman. Seeing the ambiguous, yet frightened look on her face, he realised he may have gone a bit too far. Leaning down towards her¡­ Chuu~ ¡­he gave her a kiss on her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for scaring you like this, Cleria. But¡­I need to be away for a bit. Because if I stay¡­¡± With a teleportation circle forming underneath his feet, he gave one last look at Baraquiel. ¡°...I¡¯ll cripple him.¡± Vwong! . |DxD| . August 7th, 1999, Kuoh Town, Japan . Two days had passed since Baraquiel had been beaten into an unconscious state by Azazel. Having been laid in one of the guest rooms, his torso was revealed to be covered in bandages wrapped all the way around his mid-section. The day was already nearing late evening with the rays of the sunset hovering over his face. As he slowly regained consciousness, he was met with vague, but frequent pleading that came from beyond the door. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As his mind cleared, he was eventually able to make out the words being said. ¡°Please, Lady Shuri. Madam Cleria asked me not to let you in. I beseech you. Do not make it difficult for me.¡± ¡°Do not try to stop-¡± Baraquiel immediately sat up when he heard her voice, but the pain from his injuries caused him to hiss in pain. But that momentary pain paled in comparison to potentially seeing his wife again. Dakaang¡­ ¡°Lady Shuri. Please-¡± Yet in front of Shuri¡¯s confident stride, the portly man was unable to hold her back. Advancing forward, she met Baraquiel¡¯s eyes but didn¡¯t pay attention to him. Turning back to the servant who was frozen by the door, she gently instructed him. ¡°Please leave us for a moment.¡± ¡°...¡± The servant could only sigh in defeat. Mumbling to himself in French, he closed the door behind him. Bam¡­ ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± With her back facing towards him, Shuri took a deep breath before turning around to face him. Badump¡­ She was as beautiful as always, Despite wearing an old dress with a faded purple colour, Baraquiel still found her to be as enchanting as always. ¡°Shu-¡± ¡°Baraquiel.¡± But, the tender eyes that were always filled with affection had turned into a gaze of steel. Standing over him, Shuri felt nothing upon seeing his pitiful appearance. To be accurate, she tried to feel nothing. Whether it were the feelings she harboured similar to the affection she held for Akeno or something else, she felt this subtle compulsion to take care of him. She had given in when she wrapped him up in bandages, but that was only because she wanted answers as soon as possible. Pushing that subtle feeling to the back of her head, she took a deep breath. ¡°It has been twenty days since I had died.¡± Thinking of Akeno and Asia who were being looked after by one of Cleria¡¯s servants, she continued. ¡°Why did you¡­¡± Feeling a sudden lump form in her throat, she stopped herself from continuing. Looking into his eyes, all she felt was a deep pain in her heart that she couldn¡¯t explain. But the last thing she wanted was to appear weak, especially in front of him. ¡°Why did you abandon us, Baraquiel?¡± And there it was. The unavoidable question. The same thing that got him in this situation. ¡°Shuri. It was never¡­my intention to abandon you like this. I just¡­needed some time. I¡­¡± Lowering his head in shame, his voice lacked any sort of life. ¡°I wish that we had met under better conditions.¡± Sitting up properly, he bore through the pain before taking a deep breath. ¡°Haaaa. I will not ask for forgiveness, nor will I ask for your understanding. I am aware of my actions and of my failure. I failed you. I failed Akeno.¡± With his hands lying on his lap, his eyes closed themselves in regret. ¡°I failed our family.¡± Silence¡­ The only sound that could be heard was of the evening wind making its presence. Billowing through the open window, it carried a prelude of what would most likely be a cold night. ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, Shuri began closing the windows and curtains. She feared that if she didn¡¯t do anything, she would lose her emotions and hit this man in front of her who was telling her a sob story. But it seemed that Baraquiel was able to guess her thoughts. ¡°I know you are angry. I can see it in your eyes.¡± There was a brief silence as he ended his sentence. Shuri continued to close the curtains, but her actions were visibly a bit more forceful. Sighing as she roughly closed the curtains, he spoke. ¡°I deserve your hatred. I deserve your anger. I deserve it all, for nothing I do will atone for what I¡¯ve-¡± ¡°Stop.¡± With her hands on the curtains, Shuri repeated herself. ¡°Just¡­stop.¡± Gripping the fabric of the curtains tightly, she took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°I have lost my memories of you, Baraquiel. It was a consequence of being resurrected.¡± Glancing out of the corner of her eye to see his shocked look, she quickly looked away when she felt that same pain in her heart. ¡°But I do have some glimpses of the past. I know that we were married for over a decade. I¡­no. SHE abandoned her family for you and endured the pain of not being able to return home. SHE was labelled as an outcast that was reduced to a hunting target by her family. SHE was trapped in a small town that she could never leave without the risk of being killed.¡± Her arms trembled as her breaths got deeper. Qing! One of the little parts holding the curtain up snapped, causing the curtain to sag a bit from the top. But she did not care. ¡°In spite of all of this, she gave you a daughter and created a home for you. When you always went on missions, she never complained. Whenever you returned, there was always a plate of hot food for you. When you came back injured, she always carefully nursed you back to health.¡± Turning around to glare at him, she ignored the throbbing pain in her heart. ¡°She loved you! She sacrificed everything for you! She was devoted to you! She took care of you! She fulfilled her duties as her wife even when she didn¡¯t need to! AND YOU¡­you¡­¡± A strong will she had, but it was too much. The emotions that she so desperately held back slowly trickled out. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ It wasn¡¯t anger. It was pain. It was sadness that she couldn¡¯t even pass off as feeling sad for Akeno. She had more than two days to understand that despite losing her memories, she loved him. And seeing him with another woman when they were in such dire times affected her greatly. Feeling herself break down, she struggled to not let her tears cloud her face. ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand. Was it not enough? Was I lacking anywhere? Did I not fulfil my duties properly? Was¡­was I not good enough?¡± Her voice lowered as her pained gaze met Baraquiel. ¡°Is that why you left for another woman? Is that why you¡­abandoned-¡± ¡°NO!¡± Ignoring the pain in his stomach, Baraquiel got out of bed and marched over to Shuri. Without hesitation, he grabbed her in a hug and held her close to him. ¡°I would never do that. Do you hear me? I would never do that!¡± ¡°But you were gone!¡± ¡°Because I was broken, Shuri.¡± It shamed him to say it, but it was the truth. ¡°I was a broken man that day.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri did not try to break free from his hold. She let herself be held. Just like the old times, she let herself fall into his embrace. But, the difference between now and then was evident. With her face pressed against his chest, it didn¡¯t feel warm. SHE didn¡¯t feel warm. She felt uncomfortable. She felt estrangement. The chest that she would previously lean on and indulge in its comfort no longer felt like it did before. The feeling of safety. The feeling of dependability. The knowledge that she could let go and everything would be alright¡­she didn¡¯t feel it from him. The feeling of his embrace¡­was not like ¡®his¡¯. ¡°Get away from me.¡± Her voice was low, bordering on the level of a whisper. But in such a quiet room, it was as loud as a gunshot. ¡°Get away from me, Baraquiel.¡± ¡°...¡± It took a while for Baraquiel to process what she said. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°...¡± Resolving herself, she looked up and stared right into his eyes. ¡°I do not want you to touch me anymore.¡± Eyes brown like jasper pierced into quivering violet eyes like amethyst. He heard her loud and clear. She even repeated it three times for him to hear. The room was silent with no interruptions and his brain heard her words clearly. Baraquiel couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°S-Shuri¡­¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°I love you, Shu-¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Shuri plea-¡± ¡°I said let me go!¡± Breaking free from his grasp, she walked around him and walked towards the door. Yet before she could get far, Baraquiel quickly grabbed her hand and knelt towards the ground. ¡°Shuri. I¡¯m sorry. I know my actions are abominable but please...please give me a chance. Please¡­I beg you.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri had no words. She couldn¡¯t believe that for the past two days, she spilt tears for this man. She couldn¡¯t believe that she allowed herself to even briefly entertain the thought of forgiving him. Watching him like this on his knees, her heart grew progressively colder as it was filled with disgust. ¡°You willingly abandon your family. And now you plead for a chance? You plead for redemption? You think you can disappear, come back, and everything will return to normal?¡± ¡°...please. Just one chance. That is all I ask for.¡± ¡°...¡± She had no more words to say to him. ¡°Go and see Akeno. She misses you.¡± Wrenching her hand free from his grasp, she walked away without turning back. Dakaang¡­ Pulling open the door, she was about to exit before- ¡°Then what about our daughter?! She needs a father!¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she found him still on his knees, his eyes filled with panic. There was sweat on his face that trickled all the way down to his abdomen where fresh blood splotches had formed. But, she felt no pity for him. Rather, all the pity, all the regret, even the little pain she felt in her heart everytime she looked at him, disappeared. Looking him directly in the eye, she spoke the words that harboured what she felt in that very moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I saw in you.¡± ¡°?!¡± She felt disgusted that he would even think of using their daughter like that. [To think that I used to love a man like you. How blind I was.] BAM! . AN . I will put it out there. The ¡®God¡¯ in DxD and the God we have are different. One is a failure (according to Azazel) and the other has a sense of humour¡­hopefully. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 137 Looking him directly in the eye, she spoke the words that harboured what she felt in that very moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I saw in you.¡± ¡°?!¡± She felt disgusted that he would even think of using their daughter like that. [To think that I used to love a man like you. How blind I was.] BAM! . |DxD| . With the strength of old relationships coming into question and the integrity of ties being tested in Kuoh, Cuba was undergoing a different affair. It was early morning in the coffee-loving country. Even though it was Saturday, the streets were still busier than ever, and the small town of Baracoa was no exception. As Azazel took a sip of coffee in the restaurant of his brother¡¯s lover, his eyes remained focused on the documented information he had in front of him. These past two days, he wasn¡¯t idle. Having sent a few operatives to dig up information, he had every single event that had to do with Alicia and Baraquiel since their rumoured first meeting around three years ago. Flipping through the page summaries, he came across a page with a black&white picture of Alicia at the top. ¡­ Name: Alicia Surname: Garcia Born: 1973, May 23rd Age: 23 Race: Human (Pure incl. Ancestry) Alias/s: None Summary: An orphan with no immediate family, she used her funds to turn the home she inherited from her parents into the restaurant known today as ¡®Sabor Caribeno¡¯. Three years prior, she happened to meet Cadre Baraquiel whom, according to rumours, indirectly helped her grow her establishment. Nothing worthy of note has happened since then. Date of Issue: 1999/08/07 ¡­ Reading through the information as well as some other miscellaneous knowledge, Azazel was able to verify his thoughts. [A normal human with a normal ancestry. No abilities. No sacred gears. Nothing of note aside from losing her parents in a car accident.] Paging through a few more times to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything, he closed the document folder and let it vanish into thin air. Taking a sip of his coffee again, he glanced around to find the woman who somehow ensnared his brother in her web. [Baraquiel should¡¯ve been able to tell if she had any ill-intentions towards him.] Normally, he would trust his brother enough to be able to distinguish such things. Yet because of recent events, Azazel was forced to verify things himself. [Her background is clean, but what about her heart?] Azazel was not a stranger to many things¡­or concepts. Illogical occurrences such as reincarnation or soul-takeovers were not factors he was unaware of. Having witnessed his fair share of such occurrences, it would be very easy for him to spot any inconsistencies with her soul and body, especially over a long conversation. Again, he would normally trust Baraquiel to be able to deduce such basic things. But after his brother proved that his intelligence drops around this woman, he knew it was best he did this himself. And right on time, Alicia walked over towards him with a friendly smile on her face. ¡°May I collect your coffee, sir?¡± Without any broken english, her question was phrased perfectly. ¡°No need.¡± Tapping his finger on the table, a small magic circle formed before the surrounding noise gradually became indistinguishable. Dispelling the illusion magic on himself, Azazel revealed his true appearance. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°In fact, I would rather we discuss some more important things.¡± ¡°?!¡± For what it¡¯s worth, Alicia didn¡¯t immediately panic despite recognising Azazel¡¯s appearance, which also served to show that Baraquiel didn¡¯t wipe her memories. Though there was a visible trace of nervousness and fright on her face, she still managed to keep hold of her emotions. ¡°W-what do you¡­want?¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel was not in a rush to answer. From the beginning, he had been monitoring her facial expressions, vitals, and even her aura for the faintest signs of attempted deceit. Through his patented magic that no one but him knew of, he was confident that only an extreme few could hope to outsmart it. Monitoring her rapidly fluctuating aura and her rising vitals, he was able to glean that at the very least, she wasn¡¯t some old monster from the past. [Her nervousness and fear are genuine.] Gesturing with his hand, he commanded her. ¡°Sit down first.¡± ¡°...¡± Alicia hesitated, but Azazel was quick to shut that down. ¡°I have enveloped us in an illusion. Other people will willingly ignore the existence of this table. Even if you wave your hands, no one will notice. And¡­¡± Taking a quick sip of his coffee, he looked at her with a friendly smile. ¡°You don¡¯t want to run.¡± ¡°...¡± Alicia wasn¡¯t stupid. Although she was currently terrified for her life, she wouldn¡¯t do such a stupid decision like running. The way both Baraquiel and this man had the ability to vanish was still very clear in her memories. ¡°I-I won¡¯t. I know that you can cut me down b-before I can even turn around.¡± Talking to a person who could and possibly would kill her in a heartbeat was terrifying in of itself. But she could only bite the bullet and sit down. Calming herself down, she took a deep breath for a few seconds. Opening her eyes, she forced herself to meet Azazel¡¯s. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Lifting a finger, he replied to her question with a question. ¡°Before we continue, I just want to confirm something. How much do you know of the supernatural.¡± ¡°N-not much. I only know that you and¡­Baraquiel, are fallen angels. I¡­don¡¯t know more than that.¡± Her hands gradually clenched the fabric of her skirt. ¡°I¡­never asked him.¡± ¡°...¡± As she spoke, Azazel did not fail to verify the authenticity of her words. So far, she had been truthful. ¡°I see. It was good that he did that. Now, you have two choices here. I can see that my brother wiped everyone¡¯s memories except yours. Frankly, I fail to understand why he would do such a thing. If you were a woman of note, I would understand.¡± It was time to do what he came for. ¡°But from what I¡¯ve found I¡¯ve managed to dig up, everything about you is average. Even your lineage which we have tracked all the way back to Africa has no noteworthy figures. You have no special abilities. You have no useable talent. Even to get this restaurant from the shabby state it was in two years ago required my brother¡¯s help.¡± This time, he made sure to look her directly in the eye. ¡°In comparison, my brother¡¯s wife comes from a prestigious family in both the normal and the supernatural world. She possesses talents that would place her amongst prodigies in her generation, ranking her in the top position amongst the strongest humans in talent alone. She is well-known and has the respect of many even outside her family. Compared to you¡­there¡¯s no need to even compare.¡± He let his words simmer into her mind while also examining her. One thing Azazel had come to learn, was that all reincarnated individuals had a certain pride to them. Although he had verified through his magic that her soul ¡°age¡± matched her body, it never hurt to use other avenues of approach. * ¡°...¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the results to show themselves. Alicia was¡­downcast. With her head hanging low and her skirt crumpled like a paper in her grip, her shivering body was a glaring symptom of the rising feeling of inferiority. For Alicia, this was beyond the typical feeling of inferiority when she interacted with foreigners of paler colours. Flipping the bird was enough to absolve it any day. But this feeling¡­this feeling was deeply rooted. ¡°I-I¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing her lost for words, Azazel decided to press on. Wanting to seal the final nail in the coffin, he struck her where it hurt the most. ¡°Yet somehow, you managed to win, Miss Garcia. But at what cost? You may not know, but because of your existence, terrible events happened, events that could¡¯ve been prevented. On the sixteenth of July, or for your country, the fifteenth of July, my brother¡¯s wife suffered a heart attack. According to what we know, my brother was with you during that time.¡± Alicia raised her head in shock. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°This is not the time to be surprised, Miss Garcia. Just understand that because of you, my brother almost lost the opportunity to say his final goodbyes to his wife.¡± This was not the truth, but Azazel was willing to place the story in a way that framed her. He wanted to arouse as much guilt from her and weigh her conscience with regret. His main purpose here today, was not just to find out about Alicia. It was also to test her. ¡°As it stands, my brother is at a crossroads. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, in a situation where he should¡¯ve been with his family, he chose to come back and stay with you.¡± There was nothing remarkable about this woman, be it be from a magical or normal perspective. Baraquiel was no stranger to women here and there, but she managed to worm her way into his heart. Whether her advantage was in the amount of times they met or some other reason, Azazel was no longer interested. ¡°What I want to know now is, with all this information I¡¯ve told you, what will you do?¡± ¡°...¡± Alicia did not know that all of this had happened because of her selfishness. All she knew was that barely an hour later, Baraquiel returned to her with his heart filled with despair. For days upon days, he was barely functioning. Just getting him to eat was hard. And finally knowing why this man who was like a pillar in her life, appear so broken¡­there was only one response she could give. ¡°I¡­¡± . AN .
  1. Although he had verified through his magic that her soul ¡°age¡± matched her body, it never hurt to use other avenues of approach.
Explanation: Some of us are wondering why Igor wasn¡¯t detected since his soul should be around ten years older than his actual body. The only reason I can think of is that when Ted shrunk the blonde¡¯s body, his soul age was also shrunk to match his body. That was probably why there was never any suspicion that Igor was a foreign entity, even when he mingled with gods and caught the eye of people like Nandi and Shiva. After all, it was transmigration, not reincarnation. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 138 ¡°What I want to know now is, with all this information I¡¯ve told you, what will you do?¡± ¡°...¡± Alicia did not know that all of this had happened because of her selfishness. All she knew was that barely an hour later, Baraquiel returned to her with his heart filled with despair. For days upon days, he was barely functioning. Just getting him to eat was hard. And finally knowing why this man who was like a pillar in her life, appear so broken¡­there was only one response she could give. ¡°I¡­¡± . |DxD| . It is said that even a small stream can cut through a boulder if given enough time Whether it be years, decades, or centuries, it will eventually succeed. So far, there was nothing remarkable about this woman that Azazel could pick up. But, maybe she was like the gentle running stream that managed to cut into his stoic brother. Whether it was using his magic or observation, Alicia was truly no different from other women. Admittedly, she was pretty and fleshed out in all the right places. But there were quite literally, millions of others like her and thousands more that were equally, if not more beautiful than her. Baraquiel was not a sheltered monk. In all the millenniums he¡¯s lived, he had met countless woman who were at the very least, ten-times more beautiful than Alicia. So since her background and appearance were all average, there must be something about her personality. And that was what Azazel would aim to verify. ¡°Miss Garcia. I will repeat myself. What I want to know is, what will you do?¡± Drive her into a corner, overwhelm her with guilt, and assess her true character. ¡°I¡­¡± This whole time, not once had Alicia raised her head. The shame she felt made her disgusted with herself. But¡­ ¡°I love him.¡± ¡­no matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t imagine a life without him¡­not anymore. She had long since went past the realm of gratitude. What she felt for him, was sincere. ¡°I love Baraquiel.¡± After spending the first two weeks having to comfort him, she was even more sure of this fact. She was willing to endure the bad times and stick with him through thick and thin. Even when she finally knew the reason for his grief, and knew that part of the blame fell on her, her determination still existed. ¡°I-I know what it looks like. I know that I seem inconsiderate. I know that he¡¯s suffered, but I will not leave him!¡± Raising her head, she glared at Azazel with a determined expression. ¡°I will carry this sin of adultery and spend my whole life atoning for it. I will personally apologise however many times I have to to both his wife and child. I will accept any penance that I will have to undertake, but not at the price of losing the man I have come to love!¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel¡­was touched. [Beautiful...] Whether it be her words or determination, they were beautiful. If not for his self-control, he might¡¯ve given a round of applause as he cried manly tears in that very moment. If the context wasn¡¯t so fragile, he might¡¯ve even actively supported her in becoming his brother¡¯s second wife. ¡°I have loved Baraquiel for years now, and I have come to understand what sort of person he is. I¡­I know that I am an unremarkable woman who cannot compare to his wife. But, I can bear with that. Even if¡­even if I can only see him once a year, I-I can bear it. But I cannot bear never seeing him again.¡± Standing up, her fists were clenched as she revealed her declaration. ¡°I sincerely apologize for my words, but I will not change them. You may call me inconsiderate, selfish, or even a whore if you wish. But, unless he tells me himself that he no longer wants me, I will not leave him!¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°...¡± There was no need for more evaluations. In front of her unwavering determination, Azazel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You pass.¡± He wasn¡¯t angry. Rather, he was delighted. ¡°Your feelings are sincere without any ulterior motives.¡± ¡°...¡± Alicia was left with a startling realisation. ¡°Th-then you¡­¡± Silencing her with a finger, he took a sip of his coffee before continuing with his statement. ¡°Should the time arise in the future, I will be glad to accept you as a sister-in-law.¡± Falling to her chair, fresh tears flowed down Alicia¡¯s cheeks as she hid her face behind her hands. ¡°T-Thank you. *Hik*¡­thank you, sir.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t know why, but having his confirmation really stirred up her emotions. ¡°However, do not get too excited yet. You still have to work even harder.¡± Gently slapping her cheeks to calm herself down, a look of determination formed on Alicia¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. For Baraquiel, I will not give up!¡± ¡°...¡± Smiling lightly, Azazel stood up. ¡°I hope you will remember what you said in your heart.¡± ¡°Ye¡­¡± Failing to respond, Alicia fell into a brief daze before her eyes finally cleared up. ¡°H-huh? Did I fall asleep?¡± Quickly looking around, she was relieved to see that no one was looking at her oddly. [Phew. Praise the lord. I guess I dozed off for only a moment.] As she fixed her appearance and resumed her work, Azazel watched her carry on with her daily life. Standing on the other side of the road, he heaved a sigh. [I¡¯m sorry, brother. But I¡¯ve already erased all traces of you in her life.] From memories, to logistics, everything had been erased or replaced. As far as she knew, someone named Baraquiel would¡¯ve never existed in her life. [Until you resolve everything, it is best that she never knows of you.] Instead of erasing her memories, he had locked them away. Initially, he was simply going to erase them like he did everyone else¡¯s. But upon hearing her declare her heartfelt love for his brother, he changed his mind and locked them away. Watching her diligently attend to her customers, Azazel developed a whole new respect for her. [Brother. You truly are lucky to find such women twice in one lifetime.] After two days, he had calmed down and forgiven him. If things could go back to normal, he would be glad. But, he was realistic. [Unfortunately, fate decided to toy with you.] The chances of his and Shuri¡¯s relationship recovering were abysmally low. It was a sad fact, but it was a fact nonetheless. [If only you didn¡¯t run away, brother. If only¡­] With a regretful sigh, he walked away, his presence disappearing into the crowd until finally¡­ Su! ¡­he vanished. . |DxD| . Shuri did not know how to feel. It had barely been thirty minutes since her talk with Baraquiel. Since then, she had been battling with her emotions. Having sat directly on the floor with her back against the door, she was in the privacy of her own guest room in Cleria¡¯s mansion. Half an hour later and she still couldn¡¯t believe how her former self came to love such a man who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to leverage his own daughter. ¡®I was a broken man that day.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Remembering the moment he said those words with such a defeated expression, she sighed while looking up at the ceiling. ¡°I also died that day.¡± It was a horrible memory considering that it came with the most intense emotions¡­¡®his¡¯ emotions. But avoiding it would not help anyone. It is said that love conquers all, and her love for Baraquiel not only conquered death, but amnesia itself. Moments after Baraquiel had been brought in with internal injuries, she realised it that just like Akeno, she also harboured feelings for him. Without any delays, she had bandaged and took care of him for the past two days. Sometimes, she would even enter his room of rest, stand there, and just watch him. Just seeing him made her heart feel at ease for some inexplicable reason. [I loved you, Baraquiel.] It wasn¡¯t mind-control or some delayed magic spell that would compel her. Her death would¡¯ve made any magic a mute point. It was why she believed that the latent love she had for Baraquiel was real and honest. And¡­despite all odds¡­ ¡°I¡­I was willing to love you, Baraquiel.¡± Such a notion was illogical considering what he had done. But this love, this love that had been nurtured for over a decade was not something so easy to bury. The feelings and desires that were carried even unto her death could not be erased so easily. Despite his actions having effected her greatly, she was fully willing to try again. If not for her, then for Akeno. It would¡¯ve been difficult, but she was willing. The last thing she wanted was their daughter growing up without a father for her own selfish reasons. But, when he touched her¡­hugged her, she felt very uncomfortable. His muscular arms enveloping her, an action that would make her swoon, downright revolted her to the point of subtle disgust. Her mind was briefly clouded, but all she wanted at that moment was to get him off and leave the room. But, the next set of words he said as she was about to leave¡­ ¡®Then what about our daughter?! She needs a father!¡¯ ¡­served to shatter all the remaining hope she had left. If there was one reverse-scale that Shuri had, it was Akeno. It was one thing if Baraquiel hurt her. His affair with that woman would only serve to hurt her. She could endure that, even if it meant enduring his touch. But, accepting a man who would willingly use his own daughter as a bargaining tool was not something she would accept under any circumstances. No matter how much it hurt her, she would tear him out of her heart. [I was willing to love you, but you are no longer the man I once knew.] She was a grown woman now. She was no longer the same naive nineteen-year-old girl. She was an adult woman who could think about what was best for herself and for her daughter. Even if it hurt her down to the core, she had to accept it. ¡®I was a broken man, that day.¡¯ She had to accept that things would never be the same and that perhaps¡­ ¡®Then what about our daughter?! She needs a father!¡¯ ¡­it was best if they went their separate ways and lead their own lives. [I am sorry, Baraquiel. But we cannot continue.] . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 139 She was a grown woman now. She was no longer the same naive nineteen-year-old girl. She was an adult woman who could think about what was best for herself and for her daughter. Even if it hurt her down to the core, she had to accept it. ¡®I was a broken man, that day.¡¯ She had to accept that things would never be the same and that perhaps¡­ ¡®Then what about our daughter?! She needs a father!¡¯ ¡­it was best if they went their separate ways and lead their own lives. [I am sorry, Baraquiel. But we cannot continue.] . |DxD| . [The Kaioken, a divine technique that works by stimulating the user¡¯s divine strand to secrete demi-ki that will result in an overall qualitive boost to the user¡¯s body at the cost of their stamina. The appearance of the technique is signified by a dense maroon aura surrounding them. And then¡­] ¡°Let¡¯s go! Full power! HaaaaaAAAAAA!¡± GRUUU! [...the Demigod State, a transformation that can be achieved by reaching a threshold where the user¡¯s divine strand undergoes an evolution or a mutation. The appearance of the transformation is signified by the user¡¯s hair spiking up and turning blood red. Slightly different from the Kaioken, the aura colour is a more vibrant red. From my observations, there is also a Demigod Suppressed State where although the hair will still rise up, it will not turn red. However, there is one thing both the technique and the transformation have in common.] Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su [They grant a massive increase in power.] Deep in the confines of the time chamber, Igor¡­was not alone. Besides Aurelia, there was him on one side, and ten-thousand copies of himself on the other side. Separated by a distance of half-a-kilometre, Igor stood alone with his fists clenched in excitement. His blood red eyes scanned the thousands of clones organised like a division, gradual anticipation building up within him as he got into a stance. Like a well-ordered army, the clones stood in neat rows, each of them radiating the power of the supreme class. With all of them having spiky red hair and dense red aura surrounding them, it was like a sea of red when viewed from above where Aurelia currently was. Even though she was over a kilometre above all of them, she could still clearly see all of them with her supernaturally enhanced vision. And also, she could see the two massive hour glasses slowly trickling sand into the lower cylinder. ¡°Something like this should been done a month prior, not a week before.¡± With a very small amount of remaining sand left on the upper cylinder, she could calculate that just a little over six days were left until the ten years were over. [I hope he¡¯ll have recovered by then.] It was plain obvious at first glance what was about to happen. With one red flame standing in opposition of thousands of red flames, Aurelia was still tempted to stop this madness, even if it meant not getting to catch another glimpse of his power. Looking at the massive scroll lying at his side on the ground, a part of her regretted why she even created such a scroll. [My Multi-Clone Division Scroll, a strategic innovation that has the potential to revolutionize warfare, reduced to a training tool.] Lamenting the number of hours she¡¯d have to put in to make another one, she confided in herself that at the very least, she would be able to analyse the debut performance of her creation and work on improving it. Vwong Vwong Vwong Vwong With around a dozen magic circles forming around her, she scribbled a few more things under her notebook where she had written about the Kaioken and Demigod State. ¡°An army of Igors truly would be frightening.¡± On the ground below, Igor was glaring at the army of clones with a serious expression. If this was a spar, he could let himself go wild. But these were clones whose only design was to kill. He knew that if he let himself get swayed by his jubilant emotions, he may as well die. But, no matter how serious he tried to be, he couldn¡¯t stop his mouth from twitching before gradually stretching into a small smile. His body was trembling from excitement as he watched his dream manifest in front of him. ¡°An army of ten-thousand¡­I have waited so long for this.¡± Watching identical copies of himself stand as still as statues, he knew that if he made one single move, they would attack him immediately. And that is exactly what he counted on. With his aura steadily fluctuating due to his excitement, the blonde let out the excess aura. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. GRUUU! With his demi-ki bursting out like a giant pyre, the redhead reeled back his fist. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Su! ¡­Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! As if the specified parameters were met, the clones also rushed towards Igor like a swarm as soon as he charged forward. The five-hundred metre gap between them was covered so qui- CLASH! Silence¡­ BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM Diving right into the middle, Igor began fighting like his life depended on it. With every blow sounding like cannon fire, he was in a heavy disadvantage. Having been surrounded from all sides, including the skies, he was in a very overwhelming position. But¡­ Su!...Su! Su!¡­Su!¡­Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! With his eyes closed, Igor was perfectly dodging the majority of their attacks in the most unexpected of ways. Leaving afterimages as he dodged, he was definitely hard to catch even with over a dozen limbs coming after him. Twisting his body, hovering in midair, and catching a few blows he couldn¡¯t dodge, Igor was perfectly exhibiting the benefits of his training these past few years. After that fight with those two clones he had while weighted, the blonde realised how beneficial perception and reaction speed would be in a fight against opponents that would be stronger than him. Over time, he gradually mastered the art of fighting without the need to rely on his eyes. After all, in a fight with multiple opponents, eyes become one of the most useless senses to have. Despite the overwhelming number of foes targeting him, he had a slight advantage since only a few could target him at a time. And while his clones were pressed for accuracy, it was optional for him. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM Quickly taking advantage of a small gap, Igor let a few well-times mouth blasts to a few clones in quick succession. Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! With dozens of clones exploding into white motes of light, Igor was briefly surprised that all it took was a simple attack to dispel them. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t dwell for too long on the thought¡­ Druuuu! ¡­or else he would¡¯ve been decimated by the massively condensed ki blast that rushed like a comet towards him. Tswii! Booom! From her vantage point in the sky, all Aurelia could see with her normal eyes were flashes of red at best. The redheads were fighting at too high a speed for her brain to process the images. It was why she had these magic circles to help her observe the battle. With a dozen of them hovering next to her, they were like her eyes and ears. As she processed the input he got from the circles, her hand continued to scribble in her notebook. [Without a single day of rest, Lord Igor had trained himself to the point of near death. As I write this, I cannot help but be impressed by the audaciousness of his ideas. As he fights against ten thousand of his clones, he has yet to suffer a disadvantage. This is quite unbelievable, but this is all a result of his enhanced perception that he has trained extensively for the past three years.] Swoosh! ¡­Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh Down below, the battle had taken a sudden turn as Igor flew away from the battle sight. Parts of his shirt had been torn, especially on the sleeves where it seemed the fabric had been burnt away. There were slight injuries on him, but his gaze remained focused. As he flew away, the clones did not fail to swarm after him like wasps. ¡°Hmph.¡± Glancing behind him, Igor avoided the myriad of ki blasts and¡­ Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! ¡­the occasional clone or three who would use the Instant Transmission to appear in front of him. But with a combination of perception and his Instant Vanish, he was able to dodge and gradually build some distance. Continuing to fly, he stretched his hands to his sides and began building up some ki. Zuuuuuu¡­ Small orange spheres formed in his hands as he continued to dodge. Thousands of clones tried using Instant Transmission to lock him down, but it wasn¡¯t easy. When everyone had the same energy signature, locking onto one person out of thousands was incredibly hard. It was why that out of thousands that tried, only two or three could successfully manage to appear in front of Igor. Tswii! Tswii! ¡­Tswii! Even then, the redhead was always able to successfully evade all of them. Having endured training with Sun Wukong, he had long since developed the ability to feel when someone was focusing on his energy. With the Instant Transmission, he could feel exactly how many people were locking on to him¡­ Su! ¡­and easily calculate how to dodge them. With only a few succeeding to teleport towards him, the other few thousand that failed would teleport in front of their fellow clone compatriots, forcing them to slow down. With this phenomenon repeating a few times, the distance between Igor and the clones continued to widen. Zuuuu¡­Zu! Zu! Zu! Zu! Zu! Zu! Zu! Having completely charged his technique, he didn¡¯t immediately attack. His eyes were closed in focus as he spread his senses outwards. Despite his mind being occupied with other matters, he still had enough sense to dodge and still maintain the heavily condensed ki in his hands. [...] Calmly navigating through the thousands of energy signatures, Igor finally found the one he was looking for. [I¡¯ll have to borrow you, sister.] Finding Aurelia¡¯s energy signature trailing just a kilometre or so behind all of them, the redhead opened his eyes with a smile¡­ ¡°Heh~.¡± ¡­and vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . Aurelia was struggling to keep up. Despite using numerous magic spells to make herself fly faster, she was trailing behind. Previously, Igor had flown in her direction along with the clones chasing after him like hounds. The massive pressure they released felt like suddenly developing a headache. Fortunately for her, she had developed countermeasures against this. Unfortunately, she still couldn¡¯t keep up with their massive speed. As she followed behind, the distance between him and herself only grew wider. But, in a twisted turn of events, she slowly felt Igor¡¯s ki locking on to her like a rope around her waist. [Is he?] Her mind worked quickly to decipher why he would do such a thing. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough because not even halfway through her conjecture, he appeared with his hands clasped together. Tswii! Her eyes widened when she felt the insanely concentrated energy melding together as he brought his hands together in front of him. zu zu zu zu Zu Zu Zu Zu ZU ZU ZU ZU ZU ZU There were crackles of lightning as the concentrated energy shook violently due to a need for a release. And the redhead would give it. ¡°[Sunset Flash!]¡± Ka..DRUUUUUUUUU!!! . AN . Apologies for the delay in updating. I had unfortunately caught a nasty sickness that thankfully didn¡¯t turn out to be anything too detrimental. Regardless, today is Friday and as much as I would like to write and edit another chapter, I barely have an hour before the Sabbath begins. I will come with two chapters on Sunday as compensation. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 140 Her mind worked quickly to decipher why he would do such a thing. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough because not even halfway through her conjecture, he appeared with his hands clasped together. Tswii! Her eyes widened when she felt the insanely concentrated energy melding together as he brought his hands together in front of him. zu zu zu zu Zu Zu Zu Zu ZU ZU ZU ZU ZU ZU There were crackles of lightning as the concentrated energy shook violently due to a need for a release. And the redhead would give it. ¡°[Sunset Flash!]¡± Ka..DRUUUUUUUUU!!! . |DxD| . With golden energy rushing out of his hands, a massive blast wave rushed towards the clones like a giant thruster of flames. This distance between Igor and the army of clones was just barely over a kilometre¡­which was very unfortunate for the clones. With his attack having been fully charged, the massive energy wave reached the clones before many even had the chance to barely turn around. BOOOM! ¡°HaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA!¡± Channelling more ki into the attack, Igor had absolutely no qualms painting the sky gold. The blast expanded up to several kilometres in diameter alone, making it look like a giant fiery golden sword from a distance. DRUUUUUUUUuuuuuuu¡­.. After over ten seconds of constantly painting the sky golden, Igor gradually reduced the output of ki until he finally cut off the ki supply to the attack. ¡°...¡± Although his arms still tingled a bit from discharging such a large amount of ki at once, Igor did not dare let his guard down. He could feel that several energy signatures had locked on to him, but he couldn¡¯t figure out where they were. [Did they hide in the Teleportation Zone?] He wouldn¡¯t put it past his clones to pull such a move. Given how wide the blast was, it was the only move the clones could make since their bodies would immediately dispel if they tried to block it. But still, hiding in the Teleportation Zone like that was an idiotic move. This was just proof that their general intelligence was a bit (severely) lacking. After all, clones have no self-preservation. And like he guessed, it didn¡¯t take long before multiple signatures that were locked onto him shattered. ¡°Stupid clones got lost.¡± Feeling the threads subtly connected to him vanish by the hundreds, it served to prove his guess that as the clones stayed longer and longer in the Teleportation Zone, the chaotic space inside would affect their ability to maintain the connection they tethered to the original. [Teleporting like that without preparing? Of course they¡¯d get stuck there.] Grumbling with his arms crossed, Igor was annoyed at the fact that this fight he was having was cut off when things were just starting to get fun. ¡°Damnit. Should I have stuck to just physical skills?¡± With his eyes closed in thought, Aurelia did not utter a word to disturb him. Having given him a few metres of space, her magic circles still rotated ominously. The silverette was not even focused on Igor. Her scribbling was furious as she recorded all the findings transferred to her through the magic circles. From the power of Igor¡¯s blast, to its after-effects, nothing was left behind. [Lord Igor is truly powerful and continues to grow stronger. As I write this, I can feel that the fabric of space in this very vicinity will be volatile for the next minute or so, making standard teleportation nigh-impossible.] She was not off the mark. If normal ki had been used, nothing would¡¯ve happened. But since his [Sunset Flash] was powered by demi-ki, the density of the energy was able to briefly warp space, causing a few minor fissures and tears that would destabilise any normal teleportation magic. It was only due to this environment being the time chamber that the fabric of space here was especially strong. Were this to happen on Earth, crackles of lightning would¡¯ve been a common occurrence as the fabric of reality slowly repaired itself. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. But Igor couldn¡¯t care less about the effects of his technique. [Should I chase after them?] He was more concerned with his next course of action. To even consider such a decision, it could be seen that the redhead was under the influence of battle lust. Like a hungry lion that had its gazelle snatched away, he was equally anxious and wanted to resume the fight as soon as possible. [Although the space there is chaotic, they should manage to hold on for a few minutes before they dispel.] The idea he had in his head was a massive risk. If he couldn¡¯t find a way out of the colourful dimension, he would be stuck in there forever. Without an energy signature to lock onto, the Instant Transmission would become useless. ¡°...¡± Taking a deep breath, the blonde opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll do it anyway!¡± Gruu! Powering up, the blonde clasped his hands together like he was holding a ball. Slowly¡­ Crack¡­Crack¡­Crack¡­crackle¡­crackle..crackle.crackle crackle crackle ¡­a dense ball of swirling red energy formed between his hands. It was small, barely the size of a tennis ball. But gradually¡­ Zuuuu¡­. ¡­under his nurture, the ball grew bigger and bigger until it was finally the size of a watermelon. ¡°Haaaaa¡­¡± Letting it hover on his hand, Igor looked at his creation with a trace of sweat on his face. Compared to some of his more generic attacks, it paled in comparison in terms of attack efficiency. But that wasn¡¯t the point of its creation. With the unblemished red sphere slowly rotating above his hand, he removed his hand from under it and let it hover by itself. ¡°If this backup measure is here, it should give me a strong enough signal that will allow me to return here.¡± Placing two fingers to his forehead, the blonde grinned. [I¡¯ve never fought in the Teleportation Zone before, but I bet it¡¯ll be fun.] Tswii! With the blonde vanishing, Aurelia was left alone with her notebook and a dozen magic circles hovering around her. She was confused why Igor suddenly vanished, but was not overly concerned. ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s up to now.¡± Looking at the orb that he had simply left behind, her interest gradually rose up. ¡°...¡± She tried to restrain herself, but with a ripe chance to analyse his demi-ki in full detail like this, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to relinquish it. ¡°Well¡­a little analysis wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Su! Instantly appearing in front of the sphere, her magic circles hovered around the sphere like cameras, her observation magic working overtime to analyse this strange sphere. As dignified as she tried to be, she could never fully restrain herself when it came to a subject that interested her. [For him to leave it like this, it is obviously not an attack.] Like an inquisitive scientist, she looked all around the sphere, her mind processing the input she gained from the magic circles. [The makeup of this sphere was definitely not created from the perspective of attacking. The vibrational frequency makes it more similar to a ball of air than a sphere of destruction.] Bringing her finger close to it, nothing happened. [Even if a normal human were to touch it, nothing would happen. In fact, there may be some advantageous benefits. It does however contain a large amount of energy organised in a structurally self-reliant manner. If it is like this, it should maintain itself for the next¡­oh?] Receiving additional input from one of her magic circles, the sudden change in findings surprised her. [It¡¯s already burning its own energy? How fascinating. Was Igor trying to recreate something similar to the Sun? But for what reason¡­?] From the massive amounts of demi-ki that the sphere was slowly releasing, she could already tell that at this rate, it wouldn¡¯t even last five minutes before it burnt itself out. ¡°Such a short duration. Finding the opportunity to study Igor¡¯s ki in detail doesn¡¯t come very¡­often.¡± It was then that slowly, the dots started to connect in her head. It had been a few years since Igor caused trouble, so her vigilance against him had become lax. But with his sudden action, her mind that had been in hibernation slowly woke up. ¡°This is pure demi-ki that is not structured to attack. It releases high amounts of energy at a constant rate and will only last for a few minutes. Disregarding the health benefits, this does not fall into the category of offensive techniques. In fact¡­this behaves more like a distress beacon.¡± As she delved deeper into her prognosis, her eyes slowly widened. ¡°No¡­¡± Not all the clones were dispelled. She could still feel their existence, and she knew where they were. With one of her circles having caught the brief multitude of spatial fluctuations, she knew they had used the Instant Transmission. And since they did not appear anywhere else, there was only one location they could be in. [The Dimensional Gap¡­] Those minor details that she ignored played back like a reel in her head. His sudden frustration and him suddenly vanishing after leaving this orb, this orb that would act like a beacon. All of this pointed to one thing. ¡°Damnit!¡± If her guess was right, then Igor was going to fight the clones who also most likely fled to the Dimensional Gap*. And if he went to the Dimensional Gap, then it would make sense for him to leave this orb here, because he was relying on it to come back. ¡°Damnit, Igor!¡± Cursing her heart out, Aurelia was much more frustrated than normal. This wasn¡¯t the same as him lifting extremely heavy weights under extremely high gravity while also wearing heavy weights. This wasn¡¯t the same as him trying out a technique that could potentially cripple him if he failed to execute it. This wasn¡¯t the same as him stealing a batch of clone scrolls and fighting a dozen clones while blindfolded with his arms tied behind his back. This was entirely different because, she wasn¡¯t there this time. If something went wrong, she wouldn¡¯t be able to help him. If this sphere fizzles out and he hasn¡¯t returned by then¡­ ¡°No¡­¡± Drip¡­Drip¡­ She didn¡¯t want to think such things. ¡°He¡¯ll return, Aurelia.¡± She could only hope that he came back. ¡°He¡¯ll definitely return.¡± Standing quietly next to the sphere, her heart tightened. ¡°He¡­he has to.¡± Besides the sphere fizzling out, she didn¡¯t want to think of the more grievous scenarios. ¡°Please¡­¡± . AN .
  1. If her guess was right, then Igor was going to fight the clones who also most likely fled to the Dimensional Gap*
Explanation: In case anyone hadn¡¯t figured it out yet, the Teleportation Zone is the Dimensional Gap. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 141 ¡°No¡­¡± Drip¡­Drip¡­ She didn¡¯t want to think such things. ¡°He¡¯ll return, Aurelia.¡± She could only hope that he came back. ¡°He¡¯ll definitely return.¡± Standing quietly next to the sphere, her heart tightened. ¡°He¡­he has to.¡± Besides the sphere fizzling out, she didn¡¯t want to think of the more grievous scenarios. ¡°Please¡­¡± . |DxD| . Tswii! ¡°...¡± Appearing in the dimension of mish-mashing colours, Igor didn¡¯t have his eyes wonder like an idiot. Having seen this place a multitude of times, he was already somewhat used to its irregular appearance. However, just as he thought, his clones were there. *Glance* *Glance* *Glance* *Glance* *Glance* *Glance* Feeling hundreds of eyes on him, he didn¡¯t immediately attack. Rather, he first verified that he could still feel the link he had established back in the time chamber. [Good. It¡¯s stable.] With his worries vanishing, the aura around him began fluctuating. ¡°Round two. Let¡¯s go!¡± Su! Charging ahead, the clones also rushed to meet him. Despite over 9000 clones having been annihilated in that one attack, the remaining few hundred still possessed some capability. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM Without that slight tug of gravity slowing them down, all of them were faster¡­much faster. Su! Su! Su! Su! Faced with attacks from multiple directions, Igor didn¡¯t let himself get easily encircled. With the chaotic space of the dimensional gap, conventional senses were useless. Normal ears would never pick it up, but there was a constant humming sound in the Dimensional Gap. This sound made it that Igor couldn¡¯t even hear the muscles of his clones twitching. While the Dimensional Gap certainly lacked air, it was filled with magic molecules, which could be substituted for air¡­to a certain extent. Without his auditory senses, he had to rely more on ¡°feeling¡± when an attack was about to reach him. By feeling the displacement of the molecules, he could gauge how close an attack was and how powerful it would be judging by the rate of displacement. But that wasn¡¯t always enough. Ka¡­DRUUU With everyone having the same ki signature, it was very, very difficult for Igor to focus on how they all manipulated their ki. And with how fast ki blast techniques travelled, even if he felt the displacement in the ¡°air¡±, reacting in time would be nigh impossible. ¡°GAH!¡± With it hitting him cleanly in the back, the redhead was sent flying into the void. Immediately after, the clone that fired the ki blast chased after him like a hound after a rabbit. Raising its leg, it appeared right where he would fly by. Gu! With a front-flip axekick, the strike landed accurately on his head, sending Igor down into the void below. The other clones were not idle either. With an opportunity given, some gave chase¡­ Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! ¡­while others released a few guided ki blasts. Dru! Dru! Dru! Dru! Dru! The only fortunate factor Igor had was that his speed of descent was temporarily faster than the clones. It would only be for a moment, but that was all he would need to regain his bearings. *Opens Eyes!* ¡°Damnit!¡± Tucking in his body, a surge of ki built up within him. ¡°RAAAA!¡± Letting out a fierce shout, he released a powerful explosive barrier. BOOOOM! The red barrier expanded rapidly, instantly engulfing the clones who were too close. Unfortunately, not many were dispelled with that attack since the majority were able to react and retreat in time. But, Igor¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t to get them all with this one measly attack. His aim was to create distance. With just a few dozen metres of space between him and his clones, he didn¡¯t dawdle. With golden spheres condensing within his palms, he began throwing out consecutive ki blasts in the direction of the clones. ¡°Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da! Da!¡± Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Some of them missed, and most were blocked. He expected that to happen. What he wanted to do however, was make the ki blasts that missed, return and attack the clones from behind. With a multitude of ki blasts continuing their paths after having missed, Igor was about to make them return when¡­ Tswii! A clone appeared at his side via Instant Vanish. [Tch.] A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He felt a bit frustrated that he couldn¡¯t sense it coming until it had gotten too close. Decisively abandoning his move, he fluidly diverted the straight punch to his head with his left forearm. With his right palm stretched out, he grabbed the clone by the face¡­ ¡°Die!¡± And let out a powerful ki blast right on its face. Doof! Immediately, the clone dispelled¡­ Zuu ¡­but he didn¡¯t have time to celebrate minor victories. Tswii! With another clone appearing behind him, the redhead crouched low to avoid the high kick aimed to the back of his head. With his left elbow primed, he aimed for the vital spot all men feared. He didn¡¯t care that this was his clone. Right now, he wanted to destroy them all. Crack! It was a critical hit. And¡­was that emotion on the clone¡¯s face? Whether crushing its storage containers gave it consciousness or not, he didn¡¯t care a single bit. ¡°Hhop!¡± Grabbing the clone by the leg, he used the Instant Vanish to disappear along with it¡­ Tswii! ¡­just as four more clones appeared where he was. Appearing above, Igor threw down the clone in his hand like how one would swing an axe towards the four other clones. Whether it was due to clone comradery or their programming, the other clones caught their wayward brother and helped him stabilise. But that action gave Igor more than enough time to attack. With his arms raised above, the blonde quickly formed a rather large sphere the size of a small room above his head and threw it down. ¡°Ha!¡± With how fast it was barreling towards them, the clones tried to block it, but it was meaningless. BOOOM! Zuu Zuu Zuu Zuu Zuu With all five of them dispelling, Igor unhesitantly kicked back with his leg, striking the gut of another clone that had just appeared behind him¡­again. ¡°Annoying little¡­¡± Seeing that it did not dispel, he once again prepared himself for its advance. Tswii! The clone tried using the Instant Vanish to attack with a double axehandle, this type of attack was too simple for him to block. Raising his hands, Igor grabbed both of its wrists, effectively stopping what seemed to be a powerful attack in its tracks. Tucking in his knees, Igor unleashed a front dropkick to the clone¡¯s chest. Gu! Sending it flying, he wouldn¡¯t let it end there. Seeing that some of the other clones were already en route to intercept their injured brother, he gave chase. Gruu¡­Su! With a bright red aura covering him, he chased down the clone he sent flying while also concentrating ki into his fist. Seeing the astounding number of clones in front of him in a lineup by the dozens, he didn¡¯t despair, but smiled. [Hmph.] Catching up to the clone, he reeled his fist back before delivering a powerful gut punch. BANG! . . . Like the sound of a mortar shell, it was indeed powerful, but it did not end there. ¡°HAAAAA!¡± Releasing the ki built up in his fist, a powerful energy flare pierced through the clone before spreading to the other clones. DRUUUUU! Like a carpet sweep, the red aura flare was wide enough to accommodate most of the clones into its destructive confines. Not only was the attack powerful, it also very bright. DRUUUUUuuuuuu¡­ Cutting off the flow of ki, Igor quickly calculated their positions for his next attack. Although he managed to get a few dozen clones in that one attack, more than three-hundred still remained. With his eyes closed, he could still feel their stationary presence around him. [Now!] Knowing that all of them were blinded, it was his chance to get rid of a huge chunk of them before they could recover. Tswii! Utilising his Instant Vanish, he rapidly began dispatching one clone after another. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! With super powerful punches, Igor vanished from one clone to another as swiftly as possible. He only had a few moments before the clones would be unaffected by blindness. While he could release one giant attack that would kill them all, the clones were only blind, not desensitized to spikes in energy signatures. Even if he did concentrate his power, the clones were too scattered for him to launch an effective attack to the point that even an explosive barrier wouldn¡¯t work, at least not effectively. So¡­ Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! He moved fast and struck hard. Some clones tried to evade, but with him having suppressed his energy fluctuations below theirs, he was hard to sense and avoid. Delivering full-powered strikes, he was able to decimate almost all of his targets in one attack. Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Having dispelled over a hundred, Igor was still going strong. But, some clones were already showing signs of recovery. However¡­ [I¡¯ve got you now.] With all of the clones in one direction having been decimated, there was only one cluster left. And it just so happened that this cluster was densely packed together. Turning around to face them, the blonde decisively raised his hand above his head and formed a small energy sphere in his palm. Seemingly grasping something, he lowered his right hand to his left side in preparation for what almost seemed like a backhand slap. With just over a hundred metres of distance between himself and the remaining cluster of clones, Igor swung his hand. In that moment, a massive crimson sword flashed into existence. Zuuuuuuu¡­ In slow motion, Igor swung his blade horizontally. Silence¡­ . . . SLASH! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Zuu! Like tofu, the clones were bisected immediately, the sharp edge of the blade cleaving through them without resistance. They were dispelled immediately without any pleasantries or chances to retaliate. With one swing completed, the true fun began. Shiing! Shiing! Shiing! Shiing! Shiing! With impressive speed, he swung the blade in multiple directions, leaving the clones no room to escape. Blocking was useless. The blade was too sharp. Charging forward was useless. The distance between them was too wide. They would get cut up before they could even evade. Even retreating backwards was pointless. The blade itself was over half-a-kilometre long. Instant Vanish couldn¡¯t even cover a fifth of that distance in one burst. Whether it was blocking, evading, or dodging, it was all pointless. They could only be obediently sliced apart- ¡°?!¡± Just now, Igor felt a pair of eyes stare at him. But it wasn¡¯t the eyes that were the problem, but the dangerous presence behind them. The power he felt evoked his danger instinct, making him unconsciously power up to his maximum. He completely ignored the clones and searched for that dangerous presence he felt. But the clones wouldn¡¯t be so kind as to let him. Su! Su! Su! Su! As they rushed forward to take advantage, the blonde glared at them with years of killing intent in his gaze. ¡°PISS OFF!¡± Ka¡­DRUUUUUUU! Using his left hand, he unleashed a powerful one-handed Sunset Flash. Being completely unrestrained in his execution of the technique, the blast of orange covered a very wide diameter, completely sweeping the clones who had recklessly charged forward. The radius of the blast was unlike any other he pulled. Just its size made him seem puny in comparison. But, releasing such powerful blast of extremely dense demi-ki was not without its drawbacks. Lowering his arm, Igor knew that for atleast the next couple of seconds, he wouldn¡¯t be able to release powerful techniques through his left arm. Yet, compared to that dangerous presence he felt, drawing out his fight with the clones was not something he could afford. Having vanquished the last of them in a resounding victory, Igor was not in the mood to celebrate. [That presence just now¡­who was it?] Looking around vigilantly, he couldn¡¯t find it anymore, almost as if it had hidden itself. But he would never forget the feeling he felt, the feeling of complete danger, the feeling of overwhelming power. [I must train harder.] The strength that he had grown so proud to earn was nothing in front of this existence. [I must get stronger.] That power he felt completely eclipsed his understanding. No matter how he thought about it, there was absolutely no way he would win if he clashed against that monstrous power level. Placing two fingers to his forehead, he focused his senses on the energy signature he had come to familiarise himself with over the decade. Detecting Aurelia¡¯s energy signature, he latched onto it and vanished. * Tswii! . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± Manifesting out of nothingness, a little girl in gothic clothing appeared. With an expressionless face, her eyes surveyed the remaining traces of ki that had yet to dissipate during the exchange. ¡°Strong¡­¡± She would remember that boy, and they would meet again. . AN .
  1. Placing two fingers to his forehead, he focused his senses on the energy signature he had come to familiarise himself with over the decade. Detecting Aurelia¡¯s energy signature, he latched onto it and vanished.
Explanation: This is not a mistake. Yes, he did leave an orb, but like he said before, it was a backup. To specifically quote him: ¡°If this backup measure is here, it should give me a strong enough signal that will allow me to return here.¡± If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 142 Manifesting out of nothingness, a little girl in gothic clothing appeared. With an expressionless face, her eyes surveyed the remaining traces of ki that had yet to dissipate during the exchange. ¡°Strong¡­¡± She would remember that boy, and they would meet again. . |DxD| . Deep within the confines of the time chamber, Aurelia was alone as she hovered in the air next to Igor¡¯s sphere. All the magic circles around her had vanished, her lust for knowledge drenched in the discovery of the blonde¡¯s daring scheme. Her eyes remained focused on the sphere, her heart threatening to leap out of her throat with each centimetre it shrunk without his return. [Damnit, Igor.] She was torn between the opposing grasps of rage and sadness. The unsurety of the situation had frustrated her to no end. Six minutes had already passed out of the ten she estimated this sphere would last. And clinging true to her estimations, it was already four-tenths of its original size. Watching its radius shrink minute by minute, she was torn between trying to supply it with her mana or placing her hopes that he would return before it completely disappeared. But, knowing the relatively volatile relationship between ki and mana, she decided to wait and see. Zuuu¡­ Shu! ¡­Zuuu Yet, when the sphere rapidly shrunk by another tenth, that resolve to not tamper with the sphere wavered. *Clenches Fists* For the first time in decades, Aurelia was on the verge panicking. This situation of complete helplessness, of being unable to do absolutely anything, was the exact same scenario she had to endure when her family was slaughtered in front of her. [Please, God. Please don¡¯t let this happen again. Please¡­] With two powerful behemoths residing in the Dimensional Gap, she feared what would happen if Igor were to chance upon them. With the commotion caused by him fighting his clones, the chances of him attracting their attention was rather high, too high for her comfort. With her hands clasped to her chest, Aurelia earnestly prayed. ¡°Please, dear God. I beg of you. Please¡­please keep him safe.¡± With tears leaking through her tightly shut eyelids, her arms trembled. ¡°Even¡­even if he doesn¡¯t come back, please keep him alive.¡± For her, the most painful thing she would have to endure would be his death. Not because their lineage would be finished. Not because it would be a ¡°shame¡±. But because, she would be alone once again. Even after decades had passed, she hadn¡¯t completely recovered from losing her family. If she were to lose him too¡­ ¡°I-I¡­I can¡¯t lose him too, Father. I can¡¯t! Please¡­please don¡¯t let him be taken from me. If he dies¡­if he¡­¡± Unable to hold herself from weeping, she tried to keep herself strong. But the fear, the crippling fear that made itself present within her heart tore apart the walls she used to keep her tears at bay. ¡°Please¡­Igor. Live. Please live.¡± And as if to answer her prayers¡­ Tswii! He appeared. . . . Silence¡­ ¡°Nice to see I made it.¡± Appearing in tattered clothing, the blonde gave himself a once-over to see if there weren¡¯t any weird spells or circles planted on his body without his knowledge. After that weird, yet very awe-inspiring encounter, he felt his efforts to work harder redouble. Gradually cancelling his demigod state, he turned around and was about to address his sister when half of his face was suddenly buried in white hair. ¡°Oof!¡± Without saying anything, Aurelia had buried her head into his chest, her hands holding on tightly to his shoulders. ¡°Idiot! You idiot! Idiot! Idiot! IDIOT!¡± ¡°...¡± On a normal day, such repetitive insults would¡¯ve ignited the furnace of his anger, even if the courier of such insults was Aurelia. But as his senses readjusted, he felt her turbulent emotions that evoked his worry and concern. Gone were thoughts about that presence. It wasn¡¯t important right now. Gone were new plans to increase the intensity of his training. That could be planned later. Right now, he was focused entirely on his sister. ¡°Sister? Did something happen?¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Embracing her in a hug, one arm was on her lower back while another was on her hair. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong and I will handle it. I promise.¡± Regardless of whether she was the older one between them, he would never use seniority to turn down family in need of help. ¡°...¡± Feeling his arms around her, she didn¡¯t reply. She clung onto him tightly and absorbed his presence, her relief soaring through the roof that¡­ ¡°You¡¯re okay. Thank God you¡¯re okay¡­¡± It was unsightly for a woman of her stature to weep like a child. But the immense relief she felt at his arrival eclipsed all those thoughts. Using her mana to scan all over his body, the blonde didn¡¯t make any moves to stop her inspection. Despite feeling that nothing was wrong with his body, Aurelia still felt she had to ask. ¡°Are you¡­are you alright?¡± With her face still hidden beneath his chest, the blonde subtly questioned himself why she scanned his body multiple times in a row. Regardless, he answered her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister. I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°...¡± But it appeared that despite verbally suading her worries, she still wasn¡¯t convinced. From what he could feel from her emotions, they weren¡¯t calming down at all. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much, sister.¡± Gently scratching her head, he continued to reassure her. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯m fine. I really am. You can perform another check on me if you need to.¡± Sealing the deal with a tactic that worked countless times on Asia, he slightly propped her head up to expose her forehead. Chuu~ . . . Badump¡­ With her heart skipping a beat, Aurelia felt embarrassed that he really dared to do such an embarrassing on a woman decades his senior. ¡°Y-you¡­why did you¡­do that?¡± ¡°Do what? Kissing you?¡± Gently stroking her hair again, his hold on her lower back tightened. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re some random woman. You¡¯re my sister.¡± As if to prove his point¡­ Chuu~ ¡­he gave her another right at the top of her head. ¡°If you¡¯re upset, it¡¯s my job to comfort you.¡± ¡°...¡± Having her silence as a reply, he worried that he may have overstepped his bounds. ¡°Unless you want me to¡­stop?¡± ¡°...¡± He was once again presented with no reply. But, the tightened grip on his shoulders was all he needed as confirmation. Without any hesitation, he continued to hold her without complaint. ¡°No matter how many minutes, hours, or days, I¡¯ll hold you for as long as you want me to, sister.¡± . |DxD| . Three days had passed since that incidence and things had returned to normal. Seated on the steps by the exit to the time chamber, Igor was reading the Dragonball Manga. Despite having read it over a dozen times, he found himself continuously enraptured by the story. About to join him was Aurelia who had just walked out the gym. Wearing a training vest and some tights, the blonde idly wondered how far she ran on the treadmill. ¡°Seeing how your legs are shaking, you must¡¯ve set a new personal record.¡± The silverette seemed to ignore him and was more content with wiping her face with a towel. Shrugging his shoulders, Igor was about to continue reading again when all of a sudden, Aurelia walked over and sat down next to him. *Boing* *Boing* ¡°...¡± Turning to face his book again, Igor reminded himself. [It¡¯s just lumps of fat, Igor. It¡¯s just fat. It won¡¯t help you get stronger.] Redoubling his focus on the Gohan versus Cell arc, Igor carefully read through the scenes with eyes sharper than a hawk¡¯s. But before he could immerse himself, he heard Aurelia speak. ¡°Igor. Do you realise what you did?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He turned towards her with a questioning look. ¡°It¡¯s too early in the morning to be speaking in riddles, sister. You¡¯re making me look like those guys on TV shows who were caught cheating or something. Just say it directly.¡± ¡°...¡± With her remaining focused on the horizon, she replied. ¡°Igor. You went to the Dimensional Gap.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you stayed there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For seven minutes and forty-one seconds.¡± ¡°Kinda felt like five minutes to me. But if you say I stayed that long, then yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Feeling a bit prickled at how he was so casual about this, she calmed herself. ¡°Igor. You yourself told me how dangerous it was for you to stay in the Dimensional Gap. Even if you didn¡¯t, I know how dangerous the Dimensional Gap is. Even some of the strongest beings on this planet don¡¯t venture there without appropriate methods to return.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t say anything, but pointed at her. ¡°Appropriate return method? Check.¡± ¡°...what?¡± Aurelia looked at his finger which was pointed at her. ¡°Igor. What do you-¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I mean. You were my return method. I¡¯ve already memorised your energy signature to the point that even if I am in the Teleportation Zone, I can still sense you.¡± ¡°Then what about the orb? What was it for then?¡± The blonde simply shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just made it as a backup measure for you know, just in case I couldn¡¯t sense you for some reason. Maybe you¡¯d decide to hide your energy signature or something and that¡¯d make it hard for me to sense you. That¡¯s why I made that little ball. With it releasing high volumes of energy, I¡¯d be able to sense it even through the Teleportation Zone. Although, sensing you is much easier. How can I put it? It¡¯s like a stench. It¡¯s easier to smell another person¡¯s than your own.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Bulge! [Right. Why do I even worry about him?] Doing her best to keep her composure, she stood up. ¡°Since you have set precautionary measures in place, it seems that I no longer need to worry.¡± But just as she was about to leave, she suddenly stopped. ¡°You did not encounter anything else while you were there, right?¡± ¡°Do those weird colours count as weird?¡± ¡°...no.¡± Without turning around, the silverette walked away until she disappeared inside the gym. ¡°...¡± With Aurelia suddenly leaving like that, the blonde just shrugged his shoulders. [Huh. Then I guess that presence I felt wouldn¡¯t count as weird.] With that immense power level still freshly lingering in his mind, his resolve to train redoubled itself. And with Aurelia also training in the gym, his muscles also ached to pump some weight. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s make this last week count! To the gym we go!¡± . |DxD| . 05/08/1999- August 15, 1999, Grigori Headquarters, Underworld (30 days since Igor and Aurelia have disappeared) . In one of the lakes owned by Grigori, Azazel had come to spend some time away from work. With the tranquil sounds of the moving waves and the sight of multitudes of fish swimming in the clear waters, it was a perfect location to clear his mind through his favourite pastime- fishing. But, today was different¡­because he was joined by Baraquiel. With Baraquiel¡¯s presence growing increasingly unwanted in Kuoh, the cadre decided to retreat to the Underworld just a few days after his older brother left. Now, as both brothers sat on the edge of the wooden docks with their feet dangling over the waters, none of them bothered to say anything. Minutes gradually turned into hours as both brothers sat aside each other. But with the clock turning, work would soon call and Azazel knew he would have to leave. Figuring that his brother had enough time to clear his thoughts a bit, he decided to casually remind him about a very important factor. ¡°Baraquiel. You have around eleven months to resolve this issue with Shuri and Akeno peacefully.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel could understand what he meant. Or to be exact, ¡®who¡¯ he meant. ¡°Dimori.¡± Azazel nodded. ¡°Yes, brother. If he is indeed in the time chamber along with Yasaka¡¯s attendant, then you have around eleven months to reunite your family.¡± Placing a hand on Baraquiel¡¯s shoulder, he left one final message. ¡°Use that time wisely brother.¡± ¡°...¡± . AN . Azazel was almost right about his estimations except for a few parts that were wrong. First of all, it isn¡¯t ¡®months¡¯. It¡¯s ¡®hours¡¯. And¡­he forgot to place a ¡®.¡¯ between ¡®11¡¯. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, here¡¯s the link: [email protected]/HolyGambler Chapter 143 ¡°Baraquiel. You have around eleven months to resolve this issue with Shuri and Akeno peacefully.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel could understand what he meant. Or to be exact, ¡®who¡¯ he meant. ¡°Dimori.¡± Azazel nodded. ¡°Yes, brother. If he is indeed in the time chamber along with Yasaka¡¯s attendant, then you have around eleven months to reunite your family.¡± Placing a hand on Baraquiel¡¯s shoulder, he left one final message. ¡°Use that time wisely brother.¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Time chamber, 10 years later . Tsiiiiiii ¡°...¡± Tsiiiiiii ¡°Come on¡­¡± Tsiiiiiii ¡°Come on already!¡± ¡°Be patient, Igor. We have just under a minute before we can leave.¡± In front of the massive door that led to the world outside, Igor was standing impatiently with his fists clenched, his eyes glaring murderously at the trickles of sand remaining in the hourglasses. ¡°Damnit. I want to see Asia and Akeno already.¡± With how veins were bulging along his muscles, it was clear he was this close to smashing the giant hourglasses apart. However, Aurelia hurriedly stopped him from doing what would most likely be a foolish idea. Gently grabbing his arm, she placated him. ¡°Bear with it for a little more, Igor. You¡¯ll naturally see them soon. On the other hand, I also have to go back to Kyoto as well.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He turned to face his sister with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why are you going there? Need me to come with?¡± His concern was evident on his face. Kyoto couldn¡¯t exactly be called a friendly place for her sister, and it would be even more so now that she no longer hid her unique Aryan heritage. Flattered at his reasonable worry for her, the silverette shook her head. ¡°No need to do so, Igor. After so long, I have to reconvene with Lady Yasaka and speak to her about a few things.¡± ¡°...¡± He still wasn¡¯t pleased that she would still go back to an environment where she would be discriminated for being a human. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to come, sister?¡± ¡°As much as I wish for you to accompany me, I¡¯m afraid you may cause some¡­trouble. We don¡¯t need a political mess so soon into our return do we, ¡®Lord Igor?¡± Clicking his tongue, the blonde grumbled. ¡°Not this again¡­¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± Unable to stop herself from letting out a little laugh, Aurelia re-explained her point. ¡°Igor. Once we are outside, I cannot so callously address you by name like I have in here. By law and tradition, you as the strongest of our people must be addressed as a title befitting of your status.¡± Huffing, Igor retorted. ¡°And there¡¯s also a law that the young must respect the old. I¡¯m too young for you to call me a lord.¡± ¡°Please do not try to dissuade me, Igor. As much as you may dislike it, please bear with it.¡± ¡°...¡± He looked at her. He REALLY looked at her with a slightly displeased disgruntled expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry I¡¯d develop an ego?¡± ¡°By all rights, you deserve to have one, Igor. You may be one of, if not the strongest in your generation. Having a bit of arrogance is not wrong for you who possesses the capacity to kill gods-¡± Tsiiiiiii¡­ ¡°Let us continue this conversation outside, Igor.¡± The blonde nodded silently as they were enveloped by a white light. Vwong! . |DxD| . August 15, 1999 (Sunday), Forest Region, Kuoh Town, Japan Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. . The Forest of Kuoh was as beautiful and dense with greenery as always. After it had suffered damage from a supernatural skirmish a month ago, it had gradually recovered under the guided care of Cleria¡¯s peerage and their familiars. Brought back to its previously rejuvenated state, the forest was teeming with all sorts of wildlife with most of it being harmless. From large herbivores like deer, to tree dwellers like monkeys, the forest had it all. Just above the forest canopy, a white pillar of light formed before it vanished to reveal Igor and Aurelia in their very differing outfits. Igor seemed just about ready for the gym with his black vest and dark blue pants. Wearing his shinobi sandals as always, he completed his attire with blue wristbands. Aurelia was different as she was dressed rather elegantly. She wore a cream-white shirt that was tucked into a modest black dress with white-spotted patterns. Adorning her feet were black heels while on her head was a brown sunhat. Under the sunlight, she looked immensely pretty and the blonde would¡¯ve thought so were it not for his attention suddenly turning towards the presence of Asia and Akeno who were just barely a few kilometres from him. He probably would¡¯ve flew away on the spot were it not for Aurelia suddenly speaking to him. ¡°Before you leave, Lord Dimori, it is my job to emphasise your current standing in both the supernatural world and the mundane.¡± ¡°...¡± Sighing in slight annoyance, the blonde turned to face her once more. ¡°Damned politics¡­¡± ¡°Fufu~. Indeed. It is as you call it, Lord Dimori. But as unappealing as you find politics to be, please recognise that you are a walking political minefield. Not only do you have ties with some of the most important key figures in several pantheons and factions, you also possess overwhelming power that many may not hope to possess in their lifetime. Your covert sphere of influence will not be covert for long. As more and more people learn of your existence, it is vital that you possess a certain level of prestige.¡± The blonde idly wondered if there really was anything prestigious about him. As far as he knew, there was nothing prestigious about a battle/training junkie who ate like a starved man and could curse like a sailor when prompted. Even when comparing his looks to Aurelia, it was clear who possessed more prestige. But his wondering was cut off when the silverette continued. And¡­was that a bit of pride he detected there? ¡°At the very least, a person of your calibre must at the very least possess a servant or an attendant, which will be me. And as your attendant, it will be detrimental to your reputation if I address you directly by your birth name.¡± ¡°...¡± Listening to her list a bunch of reasons, he only had one phrase as a response. ¡°Damned politics.¡± He had already grown tired of trying to convince her otherwise. He was content to leave this political stuff to her while he did his training. ¡°Do what you want, sister. But don¡¯t cross the line. I won¡¯t have my life and actions dictated by politics.¡± The silverette gave a nod. ¡°Fufu~. As you wish, Lord Dimori. I guarantee that it will not come to that.¡± ¡°...tch.¡± He wasn¡¯t pleased with everything, but at the very least, the interaction between them as brother and sister did not change much. As long as he could preserve that aspect, he would hold in his complaints. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to it, sister.¡± Turning around, an aura of white ki suddenly covered him. GRUU! ¡°Come find me when you¡¯re done.¡± SHUUUUUUuuuuuuuu¡­ Watching Igor leave, a teleportation circle similarly formed under her feet. Vwong! . |DxD| . Igor was excited. The thought of meeting the people who called family after ten long years was something he looked forward to for a long time. He could already sense their energy signatures inside the house into the distance, a house that had seen some surprising changes. For one, there was now a one-car garage with a silver four-door Toyota sedan parked outside. The wooden fence had been completely replaced for strong steel wire fencing, and the patch of lawn that was previously dirt had been replaced with a concrete pathway that led from the door to a small gate. As the blonde landed, he did not stand on ceremony. ¡°AUNTY! ASIA! AKENO! I¡¯M HOME!¡± It didn¡¯t take long. To be accurate, not even three seconds passed before the door was nearly ripped open to reveal a head of blonde hair. ¡°Big brother!¡± The little blonde sprinted towards the elder blonde and dived into his open arms. Clinging onto him like a koala, her emerald gaze locked onto his with wondrous lustre. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Gently brushing away the strands of hair that fell on her forehead, he gave her a light kiss. ¡°Did you miss your big brother?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With her arms tightening around his neck, she was like a child on a sugar rush. ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!¡± Swinging her legs wildly like she was riding a horse, the pretty smile on her face was more than enough for Igor. Only God knew how much he worried over her safety during his time away. To find her safe and sound was all he could ever ask for. Feeling that there were no discrepancies in her body, he turned his attention towards the little brunette who was looking at him with a teary gaze. ¡°Akeno?¡± The little fallen didn¡¯t move. Hik¡­hik¡­ She was desperately trying to hold back tears, but was failing in doing so. ¡°Hik¡­b-brother¡­¡± The tears that she had managed to restrain suddenly flowed out upon seeing him. Igor smiled softly upon seeing his other little sister cry. Crouching down, he freed his other arm and beckoned her over. ¡°Come here, little chick.¡± ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, she ran towards his waiting arm and surrendered into his embrace. The blonde hooked his arm around her legs and picked her up while the little fallen clutched onto his shirt for stability. ¡°B-brother¡­hik¡­¡± ¡°Why are you crying? Aren¡¯t I here now? Everything will be fine.¡± Shuri silently watched with a smile as her little girl cried into his embrace. His comforting presence allowed her to release all the feelings she tried to bottle up. Shuri couldn¡¯t fault her daughter. After letting Akeno know that she and Baraquiel were going to separate, it broke her little heart. The only saving grace was that she wasn¡¯t informed of the explicit reasons. But with Igor having returned, she no longer worried too much about her daughter¡¯s state of mind. ¡°We¡¯re so happy to see you return so quickly, Dimori-kun.¡± With Akeno crying and Asia comforting her friend, Igor looked at Shuri with a content smile. ¡°Of course, aunty. I had to return here as soon as possible. By the way. Do you know where old man Baraquiel is, aunty? I can¡¯t find his presence here in Kuoh and I was itching for a spar.¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . The moment Baraquiel¡¯s name was brought up, many things happened that immediately caused Igor to be filled with worry. For starters, Akeno cried more. Trying to console her was an affair that took over half-an-hour to resolve. During that time, she refused to let go of him and it was only when she fell asleep on his shoulder that he could finally lay her to rest in her own bed. Asia appeared to clueless of everything, which meant that whatever happened to Baraquiel was recent. Igor had asked what was going on, but Shuri had asked to speak with him alone in private. Leaving Asia to watch over Akeno, she had pulled him into her room where they currently stood apart from each other. Shuri had already imagined a scenario where she would have to explain things to the blonde, but not this soon. She was unable to meet his serious gaze, a stark contrast to the jovial one he had before. Igor was rather close with Baraquiel, making her fear how he would take the news of their separation. ¡°Um¡­Dimo-¡± ¡°Did the old man pass away?¡± ¡°?!¡± Whipping her head up, she saw his hands were clenched, his face hollow as his predetermined thoughts festered in his mind. Quickly shaking her head, Shuri corrected him. ¡°No. Baraquiel didn¡¯t die. Nor is he in any mortal danger.¡± And just like that, the dark expression on his face vanished. ¡°Really? Then what¡¯s wrong? Did he not come back or something?¡± ¡°He did come back¡­¡± Left unsaid was that it was over twenty days later. Hearing Shuri¡¯s answer, the blonde frowned in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re losing me now, aunty. If the old man isn¡¯t dead and he did come back, then what¡¯s the problem? What happened over the year I was gone?¡± Shuri widened her eyes at his misinformation, but gradually shook her head. ¡°Dimori-kun. You weren¡¯t gone for a year. You were gone for a month.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 144 Left unsaid was that it was over twenty days later. Hearing Shuri¡¯s answer, the blonde frowned in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re losing me now, aunty. If the old man isn¡¯t dead and he did come back, then what¡¯s the problem? What happened over the year I was gone?¡± Shuri widened her eyes at his misinformation, but gradually shook her head. ¡°Dimori-kun. You weren¡¯t gone for a year. You were gone for a month.¡± . |DxD| . The blonde processed the information Shuri just told him. To find out that he was gone for a month was¡­not a huge shock to be honest. In fact, it just cleared up all the confusion he had. ¡°Oh. No wonder all of you still feel the same.¡± When his senses washed over them, he thought he was still experiencing some sort of time lag from exiting the chamber since their life signatures felt relatively the same. It was a slight relief to know his senses still functioned normally. ¡°Either way, please tell me what happened over the month, aunty.¡± Whether the time chamber underwent an evolution was something he would leave Aurelia to think about. What he wanted to know now was why everyone seemed to be so despondent. ¡°Well, Dimori-kun¡­a lot of things happened.¡± Taking in a deep breath, Shuri gathered her resolve. ¡°For starters, Baraquiel and I¡­have separated.¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Silence¡­ Shuri waited for it any moment now. His screams, his yells of indignation, or his judgemental gaze. She already knew how it would look. She, who lost her memory, was selfish and refused to go back to her husband whom she had a lovely daughter with. And with the very special relationship that existed between him and her former husband, Shuri had already resigned herself to be on the receiving side of his verbal tirade. But¡­ Gu¡­Gu¡­Gu¡­Gu¡­ ...all Igor did was walk over towards the open window and stood there. ¡°Before I say anything, I want to hear the whole story. Please, tell me what happened, aunty.¡± His voice was calm¡­too calm. For some reason, Shuri felt like she was facing someone like Azazel. The authority the blonde oozed was enough to make her almost compelled to obey, like a student facing a headmaster. The difference between the boy from a month ago and the one in front of her was too stark, and not only physically. ¡°You might want to sit down for this, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°No need, aunty. I¡¯d like you to tell me everything. Please tell me¡­every single thing that led to this point.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri saw he was adamant in his decision. She couldn¡¯t see his face so she wouldn¡¯t be able to gauge his reaction as she spoke, but she hoped he would atleast understand her point of view. ¡°Alright, Dimori-kun.¡± And so, she began recounting the story as accurately as possible to the fullest extent of her knowledge. She reiterated all the details from a month ago without any embellishments and with as little impartiality as possible. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Although it was reopening old wounds, Shuri did not let her emotions cloud her narration, or at the very least, to the best of her abilities. She told him of how the days passed by without any sign of his presence until he was found in Cuba with another woman. ¡°When Azazel and I found him, he was with another woman, and he looked happy as she¡­kissed him-?!¡± When she mentioned that part, Shuri could¡¯ve sworn she felt a rapid spike in power before it disappeared like it was never there. It was as if her world turned white for the most briefest of seconds before colour filled her vision again. The blonde showed no outward reaction, but she was able to notice that the hands behind his back which were hanging freely were now clenched. But he still stood tall like a soldier, his gaze fixed on the view outside. His hair which had been in a ponytail had come undone, but there was no strong wind that could¡¯ve caused the blue hairband lying on the floor to dislodge itself. It fell on his broad shoulders like a waterfall, almost making him look like a woman from behind. As the lull of silence stretched out, Igor subtly turned around, his eyes hidden by his hair. ¡°Please continue, aunty.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Shoving the thoughts of that spike in power behind her, Shuri continued narrating the story and included all the details, including the name of Alicia who Baraquiel was with. ¡°If you wish for proof, Dimori-kun, I can show it-¡± ¡°I trust you, aunty. Please continue.¡± His voice was even, bordering on the realm of polite. It was as if he was not affected in the slightest by the news she was telling him. But beyond that, she was surprised by how he trusted her. She was ready to bring out the logbook and show all the proof she had and even call Cleria to act as an accreditor. She was touched that he didn¡¯t think so little of her. ¡°Very well, Dimori-kun.¡± This time, she went over the events that happened in the last ten days. From Azazel exacting physical punishment on Baraquiel, she didn¡¯t leave important details out. Like a timeline, she took the most important parts and skipped over the dialogue she had with Baraquiel. After all, he asked ¡°what¡± happened. Not ¡°why¡±. She did not go into specifics about any talks or unimportant interactions. Finally, she arrived at today where she and Baraquiel announced their separation. ¡°Akeno did not take it well, but it was for the best. I truly apologise for being selfish, Dimori-kun. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to call him husband after everything.¡± Through sheer self-control, she did not shed tears. She already had enough crying and the last thing she wanted was to seem like a typical woman who used tears to sway opinion in her favour. To Igor who valued family the most in his heart, such manipulation tactics would not doubt earn his ire. ¡°Everything I have said is the truth for my side with no falsities. I am of sound mind without any emotional turbulence affecting my recounting the story.¡± ¡°...¡± Having his silence as his reply, Shuri was worried that he would view her unfavourably. She had seen how strong the bond Igor and Baraquiel had in his memories and was worried that he would be biased towards him. And if his view of her was horrible, he might resent her and by extension, Akeno. Shuri didn¡¯t care about herself but she absolutely did not want to get between Akeno and her big brother. She had already caused her daughter to be separated from her father. She didn¡¯t want her to lose her brother as well. ¡°Dimori-kun. I-¡± ¡°I apologise, aunty. I can¡¯t hold myself anymore because¡­¡± Gradually, his energy increased. ¡°...I want to know¡­¡± And his tone turned dark. ¡°Where. Is. He.¡± . |DxD| . Kyoto, Japan . While Igor had stayed in Kuoh, Aurelia had returned to Kyoto. For her, it was ten years. For the others, it was just a little over a month. It was relatively easy for her to tell the time just by looking at the sky. By noting the position of the sun and the moon, she was able to accurately tell how much time had passed. Letting her eyes roam the city and its countryside, she could see that the structural damage caused by Igor had been repaired and all the broken windows had been replaced. Even off into the far distance, she could see that the Himejima compound had been completely rebuilt. Flying further inward into the city, she was under the cover of illusion magic. Her aim was one of the highrise office buildings in the city. While it appeared like a normal office building from outside, the significance it held superceded its appearance. Not only did it contain historical significance, it was the central hub for supernatural administration in Japan and it was also where Yasaka stayed on the topmost floor. While the building was indeed protected by wards and barriers, they were elementary in Aurelia¡¯s eyes. Under the cover of her illusion, she swiftly got passed the multiple barriers before making it to the window to Yasaka¡¯s office. While she was now stronger than her mistress, she still respected her enough to not barge in like that. So, she flared her energy for the briefest of moments, just enough that Yasaka would be able to sense it, but not get detected by the wards she bypassed. And sure enough, the fluffy nine-tailed fox made her way to the window. Twisting some latches, she opened the window and placed her elbows on the sill. ¡°My my, Aurelia-chan. Don¡¯t you look dashing~.¡± While she would love to entertain Yasaka, the silverette had more pressing matters to report. ¡°Lady Yasaka. Apologies for my rudeness, but there are important matters I must discuss for you, matters that could affect the entire Shinto Pantheon.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 145 ¡°My my, Aurelia-chan. Don¡¯t you look dashing~.¡± While she would love to entertain Yasaka, the silverette had more pressing matters to report. ¡°Lady Yasaka. Apologies for my rudeness, but there are important matters I must discuss for you, matters that could affect the entire Shinto Pantheon.¡± . |DxD| . The Kaioken was a technique that could be considered to be Igor¡¯s backbone. For years, he had studied and used this technique until it he could use it as easily as breathing. His dependence on the technique gradually resulted in his body evolving towards it. The Kaioken which he needed some time and focus to use became a technique that could be executed in seconds. And as time went on, it became a technique he¡¯d execute even unconsciously, especially in times of emotional turmoil. Be he excited or angry, he would find himself subconsciously using it, because the Kaioken was a part of him. However, there was a difference now. Ever since he achieved his demi-god state, his demi-ki had become denser. So now, whenever he drew upon the ability of the Kaioken, his divine strand excreted a richer version of demi-ki¡­ ¡°Where. Is. He.¡± ¡­and that demi-ki, was dense enough to make his eyes turn red. Whether Igor himself knew it, no one would know. But what was known is, he was feeling very murderous. As his bubbling rage forced his Kaioken multipliers to cycle into the double digits, it was a testament to his ki control that no aura cloak covered him yet. But, it didn¡¯t mean the pressure was gone. ¡°Dimori-kun¡­please stop.¡± Shuri was feeling the pressure from the subtle power the blonde was exerting. With her enhanced senses, she was able to pick up the building pressure and it made her feel extremely lightheaded. Any longer, and she¡¯d faint. Hearing Shuri pleading for him to stop, her voice was enough for Igor¡¯s head to clear and for the blonde to realise what he was doing. Immediately calming his tampant emotions, the blonde stepped forward to help Shuri stand straight, his anger replaced by concern. ¡°Sorry, aunty. I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alri-¡± Shuri wanted to wave off his apology when she suddenly felt a rejuvenating energy flow into her. With widened eyes, she looked at Igor who had placed his hands on both her shoulder and stomach. Through them, she could see a red energy gradually enter through her body. ¡°Dimori-kun. What is this?¡± ¡°Some of my ki to help with the headache. ¡° Continuing to channel it into her a little longer, he finally removed his hands after a minute with a serious expression on his face. ¡°Aunty. I promised I would hear the rest of the story, and I will. I¡¯ve already heard your side. Now I would like to hear the other. So, please tell me where I can find Baraquiel.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri hesitated. Igor was considered a part of this family for a long time, so he most certainly had the right to know everything, especially after everything he did for them. But, she feared the exact consequences of what would happen if she told him where her former husband was. Igor¡­was not one known for his great self-control. She didn¡¯t know what he would do if he met Baraquiel. ¡°Not today, Dimori-kun. Let¡¯s go see him tomorrow. I will tell you then.¡± She was hoping that by then, he would¡¯ve calmed down enough. But Igor wasn¡¯t having that, especially since he caught on to her ruse. As stupid as the blonde claimed to be, he could be mightily aware of certain things when he chose to actually pay attention. ¡°...¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Despite that, he ignored Shuri¡¯s ruse. He didn¡¯t need her to tell him. He had already figured where Baraquiel would most likely be based on what she told him. There were only two places Baraquiel could be and he would find him in one of them. However, there was something else he desperately wanted to know, something that could extinguish or nurture the little hope in his heart, the little hope that this family he came to cherish might be complete one day. Looking up at the ceiling, he took a deep breath before lowering his gaze to meet Shuri¡¯s. ¡°Aunty. If you were to be given some time to recover, maybe a few years, do you see yourself possibly getting back together with the old man.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t answer him immediately. In a few months? Definitely not. In a few years? ¡­definitely not. While her feelings were indeed a bit haywire for the first few days, the past few days allowed her to confirm that the feelings she had for Baraquiel had all but faded. She still cared for him. He was her first love and the father of her child. But she couldn¡¯t see herself with him again at any point in time. The heartbreak and disappointment she felt was just too strong to try and mend the broken bond they had. Sensing her unending silence, it was a confirmation of what Igor feared the most. He knew how powerful Shuri¡¯s love was. The bond those two shared was something he had only seen in his own parents. For Baraquiel to shatter something so precious, he couldn¡¯t even imagine how hurt Shuri must¡¯ve been for a bond that strong to break. ¡°I see. I apologise for reopening old wounds, aunty.¡± Shuri looked up and was about to reassure him when his next words made her feel like she swallowed a stone. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me where he is, aunty. From what I know, he can only be on Earth or in the Underworld.¡± ¡°?!¡± With her fear spiking through the roof, she panicked. ¡°Wait, Dimori-kun!¡± She rushed forward and tried to grab him. But, the blonde vanished and suddenly appeared on the other side of the room, with blood red eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°WAIT-¡± Tswii! . |DxD| . In the time chamber, Igor was forced to come to chilling realisations that actions have consequences. When he was suddenly pulled in along with Aurelia, his biggest concern beyond the Shinto Pantheon seeking revenge, was that all those gods he disrespected when his senses passed through their domains would seek revenge through his family. Thankfully, Aurelia managed to console him that the power he displayed in Kyoto was more than enough to make many of them think twice. And as a bonus, he had Shiva as his backing. It was through her words that he finally had the will to fully focus on his training without any stray thoughts. But he had never forgotten that lesson. Tswii! It was why that for what he chose to do next, he chose the boundless ocean as his stage. With water running as far as the eye could see, no one would focus on Kuoh. Having appeared in the middle of the vast ocean, Igor was free to do as he wished here. ¡°If you are on Earth, I will find you, Baraquiel.¡± With his power level gradually rising, his hair followed suit. su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Entering the suppressed state of his Demigod Transformation, Igor closed his eyes in focus. What he was about to do would be a repeat of what he did a month ago in order to find Akeno and Shuri. But different from before, he had enough ki to cover the whole world. And with the density of his demi-ki, he did not fear any barriers. ¡°HAAA!¡± GRUUUU! Like a rush of lightning, ki rapidly spread away from the blonde like a giant massive net. His actions would sire the anger of numerous entities in the supernatural world, but he didn¡¯t care. Consequences weren¡¯t considered and politics be damned. One way or another, he was going to find Baraquiel, and he would make him explain exactly why he abandoned his family for a harlot. One way or another. ¡°WHERE ARE YOU, BARAQUIEL!¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Oh no. No no no no no.¡± Shuri was downright panicking. The worst possible situation she discussed with Cleria had just happened and she feared it was only a matter of time before he made his way to the Underworld. ¡°I have to contact Cleria.¡± Rushing over to the telephone on her bedside post, she didn¡¯t bother scrolling through the contacts and quickly dialed the number to Cleria¡¯s office. Patiently yet begrudgingly, she waited for her friend to pick up. It didn¡¯t take long before she heard the silverette¡¯s cheery voice. ¡°Shuri-chan!¡± Shuri gave no pleasantries. ¡°Cleria. We need to talk. Listen carefully. Dimori-kun has returned and-¡± Fuuush¡­ It was faint, so faint that anyone lacklustre in the sensing department wouldn¡¯t be able to pick up that faint energy wave pass over them. But Shuri knew this feeling, or to be specific, this energy signature. She had felt it and knew exactly who it belonged to. With her anxiety growing stronger, she squashed it down. ¡°Listen, Cleria. Dimori-kun¡­Dimori-kun is-¡± But Cleria was already ahead of her. ¡°I know. He¡¯s looking for Baraquiel.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°He¡¯s not on this planet.¡± Hovering above the sea with his fists clenched, Igor did not try to hide his displeasure. ¡°If he¡¯s not in Cuba or anywhere on this planet, then he¡¯s most likely in the Underworld in Grigori.¡± Travelling to the Underworld wasn¡¯t going to be easy for the blonde. The only reliable person he knew who could send him to the Underworld was Cleria. While there was the option of ¡°asking¡± one of the many devils he sensed to take him there, it was too risky. The blonde knew enough about teleportation to know that if one truly wanted to, they could ditch the passage mid-teleportation to the nothingness of space. That was not a risk he was willing to undertake. ¡°I will try to persuade Sister Cleria. I hope she agrees.¡± Expanding his senses and focusing on the silverette, he vanished. Tswii! . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 146 The blonde knew enough about teleportation to know that if one truly wanted to, they could ditch the passage mid-teleportation to the nothingness of space. That was not a risk he was willing to undertake. ¡°I will try to persuade Sister Cleria. I hope she agrees.¡± Expanding his senses and focusing on the silverette, he vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . Cleria was drowned in paperwork as always. The sheer amount of responsibilities she had as the Overseer of Kuoh were tumultuous(heavy/a lot) indeed. Sometimes, the silverette found herself wishing Serafall fired her from her position like she threatened to a few weeks back. Kring! ¡­Kring! But, there were a few enjoyments she had in life. Seeing the name of her friend appear on her telephone, a smile formed on her face as she enthusiastically picked up the call. ¡°Shuri-chan!¡± Yet it seemed her friend did not share the same sentiments seeing as she immediately got to the point. ¡°Cleria. We need to talk. Listen carefully. Dimori-kun has returned and-¡± Fuuush¡­ It was brief, but it was there. Cleria felt that sensation that caused her body to shiver and her toes to curl at the sheer power and might hidden behind that energy wave. Before she knew it, that feeling vanished, but her mind had already begun to churn. It didn¡¯t take her long to arrive at the most likely conclusion as to who was responsible for this. And it also didn¡¯t take long for the culprit to appear in the flesh. Tswii! Without any ceremony, the blonde appeared in her office, a gentle red corona (lining) of aura surrounding him like a misty haze. With the appearance of the blonde in her office, Cleria could immediately guess what he was here for. And with how his crimson gaze was quietly laid on her, she had a feeling that he knew she knew what he was here for. ¡°Listen, Cleria. Dimori-kun¡­Dimori-kun is-¡± And there was only one reason that would bring him here. ¡°I know. He¡¯s looking for Baraquiel.¡± Without waiting to hear her friend¡¯s next words, she calmly put down the telephone and met his gaze. Truth be told, she wasn¡¯t feeling any pressure from him, but this only made her more surprised, yet apprehensive. She wasn¡¯t a fighter by any chance, but she knew that for him to not exert any pressure only meant he was in full-control of the state he was in, which further meant that he was strong¡­very strong. And if a very strong Igor was looking for help in what she guessed he needed help in, then she had even more reason to refuse. ¡°Sorry for not greeting you properly, Sister Cleria. But you should know what I¡¯m here for.¡± Indeed she did. ¡°Passage to the Underworld.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gradually, his hair fell down to his sides as his aura receded. Yet, his eyes remained red, his stance tall, and his gaze authoritative and unyielding. ¡°You¡¯re the only one here I can trust to give me safe passage.¡± ¡°...¡± Pushing aside her work documents, Cleria propped her elbows onto the table and used her fists to support her chin. She regarded the blonde with a calm gaze, ruby peering into crimson with an appraising eye. ¡°Dimori-san. I have said it before and I will say it again. Your presence in the Underworld will not be a good thing for anyone. Disregarding the fact that I will be charged with treason for bringing an Aryan into the Underworld, there is a high chance that your presence will result in mass discord across the supernatural world.¡± Calmly delivering her statement, it was the result of hours upon hours of analysis. Putting aside Baraquiel, Igor must not step into the Underworld no matter what. In fact, she would prefer it if he never left Kuoh. ¡°The younger generation may not notice it, but the older devils and fallen will notice the abnormality in your lifeforce and they will immediately recognise you as an Aryan. Apologies for my words, but the ¡®shitstorm¡¯ that will result from that is not something any of us are ready for.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°...¡± He was quiet, which meant he was listening¡­hopefully. She couldn¡¯t tell with how he was looking at the floor. Either way, she had to drive her point home. ¡°I know this may frustrate you, Dimori-san. But please quench your anger, atleast temporarily. I know that Baraquiel will arrive within a week or so to visit Akeno. You should be able to meet him th-¡± ¡°I found it.¡± ¡°...?¡± Cleria was confused as to what he found, until she saw him place two fingers on his forehead. While she had no idea where he was teleporting to now, she had a sudden sense of foreboding. ¡°Dimori-san¡­?¡± However, she ignored him in place of seemingly monologuing to himself. ¡°I still find magic circles rather hard to read, especially one as complicated as this one.¡± Cleria briefly wondered what magic circle he was referring to, until she saw where he was standing. Right underneath his feet was a large magic circle intricately carved into the wooden floor. This wasn¡¯t just any magic circle. It was a teleportation circle. And with his previous words ringing in her head, her sense of foreboding grew stronger. ¡°...¡± She found herself subconsciously standing up, poised to dash forward at a moment¡¯s notice to interrupt his teleportation. It was stupid, potentially bordering on suicidal. Even Igor briefly smiled when he saw her subtle actions. It was only because of their relationship that he did not find her actions offensive, but cute. Yet, that brief smile quickly vanished in place of a stoic visage as he put down his hand. ¡°Sister Cleria. I¡¯m not an idiot. I know full well how many people will clamour to kill me once they know of my existence. I know enough of my race¡¯s history to know that no one wants to see us rise up again. And, I fully understand your worries and what implications my visit to the Underworld may have not just to me, but everyone around me.¡± From Vasco¡¯s words when he told him of his life experiences, to Aurelia¡¯s stories of how their race was massacred, he was keenly aware that no very few would dare fight him honourably. But, he didn¡¯t care¡­not anymore. ¡°Regardless, you have to understand something, sister. To you, it has been a month. To me, it has been ten years. In that time, I have grown stronger¡­a lot stronger. I won¡¯t beat around the bush so I will put it bluntly, Sister Cleria. And feel free to tell your leaders my next words at your discretion.¡± There was no pressure. There was no intimidation. There was no killing intent. ¡°If I find an unverified devil in Kuoh, and they pose a threat to my family, I will not only kill that devil, I will find whoever is even suspected of having ordered them. I don¡¯t care if they belong to the Old or the New Satan Faction. I don¡¯t care if they were from a pillar clan or if they belong to a satan¡¯s peerage. I will kill them regardless and kill anyone who supported them from behind.¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Silence¡­ The tone of voice did not match the content of the words. The way he so casually mentioned that he was willing to slaughter a clan on suspicion alone was downright terrifying. What was even more terrifying was that he would even kill someone from a satan¡¯s peerage. This was indirectly implying that he did not fear the Four Satans in the slightest. Someone like this who showed his cards like this was terrifying because from a political perspective, he was willing to go to war with the entire Underworld just because someone harmed ONE of his own. Even worse, he had proven he was willing to go that far. The Himejima Clan was that proof. Gulp¡­ And Cleria couldn¡¯t forget. Just before he left, he was a verified Low-Supreme Class entity. After over ten years of training, she wouldn¡¯t put it past him to have advanced by a rank. And all of that was within a month. ¡°I¡­I understand.¡± Sitting down on her chair, she had a hard time processing all of this. She knew she was not on his radar, but she now had the task of delivering his message to the Four Satans. And she feared she would have to do so very soon. With his statement, the blonde had made it obvious that with or without her help, he will go to the Underworld. As for Baraquiel, he didn¡¯t even qualify to enter her current thoughts. If her guess was right, Igor was probably taught by Aurelia how to read magic circles. While the teleportation circle itself was complicated, it was simply another language to an Aryan. With their ability to understand any language, she no longer found it too ludicrous that the blonde managed to find the teleportation coordinates to the Underworld. Sighing, she knew there was no point trying to stop him. ¡°I know this is redundant, but please try not to cause too much chaos, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Giving a brief nod, the blonde was about to close his eyes in focus when he opened them again due to the imminent arrival of a familiar energy signature. Vwong! With a brief flash of golden light, Aurelia appeared out of the golden circle that gradually vanished beneath her. ¡°Sister.¡± Whether it was a tacit agreement that had been established beforehand, Igor held out his hand and Aurelia took it between both of hers. Silence filled the office for a few seconds as the silverette held his hand between her palms, her eyes closed in focus. Eventually, she opened them with a half smile while the blonde took back his hand. ¡°So?¡± ¡°I suggest I transport us to the Underworld, Lord Dimori. If we use your method, we may end up in the Belial Clan Manor which may cause unnecessary problems.¡± Slightly miffed at her formal speech patterns, he quietly extended his hand again ¡°Take me to Grigori.¡± ¡°I apologise, Lord Dimori. My range for teleportation is only limited to the land around the home of the Nekomata.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± His mind had already pulled up what he knew of Nekomata. All he knew was that they were yokai, which was no cause for concern. ¡°Pardon me, Lord Dimori. But might I suggest we request Lady Cleria for assistance?¡± The silverette perked up at the mention of her name. She was already about to refuse when she noticed Igor¡¯s look of confusion. ¡°You should have my memories.¡± ¡°Please enlighten me.¡± ¡°...¡± Realising this was one of those moments where she was testing his awareness, he answered. ¡°We can¡¯t. If she brings us to the Underworld, she would have to face unnecessary consequences. While my first intention was to let her bring me there, I realised how it would place her in an unfavourable situation. Now stop wasting time and take us to the Underworld.¡± With a proud smile on her face, Aurelia acquiesced as a magic circle formed underneath the both of them. ¡°At once, Lord Dimori.¡± Vwong! . AN . Seems like those ten years weren¡¯t just spent on techniques. For those concerned, Igor¡¯s sudden personality change will explain itself soon. Either way, thanks for the comments. They are greatly appreciated. Today is Friday, so I will be unable to update tomorrow. Also, if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 147 ¡°We can¡¯t. If she brings us to the Underworld, she would have to face unnecessary consequences. While my first intention was to let her bring me there, I realised how it would place her in an unfavourable situation. Now stop wasting time and take us to the Underworld.¡± With a proud smile on her face, Aurelia acquiesced as a magic circle formed underneath the both of them. ¡°At once, Lord Dimori.¡± Vwong! . |DxD| . The Underworld, a place so similar to Earth that were it not for the odd-looking inhabitants, no one would be able to tell the difference. With serene blue skies and vast expanses of land, it truly was a beautiful place. Vwong! Up in the skies, Igor and Aurelia appeared with their hands held together. With the silverette being the picturesque rendition of a noble woman, it would balance out if the blonde was a brute in comparison. But while his training-geared appearance would make him seem so, Igor seemed to be rather calm. Even as he felt the monstrous energy signatures all around him at varying distances, his mind was currently not in the space to get excited at prospective opponents. With his eyes having turned back to their normal colour, Igor was deep in his thoughts. Everything he heard from Shuri about Baraquiel¡¯s actions continuously played in his mind. He did not believe that Shuri would lie to him, but he just couldn¡¯t understand¡­couldn¡¯t comprehend how Baraquiel could abandon his only child for over two weeks. He had fought with the man, laughed with the man, and had even been taught by the man. In this foreign world that he found himself in, Baraquiel was his first real teacher who taught him techniques that saved his life on more than one occasion. This Baraquiel that he heard about from Shuri couldn¡¯t be the old man that he knew and fought for three days. He just couldn- ¡°Lord Dimori. Are you alright?¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but show concern at how listless he was. ¡°...¡± Igor¡¯s first instinct was to reply in the affirmative, but there was no use in lying. He was not alright in the slightest. ¡°No.¡± As much as the blonde loved to ignore things unrelated to fighting or training, this wasn¡¯t an issue he could simply gloss over. This was a crossroads that would heavily impact the future of this family he had come to cherish from here henceforth. ¡°I need your advice.¡± Smiling gently, the silverette replied. ¡°I will do my best to satisfy, Lord Dimori.¡± Aurelia was both older and had more insight than him into these types of factors that involved people and emotions. He could rely on her to help with this. And to be truthful, he desperately needed the advice of someone older and more experienced. ¡°Is what I¡¯m doing¡­right?¡± It was a question that had been gnawing at him ever since he saw Shuri¡¯s panicked expression before he disappeared. Through two-tenths bullheadedness and eight-tenths rage, he forced the issue of finding Baraquiel...until now. With Aurelia by his side, he had calmed down somewhat, calm enough to question his current actions. ¡°I do not bear the Himejima surname, or possess any blood relations with any of them. I do not have the benefit of having stayed within their household for a significant amount of time or anything else that would allow me to question any decisions that are made within that household. I am no different from an outsider who has involved himself in their personal conflict and is trying to pry into their private matters.¡± He turned to face Aurelia, the barest hint of wavering in his cerulean gaze. ¡°So tell me, sister. Is what I¡¯m doing right?¡± ¡°...¡± Faced with such a question, Aurelia wasn¡¯t fazed. In fact, she replied with her own question. ¡°Baraquiel¡¯s infidelity. How does it make you feel?¡± Sighing, the blonde retracted his gaze in favour of staring at the horizon. ¡°In all honesty, nothing. Whether he slept with another woman or not is not of my concern.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It was a rather abnormal outlook for one in his generation, but he could care less if Baraquiel had a willing toy he was using to relieve himself on the other side of the world. ¡°I see. I will speak honestly, Lord Dimori.¡± Subtly tightening the grip she had on his hand, she continued. ¡°Whether what you¡¯re doing is right or not is up to interpretation. What I can tell you however, is that you need not fear involving yourself in these matters. While it is true that you do not possess the Himejima bloodline, it is also true that because of you, this family continues to exist. Were it not for your presence, Lady Shuri would remain dead and Lady Akeno may have possibly ended up being dead.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde looked at her without replying, his mind seemingly processing these words. On the other hand, Aurelia continued to add her input, a somewhat proud smile forming on her face. ¡°And if I may add my personal input, your reaction to this news tells me that you truly care for and consider them as your family. It is only natural that you would want to truly know what happened, no?¡± Faced with her smile, the clouds of unsurety in the blonde¡¯s head cleared at her words. ¡°I see.¡± Giving her a small smile of his own, he continued. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± ¡°Fufu~. No problem, Lord Dimori.¡± With his internal turmoil now sorted, he could set about finding Baraquiel. With the mishmash of powerful energy signatures here and there, he was a bit hard-pressed to find the cadre¡¯s energy signature underneath all these behemoths he could sense. But, finding a massive cluster of fallen angels wasn¡¯t hard. Gently holding Aurelia by the shoulder, he covered her in a transparent protective layer of ki. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sister.¡± Grigori wasn¡¯t too far from where he was. Only a few hundred kilometres at best. He wouldn¡¯t need the Instant Transmission for a distance that short. Without any flare or effects, the two siblings vanished like the wind. Su! . |DxD| . In Grigori, Azazel was in his office working on the documents that required his personal attention. These were documents that even Shemhazai refused to work on despite him giving him the privilege to do so. Having left Baraquiel by the lake, Azazel was in a relative rush to finish these documents so that he could take his brother to unwind with some good alcohol. No women, of course. He had a feeling his brother wouldn¡¯t like that, nor would Cleria now that he thought about it. No matter. It wasn¡¯t a big loss by any stretch. Kring! Kring! And as sheer coincidence would have it, the naughty minx decided to call. Picking up the phone, a smile blossomed on his face. ¡°Miss me already?¡± Leaning back on his chair, Azazel was about to kick up his legs on the table when Cleria¡¯s slightly panicked voice had him sitting ramrod straight. ¡°Azazel-kun. Dimori-san is coming to Grigori.¡± ¡°...¡± There was a lot to unbox here. There were some details that he wanted to know, a few how¡¯s and why¡¯s, but now was not the time. ¡°Do you have more information?¡± ¡°Yes. They should be coming from the Nekomata Village.¡± ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t come here and absolutely make sure Shuri doesn¡¯t worry. I will contact you when all of this is over.¡± Placing the telephone down, Azazel knew there was a lot of work to do. But for now, he had to inform Baraquiel and Shemhazai. He could only hope that things progressed peacefully. . |DxD| . As the blonde blitzed through the skies of the Underworld, his eyes did not fail to take glimpses of the landscape. But they were not focused on the beautiful scenery. Rather his mind was hellbent on replaying the precious memories he had with the Akeno, Shuri, and Baraquiel. From their first meeting where he got his rear end handed to him finally leaving for his training in the Himalayas, the memories would not stop. Those simple times that were rather short were also the most important to him. Those times that he looked upon fondly, times that he wished he would continue to experience were now close to impossible. ¡®Aunty. If you were to be given some time to recover, maybe a few years, do you see yourself possibly getting back together with the old man.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ Her silence back then still lingered in his mind. But it was also that silence that shattered his hopes, and sired his rage- [Calm down, Igor. Calm down¡­] Yet try as he might, a part of him seethed at the amount of pain Baraquiel caused. As a man, he had failed far too many times. [Calm down.] He failed when the Himejima attacked. [Calm down.] He ran when his family was in shambles. [Calm¡­down.] He abandoned his family and only God knows when he would¡¯ve come back¡­if he would¡¯ve. [Calm¡­down!] He failed so much that his own wife lost her trust in him. ¡°Damnit!¡± Su! Stopping mid-flight, the blonde stood with clenched fists, a red mist of aura oozing from him. His anger was on the verge of spiralling out of control, his power quietly increasing due to the emotional turmoil he was going through. When he thought of how the same Shuri that used to look at her husband like he was the world lower her head like she did, the animosity he tried to suppress threatened to lash out. [Damnit, Baraquiel!] He couldn¡¯t even begin to decipher just how much it would take to make a woman like Shuri give up on her own husband. He couldn¡¯t imagine himself disappearing on little Akeno who so affectionately called him ¡°brother¡±, regardless of any circumstances. No matter how he tried to look at it, he couldn¡¯t figure out Baraquiel¡¯s thought process. He couldn¡¯t understand just why, Why, WHY he abandoned his own family, his own flesh and blood. But it no longer mattered. He could sense three energy signatures approaching. He was familiar with two of them while one was completely foreign. They were approaching very quickly too and it didn¡¯t take long before they arrived. Su! Su! Su! . . . Silence¡­ Shemhazai, Azazel, and- ¡°Baraquiel.¡± su su su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Like a trigger word, his power gradually began to increase as it manifested itself in a shroud of red. Locking eyes with Baraquiel, anyone else may as well not have existed at that moment. Slowly, various images overlapped with the form of the cadre in front of him. The image of Akeno crying in his arms, his ignorant self thinking she was happy for his return. The slightly haggard appearance of Shuri, a sight his ignorant self overlooked instead of addressing. All of that¡­was caused by this very man in front of him. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°Ba-ra-QUIEL!¡± GRUUUUUU! . AN . Things are taking an interesting turn. I¡¯m already surprised Igor managed to hold himself for this long. I figured he¡¯d teleport into Grigori and beat the old cadre into the ground. Either way, with the blonde continuing to radiate power like this, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to hide his existence anyhow. Not like he was trying to in the first place. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 148 The image of Akeno crying in his arms, his ignorant self thinking she was happy for his return. The slightly haggard appearance of Shuri, a sight his ignorant self overlooked instead of addressing. All of that¡­was caused by this very man in front of him. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su SU SU SU SU SU SU ¡°Ba-ra-QUIEL!¡± GRUUUUUU! . |DxD| . It is said that no one cherishes a family more than an orphan. Any meaningful connection they form with anyone will be precious to them, far more valuable than life itself. Aurelia had seen it when she stepped into Cleria¡¯s office, the turmoil that Igor had within him. When she read his memories, she understood why. If anyone hurt Shuri or Akeno, he would no doubt retaliate with deadly intent just like he did with the Himejima. For him, his family was his reverse scale and his default response was to eradicate anyone who harmed his family, be it emotionally or physically. But, what if the one who harmed his family, was someone else he considered family? This was no longer a simple case. For him, it was instinct to extinguish any threat to his family. From the person who tried to kidnap Asia, to the Himejima who killed Shuri, he had massacred all of them without any mercy. If it was someone else, if it was some other person who caused all of this, his response would''ve been the same: kill them on-sight. But this person was Baraquiel, one of the very few people he respected deep in his heart, a person he once so affectionately called, ¡°old man¡±. While Aurelia did understand the situation, she never understood just how much this situation would eat at him until they appeared in the Underworld. Looking at his eyes, she assumed that since they had reverted back to their normal colour, he had calmed down, even though he was somewhat listless. ¡®Lord Dimori. Are you alright?¡¯ But, she couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth. ¡®No. I need your advice.¡¯ She had spent over a decade with Igor. That was more than enough for her to know his personality like the back of her hand. And with how young he was, there was nothing the blonde could hide about his personality from her. Yet¡­ ¡®Is what I¡¯m doing¡­right?¡¯ ¡­that was the very first time she had seen him so unsure, so hesitant. It was the first time she had seen him so¡­lost. This was the very same person who risked being stuck in the Dimensional Gap because he wanted a good fight. The action itself may not have been the smartest, but a person who second-guessed themselves would never have taken such an action. But, before her very eyes, that very same person, was showing such a wavering gaze in front of her. It was only fortunate that her answer satisfied him. Seeing that sparkle return to his eye made her pleased. ¡®Fufu~. No problem, Lord Dimori.¡¯ But not everything would end there. As they got closer and closer to Grigori, Igor found it harder and harder to control himself. His ki was constantly fluctuating, almost as if he was having an internal battle with himself. While she wanted to help him calm down, she understood that there were some things she could not interfere in. She was his attendant, not his coddler. Holding his hand and helping him count to ten was not something she would help with. As the future leader of their race that she was grooming, he had to learn how to control himself in terms of handling issues that would no doubt anger him. While he wasn¡¯t doing so great now, he still had a few decades to properly learn self-control. But compared to the past, he was already showing great results. Although that anger was still bubbling, he was managing fairly well to suppress it¡­to an extent. Baby steps. There was no rush. At the very least, seeing as how he held himself together for this long, Aurelia decided to be a bit lax and let him air out a bit of steam. If the only way for her lord and future king to release his rage was breaking the bones of a cadre, then she wouldn¡¯t hold him back. ¡°Baraquiel.¡± At best, she just had to make sure he didn¡¯t kill him. And maybe prevent a major diplomatic incident while at it. As long as Baraquiel didn¡¯t die or suffer permanent damage, she was sure that Azazel wouldn¡¯t hold it against the blonde too much. While Igor may not notice it now due to his¡­disposition, Grigori would become a beneficial ally to have in the next few decades. They may not have power, but their information network was nothing to scoff at. ¡°Ba-ra-QUIEL!¡± Well, that was still far in the future. For now, she should make sure that Igor doesn¡¯t go too overboard. Completely souring relations with Azazel and Grigori by extension wouldn¡¯t be a great political debut for the return of their kind after all. . |DxD| . ¡°Ba-ra-QUIEL!¡± GRUUUU! With red eyes filled with wrathful animosity, Igor glared at Baraquiel with eyes filled with murder. His power had already went beyond the tenth multiplier, his aura fluctuating uncontrollably. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. But as much as he wished to lash out, he remembered what he said to Shuri. He promised he would hear both sides. So he deluded himself, that maybe, JUST maybe, Baraquiel has a good reason for his actions that day. And he used that delusion to gradually calm himself down along with that little hope that maybe Shuri misunderstood some things. She was a woman, emotional creatures by nature. She had reassured him that she was of sound mind, but maybe her distress clouded her mind. Maybe¡­hopefully. As his aura gradually calmed down, so did the tenseness in two of the fallen. Shemhazai appeared to be neutral, but the slight trace of sweat on his forehead betrayed his current emotions. The power the blonde was showing was completely different from the intelligence reports he read. [There truly is a difference between hearsay and witnessing it with your own eyes.] He was aware he was out of his depth. Out of everyone here, he was the weakest, and not by a small margin. Azazel was wary. He could feel the blonde was like a powder keg that was about to explode. The heavy breathing, those predatorial eyes¡­it wasn¡¯t normal. [I should prepare.] He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it, but he could tell that what Igor was showing wasn¡¯t normal anger. It was like¡­he was rabid. While hoping there wouldn¡¯t be a physical altercation, he had already prepared himself to stop him if necessary. As the last of his brothers, Baraquiel was also the most affected. Under Igor¡¯s gaze, he stood there with an aura of resignment. That regal look in his eye had been lost and even his beard appeared to be more unkempt than before. He was silent, the epitome of fatigue. He seemed to be barely able to carry himself afloat with his wings, his back that was always straight with pride now hunched with shame. In face of Igor¡¯s power, all he had as a reaction was a sigh. Faced with Baraquiel¡¯s haggard appearance, the blonde¡­did not care. Rather, it did not even process in his head. ¡°Baraquiel.¡± He only had one question that only had one answer. ¡°Did you¡­¡± Raising his head to meet the fallen¡¯s gaze, Igor spoke through clenched teeth, his blood-red eyes glinting ferociously. ¡°...disappear on your family?¡± His aura singed ominously, like the gentle licks of a flame being gently dowsed in oil...drop¡­by drop. ¡°...¡± As Baraquiel remained silent, his aura rapidly rose, his continued silence functioning like the wind to a forest fire. 5x! 10x! 14x! 17x! 19x! 20x! As his power ascended through the multipliers, so too did his anger. ¡°ANSWER ME!!!!!!¡± GRUUUU! His ki exploded, the power of the peak-god class being fully exposed with his outburst. But Baraquiel was not fazed. Rather, it seemed he wasn¡¯t fazed by anything. Looking at Igor directly in the eye, the man replied. ¡°Yes. I did. And I have no excuses.¡± . . . Silence¡­ In that single moment, many things happened. First, Azazel turned to face Baraquiel with a look of complete shock. It was clear from his look that whatever happened was not in the plan discussed. Shemhazai was also similar, but his eyes were more focused on Igor, his gaze ever vigilant. Aurelia on the other hand, was filled with concern. Igor had completely gone silent, and not just physically. SU SU SU SU Su Su Su Su su su su su su¡­vanish His ki? She could no longer sense it. It was like its presence completely vanished. Even his aura had gradually receded into his body. This¡­this was beyond him suppressing his energy. He looked and felt no different from a normal human at this point. Even Asia had more of a presence than him. All that she could see, was the barest flickers of black lightning flashing around his body. Like a snake coiling around his body, it flashed in and out of existence, the brief crackling sound filling the silence. This was a phenomenon that she couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing, until her mind flashed back to the Himejima massacre. That spark of black lightning, was the very same sight she saw when he was about to fling that massive ball of ki onto the Himejima Clan. [Senjutsu!] Upon that realisation, she knew she had to stop him at all cost. Unlike the previous time, there was no Shiva to stop the blonde from going berserk. And since Baraquiel was his target, he might actually kill him if left unchecked. It seemed Azazel also thought the same since his vigilance against Igor increased tenfold. ¡°Calm down, Dimo-¡± And then, within the blink of an eye, it happened. Su! He moved so quickly that none could react in time to his movements. He was fast, so fast that the only time anyone was able to react, was when the sound of a cannon resounded throughout the skies. BANG! ¡°¡°¡°?!?!¡±¡±¡± Four heads instantly swerved towards the origin of the sound, and the sight, was something else. For one, gone was a head of blonde on Igor. On it now was blazing red hair that spiked upwards. But that was all that could be seen because covering him, was an aura cloak so dense that only a shadow of his humanoid figure could be made out. However, the most concerning aspect for Aurelia, was the black energy that had melded together with his crimson aura. Having attestations from both Yasaka and Igor himself, she knew that this was malevolent nature energy. An already unstable blonde further being influenced by malevolent nature energy was not a good recipe, as evidenced by Baraquiel who had half of Igor¡¯s fist shoved inside his gut. ¡°Puah!¡± Hunching over his fist, the cadre spit out a mouthful of blood, the blow jostling his internal organs and rupturing blood vessels. But, it didn¡¯t end there. It started as a burning feeling in his gut, before it turned into a searing pain as a massive beam tore through his stomach and pierced through his back. Ka¡­DRUUUUUU! Like a massive energy sword, the energy wave extended far into the skies, its length and brightness stealing the awe of the Sun with its iridescent (mish-mashing) colours of red and black. Just as quickly as it formed, it gradually disappeared from the skies like a gaping wound closing itself. Puchi! Mercilessly, Igor withdrew his fist, leaving a gaping hole through Baraquiel¡¯s stomach. Shock filled everyone¡¯s eyes, their faces betraying their disbelief. Not only Igor¡¯s power, but his actions greatly shocked them. Even Baraquiel had his eyes widened, his eyes displaying his feeling of loss and confusion. Yet that was only temporary. Gradually, his eyes glazed out as life slowly left his body. His grievous injury made him unable to support his flight, making his body slump over the redhead¡¯s arm. Mercilessly and without feeling, Igor moved his arm and let Baraquiel who had lost consciousness fall from the skies like a ragdoll. His aura blazed menacingly as he hovered on the spot, his back towards everyone. Without a word, Shemhazai rushed forward to grab his dying brother, a trace of panic on his face. As he flapped his wings, he already knew what would happen next. FUUUUSH! A second pressure covered the vicinity, prompting Aurelia to swivel her head towards Azazel. And what she saw made her eyes widen in complete shock. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, Dimori.¡± As a black aura manifested around Azazel¡¯s body, his eyes glazed over like liquid before they turned completely black, leaving only a grey part to act as pupils. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Two behemoths, barely separated by a distance of a dozen metres, were bound to clash. As Igor instinctively turned his head to face this new threat, it was suddenly revealed that his pupils were entirely gone. Only the whites of his eyes were visible, his mouth opening in a growl to display fully formed canines. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± The blonde barred his teeth at Azazel, before releasing a demonic roar that resounded throughout the entire Underworld. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . AN . Our thoughts and prayers to Baraquiel. As much as he failed, he doesn¡¯t deserve to die. Hopefully, Grigori has the technology and equipment to patch giant holes the size of a fist. On another hand, landscaping in the Underworld is about to see a big boom in business. Azazel has a new form and¡­Igor as well. I guess this is what happens when there¡¯s no Shiva to slap some sense into him. But maybe Azazel will be strong enough to do that. Who knows? If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Until the next chapter. Holy out. Chapter 149 ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Two behemoths, barely separated by a distance of a dozen metres, were bound to clash. As Igor instinctively turned his head to face this new threat, it was suddenly revealed that his pupils were entirely gone. Only the whites of his eyes were visible, his mouth opening in a growl to display fully formed canines. ¡°Grrrrrrr¡­¡± The blonde barred his teeth at Azazel, before releasing a demonic roar that resounded throughout the entire Underworld. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . |DxD| . ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUUU! As Igor roared, a powerful shockwave was released. Like a hurricane, anyone remotely close to the redhead was pushed back, including his sister. His aura was unrestrained, his ki fluctuating wildly as his power slowly continued to climb. His only opponent was Azazel, the governor of Grigori who was warily eyeing him. With twelve wings as dark as night on display, the pressure from his power alone served to compete with the Igor¡¯s. [Monstrous.] Those were Azazel¡¯s current thoughts. Very few people understood just how hard it was increase their power in the realm of supreme-class. Even monstrous geniuses like Sirzechs and Ajuka have barely stepped past the realm of mid-supreme class for centuries. Yet, this power he felt from Igor was clearly above the intelligence report he read. [No matter.] FUUUUUSH [I¡¯ll put him down.] With the pressure from his aura thickening, he rushed forward. Su! And it seemed the redhead also had the same thought since he also charged forward. Su! Two powerful entities, both solidly in the realm of supreme class, were about to engage each other. BOOOOOOM! As soon as their fists met, a powerful shockwave filled the vicinity. The sound of their knuckles clashing against each other caused a loud thunderclap to resound in the region. The two behemoths wrestled each other in a contest of strength, a rabid snarl meeting a visage as calm as the morning lake. They wrestled each other not only with their strength, but with their aura. Like two massive circular domains, black and crimson pushed against each like giant barriers battling for supremacy. ¡°Grrrrrrrr!¡± ¡°...¡± With barely ten centimetres separating the both of them, they shoved each other with their shoulders, their free arms grappling each other as one aimed to overwhelm the other. [Tch! This monster¡­] Violet stared into pupil-less, the complete absence of consciousness in Igor¡¯s eyes making Azazel strapped for options on what he could do to make the redhead return to normal without needing to resort to extreme measures. But as he filed for solutions in his head, Igor already had enough of this scuffle. ¡°RAAAAAAAA!¡± With his mouth open wide, he released a sneaky ray of crimson-black energy that fortunately¡­ DOOF! ¡­Azazel was able to block with his wings. Opening his feathery barrier, Azazel watched as a feather from his wing fell to the ground¡­along with any leniency he had left. [That¡¯s it.] Boom! In an explosive burst of power, he charged forward to meet Igor head on. CLASH! . . . Silence¡­ Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Like flashing lights, streaks of red and black in the sky were accompanied by the rapid sound canon fire. The speed of their combat made even Aurelia who had long since retreated, unable to clearly observe the blurry figures, and that was with the use of her observation magic. But if there was one thing any observers would have to say, it was that this sight of two behemoths battling had truly opened their eyes. Su! ¡­Su!¡­CLASH! Azazel truly showed his vast combat experience in this exchange. He was going toe-to-toe with the redhead and he wasn¡¯t losing in the slightest. In fact, his advantage was slowly, but progressively getting stronger. Although fallen angels were known to specialise more in ranged attacks, he had no flaws when getting up close and personal with the berserk redhead. His millenniums of combat experience shined bright like a diamond in this exchange. With all twelve of his wings out, he used them like extra limbs, their bladed edges chasing after the nifty redhead. Beyond all doubt, Igor was keeping up despite clearly lacking in extra limbs. Regardless of his berserk state, his instincts were nothing to scoff at. Despite clearly lacking any sort of eyesight, his other senses made up for that deficiency. And, if one of Azazel¡¯s wings even tried to stab him¡­ CLING! ¡­they would barely be able to get past his skin. His extremely dense muscle fibres were like an extra suit of armour. His thick skin was what allowed him to shrug off most of the governor¡¯s attacks. And in face of fighting someone with thousands of years of combat experience on instinct alone, he needed that thick skin. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°RAAAA!¡± BANG! First hit! Narrowly dodging a fist, Igor was able to sneak in a solid gut punch to Azazel¡¯s stomach. But it seemed Azazel had a higher pain tolerance than expected. Clenching his teeth as he bore the pain, Azazel¡¯s hands formed an axehandle above Igor¡¯s head and without hesitation, he slammed them down. GU! For a very brief moment, Igor lost his consciousness. The powerful blow to the top of his unguarded head joggled his brain a bit. But very quickly, he recovered. Using the momentum generated by the blow to his head, he performed a frontflip kick, one specifically targeted for Azazel¡¯s head. But Azazel caught such an obvious move. Catching the redhead¡¯s leg, he raised his arms and held Igor upside down. With ruthless efficiency, he reeled his knee back, and hit him right in his spine. ¡°Argh!¡± Feeling the pain in his lower back, Igor lost all feeling in his legs. Azazel then charged downwards, his grasp firmly on Igor¡¯s leg. SU! He was extremely fast, his wings narrowed for that extra speed. As soon as he descended a kilometre or two in altitude, he flung the redhead towards the nearby mountain range without any hesitation. SUUuuuuu¡­BOOOOM! With ruthless pragmatism at its finest, Azazel would not give Igor a break. With his arm extended, literally hundreds upon hundreds of black spears formed out of thin air. It was direct materialization with no magic circle in sight. ¡°Descend.¡± Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! The spears descended like focused artillery fire, precision strikes that disappeared into the massive dust cloud that had yet to disperse from Igor¡¯s crash-landing. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Like machine gun bullets, the spears continuously descended. As more and more descended, Azazel generated more, making sure to keep up a never-ending flow of dark spears. Yet no matter how many he fired, he could clearly feel through his senses that they were not doing enough damage. To be precise, the damage that was inflicted was offset by the insane regeneration Igor had. But, it didn¡¯t matter. He was already preparing a more powerful spear with his free hand, one that would put down Igor once and for all and end his rampage. . |DxD| . Pain. All Igor felt was pain, especially in his lower back. He wasn¡¯t even sure why he was feeling pain, but it was this pain that made him wake up. Opening his eyes, the blonde found himself in a strange world. There were lush plains that extended as far as the eye could see with no tree or bush in sight. The sun was bright with no clouds in sight, its rays warmly caressing his skin. Sitting up, the blonde idly removed the strands hovering on his face as he took in his surroundings. ¡°A lucid dream? But when did I fall aslee-¡± *Throb!* ¡°Ow¡­¡± There it was again, that faint stinging sensation on his back. ¡°Did I pass out on the benchpress or something? Why does my back hurt this much?¡± Taking a deep yawn, the blonde stood up before giving himself a good stretch. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m in bed and sister is digging into my back with her knee again¡±. Yawning again, the blonde scratched his nonexistent beard. ¡°Whatever. Time to wake up then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow that.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Rubbing his eyes, Igor drunkenly turned towards the direction of the voice. He was met with the sight of a little girl no older than five-years-old in age. With long-flowing blonde hair, it almost seemed to glow like molten gold. In fact, it was clustered together almost like his when he transformed instead of being in individual strands. Her skin was tan in colour, her hovering form draped in a golden dress that just barely reached her knees. She was barefoot and lacked any other noticeable accessories. Face to face with Igor, her childish form was simply that: childish. Her face lacked the innocence or naivety a child would have, her brown eyes showing a level of maturity well beyond those a child would have. As the blonde took in her sight, his eyes widened as he finally seemed to ¡°wake up¡±. Recent memories that were suppressed suddenly made their way into his head. His return from the time chamber, his reunion with his family, news of Baraquiel, the Underworld, and his confrontation with the fallen before finally¡­ ¡®Yes. I did. And I have no excuses.¡¯ ¡­the moment where his memories were cut off as his mind seemingly blacked out. ¡°...¡± As the memories returned, so did his vigilance. This strange girl who suddenly appeared out of nowhere most likely had something to do with his sudden state of unconsciousness. Increasing his vigilance, he calmly asked her. ¡°Who are you and why would you not want me to wake up?¡± The little girl smiled brightly. ¡°Because¡­¡± She raised her arms in an attempt to cup his face, but the blonde leaned back, his brows furrowing. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me when we don¡¯t know each other.¡± ¡°...¡± With her smile faltering, she lowered her arms in acquiescence to his request. However, the blonde remained unfazed. Rather, his vigilance continued to increase. ¡°Tell me who you are and what you want.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± With cerulean meeting amber, it was the latter that slowly gave up in this stare-down. With a sigh, the little girl turned around as she slowly flew away from Igor. ¡°A name? I don¡¯t have a name. At least¡­I don¡¯t remember it. But¡­¡± Turning around with her arms behind her back, a childish grin formed on her face. ¡°...you can call me Triny~.¡± ¡°...¡± And just as quickly, that smile faded in the place of nervousness. ¡°I know it¡¯s not the best name, but it¡¯s closer to what I¡¯ve been called for the longest time.¡± ¡°And you brought me here?¡± ¡°Yes. I brought you¡­why are you leaving?¡± The little girl noticed Igor¡¯s form flickering in and out of existence. At her question, the blonde grit his teeth and continued trying to leave. [Something is happening to my body.] That incessant pain in his back was growing hotter and hotter. Rather than spend time with some random girl he didn¡¯t know, he would rather attend to his body outside. But it seemed Triny had other thoughts. ¡°NO!¡± Instantly appearing in front of the blonde, she grabbed him by the shoulders and immediately, his figure stopped flickering. ¡°?!¡± Heavily confused by what just happened, further confusion was added when Triny glared at him. ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to leave! I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t! I WON¡¯T!¡± Like a torrent, waves upon waves of black miasma suddenly expanded from Triny¡¯s arms and gradually began covering his entire body. ¡°What is-¡± ¡°Even if¡­even if I have to keep you here by force, I won¡¯t let you leave me alone!¡± ¡°?!¡± With the miasma covering him like burning flames, his resistance continued to weaken until he fell to his knees. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Glaring at Triny, all he saw were her sad eyes before he gradually lost unconsciousness. It was a haze of confusing events that happened so quickly that he could barely process what was happening. As his eyes finally closed, so too did the miasma continue to expand. . |DxD| . [I¡¯m slowly getting through.] Up in the skies, Azazel could feel that his spears were gradually penetrating through Igor¡¯s skin. After more than six-thousand spears plus two supercharged spears, the redhead¡¯s regeneration was finally stalling. [I¡¯ll get ready to seal him soon.] With a small black magic circle forming in his hand, he was ready to rush down and place a magic seal that would lock down Igor¡¯s strength. He just needed to whittle down his strength a little more, just enough so that if Igor has another outburst it won¡¯t break the seal. [Just a little¡­more?] It was subtle at first, barely a cause for concern. He had seen Igor¡¯s regeneration spike for a few moments before it finally fell away under the torrential wave of spears. But this time, it was different¡­vastly different. ¡°?!¡± It was instant. GRUUUUUUU! Out of nowhere, Igor¡¯s power suddenly skyrocketed. The shockwave alone generated by his rapidly increasing power was so much that he found himself having to shield his eyes. The last batch of spears that were raining down before he was interrupted veered off course due to Igor¡¯s power outburst. Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! With hundreds of spears piercing the ground below, Azazel wasn¡¯t even remotely prepared for what he saw next. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± He found himself having to cover his ears when he heard Igor¡¯s demonic scream that was similar to a widow¡¯s wails of anguish. The massive dust cloud that was kicked up by his spears veering off course was cleared by the redhead¡¯s demonic wail. But when Azazel looked down again, a trace of vigilance and confusion formed on his face. Like a miasma creeping up on him, the vast majority of Igor¡¯s skin had become as dark as night itself. His skin had turned completely black, leaving only his face that appeared to be encroached by dozens of spiky tentacles. If that was all, it would be better. But¡­ GRUUUUUU! ¡°Not again...¡± His power rapidly increased. The crimson-black veil covering him expanded exponentially, his aura lashing out like violent tentacles. The redhead fell on all fours, his power continuing to spike. But¡­ ¡°?!?!¡± ¡­it was what happened next that caused Azazel to panic. ¡°AURELIA!! SEAL THE AREA!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!¡± There were very few times that Azazel displayed this much urgency in his voice, but this situation required it. If word of this sight got out, Igor would be hunted down by every single entity in the supernatural world. Good or evil, all of them would unite to hunt him down. Because on Igor¡¯s head, although it was illusory, his aura had shaped itself to look like ten horns. . AN . Ten horns. If you know, you know. If you don¡¯t know, calmly wait for the comments explaining what the hell is happening. Or wait for the next chapter. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Chapter 150 AN: I¡¯ll sumarize this quickly. I did leg day. I got sick. In conclusion, I hate leg day. Today is also Friday. Moving on, I hope you¡¯ll enjoy this chapter and the next two. . ¡°AURELIA!! SEAL THE AREA!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!¡± There were very few times that Azazel displayed this much urgency in his voice, but this situation required it. If word of this sight got out, Igor would be hunted down by every single entity in the supernatural world. Good or evil, all of them would unite to hunt him down. Because on Igor¡¯s head, although it was illusory, his aura had shaped itself to look like ten horns. . |DxD| . Aurelia saw it as clear as daylight. Ten crimson-black horns formed from Igor¡¯s aura, their tips pointing forward like a bull¡¯s. Despite being illusory, they were ramrod straight with only the base having a slight curve. Igor raged out, his fists burying themselves into the ground as his aura grew increasingly demonic. The ratio of red and black slowly but surely, grew in favour of the latter. It was as if he was having an internal struggle, a fight of crimson against darkness. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± His voice came in two tones: the smooth baritone of a warrior¡¯s roar and the screeching wail of a recently widowed wife. It was¡­demented. Yet no matter how demented it was, Aurelia would never attack her brother with the intent to kill. However, there was an external factor who possibly wouldn¡¯t align with her ideal. [Azazel¡­] Without hesitation, she summoned her sword with the intent to kill. But her target wasn¡¯t Igor. It was Azazel. All her senses trained upon him like a hawk. It did not matter that Igor was showing the traits known to be possessed by the Beast of the Apocalypse. He could turn into the beast itself for all she cared. All she knew was that he was family. And if Azazel showed even the faintest lick of killing intent, she would use her strongest seal to trap and then decapitate him in one shot. Consequences? She took a page from her brother¡¯s book and damned them to hell. If Azazel even dared to form a light spear, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate in killing him on the spot, even if it meant risking her own life in the process. But, it appeared that Azazel did not want any more bloodshed to happen. With a tense expression on his face, he fiercely commanded. ¡°AURELIA!! SEAL THE AREA!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!¡± ¡°...¡± His command came as a surprise, but she didn¡¯t dare dawdle. Atleast for now, he showed no inclination in killing Igor. Silently believing that he would find a way to pacify her brother, she turned her focus towards creating a barrier, and blocking out any information of Igor¡¯s¡­¡¯condition¡¯. Knowing how fragile the situation was, mistakes couldn¡¯t be made¡­and any witnesses must not be left alive. Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Four magic circles formed around her and from them, four clones of herself manifested. ¡°You know what to do.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes.¡±¡±¡± Su! Su! Su! Su! Without hesitation, the clones rushed forward. Time was of the essence and delays could not be condoned under any circumstances. Their job was simple, rush to the four corners of the battlefield and erect a large 360 degree barrier to obscure any curious eyes. As for Aurelia, she remained behind to do what needed to be done. Clutching her sword tightly, she focused her senses for any other foreign entities. [...] Her brows trembled slightly in exertion. It was rather difficult to sense other entities due to Igor¡¯s ki enveloping the vicinity. His power was so ¡®loud¡¯ that it was hard to signal out the weaker energy signatures. But, that didn¡¯t mean it was impossible. [One¡­two¡­three¡­six¡­] Like blips on a radar, she picked up multiple life signatures that were hiding at varying distances. There were even some over eight kilometres away that were watching. As her count reached the double digits, she didn¡¯t rush to finish them off. This was a very volatile situation with absolutely no room for mistakes. If one straggler managed to escape and leak the news of Igor¡¯s current state, it would not be long before they potentially faced attacks from the entire supernatural world. [I won¡¯t let that happen.] With her range having expanded over five-hundred kilometres, she had detected a total of twenty seven energy signatures that were nearby. She was overdoing it since there was virtually no energy signature she could sense further than ten kilometres. But, taking chances wasn¡¯t something she would entertain in this venture. Fortunately, the entities she sensed came from only one direction and from what she could sense, most were devils or had traces of being devils, possibly reincarnated devils. [Azazel must¡¯ve sealed Grigori.] None of the entities she detected were beyond high class in terms of their energy signatures. But that didn¡¯t mean she would underestimate them, even if she herself was a peak-god class entity. Be they a scout sent to observe or a wanderer at the wrong place at the wrong time...she was determined to leave none alive. Mentally mapping out the most optimal path for her impending assassinations, she gripped her sword tightly before she vanished. Su! She had to be fast. Her clones were nearly finished setting up a barrier that would be able to obscure the figures of Azazel and Igor. At the very least, anyone else looking would only see a normal skirmish between the two. Although, those with keener eyes would be able to see that some scenes were being repeated in different orders. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. This barrier was rudimentary in its execution, but she didn¡¯t need it to be perfect. It just had to stall them for long enough. Until then, she had to eliminate everyone before they eventually figured out everything was an illusion and that the horns they saw were real. Su! She appeared above a devil. It was a mere low-class, an easy kill. Shiing! With her energy suppressed, the devil didn¡¯t even know what hit him. With her sword cleanly slicing through his neck, she placed a magic circle on his back which immediately began to glow. Zuuuu¡­ With all of this being completed in one fluid motion, her feet barely touched the ground for long before she vanished again. Su! Placing aside her talent in sealing, Aurelia was a very talented assassin. With a keen eye to detail, she moved with such precision and struck with such lethality that any would-be observers would never know how they died. Shiing! Placing a magic circle on the back of her latest victim, she vanished again. Su! There were only nine targets left, and they didn¡¯t know a single thing. With so many energy signatures suddenly having gotten snuffed out, it was only logical that the remaining scouts would figure out that they were being hunted. This was where her circle came in. It was a work of art inspired by necromancy and druid magic. For a brief moment, anyone who had this magic circle would be kept alive for a certain amount of time, even if the victim was decapitated. It was why the silverette could continuously assassinate multiple targets so quietly. With her skill, it was too easy to escape detection. But, it seemed a few of them were already trying to leave. [Tch. They must¡¯ve caught on.] With the majority of them forming teleportation circles, the silverette only had a few precious seconds before it was too late. [Three seconds.] Three seconds. It was the average time it took from manifesting a standard teleportation circle, activating it, and vanishing. She had to kill every single one of them within three seconds before they could teleport. As fast as she was, she couldn¡¯t cover the varying number of kilometres between each target and kill all of them within three seconds, atleast not with her current capabilities. Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! This was no longer the time for subtleties. Immediately forming five clones, they rushed off to their individual targets with utter disregard for stealth, not that it was an option anymore. Having already ventured beyond eight kilometres from the battle site, her energy output from creating clones was no longer overshadowed by Igor¡¯s ki. Su Vanishing just shortly after her clones, she could feel multiple energy signatures fluctuate in alertness, but it was fruitless. Feeling her clones dispatch most of the remaining foes, she rushed on towards her target who was the furthest away, her sword poised for a quick strike. But upon reaching her target, her expression soured. [A familiar.] Still mid-stride, she changed her tactics upon seeing her target. It was a bat familiar just above the size of a mango fruit. With its little wings fluttering as it keenly observed the battlefield, Aurelia watched it in slow motion as she neared. The familiar itself wasn¡¯t a threat. With its paltry strength, it could barely even qualify as low class in terms of energy. What made the familiar a threat however, were its abilities. [If it is sharing its sight with its master, this will be a problem.] It was indeed a problem, but Aurelia assured herself with the fact that since this was a very low class familiar, then the owner must be weak as well. Reaching out with her left hand, she grabbed the familiar and trapped it within her palm. With a quick burst of mana, she knocked it out. Feeling its struggles ceasing, she closed her eyes. If the familiar was indeed sharing its sight, then she needed to be quick, very quick. [...] Focusing on the magical link that exists between a familiar and its master, she followed the line until she found its master on the other end. However, the magic link had also passed through several barriers that would make it so that standard teleportation would not be possible. [Problematic.] While her own unique teleportation circle would allow her to passively dismantle these defenses and phase through, it wouldn¡¯t be as discrete. At the very least, a trace of her energy signature would be left behind, something she didn¡¯t want to leave if her target was from a noble clan from her guesses. With these factors, she only had one choice left. [I¡¯ll use Direct Teleportation.] It was a technique inspired by her brother¡¯s Instant Transmission and its inherent advantages. It was still a work in progress and it took a lot of her energy. But compared to the risk of Igor being depicted as Trihexa¡¯s incarnation, feeling woozy from mana exhaustion was the better option. Firmly cementing the energy signature of her target, she maintained her grip on the familiar before she vanished in a flash of golden light. Shuu! . |DxD| . Gremory Estate, Underworld . Rias was bored. Her brother had just left her when they were having so much fun playing. Having been left in a big room filled with all sorts of toys, posters, and action figures from Japan, the little heiress was not in a good mood due to her brother¡¯s abrupt departure. ¡°Hmph! Onii-tan is a big meanie. I wanted to go too.¡± Rias milled about in her room with a sullen gaze. Her curiosity at what that sudden energy was made her all the more curious to see it. Even her parents were talking about that power spike behind closed doors while everyone else was on guard, even the maids. While there was no adult in her room, she already knew that a maid was outside her door. Her only companion in this sunlit room was her newly contracted bat familiar that suddenly flew onto her head when it noticed its master¡¯s distress. ¡°Ah! That tickles, Akane-chan~.¡± Giggling as her familiar ¡°buried¡± itself in her long red hair, the little heiress fell onto her back, her feet kicking up a fuss and wrinkling her dress at the ticklish feeling. It was only after a long while that her familiar finally stopped, the little bat satisfied at having raised her master¡¯s soury mood. However, that calm was temporary. ¡°Pik pik!¡± Squeaking as it dodged a palm, it immediately flew out of reach of Rias¡¯ hands. ¡°Pik pik! Pik pik!¡± Flying around the room, it dodged the sword that her master was using to swat at her. Although it was a wooden sword, it would still hurt. ¡°Hihihi~. Stop running, Akane-chan!¡± Excitedly chasing around her familiar, her footsteps covered the room for quite a while until the little redhead finally collapsed in exhaustion. ¡°Huff¡­huff¡­huff.¡± Sitting on her bed, her cheeks were cutely flushed from the exertion. Leaning towards her nightstand, she took a bottle of milk with both hands and drank it straight from the bottle. Gulp Gulp Gulp Gulp Holding it with both hands, she chugged down the dairy liquid until her stomach bloated. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± With a white mustache on her face, the little heiress whispered to her familiar. ¡°Don¡¯t tell kaa-chan I drank from the bottle, Akane-chan.¡± The little bat flew down and landed on her lap, its two eyes staring at her master with reassurance behind them. ¡°Pik pik!¡± ¡°Hihi~.¡± Lying down on her bed, she picked up her little familiar with a thankful expression. ¡°Thanks, Akane-chan~.¡± Time slowly passed as the little heiress continued to lie down on her bed. The heavy feeling in her stomach from drinking so much milk made her not want to get up. With her arm covering her eyes, Rias¡¯ initial excitement from playing with Akane was gradually suppressed by the feeling of boredom strengthened by the sound of the clock. ¡°Mou~. I wish onii-tan was here.¡± Sitting up, a look of concern formed on her little face. ¡°He never left like this before.¡± With her hands on her cheeks, the little redhead remembered how her onii-chan¡¯s face suddenly darkened as he looked out the window. Suddenly, she got an idea. ¡°Hey Akane-chan! Can you go and see what onii-tan was up to?¡± She got up from her bed and ran over to the large open window bleeding out to a very beautiful scenery. Pointing excitedly, she looked at her familiar. ¡°Brother was looking over there? Can you go and see what¡¯s there? I can feel something weird coming from that direction.¡± ¡°Pik pik!¡± Using one of its wings to form a salute, the little bat flew out the window and sped towards the source of the energy. Behind her, her master peeked her head out the window and waved excitedly. ¡°Thanks, Akane-chan!¡± . AN . Cute little Rias makes an intro, though I don¡¯t expect it to be smooth. Hell, she might not even survive if Aurelia¡¯s determination remains strong. Will cuteness win or will sheer ruthlessness prevail? If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Holy out. Chapter 151 ¡°Brother was looking over there? Can you go and see what¡¯s there? I can feel something weird coming from that direction.¡± ¡°Pik pik!¡± Using one of its wings to form a salute, the little bat flew out the window and sped towards the source of the energy. Behind her, her master peeked her head out the window and waved excitedly. ¡°Thanks, Akane-chan!¡± . |DxD| . Aurelia did not expect much when she teleported into a lavish room after following the magic link. It was supposed to be a simple task. Appear, assassinate, and leave. A very simple procedure. In and out. Unfortunately, things never quite went to plan. Shuu! Appearing in a golden light, Aurelia knew she could expect a noble. However, her target was a very complicated one. It was one thing if it was one noble from some random clan. In general, most of them wouldn¡¯t be able to kick up too much of a fuss if one of their children were killed. Even if it was a noble from one of the pillar clans, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated. But, it was an entirely different story if the noble in question was directly related to one of the Satans, especially one of the two Super Devils. Rias Gremory, current heiress of the Gremory Clan and most importantly, the beloved younger sister of Sirzechs Lucifer. That last connection was the most troublesome one. It was well-known throughout the supernatural world just how much Sirzechs loved his little sister. The love he held for her was beyond normal. It was even possible that he loved his sister much more than their parents did. The only reason why Rias had never suffered any kidnapping or assassination attempts is not because her brother is just strong. It¡¯s mostly because he would NEVER stop hunting down anyone who caused harm to his sister. NEVER. [This is troublesome.] As she viewed time in slow motion, the silverette was scrapped for choices. Having appeared directly in front of the Gremory heiress, her sword was already by her side, her blade poised for a quick decapitation. The little heiress hadn¡¯t seemed to have noticed anything. Her eyes were still focused on her doll, her senses oblivious to the dangerous figure in front of her. Even her protectors who were hidden on the ceiling hadn¡¯t reacted. Aurelia could sense their presence as soon as she entered. Their figures were obscured by some elementary invisibility magic, atleast elementary to her eyes. They were still unaware of her entry, a proof of her speed. They were only around Ultimate class, a massive surprise given how even she wasn¡¯t aware of the Gremory¡¯s capability to secretly nurture such powerful devils. But, she wasn¡¯t focused on them. Rather, her gaze remained on the Gremory heiress. As it stood, she could easily crush the familiar in her palm, decapitate the heiress, and leave without the guards even knowing she was there. Even if Sirzechs would relentlessly pursue even the smallest clues to his sister¡¯s murder, she was confident she could remove any possible evidence of any external involvement and poison the little girl to make it seem like an inside job. Yet, from how the heiress seemed to be playing with her doll on the carpet, it was rather clear that she didn¡¯t know anything nor used sight-sharing with her familiar. She was just so innocent, so oblivious that her life could end at that very moment. Aurelia could squeeze the familiar in her hand to death, incinerate its remains, kill the heiress, and leave without anyone knowing any better. But she couldn¡¯t do it. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to kill such an innocent child, especially one who most likely didn¡¯t know anything. Her conscience didn¡¯t allow her to kill, but her paranoia didn¡¯t allow her to simply leave like this. Betting on chances wasn¡¯t something she entertained, especially in this current situation. [I will take her first.] It was a rash decision, but she would secretly return the heiress once she covertly erased any memories along with her familiar¡¯s. With her sword vanishing from her hand, she grabbed Rias by the shoulder and teleported away. Shuu! . |DxD| . Back at the scene of the battlefield, Igor and Azazel were under a translucent dome erected by the still-present clones of Aurelia. To any observer watching from the outside, they would be pulled into an illusion that would let them see randomised images of an intense fight between Igor and Azazel. Inside the barrier however, things were quie- ¡°Grrrrrr!¡± Almost quiet. Azazel was hovering in the air with all twelve wings out. His eyes were still glazed over in darkness, his grey pupils trained on Igor¡¯s still form. The redhead was standing absolutely still on all fours. It would¡¯ve been peacefull were it not for his extremely violent crimson-black aura that flared like a massive bonfire. SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°...¡± Azazel was faced with another problematic situation. [He¡¯s stepping beyond what my current strength can handle.] Indeed, Igor had not made any moves to attack him. But, the landscape was chaotic. Craters as wide as apartment buildings and ravines as deep as the eye could see had been created due to his violent outbursts. The only fortunate factor was that his outbursts had stopped. For quite some time, he had stood there on all fours without moving. His aura, a varying mesh of red and black remained ever violent. Like a blazing flame, it fluctuated sporadically, the lashing tendrils of crimson-black destroying everything it touched. As Azazel felt Igor¡¯s power level continue to rise, he was concerned if he should immediately attack the redhead or place his hope on the boy prevailing. For anyone with a trained eye, it was plainly obvious that the way the ratio of his aura constantly changed from red to black, he was fighting an internal battle. Azazel could only hope that he won. Because if he didn¡¯t, then he would truly have no choice but to kill him. It irked him to not be able to do anything. Remaining idle was not something he particularly took pride in. But in such a volatile situation, his only other choice would be to kill the redhead. A simple task, yet one that would come with more than its fair share of consequences, both political and physical. [Win, kid. Win so that I won¡¯t have to deal with assassination attempts from your sister.] . |DxD| . Shortly after Igor fell unconscious . The blonde was in a small room with simple furniture that was covered in lavish decorations. There was only one window that was covered in red curtains, the gentle sunshine just barely peering through them. On a massive bed, Igor lay there asleep with the company of three women who were¡­pleasuring him. All three of them had long hair of various colours, their bodies different yet endowed, and their temperaments similarly seductive, yet unique. The one similar aspect they shared between them, were the very transparent dress each of them wore as their only attire. And the final similarity they shared, was their goal in pleasuring the naked blonde before them. ¡°Mmm~ Slurp¡± ¡°Master~.¡± ¡°Shush. He¡¯s waking up.¡± Scrunching his eyebrows, Igor was devoured by a blissful feeling. He could feel warm caresses running over his body, the soft hands of several women gently feeling his muscles. Their melodious voices felt like honey to his ears, their soft giggles enveloping him in a feeling of heaven. The most intense feeling he felt however, came from his groin. His shaft was enveloped by something warm¡­ ¡°?!¡± ¡­ a feeling that made him tense when he felt a suction force. It was also this feeling that made him realise this was not a dream. Opening his eyes, Igor was subjected to the sight of three very, very¡­beautiful women. However, the remote possibility that he might¡¯ve enjoyed these women¡¯s ministrations were utterly destroyed by the fact that these women were very familiar. These women were Aurelia, Shuri, and a much more mature version of Asia. Aurelia, his dearest sister, was looking at him with such a seductive gaze that any man would find themselves enthralled by the sight of her beautiful blue eyes. Her lovely snow white hair fell along her cheeks, the strands tickling his torso. But that ticklish feeling paled to the feeling of her breasts on his chest. Then, it was Shuri, the woman he affectionately referred to as ¡°aunt¡±, although he viewed her more like his mother. However, that same woman was now savouring his shaft like candy. The half-lidded gaze she gave him as she swallowed his shaft whole would make a man¡¯s heart threaten to stop. And then there was Asia, the one who he was most focused on. She laid next to him, her hands gently running along his cheek. Her body was pressed against his, her face so close to his that he could smell her scent¡­her very abnormal scent. However, a larger issue took his focus. Far from looking at her body, his eyes remained on her face. He was completely filled with shock, the sight before him rendering him numb from all feeling. [M-Mother?!] Seeing the face of a much older Asia, she looked much too similar to his real mother. The resemblance was just too uncanny. The only difference was that his mother had brown eyes while this woman¡¯s eyes were emerald. Yet with his addled mind, he couldn¡¯t see the difference. To see the visage of his mother be degraded to that of a whore angered him. ¡°GET OFF!¡± GRUUU! Exploding in power, a white aura covered the blonde while all three women were thrown against the wall. Like the illusions they were, they dissipated along with the room. With his power exploding, Igor was left in a white space of nothingness. This change in scenery didn¡¯t faze him. Rather, he was angry. ¡°Bloody hell! My mother?! My mother of all people?!?! You sick motherfucker!!!!!¡± There was no restraining his vocabulary. He was so enraged that the veins on his forehead were bulging. ¡°Damnit! I¡¯ll kill that damn kid if it¡¯s the last thing I do!¡± Placing his forehead, a surge of killing intent emanated from him as he vanished. Tswii! . |DxD| . In a beautiful expanse of never-ending lush plains, only two figures were present. Under the gentle rays of the sun, Igor¡¯s peacefully resting expression was illuminated, his head resting on Triny¡¯s little lap. His head was a bit too big for her thighs, but she made it work. Her hands gently trailed over his face, the black miasma already creeping up his chin. There was genuine care in her gaze as her thumbs gently touched the corners of his mouth. ¡°So much time has passed¡­so many years, and you¡¯re the only one who was able to talk with me.¡± Her face warmed with a smile as she tenderly gazed at his face with affection. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. I promise. Once this is over, we¡¯ll be together forever. And finally¡­I won¡¯t be alone anymore.¡± The miasma extended further, the tendrils crawling up to his cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make you sleep, but I also didn¡¯t want you to leave. I hope¡­¡± She placed her forehead upon his, her hair draping over and mixing with his own. ¡°...I hope that you will forgive me in the fu¡­ture?¡± It was gradual at first, but the advancement of the tendrils had stopped. Just as they breached his jawline, they stopped advancing. Then slowly, they started retracting as Igor¡¯s power gradually fluctuated. Triny was caught off guard since she never expected something to happen, and especially¡­ Glare! ¡­for the blonde to open his eyes. Upon meeting her gaze, his expression immediately revealed his immense anger. ¡°You!¡± Lashing out with his hand, he grabbed the girl by the throat and stood up while the little girl was too shocked to react. In one fluid movement, Igor raised his hand and threw her into the ground with as much force as he could put into his arm. BANG! Immediately as she rebounded from landing on her back, the blonde gave her a soccer kick to the ribs. BOOOM!¡­SUUUUUuuuuu! As he sent her flying, he flickered in and out of existence before he vanished. Tswii! In a short moment, he appeared in her flight path and gave her a powerful kick on her chest. Gu! SUUuuuu¡­BOOOM! Watching her crash into the ground below, the blonde didn¡¯t dawdle. Raising his hands above his head, he began concentrating some of his energy. Most of his power had been suppressed by the miasma, but the energy he had would be enough for this one attack. Vwomp! In barely an instant, a massive golden dome the size of an apartment building formed above his. With his results of training in Spirit Control showing themselves, not only was this globe of ki extremely big, it was also very powerful. Just the amount of energy contained within it easily dwarfed the sphere he made when he was still a high class scrub that fought Baraquiel all those years ago. The power in this sphere, was more than enough to destroy an entire planet, and he would use it to destroy this entity that dared to try and control his body. ¡°[FINAL SUN!]¡± VUUUUuuuuu . AN . A lot of things happened in this chapter. Rias kept her life, Igor experienced pre-nut clarity, and Triny/Trihexa got a mouthful of golden ki. To think all of this happened because of a simple visit to the Underworld. Either way, things seem to be reaching a conclusion soon. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters on my patreon under the same username. Until the next chapter. Chapter 152 In barely an instant, a massive golden dome the size of an apartment building formed above his. With his results of training in Spirit Control showing themselves, not only was this globe of ki extremely big, it was also very powerful. Just the amount of energy contained within it easily dwarfed the sphere he made when he was still a high class scrub that fought Baraquiel all those years ago. The power in this sphere, was more than enough to destroy an entire planet, and he would use it to destroy this entity that dared to try and control his body. ¡°[FINAL SUN!]¡± VUUUUuuuuu . |DxD| . High up in the skies of the Underworld, two entities were observing the sight below with neutral gazes. Their presence was hidden even from the sharp senses of Azazel, their divine energy so pure that mortals could never hope to sense it. One was a young man with blue-black hair. His torso was bare-chested with only a single golden amulet around his neck. His eyes held silent power in them, his penetrating gaze focused on the sight below him. His arms were crossed behind his back, his vambraces not impeding him in the slightest. ¡°Nandi. Tell me honestly. Do you believe that young Dimori will prevail? Or will he be taken over by the Beast of the Apocalypse.¡± Next to him was his ever loyal attendant who had a hint of amusement forming on his face. ¡°Apologies me, my lord. But I cannot come to a complete decision. I believe in the tenacity the son of Dimori has, but our dearest Trihexa cannot be easily underestimated.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± It had been quite a while since Shiva and Nandi had appeared as spectators in this battle. It had come as quite a surprise when while in training, both of them felt the avatar of Trihexa manifest, a unique phenomenon that warranted a personal observation. ¡°To think he could foster Trihexa within his mindscape. A truly rare sight. I believe this is the first case, Nandi?¡± ¡°Indeed it is so, my lord. Never in history has this happened.¡± Shiva digested Nandi¡¯s words as he watched the blonde battle within himself. With his eyes, he could see how Igor¡¯s divine ki and Trihexa¡¯s malevolent energy were fighting each for influence, their battle resulting in the aura on his body constantly fluctuating. ¡°Tell me, Nandi. Does Trihexa¡¯s manifestation have to do with Dimori¡¯s god-ki? I can think of no other possible reason for such an¡­incident.¡± ¡°It is indeed so, but it is only half the reason.¡± Shiva glanced towards his attendant. ¡°Only half?¡± However, Nandi was looking at Igor with a rare expression of intrigue on his face. ¡°Yes, my lord. I believe the other half has to do with his ancestry. ¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°As you know, my lord, young Adam was placed as the caretaker of the planet before Eve¡¯s creation. As the caretaker, he was an empath, his sensory capabilities allowing him to feel the distress of the planet. Due to being his direct descendant, I am almost certain that young Dimori has managed to awaken this ability through the use of his transformation. Though, I am not completely clear exactly how.¡± Slowly raising his finger, Nandi let a small amount of tainted nature energy gather at his finger tip. ¡°However, just like young Adam, the worlds now see young Dimori as their caretaker. Whether it is Earth or its affiliated dimensions, all of them will treat him like Adam. Should he assume this form in the future, the world will rush to report its grievances, to beg him¡­influence him to rid its land of its oppressors.¡± Letting the energy disperse, Nandi continued. ¡°And this energy manifests itself in the form of Trihexa.¡± The Beast of Apocalypse was a monstrosity to the eyes of many, a beast that should never have existed. But it would always exist as long as negativity existed. As long as suffering existed, it would also exist. It was the Bringer of the End Times, a natural force of devastation that was created by the grievances of the world. It¡¯s base instinct and its desire was to end all life on it and all the dimensions associated with it. If Trihexa succeeded in taking over Igor¡¯s mind, the world may soon experience another cataclysmic event never seen before. However, all of this could be prevented rather easily if Shiva chose to lift a finger. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°My lord. Do you wish to help him?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva was silent. It was not hidden to Nandi that he liked the young lad. Be it his talent, his determination, and his dedication, all these factors were very appealing to him. He already had plans for the boy once he grew up a bit, but those plans may very well become a mute point if he ended up being possessed by Trihexa. Regardless, he was the God of Destruction and he took his role very seriously. Interfering in mortal affairs was not something he would do. ¡°No. Leave him be. Whether he prevails or fails, we will not interfere.¡± His stance was firm and his words were final. . |DxD| . ¡°[FINAL SUN!]¡± VUUUUuuuuu The sphere descended like the falling sunset. The pressure it exerted alone crushed the grass against the ground. With its massive size, it seemed to be moving very slowly. But it was in fact, very fast. druuuuuu¡­ As it hit its target, it slowly sunk into the earth like a ball of hot iron in ice. Igor could feel that he had hit Triny, but she seemed to offer only the barest amount of resistance. It was similar to how a person would meekly raise their hands in front of a speeding truck. [Is this a trick?] He was sceptic since she had to be very powerful to be able to overtake his body. The blonde had that faint suspicion that this was a deceptive tactic, but this wasn¡¯t the time to entertain it. Pressing the giant sphere downwards, he finally let it explode. BOOOOOOOM! The explosion was massive yet contained. All the power held within the sphere was controlled to explode in a very concentrated area. An attack that had enough power to kickstart armageddon itself was concentrated into a crater barely a few dozen metres deep. She was still alive. He could feel her presence. But he knew the true battlefield wasn¡¯t here. Only when he regained complete consciousness and assumed control of his body could he truly fight this parasite that dared to subsume his body. Feeling that she was not moving, the blonde finally got to removing the miasma on his body. It had been restricting his power, but with Triny temporarily out of commission, the restriction had weakened considerably. It was an unexpected outcome, but he wouldn¡¯t question it. He would only act on it. ¡°HAAAAA!¡± GRUUUU! Exploding with power, he directly entered his Demigod State, his hair spiking up and turning red. Surrounded by his comforting red aura of demi-ki, he wasted no time and placed two fingers to his forehea- ¡°NOOO! DON¡¯T LEAVE ME!¡± ¡°?!¡± Faster than his eye could see, a black blur pelted him on his stomach. His body immediately flinched, his hand reflexively forming a powerful ki blast that he would smash on top of her head. Yet her next words made him stop. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do that again but please¡­please don¡¯t leave!¡± ¡°...¡± To her pleas, Igor couldn¡¯t respond. Not because he felt pity, but because of the sight before him. Triny, was not whole. Half her face was missing, a singular amber eye tightly shut as tears flowed out of it. A large chunk of her skull was blown off along with her hair, the sight making the blonde¡¯s heart clench. Her arms were rendered into short stumps, the same haze of black mist covering the severed ends. Her body was covered in grievous cuts, her injuries so deep that even the bone could be seen. In such a state of great pain, her first instinct wasn¡¯t to care for her injuries, but to stop him. And the worst part was, Igor couldn¡¯t tell if she was just that great of a manipulator, or if she was being sincere. Her face was pressed against his bare stomach, her tears a chilling sensation to his skin. Her arms, severed as they were, tried to hook against his waist. ¡°I¡¯ll-I¡¯ll be good. I promise I¡¯ll be good! I won¡¯t try to make you sleep. I won¡¯t make you a monster. Just¡­please don¡¯t leave. Please don¡¯t hate me!¡± ¡°...¡± It was¡­hard for Igor to swallow all of this. All the killing intent he had was rendered naught. This was a chance, a perfect chance to blast a ki blast into her brain, return to his body, and extinguish the last traces of her presence for good. But¡­ ¡°Please¡­¡± She was looking into his eyes, her face having almost regenerated fully. Those amber eyes pierced into his cerulean, the light of her pleas and apologies burning away his killing intent and suspicions. Yet, as much pity as he felt for this child, her words would never burn away that shred of doubt he had. [Sister will know more about this.] Wanting a second opinion, he decided to once more seek the knowledge of Aurelia. Sigh¡­ Watching Triny slowly regenerate, the blonde steeled his heart before grabbing her hands which had now regenerated. It was saddening seeing a child cry like this, but he wouldn¡¯t forget that she tried to control his body. ¡°NO!¡± Predictably, her hold around his waist tightened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at her crying tears, a very small part of him was tempted to believe her, that this wasn¡¯t a trick. But his paranoia won. Gruuu! Powering up to his maximum, he managed to push her arms away and held them firmly at her sides. ¡°NOOO! I¡¯ll do whatever you want! I¡¯ll do whatever you want! I¡¯ll do anything! Just please don¡¯t! Don¡¯t leave me alone! I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore!¡± Her begging continued, her tears piercing into his heart, but he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be swayed. Slowly, he felt out for his body until he could finally feel it. ¡°...¡± It was all so easy to leave like this, to leave this crying little girl who was so desperately trying and failing to get out of his grasp. Yet, he felt a bit of pity for her, not enough to abandon his plans of leaving, but enough to provide her some reassurance. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Without further hesitation, he left. Tswii! However, whether his next visit would be to kill her was up for debate. . |DxD| . ¡°It appears he has won, my lord.¡± ¡°Indeed, Nandi.¡± Down on the ground, the horns on Igor¡¯s head had gradually disappeared. His aura gradually dominated the tainted nature energy that had mixed within, his densely shrouded figure now slowly becoming visible. However, there were far more interesting developments at play, developments that Nandi found intriguing. ¡°It appears that Dimori¡¯s troubles have yet to end, my lord.¡± Removing his focus, Shiva bore witness to two different teleportation circles forming, the circles of very well-known individuals. After a brief flash of light, they appeared. In the flesh, the two Super Devils of the world appeared outside the barrier, their presence being felt by both Azazel and Aurelia who had returned. Ajuka Beelzebub, formerly of Astaroth, casually stretched out his hand as a magic circle formed. It didn¡¯t take long before the barrier shattered like glass. Shiva was unbothered by these developments, his face remaining ever stoic. He didn¡¯t need any future sight to know what was about to happen. ¡°Politics. How they bore me. Let us depart, Nandi. There is nothing more for us to see.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Holding Shiva by the shoulder, the both of them instantly vanished. Su! . AN . My heart¡­ Chapter 153 Ajuka Beelzebub, formerly of Astaroth, casually stretched out his hand as a magic circle formed. It didn¡¯t take long before the barrier shattered like glass. Shiva was unbothered by these developments, his face remaining ever stoic. He didn¡¯t need any future sight to know what was about to happen. ¡°Politics. How they bore me. Let us depart, Nandi. There is nothing more for us to see.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Holding Shiva by the shoulder, the both of them instantly vanished. Su! . |DxD| . Gradually, Igor was regaining consciousness. His vision was hazy and his head hurt a bit, but atleast it was proof that he was back in his body. He slowly stood up, his aura reverting back to its normal crimson state. His rapidly fluctuating energy stabilised, a semblance that he had regained control over his body. He felt¡­relief, relief that he had regained his body. Being in a ghost-like state was not something he wanted to experience again anytime soon. Slowly, his eyes lowered, his crimson gaze focused on his hands. He clenched his fists once or twice before slowly, he released his transformation. Fuush Like a wet mop, his hair fell down to his sides, his eyes reverting to their normal blue. Igor felt tired, more tired than usual. [I really could use a long nap right n-?!] It was then that he noticed the two additional presences. They were suppressed, but there was no mistaking the power behind it. Lifting his head, he was met with the gaze of two devilishly handsome men. One had crimson hair, his blue eyes alert, suspicious, yet also relaxed. He dressed in royal armour fit for a king, his young appearance marring him with a sense of nobility. The man next to him had slicked-back green hair, his eyes of cyan regarding Igor with a curious and studious look. He was garbed in a robe, his handsome appearance not losing to his crimson-haired compatriot. Igor could feel it. They were strong. Very strong. He couldn¡¯t tell exactly how powerful they were, but he knew he would need nothing short of his Demigod State to defeat them. And even then, he wasn¡¯t sure he would win. Regardless, he was not worried, nor did he show any trace of excitement. As strong as they were, his mind wasn¡¯t on fighting, but on wanting to understand the situation he was in. Upon finding his slight change in mentality, he couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself. [I wonder what the younger me would¡¯ve done.] It was a rhetorical question. But, he couldn¡¯t deny that after spending ten years with Aurelia, he started to look at things a bit more analytically, an influence he picked up from their extended stay together. Shaking his head, Igor knew this wasn¡¯t the time for reminiscing. Right now, he needed to understand exactly what was going on since for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t remember what happened after he spoke with Baraquiel. Su! Just in time, Aurelia swiftly appeared next to him while Azazel slowly landed with his arms crossed. The Fallen had already returned to his base state as he regarded Igor with a serious look. ¡°We have a lot of talking to do after this, kid.¡± His confusion only solidified at Azazel¡¯s statement towards him. And¡­was that hostility he felt. That would need to be sorted out. Before his frown could deepen, he heard Aurelia¡¯s voice inside his head. {Lord Dimori. Allow me to show you what happened.} Wordlessly, Aurelia stood by his side and gently intertwined her hand with his. Shortly after, she began transferring all of her memories to him ever since he conversed with Baraquiel. ¡°...¡± The seconds trickled by as the blonde closed his eyes, his mind processing the multitude of images he saw. He subconsciously tightened his grip on Aurelia when he saw what he did to Baraquiel. He was not pleased with his actions. He was angry-no. He was disappointed with himself. And his disappointment continued to rise when he saw what became of him¡­a mindless beast. [Tch!] It didn¡¯t take two and two to piece together that this was because of Triny. But it was also his fault for not noticing that he was taking in nature energy ever since he stepped into the Underworld. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it As the memories drew to a close, he slowly opened his eyes¡­and was met with three pairs of eyes looking at him. Despite feeling the strength of the two devils in front of him, he first regarded Azazel with a serious look. ¡°I will give you a proper explanation later, Uncle A. As well as make up for my actions and heal the old man.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel looked at the blonde for a few seconds before nodding. ¡°Alright.¡± He wasn¡¯t pleased with how Igor hurt his brother, but he already accepted that the blonde wasn¡¯t in control. Regardless, his brother was alive and he would recover. Right now, he had to deal with their two visitors. ¡°We¡¯ll speak later. Right now, we have other things to worry about.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Igor similarly turned his head to face the two devils, his eyes bearing his vigilance. He did not know who they were, but Aurelia was there to fill him in. {My lord. From left to right, those two in front of you are Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub. They are the strongest devils known in existence. They are also two of the Four Satans that govern all of devilkind.} ¡°...¡± He absorbed that tidbit of information in his head while Azazel addressed the two satans with a rare countenance (display) of seriousness. ¡°Ajuka. Sirzechs. Quite a surprise meeting you all the way here.¡± Ajuka was the one to reply while Sirzechs remained uncharacteristically quiet. ¡°Pardon us, Azazel. But we need help with an issue and we were hoping you might help us. You see-¡± ¡°My sister has been kidnapped. Do you know anything about that?¡± It was Sirzechs who interfered. There was a hint of killing intent in his tone, but Azazel took no offense to it. He knew how much Sirzechs loved his sister and he would love to help, but he himself had no knowledge of the incident. ¡°No. But I will have my people keep an eye out for any news.¡± Azazel was surprised that someone would dare to kidnap his sister. However, he was clueless and could provide no immediate help- ¡°I do.¡± . . . Silence¡­ ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Aurelia and Azazel turned to look at Igor with shock in their eyes. Azazel was completely flabbergasted while Aurelia felt that he had completely lost his mind to reveal what she had done. However, Igor disregarded them as he met Sirzech¡¯s gaze head on. ¡°I have your sister with me.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzech¡¯s gaze turned darker as Igor¡¯s words hung in the air. ¡°I see¡­¡± It was small, but it was fast. Shuu! Without any movement, Sirzechs had wordlessly formed a very small sphere of destruction that he fired at Igor. But, the blonde tilted his head and let it pass through, his expression not morphing in the slightest. BOOOM! For such a small attack, it certainly contained a lot of power. He could feel the sphere expand to the size of a table before it fizzled out. Yet, not once did he break eye contact with the devil. ¡°Before you try to kill me, listen to me.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs did not respond, Rather, his magic power was already focused to elimi- ¡°Perhaps we should listen, Sirzechs.¡± Placing a hand on his shoulder was Ajuka, his best friend who was trying to defuse the situation. ¡°I sense no ill-intent from our friend here. However, I do believe an explanation is in order.¡± He spotted the narrowed gaze that Ajuka showed him as well as Sirzech¡¯s killing intent. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t leaving without clarifying things. Regardless, his back remained straight and his eyes unwavering as he spoke. ¡°Your sister is a result of being at the wrong place time, specifically her familiar. My sister subdued her for me alongside other scouts that were found. When I fight, I don¡¯t like unnecessary eyes.¡± Signaling to Aurelia, the silverette formed a magic circle before Rias and her familiar appeared on a bed. With a wave of her hand, the bed levitated over towards Sirzechs before it landed in front of him. He crouched down to caress his sister¡¯s face, his concern evident on his face. In the meantime, Igor continued to speak. ¡°Her familiar has had its memories erased, but your sister is untouched. You can have her back and we hope you understand that-¡± It was brief, but he sensed that speck of killing intent before it happened. Shuu! It was another one, another ball of destruction. But this time, it was not aimed at him. Tsiiiiii¡­ It was the sound of burning flesh. The smell hit everyone instantly. Azazel had his eyes widen, though in more surprise than shock. Igor had his hand stretched out in front of Aurelia¡¯s forehead. His palm was sizzling as a red bullet tried to dig its way through his flesh. Unfortunately, his ki was so dense that it could only advance so much before its energy ran out and it fizzled out of existence. ¡°...¡± . . . Silence¡­ Ajuka raised an eyebrow in interest. He half-expected for the bullet to barrel through Igor¡¯s hand and kill the woman behind it. To see it fail to penetrate through the energy the kid conjured was something he found fascinating. [What an intriguing energy.] Azazel who was content to remain a spectator sighed inwardly. If he had tears, he would want to cry. [Why is there never peace whenever this kid is around?] First was his nonsense with manifesting Trihexa. Now, that damn sister of his kidnaps a Maou¡¯s sister of all people. And now, he had to deal with more work because he knew exactly how ballistic Igor would get now. [Damn brat.] On the other hand, Aurelia was¡­shocked, completely shocked. Her skin paled at just how close she was to death, her forehead instantly covered with sweat [I-I couldn¡¯t see it!] Her senses were ramped up to their maximum, yet for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t even see the sphere close in on her. One second, Igor was talking and the next, his hand was in front of her face. But beyond fear, she felt embarrassment and shame. ¡°M-my lord. I-I¡­?!¡± However, her words faded away when a massive killing intent filled the vicinity, a killing intent so deep, so ferocious, that for a very brief moment, she felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe. But, it lasted for a second or so before it vanished like it never existed. ¡°Lucifer. I understand your feelings and your actions because I also have siblings I would kill for.¡± He raised his head, his crimson gaze penetrating into Sirzechs. ¡°But, if you try that again¡­¡± A red aura formed around him. ¡°I will kill you.¡± It took everything for the blonde to not go crazy then and there and fight the crimson-haired devil to the death. That attack on his sister, an attack that would¡¯ve no doubt tore through her brains, made him simmer with far more rage than he ever felt before, rage equaling or even eclipsing the anger he felt at the Himejima. To have his sister almost die in front of him, was not something he could tolerate. But he had to. Not because he feared Sirzechs or the consequences. But because he understood how the man felt. If he was in his position and Asia was the one kidnapped, he knew exactly how he would act. However, if Sirzechs even showed ANY intention of trying, he would fight to kill. To hell with the peace and understanding. To hell with consequences. ¡°To hell with politics.¡± . AN . Due to problems with college and the increasingly tight schedules, I will potentially face problems this week in terms of uploading. I still owe a third chapter, but I will see if I can pump out two chapters tomorrow as well. Chapter 154 It took everything for the blonde to not go crazy then and there and fight the crimson-haired devil to the death. That attack on his sister, an attack that would¡¯ve no doubt tore through her brains, made him simmer with far more rage than he ever felt before, rage equaling or even eclipsing the anger he felt at the Himejima. To have his sister almost die in front of him, was not something he could tolerate. But he had to. Not because he feared Sirzechs or the consequences. But because he understood how the man felt. If he was in his position and Asia was the one kidnapped, he knew exactly how he would act. However, if Sirzechs even showed ANY intention of trying, he would fight to kill. To hell with the peace and understanding. To hell with consequences. ¡°To hell with politics.¡± . |DxD| . The air was tense, so tense that it was palpable. It was as if their region itself was filled with methane gas, and only one spark was needed for chaos to descend. Five entities stood, three against two. Yet two of them from opposing sides were eyeing each other¡­gauging one another. Igor was glaring at Sirzechs directly in the eye, a few multipliers of his Kaioken active. His vigilance was at an all-time high, his gaze not wavering in the slightest. ¡°...¡± Sirzechs was more surprised than angry at this juncture. It had been a very long time since someone threatened to kill him directly. A few death threats in the form of letters? Sure. But there was no one who had the gall to do the same in the flesh. The boy had some spirit in him that was for sure. Regardless, whether their reasons were malicious or miscalculated, it was a fact that they kidnapped his only sister, the sister of a Maou. He would not let them go. ¡°?!¡± Igor felt it again, that sensation of killing intent. It was so faint, so brief that he might¡¯ve pegged it for an illusion. But he wouldn¡¯t take chances, not when his sister¡¯s life was at stake. In response, he raised his hand and aimed at Sirzechs. Vwomp A small golden yellow orb formed in his palm, but the amount of ki compressed within it was anything but small. ¡°Try me. I dare you to try me.¡± ¡°...¡± If the tension in the air was methane, now it was a powder keg on the verge of exploding. This was a blatant threat, the equivalent of drawing a sword against a king. Igor was no longer disrespecting Sirzechs. He was stepping on his authority as a Maou, a crime punishable by death itself. If nothing happened, a battle of epic proportions would ensue and if either side lost their sister, an irreconcilable grudge would form against these two behemoths. Azazel and Ajuka eyed each other. The fallen gave a nod, his thoughts aligning with the devil. ¡°Wooaaah. Calm down, Igor. Calm down.¡± ¡°Stay your hand, Sirzechs. There is no need for unnecessary conflict.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± The two would-be fighters regarded each other. It seemed that neither one was willing to back down first. There was no aura coming from Sirzechs, but just him circulating his magic power released an immense pressure. There was an invisible battle of sorts, one invisible to the naked eye. They were fighting each other with pressure, one fighting to overpower the other. Demonic Energy against Demi-ki, an invisible battle that only sensors could see. Naturally, that included the little girl who was peacefully sleeping with her familiar. ¡°Hm?¡± Rias felt as if her skin was being pricked all over by a needle. She was content to ignore it, but it never stopped. Frowning, she tried to swat the needle, but it kept poking her. ¡°Mou¡­¡± Rubbing her eyes, she sat up along with her familiar who was also waking up. Once she removed her hands from her eyes, she looked up to see five people, three of them unfamiliar to her. Her gaze slowly moved towards the person she was most familiar with. ¡°Onii-tan?¡± . . . It was a simple word, but it was like pouring a tsunami over a candle. Her little voice, meek yet cute, was all it took to dissolve the tension in the air, a tension that two faction leaders couldn¡¯t dissolve. ¡°Ria-tan!¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Completely disregarding Igor, Sirzechs rushed towards his little sister and hugged her tightly, his cheek pressing against hers. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡± ¡°Onii-tan! That tickles~.¡± The little redhead was completely oblivious to the chaos around her. Or to be accurate, she didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t even show a trace of fear. No one could be sure if she was just that oblivious, or if she trusted her brother that much. All eyes were focused on the little heiress, not a single one of them containing hostility. As her blue eyes looked around at all these new people, her gaze stopped upon Igor¡¯s. With a smile, Rias greeted him. ¡°Hello~. Who are you? My name is Rias.¡± ¡°...¡± Critical Hit! That innocent closed-eye smile, her cheery voice, her words, all of it culminated to form a concoction that would make even the angriest of bulls docile. As angry and vigilant as Igor was, all of it evaporated like dew in the morning sun. Subconsciously powering down, the blonde smiled at her as he proudly introduced himself. ¡°My name is Igor, Igor von Dimori. The number one fighter in the universe. You¡¯d do well to remember that, Rias.¡± The little heiress found his introduction funny. ¡°Hihihi~. Okay, Igor-nii.¡± ¡°...¡± Rias used ¡°nii¡±. It was super effective. The blonde was enraptured in her laugh before he looked away with a huff. [Cute. Of course, not as cute as Asia. Maybe they can tie.] Picturing the smiling face of his little sister alongside Rias, that thought was bolstered in his head. However, his happy thoughts were sent flying with Rias¡¯ next words. ¡°You know, I thought you were a pretty sister. Teehee~.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor¡­did not know how to respond to that. Unfortunately, Ajuka also decided to fan the flames. ¡°You are right, Rias-chan. Now that you mention it, he does make a convincing woman.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde was not liking this situation. He could hear Azazel struggle to restrain a laughter, his shoulders shaking as a few pints of chuckles escaped through his lips. ¡°...¡± His face turned darker than the bottom of a pot, a result of his manliness being questioned. ¡°Tch. To think I almost put you on the same level as my little sister. I guess you¡¯re not cute after all, Rias.¡± ¡°You take that back!¡± The retort came not from Rias, but from Sirzechs. The satan immediately marched up to Igor with a face full of righteous indignation. ¡°Ria-tan is the cutest little sister in the whole world!¡± The blonde was not going to be outdone. ¡°Lies! My cute little Asia is the number one super cutest little sister in the whole world!¡± ¡°Nonsense! It is my little sister who¡¯s number one!¡± ¡°Bullshit! Asia¡¯s number one!¡± ¡°NO! RIAS IS NUMBER ONE! YOUR ASIA CAN ONLY BE THE SECON-¡± ¡° ¡®SECOND¡¯ YOUR MOTHER!¡± The two of them were already bashing skulls, their eyes trading sparks as they competed for who had the cutest sister. Both sides had crimson aura wafting off of them as they tried to intimidate the other into submitting. This little scene probably would¡¯ve lasted longer were it not for Azazel interfering. Separating the two of them by the shoulder, he spoke with a small smile. ¡°Well. I see that everyone is happy now. Why don¡¯t we call it a day?¡± The pair glared at each other before Igor relented first. ¡°Hmph. You¡¯ll soon realise how outclassed your little sister is over mine.¡± ¡°So you say. As if that would ever happen.¡± Igor was about to retort when Azazel strengthened the grip on his shoulder. ¡°Igor. We have to leave.¡± ¡°...¡± Noticing the seriousness in the fallen¡¯s gaze, Igor agree. ¡°Yeah, Uncle A. You¡¯re right. ¡± After calming down a bit, he did realise they needed to leave. As they spoke, Baraquiel was probably in pain and here he was bickering with a Maou. Thinking back to how he hurt Baraquiel, he felt very regretful. It was only fortunate that he had advanced enough in Spirit Control to figure out how to use his ki to heal. ¡°Please wait.¡± It was Sirzechs who stopped them. He quickly crouched down to Rias¡¯ level, said a few words to her before making her vanish in a magic circle. Vwong! With his little sister gone, he stood up, his gaze narrowing as he regarded the only two humans here. ¡°The both of you. Are you¡­?¡± This time, it was Aurelia who spoke. With a light bow, she confirmed his guess. ¡°Yes, Lucifer-sama. We are Aryans.¡± She knew he was asking out of cordiality. He already knew what they were. And even if he did, she was sure that Ajuka would. In fact, she was sure he realised it at first glance. But that was unimportant. Now that the real talks were about to begin, she didn¡¯t want for any grievances to linger, especially between herself and Sirzechs. ¡°I would further like to bestow my apologies to you, Lucifer-sama. We meant no harm to the young heiress.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Igor stopping her with his ki, her bow may have been lower. Out of the corner of his eye, she could see that the blonde was not pleased with her lowering her head to another. ¡°Please do not worry about it any longer. I shall educate my sister to not peek into other people¡¯s business.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lucifer-sama.¡± ¡°Now, continuing on our previous-¡± ¡°Bloody politics.¡± Igor had enough. On another day, he might¡¯ve remained quiet. But he didn¡¯t want to waste time today. ¡°Lucifer. All of us here are very busy people. I know you knew what we were, but you skirted around the issue. I hate politics. Maybe its because I¡¯m still young, but I think they¡¯re a waste of time. So let¡¯s not waste time and get straight to the point. In fact, let me start us off.¡± Content that he had everyone¡¯s attention, he started listing off with his fingers. ¡°No. We are not a threat to you. We prefer keeping to ourselves. Our reason for coming to the Underworld is personal. Yes, I know Uncle Azazel. No, I won¡¯t tell how, when, or why. Yes, you are welcome to investigate me. Yes, I will most likely kill anyone you send to investigate me. No, I am not afraid of anyone of you or your reputation. Yes, my balls are that big. Any more questions? Or does that cover it?¡± Four different people, all with four different reactions. Aurelia seemed as if she was about to die on the spot. All her effort in teaching him politics was for naught. His brash words, especially the last part truly made her wish she could rewind time. Azazel was struggling not to laugh out loud. His shoulders were quivering every moment or so with tears almost leaking out of his eyes. Ajuka had an almost similar reaction to Azazel. He was amused, a small smile forming on his face as he watched the blonde with a gleam of interest. Sirzechs was¡­lost for words. Igor¡¯s words weren¡¯t maddening by any aspect. Rather, he found them¡­refreshing, especially given that the blonde had the strength to back his rather lackadaisical (careless) words. In fact, he found this situation a bit funny. ¡°No, Dimori-kun. I must say that you have covered everything that needed to be covered.¡± ¡°Oh, good. Come on, Uncle A. Let¡¯s- oh right.¡± The blonde laughed ominously as he grabbed both Aurelia¡¯s and Azazel¡¯s hands. ¡°I also have another little sister. That means that your Ria-tan is number three.¡± Without waiting, the three of them vanished. Tswii! ¡°...¡± Ajuka walked over to where they disappeared. He noticed the very minute spatial fractures that were already repairing themselves after their teleportation. ¡°Well, well. Such an intriguing teleportation spell. I never quite thought that he would use the Dime-¡± ¡°Not now, Ajuka!¡± Sirzechs was pissed. ¡°How dare he say that someone is cuter than Ria-tan? No one! No one is. And I¡¯ll prove it!¡± ¡°...¡± Some days, Ajuka just couldn¡¯t understand his friend, or the boy they just met. Just a minute prior, they were this close to killing each other. A few moments later, they¡¯re bantering over who has the cuter sister. It was simply illogical. [Siscons, the one thing more complicated than women.] . AN . From enemies to frenemies. The power of the little sister is infinite. Chapter 155 Some days, Ajuka just couldn¡¯t understand his wayward friend, or the boy they just met. Just a minute prior, they were this close to killing each other. A few moments later, they¡¯re bantering over who has the cuter sister. It was simply illogical. [Siscons, the one thing more complicated than women.] . |DxD| . A Dozen Minutes Prior, Grigori Headquarters, Underworld . The situation in Grigori was bordering on chaotic. The powerful energy resulting from the clash between Igor and Azazel was ravaging their senses. Some of the more¡­¡±volatile¡± fallen were already trying to rush towards the scene in a haze of craziness or outright attempt to kill themselves. As the major organisation closest to the scene of conflict, the immense killing intent released from Igor influenced by Trihexa¡¯s power made most of the weaker fallen fall to the brink of losing their minds. In a hasty bid, the entirety of Grigori was placed on complete lockdown. Barring Shemhazai and Baraquiel, the rest of the cadre quickly deployed several magic barriers that would work to block out most, if not all of the killing intent. Benemune, the Chief Secretary of Grigori and the only female cadre had taken charge as she swiftly delivered orders to quell the situation. Some of her fellow cadre were also helping her with handling the situation. Be it calming the populace or putting up the barriers, their help was much appreciated. But, Benemune still knew that one person was missing. [Where is Kokabiel?!] It angered her that her wayward brother was not here when he was needed. Regardless, this was no time to dawdle. The barrier had been deployed and the situation was stabilising. Wiping a trace of sweat on her brow, she decided to check on her injured brother. Vwong! . |DxD| . In a private hospital room, Baraquiel lay unconscious on a bed. Next to him was a human doctor who had some sort of sacred gear in the form of a silver glove that he had placed over his abdomen. Shemhazai sighed as he watched the doctor examine his brother. From the sour expression on the doctor¡¯s face, he knew that the situation wasn¡¯t good. The wound on Baraquiel¡¯s stomach had been closed with the help of a phoenix tear. However, he was still not out of the woods. ¡°I apologize, Shemhazai-sama. We were unable to purge Baraquiel-sama of that energy. But from my analysis now, I believe it will soon fizzle out on its own. In the meantime, Baraquiel-sama will unfortunately have to stay in bed for a while, possibly a month if no complications arise.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Waving his hand, the doctor took his clipboard and left to attend to other patients. Closing the door behind him, he left the two cadre alone in the room with one unconscious. ¡°...¡± Releasing a sigh again, Shemhazai pulled a chair and sat next to his sleeping brother, a trace of evident concern on his face. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll get well, brother.¡± Sitting silently, he ignored the spawning of a teleportation circle behind him. As the light faded, Benemune gracefully emerged. With long purple hair and glasses, she would fit the role of a strict teacher rather well, especially with her gifted assets. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, she appeared to be calm and in control. Yet from the corner of his eye, Shemhazai could see the brief flicker in her eyes as she saw the sorry state Baraquiel was in. A drip was connected to his arm, his face covered with an oxygen mask. The heart monitor was the only sound in the room as it beeped in sync with his heartbeat. Fortunately, all scars from his wound were gone, but there was something similar to an infection that was spreading from his abdomen. It spread outwards like the branches of a tree, its colour slightly darker than his skin. Benemune was tempted to touch it and almost did, but Shemhazai stopped her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you, sister. It could transfer to you as well.¡± Her hand froze in its track, but her concern grew more. ¡°What¡­is this energy, brother? It does not feel like anything I know of.¡± Shemhazai did not say anything. With a brief flash of light, a dossier emerged in his hand. ¡°This should answer your questions and more.¡± ¡°...¡± Benemune wordlessly took it and began reading from it. ¡­ FILE #c323015 Clearance Level: CADRE Date of Issue: 1999/08/15 . |Next Page| . This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Name: Igor Surname: von Dimori Race: Human (Aryan) Born: 1987 (Assumed, possibly much earlier) Age: 9 (Time Chamber artifact halts age progression) Affiliation: Unknown Allies: West Yokai Faction, Shinto Pantheon, Catholic Church, Grigori, Hindu Pantheon Strength: God-King . |Next Page| . Summary: Igor von Dimori is a new addition to the supernatural world who has managed to garner the friendship or acknowledgement of several powerful factions. His origins are unclear, but his power and potential cannot be taken arbitrarily. Origins: His origins cannot be traced, either through his name, surname, or appearance. There is no known documentation of a clan called Dimori amongst the Aryan race or in the human world. However, his possession of the much-coveted Time Chamber Artifact suggests possibilities that he may have been the Aryan¡¯s secret weapon. Theories suggest he may have been a weapon that would be used to turn the tide of the war, or a unique spawn that would be utilised as a tool of vengeance against the supernatural world. Given his significant rise in strength, possibilities may suggest the former, or even possibly the latter given recent incidents. Personality: Possesses an extreme desire for battle. Eyewitness accounts of his unhinged desire to fight can be traced back as early as 1994. However, he is known to be extremely loyal and caring to those he acknowledges. He will also go to extreme lengths to seek vengeance for those who harmed the ones he acknowledges as his family. Artifact: He wields the time chamber artifact, an item that has been bonded to his soul. Currently, it is known that in the span of one year, he can train for ten years inside the time chamber. He is also not forced to spend those ten years as there are two accounts where he was able to ¡°exit¡± early. Additional Notes: It is suspected that Igor von Dimori is not from these times. His age denotes he was born decades after the second world war, but there is a complete lack of any traceable ancestry. There is no knowledge of his existence until traces of him were first found in Kuoh in 1992 when he was five-years-old. It is suspected that a few decades prior, a young Igor was chosen to be bonded to the time chamber by the Aryans, a process that took four-to-five decades. This suggests the possibility that as the artifact fused with his soul, his body was kept safe in a different space, one that is most likely Kuoh. This is a suspicion at most, but it would heavily explain his unnatural desire for battle in such peaceful times. ¡­ Benemune read over the notes, even flipping over to see further records of Igor such as a detailed timeline of his sightings and activities, all the major incidents he¡¯s caused or suspected to be related in, and even all of his known abilities. Slapping the clipboard on the table, she sighed. ¡°There goes my plan for revenge.¡± Shemhazai chuckled silently. ¡°I believe that Dimori-san did not mean to do this intentionally, sister. Before I left, I saw that his eyes were hollow. It was a sign that he was not in control of his actions at the time.¡± ¡°And so is the killing intent, I presume?¡± ¡°A by-product of senjutsu, I¡¯m afraid. The nature energy in the Underworld is quite¡­angry.¡± Benemune only scoffed. ¡°We can blame Kokabiel for adding to that anger. You don¡¯t happen to know where brother dearest might be, do you?¡± Shemhazai could only offer a helpless smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I do not, sister. Brother Kokabiel is rather¡­adventurous.¡± ¡°Heh. ¡®Adventurous¡¯ you say? I sincerely wish that I don¡¯t receive missives from other factions detailing any trouble he might¡¯ve caused with his little band of followers. I¡¯m tired enough just thinking of all the work I have to do after this little mess.¡± ¡°Haaa¡­yes. Let us hope so.¡± Shemhazai was ready to let the matter drop, but it seemed the disappearance of Kokabiel annoyed Benemune more than he thought. ¡°If Baraquiel was awake, he would¡¯ve taught that wayward brother of ours his place, especially with how much stronger he¡¯s gotten.¡± Shemhazai could only imagine how embarrassed Baraquiel would feel if he were awake. ¡°Maybe so, sister.¡± A peaceful lull in silence ensued as the two siblings watched over their unconscious brother. Shemhazai was sitting down, his elegeant purple hat still on his head. Benemune was content to remain standing, her violet gaze watching Baraquiel through her glasses. The silence however, was disturbed when a high-pitched sound filled the room. Tswii! [?!] Shemhazai flinched slightly, but he didn¡¯t move. Benemune however, turned around instantly in complete shock. It was one thing for a person to appear behind you. It was another thing for them to appear and throw a flashbang at you, because that was how the one in the middle felt to her senses. [He must be the Igor I read about.] In all honesty, he looked nothing like a nine-year-old child. He was at the very least, double that age. With his vest torn to the point that it was rags at this point, she got a decent view of his chest. [Definitely not a child.] He was tall, bordering around 179cm to 182cm from her guess. It was still a bit shorter than Azazel, but his presence completely dwarfed her brother¡¯s. Then, just as quickly, that immense energy of his faded, and time seemed to turn back to normal.* Azazel was the first to speak, his hand palming his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re going to be the death of me, kid.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aurelia was quick to elaborate. ¡°What Azazel-sama means, Lord Dimori, is that if our destination were elsewhere, he would¡¯ve been placed in a difficult position seeing as we¡¯re Aryan.¡± Her words to seemed to sink into the blonde for a moment as he chuckled in realisation. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Yes. ¡®Oh¡¯ indeed.¡± Azazel trudged on towards his brother. ¡°You¡¯re lucky the room is sealed. Now come on.¡± He stood next to Baraquiel with his arms folded. ¡°You said you had a way to heal my brother. I¡¯m waiting.¡± It was the first time Azazel had been this firm with him, but Igor understood. Despite the reasons, he had messed up terribly. In fact, he found Azazel¡¯s reaction to be rather tame compared to what he would¡¯ve done if the roles were switched. Regardless, he had a job to do. Zuuuu¡­ Gently, a red hue formed around him as he accessed his Kaioken. Raising his hand, he began concentrating demi-ki into his palm. Vwomp It was a small red sphere, barely bigger than a coin. Slowly, it began to grow bigger as he channeled more and more demi-ki into it. The lights in the room appeared dim in front of this crimson sphere. After a few seconds passed, the sphere was the size of a watermelon. It slowly bobbed up and down as it stayed afloat, its appearance similar to that of red lava. ¡°This ball contains my ki. It will burn the remnant tainted energy without harming the old man.¡± He let it hover over to Baraquiel¡¯s stomach before it stayed there. ¡°This will be enough to last for three days. I will come back then. Uncle A. I will wait for you at Aunty¡¯s.¡± Grabbing Aurelia¡¯s hand, the silverette knew that this was their cue to leave. But as she spawned a teleportation circle beneath them, Benemune called him out. Her hands were on her waist, her eyes glaring at him. ¡°Is that it? No apology? You¡¯ll just leave like that?¡± ¡°...¡± The hue around Igor slowly started to fluctuate like the dying embers of a wood fire. Benemune was weak. She was weak and yet she dared talk to him like that? ¡°...¡± He calmed himself. As much as he wanted to bash her skull in, he recognised that she was concerned for her brother¡¯s health. Gradually, his aura disappeared as he reigned himself in¡­barely. ¡°I harmed the old man. Not you. Secondly¡­¡± He raised his head, his crimson gaze locking onto her. ¡°Don¡¯t ever talk to me like that again.¡± . AN .
  1. He was tall, bordering around 179cm to 182cm from her guess. It was still a bit shorter than Azazel, but his presence completely dwarfed her brother¡¯s. Then, just as quickly, that immense energy of his faded, and time seemed to turn back to normal.*
Explanation: It was mentioned way back in the earlier chapters that the Instant Transmission works by flaring ki in a way that it tears reality so that you can enter the Dimensional Gap. My guess as to why Benemune and Shemhazai reacted like that when Igor entered was because their senses were focused on the situation outside. Now for Igor who ¡°flashed¡± his ki as he arrived, it was like as mentioned, a flashbang. However, this phenomenon seems to last for a very brief moment since we have no other known accounts of sensor-characters complaining. Today is Friday so on either Sunday or Monday, I will upload two chapters to catch up. Chapter 156 (AN: For the sake of the majority, the name of Benemune will be changed to Penemue. Not only does the latter sound more feminine, it is also the most widely accepted name.) He calmed himself. As much as he wanted to bash her skull in, he recognised that she was concerned for her brother¡¯s health. Gradually, his aura disappeared as he reigned himself in¡­barely. ¡°I harmed the old man. Not you. Secondly¡­¡± He raised his head, his crimson gaze locking onto her. ¡°Don¡¯t ever talk to me like that again.¡± . |DxD| . There was complete silence in the room. No one said a word, their eyes focused on the spot where Igor and Aurelia had just vanished. The blonde had not deigned to stay any longer after delivering his rather threatening statement. The events of today, a day that should¡¯ve been a happy occasion for him had instead wrought him nothing but piles upon piles of trouble. After his departure, Penemue was still reeling from his audacious words. The purplette was rather taken aback at his rash words. ¡°To think that after all he¡¯s done, he still has the nerve to-¡± However, Azazel was rather quick to cut her off. ¡°Now is not the time.¡± Penemue turned to face Azazel with evident surprise in her eyes. ¡°You defend him, brother? After what he¡¯s done?¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel didn¡¯t have the heart to harshly refute his little sister. He and all of his brothers had a soft spot for her, especially given how much she also took care of them. Regardless, this was not the time for sentimentality to take hold. ¡°Listen, Penemue. I am also not pleased with what happened to our brother. But as I said, right now is not the time. There is a far more important issue that has to be discussed, one that will only remain between us.¡± His words made the room descend into another bout of silence. Both cadres knew that a lot would be at stake if it made their Governor speak like this. Shemhazai stood up, his face mirroring his brother¡¯s seriousness. ¡°We¡¯re listening, brother.¡± Penemue was also quiet, an indicator that she was listening. ¡°Good.¡± Azazel snapped his fingers before a translucent barrier formed around them. ¡°First and foremost, I want to make something very clear. Any and all information on Igor von Dimori is to be scrapped immediately.¡± To make an example, he grabbed the dossier lying on one of the tables and burnt it with his magic. ¡°Every single piece of information we¡¯ve gathered on him except for the most rudimentary is to be erased with immediate effect. This includes his sister, Aurelia von Drachenburg. Any plans and forms of information gathering are to be cancelled immediately. If you are destroying information, do it personally. Do not send subordinates to destroy any archives we have.¡± Shemhazai and Penemue were more than confused at his orders, but they nodded nonetheless. When Azazel was like this, they knew it was better to obey than question. ¡°Good. Now, I know I said this before, but absolutely none of this can leave this room. I mean it. I will inform Baraquiel myself when he awakes. However, no fifth party can know of what I am about to say, not even other cadre. You also can never converse about it amongst yourselves. Am I understood?¡± Shemhazai nodded without an ounce of hesitation. ¡°Yes, brother.¡± ¡°Good. Penemue?¡± ¡°...¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Penemue was a little fazed by what Azazel said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Azazel. I would understand if we were not to tell Kokabiel. But to not tell the rest of our brothers?¡± Azazel narrowed his gaze. ¡°Sister. You are smart. This is not the time to allow emotions to blind you. You know full well why I will not inform the other cadre.¡± ¡°...¡± Penemue could only lower her head in shame¡­shame at how the millennia have changed everything. [Of course I do. This is politics.] Azazel was not happy with his sister¡¯s reaction. That frown on her face would lead to many complications down the line if he doesn¡¯t correct it now. ¡°Listen to me, Penemue. And you too, Shemhazai. I can see that you may possibly fail to understand the importance of this information. What I am about to tell you is knowledge so monumental that if it were to be leaked, we may very well see the end of all existence in less than a decade.¡± ¡°...¡± Shemhazai noticeably tensed at the declaration while Penemue nearly panicked. ¡°Azazel. Surely you jest? Are you telling me that boy has another secret that could cause the factions to war over him?¡± ¡°I wish, sister. If it was just the time chamber, I wouldn¡¯t propose we destroy all the information we have on him. What he has, or what I have seen, is far¡­far more dangerous. The reason I will tell you this, is because I will need your help ensuring that our world does not end. I need to know I can trust you with this.¡± Azazel regarded his siblings with a deep look, his eyes penetrating theirs. ¡°Can I trust you not to tell anyone, to not speak of this elsewhere?¡± Shemhazai was the first to respond. ¡°Just as I have always trusted you, you can trust me as well brother. Under no circumstances will I reveal what you will tell us to anyone, not even my wife. Not now. Not ever.¡± Azazel was the eldest and he had followed his lead for thousands of years. The trust Shemhazai had in him was infallible. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Showing a genuine smile for the faith bestowed upon him, his smile quickly disappeared as he regarded Penemue. ¡°Sister. You are also one of the people I trust enough to tell this information. But if you feel you cannot bear the burden of secrecy, I understand and will not blame you.¡± ¡°...¡± Penemue was torn. Whether she liked it or not, knowing this truth will place a secret barrier between her and the rest of her brothers. She could guess why Azazel would not let them know, and she knew he was right. She didn¡¯t like the reality, but, she would face it. She would trust him. ¡°Alright, brother. I will not fail your trust.¡± Azazel was inwardly thankful that she agreed. Penemue was going to be very instrumental in his plan to foster relations with Igor. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± Having the confidence of both his siblings, Azazel took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°There is a very high possibility that Igor von Dimori¡­is the host of Trihexa, the Beast of Apocalypse.¡± ¡°¡°?!?!¡±¡± The reaction was instant. Disregarding Penemue, even the ever-calm Shemhazai was struck dumb by the revelation. ¡°Brother. Is this really¡­¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, brother. Shortly after you left, he sprouted ten horns in the form of energy from his forehead.¡± ¡°...¡± Shemhazai lowered his head in thought. [This is not a trifling matter. Now I see why brother could only trust us. The rest of our siblings would not be able to keep this news to themselves.] While Shemhazai slowly absorbed the news, Penemue could only scoff as her stress levels rose. ¡°As if being Aryan wasn¡¯t enough. As if destroying the Himejima wasn¡¯t enough. As if harming our brother wasn¡¯t enough. Now he has to be the incarnation of the beast?!¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel didn¡¯t say much. He only stepped forward and wrapped his sister in a hug. ¡°Perhaps I may be wrong, sister. He did manage to regain control as you have seen.¡± ¡°But you saw the horns, right? You saw the horns! If¡­if he is the incarnation of that beast, then...then-¡± ¡°Sshhh.¡± Pressing his crying sister against his chest, he soothed her. ¡°No one will die, not this time.¡± ¡°But even father couldn¡¯t defeat it! If the beast has freed itself and lives on in that boy, then we should-¡± ¡°Penemue! Calm yourself. You know how powerful Trihexa was. We all know how powerful Trihexa was. Igor has nowhere even close to that amount of power.¡± He held her by the shoulder, his eyes peering into her teary face. ¡°Listen to me, sister. As I said before, the possibility of him being Trihexa is small. Perhaps at most, the nature energy he absorbed caused him to morph in a way similar to Trihexa.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel could see that he was getting through to her. ¡°Sister. Do not let hatred cloud the reality in front of you. If Igor is potentially the host of Trihexa, then that would be a very good thing.¡± ¡°?!¡± Not only Penemue, but even Shemhazai was surprised by the sudden twist. However, Azazel continued on. ¡°I would rather prefer that Trihexa be sealed within Igor whom I can monitor than at a hidden place I can¡¯t find. With his ever-increasing vitality, he will never die of old age. And with his potential, he will always grow stronger and stronger. He is the perfect seal to imprison that creature in.¡± . |DxD| . Kuoh¡­home. At least it was before he ruined everything. As the two siblings appeared in the skies above Shuri¡¯s house, Igor was evidently in a sour mood. He did not know how to tell Shuri that he had come dangerously close to killing her former husband. The outcome alone made him dread how she would look at him. ¡°It is not your fault, my lord.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°You were not in control.¡± ¡°Because I was incompetent.¡± He turned to look at Aurelia straight in the eye. ¡°If I was conscious but influenced by anger, I could alteast tell myself I aimed my fist lower so that I could avoid puncturing his heart. But I was unconscious. I was completely unaware of my actions.¡± His fists clenched at the infuriating thought. ¡°The only reason that the old man is alive, is all because of pure, dumb, luck. That is all it is.¡± He looked away from her before his eyes fell to the house kilometres below them. ¡°That is¡­all it is. Luck.¡± ¡°...¡± Knowing he was set on berating himself in his mind, Aurelia did one thing she could. Opening her arms, she wrapped him in a hug from behind, her hands snaking around his stomach. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to make sure such a mistake never happens again.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Feeling her warmth behind him, his shoulders got just a little bit straighter. As his senses focused on Shuri who was alone in her room, he released a sigh. He could only comfort himself that Akeno and Asia would not be there to witness what was about to happen. ¡°I might as well get this over with.¡± Chapter 157 ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to make sure such a mistake never happens again.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Feeling her warmth behind him, his shoulders got just a little bit straighter. As his senses focused on Shuri who was alone in her room, he released a sigh. He could only comfort himself that Akeno and Asia would not be there to witness what was about to happen. ¡°I might as well get this over with.¡± . |DxD| . Shuri was not in the best of moods. Just within these past 30 days alone, everything had become a mess. It was a downward spiral that only had two enjoyable moments for her. Without a doubt, she could admit that in her new life, the two brightest lights were Akeno and Igor. The blonde was the direct catalyst for her revival and Akeno was the light of her heart, the daughter she loved above all. Yet, she managed to disappoint them both. [Where did I go wrong?] Sitting on the edge of her bed, her mind receded back to the memories of the last few days. Her complete break-off with her husband, the crying state of Akeno when she broke the news¡­ ¡®No! Papa can¡¯t leave! He can¡¯t leave! It¡¯s my fault! Tell papa he can come back! Please tell papa he can come back! T-Tell papa I was joking! Please mama!¡¯ ¡­and Igor¡¯s angered state when he learnt the news¡­ ¡®Where. Is. He.¡¯ ¡­all served to make her drown in guilt. The consequences of her actions were catching up to her, and she was scared for what the future entailed. [Perhaps I¡­perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have left him.] Her thoughts were spiralling into disarray, the regret gnawing at her incessantly. It had been just over ten minutes since Igor had left. She couldn¡¯t forget his question, that faint but hopeful gaze when he asked. ¡®Aunty. If you were to be given some time to recover, maybe a few years, do you see yourself possibly getting back together with the old man.¡¯ That faint spark of hope in his cerulean gaze as he asked pierced into her very core. To watch that faint glimmer shatter the same way Akeno¡¯s did was something she could never forget, would never forget. Because that was the result of her selfishness. ¡°...¡± Looking at the clock on her bedside table, she debated to herself in calling Cleria. She was worried of the potential conflict that would arise from Igor descending into the Underworld. Having been informed by her just what kind of chaos might erupt if he went down there, she wished she stopped him, or maybe tried to persuade him. Yet when she saw those red eyes¡­ ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill him.¡¯ ¡­that crimson gaze that frightened her to the core, her heart clenched at the prospect of terrible harm coming to anyone because of her actions. Even now, she questioned herself on whether it was right to prioritise her feelings, to break apart her family for such a frivolous reason. ¡°I don¡¯t want my family to be like this anymore.¡± To live in a house where her daughter has not laughed, to live in a house where the air is heavy with the emotion of sadness was not something she wanted to experience. If all it took to let happiness reign in this home was to open her heart to¡­him, then she would do it. [I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll go back to him.] As she said those words, it was as if someone violently squeezed her heart, but she shoved down the feeling. How she felt was not important. If her choice could preserve the sanctity of her home, if it could make her daughter and Igor smile again, then she would be satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Standing up from her bed, she affirmed to herself. ¡°I¡¯ll get back together with him.¡± There was that painful sensation in her heart, but she pushed it down again. Walking over to her bedside, she was about to grab her telephone when a familiar sound she knew resounded in her room. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Tswii! . . . Silence¡­ Two eyes met each other. Golden brown met royal blue, one filled with shock and worry and the other with weariness and resignment, for Igor truly appeared tired. Shuri raked her eyes over his form, his destroyed clothing only serving to make her heart palpate more and more in worry. She dropped the telephone on top of the bed in complete shock, her eyes refusing to process just how horrible he looked. ¡°Dimori-kun!¡± Running over towards him, she placed her hands on his chest, her eyes searching his figure for even the most grievous of wounds. She grabbed his shoulders and turned him around, the blonde not resisting in the slightest. Her eyes trailed along his back until she saw the dried scabs on his lower back, right where the spine was. ¡°Lie on the bed!¡± She vehemently commanded with a teary glare, but the blonde didn¡¯t move. ¡°Calm down, aunty-¡± ¡°No I can¡¯t calm down! You¡¯re hurt!¡± Igor could barely suppress a smile at her concern for him, but he reassured her. Turning around, he looked into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really fine, aunty. My injuries are already healed.¡± ¡°...¡± She was not entirely convinced. Yet before she could pressure him, he spoke. ¡°Believe me, aunty. What you¡¯re seeing is just a bit of dirt and a few scratches. Nothing my regeneration and a shower can¡¯t fix.¡± ¡°...¡± Raising her hands to grab his cheeks, she lifted her head to meet his gaze. ¡°Are you really¡­alright? Are you completely fine?¡± ¡°Yes, aunty.¡± Her concerned gaze was not doing well for Igor¡¯s confidence. He planned to break the news of Baraquiel¡¯s hospitalisation as soon as he greeted her, but this was already stretching beyond his plans. Regardless, if he didn¡¯t break the news now, he wasn¡¯t sure if he would get a chance later. Steeling his nerves, he closed his eyes briefly to gather his confidence before opening them. ¡°Listen aunty. I actually have something to say.¡± ¡°...¡± Her hands remained on his cheeks, her gaze recognising the slight fear and apprehension in his eyes. A bad feeling already arose within her heart. His trip into the Underworld, and now his state of clothes. Did he¡­ ¡°Did you¡­kill Baraquiel?¡± ¡°...¡± The silence was deafening. His silence spoke more than a thousands words, his silence painting a horrible new reality. She found herself retreating from him step by step, her eyes watering at the implications of Baraquiel¡¯s death, a result of her selfish choice. ¡°You didn¡¯t. Please tell me you-¡± ¡°I almost did. I almost killed the old man. He¡¯s in a hospital in Grigori as we speak and his condition is stable. But¡­I was this close to killing him.¡± He didn¡¯t speak any further. He let his words hang in the air for Shuri to process. Unconscious or not, he wouldn¡¯t provide a flimsy excuse. ¡°It was my fault and I take full responsibility for my actions. I will understand if you hate me, aunty.¡± Former husband or not, Baraquiel was still a significant part of her life. He would understand if she hated him. In fact, she expected him to hate him. But, she was uncharacteristically quiet. . |DxD| . Aurelia was hovering outside the window to Shuri¡¯s room with her presence suppressed. She was privy to the entire conversation Igor had with Shuri, and it took her utmost will not to interfere in what would clearly lead to a misunderstanding. Under his vehement insistence, she did not venture inside with him, yet now she wished she did. [He¡¯s blaming himself.] She sincerely wanted to respect her lord¡¯s wishes, but not at the expense of his relationship with Shuri. It was why that subtly, she formed a telepathic connection with Shuri in order to clarify things. . |DxD| . Shuri felt as if she was in a rollercoaster of emotions. It was a constant state of concern and relief with the former being what she felt more. Her heart almost stopped when he remained silent at her question of killing Baraquiel. And relief flooded her when he elaborated. ¡°I almost did. I almost killed the old man. He¡¯s in a hospital in Grigori as we speak and his condition is stable. But¡­I was this close to killing him.¡± ¡°...¡± Her mind started to wonder. She knew Igor¡¯s capabilities. To imagine how intense the fight must¡¯ve been for him to return like this shook her to the core. Her mind fell into a buzz of emotions as emotions as she sat down on the bed. At his words, a new problem had been tossed on her shoulders. [Oh no.] Politics. Even if she weren¡¯t there, she could guess that relationships between Igor and Grigori would be strained. No matter what, this would also extend to Akeno and the long term consequences alone would- {Shuri-sama. Please do not panic and listen to me.} ¡°...¡± That voice in her head. She recognised it as Aurelia¡¯s. Fortunately, she did not panic at hearing her voice in her head. {Apologies for disturbing, Shuri-sama. However, I must be quick before my lord senses my use of mana. Lord Dimori¡¯s story, while indeed true, he neglected to mention a significant amount of information. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to share my memories with you currently. But I will brief. My lord never intended to attack Baraquiel-sama. When we entered the Underworld, he was fully resolved to just understanding the basics of the situation. However, we both neglected the existence of senjutsu energy and the effect it would have on him. To summarise it bluntly, Shuri-sama, when my lord attacked Baraquiel-sama, he had already been consumed by the malevolent energy of the world. And as much as he will deny it if you ask, I believe it were his instincts that prevented him from killing Baraquiel-sama. Azazel-sama is also aware of the situation as he was also one of the few people present. I shall show you my detailed memories should the appropriate moment arise. Until then, please rest assured and know that Baraquiel-sama will recover to full health without any complications within this week.} As fast as it came, the connection broke. ¡°...¡± After hearing Aurelia¡¯s clarification, she felt¡­relief. Baraquiel would be fine. No one was hurt too much. She no longer needed to inform her daughter that she had lost her father¡­for good. Hope for her family still existed. ¡°Aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± Now, she had to deal with this stubborn blonde who tried to shoulder the blame when he had no need to. [You¡¯re still young, Igor.] Standing up, she made her way towards him and silently wrapped her hands around his waist. She felt him tense at her embrace, but she tightened her hold. ¡°Aunty¡­?¡± [Idiot¡­] . AN . And our lovely silverette comes in with the save. Now, for those of you who are wishing for Igor x Shuri, I just want to say that all of you are paedophiles. Igor is only nine while Shuri at the very least, would be twenty if we take her revival into consideration. This is beyond perverted. This is degeneracy. Downright degeneracy and you should be ashamed of yourselves. Chapter 158 As fast as it came, the connection broke. After hearing Aurelia¡¯s clarification, she felt relief. Baraquiel would be fine. No one was hurt too much. Now, she had to deal with this stubborn blonde who tried to shoulder the blame when he had no need to. Standing up, she made her way towards him and silently wrapped her hands around his waist. She felt him tense at her embrace, but she tightened her hold. ¡°Aunty¡­?¡± [Idiot¡­] . |DxD| . Igor stood in the room, unsure of what to do next. In place of yelling, Shuri had hugged him. ¡°Aunty¡­?¡± A part of him wondered if she was trying to crush him since her hold became strong enough to crush a normal man. However, before his mind could ponder any further, she tilted her head to look into his eyes, their concern evident in them. ¡°You look tired, Igor. Go and see your sisters.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t seem to process that question since he just looked at her blankly. ¡°Aunty. I almost-¡± She placed a finger to his lips. ¡°Shush. We will talk about this at a later date. For now, go see your sisters and get some rest after. They missed you so much.¡± ¡°...¡± His eyes glazed over in thought for a moment before he nodded. ¡°Alright, aunty. And¡­thank you.¡± Without any further words, he vanished. Su! ¡°...¡± With the blonde gone, Shuri waited for the imminent arrival of Aurelia. And sure enough, she arrived just as she expected. Su! Turning around, she was briefly awed by how beautiful Aurelia was, but she quickly dispelled her thoughts. It was time to get straight to the point and understand exactly what happened. ¡°Please show me.¡± Aurelia nodded quietly and grabbed her hand. ¡°I will show you everything from when I met him up to the moment when we met Baraquiel, Shuri-sama.¡± Without hesitation, she readied herself. ¡°Alright.¡± . |DxD| . It was another lovely day in the small town of Kuoh. With it being a lovely Sunday afternoon, the town was rather empty. Due to the sudden surge of power that took out every electrical appliance and shattered every window, most people had temporarily moved out of the town. Still, the streets were still filled with cars and the sidewalks had a few dozen people on them. Business had resumed in full and the town was recovering. Deep in the shopping district of Kuoh, Igor was standing on the top of a building that housed a clothing store. Ironically, he was in clothes so damaged they would make a homeless person look decent. Surrounding him were metal boxes that could be AC units or ventilators for all he knew. The sky was bright with a few clouds, and it was only when he saw this sight that he realised he was tired. He could feel the energy signatures of Akeno and Asia inside the store he was on and he didn¡¯t want to bother them too soon. Looking at the clouds, he felt he might as well lie down and enjoy them. ¡°I¡¯m dirty anyway.¡± He could already imagine how his mother would shout at him for dirtying his clothes. It was a nostalgic memory that made him smile fondly, though his past self would never forget the feeling of that shoe. ¡°Heh. Good times.¡± He could still never explain that deadly accuracy she had. How she could throw a shoe right on his forehead every single time was a phenomenon he would never understand. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it was some sort of supernatural power all mothers had or something similar. He was thankful to Triny for giving him the chance to see her again, though he certainly didn¡¯t wish to see her in such a¡­state. [I wonder if they¡¯re all doing well in Heaven.] He figured after they died, they would surely go to heaven. [Except Vali. I¡¯m sure he went straight to hell. I can already see the devil welcoming him with a plaque that had his name on it.] He found himself chuckling at the thought. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡° ¡®Valindor von Dimori. We welcome you.¡¯ ¡° Imagine the little short stack his brother was meeting the devil with all those formal suits he loved to wear brought a sad smile out of him. [He was only nine.] Feeling his mind being brought too far back into the past, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. ¡°No use thinking about it, Igor. We can¡¯t do anything about that anymore.¡± Closing his eyes, he wanted to get himself a few minutes of sleep when his mind glossed over the matter of Baraquiel. ¡°...¡± He tried to make them go away, but they wouldn¡¯t. [Stupid brain. I can¡¯t even train to take my mind off of this.] Without the familiar feeling of weight tearing his muscles or gravity jostling his organs, he was trapped in his own thoughts as his mind went over to the situation with Baraquiel. Raising his fist, a part of him couldn¡¯t believe he harmed him like that. [To think I blasted a hole inside him.] He couldn¡¯t remember the feeling or the act, but that didn¡¯t erase his actions. ¡°Atleast I wasn¡¯t conscious enough to remember the feeling.¡± Lowering his hand again, he settled for gazing at the clouds as they slowly moved about. His mind replayed the contents of the scene over and over again. But, a fortunate distraction came. The wind tickled the torn pieces of his vest, causing a small piece of fabric to flutter up his nose. He swatted it away, but the process kept repeating. ¡°...tch.¡± Having had enough, he incinerated the fabric with a small ki blast. Finally having some peace again, he let himself relax. There was a bit of an uncomfortable feeling with one half of his back being in direct contact with the concrete, but it was not enough to make him change his posture. He calmly waited for Akeno, Asia, and whoever the third person was to finish whatever it was that they were doing inside the store. [Why are they taking so long?] It was a clothing shop. It shouldn¡¯t take so long to buy a few clothes. Time gradually passed as he idled away listlessly. His mind was empty as he focused on their energy signatures, his eyes passively following the clouds. It wasn¡¯t until after a few dozen minutes that he felt them leave the store. [Finally.] Standing up, the blonde unhesitantly made his way to the edge of the roof where he jumped right into an alleyway. Doof Landing on both feet, he casually walked out as he slowly tied his hair in a rough ponytail. Turning to the right, he bumped right into the trio who froze upon seeing him. ¡°...¡± Igor could admit at that very moment, that he was wowed. Akeno was every bit as beautiful as her mother. She wore a light purple dress with a picture of a cat in front. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail and funnily enough, the little fallen had a sunhat that seemed too big for her. However, it did not hide the violet gaze that froze in complete surprise when she saw Igor. Asia was dressed in a brand new white dress with roses patterns on it. She was in sandals and as always, her long golden hair cascaded down her sides like a curtain. Her emerald eyes widened as she saw Igor, a bright smile full of life forming on her face as she shouted. ¡°Big brother!¡± Dropping the shopping bags she was carrying, Asia leaped towards him with her arms outstretched. Jumping nearly twice her height, she dove into his open arms while hers snaked around his neck in a hug. She was utterly and genuinely excited at his return. ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± Different from Asia though, Akeno wrapped her arms around his leg and glared at him with a pout. Her hat had already fallen off but was held by the strap against her neck. ¡°You left without telling us again¡­¡± Her hold was far stronger than it had any right to be. She tried to appear mad, but she couldn¡¯t stop a little smile from forming on her face when their eyes met. Igor shifted his gaze between Asia and Akeno. Just seeing them made his day a whole lot brighter. Using his right hand, he ruffled the little fallen¡¯s head who was trying her best to tear through his leg like a cat on a scratching post. ¡°Big brother was busy for a little while. But this time, I¡¯m going to stay.¡± Asia cheered brightly at the news. At the same time, she looked at Akeno with a victorious smirk. ¡°Yaaayyyy! See? I told you big brother would come back again. And youuu didn¡¯t believe me, Akeno-chan.¡± ¡°Hmph. I never said that...¡± Not wanting to argue with her sister in all but blood, Akeno decided to ignore her and enjoy the gentle ministrations of his fingers on her head. But Asia wouldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Liar.¡± Turning to face their devil caretaker, she called out. ¡°Nee-san. Didn¡¯t me and Akeno-chan make a bet to see when big brother would come back?¡± Lina, a modest young lady in a checkered dress gently replied. ¡°Indeed you did, Asia-chan.¡± Her voice was melodious and mature, a complete contrast to how she could be confused for a fourteen-year-old girl. ¡°Heh~. Take that Akeno-chan! I¡¯m the one who believes in big brother the most.¡± ¡°...¡± Akeno didn¡¯t retort. Rather, she was too lost in her own world. Igor¡¯s fingers were doing wonders to her scalp that she found herself in a daze. Her eyes were closed while her cheeks pressed against his thigh. On the other end, Lina decided that now was a good enough time as any to introduce herself. Lowering her head slightly, she spoke. ¡°Greetings, Igor-sama. My name is Lina with no surname. I am the queen of Cleria-sama and I was requested to take Asia-chan and Akeno-chan out for shopping.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor would be honest. [She makes short hair look good.] Her hair was neatly trimmed and hovered over her cheeks like a bob-cut. He could already tell from the calluses on her hands that despite her rather gentle way of speaking, she was a fighter through and through. ¡°Nice to meet you, sister. Thanks for caring for these two. I¡¯m sure they must¡¯ve been troublesome.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Asia was not happy about that statement. However, Lina¡¯s words made it worse. ¡°You are right, Igor-sama. Asia-chan¡¯s appetite has gotten us into trouble a few times.¡± The little blonde immediately blushed at such an accusation. Her head lowered to the extent that her chin was almost digging into her chest. ¡°W-w-well I don¡¯t eat that much¡­¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Critical Strike! She was too cute. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Removing his hand from Akeno, he hugged Asia very tightly, his chin muzzling into her forehead. ¡°Too cute! Too cute!¡± ¡°B-b-brother!¡± ¡°My little Asia is too cute! Big brother can¡¯t resist!¡± Chuu~ He kissed her on the forehead, making her flush even further in embarrassment. ¡°N-not in public!¡± ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯re my little sister. If anyone has a problem, I¡¯ll bash their skulls in!¡± As if proving his statement, he looked around to glare at anyone looking at them. However, people continued to walk by them as if they didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Hah?¡± ¡°Fufu~. I used a bit of magic to make them ignore us, Igor-sama. After all, it would be very easy to attract attention with your current¡­apparel.¡± ¡°...¡± Once again, Igor gave himself a lookover and saw that he really was in a horrible state. To further enhance that fact, Akeno dug her fingers into the hole in his pants, her fingers scratching his thigh. ¡°Hihi~. You have holes in your pants.¡± She fiddled around with the holes as if they were fun toys. Asia also dug her hand into his torn vest and it came out through his sleeve. ¡°Look, Akeno-chan. Big brother has three hands now.¡± ¡°Heehee~. You¡¯re right!¡± Igor was a bit overwhelmed, but he didn¡¯t mind that his sisters were treating him like a toy. They were his little sisters after all. If it was them, it was fine. ¡°Pardon me, Igor-sama. But might you be interested in a wardrobe change? It seems awfully inconvenient for you to walk around dressed like that.¡± ¡°?¡± The blonde was just about to ponder whether it was worth it when both Akeno and Asia decided for him on the spot. ¡°Let¡¯s go, big brother!¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go!¡± Akeno was already trying to drag him into the store while Asia was treating his arm like a horse by excitedly galloping on it. ¡°I know some nice clothes that you will definitely like, big brother!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor felt a little helpless at their enthusiasm. But, if it would make them happy¡­ ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡°Yaaayyy!¡±¡± ¡­then he would do it. Chapter 159 Akeno was already trying to drag him into the store while Asia was treating his arm like a horse by excitedly galloping on it. ¡°I know some nice clothes that you will definitely like, big brother!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor felt a little helpless at their enthusiasm. But, if it would make them happy¡­ ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡°Yaaayyy!¡±¡± ¡­then he would do it. . |DxD| . [You love them, Igor. You love them. You love them very much. So¡­] The blonde looked at himself in the mirror. [...you can get through this.] It had already been two hours since Asia and Akeno pulled him back into the store. With Lina flashing a black card, it was like the green light that allowed the girls to pull him all over the store and ask him to wear different clothes. He was in the changing room in what must¡¯ve been his sixth or seventeenth outfit in a row. This time, he was dressed in formal wear instead of casual clothes. Mimicking how his father dressed in formal events, he wore a white long-sleeve shirt, black slim-fit pants, and brown formal boots. To finish off, he rolled the cuffs of his shirt to just below his elbows, exposing his veiny forearms christened by decades of effort. Looking at himself in the mirror, a teency weency part of him admitted he was enjoying this. [If I had a cigar, then I would really look like father.] Tightening his belt, Igor breathed in because he knew once he got out, it would be chaotic. Gripping the handle of the door, he steeled his face in face of what was about to come. [Don¡¯t bash their skulls in, Igor. Just breathe and you¡¯ll get through this.] Pushing the door open, he was assaulted by the flash of a camera and the eyes of numerous people. Igor knew this store was relatively famous from the amount of people he saw upon entering. But he could swear a few more had arrived in the time he was here. And to make things even more inconvenient, most of them were women. [I don¡¯t like their eyes.] As he walked out, Asia was excitedly clapping their hands, her squeals gushing at his appearance. Lina was carrying a basket full of clothes on one hand while the other held a camera. But, they weren¡¯t his concern. Igor was feeling a bit annoyed at how he was being eyed like food by the surrounding women. Most of them were schoolgirls around his visible age, their overt and covert gazes pressing upon him. He was very tempted to tell them all to pis- ¡°Wow! Big brother looks so handsome! Right, Akeno-chan?¡± ¡°...¡± Akeno stood silent, her eyes absorbing his figure. That small scowl he showed as he looked around was etched in her memory. His rough ponytail, his foreign appearance, his semi-casual wear. He was just like those handsome mafia men she saw in all those romance movies she watched with her mother all these years. Gulp¡­ She was mesmerised like a fan seeing their idol in real life. Leaping off the ground, she snatched the camera from Lina¡¯s hands and began rapidly snapping pictures. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Hihihi~.¡± Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Igor watched with a sweat drop. [This is going to be a long day.] . |DxD| . Capital City of Lilith, Underworld . In a bustling metropolis of a city, it was business as always for the capital city of the Underworld. It held the residence of the two most powerful devils as well as the major businesses of several pillar clans, making this city a central hub for all devilkind. In a secret room in one of the highest towers in the city, a private meeting was taking place between all Four Satans. The location was in a large room filled with luxurious decorations. Sirzechs Lucifer, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus sat around a table with Sirzechs as the head and Serafall Leviathan having yet to arrive. No one else was in the room and there was no door for anyone to enter. It was a completely sealed-off room with not even a window in sight. The only thing else of note in this room were four golden posts, one on each corner of the room with fiery braziers (miniature fire place) placed atop those posts. Of the four, only three of those braziers were lit. Vwong! Just as the circle revealed circle, the fourth brazier glowed in a blue flame for a moment before it burnt normally. Dressed in her business attire, Serafall did not show her usual bubbliness when she was around her fellow satans. Without a word, she made her way to her seat and sat down. Once she sat down, Falbium sat up and regarded Sirzechs with a serious look. ¡°Alright, Sirzechs. What is so important that you summoned us here?¡± Sirzechs looked at his fellow satans for a moment before his gaze landed on Ajuka. He gave him a nod before Ajuka also replied with a nod. Immediately, Ajuka tapped the table where a small magic circle formed. Faster than the eye could see, a small green barrier rapidly expanded to the exact width of the room before it turned transluscent. It was unknown what the function of the barrier was, but it was only when it was deployed that Sirzechs finally spoke. ¡°When Ajuka and I were following a potential lead on who could have my sister, we coincidentally met up with two Aryans¡­pure-bloods.¡± He left out the part where they had Rias. He didn¡¯t need the meeting spiralling out of focus, especially with his fellow ¡°siscon¡± who would no doubt adopt a negative approach. He regarded Serafall out of the corner of his eye, but she didn¡¯t seem to show any hostile emotion¡­yet. So he continued. ¡°One of them was responsible for the powerful energy surge we all felt. He is strong. I can say with complete assurance that I cannot defeat him without entering my true form.¡± That statement earned a set of widened eyes from Falbium and Serafall. They all knew how powerful Sirzechs was in his true form, yet this Aryan was strong enough to force him into it. If such a powerful being existed and was unchecked, the consequences could be dire. And it were those consequences that Falbium was worried about. ¡°Are there any weaknesses we know of him? Any countermeasures that we can draft?¡± Ajuka was the one to answer. ¡°The one who would know best is Azazel. The boy we met shares a rather deep relationship with him.¡± ¡°How deep?¡± This time, it was Serafall who spoke. Her eyes implied she was nearing a truth or a prognosis she had in her head, and she only needed one more piece of the puzzle. ¡°How deep is his relationship with Azazel?¡± Sirzechs was more than happy to answer. With a slight smile on his, he remembered that moment when Igor spoke to Azazel. ¡°Funnily enough, the boy refers to him as ¡®Uncle¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± Gradually, it all seemed to click in Serafall¡¯s head. But she needed a few more clues. Just a few more before she could deliver her statement with confidence. ¡°Do you have any more knowledge on him, Sirzechs? Anything else?¡± Sirzechs seemed to mull about in his head before he replied. ¡°I do. He said his name was Igor von Dimori and that he has a little sister named Asia. However, I don¡¯t have a surname-¡± ¡°Argento. Asia Argento.¡± Serafall couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying the name out loud in realisation. Upon seeing the rest of their eyes looking at her for an explanation, she elaborated. ¡°Asia Argento is a former nun from the church who has the Twilight Healing sacred gear. Most of the church¡¯s actions were heavily influenced due to her. But recently, she had went missing on the same day that the church underwent turmoil. But before that, there were rumours that aside from Vasco Strada, there was another protector she had. Not much is known about them except that he was blonde and that she called him ¡®big brother¡¯.¡± Falbium placed his elbow on the table and rested his cheek on his fist. ¡°We cannot be completely sure if this ¡®Asia¡¯ Sirzechs mentions is the same one we know of.¡± ¡°I have a way to solve that. Wait for me to return.¡± Standing up from her seat, a teleportation circle formed under Serafall before she vanished. Vwong! . . . Silence¡­ Seemingly thinking the same thing, neither satan continued the meeting after Serafall left. Uncharacteristically, Falbium didn¡¯t take this opportunity to fall asleep. Rather, the bald satan was deep in contemplation. His head was lowered in thought, and would¡¯ve lasted for a while had Serafalll not returned. Vwong! This time, she brought a passenger with her. Holding the very nervous silver-haired woman next to her, she introduced her to her fellow satans. ¡°This here is Cleria Belial, the Overseer of Kuoh. She knows Igor on a personal level and she will tell us everything we need to know.¡± . AN . I wonder what Azazel would do if he found out. Maybe there¡¯ll be bloodshed to be sure. Or politics. You never know with old people. If you are interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters in my patreon under the same username. Chapter 160 Seemingly thinking the same thing, neither satan continued the meeting after Serafall left. Uncharacteristically, Falbium didn¡¯t take this opportunity to fall asleep. Rather, the bald satan was deep in contemplation. His head was lowered in thought, and would¡¯ve lasted for a while had Serafalll not returned. Vwong! This time, she brought a passenger with her. Holding the very nervous silver-haired woman next to her, she introduced her to her fellow satans. ¡°This here is Cleria Belial, the Overseer of Kuoh. She knows Igor on a personal level and she will tell us everything we need to know.¡± . |DxD| . Kuoh, Japan . The park of Kuoh, a beautiful location that one could visit to enjoy the peace. Dozens of trees were planted around the park with the fountain acting as the centre. Whether it was a child or an adult, all would find peace once they entered through the gates. And as fate would have it, one certain blonde needed that peace. ¡°I¡¯m never doing this again.¡± It was official. Igor hated shopping. To be specific, he now hated shopping for clothes. The whole experience itself was pointless. ¡°It¡¯s a complete waste of time.¡± As he sat on the bench, he grumbled about his first experience. The only reason he even persisted for so long was because Asia and Akeno enjoyed it. Yet no matter how much he loved them, he became tired after the third shop. [Women. For them it¡¯s shoes, clothes, make-up, and other pointless things. Hours are wasted that could be spent in the gym.] At first, it was cute watching how interested Asia and Akeno were when Lina showed them different types of make-up. But when she really started getting into the explanations, he found the whole thing grating on his nerves. [What was it? Six different brushes for eyelashes? Eyelashes need that many brushes? Why the hell would you even need to brush eyelashes?! For all that is holy, it¡¯s just bloody eyelashes!] He swore he almost tore his hair off when Lina made the purchase for that make-up kit that came with those brushes. Don¡¯t even get him started on the shoes. [And who the hell needs that many shoes? It¡¯s just shoes!] The number of illogical things women did genuinely made him confused. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his father¡¯s favourite phrase when he found a huge number of shoes in the car his mother used. ¡°Tch. Women are troublesome.¡± Just thinking of potentially having to deal with a woman at some point in his life made him groan inwardly. ¡°Oh? I never knew Igor-sama had such thoughts.¡± ¡°...¡± Of course, he had forgotten that the most troublesome woman was sharing a bench with him. While Akeno and Asia played on the swings, Lina, the facilitator of all his stress, had chosen to sit next to him. Conveniently enough, all of their shopping bags had vanished, saving him the trouble of carrying them. ¡°I didn¡¯t have these thoughts before, but now I do. I¡¯ll never understand half the things you women do.¡± In fact, he felt he now partially understood why his father was willing to spend so much money on cigars. He claimed it was relaxing and after what he went through, he wondered if he should try smoking. It would certainly help him forget those women he met. ¡°By the way, Lina. What was wrong with those girls? They were all looking at me funny.¡± The young-looking girl smiled gently but still maintained a respectable distance between herself and him. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°You really don¡¯t know don¡¯t you, Igor-sama? You¡¯re something of a celebrity in this town.¡± ¡°...heh? How did that happen?¡± Lina couldn¡¯t help but try to suppress a giggle. ¡°Well, Igor-sama. How many people do you know that can carry a large rucksack full of food on their shoulders?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor certainly remembered his earlier years. ¡°You went from supermarkets to butcheries with your rucksack and bought meat from them in bulk. Then you walked around with what certainly must¡¯ve been a few hundred kilograms on your back around town before fading into the outskirts. I can guarantee you, Igor-sama. More than a few dozen people saw you. You left us with quite the workload.¡± ¡°...¡± At the very least, the blonde had the decency to be embarra- ¡°Didn¡¯t you erase their memories or something?¡± ¡°...¡± Lina was baffled that he wasn¡¯t embarrassed. He didn¡¯t even show any signs of feeling sorry. [How can your face be so thick, Igor-sama? Atleast show some emotion.] But, she wouldn¡¯t say that out loud. ¡°We did erase their memories at first, Igor-sama. But when you kept coming back every week, we decided to alter their memories instead of erasing them. That way, anyone who saw you would find it normal, or to be specific, believable for you to carry that amount of weight and we wouldn¡¯t have to constantly erase everyone¡¯s memories amongst other things.¡± ¡°...oh. Anyway, why didn¡¯t you attack me?¡± ¡°...¡± Lina still was appalled at how he so willingly glossed over the issue. Did he not feel any shame? Was he really that shameless? Again, she couldn¡¯t complain out loud, especially not to a person who had the power to kill her before she could blink. It certainly made her miss the younger him. He was cuter and less dangerous back then. ¡°We didn¡¯t approach you because Cleria-sama ordered us not to, Igor-sama. It was considered reparations for the¡­stray devil you encountered all those years ago-?!¡± ¡°...¡± It was there, but it was brief¡­that heavy feeling in the air. It was a pressure so suffocating that she felt like her world turned grey for a moment. Lina glanced out of the corner of her eye to see the two girls were still playing excitedly on the swings. Hearing their laughter, she wondered if that sudden spike of killing intent was an illusion. However, seeing how the blonde had his head lowered, that notion was quickly dispersed. That heavy feeling just further sealed how strong Igor had gotten in a few short years. ¡°I apologize for bringing that up, Igor-sama. I promise to never speak of it again.¡± He did not speak for a moment or two. Remembering his embarrassing defeat at the hands of an entity who he could crush with his finger was a disgraceful defeat he could never forget. ¡°Do not worry about that. It was a defeat I suffered and if I have an opinion, a very important one I must say. But moving on, you were telling me about being a celebrity?¡± He was smiling, but Lina could see it was somewhat fake. Unfortunately, she lacked the necessary qualifications to help him through the issue. She was neither strong enough nor close enough to him to enquire. It was why she happily changed the conversation. ¡°Right. As for you being a celebrity, Igor-sama, I believe it all started three years ago. You see, when you and Shuri-sama went to pick up Akeno at her school, you had exposed your midriff¡­right in front of a camera. That was when pictures of you started circulating, Igor-sama.¡± ¡°...¡± The gears in Igor¡¯s head started spinning. He certainly could remember that day. It was very significant since it was also the day when he got the holy book, the holy book that allowed him to become brothers with Atid. However¡­ ¡°Lina. That was three years ago. Why would people still remember me?¡± ¡°...¡± Lina felt a bit embarrassed at his question. She didn¡¯t know how to tell him that most women in Kuoh were just that perverted. Perhaps it was just the energy here, but people here in general were more perverted than normal. ¡°I cannot answer that question, Igor-sama.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but turn to face her as worry formed on his face. ¡°You mean that after three years, there are women that still have pictures of me from when I looked¡­fourteen?¡± ¡°...¡± Apparently, her silence sealed everything. ¡°Paedophiles. I¡¯m surrounded by bloody paedophiles.¡± He sighed tiredly as he palmed his forehead. ¡°What is wrong with the people of this town?¡± First it was Baraquiel. Then it was the teachers at Akeno¡¯s school. Who¡¯s next? ¡°...¡± He then remembered how there were a few older women at the store, women older than Shuri. Turning to face a heavily embarrassed Lina with a wide gaze, he asked. ¡°Lina. There were aunties there. Are you telling me that they also¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Lina couldn¡¯t find it within herself to reply. Yet her silence spoke more than a thousand words. ¡°Lord help us. Everyone and their mother is a pervert-heh?¡± Igor suddenly stood up, his eyes trailing over towards where Cleria¡¯s mansion was. His eyes were narrowed like a hawk as he focused on the appearance of that sudden energy signature. ¡°Hey Lina. Did you have any visitors today? I felt someone strong appear at Sister Cleria¡¯s house. They¡¯re a devil and they have the power of a low-god class.¡± Lina stood up in suspicion. ¡°No, Igor-sama. As far as I¡¯m aware, there weren¡¯t supposed to be any visits. Could it be Leviathan-sama?¡± ¡°No idea. I just thought I¡¯d let you-? They left.¡± Lina was very quick to catch on to his word. ¡°They?¡± ¡°Yes. Sister Cleria and that other devil just vanished.¡± Compared to how casual the blonde was, Lina was far, far more worried. ¡°Oh no...¡± If it was indeed Serafall and she suddenly took Cleria like that, then this wasn¡¯t a simple summon. This was a direct kidnapping. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. Cleria-sama is in danger!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor could be slow at times, but even he could connect the dots. [They¡¯re after her because of me.] He could already guess that Cleria was going to be interrogated for information about him. He didn¡¯t know what their methods would be, and he wasn¡¯t willing to wait and find out. ¡°Lina. Take Akeno and Asia home. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Not caring for the slightly panicking girl, he vanished. Su! . AN . He¡¯s about to attempt to bust down a super high-level meeting between the four satans, isn¡¯t he. Not the brightest move, but he never claimed to be smart in the first place, didn¡¯t he. If you are interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters in my patreon under the same username. Chapter 161 [They¡¯re after her because of me.] He could already guess that Cleria was going to be interrogated for information about him. He didn¡¯t know what their methods would be, and he wasn¡¯t willing to wait and find out. ¡°Lina. Take Akeno and Asia home. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Not caring for the slightly panicking girl, he vanished. Su! . DxD . Igor was immensely quick in his steps. None of Cleria¡¯s peerage had seen or even sensed him swiftly enter the compound and infiltrate Cleria¡¯s office at astounding speeds. When he appeared in the room, his eyes wandered around. Cleria¡¯s office was pristine as always. It was a mix of old and modern with a lovely chandelier hanging from the ceiling. But, Igor wasn¡¯t focused on the aesthetics. ¡°...¡± Standing where Cleria usually sat, he could see that her chair was pushed back abruptly, a possible indicator that she was taken by surprise and maybe kidnapped. A further testament to that fact was how her handwriting on one of her documents had suddenly become jagged. But nothing was more prevalent than that very faint trace of magical energy. He could feel the very minute traces remaining in the air. ¡°That person most likely took her to the Underworld.¡± He was still apprehensive about returning there so soon, especially with how his new ¡°problem¡± may try to control him again. But¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll-I¡¯ll be good. I promise I¡¯ll be good! I won¡¯t try to make you sleep. I won¡¯t make you a monster. Just¡­please don¡¯t leave. Please don¡¯t hate me!¡¯ ¡­that little girl was sincere. It was a naive thought, but he would trust her to keep her word. He still wasn¡¯t sure how to prevent her from influencing him, but the last thing he needed was another mess as he fought her for control over his body. Still, he couldn¡¯t exactly handle his current issue alone, atleast not without wasting significant time. ¡°I¡¯ll need sister¡¯s help.¡± She was the smarter one and with how many spells and techniques she knew, he guessed she would be able to track Cleria, as well as keep him in control if the situation called for it. FUUUSH! It was brief, barely a split-split second, but he had raised his power to the threshold of his base state. By his understanding, no one in Kuoh would have the reactionary capabilities to pick up this sudden spike in power except for his sister. Vwong True on the mark, Aurelia appeared in the office just a few seconds later. He idly wondered why she was still dressed like some noble lady. Though, he would admit her attire suited her. ¡°Thank you for coming, sister.¡± ¡°I am at your service, Lord Dimori.¡± ¡°...¡± It still put him off that she willingly chose to speak subserviently to him, but he had long since lost the drive to fight her on the topic. ¡°I need your help. A devil of the low-god class arrived here and may have possibly kidnapped Sister Cleria to extract information from her. Can you track her?¡± Without a word, Aurelia set to work. Over a dozen magic circles formed all around the office, a few of them being different in colour. She closed her eyes as she silently analysed her findings before she opened them again. ¡°I have found her, my lord. But I have encountered a problem.¡± There was worry in her eyes, but she continued. ¡°Cleria-sama is in a room with all Four Satans.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor briefly considered the thought. [Lucifer and Beelzebub are strong, very strong.] How strong? He wasn¡¯t exactly sure. But he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were stronger than him. In fact, with how long they lived and how many techniques those two had, he was sure they were definitely stronger than him. Still, that wasn¡¯t a reason to abandon Cleria. ¡°It does not matter. They have Sister Cleria there.¡± ¡°That also presents us with another problem, Lord Dimori.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aurelia was quiet with slight nervousness showing on her face. ¡°Beelzebub-sama knows I¡¯m watching.¡± ¡°...what?¡± He was stumped. He himself was particularly sensitive to spatial fluctuations due to his constant usage of the Instant Transmission. But even he could barely detect that Aurelia had opened up the smallest of spatial channels and used it to monitor the other side like a telescope. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. His sister was skilled. But if Ajuka could casually find that she was surveilling them, then he was truly skilled. And this factor just opened up a new set of conundrums. ¡°Since he already knows, widen the hole enough for me to sense their energy.¡± He then placed two finger¡¯s on his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± It was final and Aurelia knew there was no telling him anything else. Silently, she expanded the hole, but it was so small that even under the most powerful of microscopes invented in this century, it would not be seen. ¡°I can sense them.¡± In terms of energy alone, Sirzech¡¯s was more powerful, then followed by Ajuka. Then it was followed by two more individuals that he didn¡¯t know, but recognised one energy signature to be the one he sensed before. And then lastly, he sensed Cleria. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first, sister.¡± He was about to vanish when Aurelia called out. ¡°Do you have a plan of action, my lord?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. For now, I¡¯ll grab Sister Cleria and bring her here. After that¡­¡± He sighed at what he was about to say. ¡°...I¡¯ll talk to them and do all that political nonsense. I¡¯ll need your help then, sister.¡± Despite being unnerved by Ajuka¡¯s apparent awareness, Aurelia managed to smile. ¡°I trust you, my lord. I hope you will succeed and I shall assist you as-¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want you to come yet.¡± ¡°...¡± The scene devolved into a battle of stares. Igor stood unwavering in front of his sister¡¯s increasingly defiant gaze. But no matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let her follow him, not into what may become a scene of a deadly battle. ¡°If you¡¯re there, I¡¯ll be more on edge, sister. So I would rather you stay here with Sister Cleria and monitor the situation from here until everything is safe.¡± ¡°...¡± Listening to his reasons, Aurelia retracted her gaze and lowered her head. ¡°I apologise for crossing my boundaries, my lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, sister. Now, I need to go.¡± With a small smile on his face, he vanished. Tswii! ¡°...¡± Aurelia slowly raised her head with a victorious smile on her face. ¡°I apologise for crossing my boundaries¡­in advance.¡± Her magic circles circled around before they all floated behind her. ¡°I will not let you stand alone, my lord. Not in a battle of tongues.¡± . DxD . Cleria was in the biggest mess of her life. Or to be accurate, she couldn¡¯t process that she was in the biggest mess of her life. Everything had happened so quickly that her brain had frozen. One minute, Serafall teleported to her office and said a name. No greeting, no pleasantries. Just one name. ¡®Igor von Dimori.¡¯ As soon as those letters entered her ears and rearranged themselves in her brain, she was startled. Hearing his name was one thing. Hearing his name come from Serafall¡¯s mouth was a different thing entirely and her body reacted accordingly. Her nervousness was more than enough for the former Sitri heir to know that she knew exactly who Igor was. Next thing she knew, she was grabbed by the shoulder and her view shifted to not a jail cell or a torture rack, but a sight far more terrifying. ¡°This here is Cleria Belial, the Overseer of Kuoh. She knows Igor on a personal level and will tell us everything we need to know about him.¡± ¡°...¡± She was in front of the Four Satans. Just one was terrifying enough. Meeting all four of them nearly sent her into a state of complete shock, especially since she definitely was not brought here to receive some kind of reward. ¡°I-I-I¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t formulate any words. Suddenly meeting the leaders of her race was too much for her to process. ¡°Calm down, Cleria-san. We won¡¯t harm you. I can assure you of that.¡± Sirzechs, ever as charismatic, soothed her with his gentle voice. He couldn¡¯t agree with Serafall¡¯s method of suddenly bringing Cleria here, but he understood that since this matter was related to Aryans, there was not much gentleness left in her. Case in point, Serafall raised her hand and a dossier appeared in her hand. Walking over to her seat, she placed the dossier on the table and began questioning the silverette. ¡°Was Igor von Dimori responsible for the Himejima massacre? Answer carefully, Cleria.¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall speaking without adding honorifics? [This is certainly not good.] Sirzechs could surmise as much. But he wouldn¡¯t lie and admit he wasn¡¯t curious. But with the way things are going, Cleria would not have a clear enough mind to reveal crucial information. ¡°Relax, Cleria-san. Answer with peace of mind. None of what you reveal will travel beyond these walls.¡± ¡°...¡± As much as Cleria would want to deny she had any knowledge, she was not stupid enough to do so in this situation. This was especially so when she saw how all four satans were focused on her with varying facial expressions. ¡°Y-yes. He was r-responsible for the massacre.¡± Serafall quickly scribbled something down on the dossier before asking again. ¡°Do you know the reason why he did so?¡± Serafall hadn¡¯t even looked up from the paper when she asked the question. From Cleria¡¯s perspective, it was clear that she was filling in the blanks, and lying was not an option in the slightest. ¡°Yes. He¡­he killed the Himejima because¡­they had targeted Shuri Himejima and her daughter, Akeno Himejima.¡± Serafall¡¯s writing paused while Falbium raised an eyebrow. Deciding to pitch in, he asked a question that may, or may not pile up his workload. ¡°Who left or entered Kuoh?¡± ¡°T-The Himejima entered Kuoh. They were somehow able to infiltrate the barrier.¡± ¡°...¡± Holding himself from banging his head on the table, Falbium felt like dying. Many territories held by different overseers used a standard barrier to let them know who or what entered or left the town. Of course, significantly powerful entities could bypass that rather easily. [So much work.] The problem was that the Himejima were able to find a weakness and enter discreetly. If this proves to be an existing issue, then he would have to replace all the barriers, which meant more work. Being in charge of military affairs meant also being charge of standardised defensive measures and sometimes, he hated his job. [Please be incompetence.] On the other hand, the gears in Serafall¡¯s mind were turning as she picked up the key parts of Cleria¡¯s statement. [To be specific, they trespassed into our territory.] She made sure to file that information away for later. It would be useful if she needed to deal with the Shinto Pantheon. Raising her hand again, another dossier formed before she slid it towards Cleria. ¡°Read it.¡± The silverette wordlessly took the small stack of documents with shaky hands and read it. A minute or so passed and Cleria was halfway through when Serafall interrupted her. ¡°Am I correct in inferring that this Subject #1 is in fact, Igor von Dimori?¡± ¡°...¡± Cleria was quiet, more-so out of shock than nervousness. On the page she was on, there was even a picture of Asia as well as the ¡®False-Alarm¡¯ incident that happened back then in 1996 when Igor first met Asia. To know that he was being investigated for this long unnerved her greatl- ¡°Cleria Belial. Answer my questio-¡± Serafall was about to force the issue when out of nowhere, a blonde man in semi-formal wear appeared right next to Cleria. Tswii! Not even half a second passed when he grabbed Cleria by the shoulder and vanished again with her in tow. Tswii! A very short while passed before once again, Igor appeared. Tswii! This time, the blonde was alone. Dressed in his semi-formal clothing, he was distinctly different from the rest of the male satans who dressed rather royally. Nonetheless, fashion wasn¡¯t on the agenda for today. Hovering his gaze around each satan, his eyes eventually landed on Sirzechs. ¡°Gathering information on me so soon, Lucifer?¡± . AN . Personally, I¡¯m hoping for a big brawl. Though I am curious as to how Serafall would react. If you are interested in reading ahead, you can find more chapters in my patreon under the same username. Until the next chapter. Chapter 162 Tswii! This time, the blonde was alone. Dressed in his semi-formal clothing, he was distinctly different from the rest of the male satans who dressed rather royally. Nonetheless, fashion wasn¡¯t on the agenda for today. Hovering his gaze around each satan, his eyes eventually landed on Sirzechs. ¡°Gathering information on me so soon, Lucifer?¡± . |DxD| . The Four Satans were quiet. Not shocked or alert, but quiet. Ajuka in particular had a small smile on his face while Sirzechs was relatively calm. Serafall had a small frown on her face and Falbium simply watched the blonde with interest. ¡°Gathering information on me so soon, Lucifer?¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs was briefly surprised by how Igor teleported in here when barriers preventing teleportation were there. He remembered that Ajuka said something about him using the Dimensional Gap. But, he shoved that thought for later. ¡°It isn¡¯t so much as gathering, but more on the lines of verifying, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at Sirzechs for a moment before he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m too tired for wordplay, Lucifer. Can you be more direct?¡± Amused at his words, Sirzechs decided to listen to his request. ¡°Alright, Dimori-san. But, I am curious about something.¡± Letting his chin rest on his fist, he regarded the blonde who was on the other side of the table with a curious gaze. ¡°You do realise that you just infiltrated a high-level meeting between us all Four Satans. For what reason did you do so if I may ask?¡± ¡°Simple. You had Sister Cleria here. I don¡¯t want her to die now, do I? And judging from the glare Levia-tan is giving me here, I wager I did good.¡± Serafall did not tone down her glare in the slightest, her eyes drilling into his. ¡°Your people are known for being violent.¡± ¡°And devils are known to be the scum of the earth. But you don¡¯t see me glaring, do you?¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde had his arms crossed while Serafall had her fist clenched on the table. She did not hide her ire for him in the slightest. Sirzechs could already tell that the situation would devolve from this point if nothing happened. And while his fellow satan had every single right to attack, he didn¡¯t want the opportunity that willingly came to them to be tarnished. ¡°Calm down, you two. Serafall. Please drop your prejudices.¡± Serafall held her glare longer before abruptly turning her head. ¡°Hmph.¡± She was not blind to what Sirzechs wanted, but that didn¡¯t mean she liked it. And a part of her felt a bit more iffy when Igor casually blew her off by talking to Sirzechs. ¡°Lucifer. I know I said it a hundred times, but I don¡¯t like politics. I don¡¯t like skirting around issues, and I don¡¯t like unnecessary detours. You feel like a good guy, so I want to make things clear between¡­us.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the dossier on the table. Unable to restrain his curiosity, his eyes lingered on it for a while before they widened. On it¡­was a picture of Asia. ¡°...¡± Immediately, his gaze turned hostile as he leveled a glare at Sirzechs. ¡°Why do you have a picture of my sister?¡± ¡°We are investigating you.¡± ¡°Any chance of you stopping?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± The atmosphere became tense. This was especially so when Igor¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°If I rip your head off, will you stop then?¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs regarded Igor calmly, his eyes viewing him intensely. ¡°Is that a threat, Dimori-san?¡± Ignoring Serafall like she didn¡¯t exist, his power gradually creeped up at the prospect of a fight. ¡°That fully depends on your actions, Lucifer.¡± ¡°Funny, seeing as you kidnapped my sister.¡± ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Vwong! The reactions were instant. Serafall immediately pointed a magic circle towards Igor with a cold resolution on her face. The temperature in the room had fallen, but Igor did not shift his gaze from Sirzechs in the slightest. None of the other satans reacted overtly, but Falbium was on guard. Igor¡¯s power level was already creeping up to concerning margins, something that made him wary since he read of the blonde¡¯s ability to increase his power. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. [Troublesome.] Regardless, he would be ready to move in an instant if the situation so required. As for Igor, he wasn¡¯t fazed in the slightest by the sudden hostility. ¡°Your sister is the only reason I haven¡¯t done anything yet. Because trust me, Lucifer. I am very much willing to fight all of you. And I can promise there won¡¯t be Four Satans when I¡¯m done.¡± . . . Silence¡­ The atmosphere was getting more and more intense. One move. Just one move was needed for everything to descend into chaos. Igor had made it abundantly clear he was not afraid of fighting them, something that more than proved his Aryan heritage. ¡°Perhaps we should all calm down and discuss this civilly?¡± Surprisingly, it was Ajuka who made the offer. ¡°I can see that you care greatly for your sister, Dimori-kun. However, rest assured that unlike some unsavoury parties, we hold no ill-will towards you. Don¡¯t we, Serafall?¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall reluctantly put her hand down. She understood that Igor was too valuable to recklessly antagonise, even if his crime of barging in warranted his death. With Serafall having lowered her hand, Ajuka continued. ¡°Good. Now, Dimori-kun. I believe we can talk civilly?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at the four individuals in front of him. Apart from Serafall, the other three were calm. ¡°...¡± He mentally judged that it was safe enough and so he responded. ¡°We can talk¡­but not with me.¡± Without elaborating, he vanished. Tswii! Barely a moment passed before he appeared again with Aurelia in tow. Tswii! He then faced Ajuka. ¡°Talk to her.¡± Leaving his sister to the wolves, he could¡¯ve been more graceful in introducing her. Fortunately for Aurelia, she was very quick to adapt. And fortunately for Igor, she did not lower her head. ¡°I humbly greet all the satans. My name is Aurelia, attendant to Lord Dimori and I shall be speaking on his behalf.¡± . |DxD| . Over three hours had passed since Aurelia arrived and the talks were surprisingly going smoothly. After she arrived, she was very quick in defusing the tension in the room and shifting the opinions of everyone in their favour. Unlike Igor who was brash, when she talked, she showed the satans basic respect and apologised in his stead for barging in like he did. When she properly told the reason why he did why he did, the Four Satans seemed to regard him a bit more amicably, especially Ajuka. This had left Igor in a sort of a bind. When the first thirty minutes had passed, he had calmed down enough to somewhat relax. Part of him calming down however had more to do with how Aurelia was trading strong English words with Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Serafall. Or was it Italian? He didn¡¯t even know what language devils spoke. And those were the sort of thoughts that his dazed and bored mind came up with to pass the time. But there were only so many minutes Igor could distract himself before his baser instincts came to play. And when they did, they came with the subtlety of a hammer. It was like an instant realisation that had dawned on him when he was fiddling with a ki sphere in his hand. There were five powerful people in this room. He was used to fighting with one. Two of them would probably give him a decent fight if he didn¡¯t transform, while the last two would undoubtedly give him the fight of his life. Like a thirsty man seeing an oasis in front of him, he began levelling a gaze full of desire for battle at Sirzechs and Ajuka. His ki had fluctuated a few times in the process, making atleast one of the three satans look at him from time to time. Serafall was the one most unnerved since she could swear she saw smoke come out of his nose like a bull¡¯s. Eventually however, Igor did calm down when he saw how serious the talks were and he didn¡¯t want to interrupt. Slowly, he reigned in his desires and thought about different things like training and other mundane things. Combined with the drawls of politics entering through one ear and leaving through the other, he had slowly grew tired. He had sat down next to Falbium who seemed to not be affected by his close proximity. Like him, he could also see that the satan was also close to sleeping. With the crux of the political talks having been covered a few moments ago, Falbium had begun dozing off. [I guess he hates politics as much as me.] Finding a kindred spirit, Igor boldly placed his arms on the table and laid his head on them. Closing his eyes, he was unashamed of the looks he received from four pairs of eyes. Four pairs immediately became three when Falbium also followed suit and fell sleep. ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± Seeing her lord brazenly fall asleep like that, Aurelia sighed. ¡°I apologise in my lord¡¯s stead. He¡­¡± ¡°...doesn¡¯t like politics, does he.¡± Sirzechs nearly chuckled when she nodded in resignment. ¡°Unfortunately, Lucifer-sama.¡± ¡°Do not fret, Aurelia-san. As you can see, our fellow satan also appears to share the same sentiments.¡± Sirzechs felt a bit embarrassed when Falbium slept like this. But he knew better than to try and wake his compatriot up. ¡°Should we continue talking at a later date, Aurelia-san? I believe we have covered the most vital parts of our agreement.¡± ¡°I would not mind doing so, Lucifer-sama. Is this meeting officially over?¡± ¡°Although the circumstances pertaining to this meeting are less than savoury, we can move on ahead and adjourn our little gatheri-¡± ¡°Finally!!!¡± Like a cannon, Igor shot up with his arms raised high. ¡°Four hours! It¡¯s been four hours!¡± ¡°To be exact, it¡¯s three hours and twenty-two minutes, my lord.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Standing up, he pointed a finger accusingly at Sirzechs. ¡°Lucy! You¡¯re a man. Why the hell do you talk so much like a woman? You¡¯re a man! A man goddamnit!¡± ¡°Now wait, Dimori-san. We were¡­¡± Watching as Sirzechs tried to placate the blonde, Ajuka couldn¡¯t help but be amused. From the short few hours he had observed the boy, he could conclude with absolute assurance that Igor was just as simple as he portrayed himself to be. Add in his strength, and he was a very worthwhile ally to have. [Would he be opposed as to let me have his blood?] Serafall was for a lack of better words, in a daze. She would usually never call herself a muddleheaded person, but Igor was different from the Aryans she knew of. With his power, she figured he would be arrogant like his people usually are. But¡­ ¡°Come on, Lucy! In fact, fight me to prove you¡¯re a man!¡± ¡­she could admit that he had a certain level of charisma. In just one sitting, he had somehow managed to enter the good graces of her fellow satans. Over the course of this impromptu meeting, her desire to kill him as well as his sister dwindled, something she previously thought would happen. But she was soon brought out of her daze when a high-pitched whistling sound entered her ears. Tswii! ¡°...?¡± With her eyes regaining colour, she looked around to see that Aurelia and Igor were no longer there. There was however, Sirzechs who was looking at her with a tired, but light smile. ¡°I see you had much to think about, Serafall. Perhaps they surprised you?¡± Serafall looked into his eyes. ¡°They did. But¡­is it really a good idea to not¡­¡± She didn¡¯t complete the question, but it was easy to understand what she meant. Fortunately or unfortunately, Ajuka was the first one to refute her statement. ¡°Killing them would be a complete waste, Serafall. We¡¯ve all read the report. In less than a decade, Dimori-san managed to reach a level of strength many may never hope to enter. Let us take a page from Azazel¡¯s book and have him as our ally as well. Surely that would-¡± ¡°You just want Dimori-san¡¯s permission to study him don¡¯t you, Ajuka?¡± ¡°...¡± Caught right in the crosshairs by Sirzechs, he merely fixed his collar before replying. ¡°That may also be a boon worth striving for.¡± Shaking his head helplessly, Sirzechs turned to face Serafall. ¡°Regardless of circumstances, I believe we can trust them, Serafall. If it makes it any easier for you, feel free to visit them in Kuoh. Perhaps you¡¯ll learn more about them as you converse. Having an alliance with the last living Aryans will be very helpful for all of devilkind, especially in a few centuries. So we will need your cooperation there, Serafall.¡± Standing up from his table, he looked over at Falbium with a sigh. ¡°We on the other hand, have to discuss new protective measures for our territories in the human world.¡± It was slight, but Serafall could swear she saw Falbium twitch. Nonetheless, the events of today fogged up her brain and she needed to clear it. Grabbing the updated dossier on the table, she stood up as well. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go visit them after all, Sirzechs-chan.¡± . AN . Politics are finally over. Lord knows I hate them. Onwards to the next chapter. Chapter 163 ¡°We on the other hand, have to discuss new protective measures for our territories in the human world.¡± It was slight, but Serafall could swear she saw Falbium twitch. Nonetheless, the events of today fogged up her brain and she needed to clear it. Grabbing the updated dossier on the table, she stood up as well. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go visit them after all, Sirzechs-chan.¡± . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . It was now nearing sunset in Kuoh. It had been a few hours since Igor and Aurelia returned and a number of things happened since then. Both siblings had decided to split up upon returning. Aurelia had went to Cleria to inform her of what happened while Igor had returned to the Himejima household. To say Asia and Akeno were miffed at his disappearance was an understatement. Akeno had continuously pestered him for details while Asia had clung onto him without any intention of letting go. Seeing the two girls after what had been a long and boring meeting was like the first ray of sunshine in the morning. He played with them for a while and he was impressed with Asia¡¯s speed during their game of tag. She wasn¡¯t supernaturally fast yet, but he was pretty sure she could run for the olympics.What was even more impressive was that she was able to effectively enhance herself with mana, allowing her to chase them even up in the trees. However, even though her stamina was something else entirely, it wasn¡¯t infinite. It wasn¡¯t until she had fallen asleep in his arms when the sun began to set that their game of tag finally ended. When Akeno flew down from the treetops with her wings, he idly noted that he had to ask Aurelia to teach Asia how to fly. Since it was already evening, Igor called their playtime to an end. While Akeno had eventually run off to watch some of her anime, he had went to place a sleeping Asia in the room where her scent was the strongest. Tucking his little sister into bed, it wasn¡¯t until he left the room that he encountered Shuri who was waiting for him. With her taking the lead, she had led him outside, but not after telling Akeno they were going to talk privately. Now, the both of them were standing under a tree, the same tree that three years ago, he and Baraquiel were standing under. The winds themselves were quiet as the sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon. With Shuri right in front of him, Igor was no longer so happy-go-lucky like usual. For her to call him out like this, it would undoubtedly concern the old man. He was nervous about how things would go, but he wouldn¡¯t back down from this. Backing out was for pansies. ¡°Say whatever you need to say in whatever way you want to say it, aunty. I won¡¯t complain.¡± Be it her yelling or cursing at him, he wouldn¡¯t complain. He would absolutely hate it if someone else did that to him. But considering what he did, he felt he deserved it. ¡°...¡± Shuri remained silent as she processed Igor¡¯s words. That seriousness¡­she could tell he was expecting a violent reaction from her. She could only smile at his futile attempt to take accountability¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡­because she had a different idea in mind. ¡°...?¡± Igor was¡­confused. When Shuri took a step forward, he thought she would try and hit him. He would never accept such a thing, so he was already prepared to dodge her hits so that she could air out her grievances. But the last thing he expected was for her to wrap her arms around his torso. With his hands awkwardly spread out, he didn¡¯t hold her. ¡°...aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± However, Shuri didn¡¯t respond. Pressing her head against his chest, she listened to his heartbeat that was about as slow as a snail. Badump¡­¡­Badump¡­¡­Badump¡­ Igor made no moves to remove her. She was in perfect position for a bear hug, but he doubted she would even try. This was clearly a hug, a completely random hug in his opinion. His mind was prepared for a negative reaction from her. This¡­wasn¡¯t a negative reaction. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°...¡± Looking at her head against his chest, he was about to call out to her again when she quietly spoke. ¡°Hold me¡­¡± To the world, her voice was a whisper. To him, it was louder than a bullet. It sounded more like a plea than a demand. He didn¡¯t understand why she would even ask for such a thing, but he slowly circled his arms around him. Yet, Shuri wasn¡¯t satisfied. ¡°Tighter...¡± ¡°...¡± Igor felt he was crossing lines he shouldn¡¯t be crossing. This moment had already gone longer than what was acceptable. ¡°Aunty-¡± ¡°Please, Dimori-kun. I¡­want to confirm something.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t like it, but he silently acquiesced to her request and tightened his hold. His arms went over her shoulders and instead of ending at her upper back, now began sneaking underneath her forearms. Shuri felt how close his hands were to the edges of her breasts, yet she didn¡¯t feel revolted at his touch. Slowly, she also tightened her hold and took in more of his presence. The feeling of his hardened chest muscles on her cheek, his naturally husky scent that she found very appealing, and his large arms that she could feel enveloping her body¡­she took in all of it. And it confirmed her thoughts. [I love this.] It was a far-cry from what she felt when Baraquiel held her. It was a horrid thought to have, to make such a comparison when her former husband had almost died. It was even more scandalous when she had considered going back to him. To be accurate, she still considered the possibility. But she wanted to be sure. She wanted to be sure of what her heart wanted. She no longer wanted to be on the fence about this issue. Feeling his touch and feeling his warmth, she was utterly and absolutely sure of one thing. [I love him.] Raising her head to meet his cerulean gaze, her feelings were further cemented. [I love you, Dimori-kun.] Feeling her vision being clouded with tears, she buried her head into his chest. [And I hate it.] The person she now loved, the person who she was now holding in her arms, was now so far away from her. [I hate this.] Tightening her hold around him, she knew this may possibly be the last time she may ever get to hold him like this. Because after today, she would once again become the wife of Baraquiel. . |DxD| . A few moments prior . Igor wasn¡¯t comfortable with this. To be exact, he wasn¡¯t sure what to feel. In his mind, Shuri was Baraquiel¡¯s woman. Yes, he viewed her as his aunt and quite recently, a sort of mother too. But he was very well aware that there wasn¡¯t any blood between them. This meant that having this kind of prolonged contact with her was something that made him feel a bit guilty. Shuri was a married woman, and he was holding her in his arms. This directly went against what his father taught him. [I don¡¯t like this.] Igor could admit he was many things, but he didn¡¯t want to be scum. He already hurt the old man prior to this. He didn¡¯t want to become an adulter in his eyes as well. He was about to tell her to stop when she suddenly raised her head and looked into his eyes. Amber slowly met sapphire, her eyes slowly clouding up in tears as they gazed into his royal blue. [?!] Before Igor could properly react, Shuri had already lowered her head. But he was sure of one thing. Those eyes were sad. He had never seen Shuri so sad before, not since she was dying in his arms. [I don¡¯t like this.] It was the same sentence, but with a separate meaning. Completely different from before, he tightened her hold around her. He wasn¡¯t sure what was making her so sad, but he would give her every single ounce of support he could. Only God knew a part of himself regretted leaving three years ago. No, he regretted not coming back. But this time, he wouldn¡¯t leave. ¡°I¡¯m here for you, aunty. I won¡¯t ask questions. Just know I have your back.¡± He would never say these words casually, because they implied complete trust. For Shuri, he had complete trust in her and her character. And he would trust her a thousand times before he even entertained the thought of doubting her. Shuri didn¡¯t reply to his declaration, nor did she need to. The slight tightening of her hold on him was more than enough for an answer. Slowly raising his hand, he cradled it against the back of her head. He softly ran his hands through her hair, his fingers gently scratching her. Out of habit, he kissed the top of her head before comforting her. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here for you. No matter what.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t restrain herself anymore as she silently cried into his chest. His words¡­his words were making her so happy, and at the same time, so distraught. His words that were making her heart sing with joy were destroyed by the reality before her. Before she was a woman, she was a mother. She could not compromise Akeno¡¯s needs for her desires, no matter how much she wanted to. Akeno needed to grow up in a happy family and for that, she would need her father. She could only comfort herself that Igor would also appreciate the arrangement, but her heart still felt pain. [I hate this.] . |DxD| . Aurelia silently watched as Igor held Shuri. She had faint suspicions before during her interactions with her, but now she was sure. [She cares for Lord Dimori¡­more than she should.] Although she was far enough for Igor to not focus on her, her eyes were good enough to read their lips and body language. Aurelia could admit that Shuri was a good woman and that she could certainly make a very good wife for anyone. But not for Igor. [With her strength, she will never truly capture his heart.] Having stayed with the blonde for ten years, she knew exactly what his fears were. [My lord will not accept a weak woman.] His fear of losing his closest people was far too great. To be romantically involved with a weak woman was something he would never allow himself to enjoy, because he did not want to bear the pain of losing them. And this fear was further amplified when Shuri herself had died. Aurelia neither supported nor opposed Shuri¡¯s veiled desire for her lord. If the woman could somewhat change Igor¡¯s perception of her, then she would not oppose to her marrying him. [I shall have a talk with Shuri-sama.] But that opinion could change very quickly depending on Shuri¡¯s response. Her lord is destined for greatness. He will not need an unworthy woman beside him. And she would certainly do her best to make sure no unworthy woman sinks their claws into him. . AN . A lot to unpack here and if Shuri decides to give her responsibilities the middle finger, then her path won¡¯t be easy. With what we¡¯ve seen, she¡¯ll seriously need to get in shape if she chooses to pursue the blonde. Moving along, oyakodon anyone? You may or may not find more chapters of it on my patreon. Until the next chapter. Chapter 164 Aurelia neither supported nor opposed Shuri¡¯s veiled desire for her lord. If the woman could somewhat change Igor¡¯s perception of her, then she would not oppose to her marrying him. [I shall have a talk with Shuri-sama.] But that opinion could change very quickly depending on Shuri¡¯s response. Her lord is destined for greatness. He will not need an unworthy woman beside him. And she would certainly do her best to make sure no unworthy woman sinks their claws into him. . |DxD| . Igor was at a loss for what to do. It had been roughly over an hour since Shuri had sought him for comfort. When she had finally let go after what seemed like a long time, all she said was¡­ ¡®Thank you.¡¯ ¡­before she retreated back into the house. He had pressed the issue for if she needed help with it, but she repeatedly insisted that this was something she must handle on her own. He didn¡¯t understand this touchy-feely stuff so he chose to tread safely and not pry. And so they were led to dinner where he was made privy to the mask Shuri had put up. Asia and Akeno didn¡¯t notice. He himself probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed her fake smile if she hadn¡¯t cried in his arms. As for Aurelia, he wasn¡¯t sure if she noticed or chose to ignore the issue due to how she silently ate her food. Igor had expected it, but dinner that night was very cold. It was only due to the lively presence of Akeno and Asia that the evening wasn¡¯t entirely quiet. Like two little embers, their lively chattering as they recounted the shopping experience made everyone present have a genuine smile on their face. But as lively and innocent as they were, their presence was not enough to combat the cold. Soon enough, dinner was over and Shuri directed them to the shower, leaving him and Aurelia alone. Perhaps it was because she noticed how silent he was, but she never said anything the entire time they were alone. Instead, she dutifully did the dishes using magic while he sat on the table, his head deep in thought. At a loss on what to do, the issue with Shuri troubled him greatly. He wondered if it was about Baraquiel. But then it wouldn¡¯t make sense since this issue was something she said she needed to handle on her own. Atleast it didn¡¯t make sense to him since the old man wasn¡¯t an issue that needed to be ¡°handled¡±. He even worried if what she was facing was possibly life threatening. [Did remnants of the Himejima target her for revenge?] The thought alone made him furrow his eyebrows. Maybe she encountered a similar issue and was scared to tell him. Maybe some- {Please don¡¯t worry too much, my lord. Shuri-sama will be fine. This is a particular issue that is related to the matters of the heart. Your help will not be needed there, my lord. In fact, it may possibly be detrimental.} ¡°...¡± Glossing aside her words, how she could use magic to clean up the kitchen and simultaneously use telepathy was beyond him. Chuckling, he replied to her. {Alright.} As always, he could trust Aurelia to read him like an open book. If Shuri was indeed facing an issue like that, then he truly had no way of helping her. The best thing he could do now was silently give her support where she needed it. For now though, it was time to deal with an issue that had been put off for too long. {Sister. I need your advice with something. Meet me outside when you¡¯re done.} {I shall arrive in five minutes, my lord.} Knowing she would be accurate to the dot, the blonde left first. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Su! . |DxD| . It was already dark outside in Kuoh. It was a moonless night, making everything appear in a shade of navy blue and black. Of course, the town was brightly lit with working street lights lighting up the streets. As for the forest, it was so dark inside that just seeing the next tree was already difficult. But that wasn¡¯t a problem for Igor. Leaping from tree to tree, he had no problem seeing in front of him. His eyes glowed in the night as he made his way across the forest at speeds already faster than most vehicles could ever hope to see. His goal was to place atleast a few kilometres of distance between himself and Shuri¡¯s house. That was because tonight, he was going to try and contact the little girl that manifests herself when he enters his Demigod State. Whether it was to kill her or ally with her, that would depend on what Aurelia advised him to do alongside his considerations. Su! Landing on the ground, the leaves crunched under his feet as he looked around in nostalgia. ¡°I thought for sure this part of the forest would¡¯ve been destroyed. Looks like this place remained untouched.¡± This was the first spot he appeared in when Ted first brought him to this world. Thinking back on that moment, he wondered if he could pelt that annoying fellow. Running his eyes along the ground, he could even see that the exposed tree root he tripped on nearly eight years ago was still there. Of course, it had grown a bit thicker since then. [I¡¯ll wait for sister here.] Slowly hovering in midair, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes. His pants really tightened up when he did that, making him very tempted to tear them apart. He couldn¡¯t get used to how these pants limited his mobility and his shirt was starting to annoy him for different reasons. Whether it was fate playing a joke or something else, but he could swear this shirt was magnetic with the ability to attract food and anything else not white. The amount of times he had to catch a piece of meat or some soup from spilling on it was much higher than normal. He was already tempted to just tear off his clothing. Fortunately, Aurelia arrived in time before he could undress to his underwear. Lowering her head in a respectful bow, she presented herself. ¡°Lord Dimori. I am at your service.¡± ¡°...¡± Opening his eyes, he inwardly remarked at how he would never get used to this as he stood up. ¡°I need your advice, sister, so I¡¯ll get to the point. When I was in my berserk state, I wasn¡¯t completely out of it. While my body was rampaging, there was this entity in the form of a little girl in my mind. She called herself Triny and she was responsible for my state at the time.¡± Stretching out his hand, he intertwined it with hers. ¡°Here. Let me share my memories.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Opening up her mind, Aurelia let his experience travel into her. ¡°?!¡± Little by little, foreign images appeared in her head before they slowly mashed together to form one long movie sequence. Witnessing everything from his perspective, to say she was surprised was an understatement. Aurelia was glad she had taught Igor how to transfer memories because he truly downplayed just how unique this entity was. ¡°My lord. This¡­this is nature energy given form.¡± Remembering the books she had read by Nakamura, she elaborated. ¡°This is a demon. She is a true demon.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor absorbed all the information Aurelia told him and processed it in his head. ¡°I see¡­¡± Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t quite understand the significance of this information. Right now, he was more concerned on what he should do. ¡°I am sure you are aware of her abilities. Tell me, sister. How much of a risk is she? Should I get rid of her?¡± ¡°...¡± Calming down from her surprise, Aurelia found she couldn¡¯t provide a straight answer. That was because she saw hesitance in Igor¡¯s eyes. Despite how nonchalant he tried to seem, he was truly having second thoughts on killing the girl. From the memories she saw, she probably would too. But¡­this was the perfect opportunity. ¡°My advice is you should, my lord.¡± She was worried that as time went, Igor would begin to rely too much on her. He would soon treat her advice as instructions, something she didn¡¯t want for him to do. And this¡­Triny, was the perfect catalyst for that. And from his reaction, it was already working. ¡°Is this the right course, sister?¡± Seeing him express his doubt, she mentally approved of him. ¡°I cannot say whether it is right or wrong, my lord. I only know that this girl has direct access to your mind and can pull you within whenever she so desires. Her existence prevents you from using your most powerful transformation with peace of mind. Truthfully, my lord, I would also be at ease if she were to be erased.¡± ¡°...¡± He was contemplating. Good. Now she needed to seal the coffin. ¡°Furthermore, my lord. I have a bold conjecture I would love to share. Perhaps it may ease your mind.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t reply, but a nod of his head was enough for her to continue. ¡°You see, my lord. I have a theory that if you do kill this girl, you will be able to amass control over nature energy. This would no doubt add to your already growing power and although the possibility is slim, there is a chance of you finally acquiring chi.¡± Chi, a culmination of ki and chakra. Igor knew about its existence from one of Nakamura¡¯s books. He hadn¡¯t set himself on working to acquire it yet since he still hadn¡¯t reached the pinnacle of ki. If absorbing Triny¡¯s energy could in fact provide him with this power, then he would be stupid not to take such a shortcut. ¡°I see. Thank you for your advice, sister. I know what to do now.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can browse my patreon under my username. Today is Friday so, until the next chapter. Chapter 165 Chi, a culmination of ki and chakra. Igor knew about its existence from one of Nakamura¡¯s books. He hadn¡¯t set himself on working to acquire it yet since he still hadn¡¯t reached the pinnacle of ki. If absorbing Triny¡¯s energy could in fact provide him with this power, then he would be stupid not to take such a shortcut. ¡°I see. Thank you for your advice, sister. I know what to do now.¡± . |DxD| . The night was ominously quiet. Deep in the forest, Aurelia stood protectively in front of Igor. Just a few moments prior, she had erected a barrier that would mask his energy signature. Her senses remained focused on their surroundings for just in case her barrier missed something or someone. Igor was hovering above the ground with his legs crossed, his eyes closed in concentration. His power was gradually increasing, his hair slowly rising upwards. A gentle red aura formed around him as his power continued to climb until eventually, his hair shed its layer of yellow and turned red. su su su su su su su su su Assuming his Demigod Form was a quiet and seamless process. Taking on the transformation was as fluid as breathing without any ripple effects caused to the surroundings. Having taken his time to assume this state, there was no rapid build up of power which would result in an explosive shockwave. Aurelia still wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea for him to attempt this so close to Shuri¡¯s home. While there were a few kilometres between here and there, she would prefer it if that distance was multiplied by ten. But, if he deemed that there was no need to venture that far, then she could only trust him. [Please succeed, my lord.] Gradually, Igor began absorbing nature energy. To be accurate, it was the nature energy that gathered around him. Like little motes of black streaks, malevolent nature energy entered his body from all directions. He still didn¡¯t completely understand the exact reasons why this happened. Whether it was his demi-ki at fault or some other reason, he had only guesses. But, he didn¡¯t fight the feeling. [So this is what it feels like¡­] Now that he was paying attention and actively observing the changes in his body, he could feel his power actively growing in percentages. The tainted energy passed through his aura cloak and into his body where inch by inch, it gradually joined itself with his ki veins. Like smaller rivers joining a larger river, the tainted energy seamlessly merged with his demi-ki, not even impeding it in the slightest. He could feel himself becoming stronger, but he could also feel himself becoming¡­rabid. What he felt was like a compulsion, a strong desire to destroy all sentient life being born within him. This desire was like a weed that if not kept in check, would spiral out of control. [This won¡¯t happen a third time.] Not allowing for his will to be subsumed, he easily squashed the feeling like a pest beneath his foot. Control him? His pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. [No one controls me.] He completely eradicated those little flies in his head telling him to kill all sentient life in all the realms. Mainly because one of those flies just so happened to include Aurelia in its kill list. Gruuu! Having gotten a feel for the tainted nature energy, he began absorbing it en masse without fear. The malevolent energy of the world ¡°excitedly¡± gathered around him and entered his body. His aura, one that was purely crimson, was defiled by black streaks of lightning that circled around him. Like the dust from coal, ¡°sprinkles¡± of black merged with his aura, his power rapidly rising. But as violently as his aura fluctuated, Igor was calm. His eyes were still closed, his face not showing even the barest of twitches or signs of struggling. It was only because he remained so calm that Aurelia did not try and interfere. She was still worried about him attempting this, especially since if the situation devolved too much, he may sprout horns like before. If that happened, then there was no telling the consequences. [I believe in you, Igor...] Su! Vanishing, she had went off to strengthen the barrier in response to his growing power. Not only did she have to hide his energy, but she also had to make sure that no gods or other entities would be able to peer into what was happening inside. Igor on the other hand, was managing to maintain control. There were new subtle voices persuading him to destroy everything, but it was pointless. Trying to convince him to destroy all sentient life was the same as asking a lion to be a vegetarian. It was impossible. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Like wooden arrows against a metal wall, the compulsion had no effect on him. [It seems I can only be influenced in times of great emotional stress.] With this little discovery, he was now confident that he could still harness this tainted nature energy without losing himself. It was surprisingly easy to keep his wits, but he attributed that to Triny no longer actively trying to control him. [Looks like she kept her word.] Regardless, that was not the point of him assuming his transformation. He didn¡¯t know whether he had gathered enough nature energy for her to manifest in his mind, but it was time to meet Triny and end things once and for all. . |DxD| . In beautiful pastures extending as far as the eye could see, Igor manifested in the grasslands. His crimson hair glistened beautifully in the sun as his eyes locked on a certain individual. ¡°...¡± As if she were waiting for him, Triny was standing just a few metres from him with a nervous expression on her face. Her golden hair had lost its lively lustre, her eyes ashen like a person who lacked sleep. ¡°You¡¯re back¡­¡± Her voice was soft, but it held hope. ¡°I am.¡± Her eyes brightened in anticipation. She was about to run to him when all of a sudden¡­everything changed. ¡°I am here to kill you.¡± ¡°...¡± Her eyes which were filled with hope slowly died. To hear his words and the solidity behind them was something she took a while to process. Yet as she looked into her eyes, she finally lost hope. ¡°I-I see¡­¡± She lowered her arms weakly as she tried not to sob. There was no anger or fear on her face. Only resignment as her eyes watered. Death- it was something she had been expecting when he left. But to be faced with the reality was quite crushing. Still, she didn¡¯t run. ¡°I won¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t show any remorse or hesitation in what he was about to do. Raising his hand to the sky, a crimson orb formed¡­ Vwomp ¡­before it rapidly expanded to the size of a house. Zuu zuu zuu zuu zuu zuu Excercising his ki-control, he gradually compressed all the energy in the sphere into the size of a car. Now holding a large sphere of rotating demi-ki above his head, Igor casually delivered his next lines. ¡°This will make sure that you will never regenerate.¡± ¡°...¡± Gazing at the large sphere hovering above him, her vision slowly worsened as tears clouded her eyes. Collapsing to the floor, she cried silently at her impending doom without even trying to fight it. She could see that he was serious. He had made no effort to hide his killing intent in the slightest. He was truly going to kill her. ¡°Do you have any last words.¡± ¡°...¡± It hurt that his gaze was as hard as steel, his eyes looking at her apathetically like a parasite. Maybe those eyes were right. Maybe she was a parasite. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Muttering a final apology, she closed her eyes and made no further moves. Maybe dying would be better compared to the never-ending loneliness. ¡°...¡± Igor found it odd that she didn¡¯t try anything but sit there. Or perhaps using tears and arousing his pity was her weapon. Regardless, she was vulnerable and he wouldn¡¯t miss such a simple shot. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Waving his hand forward, the sphere swiftly rushed towards her with speed unbefitting of its size. Triny opened her eyes when she felt the heavy pressure descend on her, but she made no moves to either dodge or block. Time seemed to slow down as the sphere neared, her body begging her to move away. [I-I¡¯m scared¡­] Watching it inch closer and closer, her fear continued to grow. It completely covered her vision and she could already feel the searing heat bite into her skin. But she didn¡¯t raise her arms. She didn¡¯t rise to her feet, nor did she conjure any sort of shield. Quickly shutting her eyes, she only hoped it would be quick. She was afraid of pain and she didn¡¯t want to regenerate from this. But just as she felt the orb lick her nose, it suddenly seemed to have vanished. ¡°...?¡± Opening her eyes, her gaze was drawn up to the sphere that had suddenly risen towards the sky where it finally exploded. BOOOOOOOOM! ¡°Whaa¡­?¡± She was confused. Touching her nose, she flinched when she felt the tip of it had burned. But her body had already set to healing it. Lowering her gaze, she was now confronted by the redhead who looked at her with veiled anger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge? Why did you not try to defend yourself?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge? Why did you not try to defend yourself?¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but question her. Standing right in front of her, he could see how a part of her nose was chipped. Thankfully it was regenerating, but that proved how fatal his attack was. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back? Did you think your regeneration would save you?¡± He looked into her eyes and what he saw made him clench his teeth in anger. ¡°Were you really going to let yourself¡­die?¡± Her eyes were hollow without a single shred of light in them. Those brown eyes that were filled with life were now empty as she looked at him. However, her answer served to make him almost tear his hair out in frustration. ¡°Die¡­? Yes...¡± ¡°...¡± He had to hold himself back not to shout at her. He was this close to losing it, but he controlled himself ¡°Why? Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Her eyes wet up as she spoke. ¡°...what¡¯s the point? I-I have no one. So what¡¯s the point of living?¡± ¡°...¡± Those words struck him deep. He was no stranger to loneliness, but alteast it was only for a decade. And he had the gym to stave off the worst of it. Here, he saw nothing. He didn¡¯t even want to imagine where she would be if she wasn¡¯t in his mind. ¡°Can¡¯t you possess another person?¡± With literally millions of yokai, there should¡¯ve been someone she could communicate with. But it seemed asking such a question tugged at her insecurities. ¡°I can¡¯t! I tried. I tried a lot. But I can¡¯t! None of them can see me! None of them can hear me! Many times I tried to speak, but I was like air to them!¡± She was unable to stop the tears now. ¡°You¡­hik¡­you were the only one who managed to speak to me. Y-you were the only one able to hear me. If¡­¡± Closing her eyes tightly, she bowed before him. ¡°If you hate me as well, then I don¡¯t want to live anymore. So¡­¡± Rendering herself in a completely defenceless state, she pleaded. ¡°...please¡­please kill me. I don¡¯t want to live anymore.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor wasn¡¯t sure how to react. Maybe this was a ploy or a trick. But, maybe she was being genuine. Who knew what the truth could be. [Damnit.] But he no longer cared anymore. Second-guessing was for smart people. This time, he chose to listen to what his gut has been telling him this whole time. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°...?!¡± Raising her head, Triny couldn¡¯t react before she was suddenly enveloped in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m here now. You¡¯re no longer alone.¡± ¡°...¡± His words took a while to process in her head. And when they did, she truly couldn¡¯t stop the deluge of tears from spilling out of her eyes. ¡°Hik¡­hik¡­¡± Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held him very tightly as she repeatedly muttered. ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­¡± . AN . I¡¯ll be quick. Power outage= no writing. No writing= no updates. Now that there¡¯s power, we have updates. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the next two. Moving on, this is just sad. I think I dropped a tear or two. Poor lass. Just how bad was it that she was willing to trust someone who had almost killed her just a few seconds ago? Chapter 166 ¡°You¡¯re no longer alone.¡± ¡°...¡± His words took a while to process in her head. And when they did, she truly couldn¡¯t stop the deluge of tears from spilling out of her eyes. ¡°Hik¡­hik¡­¡± Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held him very tightly as she repeatedly muttered. ¡°Thank you. Thank you¡­¡± . |DxD| . Aurelia was in awe at the phenomenon happening right before her eyes. The malevolent energy that had melded together with Igor¡¯s aura was being withdrawn into his body. If she couldn¡¯t feel his flow of ki was still calm, she would¡¯ve assumed he had lost control over his body. As nature energy continued to gather around him, it did not mix with his aura, but instead formed a thin film around his body. Upon closer inspection, she could feel the malevolent energy continue to enter his body. [Did he succeed?] It was a far-cry from his berserk-like state in the Underworld. With how peacefully his energy was radiating, the only damage that existed was leaf litter being slightly blown away. She didn¡¯t know how he succeeded, but she was almost certain that he did not kill that girl. But it still amazed her that despite commanding such power, his control over it was impeccable, even in his unconscious state. It just went to show how much he trained to control it. With how sage-like he appeared, no one would believe that he contained power much more than the world¡¯s stockpile of nuclear weapons. ¡°Amazing. It¡¯s still growing¡­¡± . |DxD| . Igor was faced with a dilemma. After he had accepted Triny, the little girl had held him and sobbed on his shoulder until she ran out of tears. He had no problem with that. The girl was happy and he was content because of that. The problem started when after what seemed like an hour, she still hadn¡¯t let go. Her grip was like a vice and with how tightly she had wrapped even her legs around his ribs, there was no getting her off¡­safely. Even worse, he could feel that she had used her energy to ¡°glue¡± herself to him. It would be apt to say that the position they were in was very¡­compromising. [I feel like a paedophile...] But more than that uncomfortable feeling, he was at a loss on what to do. Lately, he felt he was getting lost more and more often. But what could he do? These matters were related to ¡®emotions¡¯ and ¡®feelings¡¯. He was not experienced in that sort of mushy stuff. ¡°Triny?¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°No!¡± Somehow, her hold got even tighter. The little blonde tightly wrapped her arms around his neck without the slightest inclination of loosening her hold. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go!¡± ¡°...¡± It was only because she was a child with unique circumstances that he still had the patience to reason with her. ¡°Listen. I¡¯m not exactly supposed to be here long. It leaves my body vulnerable in the real world. Besides, who said I wouldn¡¯t come back?¡± ¡°...¡± Very slightly, she loosened her hold on him. But she still didn¡¯t let go. Raising her head to look at him, she tentatively asked. ¡°T-Then¡­can you stay in this form?¡± ¡°?¡± Getting an eyebrow raise from the redhead, her head lowered in nervousness. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s the only way I can talk to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor found it cute how she was playing with her fingers as she waited for his answer. He was tempted to remove his arms from her back and let her fall, though he pushed aside those thoughts for a moment. As much as he would be willing to oblige to her request, maintaining his Demigod State for prolonged periods of time wasn¡¯t exactly an option. The costs of doing so would far outweighed the benefits. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that, Triny. Especially not when I¡¯m with my family.¡± The little lass raised her head up in mild shock as she asked with a teary gaze. ¡°W-Why? Is it because I¡¯m a mon-ouch!¡± He flicked her forehead. ¡°It has nothing to do with you at all, Triny. The problem is with me. I can¡¯t maintain this form for long without facing problems.¡± Her eyes instantly lit up at his words. ¡°If it¡¯s energy, then I can help you with that! I can help you recover energy faster!¡± And indeed, she had the ability to do. He wasn¡¯t controlling his body, but he could feel the changes to it. Just by her being present, he could his ki-regeneration speed was already higher than normal. But, this wasn¡¯t the problem. ¡°Nope. This is not an energy drain problem. I¡¯ve already mastered this form to the point that I can hold it forever if I wanted to. No, girly. The problem is that in this state, I become very irritable. The longer I hold this form without doing anything, the more I¡¯m prone to acting on instinct and smashing things apart or killing someone.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°...¡± Her eyes slowly dimmed at his words. ¡°Oh. I see¡­¡± Her hold on him tightened again as she proceeded to hug him with all her might. With her chin over his shoulder, she asked him with barely restrained tears. ¡°Then¡­please stay with me for a bit longer before you leave. J-Just a few more minutes.¡± ¡°...¡± His eyes softened at her plea. ¡°...alright.¡± Holding her once again, he was aware that those few minutes she asked for certainly won¡¯t going to be enough. And even worse, the crippling loneliness she would feel after he was gone would hurt more than what she had experienced in the past years. Again, he couldn¡¯t exactly maintain his current form either. He did not want a scene where he snapped at Akeno and Asia because of his irritability. Depending on how long he held it, he could become downright murderous according to Aurelia. ¡°Triny. There must be a better way than this.¡± There had to be. He no longer felt like leaving her alone. ¡°It-it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be fine. Just¡­please come back every once in a while. Even once a month-no. Even once a year is fine.¡± ¡°...¡± If he was a woman, Igor was sure he would¡¯ve cried right then and there. She wanted his company, yet she was trying to be considerate. ¡°I could come every day, you know?¡± ¡°?!¡± Her eyes practically glowed when he announced that. Those amber eyes of hers quite literally became the same colour as her hair, her excitement very much tangible from how much her body was vibrating. But before she could speak, he placed his finger on her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t get excited. There might be times when I might miss a day or two. There might even be times where I completely disappear for a month. In short, I won¡¯t always be available.¡± Her mood dimmed noticeably, but he pushed on. ¡°So with all those problems, do you know of another way that would allow us to talk anytime without me having to transform? Any method is fine.¡± ¡°...I know it, but¡­¡± She looked away, her eyes filled with doubt and apprehension. ¡°...you won¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°...¡± Using his hand to turn her face towards him, he steeled his gaze. ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll decide if I don¡¯t like it or not.¡± Her eyes wavered as she gazed into his. Given his last reaction, she was afraid of what he would think. But, she pushed on. ¡°I¡­I have to become a part of you.¡± She closed her eyes as she waited for his direct refusal. Given how forceful she was last time, she was ready for him to lash out and refuse. But it never came. ¡°I guessed it would be like that. So, what are you waiting for?¡± ¡°?!¡± Opening her eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but question him. ¡°Y-You¡­you trust me?¡± Igor mulled about her question briefly before replying. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it like that. Maybe I¡¯m just being impulsive. Who knows. You just do what you have to do.¡± ¡°...¡± He had given her permission. This was a golden chance. But¡­she wouldn¡¯t take it. Removing herself from him, she hovered midair. With an unwavering voice, she spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t do it. I¡¯ll wait until you trust me.¡± Now it was Igor¡¯s turn to be dumbfounded. ¡°What¡­? What do you mean you won¡¯t do it? Because of trust?¡± Clenching her fists, Triny nodded. ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t do it until you trust me.¡± He could admit. He was surprised by her unwavering stance. He assumed she would jump at the opportunity to not only rid herself of eternal solitude, but also experience the world through his body. Then, he thought about her words. ¡°Is trust really ¡®a¡¯ requirement, or ¡®your¡¯ requirement?¡± ¡°Mine. I don¡¯t want to become a part of you if you don¡¯t trust me. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m willing to wait until you trust me, however long it takes.¡± She was nervous about this. And a large part of herself was inwardly seething at how she just missed the biggest opportunity ever to get out of this never-ending state of ethereal reality(ghost-form). ¡°M-Merging isn¡¯t something that can be reversed. Once I am in you, I become a part of you. If you live, I live. If you die, I die. Wherever you go, I will be there, both in life and death.¡± She quietly ground her teeth as she mentally smacked herself for revealing just what ¡°merging¡± would truly entail. ¡°That is why I will only do it when you trust me. I would rather wait again than have you¡­h-hate me after.¡± ¡°...¡± This time, Igor didn¡¯t act brashly. He thought very carefully about her words and the conseque- ¡°I trust you.¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...heh?¡± She was rightfully confused. In fact, her brain short-circuited. Here she was, explaining that even if he killed himself, she would reincarnate right along with him like a second personality. Yet not only did he not freak out, he downright agreed then and there. It was why she found herself asking again with shaky lips. ¡°You¡­trust me?¡± ¡°Yes. I trust you. Now get on with the merging process so I can leave here. Only God knows how tired I am.¡± As if on cue, his mouth opened widely as he yawned for a good six seconds. Upon opening his eyes to find Triny still floating there, he questioned. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? I don¡¯t have all day, you know?¡± ¡°Merging isn¡¯t that simple. It¡¯s for eternity!¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°You can never get rid of me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind your presence.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know me!¡± ¡°That you¡¯re a beast? Who isn¡¯t? To humans, I¡¯d be a beast too. I liked the horns though. We¡¯re definitely working on that form once we merge.¡± ¡°...¡± Triny couldn¡¯t believe her ears. To a certain extent, she was naive and inexperienced. But over the years, she had gathered knowledge. It was this knowledge that told her that¡­ ¡°No sane person would accept this¡­¡± ¡°Too bad. I was never sane from the start. Now seriously. I want to get this over with so that I can go and sleep. Constantly emitting ki like this is making me drowsy.¡± It was such an abrupt change of mood. One minute he was deadset on killing her. The next, he was telling her to merge with him, an action that would last until the end of times. Such a rapid shift in personality made her unable to understand him. ¡°...just like that?¡± ¡°Just like that.¡± ¡°...¡± Her mind went into overdrive as she tried to comprehend how he so easily gave his trust. ¡°B-But...but¡­but¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was slightly miffed at how she constantly was hesitating. [Women¡­] Marching forward, he grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest. ¡°Just merge with me, alright? I trust you. You¡¯re a good lass and I know you won¡¯t betray me. Don¡¯t ask me how I know. I don¡¯t know either. Now stop questioning yourself and just do it.¡± ¡°...¡± Hesitantly, Triny nodded and began channeling her energy into him. Just like earlier in the day, black tendrils started spreading from his chest all the way across his body. [Not these tentacles again¡­] He found them uncomfortable, but he didn¡¯t resist. It felt weird having them spread all over his body, but he guessed that¡¯s what happens when you arbitrarily agree to a lifetime contract with an automatic renewal. Watching how Triny had closed her eyes in focus, he couldn¡¯t help but question himself. [Is it too late to pull out?] The tentacles were just that uncomfortable and he didn¡¯t want to imagine if they would creep inside certain parts of his body. He sincerely hoped they wouldn¡¯t. He could break out of them like he did before, but he let the tendrils gradually spread all over his body. Thankfully, it seemed he wasn¡¯t about to have an unscheduled prostrate exam. Soon, only his head remained, but he didn¡¯t feel pensive. Only weird. These black tentacle-like things covering his skin had a texture similar to mud now that he mused. Feeling the dark film slowly creep up his chin, the redhead was already prepared when the tendrils suddenly stopped. ¡°?¡± ¡°A-Are you sure about this? I can stop if you want.¡± ¡°...¡± Maybe it was his irritation kicking in, but Igor felt like dropkicking the little girl right about now. ¡°I¡¯m not a pansy, Triny. I know what I signed up for. I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m not having second thoughts. Again, don¡¯t ask me how. I just know I don¡¯t need to worry about you harming me.¡± ¡°...¡± Despite hearing his words, she didn¡¯t continue the merge. Her hand still palmed his chest, her figure floating face-level with him. Her eyes looked into his for any sign of deceit or wavering, yet his crimson gaze did not faze in the slightest. She looked down in thought, her arm shaking as her paranoia clawed its way through. ¡°Why¡­why do you trust me?¡± ¡°...¡± Alright. Instinct wasn¡¯t going to cut it here. But Igor did not know any other way to explain it to her. ¡®It was just a feeling?¡¯. As if such an excuse would work. These questions were grating on him and he had half a mind to just forcefully merge himself with her¡­if he knew how. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to tell you exactly. But it has to do with when we fought. Call it a sixth sense, but I can judge how a person is just by fighting them. Although our clash was very short, I got to learn who you were as a person. As for my little episode earlier? Well¡­that was me doing what my sister might¡¯ve done.¡± Raising his hand, he gently rubbed her cheek. ¡°So trust me when I say this. I don¡¯t mind merging with you. And I hope you won¡¯t mind merging with me.¡± ¡°...¡± Drip¡­Drip¡­ Very subtly, fresh tears spilt from her eyes. However, her eyes slowly brightened up not with excitement, but with resolve. Slowly closing the distance between them, she muttered underneath her breath. ¡°I shall follow you forever.¡± Then, very chastely, she kissed him on the lips. Chuu~ . AN . Well, well, well. Who¡¯s a paedophile now? Baraquiel and Sun Wukong will want their apologies very soon, especially the old monkey. He would never let Igor live this down if he found out. Chapter 167 Drip¡­Drip¡­ Very subtly, fresh tears spilt from her eyes. However, her eyes slowly brightened up not with excitement, but with resolve. Slowly closing the distance between them, she muttered underneath her breath. ¡°I shall follow you forever.¡± Then, very chastely, she kissed him on the lips. Chuu~ . |DxD| . Igor was rather taken aback at the sudden kiss. His eyes widened in complete surprise when he felt her mouth against his. Yet just as quickly, she pulled herself back. Before he could however, fling the nastiest curse words he could off the top of his head, the tendrils that had barely stretched beyond his jawline suddenly covered his entire face, petrifying him on the spot. He felt Triny hold his cheeks while a bright flash covered his vision. ¡°?!¡± And then, it suddenly happened. His vision instantly changed from white to random magic circles that were spread all around him. The change was a bit too sudden for him to process, but he eventually caught up. [Seals?] They were different in colour and size, but he could tell that these were seals. He certainly couldn¡¯t understand what they were for, but it looked like there were hundreds of seals here. He wasn¡¯t sure. Then, just as his eyes looked around in wonder, he heard the voice of man. ¡°Your existence is too dangerous, Trihexa. Your presence disrupts the peace of this world. As such, I must seal you away.¡± He couldn¡¯t see the man, but he could tell by his voice that he was tired and verging towards the point of exhaustion. He was still confused as to where exactly he was when his mind was suddenly assaulted by a myriad of emotions. Anger ¡°?!¡± This¡­this was beyond what he felt when he slaughtered the Himejima clan. This anger, this rage was completely unlike anything he felt before. This feeling had gone far beyond the term, ¡®blind rage¡¯. This was a desire, a desire to completely destroy. The man who was the object of that rage was now gone. Those numerous seals that were glowing had dimmed, yet their existence was still there and barred any passage. Loneliness Just as quickly as he was overwhelmed by rage, his vision darkened. And it remained darkened¡­for YEARS. To him, it felt like seconds, but he could tell that years had passed in this darkness. And in that infinite darkness, his rage was completely submerged under the wave of loneliness. Betrayal Accompanying the feeling of loneliness was betrayal. It was heavy, making it the most prevalent of all the emotions he was feeling. Was it that man who betrayed her? Igor couldn¡¯t make sense of all these feelings. [What happened to you, Triny.] Time seemed to move so quickly, yet so slowly. He knew somehow that he was observing thousands of years of history. The most crippling part? Most of it was in darkness. There were very, very, very few moments where there would be light. In that light, there would be glimpses of different entities as they rampaged. But that would quickly fade away to darkness once they died or got killed. Time passed again in the darkness, and Igor felt himself growing mad. Constantly having to endure these heavy feelings was not good for his psyche. Decades passed like seconds and the feeling of loneliness continued to increase. There were periods in time where there more visions than before. He would see the different perspectives of unique entities and how they destroyed everything in their wake before they inevitably died in the end. Igor was not one to be afraid of a little blood, but it was harrowing to suddenly be watching the short lives of different people from a first-person perspective only for them to end up dying. There was especially a period in time where one of the entities he witnessed was fighting an army of blonde people with blue eyes like him. [Aryans¡­] His eyes gained a little light when he saw what amounted to his ancestors. His perspective shifted from what he now believed were yokai to other yokai during the course of what he recognised to be a war. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Almost all the yokai he spectated were always alone and were launching suicidal attacks against his ancestors. It was as if they willingly let themselves become berserk for the greater boost in power. When they died, Igor watched with a heavy heart at the corpses of his people. Yet, such was life. The vision would fade to never-ending darkness and the appearances of the ¡®light¡¯ soon became very few and far in between. It wasn¡¯t until what he estimated to be two or three decades that the light appeared. And when the perspective shifted, it showed a very familiar forest, with a very familiar corpse in front of him. [...aunty.] Everything passed by in a blur. His desire to destroy the Himejima overwriting his compulsion to destroy the world, Shiva¡¯s sudden arrival, and his cold massacre of the Himejima. The vision darkened when Shiva told his past self to cancel the transformation. Then, almost immediately, the vision lit up again. This time, it was the Underworld and instead of the perspective of himself going berserk, he found the vision focused on his past self lying on the grass in an unconscious state. What grabbed his focus was the sudden change in the emotions he was feeling. Curiosity, Disbelief, and finally, Hope. Small little tanned hands stretched out from his vision and touched the face of his past self, and the amount of joy he felt in that one singular moment made him understand everything. [I see¡­] . |DxD| . Trepidation. That was all Triny felt as she held Igor. His head was on her lap, his eyes closed in unconsciousness. His hair was still crimson as always while the black tendrils covering his skin were slowly receding towards his chest. She was scared. The sun was shining as always and the lush surroundings were peaceful. Yet her mind was the complete opposite. [What will he think?] She knew what the world thought of her existence. She was a beast, a mindless beast destined to bring about the end of the world. It was quite ironic since the very person who sealed her away once destroyed the world himself in a great flood. Yet while he was still lauded and worshipped, she was cursed. [He said he trusts me.] In all the millennia she has lived, she had the opportunity to read the memories of those who were killed while drawing upon her power. [Will he see me as me, or as the beast of the apocalypse?] It was a question that she feared the answer to. Triple Six, Trihexa, Bringer of Armageddon, Harbinger of the End Times, Apocalypse Beast, and a myriad of other titles were what she was called. [I don¡¯t even remember my name anymore.] It had been so long since she was imprisoned that she forgot her name. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she had a name. But whatever it was, Trihexa definitely wasn¡¯t the name she was born with¡­if she was even born in the first place. Her fingers gently traced the contours of his cheekbones, her nervousness evident in her eyes. [Out of all the people who have drawn upon my power, you are the only one who has responded to my call.] A part of her still couldn¡¯t believe that after years upon years of being sealed away, she was finally able to feel another person¡¯s warmth. [You are able to see me, talk to me¡­] Her thumb trailed over his lips. [...and touch me.] Her eyes moistened as dark thoughts took over. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡± Leaning towards him, her hair spilled over his cheeks like a curtain. She pressed her forehead against his, her nose inhaling the scent of his hair. ¡°Please¡­please don¡¯t leave me alone.¡± She wanted to believe he wouldn¡¯t, but reality had never been kind with her. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to be alone again¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t told him, but for the merger to happen, it would all depend on whether he truly accepted her. Now, she was regretting that choice. If he truly rejected her from the bottom of his art, then she could never see him again. She would return to that void where she would be alone again in the dark. As time passed, her hope slowly waned while her sense of anxiousness grew. The tendrils were gathering at his chest. He would soon awaken and once he did, everything would be revealed. ¡°...¡± Her heart lurched towards her throat as she felt him gradually awaken. Her body trembled as she subconsciously tightened her grip on his cheeks. It was only when she felt his jaw stiffen that she abruptly sat up. When she did, she found his eyes were open¡­and he was glaring at her. [No¡­] ¡°You.¡± Igor looked at Triny with a very evident frown on his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Sitting up, the redhead ignored her stuttered response as he yelled at her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were a several millennia-old hag!¡± ¡°I-I-I-I¡­.what?¡± ¡°Bloody hell!¡± Gradually stand up, Igor gripped his hair in rage. ¡°I thought I was a bloody paedophile because you kissed me goddamnit!¡± ¡°...whaa?¡± Triny had never been so confused in her life. The words he were saying were not processing properly in her head. However, she wanted to verify one thing. Meeting his glare with her own nervous gaze, she softly spoke. ¡°I¡¯m¡­Trihexa.¡± Folding his arms matter-of-factly, Igor replied as if it was obvious. ¡°Yes. I know and I don¡¯t care. What I want to know is, why did you hide that you were older than my lineage? Did you know that I almost went crazy when you kissed me?! Do you know the trauma I felt?! I¡­wait a minute.¡± Completely disregarding her for a moment, Igor began doing some mental calculations. ¡°She¡¯s thousands of years old. If I combine all my ages, I¡¯m barely eighty.¡± His eyes widened as if he had come across a revelation. ¡°You¡¯re the one who kissed a minor. So its you! You¡¯re the paedophile! Bloody hell. Why? WHY am I surrounded by them? WHY!¡± ¡°...¡± Watching the redhead yell at the skies, a bud of hope grew in Triny¡¯s heart. ¡®Yes. I know and I don¡¯t care.¡¯ That single sentence repeated itself over and over. [Does¡­does he accept me?] She didn¡¯t believe it was this easy. ¡°Um¡­Igor?¡± ¡°-monkey sage, and now it is¡­heh?¡± The redhead turned to face her as if he wasn¡¯t ranting just a second ago. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Faced with his gaze, she nervously played with her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m the beast¡­¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks once* *Blinks twice* *Frowns¡­* ¡°Beast? What beast? You¡¯re a child-molester. You just molested someone thousands of years younger than¡­oh no.¡± Palming his forehead, he suddenly felt weak. ¡°Dear God. I was molested by a super pervert. My first merge and it happens to be a molester of all things.¡± ¡°...¡± Triny couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± As he repeatedly confirmed that she wasn¡¯t a monster¡­ ¡°Hihi~.¡± ¡­and that he didn¡¯t see her as the Beast of Apocalyspe. ¡°Teehee~.¡± ¡­all her worries were washed away. ¡°Hihihihihi~." ¡°...¡± Slightly removing his hand from his face, Igor peeked at the little girl who was giggling heartily with a small smile of his own. [A beast would never laugh like this.] . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can scout my patreon under the username, ¡°HolyGambler¡±. Until the next chapter and thanks for reading. Chapter 168 Unable to conceal her smile at their rather close relationship, she was happy that not only had Igor gotten stronger, but he also got a very strong companion, a companion in the form of Trihexa. What sort of possibilities that would open up, only time would tell. [As long as you are happy, Igor. It brings me joy to see you smile like this.] . |DxD| . Aurelia was standing in front of Igor with obvious intrigue on her face. Just a few moments ago, his aura suddenly surged which had caused her to nearly panic. The brief, but violent fluctuations had such power that even the tree behind him had almost been torn asunder. She was forced to put a lot more of her mana into the massive barrier surrounding them so that his massive energy signature would not leak out. With the power gap between them, her barrier was almost not strong enough, but she eventually managed. Having strengthened the barriers even further, she instantly made her way back to him only to be confronted with the sight before her. He was still hovering above the ground with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed with his crimson aura causing his equally crimson hair to billow like it was in a gentle wind. The most intriguing change was the nature energy surrounding his body. Previously it was like little black streaks individually entering his body, similar tadpoles surrounding an egg. Now, those streaks had turned into long strands that were converging at the centre of his forehead like a vortex. It was mesmerising just as it was unnerving. His aura had become absent of the thin film of malevolent nature energy surrounding him. But he wasn¡¯t getting weaker. Not in the slightest. Aurelia could feel it very clearly that his power had outright doubled compared to before. At his level of power, this was already comparable to almost three years of solid training in her estimation. This sudden strength increase wasn¡¯t enough for him to jump directly to high-supreme class, but it inched him ever closer. [Just what did you do, my lord?] If she wasn¡¯t paying attention, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed that his power had grown at all. That little release of power would¡¯ve been treated as just that- a release. And that was the thing. If he had actually gone with her suggestion and killed this entity inside of him, the increase in power would not have gone so naturally that it almost evaded her senses. * In fact, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if half the forest would¡¯ve been flattened by his rapid increase in power instead of that little wind he made. But if he didn¡¯t kill the girl, then what would be causing his power to rise? [Hopefully it isn¡¯t of negative consequence.] Yet right before her eyes, another sudden change occurred. The long strands of tainted energy which had been gathering on his forehead suddenly coalesced at a much higher rate. The black vortex suddenly spun faster and faster, its radius expanding dramatically for a few seconds before gradually, it stopped. Like the last vestiges of water circling down a drain, the radius of the vortex gradually shrunk until the remaining strands finally entered his forehead. The most surprising aspect however, was that a small black diamond tattoo had been left on his forehead. It was so small that even a baby¡¯s finger could cover it, but it was there nonetheless. Before she could decipher the sudden appearance of this mark, her attention was immediately drawn to his eyes that had suddenly opened. ¡°?!¡± GRUUUU! The shockwave he released was immense, so mighty that she found herself stumbling momentarily. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the trees however. A few of them had outright been torn from their trunks during that momentary hurricane of power. Even she could¡¯ve been blown away had she not secured herself to the ground using gravity magic. The only fortunate outcome was that the barrier held itself strong. [My lord¡­] His eyes, ever crimson as always, had gained a small but noticeable black ring around them. Her mind had briefly entertained the thought that he was possessed. But no matter how magnificent his external changes were, she would never mistake that warm yet immense lifeforce he naturally radiated. ¡°Lord Dimori.¡± She bowed slightly in respect. ¡°Welcome back.¡± Hearing him land on the ground, she lifted her head to inspect his features, but was surprised when she saw an annoyed expression on his face. ¡°Tch. Should¡¯ve read the terms and conditions.¡± ¡°?¡± Watching him rub the back of his neck, she wondered what terms and conditions he was talking about. . |DxD| . ¡°Waaah! The air feels nice! Oooh¡­so this is how clothes fee- Heyy! The trees are damaged! That¡¯s cool! Do it again! I want to see them go ¡®woooosh¡¯ and ¡®boooosh¡¯!¡± ¡°...¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Vein Twitch! Normally, Igor would consider himself a children¡¯s person. After all, he enjoyed having Asia and Akeno around him and would gladly spend time with them. However, that did not extend to old hags with thousands of years under their belts. Triny was incessant in her chattering. Ever since he had regained consciousness, she had been flooding his head with her constant commentary. Even worse, he didn¡¯t know how to shut her off. Gently landing on the ground, he scratched his neck in irritation. ¡°Tch. Should¡¯ve read the terms and conditions.¡± Gradually, he powered down to his base state. His hair flopped down to his side while his aura disappeared. However, the diamond mark remained on his forehead. He was happy to find that with his transformation undone, she had quietened down, however temporarily it might b- {Hey! I know you like me. I can feel it!} [I wish I didn¡¯t.] {Yaayy~. You admitted it!} [No. I¡­goddamnit.] Palming himself on the forehead, a massive part of himself was starting to regret merging with her. {Liar! I know don¡¯t. In fact, I can feel you¡¯re excited.} [...annoying hag.] Their bond was one that was forged through the soul. As such, she was able to know his true thoughts and feelings, something that irked him to no end. What was worse, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. {And you won¡¯t because I¡¯m staying. Hmph!} Resisting the urge to palm his forehead again, Igor seriously considered why he even went through this. [It would¡¯ve been better if it was a pretty woman. Not an old hag.] {I¡¯m not an old hag!} [You are.] {I¡¯m not!} [You ar-] {I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not!} [You are-] ¡°Lord Dimori?¡± Aurelia was concerned when Igor just stood on the spot with a blank gaze. Him palming his forehead as the veins on his forehead bulged did not help in removing her concerns. But it seemed her call was enough to bring him back to reality. Lowering his gaze to meet hers, Igor placed Triny¡¯s whinings towards the back of his head. ¡°Thank you for watching over me, sister. Everything went well, though I wish I could reverse time.¡± {Hey! I can feel you¡¯re lying, you know? And I¡¯m not an old hag!} {A young hag then?} {Nooooo!} Ignoring the whining girl in his head again, he pushed aside an annoying strand of hair that was hanging over his nose. He could tell his sister was curious and he didn¡¯t keep her waiting. ¡°You remember the girl I showed you in my memories? I didn¡¯t kill her. Hell, she might¡¯ve killed herself on a long enough time basis.¡± {I can¡¯t kill myself. I¡­tried.} [...] Filing this away as a conversation he would have with her later, he continued. ¡°So I did the next best thing. I absorbed her and now I¡¯m stuck with a girl in my head who may possibly talk me to death. Though, some good did come out of it.¡± Raising his hands, Igor formed a ki blade on his right hand. Zuuuuuuu It was a smooth white with a spectral yet glassy appearance. Without hesitation, he used it to cut a deep gash on his arm, nearly severing his hand from the rest of his arm. Forcing herself to inaction, Aurelia watched with wonder as a black mist covered the wound before it regenerated rapidly in real time. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± ¡°I know. Want to meet her? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about her.¡± ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t lie. She was very curious in meeting this Triny. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Grabbing her cheeks, he closed the distance between them before placing his forehead against hers. ¡°Brace yourself.¡± Slightly taken aback by the sudden contact, she composed herself. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± At her word, Igor slowly brought her into the deepest recesses of his mind. Black tendrils spread from his forehead and connected to hers. Aurelia felt like an ice cube had been pressed against her head, making her react unconsciously. ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Bear with it, sister.¡± ¡°...yes.¡± Slowly, she could feel herself lose consciousness, her mind falling into what appeared to be an endless abyss of white. . |DxD| . Gradually the white light blinding Aurelia¡¯s view dimmed. After having been sent through what seemed to be a wormhole, she was glad to have exited that dizzying landscape. When she opened her eyes, she was in a lush field expanding as far as the eye could see. With no trees in sight, the rays of the sun were free to spread their radiance without consequence. However, barring her new location, she was surprised to be confronted by a peculiar sight. Igor stood in front of her as always. What was different was that on his shoulders was the same girl she had seen in his memories. Her luscious golden hair cascaded around her shoulders like a mane while her dress as dark as the night was modestly adorned on her body. Interestingly enough, the girl seemed to be trying to bite through his skull with all the fervor of a lion cub. Unfortunately, she would have to get through his hair before she could sink her teeth in. Whether Igor noticed the attempt on his life or not, he didn¡¯t show it. Or if he did, he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Triny. Meet my sister, Aurelia. Sister. Meet Triny.¡± Lowering her head respectfully, Aurelia greeted the little girl. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Triny-sama. Please take care of my lord.¡± Igor offhandedly scoffed at her words. ¡°I wonder who¡¯s taking care of who¡­¡± ¡°?!¡± Angry, Triny sat ramrod straight on his shoulders with an angry expression on her face. ¡°Heyyy! I heard that!¡± ¡°What a surprise. Seems like despite your age, your ears do work.¡± ¡°Meanie!¡± The little lass then proceeded to try and bite his skull again, a futile effort since once again, his hair got in the way. Not caring in the slightest at her second attempt to scalp him, Igor shrugged his shoulders as he looked at his sister. ¡°See what I have to deal with?¡± Chuckling lightly to herself, Aurelia replied. ¡°Fufu~. I see, my lord.¡± Despite how his words could be interpreted in multiple different ways, Aurelia could hear from his tone that he was joking. In fact, the way these two acted seemed to be more along the lines of brother and sister. [It is surprising how familiarly they act with each other.] From what she¡¯s seen of the girl, Igor¡¯s off-handed comments should¡¯ve no doubt hurt her, especially if their merger was recent. But¡­ ¡°Maaa! I¡¯ll bite you. I¡¯ll bite you. I¡¯ll bite you to death!¡± ¡°More like talk me to death. If only you came with an off-switch.¡± ¡°Meanie! You¡¯re bad!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re annoying. Day one and I¡¯m already thinking of going to buy milk. ¡± * ¡°Liar! I¡¯ll bite you!¡± Unable to conceal her smile at their rather close relationship, she was happy that not only had Igor gotten stronger, but he also got a very strong companion, a companion in the form of Trihexa. Though, after seeing the fabled Beast of Apocalypse like this, her worldview certainly has been shattered. Regardless¡­ [As long as you are happy, my lord. It brings me joy to see you smile like this.] . AN . Now, for some explanations.
  1. If he had actually gone with her suggestion and killed this entity inside of him, the increase in power would not have gone so naturally that it almost evaded her senses. *
Explanation: Note that there is a difference between building up power and releasing power. Normally, when someone abruptly powers up, pressure accumulates within their body. This pressure is then released in a shockwave that depending on the person¡¯s power, may or may not cause noticeable damage to their surroundings. As for what happened with Igor, his power outright doubled. Meaning, his Demigod State that gave him a 100x boost in power suddenly became similar to a 200x multiplier. To clarify, the power increase was to his base state, not his transformation. Hence, the comparison. Moving on, his power increase was seamless as stated above. Well¡­not totally seamless. The rapid increase in power did release a minor shockwave. But like a chimney, the moment when he opened his eyes was when the pressure from rapidly building up his power was truly released in one great burst.
  1. ¡°And you¡¯re annoying. Day one and I¡¯m already thinking of going to buy milk. ¡± *
Explanation: Self-explanatory. Still don¡¯t get it? It¡¯s a joke where a father tells their child they¡¯re going to buy milk, only to never come back. Essentially, they abandoned their family. Chapter 169 ¡°Liar! I¡¯ll bite you!¡± Unable to conceal her smile at their rather close relationship, she was happy that not only had Igor gotten stronger, but he also got a very strong companion, a companion in the form of Trihexa. Though, after seeing the fabled Beast of Apocalypse like this, her worldview certainly has been shattered. Regardless¡­ [As long as you are happy, my lord. It brings me joy to see you smile like this.] . |DxD| . Shuri was listless in thought. The curtains to her room were closed, leaving her to lie alone in the dark on her bed. Garmed in her purple nightdress, she was slightly cold due to the cold air, but she didn¡¯t want to slide a blanket on top of herself yet. The cold helped her think logically, and she needed to be logical for a while. Curling herself in a foetal position, her mind went through the memories of today. The most prominent memory was the scene under the tree. The hug felt so wrong, yet so right. His touch, his warmth, his scent¡­everything felt so perfect when she was in his arms. Looking back on it now, what she did was a shameful action. A woman of her age being held by a boy who looked fifteen years her junior would not be perceived well. [Sigh¡­if only it was easy.] Her subtle affections for him were easier to manage when he looked younger. When he looked fifteen, it was easier to dismiss the budding affections that had formed when she saw his memories. It was even easier when he seemed so carefree like a child his age should¡¯ve been. But now¡­ [What do I do?] ¡­now, he¡¯d grown. Despite their brief interactions, she had seen how those eyes had matured. She hadn¡¯t truly gotten the time to accept that fact until she was left alone to stew in her own thoughts. Her mind once again flashed to what happened with Baraquiel. She¡¯d seen Aurelia¡¯s memories of what happened in the Underworld. It was completely shocking to see the events that had transpired. From Baraquiel almost dying to him being suddenly possessed was something that had her heart almost jump out of her chest. Igor wasn¡¯t specific when he told her, but she never expected that he had quite literally tore a hole through her former husband. Then again, she wasn¡¯t any better since she had been fully willing to stab him in the heart back in Cuba. The multitude of events that happened in the Underworld were very worrying, particularly when he was very close to being possessed. It was only fortunate that by the time Aurelia stopped sharing her memories, Igor had regained his control. Still¡­ [He did all that for me¡­] He unhesitantly went into the Underworld and confronted Baraquiel despite the massive risks associated with his actions. [He was angry for me, for us¡­] Whether he was aware or not, he risked life and limb to complete what many would think of as a foolish action. But to her, it was just further proof of how much he cared for those he considered his loved ones. It was a horrid thought to have, but to think that what made him lose control in rage was because he cared made her blush like a teenager. And by the gods, his appearance when he finally returned home had poked all of her buttons. That shirt he wore was white, yet it was so tight against his body that she could see the outlines of his chest. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. His hair at the time was hanging loosely at his sides, a different look from his usual ponytail that gave him that rough look. But that paled in comparison to the warmth he radiated when he hugged the kids. That unhidden love in his eyes as he kissed their foreheads made butterflies fly in her stomach. It had almost been an hour after dinner and she still found it hard to sleep. A part of her regretted her actions now. After she had hugged him, it had become impossible to look him in the eye. She was a fully matured woman who had fought in a war and also experienced death itself. Yet for the life of her, she couldn¡¯t look at him without her cheeks heating up. The only way she could even get through dinner with her dignity intact was keeping her head down. The last thing she wanted was looking at him and stupidly ending up in a daze like an amateur caught in an illusion. She could admit one thing however. That seemingly harmless hug had opened up a set of floodgates that were now impossible to close. Now, it was no longer enough to have him just close by. [I want him.] She needed him very, very, very close to her- ¡°No.¡± Abruptly opening her eyes, she noticed her hand slowly snuck between her thighs. ¡°...¡± She felt disgusted with herself. Igor was a child¡­a child that had grown into a man- [No!] She didn¡¯t want these feelings, but it had grown considerably harder and harder to deal with them as time went by, especially after today. The more she thought about Baraquiel, the more her heart yearned for Igor. He had done so much for her and her daughter that she couldn¡¯t not cherish him. And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, those feelings of gratitude had slowly turned to love. His tall frame, his vibrant smile, his serious gaze, and his wide back were things she couldn¡¯t get out of her mind. But most of all, his ever consistent dependability and care for his family had wormed her way into her heart. No matter how much she would deny it, she wanted him. She wanted him with everything she had. But did she deserve him? [I don¡¯t.] It didn¡¯t matter that she wanted him. What mattered is if he would want her back. She had been a married woman and had already given birth. She does not and will never regret having her daughter, but it was a fact that she was a ¡®used¡¯ woman. [He deserves a virgin, someone who is untainted. Someone who is¡­young.] It was a brutal reality that she couldn¡¯t escape. Many men would be willing to date her, but men of Igor¡¯s calibre wouldn¡¯t. Kings wouldn¡¯t take non-virgins as their women. And while Igor certainly had the potential to become one, she certainly wouldn¡¯t regain her maidenhood. Despite all this, she didn¡¯t regret anything. Her love for Baraquiel once existed, and her former self died with it. From the memories she saw through Igor, it was a happy and fulfilling life. Despite its bitter end, she would always cherish it for the good it brought. [Perhaps some day, it won¡¯t hurt.] She would get over this. She would reconcile with Baraquiel and over time, she was sure that her affections for Baraquiel would be rekindled¡­she hoped. Drip¡­drip¡­ She truly¡­truly hoped that would be the case- ¡°Aunty.¡± ¡°?!¡± The voice sounded so close to her ears that her senses went haywir- ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s me, aunty.¡± ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. He was here. She could feel his breath on her ear and it made her body tingle. But the gods be damned. She was not going to act like a teenager again just because he was close. Slowly, Shuri turned towards him. She was thankful that it was dark so she didn¡¯t have to see his face in great¡­detail¡­ [...] Her thoughts slowly cut off as her brief sense of relief jumped out the window. [Too close¡­] Her heart began beating quicker. If she lifted her head just a bit, she could- ¡°I didn¡¯t want to intrude like this, aunty. But I could sense you weren¡¯t alright. Your energy was all over the place.¡± It had been just over fifteen minutes since Igor returned from the forest with Aurelia. Initially, he was going to sleep when he finally couldn¡¯t ignore Shuri¡¯s turbulent emotions. He had focused his senses on her as well as Akeno and Asia out of habit when her abnormal energy flow caught his attention. Now, he wanted to know exactly why she was like this. ¡°I¡¯m not taking no for an answer anymore, aunty. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri¡¯s mind was elsewhere as she took him in. What briefly drew her attention was the small black diamond tattoo on his forehead. What it was for and why he had it was not her concern. Rather, what enraptured her were his eyes¡­his cerulean gaze that was filled with genuine worry for her. Even in the dark, she could see them very clearly. It was those same set of worried eyes that she saw when she awoke. And now that she saw them again, her heart started to beat a bit faster. Badump¡­Badump..Badump.Badump Badump Badump [So close¡­] They had never been so close to each other before. He could see he was waiting for some sort of answer from her. But she couldn¡¯t even remember his question. So entranced was she by his eyes that she couldn¡¯t even think properly. [I want him¡­] Her eyes flickered to his lips. Like a magnet, they attracted her. She wanted to know how they felt against hers, how they tasted¡­everything [I want you, Dimori-kun.] Closing the distance between them, somewhere in the back of her head, she could hear a very tiny voice shouting something indistinct. So smothered was she by desire, she took no heed to deciphering what it was. [Just this once.] Chuu~ . AN . I am a normal person with normal societal views. But for Shuri, I will not call FBI. Chapter 170 [I want you, Dimori-kun.] Closing the distance between them, somewhere in the back of her head, she could hear a very tiny voice shouting something indistinct. So smothered was she by desire, she took no heed to deciphering what it was. [Just this once.] Chuu~ . |DxD| . It was a soft kiss, but it sent her body blazing with emotion. In that moment, everything just felt so right, so¡­complete. As her lips touched his, her heart jumped for joy¡­yet ached for more. A part of her expected him to pull back in shock. She never expected however, that he would return her kiss. ¡°?!¡± She could feel him pushing against her, his lips locked against hers. He was rough yet forceful, something she found herself loving more and more each second. [So good...] Unable to restrain herself, she wrapped her arms around him. She pulled herself towards him, determined to press him against her. Yet that wasn¡¯t enough¡­not even close. Without breaking contact, she sat up and then just as quickly, used her weight to pull him on top of her. ¡°Mmmnnn~¡± She moaned inside his mouth as she felt his body over hers. Her pelvis was pressed directly against his and she could already feel his hardening erection through her underwear. By the gods if she didn¡¯t want it before, she wanted it now. Locking her legs around him, she pulled his hips towards her nether region, eager to feel more of him. Not once did she stop kissing him. Her arms were secured around his neck like vices that wouldn¡¯t allow him to retreat in the slightest. A very tiny part of her mind screamed that this was a very horrible idea, one that would have lasting consequences. But it was too late. Her eyes were filled with lust as she wonderfully moaned at the feeling of his lips and the blissful feeling of her pelvis rubbing against him. She was aware of her growing wetness and the ever-expanding hollow feeling inside of her that was begging, screaming to be filled with his hardened warmth. This was beyond crossing the line. But it was pressed against her so snugly that her mind was more focused on removing the barriers of fabric that prevented his advancement into her nether. Absolutely enjoying the feeling and taste of his lips, she very hesitantly pushed him back. Gently cupping his cheeks,her eyes were drowned in a haze of lust as she looked into his own. ¡°Take me¡­¡± Yet behind that lust, there was an unfathomable love. ¡°Please¡­¡± . |DxD| ¡°Take me. Please¡­¡± Igor was feeling a bit concerned at Shuri¡¯s words. Her tone was almost pleading, making him want to know what dream or illusion she saw that made her breath heavily like this. ¡°Alright, aunty. But¡­where exactly am I taking you?¡± ¡°...¡± Gradually, Shuri¡¯s vision changed. No longer was Igor on top of her. He was now crouching at her side with a look of complete worry on his face. ¡°If it¡¯s the Underworld, I¡¯m not sure I can go there without telling Uncle A, first.¡± ¡°...¡± Her mind quickly pieced together what happened. Nothing happened. Everything was an illusion. ¡°Please ignore my ramblings, Dimori-kun.¡± Ignoring the slight tug of regret, she sat up. ¡°Was there something you needed of me?¡± With her years of experience taking over, she donned a mask that was able to hide the hurt that everything had been an illusion. Though, it was probably for the best. If it had been reality, everything would¡¯ve been ruined. ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t like the kind ¡®smile¡¯ Shuri was giving him. It was too fake, too different from one of her genuine smiles. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, aunty.¡± Her ¡®smile¡¯ briefly faltered for a bit to reveal the emotions plaguing her in her eyes. He was not skilled enough to identify the others, but he knew there was sadness in them. ¡°Aunty. I know I said I would be there for you and that still stands. But I can¡¯t help you if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s troubling you.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri bit her lip slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dimori-kun. But I can¡¯t tell you.¡± She hastily placed a hand on his shoulder when she saw him tense. ¡°I can promise you this. There is no threat to my life or Akeno¡¯s. What I¡¯m going through is¡­something I have to deal with myself. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked into her eyes. He didn¡¯t like this. Not one bit. He wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he had a few clues on what could be the issue. ¡°Is your problem related to the old man?¡± [?!] It was quick. If it were not for just how powerful his perception was, he would¡¯ve missed the slight twitch of her mouth. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°...¡± Her quiet nod answered everything for him. He couldn¡¯t help but audibly sigh at the predicament. He wasn¡¯t sure what about Baraquiel was the issue, but he would take a gamble and speak out. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Akeno, but I will speak for myself, aunty.¡± His eyes evaded hers for a very brief moment as he gathered his thoughts. A few moments later, he looked back at her. ¡°The old man admitted that he abandoned you and Akeno. If I was mad about that, then I can only imagine how you felt. So it stands beyond reason that if you don¡¯t ever want to see him again, I understand. I promise I will never fault you or look at you differently for it.¡± Then, surprising her, he gently kissed her on her forehead before smiling kindly at her. ¡°I meant it when I said it before, aunty. I¡¯ll always have your back.¡± Standing up, he grabbed one of the folded blankets and draped it over her form. ¡°Sleep well, aunty. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Done with his task, he vanished like the wind. Su! . . . Silence¡­ Shuri stayed frozen in bed. Her legs curled tightly into her body as she processed his words. Her heart warmed at the care and consideration he was showing her. Her mind was eased at his unyielding support. Knowing she had him to fall back on was very comforting for her to know. The only one terrible outcome out of this was that she was sinking deeper into this rabbit hole she had found herself in. [You make it so hard not to love you, Dimori-kun.] The one moment where she decides to build a wall around these unhealthy feelings she had, he just came and knocked down that wall like it was nothing. Now, she found it hard to rebuild that wall, almost bordering on the verge of impossible. Like a sledgehammer, the warmth of his lips on her forehead turned all the bricks into unusable rubble. ¡°...¡± Unhesitantly, she slid her hand between her thighs, her finger gently rubbing her through her underwear. [Oh¡­Dimori-kun~.] Her other hand slid further into her nightdress towards her breasts where she trapped her hardened nipple between her thumb and fingers. Her toes curled at the feeling, a throaty moan escaping into her pillow. [Dimori-kun~.] He probably meant nothing by his kiss, but it meant a lot for her. His intentions were pure, something he did to comfort her. But for tonight¡­ [Mmnn~] ¡­tonight, she would imagine it meant something different. . |DxD| . Su! Igor appeared in the guest room where he and Aurelia would sleep. His sister was already asleep on her side of the bed, her breaths coming out at even intervals. Silently frowning at his current attire, he began taking off his clothes with a silent promise to never wear them again. Having unbuttoned his shirt, he began taking off his pants which were annoying to get off. Eventually, he was left in his trunks, a piece of clothing that Aurelia had made for him. Walking over to the bed, he unhesitantly peeled open the covers. For a very brief moment, his eyes were attracted to her thighs. Like milk, they were creamy and looked oh so succulent. A very tiny part of him wanted to reach up that tantalizingly short white dress and- [Tch. Annoying puberty¡­] Shaking his head, he slid under the covers and came face to face with her sleeping face. Her eyes were closed, her snow-white hair spilling over her pillow. She was beautiful, that much he could shamelessly admit. With his body having ¡®grown¡¯, a very small part of him saw her as a woman and not his sister. Thankfully, that part was still small. With ten years of habit revealing itself, he placed his arm around her waist, his hand ending up at her back where he slowly began rubbing it. Slowly, Aurelia unabashedly closed the small distance between them and slid into his embrace. It was another habit that had formed between the two siblings. Every night, they would always seek each other¡¯s touch. For the past ten years, he and Aurelia had shared the same bed without any problems. It wasn¡¯t going to be any different just because they left the time chamber. Oddly enough, he felt more comfortable feeling her close to him. Her warmth and her small breaths on his neck were the little things he could never go without anymore. Before he closed his eyes in rest however, he decided to deliver a single sentence. ¡°I trust you, sister.¡± He knew she was awake, or at the very least, coherent enough to hear his words. Having said his piece, he let himself drift off to sleep. No matter what she did, he wouldn¡¯t question it. She had proven time and time again that no matter what, she always had his best interest at heart. . |DxD| . ¡°I trust you, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia opened her eyes to look at Igor who had fallen asleep beside her. [So he felt it.] Like him, she had also been keeping her senses locked on Shuri. Although she would offer other more dignified reasons, it was more out of boredom than anything else. But she was glad she did. [To think she almost tried to kiss him.] It was a very stupid action that would¡¯ve no doubt changed everything. Maybe Shuri didn¡¯t know it, but Igor would never ever have accepted her. Disregarding the multitude of other reasons, the main one was that she was once Baraquiel¡¯s wife. He would never disrespect him in such a disgraceful manner. It was why she had decided to place her in a small illusion where she could briefly live out whatever fantasy she had and ¡®clear¡¯ her head before the illusion would fade. [I only channeled a very small amount of mana into Shuri-sama. But I never thought he would sense it.] Then again, he was right there when she did what she did. If she managed to place Shuri under an illusion in his presence, then she would¡¯ve been slightly disappointed. Smiling lightly, she also closed her eyes as she nuzzled closer to him. ¡°Thank you for trusting me, my lord. I promise I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± . AN . The fact that I enjoy this means I¡¯m not normal in the head. On another note, today is Friday so until the next chapter. Chapter 171 [I only channeled a very small amount of mana into Shuri-sama. But I never thought he would sense it.] Then again, he was right there when she did what she did. If she managed to place Shuri under an illusion in his presence, then she would¡¯ve been slightly disappointed. Smiling lightly, she also closed her eyes as she nuzzled closer to him. ¡°Thank you for trusting me, my lord. I promise I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± . |DxD| . 15/08/1999- August 16, 1999 (Monday) After a long and peaceful night, Kuoh was once again sunk into the blissful warmth of the rising sun. Its rays spread over the town, the light peeking into the bedrooms of each home¡¯s sleeping inhabitants. The groans of children and the curses of husbands everywhere were heard as each of them had to get up for either work or school. The only thing that prevented anarchy in the developing town was the tantalizing smell from the homely cooking of wives and mothers who had woken up even earlier than the lazy males of their homes. Surprisingly, the one who had woken up even earlier than these mothers was Igor. Before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, the blonde had begun his early morning routine that started at exactly four in the morning. Silently meditating under the tree in the yard, his body hovered above the ground, his eyes closed in focus. Dressed in nothing but a pair of pants and his sandals, the morning cold meant nothing to him. Absolute in his focus, he remained unperturbed even as the calls of various birds resounded throughout the forest around him. Ever since he had merged with Triny, he had become aware of his sudden qualitative increase in power. As good as that was, it was so sudden that his ki-control had become a bit slack. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t horrible like when his body suddenly aged up in the time chamber. His ki-control had slackened, but he was confident he could get it back to snuff by noon. Never one to forget the basics, he relied on old man Nakamura¡¯s tried and trusted Yin-Yang Breathing Method to temper his control. From before the sun had risen, he had been expanding and controlling his ki. While he would normally incorporate the Kaioken to increase the difficulty, he had completely cancelled it, including the passive multipliers he kept on at most times. He also used this opportunity to train his spirit control. With the addition of Triny into his body, his soul felt weird. For one, his ki was now more white than translucent grey. He figured that merging with her increased the overall quality of his soul, which in turn increased the quality of his soul force that he mixed with his ki to create Spirit Ki. Regardless of reasons, Igor wasn¡¯t one to nitpick the cause and effect. While not through a method he would¡¯ve normally opted for, his power had increased and the quality of his ki had risen. The only price he had to pay was a slight decline in ki-control but that would soon be quickly taken care of. Gradually, he could feel the rays of the sun touching his skin. Vaguely calculating from the time it had risen to the moment it had moved enough to reach him under the shade, he could guess that the clock was somewhere around 6:30. Letting himself resurface back into reality, he was confronted with the sight of Asia standing in front of him. Her hands were on her cheeks and her eyes were gazing at him in wonder. When she saw his eyes had opened, she eagerly spoke to him. ¡°G¡¯morning, big brother! Aunty told me to tell you that the food is ready. And¡­can you teach me how to fly too? I also wanna float in the air like you, big brother!¡± Smiling at the sight of his sister still in her pajamas, he ruffled her hair as his feet slowly touched the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can even teach you due to the different energies we use, but I will ask Sister Aurelia to teach you.¡± ¡°Yayy!¡± Hugging his leg she smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, big brother!¡± ¡°I know you will, Asia.¡± ¡°Hihi~¡± She grabbed his hand and began leading him to the house. At the prospect of flying, she couldn¡¯t help but skip excitedly along the way. ¡°I¡¯m gonna fly~. I¡¯m gonna fly~. I¡¯m gonna¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was content to smile at her as she happily led the way. Seeing her smile and sing so happily reminded him of another reason to train and get stronger. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. [I will always protect that smile.] Just imagining someone even sullying it made his eyes darken slightly before they regained their light. [No matter what.] . |DxD| . ¡°I love you~. You love me~. We¡¯re a happy family~. I love-¡± ¡°Akeno-chan. Help me set up the table.¡± ¡°Okay, mama.¡± The kitchen was lively with its three inhabitants. Shuri was manning the stove with all four plates working to heat up whatever pot was on top of them. The lovely scent of meat and soup filled the kitchen and she was just putting the finishing touches on the soup. Aurelia worked on the salad with her ever stoic visage on her face. Pieces of carrots and lettuce were on the table as she added the sauce to the mixture in the bowl. Akeno, heeding her mother¡¯s command, began setting up the table with three normal bowls and two rather large bowls. Because of their two blonde occupants, their eating habits made it better to serve them on a bowl than a plate. While she added cups to the table, Akeno began singing again with a smile on her face. Although her father wasn¡¯t here, she was happy nonetheless because everyone else was present for breakfast. Soon enough, Asia and Igor entered the kitchen. ¡°Morning, aunty. Morning sister.¡± Shuri turned to face him with a smile, but froze when she saw his current state of dress. ¡°Dimori-kun¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Igor¡¯s presence was very apparent since¡­he wasn¡¯t wearing a top. ¡°My lord.¡± Aurelia was very quick to rectify the situation by spawning a black long-sleeve shirt on him. ¡°Please pay attention to your image.¡± The blonde didn¡¯t seem surprised at his sudden addition in clothing. ¡°What image? It¡¯s not like I have breasts or something. Besides, I wanted to see who was singing first before I went upstairs.¡± Shuri was slightly taken aback at his straightforward language while Aurelia would¡¯ve palmed herself were it not for her hands covered in chopped vegetables. As for Igor, he turned to face Akeno with a teasing grin. ¡°Little chick. It¡¯s been what now. Four years? Even after all this time, your singing still sucks.¡± Flushed with rage, Akeno cried out. ¡°For the last time. I¡¯m not a little chick! And I can sing very well! Hmph.¡± ¡°Hmmmm. ¡®Well¡¯ you say? I highly doubt it. But I CAN be convinced otherwise.¡± ¡°?¡± Grinning at her confusion, he walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Tell you what. Call me ¡®onii-chan¡¯ from now on, and I¡¯ll admit you can sing well-¡± ¡°Onii-chan.¡± ¡°...¡± Her victorious grin made his plan to embarrass her a mute point. ¡°Alright. You can sing well.¡± Walking away with a frown on his face, he was heard mumbling about how she used to be embarrassed at calling him ¡®big brother¡¯, nevermind ¡®onii-chan¡¯. Once his footsteps were heard on the stairs, Asia ran towards Akeno and grabbed her hands. ¡°Waaah! I can¡¯t believe you called him that. You said you¡¯d never call him ¡®onii-chan¡¯.¡± With her face flushing in embarrassment, Akeno tried to appear dignified by straightening her back. ¡°W-well, that was before. I would¡¯ve never called him that, but since he asked¡­hmph. I was just making him happy.¡± ¡°...?¡± Asia was confused while Shuri simply couldn¡¯t stop laughing to herself. ¡°Fufufu~.¡± ¡°M-mama!¡± Turning to face her mother with a pout, Shuri only went back to stirring the pot while silently giggling. Only she was aware that Akeno had always wanted to call him ¡°onii-chan¡±. It¡¯s just that she was too embarrassed to do it willingly until the perfect situation presented itself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Akeno-chan. Mama won¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Mamaaaa!¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± . |DxD| . Breakfast was a quick affair that had three pairs of eyes watch two blondes eat with the enthusiasm of a pig with human hands. Completely emulating her brother, Asia had forgone forks, knives, and chopsticks. If it could not be eaten with a spoon, hands were used. What had everyone watching in amazement was that both blondes were tearing into their ramen¡­with a spoon. ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± Like a duckling, Asia had watched Igor eat for a few seconds before she dumped her chopsticks and took a spoon as well. Akeno had wanted to do the same, but a ¡®loving smile¡¯ from her mother made her stick to chopsticks. A few minutes had passed and besides Aurelia, no one truly ate. Shuri and Akeno were just surprised at their method of dining on a dish that required chopsticks or at the very least, a fork. Be it carrot sticks or strips of meet, all of it was consumed with a spoon and the thumb trapping the food. Eventually, no one sought to say anything and ate their food. If they tried to decipher what went through Asia¡¯s and Igor¡¯s heads, their food would¡¯ve long since grown cold before they figured it out. . |DxD| . Outside the house, Akeno and Shuri were standing in front of the garage. Akeno was already in full uniform along with a little blazer on her while Shuri hadn¡¯t changed out of her old black dress. Helping her daughter put on her school bag, she kindly asked. ¡°Do you have everything ready for school, Akeno-chan?¡± ¡°Yes, mama.¡± ¡°Ohhhh. Why don¡¯t you call me kaa-chan as well since you call Dimori-kun ¡®nii-chan¡¯?¡± ¡°...¡± Feeling embarrassed, Akeno grabbed her skirt while mumbling quietly. ¡°Ka¡­kaa-chan¡­¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± Holding a remote in her hand, she was about to press it when Igor walked out the door with Asia running behind him. ¡°Hey, aunty.¡± Walking up to the duo, he ruffled Akeno¡¯s hair, much to her chagrin. ¡°I¡¯ll walk Akeno to school today, aunty. What do you think?¡± Immediately, Akeno looked at her with pleading eyes that practically emulated her desire. Maintaining her composure, Shuri decided to please her daughter. ¡°Why, thank you, Dimori-kun. I¡¯m sure Akeno will be happy to be taken to school by her ¡®nii-chan¡¯.¡± The little fallen only lowered her head at her mother¡¯s teasings, provoking a chuckle from the blonde. ¡°Hehe. Well, we¡¯ll be off, aunty.¡± Holding both his sisters by their shoulders, he unhesitantly vanished along with them. Su! ¡°...¡± For a brief moment, Shuri wondered if he would remember to be discreet in showcasing his beyond-human capabilities. But her wonderings were cut off when Aurelia walked out of the house. ¡°Shuri-sama. I believe we have to talk.¡± ¡°?¡± Unaware of what she would want to talk about, she nodded. ¡°Alright, Aurelia-san.¡± . AN . Some training, some food, some slice of life. But, Igor has to meet Baraquiel the following day and I¡¯m curious to see how that turns out. I¡¯m also eager to know if Shiva will actually uphold his self-imposed promise to take Igor in like he did Indra. Though, I want to see what Aurelia will actually talk to Shuri about. Chapter 172 For a brief moment, Shuri wondered if he would remember to be discreet in showcasing his beyond-human capabilities. But her wonderings were cut off when Aurelia walked out of the house. ¡°Shuri-sama. I believe we have to talk.¡± ¡°?¡± Unaware of what she would want to talk about, she nodded. ¡°Alright, Aurelia-san.¡± . |DxD| . It had been a while since Igor had left, leaving Aurelia and Shuri alone in the house. Both were sitting on the couch in the living room, their eyes facing each other. With the clock having just went past seven, the Sun had already peeked into the house. A few seconds had passed since they sat down and Shuri was getting a bit impatient, especially with how blankly Aurelia was looking at her. ¡°Aurelia-san. What do you need from me?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t reply immediately. She impassively looked at Shuri, her blue eyes penetrating into hers. Not knowing how to ease her words, she went straight to the point. ¡°You love Igor.¡± ¡°?!¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. It was a statement. Aurelia had tried to think of a way, but her tongue wasn¡¯t glib enough to gently slide into this sort of conversation. ¡°Yes or no.¡± Despite there being two options to choose from, only one answer was truly viable at this point. ¡°...¡± Shuri could feel that this was a rhetorical question. The way Aurelia looked at her told her she knew. ¡°I¡­¡± There was no use denying it. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Trapping the fabric of her dress between her clenched fists, she reaffirmed her answer. ¡°I do.¡± Gone was her unease. Her back was straight as she looked at Aurelia. Her statement was controversial, but there wasn¡¯t a lick of fear on her face. ¡°...¡± In front of Shuri¡¯s intense gaze, Aurelia allowed the faintest of smiles to grace her face before her expression faded back to one of neutrality. ¡°Very well, Shuri-sama. But as my lord¡¯s attendant, I have to know. Do you intend to realise your affections?¡± ¡°No.¡± Her answer was quick. ¡°My role is with my husband. In order to provide my daughter a stable home, I will get back together with Baraquiel.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia could see it. Her eyes wavered slightly at no. And no matter how Shuri would try to hide it, her energy briefly spiked up when she said ¡°no¡±. ¡°Have you ever considered Akeno-sama¡¯s feelings on the matter?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri¡¯s eyes narrowed as she regarded Aurelia with suspicion. ¡°What are you trying to say, Aurelia-san?¡± ¡°A very simple thing, Shuri-sama. Should the opportunity arise in the future, I wish for you to be my lord¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°...¡± The faintest of blushes adorned her cheeks, but she soon recompos- ¡°W-what are you saying? Why would you want that?¡± She was so taken by surprise that she couldn¡¯t help but stutter. Aurelia¡¯s statement was a great shock to her that her normally composed state was shattered. ¡°What¡­do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Your potential, Shuri-sama. Being personally resurrected by Amaterasu-sama has not only given you a new lease on life, but also the perfect human body. If my lord were to procreate with you, there is a very high chance that the child born from your union would be a pure-blooded Aryan. There is also the added benefit that my lord would not need to court you, seeing as you harbour affections for him.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°...¡± Shuri took her words in silently. Hearing her reasons, despite them being rather archaic, provided her more reassurance than if she were to say she did it out of the kindness of her heart. ¡°I¡­see.¡± A large part of her wanted to jump at this idea, but there remained one problem. ¡°But my daughter-¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to interrupt you there, Shuri-sama. I greatly admire your will to provide the perfect life for your daughter, but there is reality to consider. Before I begin, I want to ask. If you were to reconcile with Baraquiel-sama, are you confident that you can love him again?¡± ¡°...¡± Her silence was enough of an answer. ¡°My next question. I am quite sure that my lord will possibly frequently visit, if he does not live here on a permanent basis. Let us assume you have reconciled with Baraquiel-sama and he now lives here. How confident are you that you can hide your attraction to Lord Dimori from him?¡± ¡°?!¡± Shuri widened her eyes at that statement. It was no secret that Baraquiel was very, very old. She would be lying if she said she could. It took nearly all of her willpower to keep her composure everytime she conversed with Igor. But she was not confident enough to hide her desires for months or even years on end. Once again, her silence was her answer, prompting Aurelia to continue. ¡°My next question. Are you willing to share a bed with Baraquiel-sama and perform your wifely duties?¡± ¡°...¡± Once again, the silence was deafening. ¡°Very well. From what you¡¯ve¡­¡¯told¡¯ me, I can conclude the most likely scenario of what would happen in this household for the next six years. Let us say that my lord and I will not be present for the foreseeable future. You will reconcile with Baraquiel-sama in your endeavor to provide Akeno-sama a stable household consisting of a mother and father. Baraquiel-sama is understanding and will not ask you to perform your wifely duties. A year or two pass and Akeno-sama inevitably starts to notice something wrong.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri briefly widened her eyes, but made no commitment to argue. She knew better than anyone how smart Akeno was. ¡°Baraquiel-sama is no longer as happy as he was before. It is very clear that the both of you are quite frankly, cohabiting at this point and this starts to affect Akeno-sama. Your dinners progressively grow colder and you sparsely spend anytime together. As Akeno-sama grows up, she notices more and more of these inconsistencies that are completely different from her childhood. Instead of being happy, she grows concerned as you and Baraquiel-sama insist on telling her that everything is fine. Gradually as she goes through puberty, grows up, and becomes more aware, truths are slowly revealed and inevitably, she finds out the reason why everything was the way it was. She finds out that because of her, her parents endured a loveless marriage. This, Shuri-sama, is a case of letting a wound fester.¡± . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± Aurelia¡¯s words hung in the air like a heavy scent as Shuri begrudgingly absorbed them with her fists clenched. ¡°If that upsets you, Shuri-sama, then I am afraid this outcome is the best one compared to this next scenario.¡± ¡°?¡± Raising her head, she hopelessly sighed. ¡°Another one? What could possibly be worse than disappointing my own daughter?¡± ¡°Lord Dimori¡¯s presence, Shuri-sama. This time, Baraquiel-sama notices your glances towards him and inevitably, the relationship between him and my lord is soured. Lord Dimori will not understand why until it is too late. However, his guaranteed reaction, should your actions remain constant, will border on the negative as he will not accept you for certain reasons I will not currently state. In the end, my lord will most likely vacate this house and limit contact with you for the foreseeable future due to his desire to respect and maintain Baraquiel-sama¡¯s dignity as his elder and as a man.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia¡¯s words most likely weren¡¯t completely accurate, but Shuri could actually imagine Igor leaving this house. She was aware of how much he respected Baraquiel both through his memories, and the evident regret in his eyes when he returned from the Underworld. ¡°Then¡­what should I do? What do you expect me to do, Aurelia-san?¡± Adjusting her posture, Aurelia looked Shuri right in the eye without flinching. I wish for you to be honest, Shuri-sama. Can you truly, truly stop loving my lord?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri¡¯s mind flashed back to the day he appeared in front of her. Before receiving his memories, she simply thought of him as a cute boy. But it was when she received his memories that everything changed. She did not receive just his memories, but his feelings as well. His happiness, his rage, and his sadness were all the feelings she felt from him. ¡°I was grateful to Dimori-kun. When I found out all the things he went through to save me and Akeno, I felt immense gratitude towards him, Aurelia-san. I¡­I don¡¯t know when I started feeling ¡®more¡¯ for him. Maybe¡­¡± Her mind reminisced to when Amaterasu insinuated that she might be a different person entirely. ¡®Aunty still feels the same. She still speaks the same. Her smile is still the same. Those eyes are still the same. Everything about her is the same. Her memories are gone, but who she is as a person is still there.¡¯ ¡°Maybe it was when he accepted me for who I am that I slowly started to love him. I don¡¯t know if you would understand, Aurelia-san, but I, a person with no memories and no self-identity, found out that I was both a wife and a mother. I had no clue how I was supposed to act. I had no clue how I was supposed to interact with the two people who were the closest to me.¡± She wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes, yet the warmest smile formed on her face. ¡°But he told me that none of it mattered, that I was still me. I felt as if an immense weight had been taken off my shoulders.¡± ¡®See, I go by my gut and right now, my gut says Shuri is Shuri. This whole thing about her soul being cleansed simply tells me that she will no longer have to remember what her clan did to her. As for other things, they don¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll handle Akeno and explain the situation. As for ¡®others¡¯, I¡¯ll beat them up until they accept that aunty doesn¡¯t remember them.¡¯ ¡°Tell me, Aurelia-san. If you had someone who was willing to fight the entire world for you and accept you for everything you are along with your flaws, would you stop loving them. Can you stop loving them?¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia had no answer for that question. Falling in love was a concept foreign to her. As such, she remained silent while Shuri continued. ¡°Maybe others can, Aurelia-san. But I can¡¯t.¡± Her eyes glistened as she raised her head. ¡°No matter what you say or do, I can¡¯t stop loving him, I won¡¯t stop loving him, and I never will stop loving him. As long as I draw breath, this heart of mine will belong to him.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia could detect no falsities in Shuri¡¯s words. She was truthful and in all honesty, Aurelia felt a bit overwhelmed at how the ravenette could harbour so much affection for her lord in only a month. It was quite frightening and awe-inspiring to say the least. ¡°Very well, Shuri-sama. Then I can only propose one solution that may give you the happy ending we both desire.¡± Taking the time to breathe, Aurelia delivered her words. ¡°Should you receive the opportunity to be with Baraquiel-sama in private, come clean with your thoughts and feelings. It will be better for everyone involved.¡± . AN . I don¡¯t care anymore. I don¡¯t care if it makes me seem like I endorse paedophilia, but there better be a happy ending to this or I¡¯ll lose my sh*t. On another note, Aurelia is the goat. Change my mind. Well, until the next chapter. Unless, you can read ahead on my patreon. Just look for HolyGambler. Chapter 173 ¡°Very well, Shuri-sama. Then I can only propose one solution that may give you the happy ending we both desire.¡± Taking the time to breathe, Aurelia delivered her words. ¡°Should you receive the opportunity to be with Baraquiel-sama in private, come clean with your thoughts and feelings. It will be better for everyone involved.¡± . |DxD| . It was a bustling day in Kuoh. With it being a Monday morning, a large number of cars filled the streets. Shops had opened and business was in full swing. The sidewalks were filled with mostly school children who were making their way to one of the few schools in this town. Travelling back from dropping off Akeno was Igor. With Asia at his side, the two blondes made their way across town, their hands intertwined with each other. While he walked silently, Asia couldn¡¯t help but excitedly stare at the various people and vehicles that passed by them. They also received varying amounts of looks due to their foreign appearance. With the both of them being blondes, they were definitely out of place. [She¡¯s enjoying this.] Whether Asia was aware of their gazes or not, she seemed unbothered by them. She happily took in the sights around her as she excitedly pointed out things. For once, Igor was glad that he didn¡¯t instantly speed them back home. ¡°Watch your step, Asia.¡± ¡°Waah?¡± Raising his arm, he effortlessly lifted her body over a flood drain built into the sidewalk. Glancing over her shoulder as Igor dropped her on the ground, Asia asked with interest. ¡°Big brother. What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°?¡± Looking over to where she was pointing, he explained. ¡°That¡¯s a flood drain, little Asia. It works so that when there¡¯s lots of rain, the water will drain into it. This will make it so that the streets don¡¯t become waterlogged and cars won¡¯t slip and slide on it.¡± ¡°...water¡­logged?¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Watching her cutely scrunching her expression in confusion made him laugh, which only served to make Asia mad. ¡°Mouuuu! Don¡¯t laugh, big brotheeerrr.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Who told you to be sooo cute, Asia?¡± ¡°Hmph¡± The little blonde turned her face away from him with a huff. ¡°You¡¯re being mean.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s called teasing~.¡± ¡°...¡± Asia didn¡¯t reply to him. She was more concerned on putting up an angry front. Though, she could¡¯ve better pulled off that front if she wasn¡¯t still holding his hand. [Cute~] Pulling her to him, he picked her up and let her sit on his arms. ¡°Eh?!¡± So surprised was she by his action that she gripped his forearms with a vice-like grip. ¡°That¡¯s not nice, big brother¡­¡± Looking at him with a pout, she was silenced by a sudden kiss to her forehead. Chuu~ ¡°?!¡± *Flush* Taken completely by surprise, she buried her head in his neck, her eyes closed shut as her embarrassment rose by considerable margins. ¡°Y-y-you¡­you¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s so easy to tease you, Asia.¡± Uncaring for the few numbers of people watching them, Igor made his way towards the edge of town with Asia on his arms. He had his family with him. He ate good food. He was happy. It was still far from noon, but today was a good day. . |DxD| . Mount Kailasa, India, Shiva¡¯s Abode . When one imagined the home belonging to a God of Destruction, they would imagine a home filled with nothing but death and decay. However, it was the opposite that was true. Inaccessible from the rest of the world through normal means, the true Mount Kailasa was anything but barren. For one, it was teeming with life everywhere. The trees were very tall and unnaturally thick, so thick that the thinnest trunk was already the size of a large room. The grass was so green it was as if every single blade had been doused in premium-grade fertilizer. The wildlife, especially the deer, were nearly over twice the size of normal deer. The same could also be said for the predators. Tigers as large as grizzly bears prowled about on the hunt with eyes that seemed far too intelligent for an ordinary animal. The only thing ordinary on this mountain was a simple two-storey house that had smoke coming out of its chimney. Flowers and other shrubbery had been planted along the sides of the house and had been maintained very well. Behind the house was even a rather modest garden with fresh produce ready to be harvested. But, with a massive forest surrounding the house, it still seemed rather tiny in comparison. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. While the mountain was peaceful, that was only on most days This mountain had an owner, and this owner was the God of Destruction. There were bound to be some noisy days in the home of god who¡¯s role is to destroy. On this particular day, Shiva was fighting against Nandi¡­with full intent to kill. Su! His athletic figure flashed forward towards his teacher, his fist clenched to deliver a powerful strike to the top of his head. BOOOM! Instead of a skull, his entire arm sunk deep into the earth, vambraces and all. It was rather telling of his speed and control that he could punch his arm into the ground without causing a crater. ¡°...¡± Narrowing his gaze, he swiftly removed his arm from the ground. Jumping back, he dodged a quick sweep of Nandi¡¯s staff, easily backpedaling away despite the massive weights on his arms. A swift exchange ensued after that. Nandi would strike with his staff while Shiva would dodge, deflect, or counter. Clang! Despite how thin Nandi¡¯s staff was, it was very, very hard. The pale man masterfully wielded it with one hand, his remaining hand comfortably placed behind his back. Not once did his foot touch the ground nor was there a single stain of dust on his clothes. His eyes were closed for most of the time, which only served to make Shiva slightly irate. [...] Dodging another swipe of Nandi¡¯s staff, he jumped back to create some distance. Idly, he noticed the position of the sun which caused him to halt combat. Motioning for Nandi to stop, he stood tall, his sweat glistening in the sunlight. ¡°Nandi. How long has it been?¡± ¡°Almost three days have passed since we begun, my lord. Only two more minutes until we can officially remove the ¡®almost¡¯.¡± ¡°...¡± The weight over his entire body was gradually getting to him, especially when the majority of his energy was sealed. As it stood, he only had enough energy for slightly enhancing his physique leaving just barely enough for levitation. Over two days had passed and he had still yet to land a proper blow on his mentor. It was mildly frustrating to say the least, but he was used to it. ¡°Alright then, Nandi. Let us continue.¡± Disregarding his body¡¯s desire to rest, Shiva got into a stance. He said he would last three days so he would see that desire to its natural conclusion. Su! There was no flicker of movement. There was no sound. One moment he was there. The next, he was gone. The entire vicinity seemed silent¡­too silent. They couldn¡¯t be seen, but they were there. Nandi and Shiva¡­were fighting. Their movement was far, far too fast for anyone to perceive. The immense level of control they had over their powers all but guaranteed that unless a dodged fist to the ground couldn¡¯t change its course, there would be no visual or auditory effects. Fighting within a realm of speed completely invisible to the naked eye, Nandi was casually dodging each and every one of Shiva¡¯s blows. There were no over the top backflips or other fancy manoeuvres. Sway to the left, sway to the right, or backstep. If all else fails, block the blow¡­with a finger. ¡°...¡± With their figures having frozen long enough, Nandi and Shiva were once again perceivable to the naked eye. Both of them were in the skies. Shiva had his fist outstretched while Nandi had blocked it with a finger. The attendant had a perpetual closed-eye smile on his face, his effeminate features making the situation all the more grating to Shiva. ¡°And that concludes the third day, my lord.¡± ¡°...¡± Resisting the urge to continue the fight, Shiva stood up straight. ¡°Good.¡± Unhesitantly began unclipping the golden vambraces on his arms. With two synchronous ¡®click!¡¯, the metallic accessories fell down to the ground under the pull of gravity. And down they fell¡­like a tub of ice-cream.* BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM The consequences were nigh instantaneous. Surpassing even the impact of an asteroid, the weight and density of the vambraces were so immense that a deafening roar erupted as soon as they touched the ground. The shockwaves alone shred apart anything and everything around the vicinity and would¡¯ve continued further were it not for the intervention of Nandi. Tapping the bottom of his staff on solid air, a massive transparent-blue barrier formed around the site of destruction. With everything inside the barrier frozen in time, Nandi looked at his lord with a hint of amusement. ¡°Is destroying the environment that I so dearly love your method of venting your frustrations, my lord?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva didn¡¯t deign to give me a reply. With Nandi having blocked his attack with a finger of all things, he had the damn right to feel vindictive. He was only glad none of his children were watching. Turning his back on his attendant, he made his way back to the house. His wife would¡¯ve no doubt made a meal and he was already feeling hungry. Behind him, Nandi only smiled wryly before he began reversing time. Slowly, everything inside the barrier began rewinding. The destroyed trees began piecing themselves together while the rocks and rubble went back to their previous locations. Animals unfortunately caught in the blast also had their pieces and bits of flesh perfectly recombined as life once again flashed in their eyes. Once everything was slowly restored, the vambraces eventually began rising up from the massive crater they created upon their landing. When time was restored to a satisfactory level, Nandi cancelled the technique with a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°And that¡¯s that.¡± Turning to face his lord, the vambraces eventually hovered behind him, only to soon disappear in motes of white light. Making his way to Shiva, Nandi eventually caught up to him. However, instead of his lighthearted expression, he was serious. It was time to review the battle and as a teacher, it was his job to raise certain concerns. ¡°You fought well my lord. However, I could tell that there was something on the back of your mind during our bout. Might I hazard a guess and say it relates to the Son of Dimori?¡± ¡°...¡± No answer. ¡°To be more accurate, is it also related to Trihexa, my lord?¡± Upon hearing ¡°Trihexa¡±, Shiva stopped in midair. ¡°...¡± Also stopping alongside him, Nandi faced forward with a serious expression. ¡°Please let me remind you, my lord. Your title prevents you from interfering in mortal affairs. Unless the planet itself is at risk, you as the God of Destruction shall not interfere under any circumstance.¡± ¡°...¡± Nandi was right. His job wasn¡¯t to participate in the affairs of mortals. His job was to oversee and preserve the sanctity of the universe. When fulfilling his duties, his heart was not to affect his decisions. Lowering his head, Shiva couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Sometimes, I arrive at moments where I dislike my role.¡± ¡°Hohoho~. Do not worry so much, my lord. If your concern lies in Dimori¡¯s treatment of Trihexa, then you have no need to worry. I took it upon myself to observe a brief moment of their interaction. To best describe it, they are like brother and sister.¡± Uncharacteristically, Shiva smiled lightly. ¡°Good. That girl deserves better.¡± ¡°Indeed she does, my lord. And since we are on this topic, might I know when you intend to finally honour your self-imposed promise and train Young Dimori? He has attained the power of the Supreme Class in less than a hundred years.¡± It was surprising how quickly Igor reached his new level of power. While it was not achieved under the best of circumstances, it nonetheless cemented his status amongst the strongest entities in the world. ¡°Soon. I will extend the opportunity to him in the next war against Indra.¡± ¡°Oho? Would your actions not offend our dearest Indra?¡± ¡°His opinion on the matter is irrelevant. Should Dimori agree, I will bring him here.¡± Nandi brought a hand to his mouth in mild surprise. ¡°Oh my. That soon? You seem to be in quite a rush, my lord. Dare I presume you intend to make him the next God of Destruction?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva stopped hovering in midair, his brows crunching in thought. ¡°Possibly. If he proves to be better than Indra, then I will hand over the title to him. However, that matter will be discussed after a few decades at best.¡± Having said his piece, Shiva flew forward, temporarily leaving Nandi behind to stew in his thoughts. ¡°...¡± Nandi had raised the issue as comedic relief, but it seemed that Shiva was truly placing some of his hopes on Igor. [My lord is tired. He has held his role for far too long.] The disappointment Indra showed him when he stopped striving for more strength was a rather sore spot for Shiva who had been sincere in teaching him. [Even if young Indra had not accepted the title, just having someone else of decent strength would¡¯ve been enough for my lord. Perhaps¡­the son of Dimori might be able to take up that role and if possible, the mantle of my lord. However, the current him does not have the disposition necessary to fulfil the role of a god of destruction.] Smiling lightly, he flew after Shiva and caught up with him. [Whether young Dimori will be the replacement my lord desires, only time will tell.] . AN .
  1. And down they fell¡­like a tub of ice-cream.*
Explanation: I don¡¯t know what it is, but you never see a tub of ice-cream fall. One moment it¡¯s in your hands. The next, it¡¯s on the floor. That¡¯s how fast those vambraces fell. If you wish, you can read ahead on my patreon. Just look for HolyGambler. Chapter 174 [Even if young Indra had not accepted the title, just having someone else of decent strength would¡¯ve been enough for my lord. Perhaps¡­the son of Dimori might be able to take up that role and if possible, the mantle of my lord. However, the current him does not have the disposition necessary to fulfil the role of a god of destruction.] Smiling lightly, he flew after Shiva and caught up with him. [Whether young Dimori will be the replacement my lord desires, only time will tell.] . |DxD| . The sixteenth of August was a day Igor would remember as a very good day. No fights to the death. No troublesome politics. No time chamber suddenly whisking him away. Everything was normal. Everything was perfect. Well¡­almost. If Baraquiel was here and not hurt, then this would¡¯ve been a perfect day. But he wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that the old man¡¯s presence would¡¯ve made everything better. In fact, the opposite may have probably happened. Lying in bed alone, the blonde temporarily put aside the old fallen¡¯s rather recent poor life choices. [Maybe if old man Strada was here, things would¡¯ve been nice. It would be funny seeing Akeno get scared again by his scars.] But he didn¡¯t want to bother Vasco. He was pretty sure the old man was doing cleanup in the Vatican. He could only hope that he was successful. Gradually, his mind shifted to the events of today. After returning back home with Asia, he passed the hours by subtly training his sister through playing. It had been something he¡¯d been doing for years whenever he wasn¡¯t held up by certain reasons. Disguising those excercises as ridiculous playful competitions, he continued to be impressed by Asia¡¯s physical capabilities. One massive help today was Aurelia¡¯s knowledge. With her experience in mana, she was able to teach Asia about utilising her mana for more than just powering her sacred gear. She had even gone on to teach the little blonde how to fly. Contrary to belief, the session didn¡¯t even last a full hour. For Asia who had been continuously using her mana to power her sacred gear for years, her mana reserves were deep enough that she could quickly learn how to fly using magic. The excited smile on her face brought a smile to his own as he relieved the memory. Looking at the ceiling, he could still see Asia excitedly flying around in the skies with a bright smile on her face. She wasn¡¯t fast by any means, but her ability to adapt was praiseworthy. [Heh~. Unlike me, she didn¡¯t fumble out and fly upside down.] The events only spiralled upwards from there when Shuri returned with Akeno from school. To say that the little brunette was just as excited was an understatement. Unfurling her own wings, the two girls had proceeded to fly around the forest in a sort of silent competition. With no agreed-upon finish line, the two of them had weaved through the trees in a bid to outdo the other. While Asia had become a somewhat competent flyer from a few hours of practice, she couldn¡¯t compete with Akeno¡¯s years of experience and familiarity with the forest. Once Asia gave up, the sunset was nearing when everyone went back for dinner. With his older sister and his aunt being the chefs, the amount of food was nearly stupendous, especially the meat. This time, dinner wasn¡¯t silent and everyone was excitable. Apart from Asia and Akeno, Shuri seemed to have gotten a huge weight off her shoulders. With her directing the flow of the conversation, the little girls excitedly contributed. Surprisingly, even Aurelia spoke a lot more during the meal. With the conversation topic being Asia¡¯s ability to fly, she interjected with a few words of advice every once in a while. Even Triny, though no one else could hear her, excitedly chammered. Though, her focus was more on the taste of the food. Atleast she was sensible enough not to blow out his ears. Eventually, dinner ended and people had their showers. Igor being Igor, stated that he didn¡¯t need to shower often. His passive Kaioken did a great job at killing any germs, burning dead skin, and eliminating any other factors like bacteria that would cause him to smell bad. The only time he would need to wash himself was when his hair got too dry. Lying in bed while everyone had flocked to the bathrooms, he sat up when he saw the door to his room open. Dakaang~ ¡°...¡± Sometimes, Igor hated these annoying feelings he got that always temporarily clouded his thoughts ever since he ¡®grew¡¯. When Aurelia walked in, she was clad in a white towel that did little to hide her natural beauty. She was beautiful. A fact, not an opinion. But, he was her brother. Despite her being his elder, it was his job to ¡°bring her down to earth¡± every once in a while. ¡°You sure took your time in the shower, sister. Any longer and I might¡¯ve grown a beard.¡± Closing the door behind her, the silverette gracefully walked towards the counter, her lips slightly twitching upward as she posted a remark. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Perhaps you were anxious for my warmth, my lord?¡± ¡°Not if you¡¯re going to fart again.¡± ¡°...¡± His grin grew at her silence. With her just standing there in surprise, his stifled laughter escaped. ¡°Pfft. What does that make it now? 51-48? Step your game up, sister. I¡¯m already widening the lead.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia continued her walk to the counter in silence. Stopping in front of it, she looked at herself in the mirror before her gaze moved over to Igor¡¯s, the smallest of smirks on her face. ¡°I know you looked at my legs last night.¡± ¡°...¡± For what it¡¯s worth, the blonde didn¡¯t flinch. [Maybe she¡¯s just guess-] ¡°To want someone as old as me, I must certainly question your fetishes, my lord.¡± ¡°...¡± Now, Igor had two avenues he could choose from. One, he could admit defeat and let her gain a point. Two, he could really comment on her age and deliver a comeback that may give him another point. While Aurelia would laugh it off, it would hurt her deep inside because of the insecurities he noticed on her. Making up his mind, he decided to forfeit this little bout. ¡°I blame you for that, sister. You have some of the best legs I¡¯ve seen.¡± Grinning at how she tried to hide the small smile on her face, he continued. ¡°I do admit though, sister. You certainly are pretty. You could stand side to side with a graduate and you¡¯d be the younger one.¡± Her smile grew longer, making his own grin stretch wryly. ¡°Especially if you smile juuust like that.¡± Watching her through the mirror, their eyes met for just a brief moment before she shyly looked away. With a triumphant grin on his face, Igor inwardly praised himself [Can¡¯t catch me offguard, sister.] With his hands behind his head, he watched as Aurelia slowly regained her composure. With her smile now gone, she spoke with a composed voice. ¡°Thank you for your compliment, my lord. I believe the score is now 52-49?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let it be 52-50 if you call me by my name.¡± ¡°I-¡± ¡°When we¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°...¡± Properly sitting up, he could see her hesitance. With his smile falling, he was not going to let up. Not this time. ¡°Listen to me, sister. I get that you¡¯re trying to portray me as some sort of important figure for politics and stuff. I don¡¯t like it, but I get why you¡¯re doing it. It¡¯s helpful in the long run and stuff. But, it¡¯s just the two of us here.¡± Locking her gaze to his throught the mirror, he continued. ¡°We¡¯re alone. There¡¯s no need for you to keep up that act. Treat me like Igor, your little brother. Not Igor, the patriarch or some other fancy title you have in your head.¡± ¡°...¡± She held his gaze for a moment longer, her eyes wavering in front of his. ¡°I see¡­¡± She wanted to deny him, but there was no hope when his eyes were firm like they were. ¡°Alright¡­Igor.¡± And just like that, his eyes lightened up again. ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t so hard, right?¡± Smiling lightly at his teasing jab, she went back to focusing on herself. And it seemed the blonde wasn¡¯t going to pursue the topic. Though, he did notice that she wasn¡¯t comfortable with the conclusion. Regardless, he wouldn¡¯t question it¡­yet. Looking at herself in the mirror, Aurelia slowly removed the towel covering her hair and neatly rolled it up. Gathering up her hair that had fallen over her shoulders, she slowly tied it in a bun. Watching her now grab a bottle of lotion, Igor frowned slightly when he recognised the brand from one of the advertisements he saw in town. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it, sister. Why do you apply these skincare things when they¡¯re useless? Our heritage makes it so that you¡¯ll never need to waste time in front of a mirror.¡± The silverette looked at him through the mirror while she applied her arms with lotion. ¡°Because, before everything else, I am a woman. To you, this may appear useless. But to me, it is a¡­ritual of sorts. A necessity.¡± Smiling wryly, she continued. ¡°In the future, even Akeno-sama and Asia-sama will use these products.¡± His brows scrunched up as he tried to argue. ¡°They woul¡­¡± However, his mind drifted back to yesterday¡¯s shopping spree. Asia, Akeno, and Lina had been far too enthusiastic about something as pointless as shopping. Whereas he would be out in fifteen minutes maximum, they stretched a simple task to biblical proportions. Sigh¡­ Knowing Aurelia was right, he flopped back onto his pillow. ¡°Women. I¡¯ll never understand them.¡± He spent ten years with Aurelia and he still didn¡¯t understand some of the things she did. He figured it was best to give up at this point. ¡°Fufufu~.¡± Finding Igor¡¯s response to the inevitable future, she suppressed the urge to tease him in favour of bringing another situation to light. ¡°Tomorrow we must go and meet with Baraquiel-sama.¡± ¡°Yes. I know. He probably should¡¯ve woken up by now.¡± ¡°...¡± Following his words, there was a brief silence until he felt the bed covers being pulled open. Opening his eyes, he was subjected to the sight of Aurelia in her nightdress. Once again, he was briefly enraptured by her figure. She entered the bed with her face towards him, the scent of her skin clouding his nose. Pulling the covers over them out of habit, she laid her head against his chest. ¡°No matter what in the Underworld, I will always be beside you¡­Igor.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nuzzling his chin on her head, he wrapped an arm around her waist. ¡°You made it clear way too many times for me to not know. Though¡­I¡¯m curious about something, sister.¡± Aurelia tilted her head to look at him, her chin brushing against his chest. ¡°What might it be, my-Igor?¡± ¡°Heh~. That. That right there is what I want to know about. When you brought about this idea to call me your lord, you were way too adamant on it, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± She was silent, her thoughts whirling as she tried to- ¡°Aurelia. I may not share blood with you, but I have known you for a long time now. I know when you are hiding something from me. Your idea to refer to me as ¡®Lord Dimori¡¯ was something you discussed with me over the months before we left. In that time, you still called me by my name. It was only when we left the time chamber that you suddenly changed your way of calling me. I understand if it¡¯s in public. I don¡¯t like it, but I understand. You wish for my name to have prestige and I accept that.¡± He then pushed Aurelia away from him slightly, just enough that he could properly look her in the eye. ¡°But look at where we are, sister. We are in our room. We¡¯re completely alone. The bathroom separates us from Akeno¡¯s room and aunty¡¯s room after it. Our perception is powerful enough that we can sense if someone is watching us even in our sleep. So tell me, sister. Why is it that you insist on calling me like that all the time? It doesn¡¯t make sense to me. You¡¯re supposed to be my sister, but you seem too adamant in playing the part of my attendant.¡± He knew he was talking too much for his liking, but he was getting tired of this. ¡°Atleast when we¡¯re alone, I want to hear my name from you, sister.¡± It sounded whiny. It sounded pathetic. A part of him cringed at what he was doing, but it was too much. ¡°Hearing ¡®my lord¡¯ this or ¡®Lord Dimori¡¯ that is too much, sister. So tell me honestly. Why do you keep calling me like that? And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s for politics. I know you better than that, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t have the will to meet his gaze. A part of her just wanted to dodge the question by leaving, but the firm hold on her waist proved otherwise. And it was this exact situation that had her answering unwillingly. ¡°The¡­reason.¡± She began silently. ¡°The reason I do all of this, is because we¡¯re too close, Igor.¡± . AN . Things are getting hectic. Things are getting tense. Things are getting spicy. Chapter 175 Aurelia didn¡¯t have the will to meet his gaze. A part of her just wanted to dodge the question by leaving, but the firm hold on her waist proved otherwise. And it was this exact situation that had her answering unwillingly. ¡°The¡­reason.¡± She began silently. ¡°The reason I do all of this, is because we¡¯re too close, Igor.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Lying under the covers with Aurelia, Igor had no words to say. His eyes had slightly widened after her sudden revelation. Feeling more than surprise however, was that there was irony behind her words. ¡°Too¡­close?¡± She dumbly nodded against his chest, her eyes refusing to meet his. This time, Igor tightened his hold around her. ¡°Too close?¡± ¡°...¡± This time, her cheeks flushed slightly. The irony in her statement was not lost on her. Igor found it cute how his usually expressionless sister was making such cute expressions. ¡°You say we were getting too close. So you call me by fancy titles to place some distance between us. Yet¡­¡± The beginnings of a grin formed on his face. ¡°...you¡¯re sharing the same bed as me?¡± ¡°...¡± If not for how she seemed vulnerable, he would¡¯ve laughed out loud at just how ludicrous her idea was. The only reason he didn¡¯t was because she seemed so embarrassed she would die if he teased her any further. Nonetheless, he wasn¡¯t pleased that she was trying to alienate him. ¡°Explain this to me, sister.¡± Gently lifting her chin towards him, he continued. ¡°Why would you want to distance yourself from me? It doesn¡¯t make sense. There¡¯s no need for you to do so.¡± ¡°There is.¡± This time, she met his eyes with her own. ¡°There¡¯s a reason for this.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t respond or jab at her. He could feel that the situation was serious¡­and that it was taking every ounce of her willpower not to avert her eyes. ¡°Someday¡­¡± Her fists subconsciously clenched. ¡°Someday, you will take a woman. When that time comes¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t hold his gaze anymore. Lowering her head so she couldn¡¯t meet his eyes, she subtly pressed herself further against him. ¡°When that time comes, you and your woman will share a bed. During that time, I¡­I will not be needed.¡± Shutting her eyes tightly, she released all the words she kept in her heart. ¡°I do not want to endanger your relationship with the woman you have chosen by spawning a seed of jealousy. That¡¯s why¡­that¡¯s why I wanted to put some distance between us. We had become too close, close enough that any relationship you might have would be in¡­jeopardy.¡± She faded into silence, her words hanging in the air. Whether she knew it or not, she was hugging him tightly, almost as if that fated day has arrived and she could no longer embrace his warmth. ¡°...¡± There was no appropriate verbal response Igor could think of. This was not the time for snarky comments or casual remarks. So he held her tightly and forwent all thought processes. Trusting his gut, he spoke without tact. ¡°You know. As smart as you are, sister, you sometimes fail to consider the most simplest of things.¡± Chuckling lightly, he continued. ¡°Idiot. Did you ever consider my input? I¡¯d imagine that if you were to map out someone¡¯s life, you¡¯d ask them what they thought, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put it as simply as I can, sister. Do you remember a couple of years ago when you talked to me about marriage and stuff?¡± ¡°...¡± Her silent nod was enough. ¡°You never brought up the talk again, but I never forgot it.¡± His brows briefly scrunched at the thought of the headache-inducing subject. ¡°As much as I hate to say it, I¡¯ve had thoughts of marriage in my mind for the last few years. I still don¡¯t want to get married, atleast not anytime soon. But¡­your talk brought up some considerations for me.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He idly began stroking her hair. ¡°I won¡¯t be long-winded, sister. I¡¯m not one for this mushy stuff so I¡¯ll be straightforward. When I thought of the perfect woman I would be willing to risk it all with, the woman who I would be willing to show my back to and trust with every fibre of my being¡­the woman who I could actually see a future with¡­¡± His ministrations on her scalp drew to a close. ¡°...I thought of you.¡± ¡°?!¡± She immediately lifted her head in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. When they locked eyes, there was no hint of mischief or joviality. He was serious. Dear God, he was serious. ¡°W-What? What are you¡­what are you¡­¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t want to believe it. This has to be a joke. It has to be. He can¡¯t possibly mean¡­THAT, right? She was too old, older than even Shuri. He can¡¯t truly mean that- ¡°I¡¯m saying whatever you think I¡¯m saying.¡± His hand once more went to cup her cheek. ¡°I want you to trust me when I say this. I won¡¯t lie and say I love you. What I have is more than that. But there isn¡¯t really a word for that now, is it.¡± The briefest of smiles formed on his face, but his eyes never once left hers. ¡°I don¡¯t like this mushy emotional stuff, sister. Saying it makes me feel weird. So I want you to listen to my words properly, because I doubt I¡¯ll ever say them again without dying a little inside.¡± There was no going back now. He had inadvertently opened a powder keg he didn¡¯t want to address until he could atleast stand toe-to-toe with Indra. Since it has already happened, he was willing to go all in. ¡°Aurelia. In the time we have known each other, you have become someone of invaluable importance to me. I trust you unconditionally. My adoration for you is endless. I admire you from the depths of my heart, and your tenacity makes me truly respect you.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia¡¯s eyes flickered with a brief flash of hope and dread. Her cold heart that she had closed for decades was warming up¡­and that filled her dread. What was she hoping for? Was she even allowed to hope? As his words resounded in her mind, the beginnings of tears slowly formed in her eyes. [No¡­no no no no no.] She didn¡¯t want this. She was too old and broken to be worthy. She hoped he was lying, but the thought alone only brought more tears through her eyes. Using his thumb, Igor wiped away a lone tear that had trailed down her cheek. His eyes were tender and caring, his gentle ministrations causing her body to lock up. ¡°They say that a woman makes a man lose his ambition. Yet you have made me far stronger than I possibly could¡¯ve been on my own. You have supported me endlessly. In the times that you had my life in your hands, you aided me. Your words to me were never filled with deceit and your advice was always sincere. For all these years, you have cared for me beyond reason, beyond duty, beyond gratitude.¡± He gently kissed her forehead, her sniffs audible as her tears stained his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve had eight years to think this through sister. That¡¯s plenty of time for even someone as stupid as me. I¡¯m not quite where I want to be yet in terms of strength, but if I want a wife in the future, I don¡¯t need it to be any other woman. I would rather it be you, if you¡¯ll allow me.¡± He lowered his head, his eyes meeting hers once more. ¡°If you truly don¡¯t want to be with me or the thought makes you uncomfortable, I will completely forget this topic and everything will go back to the way it was before.¡± However, he soon sported a small grin. ¡°You have three seconds to refuse. Three¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was nervous, more nervous than she¡¯s ever been in her life. ¡°Two¡­¡± Here she was, being offered something she thought she would never see in her life. ¡°One¡­¡± She wanted it. Yet she was scared. But she want- Chuu~ ¡°?!¡± Without hesitation, Igor descended on her lips. The kiss was soft, almost bordering on the level of a chaste kiss. Her lips were tender, the softness compelling him to sink further into them. Moving his hand to the back of her head, he gently pulled her towards him. It was his first kiss, and he found himself loving every single moment of it. ¡°...¡± Yet when she didn¡¯t reciprocate his desires, his heart sunk, his mind filled with worry. Pulling back, opened his eyes and noticed how she was crying. [I overthought things.] Because of how roughly he held her hair, several strands had hidden her eyes from view, but not her tears. [Damnit¡­] Immediately, he felt like the worst scum on earth. For the first time in his life, he did something he thought he would never do. He apologised, because there were no other actions he could use to make up for his fatal mistake. ¡°I¡¯m sor-¡± Chuu~ In the blink of an eye, Aurelia hungrily pressed her lips against his. Her hands framed his face, her fingers grabbing his locks of blonde hair. Her tears trailed down her cheeks in fervour, yet the reason for their presence was infinitely far from sadness. Gradually, Igor finally responded to her kiss. Different from before, he was no longer gentle. With his hand behind her head, he pressed her against him. Though with how enthusiastic she was, this wasn¡¯t needed. Their shared kiss was innocent. But the emotions behind it were strong. Hooking his free arm under her, he brought her on top of him. Her legs went over his own until she was sitting just above his pelvis. Her generous assets rubbed against his torso and for the love of all that is holy did they feel wonderful. However, the sudden change in position was enough for Aurelia to finally realise what she was doing. As her lucidity returned, her shameful actions made her panic. Unfortunately, she found it hard to remove herself from him. Rather than his arms pinning her to him, it was her body that refused to listen. Instead of retreating, her body began doing the unspeakable. Her hands roamed his chest, her fingers tracing his pectorals. Her hair hung around his face like a curtain, his hands having undone the bun she had tied it in. Gradually, her fingers climbed his body all the way to his shoulders¡­until the coldness of the sheets finally made her regain enough coherency to stop. [This is a mistake¡­] Opening her eyes, she fought to restrain her desires. Sitting on top of him, she slowly pulled herself back. There was no trace of regret in her eyes. In fact, her heavy breathing suggested she wanted more¡­so much more. But her desire was followed behind by anxiousness. There were traces of fear in her gaze, her eyes betraying the true concerns hidden in her mind. With her hands placed on his chest, she looked at him, her eyes almost pleading. ¡°Do you¡­do you truly want me?¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± ¡°B-But I¡¯m old.¡± ¡°I still want you.¡± ¡°...¡± Clenching her fists, she uttered the sentence that would no doubt put a stop to everything. ¡°I¡¯m¡­broken. I¡¯m not a good enough woman for you. I¡­I have too much¡­baggage.¡± She could not become the bright star that Asia would eventually be. Her eyes had seen too much darkness from a young age. The warmth that normal women could provide was something she wasn¡¯t confident she could give him, not when her heart had grown cold from years and years of- ¡°And? Do I look like I care? I still want you. Warts and all.¡± ¡°...¡± Her eyes hung low as she nervously bit her mouth. He could see she was still lacking confidence in herself. Her gears were turning in what he guessed-no, knew were self-deprecating thoughts. Sitting up, he placed a hand behind her waist while another went behind her head. Chuu~ Gently, he gave her a chaste kiss before he separated from her. ¡°I want you to listen to what I have to say. I don¡¯t want you to doubt my words in the slightest, alright?¡± All she gave him was a dazed nod, her eyes locked onto his. Slowly, he placed his forehead against hers, his eyes piercing into hers with sincerity. ¡°I am not saying this because of a lust-induced haze. I want you for who you are, what you are, and how you are. Believe me when I say I had more than enough time to think this through.¡± He leaned in¡­ Chuu~ ¡­and kissed her lips once more. This time, it was slow¡­more sensual. Holding her in his arms, he used action to prove his feelings¡­his sincerity. Slowly pulling back, he did not evade her eyes. ¡°Do not doubt my words in the slightest, alright?¡± He wiped away her tears with his thumb, his warm smile easing her. ¡°Do not doubt me.¡± . AN . God help this world if this is a another illusion. I initially thought that when Aurelia rejected his advances, it was only because of age. Looks like there was indeed more. Again, this better not be an illusion. Chapter 176 He leaned in¡­ Chuu~ ¡­and kissed her lips once more. This time, it was slow¡­more sensual. Holding her in his arms, he used action to prove his feelings¡­his sincerity. Slowly pulling back, he did not evade her eyes. ¡°Do not doubt my words in the slightest, alright?¡± He wiped away her tears with his thumb, his warm smile easing her. ¡°Do not doubt me.¡± . |DxD| . This was an illusion. It had to be. Everything must¡¯ve been one sick joke her mind conjured out of jealousy. Maybe because Shuri would¡¯ve kissed Igor without her intervention, her mind made this debased scenario where Igor asked her to be his woman. Yet¡­this felt too real. His palms on her face felt too warm. His calloused thumbs that wiped away her tears were too hard¡­too rough to be a dream. ¡°Do not doubt me.¡± She could explain the feeling of his hands as a very advanced illusion. His eyes? She couldn¡¯t. They were far too warm, too soft, too caring to be a trick of her mind. Reality was dawning on her. All those words he said were real. All those kisses they shared were real. ¡°...¡± Merciful lord in heaven. He kissed her, and she kissed him back. She kissed a person decades her junior like some hungry slu- ¡°Aurelia?¡± ¡°...¡± Panic began to set in now. She committed a taboo on the person she cared for the most. She was sitting on his pelvis, her hands on his chest. Sleeping together with him was already crossing the line. Now¡­now¡­ ¡°This is wrong¡­¡± Her heart thumped in shame and disgrace. ¡°This¡­we shouldn¡¯t do this.¡± Looking at their current state, she hastily tried to get off him. But like a vice, his arms snaked around her before she could move away from him. ¡°Please let me go.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± He unwaveringly held her gaze. ¡°Huh? Says who? Who said this isn¡¯t right?¡± ¡°...¡± Blue eyes met each other, one pair resolute while the other wavered. Igor wasn¡¯t going to let her go, especially not because of nonsensical morals that don¡¯t apply to them. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m young? I¡¯m already past my sixties if we count the number of years I¡¯ve been alive. Even if we ignore that, I¡¯ve seen and lived through things even humans in their eighties have never seen. As far as I¡¯m concerned, I¡¯m more than self-aware to know what I want. And I want you.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t know what to say. He wasn¡¯t wrong in any of the things he said. But¡­this felt wrong. She wanted this too¡­but it felt wr- ¡°Tch. You¡¯re thinking again.¡± Igor couldn¡¯t understand what made her question herself so much. ¡°Look, Aurelia.¡± He took her hand and placed it on his heart. Despite his calm demeanour, it was beating rather quickly. ¡°You are a beautiful woman. I will be the first to admit that this isn¡¯t the best of times of circumstances, but I¡¯ve been having these feelings towards you for quite a while now¡­a very long while. I know enough about you to trust you with this side of me.¡± These were words he never ever wanted to say in his life. But he needed to say them because Aurelia had to hear them. She needed his reassurance. ¡°You say that this is not right. I say it is. Our bodies say it is. The kiss we shared says it is. When I hold you like this, I feel as if a missing part of me is now complete. You are that missing part, and I don¡¯t want to let you go, Aurelia.¡± He slowly leaned in. ¡°Not now.¡± Gently, he pressed his lips against hers. ¡°Not ever.¡± His arms wrapped around her tightly in the desire to press her against him. He showed his desire for her through his actions, not words. Aurelia was the perfect woman for him, possibly the only woman for him. And he wanted her to know that¡­to feel that. She was hesitant at first, but slowly, she responded to his kiss. Her hands slowly rose up his body as she sunk in this feeling. Eventually, her fingers grabbed fistfuls of his hair, her hands pushing his head towards hers in a fervent desire to deepen the kiss. Her eyes were closed as she submerged herself in this blissful feeling. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. [I want this¡­] Too overwhelmed by the happy emotions she was feeling, she willingly let herself receive his affections. She pushed away all other unnecessary thoughts and only enjoyed the feeling of his arms around her¡­the feeling of his warmth coursing through her. She could feel his desire for her through the kiss. His feelings were turbulent¡­very very turbulent. ¡°?!¡± She was surprised to suddenly feel his hands suddenly grab her thighs. But that was all. She didn¡¯t hate it. In fact¡­she loved it very much. It just further proved that he saw her as a woman¡­as a wife. His hands were rough and in his ministrations, his fingers ended up in her inner thigh. He didn¡¯t touch her garden, but he was so close. His hands were moving ever closer to her loins, her region dampening in anticipation. He was inching closer and closer, just a bit more. Embarrassingly, she found herself waiting for the feeling of his hands, but it came sooner than she thought. Lightly, his thumb rubbed her hardened bell, and it instantly rang at the sudden stimulation. ¡°Nnnnggg~.¡± Moaning into his mouth, her body started to spasm uncontrollably. Her hips gyrated automatically, sweet release finding its way through her loins. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± Opening her eyes, they were half-lidded as she tried to support herself. Her hands hung weakly on his shoulders, her breaths slightly heavy at the sudden exertion. Igor was temporarily confused. Looking at how haggard Aurelia seemed to suddenly be, it wasn¡¯t until he was made aware of the sudden wetness on his stomach that he realised what happened. With a gradually widening grin, he looked at her. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± Pouting, she did not like that cocky smirk on his face. Chuu~ Leaning in, she wiped it away with a kiss. Laugh at her, would he? Well she¡¯ll show him. Moving her hands to his chest, she pushed him down, their kiss not breaking in the slightest. She slowly moved her hands towards his cheeks and deepened the kiss as much as she could. She loved this and didn¡¯t want it to stop, but he needed to be taught a lesson. Hesitantly, Aurelia tore away from him. ¡°...¡± His cocky grin hadn¡¯t faded, but she would change that soon. Moving her hands to her chest, she began undoing the buttons slowly, sensually¡­one¡­by¡­one. Her eyes never left his, nor did his leave hers. It was a battle of his will, silent warfare to see who would win this exchange. More and more of her magnificent cleavage was revealed, luscious and creamy handfuls of her breasts teasingly coming into view. Her nightdress still covered her nipples, but the exposed parts were already tempting the blonde to look down. Nonetheless, he maintained eye contact with her as she slowly undressed. His smile was a bit strained due to his will fizzling out in realtime. It didn¡¯t help that his member was continuously trying to break out of the confines of his pants. The heavy weight of her soft rear on his length was making his attempts at maintaining his composure all the more difficult. Thankfully, Aurelia was done unbuttoning. That meant he won their little con¡­test. ¡°...¡± Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a teasing view of her nipple. It was pink and hardened from lust. Unknowingly, his eyes had locked on to it, his vision growing hazy as desire subsumed his mind. ¡°Fufu~.¡± Moving her hand to tie her hair, Aurelia ¡°unknowingly¡± revealed more of her breasts. ¡°Am I beautiful, Igor?¡± There is a saying called, ¡°The straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.¡±. Her question did exactly like that. ¡°Yes.¡± His voice came out raspy and beast-like. ¡°...¡± She would never admit it, but it sent shivers down her spine and made butterflies flutter in her stomach. ¡°Ah?¡± In almost an instant, Igor bucked his hips, grabbed a hold of her, and immediately placed her under him. The sheets held onto the mattress for dear life, but the bed covers weren¡¯t so lucky. Because of the sudden movement, the blankets no longer provided their warmth nor their cover. That didn¡¯t matter in the slightest. Under the soft illumination of the bedside lamp, Igor hungrily looked at Aurelia with heavy breaths. He wanted her. He wanted this woman and he had enough of her games. Aurelia felt hot underneath his penetrating gaze. Her cheeks turned pink from the sudden turn of events. Being held down like this, although shameful, was making the rivers of her garden overflow. Like a beast hungry for meat, he aggressively captured her lips. ¡°Mmnng~.¡± She struggled to free her hands from his grip, but he kept them secure above her head. She was helpless to his ever-growing desires, his rough kiss making her body heat up in many ways she never thought possible. Soon, she felt his hand trail her cheek before it lowered to her jawline¡­to her neck, and eventually¡­ ¡°Nn~.¡± ¡­her chest. His hand was hard against her soft flesh, his palm roughly squeezing her breast. Her nipple teasingly grazed his palm, but it wasn¡¯t enough. He wasn¡¯t giving it enough affection. It was hardened and she wanted him to touch it. If not for both her arms having been restrained beneath his arm, she would¡¯ve taken matters into her own hands. Thankfully, he finally focused on it. Different from his aggressive manner, his fingers gently rubbed on the nub, which made her moan into his mouth. ¡°Mmmnn~.¡± It shamed her to admit it, but his fingers felt much better than hers ever could. Or maybe it was because it was him doing it that made the whole experience more pleasurable. She loved the feeling of his lips against her own. She loved the taste of his tongue when it slipped into her mouth. She loved the feeling of his hand on her breast and his fingers on her nipple. She loved every single thing about this, and she could feel her second release coming. Wrapping her legs around him, she frantically rubbed her hips along the length of his bulge. She could feel his erection continuously twitch through his underwear, and a part of her regretted not making the material a bit looser. She ground herself against him, not caring that she was ruining her own underwear with her overflowing juices. She was getting close and she could feel it was a big one. Unconsciously, she bit his lip as her impending release drew closer and closer. Her legs refused to let him pull himself back. Gone was the outside world. The only thing she had in her mind was to release her desires. ¡°Ahhhhhh~.¡± Bucking heavily, she flooded her underwear with her juices in a violent orgasm. Her body spasmed against his, her legs tightening their coil around him. Sweet release did not escape her, and she rode out the blissful high that came with it. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± With her legs slowly uncoiling around him, she let them fall to the bed. This was the first time she experienced such intense orgasms twice in a row. Her body felt weightless and if nothing else happened, she would fall asl- ¡°Haa?¡± Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find Igor was now holding the underside of her thighs, keeping her legs from closing. But more than anything, it was the overflowing desire and lust she felt from him that caused her to snap out of her post-coital bliss. Her legs held apart, his hands snaked around her thighs. The view of her gate was made barren to his eyes, the wetness of her underwear making the outline very clear. ¡°...¡± She felt embarrassed, but she felt anticipation more. Her nether suddenly felt empty, in desperate need of something to quell that emptiness. Her eyes were drawn to his throbbing rod, an instrument that if he had his way, would be filling her in more ways than one. It was throbbing dangerously and in a brief moment of clarity, she realised that he must be hurting. Slowly sitting up, she stretched her hand towards it and gently held it through the fabric. ¡°Hissss...¡± Igor clenched his teeth at the sensation, his mind going into overdrive. Immediately, he grabbed her hand with a strong grip. ¡°Aurelia¡­¡± He was fighting a battle within his mind, a battle that he was in danger of losing. ¡°This is your last chance .¡± His desire and lust for her was threatening to overthrow the last strand of composure he had left. ¡°If you want me to stop¡­say it now.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia could tell he was struggling to control himself. It warmed her heart that he was still willing to stop on her account, even if it was a redundant pleasantry. ¡°It would not be fair to you Igor if we stopped here. And¡­¡± Her hands stretched towards his cheeks before she gave him a deep kiss. ¡°...I also want you. So¡­¡± She slowly laid down on the bed and willingly spread her legs. ¡°...take me. Make me a woman.¡± . AN . Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Chapter 177 ¡°It would not be fair to you Igor if we stopped here. And¡­¡± Her hands stretched towards his cheeks before she gave him a deep kiss. ¡°...I also want you. So¡­¡± She slowly laid down on the bed and willingly spread her legs. ¡°...take me. Make me a woman.¡± . |DxD| . Igor desperately had to hold himself back. There was no denying that this was his first time bedding a woman. But one thing he knew was that he shouldn¡¯t rush. He couldn¡¯t rush. He had to take his time and- ¡°Igor¡­¡± Aurelia was looking at him with a smile. Those lovely eyes of hers were hazy with desire, her cheeks flushed from how warm her body was. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Reaching out with her slender arm, her fingers slowly traced his bulge before swiftly removing the offending fabric out of the way. Throb¡­Throb¡­ Without breaking eye contact, she gently grabbed his member and began stroking it. ¡°I¡¯m ready for you, Igor¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Her beautiful naked form, her seductive voice, her ministrations on his member¡­all of it was too much for the blonde. Bucking his hips slightly, he came¡­ ¡°Nrgh!¡± ¡­hard. Starting out in a dribble, his release torpedoed onto her chest, with even a few streaks splashing onto her face. Her soft hand caused a cacophony of reactions that made him unwillingly release onto her, a moment that had him grit his teeth in embarrassment. ¡°...¡± Slowly, Aurelia moved her hand across her cheek, gradually coating her finger with his seed. Swiping it all up, she brought her finger before her, her eyes filling with intrigue as she observed the white liquid. Sniff Sniff She took a whiff of it before unhesitantly, put her whole finger in her mouth. ¡°Mhn~.¡± Moaning sensually, she closed her eyes to savour the taste. It was her first time tasting a man¡¯s produce, but she found she didn¡¯t dislike it. The taste was weird, but so was alcohol for first-timers. Opening her eyes, they glowed for a moment before they dimmed. She licked the finger inside her mouth, her eyes locked on to Igor¡¯s as she did so. She took a perverse pleasure in seeing his breaths grow heavier as the chains of his restraint broke one by one. That clear desire he had within his eyes to devour sent shivers down her spine that made her nether moisten in anticipation. Taking her finger out of her mouth with a ¡®pop¡¯, her eyes moved to his throbbing erection. ¡°...¡± Feeling ever so pleased at his tangible desire for her, her eyes once more met his. ¡°Thank you for the taste, Igor. I can see myself¡­¡± Using a bit of magic, she concentrated all of his spilt fluid on her body onto the tip of her finger. ¡°...enjoying this.¡± Maintaining eye contact, she stuck her tongue out and licked it like it was candy, before finally swallowing it all. Yes¡­this was definitely an acquired taste. She could see herself savouring more of it in the future. ¡°Mmmmn~. I want more, Igor. But this time¡­¡± She held her knees and spread them further apart. ¡°...I want it here, alright?¡± ¡°...¡± Throb! Igor hesitated for a brief moment. It wasn¡¯t because of fear or lack of confidence. It was because of Aurelia¡¯s drastic change in personality. Her proactiveness made him fear someone possessed her. But that lifeforce he had grown so familiar with along with those caring eyes made his doubts vanish with the wind. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Aroused to the point that it hurt, he lined his hardness against her soft folds. ¡°Mn~.¡± Her poorly restrained moan made him throb once again. Igor was sure that if he hadn¡¯t came before, he would¡¯ve in this moment. He was never one to use crass words like this, but she looked so sexy, so delectable that he wanted to hold her and never let go. As he slowly pushed himself inside her, his eyes took in her beautiful form. She was biting down on her arm, her eyes watching his member enter in both fear and anticipation. Her folds gripped his tip like a vice, an unconscious reaction from her that made him hiss at the sensation. Igor once again looked over at her for any traces of discomfort. Her breaths were slightly heavy, but she wasn¡¯t showing any signs of being in pain. Gritting his teeth, he pushed on. ¡°Nngh¡­¡± He was truly thankful for that earlier release. Her nether was holding onto his head tightly, the sensation alone bringing him closer and closer to his second release. It seems his facial expressions were quite vocal since when he opened his eyes, Aurelia was looking at him with a coy, but strained smile. ¡°Igor¡­mn~. How do I¡­feel~?¡± ¡°...¡± This woman. She was getting too smart with him. Chuu~ Leaning over, he sealed her lips with his own. Without mercy, he explored her mouth with his tongue. Because of the sudden movement¡­ ¡°Mmhn~.¡± ¡­she moaned into his mouth. His member had penetrated deeper into her, his rod spreading her folds apart like a snake through mud. Igor immediately stopped when he heard her little cry. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He didn¡¯t want to hurt her in the slightest, and it showed in his eyes. Feeling ever so warm at his care, Aurelia replied with heavy breaths. ¡°No...¡± Her hand slowly rose to cup his face, a loving smile sprouting on her face. ¡°I want you deeper in me, Igor.¡± Her remaining hand reached out to grab his length that hadn¡¯t yet entered her cavern. She slowly began stroking it, her pace increasing with each word she uttered. ¡°I want to feel you deep inside me. I want to become one with you. I want it¡­mnngh~.¡± She couldn¡¯t restrain a throaty moan as his member throbbed inside of her due to her ministrations. ¡°I want to feel you release your essence inside of me. I want you¡­to thrust it deep¡­very deep~.¡± ¡°...¡± Her words, her dainty fingers on his member, and the warmth of her folds on his rod¡­all of it served to push him ever closer to his second release. Feeling his seed threatening to come out, Igor raised his hips, and forced his member deeper into her cavern in one swell stroke. Pa! Joined at the hip, Igor couldn¡¯t restrain it anymore. ¡°Mngh!¡± Grunting, he flooded her with his release. It fired inside of her like a high-pressure hose, the intense sensation also causing Aurelia to reach her third orgasm. ¡°Hnng~.¡± Wrapping her arms and legs around him, her body violently shuddered. ¡°Ahhhhhnnggggg~.¡± The sensation of his seed splashing against the walls of her uterus made her feel a deep-satiated pleasure that she loved from the bottom of her heart. His seed filled her to the brim. Her juices coated his member. They both rode out their orgasm, their bodies finally connected as one. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± Drowned once more in post-coital bliss, Aurelia opened her eyes to face Igor with a smile. ¡°Haa¡­so¡­haa¡­full¡­¡± Slowly reaching out, she cupped his face. ¡°I am¡­satisfied¡­¡± After three orgasms, she felt that was more than enough, especially for her first time. Feeling his essence inside her uterus, she could sense his seed swimming through her. It was a blissful feeling and one she wanted to enjoy a bit longer. Fortunately for her, fate had other plans. Throb ¡°?¡± She could feel his rod hardening inside her. It stretched her confines once more, her snatch subconsciously clenching around him to milk him for more seed. ¡°Can you still go, Aurelia?¡± ¡°...¡± For the briefest of moments, she felt fear because of the utterly heavy and immense wave of lust wafting off of him. ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough.¡± His breathing was becoming more beast-like, his member throbbing endlessly in her confines. Shamefully, she found her body eagerly responding to his desire, almost as if a switch had been flipped on. Aurelia could feel it. She wasn¡¯t going to receive any sleep tonight. But, a part of her wished to experience these pleasures once more. With her arms and legs wrapped around him, she squeezed his rod. ¡°More, Igor. Give me more¡­¡± . |DxD| . Midnight was drawing closer in the town of Kuoh. In the Himejima household, Shuri was finding it a bit hard to fall asleep. Lying in her bed under her blankets, her eyes were laced with concern for the future. She was worried about tomorrow since that was when Aurelia and Igor would leave to meet Baraquiel. [Should I go with them as well?] Aurelia had offered her the possibility of coming with them, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she was ready to go. She was hesitant because if he was still injured, then she truly didn¡¯t want to act on Aurelia¡¯s advice. ¡®Should you receive the opportunity to be with Baraquiel-sama in private, come clean with your thoughts and feelings. It will be better for everyone involved.¡¯ ¡°...¡± But this wasn¡¯t the time for hesitation. Remembering the words said to her, Shuri felt the silverette was right. [I have to go.] Whether she was ready or not, it had to be done. Instead of leaving her relationship with Baraquiel ambiguous, it was better to clear up the air as soon as possible. [That way¡­that way¡­] Covering her face in embarrassment, she couldn¡¯t complete the thought. The thought of Igor alone made her suddenly feel shy like those actresses in romance movies. It was especially embarrassing since just the previous night, she- ¡°Nooooo¡­¡± Twisting and turning in her bed, she banished that distasteful thought from her head. She refused to think about it any further. [Focus on the future, Shuri. Focus on the future.] Unfortunately, said future just happened to involve the blonde at every turn. Ever since she confessed her true feelings to Aurelia and received her ¡°permission¡±, her mind had been derailing to her and him performing disgraceful acts like the one in her illusion. Drip¡­ Now, her body was responding in kind. ¡°...¡± Feeling the wetness between her legs, she bit her lip in indecision. But, her hand was already making the decision for her. ¡°Maybe¡­maybe one last time.¡± . AN . I don¡¯t even want to imagine what would happen if Shuri found them. Imagine the woman giving you advice suddenly sleeping with the guy you wanted¡­in your own home. Poor Igor. He doesn¡¯t know the drama he¡¯s in. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can visit my patreon under the name ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Until the next chapter. Chapter 178 Now, her body was responding in kind. ¡°...¡± Feeling the wetness between her legs, she bit her lip in indecision. But, her hand was already making the decision for her. ¡°Maybe¡­maybe one last time.¡± . |DxD| . Morning came quickly, and all was peaceful. It was Tuesday and unfortunately as always for students and the working class, they had to get up and fulfil their obligations. The streets of Kuoh were once again filled with cars, buses, and other vehicles of different makes. While the town was slowly becoming more and more busy, it was still quiet in the Himejima household. With the clock already nearing six, the sun had long since risen. Slowly, Aurelia opened her eyes when a ray of sunshine illuminated her face. Feeling rather annoyed at the sunlight aiming directly at her eye, she used her magic to close the curtain. However, the small movement when she gestured with her hand made her aware of a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her stomach. ¡°?¡± As her conscious amenities gradually returned, she was now aware of the hot breaths coming from behind her neck. His breaths were steady, telling her he was asleep. But a certain part of him wasn¡¯t. ¡°?!¡± Aurelia could feel his member pressed against her derriere, his tip subtly tickling her slit. [Oh my¡­] Her face flushed in embarrassment at the realisation of what happened. [It wasn¡¯t a dream.] Their mutual teasing which led to his confession was real. This meant that¡­ [We kissed. W-we kissed and¡­] If it was possible for her head to release steam, it would have. Her mind slowly remembered the sex they had, particularly how she acted during their union. [I¡­I acted like¡­] She wanted to so badly fade out of existence. She was almost tempted to expend all her mana, open a portal to the Dimensional Gap, and just hide there for the rest of her miserable existence. [I¡¯m so embarrassed. I-I can¡¯t believe that was me.] She didn¡¯t know how long they did it for, but they continued to make love to each other with a ravenous passion. Over and over again, he filled her cavern with his seed, the intensity causing her rivers to overflow a multitude of times. Shamefully, she enjoyed the sensation as he came inside and made her his. She loved the feeling of his arms roaming her body like a lion claiming its territory. And¡­sadistically, she took pleasure in watching his face when she suddenly tightened her grip around his member. The deep groan he released when she did that made her- [No! Don¡¯t think about it!] After yesterday, she didn¡¯t know how she would be able to face Igor. She always imagined her first time would be slow and sensual. She, with no experience, would be the shy girl who would let her man take the lead. She¡¯d be quiet and would try desperately to restrain her moans as her man gradually introduced her to the pleasures of intercourse. Her man would maybe release inside her once or twice before they fell asleep together with his arms lovingly wrapped around her. ¡°...¡± Unfortunately, fate had different plans entirely. Firstly, she blamed her change in personality on her orgasms. There was absolutely no other reason she would believe. After all, there was no way she was THAT kind of woman at heart, right? She was a dignified maiden. Not a harlot who would lick her man¡¯s release before teasingly inviting him into her gate. No. She was a fair maiden like the princesses she saw in her memories. A fair¡­ Twitch! ¡­maiden. ¡°...¡± Slowly, she could feel Igor¡¯s erect member throb intermittently between her thighs. With every twitch, it would rub against her slit. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. [No. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not a¡­] Unwillingly, she found herself gradually becoming aroused. Her nether was slowly growing wetter and wetter with each rub to its entry. Her lust was rising, her breaths coming out faster and faster. [No. I must push it away.] Reaching out with her hand, she wanted to do exactly that, but she¡­hesitated. The head was now within the confines of her fingers. All she needed to do was move it away. But¡­ [He must be hurting¡­] It was throbbing, and she couldn¡¯t bear to leave him like this. [Maybe¡­yes. I¡¯ll give him his release, then move it away.] With her hand between her legs, she stroked him with her fingers. Subtly glancing at the time, she realised that Shuri would soon awaken and begin preparing breakfast. [I must hurry.] Slowly, she redoubled her efforts and increased the pace of her ministrations. She could tell he was nearing his release from how it had suddenly thickened within her grasp. He was now subtly thrusting into her fingers, the softness of her tips coaxing his member. To Aurelia¡¯s complete surprise, his thrusting made it so that his tip hit her folds. ¡°Ah~-mmph!¡± Quickly closing her mouth with her free hand, her eyes had widened at the moan that escaped her. His member had slid along her folds before his tip just barely grazed her knob. Now, because her hands had frozen, a very much asleep Igor took matters into his own hands and began thrusting. ¡°Ah~¡­no-nng~.¡± He pistoned along her folds, his tip rubbing her nub without scruples. The sudden pleasure caused her to lose the strength to keep her leg raised any further. As it lowered, his member was now trapped between her thighs. ¡°Nngh~¡± But her softness only made him thrust with more vigor. Aurelia struggled to restrain her moans. Any and all thoughts of stopping this were gone. Her fluids coated his member as he thrust between her legs, her arousal reaching a new pinnacle. ¡°Mn~. More¡­¡± Having tasted the pleasures of womanhood, she wanted to feel him inside her again. The emptiness inside her cavern was killing her. ¡°Haaa~.¡± She was going to hold on a bit longer, but the feeling of his seminal fluid coating her thigh raked up her desire to unmanageable levels. [I¡­I want it.] Her nether was aching for his rod to fill her¡­to complete her. Her reasoning was clouded by desire and instinct. She wanted him inside her¡­needed him. Gently taking it with her hand, she raised her leg. The moment he thrust forward once more, she redirected it to her gate, allowing him to thrust into her. ¡°Ooooh~.¡± Arching her back, she pushed himself further against him, just in time to catch his seed. ¡°Annggggh~.¡± He shot it deep inside her, his release jettisoning against her uterine walls. His tool, thickening as it deposited his load inside, wrought another load of pleasure inside her. She was close, so close to reaching an orgasm. Using her hand, she frantically rubbed her nub like her sanity depended on it. The pleasure of his tool inside her and his seed in her womb inched her closer and closer to her own release. ¡°Haa~¡­haa~¡­¡± Breathing heavily, her hips shuddered as her orgasm drew closer and closer. Now moving her body against him, she bucked her hips at the perverse sensation of his rod rubbing her folds. Back and forth, she pushed her rear against him, taking all of him in. Finally¡­ ¡°Hnnnngg¡­ahhhhh~.¡± She bucked her hips as an orgasm tore her way through her. Like a geyser, her fluids covered his member before eventually spluttering onto the sheets. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± Sunk in the pleasures of post-coital bliss, she remained unmoving. His member was still inside her, her folds periodically tightening against it. This feeling of completion¡­she loved it. She never imagined that in her life, she would come to enjoy this perverse feeling. But, she didn¡¯t regret this at all. Her hands moved towards his arms that were wrapped around her stomach. Held securely in his arms, she could still feel his seed inside her. [Someday¡­] She smiled fondly. [Someday¡­I¡¯ll bear his child.] The thought had her smiling lovingly. She imagined a future where she would happily tell him she was pregnant. If it was a daughter, she was sure he would spoil her more than he spoilt Asia. If it was a son, well¡­it was better left unsaid. With a training maniac for a father, he would surely have no peaceful nights. [Someday¡­but not today.] It was unfortunate, but she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to fall pregnant yet, despite having the desire to do so. As much as she knew Igor would be happy to have a child, she didn¡¯t want to interrupt his goals by prematurely making him a father. With a bit of magic, she absorbed his seed into her body, turning his essence into her nutrients. Although it was not the first time, feeling the sudden surge of energy flow through her body made her shudder briefly. Opening her eyes with renewed vigor, she idly glanced at the clock and saw it would soon near 6:15. Momentarily enhancing her senses, she could feel Shuri¡¯s energy coming from downstairs in the kitchen. [Shuri-sama woken up.] It wouldn¡¯t be until 6:30 that the girls would be woken up since Akeno would need to prepare for school. With an extra three mouths to feed, two of them being high maintenance, Aurelia felt obligated to atleast help Shuri prepare the food. Sighing, she tried getting up, only for Igor to tighten his hold around her. ¡°Mmmn¡­not yet.¡± ¡°Haa?¡± She turned her head only to see blue eyes staring lovingly at her. ¡°Stay here a bit longer. I like holding you like this.¡± As if to further convince her, he slowly began thrusting inside of her. ¡°...¡± Her cheeks flushed at the sudden pleasure spreading from her nether. He was moving slowly, but she was still sensitive from having came earlier. ¡°Ig-Igor¡­?¡± ¡°Lia?¡± ¡°I¡­you mustnnnnnng~.¡± He grinned at her after suddenly rapidly pistoning into her for a very brief moment. The lost expression on her face from the sudden onset of pleasure made him grin. ¡°I mustn¡¯t what?¡± The pouty glare she sent at him would¡¯ve been more effective if it wasn¡¯t for the obvious desire on her face. ¡°Igor¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Chuu~ Unable and unwilling to restrain himself, he captured her lips for a brief moment, his overwhelming feelings for her transferring through. It was filled with emotion, his true feelings flowing into her through a gentle kiss. Slowly pulling back, his smile was sincere as he spoke. ¡°I love you, Aurelia.¡± ¡°?!¡± Without waiting for her reply, he kissed her once more, their lovemaking slow and sensual. They conveyed their feelings to one another, their passionate desire strengthening their bond. They made love, and silently through her tears, Aurelia replied. [I love you too, Igor. I love you so much.] . AN . So¡­did Igor realise he forgot to meditate today? Chapter 179 ¡°I love you, Aurelia.¡± ¡°?!¡± Without waiting for her reply, he kissed her once more, their lovemaking slow and sensual. They conveyed their feelings to one another, their passionate desire strengthening their bond. They made love, and silently through her tears, Aurelia replied. [I love you too, Igor. I love you so much.] . |DxD| . In the Himejima household, an unexpected occupant had visited the showers for the first time in years. With blonde hair falling over his shoulders that bled away to a very sculpted physique, Igor was naked as the day he was born. He was feeling particularly satisfied this Tuesday morning. Enjoying an early morning shower, his grin was wide from the events of yesterday night and the morning today. [I didn¡¯t expect sister would be that¡­wild.] That prim and proper form she always carried hid a perverseness that genuinely surprised and intrigued him even now. They shared the same bed for ten years and not once did she show any hints that she had such an¡­explorative side. Regardless, he was now a man and even better, he had a good woman at his side. [Hehe. I wonder what father would say.] At the very least, his first time wasn¡¯t with a prostitute or a loose woman. His father would¡¯ve surely killed him if he was alive. [Probably would¡¯ve gone on about giving Dimori seed to useless wenches and stuff.] Aurelia was certainly not a wench by any means and one day, Igor believed she would make a great wife. Though, as ¡®eager¡¯ as she was during their lovemaking, she was surprisingly shy when outside the sheets. [Hehe.] Remembering her cute expression when she asked him to shower first so that she could clean the room ignited a spark that made him wish to tease her more and more. These new expressions she had, reactions that he had never seen before would make one doubt she was the cold iceberg beauty she was publically known to be. Faaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­ Still, temporarily removing his thoughts from her, he focused on the matter at hand. Today was Tuesday, meaning he would have to go and meet Baraquiel in Grigori. The guilt he had for harming Baraquiel had faded a lot compared to Sunday. The old man would be alright so there was no point in guilt-tripping himself forever. Still, he still felt apologetic and wouldn¡¯t be completely at ease until he saw him fully awake. [I should find Sister Cleria later today. She¡¯ll be able to notify Uncle A that we are coming.] He did not want to trouble Azazel more than he had. While he did sense a few humans in Grigori, his Aryan heritage was too easily distinguishable. Aware of the hatred existing for his people, he didn¡¯t want to cause him any unnecessary problems. Faaaaaaaaaa¡­ With the shower water sprinkling over him, he washed away the soap in his hair. He could feel Shuri walking along the hallway, meaning she was going to wake up Akeno. Using his beyond-human speed, he rinsed his body, turned off the faucet, and dried himself. Opening the shower door, he got out just in time for Shuri¡¯s enquiry. ¡°Dimori-kun. Are you finished?¡± Quickly wrapping a towel around his waist, he opened the door. ¡°Yep. You can go and wake Akeno up, aunty.¡± ¡°...¡± Pausing at suddenly seeing him half-naked, Shuri quickly controlled herself and chastised him gently. ¡°Please exercise modesty, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°...¡± The blonde gave himself a once-over before shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s not as if I have breasts, but alright.¡± Closing the door behind him, he vanished. Su! It wasn¡¯t until she heard the door to his room gently close shut that she realised he returned there. She was not strange to his habit of using superspeed to move around, though it still amazed her. ¡°...¡± A part of her still felt a bit complicated that him and Aurelia shared the same bed, but she would not pry. He had done too much for her and this family for her to trouble him unnecessarily. As far as she was concerned, this was also his house. Walking on ahead, she went on to wake up Akeno. It was already a bit late so her little girl would need to hurry a bit. . |DxD| . Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Aurelia was not in the best of moods. Lying down on the bed with her head buried in a pillow, she was caught between killing herself or living in shame. [I can¡¯t believe I did it again!] It had been a while since she cleaned up and made the bed, but the amount of¡­¡°fluids¡± that she had to clean using magic wrought a massive wave of embarrassment over her. Even worse, most of the fluid came from her, a self-proclaimed noble princess. ¡°Aaaaaaaaah!¡± Screaming into the pillows, she wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole. The images of the wild night they had, particularly her eagerness, was a memory that dispelled all of her composure. To add on top of that, she was the one that initiated their earlier battle, and the site after their ¡®war¡¯ was over was a¡­mess, a complete and utter mess. ¡°...¡± Suicide was heavily frowned upon in their culture, but this time would be an exception, right- Su! ¡°?!¡± Feeling his presence suddenly appear behind her, she hid her face in the pillow once more. She didn¡¯t want to see him. She didn¡¯t want to see his face at all. ¡°...¡± Closing the door behind him, Igor stood awed at the sight before him. He had seen her naked, yet he still couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerised by her beauty. Her long white hair was draped in a perfect mess over her back. A modest black-striped white dress adorned her figure and extended all the way to her knees. Despite her modest clothing, her dress couldn¡¯t hide the ¡®hump¡¯ of her rear. This wasn¡¯t a speed bump that cars could breeze over. This was a speed hump that would force one to slow down and carefully manoeuvre over it, just like how his eyes took a considerable amount of time to ¡®manoeuvre¡¯ over her hump before they trailed down to her absolutely lovely calves. ¡°...¡± If it weren¡¯t for the time, he would really want to bed her again. But maybe there¡¯s¡­ [Time for teasing?] He knew she was aware of his presence. But it was cute how she tried to ignore him by burying her face in the pillow. ¡°Hmph~¡± Barely restraining a chuckle, he decided to let her know how close her demon can get if she did nothing to stop it. Adjusting the towel wrapped around his waist in readiness, he decided to tease her to oblivion and maybe, get a few kisses out of it. Su! . |DxD| . Breakfast was a normal affair, except for Aurelia who seemed a bit more reclusive than usual. Her eyes were more focused on her food, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. On the other side of the table, Igor and Asia tore into their food with unmatched enthusiasm like the voracious beasts they were. Eager to keep up with her big brother, Asia¡¯s cheeks puffed up like hamsters, her eyes darting to his bowl to see how close he was to finishing. Apart from that little spectacle, nothing much happened that diverted from the norm. Later on, Igor sent Akeno to school with Asia in tow. The little blonde was attached to his hip the whole time like a little duckling, her presence never trailing far from his. Once Akeno was dropped off, they took their time returning home because of how Asia enjoyed mingling amongst the people. The hours passed gradually from there once they returned home with Asia being very excited to practice even more magic. Watching from the sidelines, Igor took in the sight of Aurelia carefully teaching Asia with that prim and proper expression back on her face. He was tempted to tease her just to gain a reaction like this morning, but he respected her desire to keep their relationship a secret. Why she would want that? He didn¡¯t know. Nor did he ask. The only reason he didn¡¯t ask or outright ignore her request was that she had sincerely asked him. She didn¡¯t elaborate, but she promised it would only be for a week or so. Thinking of that unreadable expression he saw on her face when she asked made him suspicious. But he trusted her. From there, Shuri returned with Asia from school along with Lina, Cleria¡¯s queen. With her standing next to Shuri, Lina was rather quite short. Shuri explained to the two girls that she, Igor, and Aurelia would need to leave for a few hours. During that time, Lina would be taking care of them. Although confused, the two girls didn¡¯t cause a fuss. Asia was a bit unwilling to part from Igor, but she eventually accepted since he would be back by evening. With everything sorted, Aurelia, Igor, and Shuri went to Cleria¡¯s mansion where after a brief moment, Shemhazai arrived and teleported them to the Underworld. . |DxD| . Underworld, Grigori . Shemhazai was never one to be overly curious. Fulfilling the job designated to him by Azazel, he teleported to Kuoh, picked up those that needed to be picked up, and brought them to the Underworld. A few pleasantries here and there, expend a bit of magic, and he could go back to his life. He did not ask why Shuri was there or how Igor had suddenly gained that diamond tattoo on his forehead. Those things were for Azazel to ponder. Vwong! Right outside Baraquiel¡¯s private hospital room, a teleportation circle formed before it finally revealed four people. Azazel was standing there with a clipboard in his hand. His eyes gazed interestingly at the new arrivals, his eyes focusing on Igor. [He¡¯s changed.] With his perception, he was able to sense that Igor had changed drastically in the last three days, and the appearance of the tattoo on his forehead may have something to do with it. Regardless, he could figure out the hows and whys later. ¡°Shuri! So good to see you.¡± Walking over the woman standing at their forefront, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should celebrate or dread your arrival. But just know that no matter what happens, you will have the support of Grigori.¡± ¡°...¡± Catching the underlying tone in Azazel¡¯s words, she bowed her head slightly. ¡°Thank you, Azazel-kun.¡± ¡°...¡± Looking at this woman who had been through so much, his eyes flickered with inexplicable emotions before he finally changed targets. Moving over to Igor, he calmly greeted the blonde. ¡°Dimori. How have you been since¡­¡± Subtly catching what Azazel implied, Igor replied with a sigh. ¡°I have a new mental problem I have to deal with.¡± {I¡¯m not a mental problem!} ¡°A very annoying one I can¡¯t get rid of.¡± {Booo! I¡¯m not talking to you. Hmph!} Azazel noticed how Igor¡¯s eyes would flicker towards the top of his head, a characteristic people generally did when in thought. ¡°...¡± But whether it was truly in thought or not was a puzzle he would solve later. ¡°Good. You almost had me and your sister at our wit¡¯s end. I¡¯m very interested in knowing how you suppressed it. I would also like to discuss a possible collaboration with you after this, Aurelia.¡± ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Azazel-sama.¡± ¡°Good! But enough of that. It¡¯s time we go and see my brother.¡± Azazel walked to the front and then opened the door to Baraquiel¡¯s room. Walking inside first, he began speaking. ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, Igor. I have been studying this energy of yours and I still can¡¯t understand it completely.¡± Instead of feeling anger or apprehension, Azazel grew more excited. ¡°For one, I must genuinely praise you, kid. The ability to casually compress so much energy into one stable sphere is a feat very few could achieve.¡± Moving over to where Baraquiel was sleeping, Igor¡¯s sphere of demi-ki still hovered above the old man, though it was certainly smaller than before. ¡°Apart from other things, what amazes me more is that it can heal. Particularly, your energy enhances cell vitality and regeneration. Just this bit of knowledge and the possibilities are endl-¡± ¡°Cough!¡± It was Shemhazai who coughed. Aware that his brother was about to get too¡­¡®excited¡¯, he decided to cut it short. ¡°Brother. I believe your questions can be reserved for after everything has been concluded. Dimori-san. You said you would return today but did not have the chance to elaborate on what you would return for.¡± ¡°...¡± Walking over to Baraquiel who was unconscious in his bed, Igor reabsorbed the ball of demi-ki into his body. ¡°Did the old man wake up?¡± ¡°No, Dimori-san. He has been in a state of unconsciousness since your departure. But his vitals are steady and under the aid of your energy, his wounds have healed much faster than estimated.¡± Atleast without a phoenix tear, Baraquiel¡¯s recovery speed was second to none. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll help him wake up now.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can visit my patreon under the name ¡®HolyGambler¡¯. Until the next chapter. Chapter 180 ¡°Did the old man wake up?¡± ¡°No, Dimori-san. He has been in a state of unconsciousness since your departure. But his vitals are steady and under the aid of your energy, his wounds have healed much faster than estimated.¡± Atleast without a Phenex tear, Baraquiel¡¯s recovery speed was second to none. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll help him wake up now.¡± . |DxD| . Igor stood over Baraquiel, his hand stretched out over the man¡¯s chest. Closing his eyes, he sent harmless beams of demi-ki into the old fallen¡¯s body like a sonar. The beams harmlessly infiltrated his body, providing Igor information on his body from head to toe. [He¡¯s fully healed. Good.] Keeping his hand on his chest, Igor then began withdrawing the wisps of demi-ki that were inside Baraquiel¡¯s body, wisps that had entered him through the sphere¡¯s emissions. He carefully extracted the ki, taking care not to harm Baraquiel¡¯s body in the process. Gradually and under the curious eyes of everyone, Igor removed his hand from Baraquiel, a few streaks of red following after his palm and vanishing inside it. Shortly after, the beeping of the heart-rate monitor slowly increased before finally, Baraquiel opened his eyes. First, it was a few blinks. Even though the room had been dimmed, his eyes still had to adjust to the sudden infection of light. His eyes focused on the ceiling, his brain working quickly to analyse his location. Slightly turning his head to the side, it wasn¡¯t until he saw Igor that his sensory amenities like hearing slowly returned. ¡°Dimori¡­?¡± His body almost tensed when he suddenly remembered their last encounter. He still felt phantom pains in his abdomen. The feeling of half his stomach being blown apart was very¡­not pleasant. It was only the evident regret in the boy¡¯s eyes made him keep his composure. ¡°So¡­I¡¯m still alive.¡± ¡°You always were hard to kill, old man. How are you feeling?¡± Baraquiel barely managed a smirk before replying. ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ve felt worse. It¡¯ll take a lot more than that to take me out, kid.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Chuckling at how lightly Baraquiel was taking the situation, Igor sighed before he gained a serious, yet remorseful countenance. ¡°Old man. For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sor-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t say it.¡± His gaze hardened. ¡°I deserved it. Compared to what my wife and child went through, my situation pales.¡± Shakily, he raised a hand and placed it on Igor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So¡­don¡¯t apologise. I deserved that and more. Besides¡­¡± His hardened gaze was replaced by a grin. ¡°...if a brat like you could hit me with a powerful attack like that, then it means I really need to up my training.¡± ¡°...¡± Under Baraquiel¡¯s infectious grin, Igor couldn¡¯t help but sport his own. ¡°Heh¡­stupid old man.¡± Baraquiel was lightening the situation, and he was grateful. It was humour like this that made him like him. ¡°Thanks...¡± Just behind the two of them, Azazel was observing the situation. To be accurate, he was observing Shuri. The brunette seemed to be struggling with some indecision, her fingers continuously folding into each other. She seemed to be eyeing Baraquiel, particularly his interaction with Igor. It was not hidden that given enough time, those two would be back to being as thick as thieves. ¡°...¡± Whatever issue it was that causing her to fidget like that, he wouldn¡¯t get involved. As Igor and Baraquiel talked and shared a laugh or two with each other, his gaze finally managed to attract Shuri¡¯s attention. ¡°?¡± In front of her questioning expression, he didn¡¯t overt his gaze. Instead, he inclined his head towards the duo before silently mouthing these words. [Will you talk to him?] Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Delaying only for the briefest of moments as she read his lips, her eyes lowered for a bit in thought before she shook her head. [No¡­] Silently, she walked towards the door and let herself out, her determination faltering at how close those two were. From the moment she heard that Baraquiel had never woken up from Shemhazai, she already hesitated in delivering the news that would surely break his heart. Now, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything at all. No one stopped her departure, even Aurelia. She could understand Shuri¡¯s reasons for giving up and admittedly, she agreed with them. If Baraquiel had been awake since yesterday, it would¡¯ve been better¡­much better. Shuri¡¯s sudden departure as she opened the door alerted both Igor and Baraquiel. With the latter sitting up while the former turned around, a trace of panic and apprehension formed on the old fallen¡¯s face before he tried to get out of bed. ¡°Shuri¡­¡± Seeing the back of his wife, he desperately wanted to see her. But, he was stopped by Azazel suddenly blocking his way. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a rush, brother. You¡¯ll still be able to see her later. For now, you must rest while we run some tests.¡± ¡°I...¡± He wanted to argue, but stopped when he heard ¡®tests¡¯. After reading underneath Azazel¡¯s words, he understood his brother had some things he wanted to say to him. So, he begrudgingly conceded. ¡°Alright¡­¡± His relationship with Shuri was volatile due to his mistakes. He could only be patient and not rush, lest he completely ruin everything¡­if hadn¡¯t already did. ¡°Good.¡± Satisfied that his brother was willing to comply, Azazel turned to face his other ever-silent brother. ¡°Shemhazai. Please go and fetch the doctor.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± Unhesitantly following his older brother¡¯s request, a teleportation circle formed underneath him before he vanished. Vwong! This left only Baraquiel, Azazel, Igor, and Aurelia in the room. Turning to face them, Azazel calmly spoke. ¡°I will be honest with you, Igor. And you too, Aurelia. It will eventually come to light that I have hosted Aryans in Grigori. But, I don¡¯t want that to happen too soon. So may I ask you to leave? At least for a while. I don¡¯t want to have to erase the memories of the doctor that¡¯s about to arrive. He¡¯s one of my best and I don¡¯t need his intellect dropping due to avoidable circumstance.¡±* In a world where every organisation and faction would have a few ¡®leaking taps¡¯, he wanted to prevent Igor¡¯s existence from being spread. At the very least, he needed to prevent it long enough so that by the time the world knows, Grigori would be known as his fervent ally. ¡°Alright, Uncle A.¡± Without making a fuss, Igor was willing to leave. Besides, he wanted to group up with Shuri again. Before him and Aurelia could open the door, Azazel delivered another message. ¡°I¡¯ve sealed off this entire wing as private space. You are free to roam anywhere within this wing. Please try not to bump into anyone. There¡¯s a mini lounge where you can stay if you turn right. Just follow Shuri¡¯s energy signature.¡± ¡°Alright. Thanks, Uncle A. And I hope you get better, old man.¡± With that parting message, both him and Aurelia left the room, leaving Baraquiel and Azazel alone. . |DxD| . Igor and Aurelia walked the empty hallways in silence. Easily tracking Shuri¡¯s energy signature, they neared closer to the location she was in. Igor was in a visible happy mood. It was plainly obvious that with Baraquiel now and awake and well, his mood had also improved considerably. Silently, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Igor¡¯s relationship was similar to the one she shared with Yasaka. Both of them were mentors of different species who taught them the basics of the supernatural world. And funnily enough, they both managed to surpass their teachers in strength. [I wonder what Yasaka-sama would react if I told her of-heh?!] Suddenly, Igor grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. ¡°Wh-what? What are you doing, my lord?¡± Unbidden by her ¡®cry¡¯, he began trailing kisses on her neck and slowly extended to her collarbone¡­where he immediately began sucking on it. ¡°Ah~¡± Taken completely by surprise, Aurelia covered her mouth with her hand. She was embarrassed, especially at the fact that they were out in the open like this. ¡°M-my lord¡­nn~. What are¡­not¡­not here¡­¡± Unfortunately, Igor wouldn¡¯t listen to her. Lifting his head, he quickly captured her lips with his. His hold around her waist tightened, the feeling of her lips making his whole body feel warm. Holding this magnificent woman in his arms, he wished to both hide her, and brag about her to the world. Slowly pulling back, he couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw her flustered expression. Those hazy cheeks tinted in red were a stark contrast from the cold expression she held prior. Cutely enough, she tried avoiding eye contact when she saw his grin. ¡°Why did you¡­do that?¡± ¡°Do I need a reason? You¡¯re my woman. I kissed you because I wanted to.¡± ¡°...¡± Her cheeks flushed even more at such a blatant admission. Her heartbeat rose by a few notches, her head lowering at his brashness. ¡°B-but¡­b-but¡­why here? It¡¯s too¡­open¡­¡± Her voice trailed off at the end. They were in the middle of a long hallway. If anyone walked by, they would see the two of them. She shuddered at the thought of someone opening the double doors down the hallway and entering his wing. Or even worse, Shuri suddenly coming out of the room she was in. Flush~ It was embarrassing¡­really really embarrassing. ¡°...¡± Igor was overcome by the urge to eat her up. She was just too cute to pass up. ¡°You know¡­¡± Leaning in, he approached her ear. ¡°If you wanted me to stop¡­¡± He nibbled on it, causing her to quietly moan as her body shuddered. ¡°...you could¡¯ve easily escaped.¡± ¡°?!¡± He enjoyed the way her body tensed at the sudden realisation. His hold on her wasn¡¯t even strong enough to restrain her, nor was her magic sealed away. If she wanted, she could¡¯ve escaped his hold a long time ago. The underlying words beneath his sentence startled her. He implied that she was a pervert, a title she would never accept. ¡°But¡­if I escaped, y-you would¡­catch me.¡± Her voice was muted by his chest, but he heard her clea- ¡°Right¡­?¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Critical Strike! The way she meekly looked up, her soft lips briefly brushing against his neck, and those words¡­it was too much. ¡°...¡± ¡°Kyaaa?!¡± Swiftly lifting her up, he ignored her startled cry and pinned her against the wall. The stone cracked slightly, but the wall would remain standing. ¡°I-Igor! What are-mmph!¡± Silencing her with his lips, he greedily explored her mouth with his tongue. There was no helping it. She stoked his fire too much. This woman was a godsend and he found himself loving her more and more. . AN .
  1. ¡°I will be honest with you, Igor. And you too, Aurelia. It will eventually come to light that I have hosted Aryans in Grigori. But, I don¡¯t want that to happen too soon. So may I ask you to leave? At least for a while. I don¡¯t want to have to erase the memories of the doctor that¡¯s about to arrive. He¡¯s one of my best and I don¡¯t need his intellect dropping due to avoidable circumstance.¡±*
Explanation: Whether that is true or whether Azazel is using this as an excuse to get Igor out the room, I don¡¯t know. Maybe the latter is more probable since he probably needs the privacy to also tell Baraquiel about Igor possibly being Trihexa¡¯s jinchuuriki and stuff. On another note, I¡¯m still thankful for your continued support and I sincerely appreciate it. Until the next chapter. Chapter 181 ¡°Kyaaa?!¡± Swiftly lifting her up, he ignored her startled cry and pinned her against the wall. The stone cracked slightly, but the wall would remain standing. ¡°I-Igor! What are-mmph!¡± Silencing her with his lips, he greedily explored her mouth with his tongue. There was no helping it. She stoked his fire too much. This woman was a godsend and he found himself loving her more and more. . |DxD| . Aurelia felt a twinge of regret as she walked next to Igor. It had been a while since they shared a passionate kiss in the middle of the hallway and for every moment she enjoyed it, her mortification at their actions magnified the moment after. [...] Looking at how they held hands like a couple made little butterflies float in her stomach. She was intimately holding hands with a man just like in all those novels she read. Granted a hospital of all things wasn¡¯t the most romantic spot, but she didn¡¯t care. There was no mistaking it. As odd and as very weird as it sounded, she loved him. She loved Igor. Maybe it was weird? It still felt weird to hold these feelings for a man decades her junior. Good lord, she practically watched him grow throughout these ten years. From a simple boy who loved nothing but his family and fighting to a man who¡­still loved nothing but his family and fighting. [This is confusing¡­] In her confusion, her mind brought up those words he uttered that whittled down her resistance like ice in a desert. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m young? I¡¯m already past my sixties if we count the number of years I¡¯ve been alive. Even if we ignore that, I¡¯ve seen and lived through things even humans in their eighties have never seen. As far as I¡¯m concerned, I¡¯m more than self-aware to know what I want. And I want you.¡¯ Remembering those words he said, she realised she was maybe overthinking things. Those eyes definitely weren¡¯t those of a child. She was afraid-no, she knew if she brought up her doubts with him again, he¡¯d admonish her before sealing her lips with his again. ¡°...¡± Maybe she wanted tha- Flush~ With reddening cheeks, she banished the perverted thought from her brain. It wasn¡¯t enough that she was older. But he now had her wrapped around his finger. It was embarrassing considering it should be the other way around. In the novels she read, it was the older woman who guided the younger male. Granted, those woman had the ¡®experience¡¯ needed to teach. She was still a maiden at the time so that was a sort of¡­consolation? An excuse? She didn¡¯t hate their current dynamic. A part of her¡­a very perverted part of her, wanted to experience a few hot and passionate moments with him in one of these rooms. The thought of doing something so dirty was making her a bit moist. Flush~ Maybe if she¡­hinted- ¡°Man. This place sure is big. I wonder if aunty will show us around the place since it seems like she knows it.¡± ¡°...¡± So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she forgot to address the most important issue. ¡°Maybe she would¡­¡± Shuri was the hurdle that caused her heart to experience constant palpations. She unabashedly told her of her feelings towards Igor, of how much she appreciated him, of how much she loved him. Yet in that very night, she ¡®betrayed¡¯ Shuri and slept with him. ¡°...¡± Aurelia felt like scum, even more so when she didn¡¯t want to leave Igor. She was too unwilling. So much had happened between them that even the thought of leaving him wasn¡¯t going to be entertained in the slightest. So¡­ [What do I do?] Does she hope that Shuri gets back together with Baraquiel? [Impossible. Shuri-sama has made her intentions far too clear.] ¡®No matter what you say or do, I can¡¯t stop loving him, I won¡¯t stop loving him, and I never will stop loving him. As long as I draw breath, this heart of mine will belong to him.¡¯ The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. [...far too clear.] Sneaking a glance at the blonde from the corner of her eye, her cheeks burnt up at the memory of what happened not even a minute ago. Shamefully, she loved it when he got like that and certainly didn¡¯t want any of it to stop. But then there were also the plans she had in that he would take Shuri as his wife. She did not include herself in any of those plans so now she was feeling a bit of stress and apprehension. One stupid confession and a decade of planning went out the window. [Haaa¡­] Her feelings were a mess. Her mind was a mess. She couldn¡¯t decide between coming clean with Shuri or hoping that the brunette would lose all her determination and stay with Baraquiel¡­a horrible thought to have. But this was her first time dealing with this cliche love triangle mess. Even worse, she only had a week to deal with everyth- ¡°Sister.¡± Coming to a sudden stop, Igor couldn¡¯t contain his worries any longer. ¡°What is wrong with you? What¡¯s happening?¡± Holding her hand tightly, her constantly fluctuating energy worried him to no end. What kind of turbulent thoughts were she having that made her seem so¡­downtrodden? ¡°I¡­¡± Aurelia tried to lie, but eventually gave up. Sigh ¡°Igor. I¡¯m sorry. But I can¡¯t tell you yet. I really, really can¡¯t tell you yet. It¡¯s an issue I have and I need a bit of time to solve it.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was tempted¡­really tempted to force the issue and have her tell him right then and there. ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing you like this, Lia.¡± With his teeth grating on each other, he was visibly stressed at her keeping secrets from him. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°...¡± The guilt she had before paled in comparison to the one she felt now. He was worried for her and her wellbeing, yet here she was being secretive. ¡°My lord¡­Igor¡­¡± Placing her hands on his cheeks, she looked into his eyes and spoke with all the honesty she could muster. ¡°I promise you, Igor. I promise that when the week is over, I will let you know of every single thing, alright?¡± She leaned in and gave him a small and sensual kiss. Chuu~ ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°...¡± Even after their kiss, he was still frowning. He didn¡¯t like what she was doing at all in the slightest. But, looking into her eyes, he very, very reluctantly agreed. ¡°Alright. Fine-¡± ¡°No!¡± Hugging him tightly, Aurelia didn¡¯t want to end it like this. ¡°Please listen to me, Igor. I know what I¡¯m doing to you is very wrong and unbecoming. But I don¡¯t want you to mistrust me, not in the slightest. Please believe me that if I could, I would willingly share my problem with you without hesitation. But¡­this secret isn¡¯t only mine to tell. Maybe you¡¯ll guess who else it is eventually, but please hold off on that until the end of this week. By then, I promise I will tell you everything truthfully. I swear it on my family name.¡± ¡°...¡± By putting her family name on the line, it was a heavy indicator that she was being truthful with her words. Hearing her swear on her name as a Drachenburg, Igor decided to trust her despite his vehement desire to know the truth. ¡°Alright. I accept. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°?!¡± Unable to hide her relief, she hugged him tighter. ¡°Thank you, Igor. Thank you¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Still, the blonde had one worry. ¡°Don¡¯t become happy yet, sister. I still want to ask you one thing.¡± Gently lifting her chin so that he could look her in the eye, he spoke calmly with a seriousness that could only be found in a man. ¡°This is non-negotiable. If I find out that you answered no, but the opposite were true true, I will never ever trust you fully like I do now.¡± ¡°...¡± Panicking inwardly, Aurelia braced herself. ¡°Alright, Igor. I will answer truthfully, but please don¡¯t make it difficult for me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Aurelia could keep her secret. What he wanted to know was one thing and one thing only. ¡°This secret of yours¡­does it place you in any mortal danger? Is your life at risk? Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°...¡± Unable to stop herself, she smiled warmly. ¡°No, Igor. I can promise you that no lives are at risk here.¡± ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want either you or aunty¡¯s lives to be at risk.¡± She looked up in surprise. ¡°...you knew?¡± ¡°I guessed. But now I¡¯m sure.¡± Giving her a snarky grin, Aurelia just hugged him tighter with a huff. ¡°And you call yourself stupid, my lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still stupid. I just happen to be a bit more observant than others.¡± Nuzzling against his chest, Aurelia smiled wryly. ¡°That is a trait smart people have.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­nope. If I was smart as you say you are, I wouldn¡¯t have told you how I felt.¡± ¡°...¡± Feeling a bit of trepidation enter her, she carefully asked, her hold on him subconsciously tightening. ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°...you remember when I said I wasn¡¯t quite where I need to be? I didn¡¯t want to pursue you until I got as strong as Indra.¡± Considerably relieved that he wasn¡¯t regretful, she questioned him further with curiosity. ¡°Was it for status?¡± ¡°No. I just wanted to beat him in a fight. After that, I would formally begin courting you. Though¡­¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°...I don¡¯t regret the way things are now~. Well, I do have one regret. I spent months thinking of lines I could use to court you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so¡­¡®quick¡¯ in accepting me, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Flush~ Feeling absolutely mortified that he was referencing yesterday, she resolutely changed the topic. ¡°H-how did you figure out that Shuri-sama was also involved in this secret?¡± It was a stupid question, but she desperately wanted to change the conversation. These new feelings and experiences were things she was still new to. She wasn¡¯t in any condition to engage in sexual talks and innuendo so brazenly like him. ¡°Aunty? It was obvious. She had a secret to keep. Next thing I know, you have a secret too. It was pretty easy to connect the dots. Though I am curious. The secret¡­is it aunty divorcing the old man? I won¡¯t judge if it is.¡± ¡°...¡± It would be so easy to say yes and get him off their trail. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it, my lord. It is a part of it, but not the crux.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He seemed to mull it over for a while before he shrugged. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t try and investigate any further. Just tell me by the end of the week, alright? Or else the next ten years in the time chamber will be spent with you making a new bed.¡± ¡°?!¡± Completely and utterly flustered by his words, she broke free from his hold and marched forward, a very bright crimson shade of red on her face. One minute he¡¯s warm and caring. The next, he turns into a lecherous rogue. She couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. [He¡¯s too perverted!] Silently, Igor watched her walk away, a warm smile spreading on his face. He couldn¡¯t help it. Seeing her make all these sorts of cute reactions just lit a fire in him. [Father. I have no regrets. I love this woman.] . AN . I¡¯m jealous. I mean, I¡¯m not jealous of their relationship at all. I swear. On another note, there¡¯s three extra chapters available to read on my patreon for those interested. Until the next chapter. Chapter 182 Completely and utterly flustered by his words, she broke free from his hold and marched forward, a very bright crimson shade of red on her face. One minute he¡¯s warm and caring. The next, he turns into a lecherous rogue. She couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. [He¡¯s too perverted!] Silently, Igor watched her walk away, a warm smile spreading on his face. He couldn¡¯t help it. Seeing her make all these sorts of cute reactions just lit a fire in him. [Father. I have no regrets. I love this woman.] . |DxD| . Just further down the corridor from the blonde and silverette, Shuri was inside the doctor¡¯s lounge. It wasn¡¯t a large room by any margin. Just a few couches surrounding the table with a potted plant on it. There were other basic amenities such as a kettle, microwave, coffee machine, and a few more. Shuri was alone in the lounge with a cup of warm green tea in hand. Sitting modestly on the couch, she was at a loss on what to do. Ever since she had left Baraquiel¡¯s room, her mind had been clouded with indecision. [I¡­I can¡¯t do it.] Seeing Baraquiel like that, her resolve did not just falter, it completely diminished. She just did not have the heart to tell her husband who had woken up from a critical injury that she had her eyes on another man¡­the man who he was conversing with. Struggling with indecision, she could only push the timeframe further away. [I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll wait for him to get better. Maybe¡­maybe next week.] It was completely unlike her to lose her composure so easily. But given how everything was lately, she found her emotions to be in a subtle state of flux. This was something she didn¡¯t need when in such a delicate situation. Slowly, she took a sip of tea from her cup to calm herself before she set it on the table. For all the merits she deserved, she outwardly remained composed, her expression not betraying her inner turmoil. She was rather thankful that Igor and Aurelia had not arrived yet. The cold silence in this staff lounge was a factor she needed to process her thoughts and calm down. [All is not lost, Shuri. A chance still exists.] As long as she remained unyielding, a chance with Igor still existed. She was no longer shy about admitting her feelings towards him. But in reality, the odds were heavily stacked against her. One problem was Akeno, but maybe she could hide their relationship from her? If it all worked out in the first place. [I mustn¡¯t think too far ahead.] There was no use counting her chickens before they hatched. Her biggest concern was how to get the blonde not to see her as just ¡®aunty¡¯. If she could break through that point, then everything would be much easier. [With Dimori-kun¡¯s personality, it might take more than a few months just to change his perception of me.] Calmly taking another sip, her pondering was interrupted when the door opened. Glancing at it, she was surprised to see that Aurelia was alone. ¡°Aurelia-san. Where is Dimori-kun?¡± ¡°He¡¯s exploring the hospital. It¡¯s his first time here so he wants to explore.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± She could certainly imagine him exploring with youthful curiosity. Taking another sip of her tea, she chuckled gently. ¡°Fufu~. It does sound like him.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Finally sitting down on the couch opposite Shuri, Aurelia waited for Shuri to finish drinking her tea with a patient gaze. It wasn¡¯t until a few moments later that Shuri finally put down her cup with a weary sigh. ¡°If this is about Baraquiel, I could not do it.¡± ¡°No, Shuri-sama. While I understand your reason for your hesitation, this has nothing to do with Baraquiel-sama.¡± ¡°?¡± She was visibly surprised since most serious issues around her tended to relate to that husband of hers. ¡°Oh? Then what issue is so serious that it has you like this, Aurelia-san?¡± ¡°...¡± Silently wishing she also drank some tea before this, Aurelia answered. ¡°This concerns my lord and¡­me.¡± ¡°?¡± Shuri was failing to understand, but she had a bad feeling.The worst case scenario she could think of was if Aurelia told Igor of her affections and intentions. But, she patiently waited for her to say her piece. ¡°I¡­¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. This was difficult for Aurelia to say, but it had to be done. Not knowing a better way to phrase it, she could only sigh and bite the bullet. ¡°I fostered sexual relations with Igor.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Man. This hospital sure is big.¡± Igor explored this massive hospital wing that seemed to be arranged in a ¡®U¡¯ shape. Keeping to the instructions given, he only explored this wing. But even this wing alone was big, making him wonder just how big the rest of the hospital would be. Entering to explore one of the private rooms, he sat on the bed and immediately, he felt like he was in heaven. ¡°Mmmm. So¡­comfy¡­¡± Looking around the room, there was a direct view to a lovely lake outside. If it wasn¡¯t for the few machines here and there, this room would¡¯ve fit the bill for a VIP suite in a hotel. [This is a good place to nap. What do you think, Triny?] {...} Stopping his examination of an empty patient¡¯s room, his eyes tilted upwards. [Triny?] {Huh? Ohhhh. So now you finally remember me?} [...] It didn¡¯t take him a moment to figure that she was mad about him not speaking to her for the whole night given that he was¡­busy. Still, he expected her to understand. Guess she didn¡¯t. ¡°Women¡­¡± {Boooo! Don¡¯t ¡®women¡¯ me!} [Meh. I-] Suddenly stopping, he began to contemplate. [Huh. You¡¯re right.] Clearing his throat, he smiled deviously for a very brief moment. ¡°Hags¡­¡± Her reaction was instant. {Raaaa! Come here. Come here so that I can bite you!} [Heh. As if you could win against me.] {Why you! Let¡¯s see if¡­} Ignoring the very energetic girl in his head, Igor chose to lie down on the bed. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m coming you old hag.¡± His words ignited a slight gap in silence. It was clear that Triny completely didn¡¯t expect he would come. She even glossed over that he called her an old hag. {...hmph! Whatever¡­} ¡°...¡± She was excited, wasn¡¯t she? {I¡¯m not!} ¡°Hehe.¡± Chuckling, Igor closed his eyes. Apart from talking, he hadn¡¯t seen her since they officially bonded. That and, he was genuinely curious about seeing her true form. He¡¯d remember to ask her that soon. . |DxD| . Appearing once more in green pastures, Igor barely had enough time to admire the surroundings when a blonde rocket suddenly crashed into him. ¡°Heh?¡± Feeling arms around his neck, he was about to return the hug when he felt the sensation of teeth bite into his collarbone. ¡°Ow.¡± Flinching slightly at the pain, it honestly wasn¡¯t something to write home about. Her bite felt more like a pair of blunt scissors trying and failing dismally to pierce through his skin. Still, Triny made good on her promise to bite him. With her firmly latched on to him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to pry her off easily. Rubbing his brow, he ignored the drool seeping through his shirt. ¡°Not just a hag it seems. But a cannibal as well.¡± {?!} In rage, Triny tried to bite him even harder, but couldn¡¯t sink her teeth through that hardened skin. She was more stubborn than a dog holding onto a bone. Having had enough of her mini tantrum, he grabbed the back of her neck and squeezed. ¡°Ah!¡± With her yelping at the sudden pain, he managed to remove her from his collarbone. Holding her up like a wet kitten, he looked at her with a dry gaze. ¡°Had enough yet?¡± ¡°...¡± Defyingly turning her head to the side, Triny folded her arms. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Contrarily, what formed on Igor¡¯s face wasn¡¯t annoyance, but a smile. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Bringing the little girl in for a hug, he nuzzled the top of her head with his chin. ¡°I missed you too, Triny.¡± ¡°...¡± She felt embarrassed at his sudden change and the soft contact between them. It was nice hearing him say he missed her too, but she would never say it. Never! ¡°H-Hmph!¡± Funnily enough though, she was not making any moves to get out of his embrace. In fact, it seemed like she was about to glue herself there. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I know you missed me too.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t mind her silence. Her soul spoke louder than words ever could. He didn¡¯t know whether it was because of her influence, but he did crave her contact as well. He didn¡¯t mind holding her like this, especially if she wouldn¡¯t bite him like she did before. Sitting down, a very comfy recliner conveniently formed underneath him. At the same time, a log cabin spawned around them with a warm fireplace and everything. It was small, just barely bigger than a normal-sized room. But it was homely. As a finishing touch, a warm, woolly blanket slowly fell over them, leaving only their heads exposed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about you, Triny. But I¡¯m going to take a quick nap.¡± Her response? The grip on his shirt relaxed. ¡°...?¡± Unable to stop himself smiling once more, he leaned back into the couch and used his hand to kick up the legs. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep like this for a while, alright.¡± ¡°...okay.¡± This was their second time sleeping like this, and Triny still felt a bit embarrassed by how casual he was. But, she sincerely appreciated that despite being a monster, he treated her like family. . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Shuri was not coming to terms with the news she just heard. ¡°You¡­slept with¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Shuri-sama. I did not mean it as a slight against you but, certain events¡­happened¡­¡± ¡°...¡± There was no processing it. There was only acceptance. ¡°I¡­I see¡­¡± What could she do? A small part of her wanted to kick and scream at Aurelia. But with what right? The woman certainly qualified as a more appropriate partner for him. She spent much longer periods of time with Igor and knew him more than she did. So what rights did she have to complain? ¡°I¡­alright¡­¡± Stomaching everything, she lifted her head and faced Aurelia with a smile. ¡°Congratulations, Aurelia-san.¡± She tried to keep up a happy facade, but her true emotions bled through at the last moment. ¡°I¡­I¡­I¡­¡± Slowly, tears trickled down her cheeks, her words getting caught in her throat as she silently sobbed. She tried. She truly tried to remain strong. But what was she supposed to do when she heard that the man she desired was permanently out of reach? ¡°...¡± Unable to remain a bystander any longer, Aurelia instantly appeared beside Shuri and brought her in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shuri-sama. It was never my intention to-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mad!¡± Clutching onto Aurelia¡¯s dress, Shuri got out her words through choked sobs. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not mad at you. It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s just¡­¡± Feeling the hollow pain in her heart, Shuri couldn¡¯t restrain her emotions. ¡°It hurts, Aurelia-san! It hurts!¡± She cried onto her chest as Aurelia hugged her tighter. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. But it hurts. It hurts so much!¡± With the cold hard reality setting, she realised that any dreams or fantasies she might¡¯ve had died. Her already abysmal chances of getting Igor completely collapsed when Aurelia slept with him. ¡°What do I do¡­?¡± The object of her affection was completely out of her reach. Now, everything was completely stacked against her. As pathetic, as humiliating, and as dreadful as it sounded, the only workable card she had against Igor was...seduction, to make him see her as a woman. Now, that was gone. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Any attempts she made now would be quickly silenced by him declaring his relationship. If she pushed, he would soon see her as a slut or even worse, outright leave. This wouldn¡¯t hurt just her. This would also hurt Akeno. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­what do I do now?¡± Sobbing into Aurelia¡¯s embrace, she felt as if a large part of her had just broken. The genuine love and care she had for Igor would never be realised. She did not hate nor blame Aurelia, but she wished¡­silently wished they never got together. . AN . I thought it was scummy behavior that while her ex-husband had just woken up from a critical injury, she was thinking of how to bag his former student. Now, I think I feel a bit of pity for Shuri. Actually, I don¡¯t even know what to feel. Are women that evil or am I that soft? Today is Friday and for those interested, they can find three extra chapters on my patreon. Until the next chapter. Chapter 183 ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Any attempts she made now would be quickly silenced by him declaring his relationship. If she pushed, he would soon see her as a slut or even worse, outright leave. This wouldn¡¯t hurt just her. This would also hurt Akeno. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­what do I do now?¡± Sobbing into Aurelia¡¯s embrace, she felt as if a large part of her had just broken. The genuine love and care she had for Igor would never be e realised. She did not hate nor blame Aurelia, but she wished¡­silently wished they never got together. . |DxD| . The hours passed endlessly in Igor¡¯s mindscape. In what seemed like an endless nap, he and Triny had dozed away comfortably without nary a care for the outside world. With the crackling sound of wood being burnt soothing their ears, it was no wonder that they slept for hours. But, there was work that needed to be done. Now, the both of them were standing apart from each other in the open field, well over a few kilometres from the cabin. At Igor¡¯s insistence, he had brought Triny here for something that was long overdue. To the complete surprise of the little girl, he was looking at her with a rather subtle battle-hungry expression. ¡°...¡± She felt shivers at how he stared at her. ¡°Um¡­Igor? Why did you bring me here?¡± With a small grin spreading on his face, Igor replied to her. ¡°Because, I want to fight you in your true form.¡± He tried to keep his tone neutral, but there was no hiding the excitement in his voice. He had been anticipating this moment for quite a while now. How powerful was the girl rumoured to be the Beast of Apocalypse? He didn¡¯t know and he certainly wanted to find out. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time to do this, Triny. I hope you¡¯re as eager as me.¡± ¡°...¡± No. No she was not eager. In fact, she was fearful. ¡°You want to see me¡­in that form?¡± She didn¡¯t want to. She was a monster in every true sense of the word in that form. It was because of that very reason that got her sealed in the first place. ¡°Yes. I want to see you at your strongest.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t need to. You already know what I look like!¡± ¡°...no I don¡¯t.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying either. When he was exposed to her past, everything was more or less from her point of view. He never truly saw what she looked like. But he sensed a deeper story behind her vocal displeasure to assume her transformation. And he had a feeling that it extended beyond mere aesthetics. ¡°What is the problem, Triny?¡± She was panicking too much for this to be normal. Walking over to her, he squatted down and held her by the shoulders. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Mm mm!¡± Continuously shaking her head, she refused him on the spot. The topic of her true form was something she was sore about and never wanted to broach. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°...¡± That right there was more than enough reason for him to stop. But he didn¡¯t. ¡°No. We are.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a request.¡± ¡°No-¡± ¡°I SAID, this isn¡¯t a request.¡± ¡°...¡± She quietened down immediately, more in shock by the firmness in his voice. Igor didn¡¯t want to bear a heavy hand on her, but this was not the moment to be concerned about her feelings and wants. This was the sort of problem that if ignored, would result in unavoidable misfortune in the future. ¡°You have a problem accessing your full power, power which is attainable in your true form. I am not sure of the reason, but I damn well know the consequences. You are under my care now. I will not under any circumstances let any harm come to you, especially when you are harming yourself.¡± Dying is one thing. Dying because you refused to use your true power is another thing entirely. In fact, it is nothing short of stupid and disgraceful. Even just losing because you held back your true power out of fear was something he found very grating on his nerves. [I am tolerant of many things, except this.] It was clear that Triny was very hesitant and fearful. The way her body trembled was a key sign of trauma. Lowering his head so that their gaze could meet, his eyes softened. ¡°Listen. I care about you. I care for your wellbeing. So tell me. For what reason do you not want to access your true form?¡± ¡°...¡± Seeing her remain tight-lipped, he didn¡¯t rush her. He let the silence fill the clearing for a few more seconds before she quietly spoke. ¡°Because¡­because I¡¯ll become a monster.¡± ¡°...¡± He almost groaned thinking that she despised her appearance in that form, until a second meaning presented itself in his mind¡­a very likely one. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Will you become berserk?¡± A quiet nod was all he received from her. ¡°...yes. I¡­I lose control of myself when I enter that¡­state¡­¡± ¡°...¡± That was it? Just being berserk? If it was just that, then the solution was very simple. ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to learn to control that power.¡± He spoke matter-of-factly. ¡°I even know how we can do that.¡± Standing up, he was about to step back when she suddenly grabbed his leg. ¡°Wait! I can¡¯t use it! If I do¡­then I¡¯ll¡­hurt you¡­¡± ¡°...¡± She was afraid that she would hurt him? How cute. ¡°Triny. This is our shared mindscape. Neither of us can ever truly kill the other. So there is no need for you to worry. I¡¯ll help you control your power.¡± He ruffled her hair. ¡°Get ready. I want you to access your true form.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to! You¡¯re already strong yourself. So why do I need to use it? I don¡¯t wanna! It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s scary¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Maybe at some point in the past, he would¡¯ve let the matter drop here and now. If possible, he would¡¯ve settled for gradually introducing her to the idea of attaining her true form. But this was reality and reality had given him a brutal shock one too many times. The supernatural world never waits for someone to slowly develop. You¡¯re either strong, or you die. ¡°Triny. I don¡¯t plan to have you remain in my mind for all eternity. At some point in time, I will have you exist in the real world. As partners intimately linked through our souls, enemies will seek to use you against me, knowing that harming you will harm me.¡± Killing intent leaked out of him at the thought of those enemies. He was not naive enough to believe that word of his bond with Trihexa of all beings would go unnoticed for long. It could be tomorrow, next year, or the next century for all he knew. But what he knew was that it was an eventuality. If that scenario happened, he needed her to be strong enough. ¡°Whether you like it or not, the world sees you as Trihexa, the Beast of Apocalypse. Whether anyone would seek to use you or eliminate you, you MUST be strong enough to protect yourself. If for some reason, I am delayed or we can no longer link with each other, I want you to have the capacity to swiftly eliminate our enemies. And if your base powers fail you, I want you to capably use your full-power in order to kill them. For that to happen, you need to be able to comfortably access your true form.¡± Triny was strong. But at this point, Igor was completely sure he could defeat her with only a few levels of his Kaioken activated, and that technique would only be required because of her immense healing capabilities. At her stage, any decent sealing team or individuals with specialised weapons and tools could contain or kill her if she were in the real world. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fear. I¡¯ll be here to guide you.¡± ¡°...¡± Putting his faith in him, Triny put down her walls and quietly asked. ¡°H-how?¡± ¡°Very simple. Transform into your true form. After that, I will beat you up until the pain is strong enough for you to regain control of yourself. Easy, right?¡± ¡°...¡± She was having second thoughts about this. She was really, really, really having second thoughts about this. This man was just looking for a reason to let out some steam. ¡°Can I¡­can I¡­refuse? M-maybe try another method?¡± ¡°No.¡± Replying with finality, Igor stepped back and provided a few metres of space between them. Crossing his arms, a red sheen of aura surrounded him. ¡°Access your true form.¡± No longer was it a request. It was now an order. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± Cruel? Yes. Abusive? Yes. But this was the most effective method. Taking a page off Indra¡¯s book, he would administer shock therapy that would force her to take matters into her own hands. ¡°W-wait! This isn¡¯t right! I-¡± Ignoring her words, he steeled his heart and charged forward. Su! He was twice as powerful as he was before. There was absolutely no chance she could see him when she was unprepared as she was. Gu! With a clenched fist, he punched her hard in the gut. Her body curled over his fist, the impact not registering in her brain until a moment later. ¡°?!¡± Her eyes widened in shock, the pain causing her body to go limp. She couldn¡¯t even register the pain of another punch to her face before everything went black. Sending her flying, Igor gave chase. Su! Flying after her, he quickly reached her and grabbed her by the throat. BOOOM! Slamming her into the ground, his eyes were filled with concern hidden by rage. ¡°How long will you continue avoiding yourself?! Use your power, Triny!¡± Tightening his grip on her neck, he picked her up and slammed her into the ground again¡­multiple times. Booom! ¡­Booom! ¡­Booom! A small crater formed beneath her, her attire being torn and damaged everytime he slammed her hard into the earth. ¡°Use it!!!¡± Standing up, he retreated a few metres away before extending his hand towards her with a resolute expression. ¡°...¡± A frown formed on his face when he saw her weakly get up. Her skin had bruises, her hair dirtied from being constantly slammed into the ground. Her hand weakly held her stomach while her wounds slowly healed. Her breaths were slightly heavy, but Igor wouldn¡¯t stop. Vwomp¡­ With a crimson orb forming in his palm, he mustered a glare at her. ¡°Use your power¡­or you will die.¡± Gone was his battle lust. This was now Igor who had continuously fought in dangerous wars for three years. He was no general by any means, but he would force Triny to pick up the slack. For better or worse, she was essentially his strength just as much as she was his weakness. [Until she can show the courage and maintain her rationale, I will not let her leav-?!] His thoughts were cut off when he suddenly felt her power spike. No longer did she appear meek and helpless. Standing upright with her fists clenched, her teary gaze showed unburdened determination and resolve. ¡°Alright. Since you wanted to see me at my full-power, then here you go!¡± Right before his eyes, Triny was suddenly covered in a massive dark pillar of light so large that it stretched into the skies. Her very form almost disappeared under the dense aura that covered her. The pressure in the region suddenly rose, her gradually rising power causing the winds to become chaotic. [Amazing¡­] He had already retreated a few more metres away from her, but he could feel his ki burning as her chakra overflowed. He widened the distance between them once more, his eyes bearing witness to her power multiply dozens of times over. Twitch¡­twitch¡­ He could feel it. His desire for battle was rising from the grave. His attempts to coach Triny into controlling her powers were being subsumed by the intense desire to test his mettle against a being of the legends. su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Su Channelling his ki into his divine strand, his hair turned red, crimson aura billowing around him like a cloak. With a violent but controlled reaction, he entered his demigod state, his power immediately eclipsing Triny¡¯s by a wide margin. But, he was not disappointed to find that her power was closing in on his current level. Perhaps it might even surpass his¡­a very exciting prospect. What did surprise him however was that as her power rose, three pairs of wings slowly grew behind her. From top to bottom, she had a pair of dragon wings, bird wings, and bat wings. Two rows of horns grew on her head like stalks of corn, each bigger than the last. They looked to be small, the front like those of a bull calf and the pair at the back like those of a growing lamb¡¯s. Her body grew in maturity, her dress growing along with her height. From a little child that was barely six-years old, she grew into a young adolescent girl of twelve years. Rows of black tribal markings stretched from her forehead and spread across her developing figure, tattooing her skin in the process. GRUUUU! The markings somehow caused her power to increase immensely. Igor could feel her feeding from the nature energy surrounding them, her power growing with each absorption. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!¡± Letting out a demonic roar, it was official. Her power-level eclipsed his by a not-so-short margin. Her elongated canines and the vicious claws on her hands and feet would make her qualify to be a demon. The black aura fluctuating violently around her emboldened that point. Her hair violently shook under the pressure of her power, the whites of her eyes focused on the second presence that dared to challenge her authority. Like a goddess, her aura hung close to her as she finally completed her transformation. She regarded Igor with a furious expression, her desire to kill him not hidden. Her breaths were heavy, her pupil-less gaze focused on him. She sniffed the air a few times and immediately, her power fluctuated once more. He was a threat, a threat that must be eliminated. On instinct alone, she charged. Her goal? His destruction. . AN . Igor is by far the worst psychiatrist I have ever seen. He got results, but there has to be better methods¡­right? What he did was like Jiraiya throwing Naruto off a cliff, but worse. Moving on, this week will come out to be quite busy for me. Apart from assignments, there¡¯s also other work that I¡¯ll have to do. So unfortunately and regretfully, I¡¯ll have to reduce uploads to one chapter every two days for the entirety of this week. My sincere apologies but my schedule is too backed up for me to upload everyday without compromising my studies or negatively impacting my sleep schedule. I hope for your understanding and until Tuesday. There are three extra chapters for patrons on my page if you are interested. Thank you. Chapter 184 She regarded Igor with a furious expression, her desire to kill him not hidden. Her breaths were heavy, her pupil-less gaze focused on him. She sniffed the air a few times and immediately, her power fluctuated once more. He was a threat, a threat that must be eliminated. On instinct alone, she charged. Her goal? His destruction. . |DxD| . CLASH! Like a powerful tsunami, Triny¡¯s foot collided with Igor¡¯s raised forearms. The impact alone created a shockwave that uprooted every single piece of grass for hundreds of metres. Triny was more powerful than him in his current state. He could easily admit that. But as he had come to learn that power was not everything. And he would impart that same lesson to her. ¡°Hup!¡± Grabbing her foot, he used her momentum to swing her over his back and slam her into the ground. BOOM! Holding her felt like plunging his palms in burning oil. He imagined this was the reaction caused by her chakra clashing with his ki. Regardless, this wouldn¡¯t hinder his ability to fight. Though he wasn¡¯t tanking blasts any time soon. Su! Sidestepping away, he dodged a rather nasty mouth beam of black tainted energy that shot right up into the sky. He didn¡¯t have enough time to admire it however when black tentacles suddenly shot out of the ground like pillars. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ¡°...¡± She was going all out, wasn¡¯t she. With a pair of crimson ki blades in hand, Igor flew away while dodging the horde of little monstrosities that sought to restrain him. Cutting across the rapidly growing forest of tentacles, he spotted a relatively clear path to Triny and used his Instant Vanish to immediately close the distance. Tswii! Leaving behind only a high-pitched squeak as the note of his rapid departure, he appeared right next to her. With his body still in midair, the ki blade on his hand extended by a metre before quickly¡­ Shiiiing! ¡­he swung it to decapitate her. ¡°?!¡± Yet whether it was instinct or her danger senses saving her, Triny was able to duck at the last moment. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for her wings. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± With a piercing demonic scream of pain, she unleashed a powerful explosive barrier that pushed him back. GRUUUUU! Surrounding herself with a giant dome of black energy, it continued to rapidly expand in all directions, even underground. [Wow. That is a lot of power.] Flying away to escape its ever-expanding radius, a distance of a few hundred metres opened up between them. Once he was sure the wave wouldn¡¯t expand any further, he stopped and observed his forearms. There was black miasma on them, but his aura was doing a very good job of burning it away. [Demi-ki can combat her nature energy-infused chakra. Good to know.] Aside from his will, maybe it was because of it that she didn¡¯t succeed in completely controlling him the first two times. [She¡¯ll be an absolute monster if she can control her power.] If she can induce madness in people along with frying their bodies from within, all without moving a single muscle, then she would belong to her own threat class. Possible a flee-on-sight threat category. Watching the giant barrier finally dissipate, it revealed Triny to be hovering in midair with all her wings out. The entire area had turned into one giant crater, the ground appearing to have been scooped out with a spoon. What caught his eye more than the destruction however was that visible part where he had cut off a part of her dragon wings. [They aren¡¯t healing?] Mildly taken by surprise at the sight, he didn¡¯t linger on the phenomenon. He was more concerned with the lass who seemed ready to kill him at any moment. ¡°RAAAAAAAH!¡± She was still berserk all right. And very ready to eat him alive¡­literally. If those canines in her mouth had anything to say, then the feeling he got when she bit his shoulder earlier would feel like a love-bite in comparison. ¡°...¡± Shaking his head, he stopped his mind from having useless thoughts. Regardless, if he wanted to induce consciousness, then he was going to have to up the punishment. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. [If demi-ki can burn her miasma, then it should hurt her enough if I lunge a few ki blasts at her.] Spreading his hands wide, crimson spheres formed within his palms before he thrust them out. ¡°Haa!¡± Immediately, numerous ki blasts flew out of his hands like a machine gun. A long massive wall of earth rose to her defence, but his blasts pierced through it with ease. Keeping up the barrage, he could sense some of his blasts were being redirected and others outright detonating before they reached their target. Her defense was fairly impressive, but a real warrior would know this unnaturally long barrage was a distraction. Firing the last deluge of ki blasts, he swiftly manipulated the ones that had ¡®missed¡¯ their target to suddenly turn back and attack from behind. Being pressed from all sides, there was only one foreseeable result. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Like dozens upon dozens of grenades, the spheres continuously attacked Triny from all directions in a suicidal bombing. No matter how good her defenses were, the constant deluge of demi-ki fueled blasts were quick to overwhelm her already weakened defenses. Her pain-fueled roars resounded throughout the region, her cries sparking a hint of hesitation in Igor¡¯s heart¡­hesitation which was quickly squashed. Hopefully, the pain would be enough for her to come out of her berserker effect because what he was about to do next would really hurt. Su! Charging right in through the smoke, his glowing gaze narrowed in on her. Her attire was tattered, but she was healing at a visible rate. Still, as he closed the distance between them, he would take care not to grievously harm her. Booom! Landing a kick on her chest, he sent her flying once more before he vanished. Su! Appearing ahead of her flight path he elbowed her right in the back, causing her to sputter out a cry of pain. ¡°Control your power, Triny!¡± Tswii! Instantly appearing above her, he landed a falling heel kick to the top of her head, sending her careening towards the crater below. Suuuuuu¡­BOOOM! . . . Silence¡­ Igor didn¡¯t rush after her. He needed to give her time for her consciousness to stem and take control. ¡°Come on, Triny! Are you really going to be controlled by puny desire?!¡± There was no reply. Her energy seemed to be rather stable compared to her constant state of flux, giving him the subtle hope that she was slowly regaining control over her current state. However, he guessed too early. ¡°?!¡± It was only his reactions that saved him. Moving on instinct, he dodged a very sharp tentacle that would¡¯ve pierced through his brain had he not got out of the way. Leaning back, it passed right above his forehead, giving him a very clear view of its texture in HD. But that was not all. Su! Feeling her presence behind him, Igor tried to evade using Instant Vanish, but was struck before he could use the technique. ¡°Argh!¡± Feeling the kick to the back rattling his spine, he was sent flying through the air. The sudden pain spread throughout his body, making his nerves shut down for a moment or two. Rebooting at the last second, he opened his eyes to find that he was on a flight path to Triny. She was holding a black spear in her hand that would no doubt be used to pierce his chest if given a chance. ¡°?!¡± Already too close to her to use conventional reaction measures, he once again used Instant Vanish to appear behind her¡­ Tswii! ¡­just in time for her spear to pierce the flickers of his form. Now behind, Igor was confronted with her wings. Jumping up to dodge the appendages that tried to attack him, he unleashed a quick double kick to the back of her head that made her stumble forward. Tswii! Another application of Instant Vanish saw him elbow her in the gut before he released a powerful uppercut that sent her soaring into the skies. Vwomp! With his free hand, a crimson sphere formed before he launched it at her. Booom! Unfortunately, the explosion happened far from its intended location. At the last second, Triny had reacted and dodged the sphere, righting herself in the process. She looked down at Igor, the animosity on her face making Igor smile in amusement. [This little¡­] She was conscious, wasn¡¯t she. Even with all the tribal tattoos covering her face, he would recognise that angry expression anywhere. [Fine. I¡¯ll play your little game.] If she wanted to sell her story of still being ¡®berserk¡¯, then she should¡¯ve worked on keeping her energy in a constant state of flux because as it was, it was too controlled for someone who¡¯s supposed to have nothing but destruction on their mind. Su! Rushing forward, he engaged her in combat. CLASH! No longer influenced by her berserk state, Triny was actually putting up a better fight than he thought. Then again, she was privy to the experiences of numerous individuals who failed to control nature energy. Still, he held the advantage. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Darting across the horizon, their figures were replaced by brief motes of light and the continuous sound of thundering strikes caused by their clash. For those with more discerning eyes, the most they¡¯d see were afterimages or ¡°pictures¡± in the air before those eventually faded. If Igor wasn¡¯t sure Triny was posing, he was definitely sure now. The little girl was fighting way too cleverly and most importantly, way too cautiously for someone who was supposed to be berserk. Sidestepping a sharpened tentacle aimed for his stomach, he used the motion from the movement to land a left hook to her face. Through gritted teeth, she tanked the hit and tried to retaliate with a punch to his gut. But like always, he grabbed her hand and used the new opportunity to drive his knee into her ribs. ¡°Argh!¡± Remarkably, she only grunted instead of crying. But this proved the disparity between them. Triny was strong. There was absolutely no room for doubt there. Her higher power-level automatically made her faster and stronger than him by default. But she lacked his perception, reaction speed, and combat experience. And since the power gap between them wasn¡¯t that wide to begin with, Igor was able to easily dominate her with his techniques. At this point, the redhead was somewhat satisfied. The worst of his battle-lust had been somewhat sated so there was no need to continue any further. Channelling ki into his fingers, he flicked her forehead, which was surprisingly enough to send her stumbling back for a few metres. ¡°Alright, Triny. That¡¯s enough. I know you¡¯re not berserk so we can stop.¡± ¡°?¡± Rubbing her forehead, Triny looked at him with a pupil-less gaze before she frowned. ¡°Boooo! Hmph!¡± ¡°...¡± This¡­the disparity in her actions and her appearance was too much. Even his mind blanked out for a moment as he tried to process how she just shattered her demonic persona. Did she not know that when you transform, you are supposed to maintain the image of a strong man? It was an unwritten rule meant to preserve the majesty of their new powerful state. And now, there she goes shattering her powerful demonic persona. Placing a hand to his forehead, he shook his head in disbelief and amusement. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Still, he was proud that he learned to control her powers. She was surprisingly quick too. ¡°Pwahahahaha!¡± He assumed he¡¯d have to beat her up for a long time. ¡°Meanie! Don¡¯t laugh at me!¡± Seems like he won¡¯t have to anymore. Though, he certainly would have to teach her about the unwritten rules of maintaining a persona when transforming. No one ever saw Goku at Super Saiyan 3 acting like a child. Maybe he should introduce her to the holy book after this. With her own transformation in her skillset, she definitely needs it. . AN . Why is Triny¡¯s true form a horrible rendition of a wannabe fairy instead of the super megaton monster that rivals Great Red in size? I think it has a lot to do with this little tidbit below. ¡®It had been quite a while since Shiva and Nandi had appeared as spectators in this battle. It had come as quite a surprise when while in training, both of them felt the avatar of Trihexa manifest, a unique phenomenon that warranted a personal observation.¡¯ Seems like this version of Triny is more of an avatar or her soul than anything. In my opinion, I think there¡¯s a lot more to her story that we haven¡¯t found out yet so I won¡¯t draw conclusions. Those interested are welcome to read ahead on my patreon. Otherwise, until the next chapter. Chapter 185 ¡°Meanie! Don¡¯t laugh at me!¡± Seems like he won¡¯t have to anymore. Though, he certainly would have to teach her about the unwritten rules of maintaining a persona when transforming. No one ever saw Goku at Super Saiyan 3 acting like a child. Maybe he should introduce her to the holy book after this. With her own transformation in her skillset, she definitely needs it. . |DxD| . The closed-off wing in the hospital of Grigori was relatively peaceful, emphasis on relatively. There were three locations of interest, each location with its own key characters and its own atmosphere. In Baraquiel¡¯s room, things were rather suspenseful. Penemune, Shemhazai, and Azazel were all there, marking him as the fourth person. As the last member, Baraquiel was being informed about recent discoveries and hypothesises on Igor. To say he was surprised was putting it lightly. He was infinitely mindblown. Finding out that Igor was most likely the host of Trihexa was information that could send the entire supernatural world into chaos if revealed. In another location of the hospital, said host was peacefully sleeping in one of the more luxurious rooms similar to Baraquiel¡¯s. Tarnishing the opulent atmosphere of the room by sleeping on the bed like a drunkard, his steady and calm breathing hid the chaos going on in his head. ¡°Come on, old hag! Give me your best shot!¡± ¡°Maaa! Stand still!¡± Engaged in yet another tumultuous battle in their shared mindscape, they wrought another wave of destruction upon the environment with their immensely powerful attacks. Triny, now fully conscious, used her natural abilities as a demon to their full capacity. Bending the elements to her will, she made Igor come up close and personal with super-sized boulders more than a few times. A hurricane or two there and she was making him sweat. She wasn¡¯t very proficient with water and fire, atleast proficient enough to significantly harm the redhead, but she would get there- Tswii! Gu! Suuuuu¡­BOOOM ¡°Is this your best? A little wind and some rocks?¡± ¡°...¡± Getting up from the newly made crater she was just kicked into, Triny wiped the blood off her face as her lip healed. *Clenches fists!* In the name of the person who imprisoned her, she was going to wipe that annoying smirk off his face by force if she had to. Flapping all six of her wings she launched herself towards him along with a literal armada of black tendrils rising alongside her. In response, a massive deluge of ki blasts rained down on her like a torrential downpour. Her advance was slowed, but not stopped. ¡°RAAAAA!¡± Making one final advance, she finally reached him with a sphere of dark chakra in her palm. BOOOOOM! . |DxD| . In another part of the hospital, the mood was rather somber. The lounge, a place meant for relaxation and cooling off had now become an abode of distress and sadness. Aurelia expected a lot of reactions from Shuri with most of them being anger. But the last reaction she expected her to have was resignment. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­what do I do now?¡± She held Shuri in her embrace, the woman soaking her dress with silent tears. Truthfully, Aurelia felt no sense of pride, no sense of victory. Unintentional or not, she robbed Shuri. She robbed her of the desire of her affections. She robbed her of the pillar she had subconsciously been relying on since her revival. To her question, Aurelia truly had no answer. What should she do? She didn¡¯t have a clue. Recommend she return to Baraquiel? The man wasn¡¯t horrible by any means, but the flames of love died in that forest with no hope of rekindling them. Recommend she find another person? Then Aurelia might as well see herself out that door. Shuri was blatantly clear in her desire for Igor. Weaning her off the blonde was a process that might take months or even years. An even more impossible process was if she tried distancing herself from Igor. Disregarding that she wouldn¡¯t want to even entertain the thought, Igor might very well tie her up if she tried leaving him. Even prior to their consummation, their relationship was far too strong for either to suddenly distance themselves from the other. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. So what could she do? What could she do to comfort the woman who seemed as if part of her world had just been broken? By her no less. ¡°...¡± Shuri was a mother, a very good one at that. Despite losing her memories and self-identity, she settled into the role very quickly. She had a good head on her and a body that rivalled or had even more potential than Vasco himself. With proper training, it was not impossible for her to reach Ultimate Class or if possible, God Class. She was kind, nurturing, and a woman who wasn¡¯t worldly. She had Amaterasu¡¯s favour and if possible, that could extend to her becoming the Sun Goddess¡¯ apostle, a title that may even grant her eternal life. She was a political boon given form and if used correctly, could see anyone have a direct link to the leader of the Shinto Pantheon, one of the most powerful pantheons in the world that stood alongside the Hindu Pantheon. ¡°...¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t believe it, but a small part of her was actually considering it. In her new and budding relationship with Igor, she was actually considering an idea that may not make her happy, but was possibly the most optimal outcome for everyone. ¡°...¡± She wanted to dispel the thought, but Shuri was truly sad. The woman was holding onto her, her hollow eyes echoing her sadness. Shuri was a strong woman. Knowing her, she would put on a fake smile and raise Akeno. But a part of her heart would always be clouded in darkness from an unrequited love. ¡°...¡± Closing her eyes, Aurelia came to a decision. It was a decision she knew she would regret. She already regretted it even now. But she would feel more regret if she didn¡¯t choose this option. ¡°Shuri-sama. There may be¡­¡± Her tongue halted in its tracks, hesitation making it its goal to impede her words. Shuri was now looking at her with a mix of confusion, apprehension, and¡­hope? ¡°...¡± Those eyes that looked like a trapped mine worker finally seeing the light made her bite her lips. ¡°There may be¡­a solution, Shuri-sama. A solution that would make us all¡­happy.¡± That was a lie. This solution would not make her happy, would never make her happy. If she wasn¡¯t using politics to reinforce this idea, it would¡¯ve been torn apart before it barely came to fruition in her mind. This idea of possibly having to¡­sha- ¡°?!¡± Suddenly, her head whipped around so quickly that a normal person¡¯s neck would¡¯ve broke from the twisting force. It was slight¡­very slight, but instincts that came from years of monitoring the reckless blonde made her very aware of the sudden and very abnormal fluctuation of his energy. Standing up under the questioning gaze of Shuri, Aurelia paid her no heed. Her senses focused on Igor and she found he was asleep. But more than anything, she found his energy flow seemed to spike at random intervals, making her mind narrow at the possible implications. [Mental attack?] It was a slim possibility given how powerful Igor was. It was almost impossible, especially for anyone here in Grigori to douse him in an illusion. No mana was getting through that thick layer of ki, at least not without blatantly trying to force unequivocally large amounts of mana into him. But she wouldn¡¯t take chances. If someone was trying to control Igor, she would kill first and ask questions later. ¡°Pardon me, Shuri-sama. Something urgent has come up. I shall take my leave first.¡± Without elaborating, she vanished. Su! . |DxD| . Mount Kailasa, Shiva¡¯s Abode . It was daytime in Shiva¡¯s mountain and today, it was particularly peaceful. Without the mountain owner conducting one of his training regiments, everything was well. Relaxing underneath a tree, Shiva was back to the appearance of a young teenager. Dressed in casual wear and some flops, his back was rested against one of the many unnaturally massive trees on his mountain. Interestingly, a spotted deer calf was lying next to him and was enjoying the ministrations of his hand along its back. With its head laid on his lap, its eyes were peacefully closed, its breaths slow and steady. Shiva had a very small and imperceptible smile on his face. He had seen the universe during his tenure as the God of Destruction. Yet, such simple and mundane enjoyments like this brought him more happiness than anything else. Vwong Right in front of him, his ever-loyal attendant appeared in a ray of blue light. For so many years, Nandi had trained him for this role and eventually served him once he adorned the mantle. If there was one person Shiva would always respect, it was this person who had made him who he was. ¡°What is the matter, Nandi?¡± ¡°Pardon me for interrupting, my lord. I have further news on the son of Dimori that might interest you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ Annoyed at that small smile his attendant was sporting, Shiva spoke the words Nandi wanted to hear. ¡°I am listening.¡± Giving a nod of approval, Nandi gently chastised. ¡°It is important to give your subordinates verbal proof of your attention, my lord. It does wonders for morale. Continuing my earlier account, young Dimori has managed to make Trihexa¡¯s avatar further open up to him. As we speak, he is drawing in untainted nature energy.¡± Shiva¡¯s eyes widened slightly. This was not a very simple matter as Nandi made it out to be. ¡°Untainted, you say?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. A rather interesting development if I must say.¡± With soft movements, Nandi gently tapped his staff on the ground before the view suddenly changed. Now it was no longer of the forest, but the room Igor was in. Appearing as blue spectral figures, they were entirely invisible to Aurelia who was also in the room. Not paying the silverette any attention, Nandi remarked with a hint of joy in his voice. ¡°Do you see, my lord? Isn¡¯t this fascinating?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva was silent, more so out of surprise and¡­nostalgia. It had been so long since he saw such pure, unadulterated nature energy. This was the Underworld, but so much pure nature energy filled the room that once again, Shiva was surprised by Igor. ¡°Those marks¡­¡± Spreading from the diamond tattoo on his forehead, Igor was covered in tribal marks that spread through his skin. They spread all the way to his hands and even made their way to his sandalled feet. ¡°Yes, my lord. The last person to adorn these marks was young Adam.¡± . AN . I will speak honestly. In my very, very personal opinion, I don¡¯t really see Igor entertaining the thoughts of getting together with Shuri. This is just my personal opinion from what we know so far about his character. He did once say women will be in the way of him getting stronger and stuff, but Aurelia was an exception. As for Shuri, I definitely don¡¯t see him accepting her just for the sole reason that he respects Baraquiel. Taking his woman would go against his pride and his father¡¯s teachings. Perhaps that¡¯s why Shuri felt everything was hopeless. Maybe it is hopeless. Who knows? Though, I¡¯m leaning on it being hopeless. Even Asia would have better chances and she¡¯s still seven. On another note, today is Thursday and very unfortunately, the only time I can update is Sunday. My Friday is already packed with two tests I have to write and an assignment I have to submit. Again, I do hope for your understanding. Once this week is over, it¡¯s back to normal schedule. If you are interested in reading ahead, you are welcome to become my patrons. Thank you and until the next chapter. Chapter 186 ¡°Those marks¡­¡± Spreading from the diamond tattoo on his forehead, Igor was covered in tribal marks that spread through his skin. They spread all the way to his hands and even made their way to his sandalled feet. ¡°Yes, my lord. The last person to adorn these marks was young Adam.¡± . |DxD| . Adam, the human created in God¡¯s image had so much power that his dominion over Earth was unshirked during his lifetime. Designated by God as the protector of the Earth, his bond to the planet was unquestionable. So strong was his bond with nature that whenever he required its aid, it would manifest as a set of tribal markings that covered his skin. Ever since he died, none of his children, grandchildren, or even his descendants were able to replicate the bond even with his personal guidance. Until today. ¡°To think there would be another human to possess these marks.¡± Shiva couldn¡¯t imagine he would see such a sight again. ¡°Truly, I am astounded.¡± ¡°It is unfathomable, my lord. Even as young Adam¡¯s direct descendant, no one had managed to forge a connection that strong to the world. After Trihexa was born, I assumed this would be impossible. To think I would be proven wrong¡­¡± He placed a hand upon Igor¡¯s skin and immediately, his face beamed in surprise. ¡°Oh my? Isn¡¯t this exciting, my lord?¡± Clapping his hand excitedly, Nandi continued to be amazed. ¡°Ohohoho. So much untapped potential. I truly wonder what would happen if he realised it. What do you think, my lord?¡± ¡°...¡± Truthfully, Shiva was also wondering the same thing. So much time had passed since Adam¡¯s death and no human had ever managed to replicate the feats he made in his lifetime. In Igor, he saw another Adam that could change the status quo of the world¡­should he live long enough to realise that potential of his. ¡°...¡± Giving him one last look, Shiva closed his eyes. ¡°Keep an eye on him, Nandi. I plan to extend my offer to him once he returns to Earth.¡± Without another word, he slowly faded from view, leaving Nandi alone in the room with Aurelia. The pale man had a small smile with amusement blatantly evident on his face. ¡°Oh my. Seems like Lord Shiva cannot wait any longer. I wonder what young Dimori¡¯s answer will be.¡± It was already interesting enough that he wielded god-ki. Now he also had the ability to interact with pure nature energy. With his astounding growth rate, it was only a matter of time before he could truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the leading gods of each pantheon. ¡°Hohoho~. Such fun times are ahead.¡± Slowly, he also faded from view. He really hoped Igor would say yes to his lord¡¯s request. . |DxD| . When Aurelia appeared in the room where Igor was, she was fully prepared to kill. With her hand gripping her sword, even if it were Kokabiel himself who was standing there, she would not have hesitated to decapitate him. It was a numbing thought that she who attached so much importance to politics would risk everything by killing the Governor-General¡¯s brother, but everything became a mute point when Igor¡¯s life was at risk. So her surprise and furthermore, her relief when she found him alone were quite visible on her face. ¡°?¡± Still, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the strange marks on his body. Now that she was next to him, she was aware that he was not under threat in any way. So she had the time and leisure to observe him. Walking over to him, she traced her finger along one of the markings stretching down his arms. ¡°?!¡± The reaction was instant. Pulling her arm back with widened eyes, she examined her finger that visibly emitted smoke. [What was that?] There were no wounds in the slightest, but she felt as if she had just touched a burning flame. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. [My mana was¡­destroyed?] It was only a very, very small amount, an amount she could regenerate in a blink. It was only due to her superb control and awareness over her mana that she felt a trace amount of it be eviscerated. [This isn¡¯t ki.] It was a conclusion she was very quick to arrive to. [His demi-ki doesn¡¯t burn my mana this quickly. Did it evolve again?] She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to make of this new change. All she knew for now was that he mustn¡¯t be carelessly touched. Glancing at the door, she also realised that he mustn¡¯t be disturbed as well. ¡°...¡± Wordlessly, she erected a barrier with a gesture of her finger. It wasn¡¯t a powerful one, atleast not powerful enough to be noticed, but it would serve its purpose. ¡°If my lord is undergoing an evolution, it is best no one notices.¡± It was a one-way barrier that would allow her to perceive the outside world, but wouldn¡¯t let any energy fluctuations exit the scope of the barrier. She trusted Azazel¡­to a certain extent. But that trust did not extend to the rest of his organisation. And from how they have only half of the cadre including him were present, he figured he also didn¡¯t trust some members of his organisation as well. ¡°...¡± The politics of Grigori were not her concern. Her job was to look after Igor and his family. Though, she was doing a somewhat terrible job of that at the moment. [Don¡¯t think about it. This isn¡¯t the time.] To be more accurate, she didn¡¯t want to think of the proposition she had almost made to Shuri. In a moment of guilt, she had almost¡­almost... Sigh¡­ Looking at Igor peacefully sleeping, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ignore just how much the thought hurt. [I don¡¯t want to share him.] As the adrenaline from panic wore off, the situation she had hastily exited made itself known once again in her mind. Just thinking of him with another woman hurt. Her composure fell just imagining him holding, kissing, and sleeping with another woman¡­even if that other woman was Shuri. ¡°...¡± This was a rather unique paradox she had found herself in. Not long ago, she wanted him to get married to another woman, even have a harem if possible. She was even prepared to take on the role of caretaker for the children he had with other women just for the reason of no other than the sole revival of their race. It was the job she had delegated herself as her only remaining purpose in life- to see the revival of their race before she could finally die in peace and join her ancestors. She was devoted to solely helping him expand his domain, his influence, and his power. She wanted him to re-establish their domain and sovereignty and make the Aryan name known once more across the supernatural world. She was content to aid him with all of that as his loyal attendant. Yet, all it took was one night¡­to change her goal. ¡°...¡± Her heart still thrummed when she remembered his sincere words as he conveyed his feelings. To think he had harboured such feelings for a long time without her notice was surprising¡­unbelievable even. Yet like a sledgehammer, he tore down the walls she had barricaded herself in and let her experience a feeling she never thought she would ever feel in this life- love¡­ Unhesitantly, she placed her hand on his face. A faint shock spread through her body as her mana slowly burnt away at the contact. She didn¡¯t care. She didn¡¯t withdraw her hand. Her gaze was sincere and tender, her lips quivering with an unspeakable amount of emotions. ¡°I love you, Igor.¡± Her eyes watered at just how much love she felt for him, an amount so heavy that she didn¡¯t know what to do if he suddenly no longer wanted her. ¡°I love you so much.¡± She no longer wanted to remain behind him like an attendant. She wanted to be by his side as his woman. Ten years they spent together. Not once did she feel like this. One night was all it took, and she was now awash with emotions she never thought she could experience. Possibilities of being a wife were no longer a pipe-dream. She could see a future where she could finally be a mother. Realities that she could only see in others and live through in books were no longer an impossibility. Gently stroking his cheek, she was tempted to kiss him. Only the fear of potentially interrupting his evolution kept her at bay. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if you left me¡­¡± It was a small but growing fear she had. Shuri was a very wonderful woman. What if¡­what if she took him away from her? What if the love he felt for her waned because of Shuri? ¡°...¡± But now, she was at an impasse. If she could feel these emotions, then what about Shuri? How heavy was the love she felt for Igor? How heavy was it that a woman as strong as her would break down after being presented an impossible future? ¡°...¡± Conflicting thoughts circulated in her head. She didn¡¯t want to share Igor. Not in the slightest. The very thought alone abhorred her to no end. But she also didn¡¯t want Shuri to remain sad. Her story was already tragic enough. She died and woke up with no memories. Given no time to adjust, she was thrust into a motherly role she had no memory of, in a house she had no knowledge of, with a husband she felt no love for. She took them all silently with a smile. No one knew what went through her mind when she was presented with all these roles and duties, yet no one asked because she smiled through it all. And the very first moment she feels love, she is shackled by these responsibilities she never had a choice in undertaking. So at the very least, she deserved some happiness in life. ¡°...¡± That was what Aurelia tried telling herself. Truthfully, she felt like a thief. Because of her presence, Igor was whisked away for over a month, leaving her alone without the familiar presence of the boy she saw upon her revival. Now when that boy became a man and she had finally confirmed her affections for him, he was whisked away by the very woman who had pledged to help her. ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ Removing her hand from Igor¡¯s face, Aurelia felt like the one in the wrong. [Maybe-] Her musings were cut off when the markings on Igor slowly began receding. From his hands and feet, the markings all began retracting towards his forehead where they finally disappeared beneath the diamond tattoo. Slowly, Igor opened his eyes, yawning as he did so. ¡°Haaa¡­that was a good nap.¡± Sitting up, he stretched out his arms like a cat, yawning a second time in the process. ¡°Hey, sister. Is Uncle A looking for me or-¡± Frowning slightly, Igor leaned forward and placed his hand on hers. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Under his gaze, Aurelia fidgeted slightly before speaking. ¡°My lord. What are your thoughts on a¡­harem?¡± . AN . ¡°Harem is haram.¡± is what I hope he¡¯ll say. Joking. It is Sunday today. The hectic week I had is officially over so things are once more back to normal and chapter uploads will continue as normal. Moving on again, I have a hypothesis on why Adam was able to use what I¡¯m going to refer to as sage mode. I think it has something to do with god-ki. Adam was created directly by God. So it stands to reason that he would have large amounts of god-ki in him. And since Triny is nature¡¯s malice given form, it was why Igor could so easily resist and even fuse with her. We don¡¯t have a lot of information yet so this is as far as my guess goes. The hows and whys will probably be explained some time in the future. If you are interested in reading ahead, become my patron to read three chapters ahead. Until the next chapter. Chapter 187 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± Under his gaze, Aurelia fidgeted slightly before speaking. ¡°My lord. What are your thoughts on a¡­harem?¡± . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± Igor did not know how to reply to that question. She just came at him all of sudden that he had to take some time to actually processed what she asked him. ¡°A¡­harem?¡± Her silent nod confirmed that he wasn¡¯t hearing things. But it made no sense. Aurelia should know exactly what he would think of the topic. ¡°You mean that waste of time?¡± He spoke incredulously. There wasn¡¯t even fake surprise in his voice. He truly seemed to not appreciate the idea. ¡°...¡± She remained silent, but her eyes flickered with an emotion he couldn¡¯t read. Her energy was fluctuating somewhat sporadically. It was in a way that he couldn¡¯t tell if she was worried or anticipating something. ¡°Sister. If you¡¯re trying to ask me if I want or plan for a harem in the future, then my answer is no. No, no, no, and no. My day is already tied up into training, training I haven¡¯t done yet. Wasting time with random women won¡¯t fit into my schedule.¡± For a brief moment, Aurelia wondered if she was also included in the list of people who wasted his time. Her eyes flickered briefly, but Igor was quick to notice the conflict in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t think stupid things, Lia. That¡¯s my job.¡± Gently grabbing her cheeks he kissed her forehead before pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to some random woman on a street corner somewhere. You¡¯re my woman.¡± ¡°...¡± She quietly leaned into his chest. His answer alleviated her apprehension, yet also elevated her guilt. A small part of her imagined him saying these exact words to Shuri, and it tore through her. She held him tightly and let his comforting warmth seep into her. Atleast for a while, she wanted to forget about Shuri¡­about everything. ¡°...¡± Igor was glad he ended his fight with Triny when he felt Aurelia¡¯s presence near him. Her addled state concerned him greatly. He had a feeling that her suddenly questioning him about this harem nonsense was because of her insecurities. Women. How many times did he have to say he loved her before it got through that thick skull of hers? At this rate, he might truly start believing the ramblings his father said about women. ¡°Hmph.¡± Without giving her any time to react, he flipped her over him and made her lie next to him on the bed. Gently, he pressed her against his chest, his hand behind her head and his arm around her waist. ¡°Really, Aurelia. Sometimes I swear you¡¯re more stupid than me.¡± She squirmed slightly, but made no intention of leaving his embrace. Her energy fluctuations had calmed somewhat, but they weren¡¯t calm enough for his liking. ¡°Look at me, Aurelia.¡± ¡°...¡± She slowly tilted her head towards him, her eyes misty from barely held-back tears. He was very tempted to kiss them away, so he did. Chuu~ Softly meeting her lips with his, he poured every ounce of emotion into their innocent contact. He didn¡¯t know what, how, or who caused her to have these sudden doubts, but he would clear them up. Pulling back, he cupped her chin so that she wouldn¡¯t look away. It fascinated him how her eyes would sparkle when he looked at her so closely like this. Her gradually reddening cheeks made him unable to stop a smile spreading on his face. He badly wanted to kiss her again, to feel her tender lips against his once more, but he held himself back. ¡°I want you to listen very closely and this time, keep it in that pretty head of yours, alright? You are my woman. A troublesome woman, but my troublesome woman. I don¡¯t need another woman. I certainly don¡¯t want another woman. You¡¯re already a handful as it is. I mean look at us.¡± ¡°...¡± Her embarrassment served to lighten the mood. It was cute how she was so vulnerable to teasing. ¡°How long did we spend in bed? I don¡¯t think I even got any proper sleep.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Igooooor!¡± ¡°I mean come on? First thing in the morning? First thing?! You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m full of hot blood, Lia.¡± Unable to take it anymore, she buried her head in his chest. His teasing was too much for her to bear. Already her cheeks felt like bursting and she wished he would stop. ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s much better. You look so much cuter like this.¡± She whined into his chest. He was just a shameless rogue with no sense of propriety. How he could so casually talk about something so indecent was something she would never understand. Igor smiled when he heard her groans. Aurelia was someone he truly cared deeply for. No matter what, he didn¡¯t want to see her sad. He wanted to pry into what was making her seem so down, but he wouldn¡¯t question her¡­atleast not yet. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, sister, we might as well get a good nap in. I can still feel Uncle Ay next to Baraquiel so I guess we have some time to sleep.¡± ¡°...¡± Her reply was adjusting her position for more comfort, which somehow ended with her hand on his stomach. ¡°...¡± An idea suddenly formed in his head. Smirk~ ¡°You know, if you move your hand a little lower, I might be more inclined to a¡­different, activity.¡± ¡°...¡± Flush~ [Sh-sh-shameless! How can he speak so crassly?!] He couldn¡¯t see her face, but he was sure she had a massive blush on her face. ¡°Hehe~.¡± From the way she was squirming, he figured he had teased her enough. ¡°Relax, sister. I¡¯ll atleast wait until we get h-?!¡± His words were cut off when she suddenly slid her hand into his pants. The warmth of her fingers coiling around his members completely caught him offguard. Looking down, he was met with her cute, but very fierce expression. ¡°W-well¡­two can play it that game.¡± ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t respond even if he wanted to. He didn¡¯t even try to stop her. She was challenging him and unfortunately for her, once the surprise set off, Igor was prepared to retaliate in turn. Stretching his hand towards her nether, he was about to touch it when he was suddenly taken by the most overwhelming sensation ever. ¡°?!¡± Freezing mid-reach, he could feel she was using a bit of electricity along with stroking it. The sensation¡­was unlike anything he ever knew of. ¡°Haaa¡­you-ooooh~.¡± His hips bucked as he felt his essence rising. Damnit! It hadn¡¯t even been half-a-minute and he was already close to releasing. There was no stopping nor controlling it. It was such a thorough defeat that he could only grunt his surrender. ¡°S-stop. Stop-ngh!¡± He didn¡¯t want to release inside his pants, but it was already too late. Knowing it was inevitable, he lied down. Since he had already lost, he was willing to enjoy his imminent release¡­until he felt the warmest sensation grace his tip. The moist feeling that enveloped his shaft made him buck his hips once more as his essence rushed out with renewed fervour. ¡°Argh!¡± Instinctively, he reached out his hand to pin down whatever it was that causing that moist feeling. To say he was surprised when he felt a head full of hair was an understatement. But so caught was he by the wonderful sensation enveloping him that couldn¡¯t even think straight. ¡°Ngh¡­¡± The sensation of unloading left him grunting in pleasure he didn¡¯t even know he needed. His hand remained on the head of soft, holding it down and groaned once more as his remaining release got sucked out. It wasn¡¯t until a few moments later that clarity hit him like a giant hammer. ¡°?!¡± With his eyes opening widely, he sat up as complete shock formed on his face. Everything now finally clicked as he realised what just happened. Looking at Aurelia licking his tip, his slowly collapsing member threatened to rise up once more when he swiftly extinguished the thought of just how much it turned- [No!] Quickly shaking his head, he looked at his sister with worry. ¡°Aurelia. What¡­why¡­are you alright?¡± So surprised was he that uncharacteristically, he fumbled his words. But he couldn¡¯t be blamed. What she did was something he would never expect from her. ¡°...¡± Looking at him in the eye, Aurelia swallowed¡­loudly. Gulp¡­ She would never admit it, but she absolutely relished his dumbstruck reaction. [Hmph. How does it feel now when the tables are turned?] To see him so stupefied made what she did¡­all the more¡­worth it. ¡°...¡± It was a slow realisation, but a realisation nonetheless. [What¡­what have I done?!?!] She just¡­she just took a man¡¯s thing¡­in her mouth. And she swallowed. She actually swallowed. She looked him in the eye and swallowed like some back-alley slut worth a few slips of yen. ¡°...¡± Her eyes lowered in shame and embarrassment. [It¡¯s over. He¡¯ll think I¡¯m a slut! A slut!] In her rush to get one back at him, she did the only thing she knew would mess up his streak. Stroking it somewhat blurred the lines, but it was still fine. But why oh why did she perform such a¡­such an indecent action? ¡°...¡± Even worse, she swallowed¡­and smiled. No amount of cleaning would wipe the shame she felt. No matter what she thought, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t see her as a slut. Weakly looking up, she met his eyes that had now changed from worry to neutral. Her heart sunk when he looked at her like something out of a science-fiction novel. His eyes had widened, but his expression remained neutral¡­almost like a man frozen in shock. And Igor definitely was in shock. [I think I understand what is meant when they say they sucked the life out of you.] His head felt completely empty and the bed looked oh-so appetizing. He was pretty sure he wouldn¡¯t be able to move his legs for a while. That tingly feeling down there was¡­. ¡°Amazing, Aurelia. That was¡­amazing.¡± His containers felt emptier than a math teacher¡¯s heart. Even their previous rendezvous didn¡¯t leave him feeling this empty. ¡°I mean¡­wow.¡± No words could describe the experience. He was pretty sure that if he closed his eyes right now, he wasn¡¯t going to wake up. ¡°I would be willing to repay the favour, but you drained me right to the bottom of the barrel, Lia.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, Aurelia blinked her eyes once or twice before she came to a realisation. ¡°You don¡¯t¡­hate it?¡± ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t even respond. Flopping back onto his pillow, his eyes closed involuntarily. Surprisingly a massive yawn overtook him, his mind drifting him back into the confines of sleep. ¡°I loved it. But the next time you do that, give me a warning, Lia. Because¡­¡± Unable to win, his words trailed off in the end as he fell asleep. She won. He admitted it in his heart. She won through devious methods, but she won. Next time, he will repay the favour and dominate. He wasn¡¯t sure how. Maybe he¡¯d dream about the solution or something. As it stood, he didn¡¯t even want to fight Triny. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t forget about the issues she was having. He hoped they were solved. He didn¡¯t know how many of those cringe-inducing statements he had left in him before he physically started dying on the inside. Somehow, that skull of hers had thickened considerably in less than two days. He hoped his words got through because he definitely wasn¡¯t about to continuously spout romance words like those pansy romance male leads in those dramas Shuri loved watching. . AN . I think this issue with Shuri is tearing Aurelia deep down inside, which is making her question her own relationship with Igor- constantly asking herself ¡°what if?¡±. I hope this gets resolved soon. Though, I have no clue how that would even happen. Igor already said it. He doesn¡¯t want no harem. To satisfy my own selfishness, I hope that changes. If you are interested in reading ahead, you are welcome to become my patron. Thank you and until the next chapter. Chapter 188 He hoped they were solved. He didn¡¯t know how many of those cringe-inducing statements he had left in him before he physically started dying on the inside. Somehow, that skull of hers had thickened considerably in less than two days. He hoped his words got through because he definitely wasn¡¯t about to continuously spout romance words like those pansy romance male leads in those dramas Shuri loved watching. . |DxD| . A few dozen minutes have passed since then and now, Igor and Aurelia were walking down the corridor towards Shuri. Privy to her location, Aurelia could feel that she was also on the move towards them, something that slightly concerned her. She silently wondered what would be going through Shuri¡¯s head at this very moment, or how she would react when she saw Igor. She didn¡¯t want Igor to know of Shuri¡¯s feelings towards him, atleast not yet. There was no telling how the blonde would take the news. But one thing was for sure. The dynamic between them would never be the same again. Walking next to him, she figured she atleast had to get one thing out of him right now, a confirmation of sorts. He declined ever wanting one, but she needed to introduce him to the reality of his situation. ¡°Igor¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°...¡± She slowly formulated the words in her head. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want more women? Many would be willing to become yours.¡± ¡°...¡± Stopping amidst their walk, Igor groaned, but his annoyance wasn¡¯t directed at her. Instead of brushing her off, he took the time to think about her words. To some extent, she was right. Many women would want him. But everytime he thought about accepting them, he arrived at one conclusion. ¡°Sister. Women are troublesome. Yes. That includes you too.¡± He grinned lightly at the last part as he pulled her towards her. ¡°Let me tell you something, Aurelia. Women are annoying. Does it offend you? Good. The truth must be spicy and since sweet words don¡¯t make you understand, I¡¯ll be blunt.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia wasn¡¯t angry. She was more curious than anything on what he had to say. Though she was a bit miffed at his insinuation that her brain was thick. ¡°For someone who finds women in general to be annoying, tiresome, meddling, and troublesome, you¡¯d be very, very, very, VERY hard-pressed to find a woman for them. For instance, my preference in a woman is very specific and non-negotiable.¡± Misogynistic? He didn¡¯t know the definition of the word, but it was probably a yes. ¡°One. My woman must be strong. For me who aspires to become the strongest in the universe, there¡¯s no use in having a weak woman. Two. My woman must aspire to get stronger. The world is a dangerous place and I¡¯m a target of that dangerous world. My woman cannot be lazy. Three. This is selfish, but I love legs. My woman must have the best legs in the whole world. Second place can take a hike. Four. I must have known that woman for a very, very long time. Atleast five years minimum so that I know I can trust them.¡± ¡°...¡± He was messing with her, wasn¡¯t he? He was definitely messing with her. Here she was being serious in asking for his opinion and he was making jokes. All those descriptions? Of course he meant her¡­right? [Especially the last part. No one fits it besides me. And¡­legs?] Her mind traversed back to all those moments she caught him looking at her legs. At first he was somewhat shy and subtle. But lately, he never bothered hiding his gaze, even going so far as to compliment them. ¡°...¡± Flush~ ¡°...pervert.¡± ¡°I never denied it. Though let¡¯s be honest. You¡¯re more of a pervert than me, sister. You can¡¯t deny that with a straight face.¡± ¡°...¡± Now more than ever, Aurelia wished she could fade from existence. That winning grin he had plastered on his face did not make it any easier for her. ¡°But honestly, I¡¯m serious about what I said. I find women troublesome. Even during my time in the Heavenly Realm, they were more annoying than anything.¡± Honestly. He was quite shocked that with a bit of fame and power, women were suddenly willing to spread their legs. It was only then that he understood how Atid felt. ¡°You, dear sister, just so happened to be the very, very, very unique exception that surprisingly fit my desires in a woman. And naturally too.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m sure you made it all up.¡± ¡°Nope. Well, I did make the part about the legs up. But you have to admit.¡± He leaned in and whispered into her ear. ¡°You have some really great legs, Lia.¡± ¡°...¡± She was going to die of embarrassment at this rate. She quickly needed to change the topic. [Quickly, Aurelia. You had questions, questions that needed answers.] Too much blood was flowing towards her head and his breath on her neck was only making it rush faster. Standing frozen on the spot, it was only thanks to her quick mind that she was able to quickly blurt out a question. ¡°But what about repopulating our race?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± She only now just realised what she said. ¡°?!?!¡± In her haste to switch topics, she let loose a question that should¡¯ve been eased into with preceding questions. ¡°W-wait. I-I-¡± ¡°Pfft¡­pfft¡­pwahahahahaha!¡± Laughing loudly without restraint, Igor eventually clutched his stomach as he bent hunched over himself. He was absolutely merciless in his laughter. He tried to stop, but just looking at her¡­ *Glance¡­* ¡°Pfft¡­hahahahaha!¡± ¡­sent him into further bouts of laughter. Honestly. If only she could see herself. ¡°You¡­hehe¡­you really worry too much, sister.¡± Finally standing up straight, he stretched to iron out the cramps in his stomach. ¡°I mean, come on, sister. We¡¯ll live for hundreds for hundreds of years. That¡¯s more than enough time for us to form our own little soccer team. Now come on. I want to see the old man quickly before we leave. I already miss my cute little sisters.¡± ¡°...¡± Not daring to look him in the eye, she quietly followed beside him. He put it way too crassly for her liking, but he was right. With their lifespan, they weren¡¯t at risk. But¡­was this really right- [No. Don¡¯t question it anymore.] What had happened had happened. She loved Igor and he loved her. She wanted a family and he was willing. Confronting Shuri would be a bit difficult, but things happened. [I¡¯m sorry, Shuri-sama.] She already envisioned herself being a mother to his children. Even if time were to reverse, she would still walk into that room on that fateful night and share the same bed with him. . |DxD| . ¡°Brother. Are you¡­is this really true?¡± In Baraquiel¡¯s room, Azazel had just finished relaying all the information they had on Igor. To say the old fallen was surprised was an understatement. ¡°This is no lie, Baraquiel. I fought him personally and if I had not subdued him quickly enough, I would¡¯ve died before he had the chance to regain control of his body.¡± ¡°...¡± Leaving Baraquiel to wallow in his thoughts, none of the cadre made a sound. All of them were aware of how much impact this little piece of information would have if revealed. To this day, Penemue was still trying to come to terms with the fact that a powerful monster was contained inside a boy. A powerful boy, but a boy nonetheless. Slowly, Baraquiel shook his head before his expression steeled. Gripping the blanket over him, he looked at Azazel right in the eye. ¡°I will let you know right now, brother. If you attempt to eliminate him, I will stop you.¡± ¡°¡°...¡±¡± ¡°?!¡± Azazel and Shemhazai widened their eyes slightly at the declaration while Penemue outright snapped. ¡°Do you realise what you are saying, Baraquiel?!¡± He paid her no heed. His eyes remained locked with Azazel¡¯s, neither seemingly willing to back down. Eventually, Azazel couldn¡¯t suppress an amused grin. ¡°Relax, Baraquiel. None of us here intend to eliminate him. In fact, we want the opposite. Regardless of his status, we want to ally ourselves with Igor.¡± ¡°...what?¡± For a moment, Baraquiel was thrown in for a loop. There was no denying how dangerous the existence of Trihexa was. It was an entity that even their father couldn¡¯t defeat. So he could understand if they saw this as a chance to eliminate it through Igor. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to eliminate him?¡± ¡°Eliminate? Of course not. I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s even possible to begin with. Not to mention the backlash we would receive if we even tried, it¡¯s simply more worth it to let him be. Igor and Aurelia are a very worthwhile investment. They are not people I am willing to lose simply because of paranoia.¡± ¡°...¡± Standing to the side, Penemue felt a bit conflicted about that statement. Igor was too much of a danger to be left alive. There was simply no guaranteeing if he could keep that beast secured. [No. I should trust Azazel.] She didn¡¯t hate the boy. But she felt he was too dangerous. Regardless, she would place her trust in Azazel. Atleast for now, she wouldn¡¯t do anything to compromise his plan- ¡°Moving on, Baraquiel. Aside from us in this room, no one else knows of what we know. I would like to keep it that way.¡± ¡°...¡± He caught the underlying tone in Azazel¡¯s words. The rest of their brothers were not to be trusted with such crucial knowledge. ¡°You have my silence, brother.¡± ¡°Wonderful.¡± Turning around, he faced Shemhazai with a smile. ¡°Brother. Can you call them over now? I believe we are done for today.¡± ¡°At once, brother.¡± Without hesitation, he vanished. Su! . |DxD| . Shuri¡¯s mind was empty. Wandering aimlessly down the hallway, she felt neither jubilant nor sad. Just empty. The news of Aurelia sleeping with Igor no longer hurt her. Reasoning had made sure of that. After all, Aurelia was objectively, the better woman and most suited for him. They were of the same race, meaning she would also live much longer than her. She was strong, certainly much stronger than her. She was talented in the sword and magic. Aurelia even bested her in the rudimentary sealing knowledge she had, making her seem like a complete novice. And those were just the more subtle facts. The most glaring fact was that she came with her own baggage while Aurelia was practically a clean slate. She, with her luscious silver hair, was an exotic woman with supernatural beauty. Even the most simplest of dresses struggled to hide her perfect figure. Compared to her, she was simple in appearance and lacking in ability. It was because of these facts that Shuri didn¡¯t even feel sad¡­not anymore. All she felt was emptiness, emptiness in the realisation that she was naive. [Of course he would choose her. He would always choose her.] She wasn¡¯t mad at Aurelia. [What made you believe there was even hope?] Just¡­disappointed. She felt disappointed in herself that instead of destroying this love while it was still in its cradle, she let it grow and bear fruit. Now, the fruit she nurtured with all her heart and showered with her love would never be given to its intended owner. Sigh¡­ This wasn¡¯t the time nor the place to wallow in self-pity. She could feel Igor and Aurelia were approaching her. By all means, she didn¡¯t want either of them to see her in such a hollow state. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Releasing a breath, she had to get her emotions in control. There¡¯d be time to deal with them later. Putting on a smile, she walked towards the corner where they would soon appear. Closing her eyes in her typical closed-eye smile, she demurely clasped her hands over her stomach just as soon as Igor and Aurelia turned the corner. ¡°Ah. Dimori-kun. Aurelia-san.¡± . AN . One minute I¡¯m with Baraquiel. The next I¡¯m with Shuri. One moment I¡¯m for team harem. The next I¡¯m team no harem. To put it bluntly, I give up. These chapters messed too much with my conscience. So I¡¯m just going to wait and see what happens. And hopefully, I get to see Igor pop some skulls soon. Things were simpler when it was about killing, eating, training, and fighting. Thank you and until the next chapter. Chapter 189 Releasing a breath, she had to get her emotions in control. There¡¯d be time to deal with them later. Putting on a smile, she walked towards the corner where they would soon appear. Closing her eyes in her typical closed-eye smile, she demurely clasped her hands over her stomach just as soon as Igor and Aurelia turned the corner. ¡°Ah. Dimori-kun. Aurelia-san.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Ah. Dimori-kun. Aurelia-san.¡± ¡°Hey, aunty. Man, this hospital is big.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. Of course it is, Dimori-kun. Azazel-san put a lot of work into making it as big and efficient as possible.¡± ¡°Uncle A sure is something else. I¡¯ll give him that. This is actually my first time in a hospital so I was surprised when¡­¡± They continued talking as they walked along. Aurelia followed along quietly, her eyes ever-so-glancing at Shuri in both suspicion and wonder. Aurelia would not lie to herself. She imagined that Shuri would not be comfortable in either her or Igor¡¯s presence. She could only applaud the high level of control Shuri held over her emotions. Regardless, things would have to be straightened out after this. One way or another- ¡°Heh?¡± Su! ¡°¡°...¡±¡± All of a sudden, Shemhazai appeared in front of them without warning. Not waiting for any of them to adjust to his sudden presence, he said his piece. ¡°Dimori-san. Aurelia-san. Shuri-san. Baraquiel is ready to see you. If you would please follow me.¡± Ever-so elegant, his voice was calm and melodic, his polite address almost guaranteed to earn anyone¡¯s forgiveness in seconds. Regardless, Igor was more interested in seeing Baraquiel and he certainly wasn¡¯t going to walk the whole way. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll meet the rest of you there.¡± Without giving anyone a chance to react, he suddenly vanished. Su! ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± They could feel his energy appear all the way on the other side of the wing. Shemhazai could only remark at how fast he was. For a brief moment, he still felt his energy signature here and there before his brain finally registered that he had moved away. [Impressive. Very impressive.] He wholeheartedly agreed with his brother to forge an alliance with them. Igor with his strength and Aurelia with her ingenuity: together, these two would be a massive boon to anyone they aliased themselves with. . |DxD| . Su! Appearing in Baraquiel¡¯s room, Igor was immediately faced with three pairs of eyes. Penemue seemed a little surprised by his sudden arrival seeing as he could feel a concentration of energy that was about to gather in her hand. [Light spear?] It wouldn¡¯t surprise him since a spear seemed to be the go-to weapon for fallen angels. Either way, she didn¡¯t even register as a threat to him. At best, she was low-god class from what he felt from her. Emphasis on ¡°At best¡±. [Meh. Not good enough.] Those dainty hands with barely any callouses told him she was as weak as she looked. [Good enough for common scrub, but would get destroyed in the Heavenly Realm.] Perhaps he worded it a bit harshly, but he was honest. However, he would not admit that his low opinion of her affected his rating. ¡°I know I¡¯m handsome. But don¡¯t look at me too much. I¡¯m shy.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Azazel could barely hold back a snort. The comment was so random, especially in such a serious situation that he was completely caught offguard. ¡°...¡± Penemue didn¡¯t like that she was made the butt of a joke, but she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Hmph.¡± Crossing her arms, she walked towards the door, completely walking past Igor. ¡°Call me when you need me, Azazel. I¡¯ll be in my office.¡± Closing the door behind her, she left the three men to converse with each- ¡°Wait for me, sister!. I still need to discuss some things with you.¡± Quickly catching up to her, he caught the door and closed it behind him, but not before releasing a snarky comment. ¡°After all, the two lovebirds need some time alone. Heh~.¡± BAM! Quickly closing the door behind him, the only thing Igor managed to do with his ki blast was slightly burn the door instead of Azazel¡¯s face. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Tch.¡± Feeling a bit salty that he couldn¡¯t hit him, he turned to face Baraquiel with an annoyed expression. ¡°I swear your brother is annoying sometimes, old man.¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel was rather pensive, even more so when he was left alone with Igor. He was expecting a tongue-lashing from the blonde, not him commenting about Azazel. ¡°Heh.¡± Regardless, he was grateful. Only God knew how much regret he had in his heart. That well was already filled to capacity with the amount of mistakes he made. ¡°I know, right? Makes me wonder how our organisation still stands today with him at the helm.¡± ¡°Pfft¡­hehehehehe¡­¡± ¡°Hehehehehe¡­¡± The two shared a laugh, the atmosphere between them easing considerably. Long before he walked through that door, Igor had told himself that no matter what, he wouldn¡¯t bring up the news about Shuri or any subject related to her. Right now, he was an old student visiting his teacher. ¡°Nevermind, Uncle Ai, old man. He¡¯ll always be the way he is. By the way, how you doin?¡± ¡°...¡± Baraquiel did not expect for Igor to ask such a casual question. Still, he could see the concern the kid had. Lying on the bed with his back propped up, Baraquiel gave his bare torso a once-over before scoffing. ¡°Worse. Everything was fine until you got here?¡± ¡°Really? I thought I was your favourite.¡± ¡°Heh. Not even close. And now you¡¯re lower on my list since you made a literal hole in my gut ya damn brat.¡± Scratching his head, Igor chuckled. ¡°Atleast I healed you, right? That has to count for something, old man.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll count for more if you let me sleep you damn brat. I know that look in your eye and my answer is no.¡± ¡°...what look?¡± As much as Igor knew Baraquiel, the opposite was true. There were some things the blonde did unconsciously that Baraquiel knew enough of the queues Igor did when he wanted something. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that nonsense. I¡¯m not good enough to fight.¡± It seemed the gig was up. It was a passive thought that manifested itself a few moments ago, but Igor wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°...I healed you.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! ¡°Brat. You blew a hole through my stomach!¡± ¡°But I healed it!¡± ¡°I still need to rest! Doctor¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°Bullshit! I know you¡¯re as healthy as a bull right now. Stop being lazy and have a spar with me for old time¡¯s sake, old man!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Damnit, old man. Just one¡­¡± . |DxD| . The walk back was a quiet one. Three pairs of feet, not one syllable shared. Shemhazai led in front, his back straight and his steps constant. By virtue of his personality, he wasn¡¯t a conversationalist and he wouldn¡¯t try to speak or even prod for information like most would. Keeping his eyes in front, he navigated the various hallways with the two women behind him. His uncanny observational skills allowed him to notice there was an undercurrent flowing between these two women. A part of him was curious, but he quickly squashed it down. Digging his nose into matters that didn¡¯t concern him wasn¡¯t his job. Turning down the last corridor, they were almost at Baraquiel¡¯s room when the door was suddenly slammed open. Bang! Outside came a very disgruntled Igor. ¡°Stupid old man. You¡¯ve gotten lazy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve earned this vacation, brat! Leave me be!¡± ¡°YOU...hmph! Fine! But you better spar with me when you leave that bed!¡± ¡°Forget it! I won¡¯t-¡± BAM! Closing the door behind him, Igor smiled triumphantly at his little victory before he turned to face the trio. ¡°Hey, sister. Hey, aunty. You have about two minutes to talk to the old man before he ¡®enjoys his vacation¡¯ like the old fogey he is.¡± ¡°Damn brat!¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Ignoring the muffled yell coming from behind the door, Igor walked over to them. Giving Shemhazai a nod of approval, he grabbed Aurelia¡¯s hand and placed two fingers to his forehead. ¡°Either way, I¡¯m ready to leave. You coming, aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri¡¯s gaze wandered towards their intertwined hands for a moment. Such a simple action now held a higher meaning to her. ¡°No, Dimori-kun. I shall not depart yet.¡± ¡°...¡± Figuring that she still had some business with Baraquiel, he didn¡¯t pry. ¡°Alright. See you back home, aunty. Later, Mr Shemhazai.¡± ¡°Farewell, Dimori-san.¡± Tswii! In an instant, both Aurelia and Igor vanished on the spot. ¡°...¡± Now that they were not here anymore, Shuri did not bother schooling her expression. Her face fell into a hollow frown, her eyes locked on the door that would lead her to Baraquiel. Uncaring for Shemhazai who was next to her, she would walk into that room and do what needed to be done. Walking towards the door¡­ ¡°Haaa...¡± ¡­she let out a deep breath before opening it. Dakaang~ Once more, she came face to face with Baraquiel who was already expecting her. The man looked at her with surprise and awe. Yet all of that was drowned beneath the immense guilt he felt. She also felt guilt, guilt at what she would do. But she had grown tired of hiding, and grown tired of lying. Uncaring for the consequences, she would clear everything up right here and right now. ¡°Baraquiel¡­ . |DxD| . Tswii! Igor and Asia appeared outside Shuri¡¯s house. From the position of the sun, it still appeared to be late noon. He could feel Asia, Akeno, and Lina all approaching him. From upstairs, Asia was already rushing downstairs along with Akeno. ¡°Heh~.¡± Releasing his hold on Aurelia, he turned towards the door with his arms outstretched. It was only a matter of time until those two came bursting out that door- BAM! ¡°Big brother!¡± ¡°On-onii-chan!¡± They ran towards him as fast as their little legs could carry them. ¡°Come here!¡± Crouching low onto the ground, they slammed into him and immediately, he wrapped his arms around them. ¡°Ohhhh. You have no idea how big brother missed the both of you!¡± Standing up with them in his embrace, he gave both of them a kiss on the forehead. Akeno¡¯s smile and Asia¡¯s giggle infinitely brightened up his day. . |DxD| . Mount Kailasa . Once more, Shiva was enjoying his free time with nature. Without worry and without care, he let himself indulge in a state of emptiness, to forget all his responsibilities and obligations. The minutes passed and gradually, he descended into a state of sleep. Unlike most would assume, Shiva did not care that the grass was his bed. Protected by the shade and blanketed by a cool breeze, he was content to fall asleep as it was and he did. For a few blissful hours, he slumbered in peace without care. The sun gradually set as the moon made its appearance in the skies. The winds grew colder, but they couldn¡¯t compete with the coldness of space. ¡°...¡± The only reason he even woke up was because his wife would pester him if he didn¡¯t come for dinner. He loved the woman to death but sometimes she needed to let him be. Opening his eyes, Shiva didn¡¯t get up immediately, mostly because Nandi suddenly appeared next to him. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t know whether to applaud or groan at the man¡¯s patience in waiting for him to wake up. His mind idly remembered that the war with Indra wasn¡¯t to be for atleast a few weeks or so¡­unless he forgot again. Did he forget? He didn¡¯t even bother thinking about it any further. ¡°Yes, Nandi. What do you need?¡± Smiling lightly, the pale man reported. ¡°In accordance with your wishes, I have kept my eye on young Dimori. As we speak, he is alone meditating just a few kilometres from his abode. It is quite convenient that you woke up at this time, my lord.¡± ¡°...¡± Go meet his potential successor or fall back asleep? Choices¡­choices. The former was the obvious solution, but the latter was somehow more appealing at the moment. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Going straight from sleep to work wasn¡¯t something he particularly enjoyed. Standing up, he allowed Nandi to dress him with magic. Though, he was surprised when instead of a suit he expected, he was garbed in his godly attire. It had been quite a while since he had adorned it. He didn¡¯t want to be mistaken as suddenly converting to the Egyptian Pantheon. Too troublesome. So he had no clue why Nandi would make him wear it now. Though it seemed he was willing to answer him. ¡°To answer your unasked question, we are going to meet a very important person, my lord. What do the humans say? Dress to impress? I believe if he sees your majesty, he might be all the more willing to enter under your tutelage, my lord.¡± ¡°...¡± He couldn¡¯t be bothered to fault his logic. Besides, he was more interested in finally taking the kid in. Igor had so much potential that it was just begging to be trained properly. ¡°Alright, Nandi. Let us depart.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± . AN . Finally we got to Shiva. We¡¯ve been waiting a long time for that one. I do hope Igor accepts. If you''re interested in reading further, my patrons have the privilege of being three chapters ahead. Until the next chapter. Chapter 190 He couldn¡¯t be bothered to fault his logic. Besides, he was more interested in finally taking the kid in. Igor had so much potential that it was just begging to be trained properly. ¡°Alright, Nandi. Let us depart.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . It was already nighttime in the small town of Kuoh. The day went by fairly normally without any sudden mishaps apart from their trip to the Underworld. Just a few dozen minutes after their return, Shuri was also brought back by Shemhazai. The man had left just as quickly as he arrived, declining Shuri¡¯s offer for some refreshments in the process. As the one who always had to keep Azazel in check, he was always busy managing the smaller tasks his elder brother couldn¡¯t be bothered to do. When Shemhazai had left, Igor was able to see past Shuri¡¯s smile. She gave both Akeno and Asia loving hugs, but she didn¡¯t seem alright. But he wouldn¡¯t question the issue. It was pretty obvious why she remained behind. And from the crestfallen look hidden behind her smile, her talk with Baraquiel had not went well. He didn¡¯t expect it to either. What Baraquiel did went past infidelity. As much as he himself was willing to put it behind him, he didn¡¯t expect Shuri to do the same. The hours passed since then and dinner proceeded somewhat normally. There was an underlying tension he couldn¡¯t quite grasp, one that seemed to also affect Aurelia. Igor didn¡¯t like being out of the loop like this, especially when it concerned the people he cared for. But he wouldn¡¯t pry, atleast not yet. Now, it was already nearing 10pm. A short while ago, he had left the house because he needed to clear his head. Having travelled deep into the forest, he had picked the spot where he always used to eat during his earlier years, way before he met Baraquiel. The clearing he used to lay out his freshly bought meat now had a few trees growing, but he could still see the stars. Sitting down on the ground, he leaned against the trunk of a tree and just gazed aimlessly into the skies. Sigh¡­ Igor was not blind. Though sometimes he wished he was. Things were falling to pieces and he could scarcely do anything to stop it. No. Scarcely indicated there was still a chance of stopping it. Despite his unmatched strength, this was an issue that couldn¡¯t be solved with fists. [Aunty and the old man won¡¯t get back together.] It was no longer a question. It was a statement. Shuri just wasn¡¯t herself today. Ever since he returned from the time chamber, her energy was never truly at peace. But today, the fluctuations were more sporadic than usual. As much as he tried to ignore it, to let her deal with it alone, today at dinner made him truly worried for her. He almost had half-a-mind to burst into her bedroom and¡­do what? What could he even do in the first place? This wasn¡¯t a physical problem he could punch to oblivion. This was an emotional problem and as hazzard as he would hate to admit, Igor wasn¡¯t the best person to consult about emotions. [What can I do? Come on, Igor. Think.] Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have experience in these sorts of matters. His mind quite literally pulled blanks on him. He had no clue on how to comfort a woman going through a divorce. [Stupid old man. Look at what you¡¯re making aunty go through.] Now that he actually knew what this ¡®love¡¯ thing actually was, he could imagine the pain of betrayal Shuri was going through, and just how much pain and regret Baraquiel felt. The old man loved Shuri, but he had also disappointed her immensely. [Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.] A very large part of him was tempted to just teleport to the Underworld and punch the absolute daylight out of him. But he relented. His own understanding of this emotion he ¡®cringed¡¯ at before allowed him to understand the level of hurt Shuri was going through. And he had vastly underestimated it. Just the thought of Aurelia even holding hands with another man felt like hot coals pressed against his chest. If she somehow even¡­slept with another man¡­? su su su Su Su Su Su- ¡°No.¡± Quickly, he controlled his aura that threatened to spiral out of control. Unknowingly, his eyes had turned red. The amount of rage at the mere notion nearly blinded him in a haze of anger. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. So he could only imagine how worse it would be for Shuri. To find out that in your death, your husband slept with another woman¡­not even coming back to bury you, not even coming back to check on your child. Sigh¡­. He didn¡¯t want to think about this anymore. If he continued, he felt he might just wish to put another hole in the old man. ¡°Whatever happens, happens. I won¡¯t get involved anymore.¡± He was aware enough of his volatile state that he wouldn¡¯t be suitable help for this sort of problem. ¡°Heh~. I guess I¡¯m still a kid.¡± And for the first time, killing wasn¡¯t the solution. Regardless, he shouldn¡¯t worry himself about this. Shuri was a grown woman and he was not some idiotic kid who couldn¡¯t see past his own nose. If Shuri or Baraquiel truly did separate, he wouldn¡¯t fault either for coming to the decision. [I¡¯ll just offer my support wherever I can.] That and maybe get a few hits on Baraquiel. His actions really were stupid in of itself. And that was saying something if it came from him. [Alright. Stop thinking about this stuff, Igor. Leave that to the adults.] It was a sad but true conclusion he arrived at. Rather than continuously worrying about matters he could not control, it was best he focused on himself for the time being. Now, it was time to get into the true purpose of his outing. When Igor was fighting with Triny, he was not completely unaware of his surroundings. It was why he eventually became aware of Aurelia¡¯s presence after some time. Naturally, his own perception also included his body. He was not unaware of the changes that occurred to his body the moment Triny assumed her partial true form as they had temporarily come to call it. That feeling he soon identified as nature energy coursing through his body actually elevated his strength by a great margin. It wasn¡¯t strong enough to compare to his Kaioken, but experience told him that his power multiplied by ten¡­without any side-effects. Or atleast, any side-effects he knew of. He wanted to enter that state once more and if possible, combine it with his Demigod State. He didn¡¯t know if combining nature energy with demi-ki would work, but he was certainly willing to try. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Letting out a deep breath, he slowly began hovering above the ground with his legs crossed. His mind synced with Triny, his being entering a state of calm. [You ready?] {Yes.} Despite how serious she tried to sound, he could feel she was more excited than him. Looks like he wasn¡¯t the only one interested in seeing the outcome. [Alright.] su su su su su Su Su Su Su Slowly, red aura manifested around him before gently, his hair turned red as he entered his Demigod State. In a display of superb control, no sudden shockwaves were created. Not even a single shred of bark was destroyed in the process. Keeping his eyes closed, Igor took a moment to adjust to his new state of being. [You can start now. I¡¯m ready.] {Okay.} Nothing happened at first, but that quickly changed when the air around them suddenly felt...dense. Igor could feel¡­something. He didn¡¯t know how to describe it, but he could feel something that seemed to be curiously poking and prodding around him. He vaguely compared it to when a pack of dogs started sniffing around a stranger. Was this energy evaluating him or something? Weird? But he didn¡¯t mind it- ¡°Oh my. Such an intriguing turn of events, young Dimori. But I do recommend you stop before you unfortunately implode.¡± ¡°?!¡± The only surprise Igor gave of being spooked was his body trembling just slightly. Otherwise, he remained calm. Opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of Shiva and Nandi. And just like that, he felt a lot more comfortable that they were the ones who managed to sneak up on him. It was a given since they were very strong after all. Letting himself stand on the ground again, he greeted them respectfully. ¡°Lord Nandi. Lord Shiva. I never thought I¡¯d see you here. Did I miss a war or something?¡± ¡°Oh no, young Dimori. On the contrary, we have come to extend an offer to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Confusion could be written in capital letters on his face. Igor did not know what would cause Shiva and Nandi to personally extend an offer to him. ¡°Really? Alright. Weird, but I¡¯m listening.¡± Neither of the two visitors seemed to show any displeasure at how Igor was casually speaking with them. ¡°Before we go any further, I want to see something.¡± It was Shiva who spoke. He looked at Igor with an appraising eye, the glint in his pupils betraying his intrigue. ¡°Do what you were about to do prior, but without your transformation active.¡± He was curious about seeing this new state the kid had without him potentially killing himself. ¡°Alright.¡± Without delay, Igor obeyed. Ever since he last spoke with Shiva at the Himejima clan, his trust in him had grown strong. Slowly, his hair fell as it lost its spikiness. The aura around him vanished as his eyes reverted back to normal. Under the gazes of Shiva and Nandi, he closed his eyes and focused once more. {Alright, Triny. Let¡¯s do this again.} {...} She didn¡¯t reply, but she complied. Deep in their mindscape, Triny once more began accessing her true form while outside, nature energy began gathering around Igor. Unlike before, the energy didn¡¯t ¡°sniff¡± around him, but directly began entering his body. He immersed himself in this warm feeling that permeated throughout his body. It felt like he was being covered with a very warm blanket. As more and more nature energy pooled into him, he felt the tattoo on the top of his forehead finally react. As the tattoo spread, it felt a bit ticklish like sweat running along his skin. Nonetheless, the sudden gradual boost in power was palpable. But more than anything, it was the drastic enhancement to his perception that almost left him floored. It wasn¡¯t the sudden influx of information that almost rendered him unconscious. That wasn¡¯t it in the slightest. ¡°?!¡± It was the overwhelming power he felt from Shiva. He knew Shiva was powerful. He never felt it before, but his instincts told him as such. Yet, he never ever imagined Shiva was this strong. No. This was beyond strong. Opening his eyes, they were blue as always. But instead of their constant state of joviality, they now exuded shock, awe,¡­ ¡°You¡¯re strong¡­¡± ¡­and excitement. ¡°Really strong.¡± So strong that he felt very tiny. Even the presence he sensed in the Dimensional Gap felt puny to his. This level that Shiva was in¡­it was no longer within the realm of Supreme Class. It couldn¡¯t possibly be defined nor contained within the scope of Supreme Class. It was beyond. . AN . Seems like this confirms Shiva is indeed a big boss with big pants. I wonder when he¡¯s going to meet little Ophis. I look forward to the interaction between those two. Cleria would have an aneurysm if that happened, if she isn¡¯t already replaced by then. Today is Friday and as always, thank you for the constant support, comments, and even the reviews. Chapter 191 ¡°You¡¯re strong¡­¡± ¡­and excitement. ¡°Really strong.¡± So strong that he felt very tiny. Even the presence he sensed in the Dimensional Gap felt puny to his. This level that Shiva was in¡­it was no longer within the realm of Supreme Class. It couldn¡¯t possibly be defined nor contained within the scope of Supreme Class. It was beyond. . |DxD| . The realm of perception Igor achieved by tapping into this unknown state was¡­immense. His already powerful perception was enhanced countless times. He could suddenly see dozens of strange energies that permeated the air. But none of them, absolutely none of them could compare to the gigantic bonfire Shiva was. He couldn¡¯t identify what it was, but instinct told-no, forbade him from coming into contact with it. ¡°You¡¯re strong¡­¡± Shiva was unlike anything he had ever felt before. This level of power, this level of danger that makes his body tense in trepidation¡­it excited him. ¡°Really strong.¡± It took almost all of his will just not to collapse from fear. It was a daunting fact, but Shiva could quite literally kill him and he would have no way of defending. He was to Shiva what a normal human was to him: an ant. A very tiny insignificant ant that could be squashed should he so feel like it. Some may claim it to be an exaggeration, but it was the honest truth. His Demigod State? It was a joke. What Shiva had was true power. And he wanted to possess that same level of power. ¡°Oh my. You can sense Lord Shiva¡¯s energy?¡± ¡°...¡± At Nandi¡¯s words, Igor was finally snapped out of his reverie. Turning to look at the pale man, he frowned as he scrutinized him. ¡°You¡­I can¡¯t sense you, Lord Nandi.¡± ¡°You flatter me, young one. Please. Call me Nandi. I am but my lord¡¯s humble attendant.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t feel alright calling someone who¡¯s both older and most likely more powerful than him. ¡°Alright¡­¡± But he would try. ¡°...Nandi.¡± ¡°Wonderful. Now, I believe I asked if you could sense Lord Shiva?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Once more, Igor turned to face the ever-stoic Shiva. That feeling of immense power made him wonder if this was how insects would feel when in front of an elephant. ¡°Yes, L-Nandi. I can sense his power. You¡¯re stronger than anything I¡¯ve ever felt, Lord Shiva.¡± There was a hint of amazement in his tone. ¡°I mean¡­even Uncle Indra doesn¡¯t come close. Unless he has some transformation I don¡¯t know of?¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± The two just looked at Igor in slight amusement, though Nandi was more obvious. ¡°Ohohoho. I think you already know the answer to that question, young Dimori. Though rest assured. My lord is certainly more powerful than Indra. Though¡­¡± Nandi turned to face Shiva with a light smile. ¡°The fact that he can sense you means you still need to work on your controlling your energy, my lord. Pray-tell, young Dimori. How does my lord feel to you?¡± With almost visible stars, Igor spoke in amazement. ¡°Like a giant bonfire. When I look at you, Lord Shiva, I see a giant fire.¡± ¡°...¡± The only indicator that Shiva gave of his annoyance was his eye twitching just slightly. ¡°We have not come here to discuss me, Nandi. Dimori. I offer you the chance to become my personal student. Do you accept?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at Shiva with visible surprise. For a second, he almost dumbly asked if he was joking. ¡°Will I have to switch sides in the upcoming war?¡± His dues to Sun Wukong for helping him find Asia had long since been paid. Now, he mostly stayed on Indra¡¯s side because he was used to it there. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Your loyalty to my army is not necessary. My only requirement is that during the time you are not fighting, you are to be training with me on Mount Kailasa.¡± ¡°...¡± Oh. OH. No. This was going to be problematic. This was going to be really problematic. ¡°Lord Shiva. Just to¡­clarify. Do you mean that I will not be able to see my family?¡± This time, it was Nandi who answered. ¡°Of course you can, young Dimori. However, you should understand as a fighter yourself that there are some stages of training where family interruption would not be appreciated. Those periods can often range from months to years. And with what we intend to teach you, whole years could pass by without possibly seeing your family.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was at a crossroads here. He could possibly decline and stay with his family, or accept and undergo new levels of training he could never imagine. He wanted to agree. He truly wanted to agree. But ten years had passed since he stayed with his loved ones. Missing out on more years, especially years outside the time chamber was something he truly wasn¡¯t willing to endure. ¡°I¡­can you let me think about it? This isn¡¯t something I can decide right now.¡± ¡°...¡± Crossing his arms, Shiva was slightly disappointed. ¡°You have until the end of the week to decide, Dimori. I can teach you things you can never possibly imagine. I can show you sights you have never seen, and help you attain levels of power that might¡¯ve taken you decades, if not centuries to obtain.¡± ¡°...¡± Now Igor was really tempted. Shiva was never one to brag so he knew the god was speaking honestly. But still, one of his wishes was to be present for when Asia and Akeno grew up. He still hadn¡¯t been able to teach them as much as he wanted to, especially Asia. ¡°Ohohoho~. It seems you still need a bit more convincing, young Dimori. Perhaps I should give you a taste of what is to come. For example, why don¡¯t you try using your Kaioken? Just up to the fiftieth multiplier. Not any higher as I believe that is the current maximum your body can handle.¡± ¡°...¡± Slightly confused, Igor decided to listen to his words. ¡°Alright, Nandi.¡± It still felt weird having this warm energy coursing through him, but it didn¡¯t mess with his ki. On the contrary, it seemed to enhance it. Closing his eyes, he focused on pulling his ki into his divine strand. It responded faster, much faster than usual, but not to the extent that he would have trouble with his ki-control. su su su su Su Su Su Su Su Gradually, his power crept up. ¡°?!¡± Instead of using the Kaioken like Nandi suggested, Igor decided to use his Suppressed Demigod State. It also gave him a 50x multiplier so there shouldn¡¯t have been that much of a difference in what method he chose. Apparently, there was. Like an old car failing to start, he was met with an insurmountable wall. Beyond a red aura surrounding him, his power failed to increase despite his efforts. ¡°Ke¡­kii¡­¡± Visible mist emanated from his skin as he tirelessly tried to power-up, to break through whatever was preventing his divine strand from consuming all the demi-ki he was sending to it. Despite doing everything right, it simply didn¡¯t react to the ki he sent to it. [What is¡­going on¡­?] His body was already being sent into overdrive from the strain he was placing on it. Like the starter on a car, his body would soon give out if his divine strand didn¡¯t react to his ki like it usually did. Su Su Su Su Su Su! Su! Su! Shiva and Nandi wordlessly watched, the former with an impassive expression and the other with amusement. [My, my. I did tell him to use his Kaioken. It would¡¯ve been much easier.] For very brief moments, Igor¡¯s ki fluctuated sporadically before diminishing to its previous levels. He tried to push himself as much as he could before his body gave out¡­and it was working. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! SU SU SU SU SU SU His aura fluctuations gradually increased in intensity, the pressure he was releasing causing even the ground beneath him to crack. ¡°Haaaaaa¡­¡± With his divine strand finally ¡°igniting¡±, he did not relax in the slightest. Continuously stepping on the accelerator, he funnelled ki into his divine strand. Slowly but surely, it was working. His power was rising. He could feel it. SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU And finally... ¡°HaaaaAAAAAAAA!¡± GRUUUU! Suddenly, his power exploded in a burst of violent red aura. It spread like a giant bonfire the size of an entire house. The pressure he released absolutely destroyed everything around him, his power skyrocketing far beyond even his power-level at his absolute full-power. BOOOM! The trees around them were suddenly and swiftly uprooted, the powerful explosion from the rapid build-up of ki sending a shockwave that instantly blew them away. *Crackle*¡­*Crackle*¡­Pa! Lightning started cracking around him, his hair slowly turning into a long mane. Like the sped-up growth of grass, his hair visibly grew from his head, the immense power and nature energy flowing in his body sparking its growth. 150x! 200x! 250x! His power continued to rise with each second. His fists were clenched tightly, his legs spaced apart as he pushed himself as much as he could. ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!¡± GRUUU! 300x! 350x! 400x! Everything. Absolutely everything had been blown away by him rapidly powering. The immense pressure he released alone caused the weather to change. In the middle of the night, constant flashes of lightning made it seem like it was day. Rain clouds started sporadically forming and dissipating, his power causing catatonic winds that hastened the weather changes. 425x! 450x! 475x! His now spiky hair grew longer and longer, his yells resounding loudly along with the roars of the wind. ¡°HaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA!¡± Slowly nearing the peak, he was starting to struggle with pushing forward. Too much ki was leaving his body faster than he could generate. It was becoming too much, but he wouldn¡¯t stop, not yet. 480x! 485x! 490x! His body grew bulkier from all that endless power and energy flowing through him like a torrential wave. 495x! 496x! 497x! 498x! 499x! 500x! GRUUUUU! Finally, let let out a very powerful burst of power, a shockwave so strong and an explosion so bright that for a few seconds, the night had become day. In a haze of golden-red radiance, Igor reached his absolute peak, all while Nandi and Shiva calmly watched. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Under the glistening radiance, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of his aura constantly fluctuating. The winds continued to billow, the absolute and sheer power he was outputting upsetting the very weather itself. But slowly, the radiance faded to reveal Igor. SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU He was standing upright with his fists clenched, his hair flowing right down to his back like a wave. His eyes were pupil-less, his expression completely neutral. Absolute power flowed through him, the kind of power that made one feel invincible. His muscles visibly stretched underneath his clothes, a multitude of veins bulging beneath his skin while a hazy golden-red aura violently fluctuated around him like a violent flame. This power¡­even Sirzechs, Ajuka¡­all the four satans were nothing to him now. Azazel? He was nothing. This power¡­he loved it. . AN . This¡­this is bootleg Super Saiyan 3 isn¡¯t it. On another note, thank you for reading and until the next chapter. If you can¡¯t wait and want to read ahead, become my patron on you-know-where. Chapter 192 His muscles visibly stretched underneath his clothes, a multitude of veins bulging beneath his skin while golden-red aura violently fluctuated around him like a violent flame. This power¡­even Sirzechs, Ajuka¡­all the four satans were nothing to him now. Azazel? He was nothing. This power¡­he loved it. . |DxD| . Igor stood rooted to the spot, this new sensation beguiling him with its effects. It wasn¡¯t the power itself that had Igor halt. It was the enhanced perception. Everything- he could see, feel, and hear everything. The massive boost to his perception was unlike anything he could ever comprehend before. Even at his best, his most effective range when sensing was a few dozen kilometres at best. Beyond that, it became harder and harder to accurately find hidden or some of the much smaller energy signatures. But in this state, he could cover the whole world. He had covered the whole world. His senses stretched across the seas, reaching all the continents and covering entire mountains. Very few, if nothing could escape his senses. Even plant life with their almost nonexistent energy signatures registered to his senses, a feat that almost bordered on impossible for a range so large. Su Su Su Su Su Su It was¡­amazing. ¡°?!?!¡± Suddenly freezing, Igor¡¯s brain finally couldn¡¯t handle the sudden influx of information. The sudden scaling of processing a few kilometres of information to millions upon millions of kilometres was simply a scale too grand for it to adapt quickly enough. Clutching his head, Igor could not restrain his screams. ¡°AAAAAAAAAH!¡± He collapsed to the ground in pain, all seven of his orifices leaking blood. It was too much. The information was too much for him to handle. He didn¡¯t just sense humans. He could sense every single living thing within the realm of his perception. From the smallest of fishes to the most insignificant of fauna, he could perceive it. The planet contained billions of lifeforms, and he could sense them all. ¡°AAAAAAAAH!¡± GRUUU! In a burst of uncontrollable power, Igor released all of his aura, his outburst caused by the blinding pain he was feeling. Covering his ears with his hands, he desperately tried to stop this pain to no avail. Information kept coming in. His brain couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. He was shutting down in real time and if nothing changed, he would die. ¡°...¡± Shiva tried to watch impassively. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Nandi was looking at him with¡­was that a faint smile? ¡°Nandi.¡± Purple aura leaked out of him, his displeasure very evident in his tone. ¡°Talk.¡± What Igor was going through shouldn¡¯t be normal. No matter what, the last thing Shiva needed was a rare talent die right in front of him. That would become a regret he could never swallow. ¡°Oh my. Pardon my mistake, my lord.¡± Neither feeling threatened nor taking offense to Shiva¡¯s tone, he only feigned embarrassment. Ever-so casually, Nandi tapped the ground twice with his staff before a massive barrier gradually covered them. Ding Ding Like clockwork, the results were nigh-instantaneous. With the barrier completely secluding them from the outside world, Igor¡¯s perception could not stretch any further than a measly few-dozen metres. Completely isolated from the world, his perception could no longer spread to its ludicrous range like it did before. The tsunami of information overwhelming his brain steadily decreased to a faint trickle. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± His screams of agony quietened to tired pants. While on all fours, his chest heaved as he took in life-giving air. So traumatised was he that during this whole time, he couldn¡¯t breathe. His mental faculties hadn¡¯t quite fully recovered, but it was enough for him to undo his transformation. Under the concerned eyes of Shiva, his hair visibly shortened while the markings on his skin receded back to his forehead. He was still on the ground while Shiva had crouched before him, his hand on his head. The God of Destruction was not pleased with how this turned out. He could feel the extensive internal damage Shiva had suffered. Turning to face Nandi, he faced his attendant with a rather stern expression. ¡°You did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you.¡± It was a statement. Not a question. ¡°Ohohohoho. I fail to understand what you mean, my lord.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva knew he was lying. Nandi was anything but incompetent. This was a display of incompetence. The only other reason he could see is if he did it on purpose. But for what reason, he couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°...¡± In the end, he decided to drop it. Nandi had not failed him once in his long tenure as a god. In the end, he chose to trust that his attendant had a valid reason for what he did. His most pressing concern right now was making sure Igor didn¡¯t die under his watch. ¡°Dimori.¡± He lifted him up by his hair, but Igor seemed to be entirely out of it. The blood pouring out of his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth had already dried, but his gaze was distant. He was tempted to slap the blonde, but Nandi halted him. ¡°It is not advisable for you to do that, my lord. I suspect he is communicating with his tenant. ¡°...¡± Shiva halted at that. ¡°Alright.¡± Letting go of Igor¡¯s hair, he turned towards Nandi. ¡°Tell me. Why did you not stop him?¡± ¡°Stop him? Hmmm. Perhaps we can call it my obvious curiosity. We had already seen the result of ki combined with nature energy. I was interested in seeing what would happen if Divine Ki was used. The results were quite stellar if I must say.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva could see no arguments there. The amount of power Igor exhibited for that brief moment was indeed an incredulous amount. It still wasn¡¯t anywhere near close to his, but it was monumental when compared to the rest of the supernatural world. ¡°If he can come to control this form in the future, even Indra might be forced to use his true form.¡± ¡°Indeed, my lord. If he learns to master this power, he might enter the true Top Ten.¡±* ¡°...indeed.¡± Looking once more at the blonde who had crouched low on the ground, Shiva began counting the years when the kid would finally be able to give him a decent challenge. [If he accepts, I¡¯ll work on teaching him how to-] ¡°My lord. If I recall, Amaterasu sought to battle you for third place?¡±* ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ That woman brought him nothing but headaches. He could already feel her staring at him from her domain. To say it was troublesome was an understatement. Thankfully, Igor soon returned to reality and stood up. He was still a bit wobbly, but he would live. ¡°Ow. Man that hurt.¡± He seemed to have recovered enough that he was no longer in pain. Aside from a headache the size of a mountain, Igor was alright. ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to be alright, Dimori. Now tell us. How did it feel to command such power at your fingertips?¡± He was confused as to what power Nandi was talking about until his mind finally remembered. As it clicked in his head, his eyes widened. ¡°Awesome!¡± For a moment, he was back in his childish wonder. ¡°It¡¯s beyond everything I¡¯ve ever known! I mean, that insane power boost was something else entirely.¡± ¡°Indeed it was. I reckon you are amongst the ranks of the strongest mortals in the supernatural world. ¡°Really?!¡± This time, it was Shiva who spoke. ¡°Of course. Though that is not something to be infinitely proud of. Being the strongest against the weak just means you¡¯re still weak.¡± ¡°...¡± At those words, Igor¡¯s enthusiasm visibly dimmed. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± As powerful as he felt he was, it was still nowhere near close to Shiva¡¯s power, and he was still at rest. He couldn¡¯t imagine how powerful a serious Shiva would be. But Igor knew one thing. He wouldn¡¯t even function as a warmup. ¡°I am still weak. But I will continue to grow stronger!¡± ¡°...¡± It was this conviction that made Shiva smile juuust a little bit. He was a bit worried that after tasting this power, Igor would grow to become complacent. Fortunately, the blonde proved him wrong. ¡°Good. If you want to improve even further, I once more offer you to train on my mountain.¡± ¡°...¡± At that, Igor was once more struck with indecision, but Nandi saw through it. ¡°If you worry for your family, young Dimori, then I shall tell you that you have no need for concern. Just now, you made the entire world aware of your power. Very few would willingly try to seek trouble. And if that isn¡¯t enough, it will soon be common knowledge that you are affiliated with my lord in some way.¡± Having been somewhat muddle-headed for the past minute or so, Igor was confused as to why Nandi mentioned Shiva, but the man himself finally realised what Nandi was playing at. ¡°You and your tricks¡­¡± He finally realised that Nandi intentionally let Igor suffer for longer just so that any curious gods who looked into the matter would also see him. ¡°Tch.¡± ¡°...¡± Nandi said nothing and instead smiled, something that ticked off his lord. ¡°Nevermind. Listen, Dimori. Nandi is right. As it stands, the entire supernatural world will soon be made aware that we are both connected to each other.¡± ¡°...how?¡± ¡°...¡± There was absolutely no chance Shiva would provide the actual reason. ¡°Because I said so. All you need to know is that with my name, no one will dare touch your family. And Nandi here will keep an eye on them so that nothing happens without our knowledge. Now, tell me. What is your answer?¡± ¡°...¡± . AN .
  1. ¡°Indeed, my lord. If he learns to master this power, he might enter the true Top Ten.¡±*
Explanation: My guess here is this. I am heavily assuming that since it is mentioned that Indra has a true form, then other gods would also have true forms. This conjecture confuses me though since in the novel, there was none of this when all of them were attacked by Trihexa in canon. I can only guess we¡¯ll see the proper reason in the future.
  1. ¡°My lord. If I recall, Amaterasu sought to battle you for third place?¡±*
Explanation: Going back to the mention of true forms, it seems like there¡¯s a secret list of the top ten strongest in the world, and this list most likely comprises of gods when they fight in their true forms. Again, I¡¯m just shooting my shot. Nothing has been confirmed. Chapter 193 ¡°Because I said so. All you need to know that with my name, no one will dare touch your family. And Nandi here will keep a watch on them so that nothing happens without our knowledge. Now, tell me. What is your answer?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Igor was hesitating. The offer to receive personal training from the strongest people he knew excited him to no end. The thrill of gaining strength, of enduring gruelling training called out to him with the subtlety of a temptress. The only reason he hesitated, was because of his family. Regardless of whether they would be protected or not, he genuinely wanted to spend more time with them. Not once had he ever spent more than a month with any of his loved ones. At the very least, he wanted to spend some time with them before he disappeared for the next few years. ¡°I can¡¯t, Lord Shiva. I¡¯ve barely spent a week with my family. Perhaps after a year?¡± It was a compromise he was willing to come to terms with. He just hoped Shiva would agree to it. ¡°...¡± Although a bit disappointed, Shiva didn¡¯t begrudge him. ¡°Alright. After a year, I will come again. In the meantime, I do hope you grow stronger. Training in that new state should be your focus for now.¡± ¡°I also agree with my lord, young Dimori. Your bond with little Trihexa has brought up quite a few significant possibilities you might wish to explore.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was surprised, but also not surprised that Nandi knew of his bond with Trihexa. ¡°Thank you. I will keep your words in mind.¡± ¡°Ohohoho~. Splendid. Now, I believe we should depart, my lord. His companion is quite eager to see him after all.¡± Shiva closed his eyes briefly before he grinned. ¡°Yes. We shouldn¡¯t keep them apart any longer. Dimori. I shall see you in the next war.¡± Vwong! In an instant, they vanished in a pillar of blue light, leaving Igor alone in complete confusion. Standing there dumbfoundedly, he had no clue what they were talking about or meant. ¡°What companio-¡± Su! The answer was revealed when just a short while later, an apprehensive-looking Aurelia suddenly appeared next to him in a golden flash. Her sword was drawn, her eyes blazing with frightening killing intent that slowly faded away when nothing seemed to be amiss. ¡°...¡± She turned to look at Igor, her fear instantly overshadowing her ferocious expression. There was so much blood on his face that she briefly froze in absolute shock. ¡°Igor!¡± Letting her sword vanish, she quickly cupped his cheeks and began searching his body for any other signs of damage. The sight of dried blood coming out of all seven of his orifices made her worry soar to the highest levels. Without waiting for his consent, she tore off his shirt and placed her hands on both his chest and stomach. Immediately, she spread her mana through him, healing him as much as she could without further damaging him. Twelve different magic circles manifested around her, all of them spreading around Igor in different positions. Her eyes glowed blue as she slightly glanced to the side, almost as if she was reading from an invisible notepad. ¡°Coils are slightly fragile from stress. Energy levels are much lower than usual. A significant amount of calories had been burned in the last few minutes. B-Brain has suffered near-fatal damage, but¡­but should recover.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Despite trying to keep proper composure, the amount of small injuries she found on him made her falter. His brain, despite healing at a visible rate, was very, very fragile. The blood coming out his ears? Those were parts of his brain. How he was still alive, nevermind conscious, was beyond her comprehension. What she did know was that he had almost died. He had almost died¡­and she wasn¡¯t there. In all their years together, the one moment he suffers a grievous injury just happened to when she wasn¡¯t there. Sniff¡­ ¡°You¡¯ll be alright. You¡¯ll be alright.¡± Unable to stop the steady trail of tears, she was unaware of the gaze Igor was giving her. He had never seen her panic this much before. It was¡­not like her. ¡°Stop worrying so much, Lia. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Bulge!* Fine? Fine?! FINE?! He loses weighable grams of his brain and he says he¡¯s fine?!?! ¡°No you¡¯re not fine! You¡¯re not fine at all!!!¡± How could he be fine? Disregarding humans, even other supernatural species would outright die if their brains melted. He had a brain-bleed and still had the gall to say he¡¯s fine? ¡°If we don¡¯t do anything, you¡¯ll die, Igor! You¡¯ll die!¡± Just from interpreting the data received from her magic circles, she could tell that the amount of trauma his brain had suffered was far, far beyond the acceptable margin. Several different parts of his brain were bleeding and if not treated, he would die in less than ten minutes. He was healing. His body was hard at work in healing him, but she didn¡¯t want to leave things to chance. This was the brain. If there was even the slightest bit of error, problems could range from a sudden change in personality to the development of an outright disorder or even death. ¡°Don¡¯t move, Igor.¡± She didn¡¯t want any of that to happen to him. Completely focused on her work, she placed her hands on his cheeks and closed her eyes. Slowly, she let her mana enter into him, taking absolute care not to trigger a reaction that may possibly kill him. [Calm down, Aurelia. Calm down. All you have to do is absorb the blood and let his healing do the rest.] However, her hands were shaking. This wasn¡¯t the first time she performed the procedure, but this was the first time where she was under so much pressure. There was absolutely no room for failure here. [Breathe. Breathe-] Suddenly, she felt Igor¡¯s hands layer over hers. They were large and rough, completely covering her smaller hands. Opening her eyes in surprise, she was confronted with his stupid smile that made her want to lash out at how casually he seemed to take this situation. Was he really so brain-dead that he didn¡¯t realise how critical this- ¡°I believe in you, Lia.¡± ¡°...¡± He pressed her hands against his cheeks, not looking away from her in the slightest. ¡°You can do it.¡± He could feel her mana circulating in his head, but he didn¡¯t fight it. It was like an itch that he needed to scratch, but he didn¡¯t interfere. It was absolutely dangerous for mana to be in his head like this, but he trusted her. ¡°...¡± Nodding silently, Aurelia blinked away her tears and continued healing him. Strands of her mana penetrated through his head and into his brain where she shivered once again at how much of a close call it was. She navigated her strands towards the blood splotches where she proceeded to ¡°vacuum¡± the blood. She made sure not to interfere with the flood of ki flowing around his brain. She sucked away as much of his blood as she could without causing further damage to him. She then manipulated her mana to come out through his ears where gradually, there was fresh blood hovering in midair. Under her control, the blood suddenly vanished into thin air. She didn¡¯t want to risk leaving it here, not when she knew that sooner or later, supernatural entities would come here to snoop. As one last feature, she cleaned the dried blood on his face and cheeks. ¡°Done¡­¡± Sighing tiredly, Aurelia could now casually admit that this was one very close call. Less than five minutes had passed, but it felt like an hour. Now that he was healed, she needed answers. She needed them yesterday. ¡°Igor. What happened here?¡± She kept her tone level and calm, but she wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer. Igor was quite tempted to call out the irony in this, but this wasn¡¯t the most opportune of times. ¡°Lord Shiva and Nandi came to visit me. They extended an offer for them to train me. I didn¡¯t accept on the spot, but they¡¯ll come back in a¡­year.¡± Casually recounting the recent happenings, he paused when he noticed how Aurelia¡¯s eyes had widened after each of his statements. ¡°Lord Shiva wants¡­to train you?¡± ¡°Hm? Yeah. I was surprised too. But he does want to.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia had so many questions in regards to that statement, but they weren¡¯t important compared to the reason why he had a brain-bleed. ¡°Alright. And¡­what happened for you to get hurt so much?¡± ¡°Oh right. You remember those markings I had on my body? That was the result of taking nature energy into my body. I wanted to see what would happen if I transformed as well. I¡¯ll admit that I didn¡¯t completely think things through with this one.¡± Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, he chuckled. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t regret it. At least I have something new to work on for the rest of the year.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia didn¡¯t know whether to congratulate him or spill out profanities that would make a miner blush. Not only had she rushed over here as fast as she could, but she was even blocked by a barrier. The amount of panic she felt in that moment was indescribable. [No¡­] She wouldn¡¯t remain on this topic anymore. She didn¡¯t want to think about the what-ifs anymore. He was fine. Nothing too terrible happened. It would not do if she constantly pursued this incident. ¡°I hope you succeed, Igor.¡± Giving off a genuine smile, she glossed over everything. However, her desire to further further her sealing proficiency was renewed. This was the first time she had been forcefully separated from Igor. She would make sure it would be the last. . AN . I kind of thought our dearest Lia would mother over him about the dangers of accessing unknown forms and whatnot. I guess she gave up on him like a mother gives up on her drunk son. My patrons are already on chapter 196. So if you want to read ahead, you¡¯re welcome to join the club. Until the next chapter. Chapter 194 Giving off a genuine smile, she glossed over everything. However, her desire to further further her sealing proficiency was renewed. This was the first time she had been forcefully separated from Igor. She would make sure it would be the last. . |DxD| . A few moments prior . Shuri was worried, immensely worried. ¡°Aaaa! Mama!¡± Right now, the entire house was in a state of panic. Not just the house. The entire town itself. Just a few seconds ago, a surge of power unlike anything before had blighted her senses with so much force that she temporarily blacked out. But that paled in comparison to what happened next. BOOOOOM! A massive boom like that of an earthquake shook the very land beneath them. Unsecured utensils fell on the floor, ceramic splattering against tile. She was in the living room with Akeno and Asia when all of this happened. Out of protective instinct, she held both children next to her, her warmth quietly reassuring them. They huddled together on the sofa, their attention on the movie becoming nonexistent. Su! Suddenly, Aurelia appeared in the room. Garbed in a simple dress, her sword was right on her hip, her eyes glowing blue as she assessed their status. Once assured everything was fine, she suddenly slammed her hand on the wall. Vwong! Immediately, a large magic circle formed just as quickly as it disappeared. Almost instantly, the shaking throughout the house stopped as well as the overwhelming heaviness in the air. ¡°Shuri-sama. I shall go and see what is happening. Please take care of Akeno-sama and Asia-sama.¡± After receiving her nod, Aurelia immediately vanished in a flash of golden light, leaving Shuri alone with the two girls who were huddled closely to her. ¡°...¡± Shuri wouldn¡¯t deny it. What just happened, what she just felt absolutely terrified her. That level of power¡­it was indescribable. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright. It¡¯s going to be alright.¡± Just like her, Akeno and Asia were also able to sense this power. But unlike her, they didn¡¯t have the capacity to endure it. The two girls were quiet, their hands tightly clinging onto Shuri like a man hanging from a cliff. Their eyes were tightly closed, their faces pressed into her side. For the two of them, young as they are to experience such a daunting impact was¡­saddening. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright¡­¡± She could only give them the silent comfort they needed. Shuri was only relieved that the initial barrier around the house dulled most of the impact while Aurelia¡¯s additional barrier significantly muffled the rest of it. Were neither of these barriers there¡­ ¡°...¡± She paled at the thought. [Just what is causing this power?] If what she experienced was anything to measure by, then the rest of the town must have it much, much worse. Just by looking through the window, the darkness of the night had been chased away by sporadic weather phenomena. Just the constant lightning flashes and the rapid shaking of trees told her that if this kept up, a typhoon would soon bring destruction to this town. ¡°By the gods¡­¡± She could only hope that this would soon stop. If whatever or whoever was responsible for this energy was malicious, then she didn¡¯t want Igor or Aurelia getting anywhere close to that thing. [Please be okay.] It was times like these that she lamented her strength. . |DxD| . Cleria was not having a good time. Not at all. She was indulging in well-deserved rest when she was suddenly awoken by a wave of power so intense that she couldn¡¯t breathe. Right there in her bed, her body instinctually froze up in fear that ran bone-deep. There was no fight or flight response. The reaction was so deep that her body outright decided there was no fighting or running from whatever this thing was. Rather, it was easier to wait for death. Her body had almost failed her when suddenly, Azazel appeared at her side and immediately hugged her. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m here, Cleria. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°...¡± She felt as if it was an illusion. Her mind didn¡¯t even process his presence until she gradually couldn¡¯t feel that horrible power level anymore. ¡°Wha-whaaa¡­?¡± She looked around in panic, her brows covered in cold sweat. ¡°I¡¯m here, Cleria. Nothing will happen to you.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, she regained enough conscious thought to realise who was holding her. ¡°Azazel!¡± Like a drowning man suddenly receiving a lifebuoy, she immediately hung on to him. ¡°I-I¡¯m scared, Azazel. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Cleria. It¡¯s alright now.¡± Wrapped in the safety of his arms, Cleria finally allowed herself to let out the emotions she was feeling. Clutching on tightly to him, she released silent tears. Her face was frozen in shock, but the fear ran deep. Controlling his apprehension, Azazel turned to face Shemhazai and Baraquiel who had come along with him. Immediately he gave them instructions. ¡°Shemhazai. Go and activate the town barrier and raise it to maximum power. I want no one teleporting in or out of Kuoh without my permission. After that, I want you to suppress any attempts at documenting news of this phenomenon until further notice. Baraquiel. I want you to find any and all spies you can and subdue or kill them at your discretion, even if they¡¯re our brethren. I want no information of today leaking out under any circumstance. I will coordinate with Cleria¡¯s peerage until further notice. I want this done now.¡± Giving a nod, both brothers immediately vanished, leaving both Azazel and Cleria in her room. To this moment, Cleria didn¡¯t seem to notice that Baraquiel and Shemhazai had been there. Her eyes remained tightly shut, her arms coiled tightly around his. ¡°...¡± For the first time ever, Azazel regretted linking her with the town¡¯s barrier. It was very helpful for informing her of any unverified supernatural entities entering without her permission. By making her hyper-aware of energy signatures coming in and out, she would be able to efficiently deal with stray devils, rogues, and spies. Unfortunately, this benefit now manifested the biggest disadvantage. Because of her link to the barrier, she now bore the brunt of that massive power-level. Regretfully, he couldn¡¯t do anything to remove that link without hurting her. The most he could do was numb it enough so that she wouldn¡¯t feel the worst of it. BAM! Suddenly, Lina entered the room with two more members of Cleria¡¯s peerage behind her. Similar to her female compatriots, there was a faint trace of panic on her face. She was about to request orders when Azazel cut her off. ¡°Good. You¡¯re here. Lina, I want you to go inform the mayor that he should hold off on delivering a speech temporarily. As for the rest of you, try and restore as much order as you can to this town. Erase memories as well if you have to. You will receive further orders from Baraquiel. Lina. You will group up with them once you are done with your task. Now go.¡± Nodding immediately, Lina left with the other two in tow. None of them had any qualms in taking orders from him in the slightest. When they left, Azazel once more looked at Cleria. She seemed to be getting better, but the shock still rang through her veins. If it wasn¡¯t for her volatile state, he would¡¯ve rushed off to find whoever was responsible for releasing such a massive power level and verify their intentions. [I can only hope they are benign.] Even with his newfound power and all his sacred gears, he did not have confidence in besting whoever this was. . |DxD| . As soon as Baraquiel left Cleria¡¯s house, he bounded straight for Shuri¡¯s home. With his superior speed, he was able to arrive quickly. Su! ¡°...¡± There was a sense of nostalgia as he looked at the house. A part of him wanted to enter, possibly break through these barriers, but he stopped himself. [They¡¯re safe.] His only job was to verify their safety. Not cause a scandal. After sensing that his wife and child were indeed safe, he wasted no time and left once more, even if it hurt not being able to see them. Despite their talk¡­despite her- [Don¡¯t think about it.] Su! This wasn¡¯t the time nor the place. Azazel had given him a mission and he would complete it to perfection. Rushing through the forest, it didn¡¯t take him long before he was back in town once more. Su!¡­Su!¡­Su! Bounding across Kuoh, his pure speed made him imperceptible and inaudible to normal humans. He stopped only for the briefest moment to assess the situation. Thankfully, the forest surrounding the town had bore the brunt of the impact from the shockwave. While the forest itself was a complete mess, the town did not suffer much infrastructural damage. Aside from a few unsecured bins being knocked over and loose branches being torn off, everything else was relatively stable. Su! Bounding across the town once more, Baraquiel ignored the oppressive sensation of the energy. Thankfully, the perception of normal humans was too weak to even sense the power. Most of them were confused but they remained oblivious to the real happenings. Baraquiel didn¡¯t pay attention to them. His mission was to find any spies and rogues that would possibly use this chance to infiltrate this town. Su! Appearing in a residential district, everything on this side of town was relatively quiet. But his gut told him something was wrong about this area. Constant missions had given him a sixth sense, an ability to feel if something was amiss. It was due to this sense that he had survived as long as he did. ¡°...¡± Closing his eyes, he released a small burst of energy around him like a sonar. Vuu! It was instant but rudimentary. Most supernatural entities would sense that someone was looking for them. But Baraquiel didn¡¯t have the time to play careful detective. With his speed, it didn¡¯t even matter if they sensed his attempts at reconnaissance. He waited for a response and soon after, he got one. ¡°!¡± Opening his eyes in alert, he caught the tail of another fallen angel seemingly attacking one of the families here. Brethren or not, he would not tolerate such unsavoury actions. Su! Rushing forward in a burst of speed, he instantly arrived at a two-storey house. Instead of using the door, he burst through the window where he sensed the fallen angel. The man had all four of his wings out, his villainous snarl turning into alertness when a wave of energy had washed over him. Unfortunately for him, he couldn¡¯t see nor sense Baraquiel until it was too late. With pin-point lock-on, the cadre reached out with his arm amidst the shower of glass and accurately grabbed the throat of his brethren. Gu! Slamming him against the wall, Baraquiel opened his eyes to get a good look at who it was. ¡°...¡± He did not know who it was nor did he recognise his scent or energy signature from those who frequented Grigori. [Rogue.] It was an instant deduction he came to. Baraquiel prided himself on being able to remember a person he¡¯d seen once for ten years without forgetting them. In the last ten years, he was sure he had never seen this particular fallen angel. ¡°Hmph.¡± Decisively and without asking any questions, he channelled lightning into the back of his neck, instantly knocking him out. Stepping back, he took in his surroundings while his kin slumped to the floor. Turning his head, he was confronted with a man pointing a shotgun at him. Behind him was who he assumed to be his wife as well as their child. But what caught his attention was the child. He was a simple boy with brown hair and brown eyes. Nothing special about him in the slightest. But he could distinctly feel the aura of a sacred gears on him. Yes. Plural. [...what?] . AN . Is that who I think it is? Chapter 195 Turning his head, he was confronted with a man pointing a shotgun at him. Behind him was who he assumed to be his wife as well as their child. But what caught his attention was the child. He was a simple boy with brown hair and brown eyes. Nothing special about him in the slightest. But he could distinctly feel the aura of a sacred gears on him. Yes. Plural. [...what?] . |DxD| . There was no mistaking it. This child had two sacred gears within him. Such an unprecedented phenomenon had never happened before, not even once in the thousands of years he¡¯s lived. Baraquiel was about to step forward out of curiosity when the father pointed the shotgun right in his face. ¡°Stay back you monster! Stay back!¡± ¡°...¡± His hands were shaking. This man obviously has never taken a life before. It was quite a pathetic display of confidence if he had to give his opinion. At least he could give him some points for bravery. ¡°Lower your weapon. I am not an enemy.¡± ¡°...¡± The man didn¡¯t lower it and for a brief moment, Baraquiel resisted the urge to sigh. Not even two metres of distance was between them. A normal human with the proper experience could close that distance disarm him before he could even shoot. Sigh¡­ In the end, he sighed. Then nigh-instantly, he did exactly what he thought of in his prognosis. Very quickly, he closed the distance and disarmed the man before he could pull the trigger. ¡°Oof!¡± Elbowing him in the chest, Baraquiel took the shotgun, placed some distance between them, and pointed it at the man. . . . Silence¡­ With the barrel of the gun pointing at her, the woman was so frozen in shock that even as teared trailed down her eyes, she didn¡¯t scream¡­couldn¡¯t scream. She held her son tightly while her husband stood protectively in front of them. He was visibly sweating, most likely cursing himself over and over from what Baraquiel could see from his facial expression. Baraquiel could admit he was feeling a bit vindictive. He never quite liked having any sort of weapon pointed at him. Made him want to break the hand of the one who dared to do so. But for once, he would cede on the account that he was the intruder and the man was just trying to do what a man should do. No longer wanting the family to remain as tense as they were, he lowered the shotgun to his side. ¡°Well? Are you willing to talk¡­¡± Idly, he glanced to a portrait of the child with his name printed in gold. Most likely an elementary school certificate if he had to guess. ¡°...Mister Hyoudou?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Aurelia and Igor were making their way back to Shuri¡¯s house. As they slowly flew back, Igor saw the level of destruction that he caused with his transformation. Acres upon acres of trees had been uprooted or outright torn from their trunks. This was far worse than the destruction that happened during his first fight with Aurelia. In all honesty, he felt both regretful and guilty. [The next time I want to try something new, just going a few kilometres from town will no longer work.] From the distance, he could see that the town was relatively fine. There were a few people who came out of their houses out of curiosity, but no one was overly hurt. As apathetic as he was to the lives of unrelated people, he didn¡¯t want to be the cause of unnecessary destruction. Soon, they reached the house where Igor immediately felt the presence of the barriers. Thankfully, the house didn¡¯t suffer any damage. Even the surroundings were relatively fine to an extent. Nothing nature couldn¡¯t fix itself. Slowly, the two of them landed on the ground. Leading the way, Aurelia expertly disabled the barriers protecting the house before she made her way forward. Following behind, Igor entered the house after her and the moment he did, his heart experienced palpations. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Just after turning the corner into the living room, there was Shuri hugging a sleeping Akeno and Asia, their little bodies trembling in fear. The sudden wave of power he released was too much for them, so much so that it was trauma inducing. ¡°...¡± Frozen in the doorway, Igor was caught with hesitation and indecision. Regardless of reason, his rash actions caused his little sisters to feel fear. Did they know it was him? If they knew it was him, would they fear him? He didn¡¯t even want to imagine such a scenario. ¡°...¡± For a brief moment, he was tempted to walk away, but Aurelia¡¯s loud footsteps finally alerted Shuri that there was someone else in the living room. ¡°?!¡± Shuri could not be blamed for being startled. She was just so out of it that she didn¡¯t even hear the door open. Removing her gaze from the news, she turned to face the duo, her eyes immediately widening when she saw Igor. His energy was going haywire. She could sense his ki flow was too erratic, sometimes too fast or too slow. Was he injured? Did he fight whatever released that much power? ¡°Igor¡­¡± ¡°Hey, aunty¡­¡± After a brief moment of hesitation, the blonde walked straight to Shuri. Upon reaching her, he crouched down so that he could be slightly level with her. ¡°No amount of excuses can make up for how much regret I feel. I never expected that accessing a new state would cause my power to burst out uncontrollably. Next time, I will not try something like this again close to home.¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks once* *Blinks twice* ¡°?!?!¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t help but stiffen. She was about to yell out in exclamation when she felt Akeno groan at the sudden movement before falling asleep again. Taking the time to calm her daughter down, she looked at Igor once more with evident shock. ¡°You..y-you mean that¡­that power was¡­y-yours?¡± She couldn¡¯t prevent herself from stuttering. The notion in of itself that such a power-level existed was ludicrous enough by itself. That Igor was responsible for it nearly made her brain shut down. ¡°Hehe. Yeah, aunty. I¡¯m still a bit surprised too. I still have to learn how to control it, but I won¡¯t try to do it here.¡± He almost joked that he would train in Cuba, but he didn¡¯t want to make more of a mess than he already did. ¡°This is¡­this is¡­¡± Shuri had no words she could say. Such a development was an unexpected shock. She thought that source of power was from an angry god or some other hidden entity. Taking another cursory glance at Igor, he just did not fit the criteria. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Not at all. . |DxD| . ¡°Special Entry Number two-three-five. Date is Tuesday, August 17, 1999. Target of importance is Issei Hyodou. Age is eight-years-old. Born April 16, 1991. Description is brown hair, brown eyes, and pale-to-tan skin. I wasn¡¯t able to verify more other than the fact that he possesses two sacred gears of possible draconic heritage. Stays with both parents. Father¡¯s name is Gorou and mother¡¯s name is Miki. Family has no involvement or knowledge of the supernatural world. Their memories of recent events have been both erased and replaced at my discretion following my departure. Any supernatural influence in their home has been cleaned up. Report over.¡± Placing the recorder in the pockets of his coat, Baraquiel stood atop the building of a small elementary school. Just far off into the distance, he could see the Hyoudou household. Gorou Hyoudou was complaining to hell and back about the window that had suddenly shattered. It was fairly an amusing sight, especially when he kicked the ¡®rock¡¯ that had shattered it in the middle of the night. ¡®Of all the times for it to break! I¡¯ll find the little shits that threw this and stra-¡¯ ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Baraquiel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when the man¡¯s wife tried to calm him. He was tempted to secretly transfer the man some money, but that would involve much more work than he was willing to undertake. Sigh¡­ Furthermore, he had to watch over the children here. There were quite a few sacred-gear holders he sensed here. So temporarily, he had to protect them, especially since he had another gut-feeling that something else was soon about to happen. . |DxD| . Back in Cleria¡¯s mansion, everyone was hard at work. Ever since the wave of power suddenly disappeared, Cleria had slowly gotten better. Although her head still throbbed from the after-effects, it was no reason to not work. Overseer or not, she had come to regard Kuoh as a second home. As such, she had undertaken the task of stabilising everything. Thankfully, Azazel had assumed first command while she was rendered incapable of leading. At the very least, the amount of work she had to do was considerably easier compared to if no one had taken charge. Expertly commanding her peerage, media channels were manipulated into conveying anything other than the truth. Following a speech from the mayor, public panic was quickly calmed. Fortunately, aside from a few scares, the town only suffered inconsequential damage. By transferring some money to the town treasury, Kuoh would be cleaned up of fallen debris and toppled dustbins by the end of the week. A few more hours passed as she handled some more miscellaneous matters. During the time she was working, Azazel had returned to Grigori to handle some of his own matters while Shemhazai and Baraquiel had stayed behind. To say she was surprised by the high number of infiltrators during this brief window of time was an understatement. In less than three hours, both she and the church had captured a combined total of twelve spies. A few were devils while the most were rogue fallen angels. Delegates from the Shinto Pantheon under the orders of Yasaka also arrived.* They did not ask much besides asking what the power was and if she needed any assistance. Schooling her face from revealing the surprise at how courteous they were, she kindly rejected their assistance and bade them farewell. Remaining hard at work until early morning, Cleria finally put the telephone down just as the sun peeked through her window. Looking at the time, it was just around five in the morning. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Yawning gracefully, she was just about to leave to take a well-deserved nap when a magic circle formed once more in her office, the magic circle of Serafall Leviathan. Vwong . AN .
  1. Delegates from the Shinto Pantheon under the orders of Yasaka also arrived.*
Explanation: In canon, it is said that the yokai are completely or to some extent, separated from the Shinto Pantheon. There¡¯s the Yokai faction and the Shinto Pantheon just like there¡¯s the Church and the Devils. Here, this is not the case as far as we know. During the World Wars, it was mentioned that both yokai and the Shinto had to work together to protect their homeland from both mundane and supernatural forces. It¡¯s probably why the Yasaka was even able to occupy the home of the massacred Himejima without some sort of backlash from the other Shinto-affiliated clans. Once more, my patron is available for those who want to read ahead. Until the next chapter. Chapter 196 Remaining hard at work until early morning, Cleria finally put the telephone down just as the sun peeked through her window. Looking at the time, it was just around five in the morning. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Yawning gracefully, she was just about to leave to take a well-deserved nap when a magic circle formed once more in her office, the magic circle of Serafall Leviathan. Vwong . |DxD| . 17/08/1999- August 20, 1999 (Friday) . Three days had passed since the event. During that time, many things had happened. One of the major events to take place was Serafall¡¯s visit to Kuoh. To Cleria¡¯s eternal befuddlement, she had made Kuoh her new place of residence. Next was Cleria losing her title as overseer¡­in name only. Officially, Kuoh no longer had an overseer until further notice. Unfortunately or fortunately for Cleria, she still had to resume the responsibilities that came with the now nonexistent title. When she finally mustered the courage to ask why Serafall didn¡¯t find a replacement soon, the satan had only smiled cryptically and told her her replacement would come soon. Whether that would be in a few months or a few years, it remained to be seen. Once a person lives a certain number of years, their sense of time becomes warped. What Cleria was definitely sure of was that Serafall¡¯s sudden occupation of Kuoh had a lot to do with how the only two known Aryans in existence had made the town their residence. . |DxD| . Another event that happened concerned the mystery boy named Issei Hyoudou. Soon after securing Kuoh, Baraquiel had immediately returned to the Underworld and relayed the news of his discovery. To say that Azazel was shocked was an understatement. If it was true, then Issei was the very first discovery of a human who naturally wielded two sacred gears. They were only simple Twice Criticals after further verification, but that didn¡¯t disqualify him from being a unique case. Over the course of the week, Azazel, Baraquiel, and Shemhazai held private meetings to decide what to do with this information. While plans to take him into Grigori existed, it was ultimately decided to let him live a normal life until further notice. Of course, a few agents would be sent to both surveil and hide the boy¡¯s aura. Azazel wanted specific reports on how natural development would affect him in his daily life, but also didn¡¯t want any devils or other faction recruiting him. Unlike him, most other factions wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take a small boy from his parents. Once Issei matures enough, Azazel could see about extending an offer. . |DxD| . In the Himejima household, things had quietened down after three days. Compared to Tuesday and Wednesday morning, the mood was much better. The most pressing concern at the time were the children. Asia and Akeno simply didn¡¯t have the necessary mental acuity to tolerate nor process such an incredible amount of power. Igor had never before felt so worried, worried that because of his reckless actions, he might¡¯ve harmed his precious little sisters. Thankfully, the girls soon recovered by Wednesday afternoon. Under the careful explaining of Shuri, the fear the two girls had suddenly turned into unquestionable awe for Igor. To now understand that this was the might their big brother attained soon made them very excited. It was the same as telling a child that thunder had struck their school. They might still fear the thunder, but they would undoubtedly be happy that it was on their side. But the worst had yet to come. Somehow, Igor underestimated just how concerned women could be. When Aurelia finally recounted to Shuri what had happened, the ravenette had almost tore off his clothes in a bid to assess his physical wellbeing. When it was also revealed that he had burnt quite a substantial amount of calories, he had been fed like a pig. Given bowl after bowl of food, the table had creaked under the weight of the bowls stacked on top of it. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Shamefully, Igor was indeed hungry that Wednesday morning. He had his pride, but it wouldn¡¯t feed him good food. So shamelessly, he ate all the food Shuri and Aurelia made for him, though he did feel a bit guilty after. And so as the days passed, peace returned to the house. A sense of normalcy returned and since schools had been cancelled for the week, some familial bonding took place during that time. . |DxD| . The next day, Hidden Training Ground, Svargaloka, Heavenly Realm . In a vast expanse of savannah filled with tall grasses and few trees, a youth sat in the lotus position. His long brown hair fell over his naked torso, his muscled chest glistening with sweat. Yet, his eyes remained closed, his breaths calm and steady. Suddenly, a red gauntlet adorned his left arm, but he didn¡¯t flinch. Yet soon enough, a heavy pressure began to emanate from him. ¡°I, who am about to awaken, am the Heavenly Dragon who has stolen the Principles of Domination from God.¡± Gradually, green aura formed around him like a hazy mist. His body slowly began to hover above the ground, the pressure around him continuously growing. ¡°I laugh at the infinite, and I fret over the dream.¡± Each sentence was spoken methodically and resolutely. ¡°I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination, and I shall sink you to the depths of the crimson purgatory.'''' Zuu¡­ His eyes opened to reveal a deep emerald colour. ¡°Juggernaut Drive.¡± The words were calm, but the explosion was fierce. GRUUU! Shaking the very air itself, a giant blaze of green aura covered his form. A strong shockwave blew away everything around him, the powerful pressure he released causing the trees to bend backwards. The gauntlet on hand crawled up his arm even further, covering his skin in red scale-like armour. Gradually, the scales moved on to cover the left side of his chest until the advancement finally ceded. His power was immense, his aura glowing so brightly that the vicinity was covered in a radiance of green. Suuuu¡­ Soon enough, the radiance ceded to reveal a bonfire of misty green aura, along with the sudden appearance of another man who had an immensely proud smile on his face. ¡°HAHAHAHA! That¡¯s my son! That¡¯s MY son!¡± With the visage of his son reflected in his sunglasses, Indra was immensely proud. ¡°I never thought taming your Juggernaut Drive would yield such a drastic increase in power. Wonderful!¡± ¡°...¡± Atid who was hovering midair slowly stood on the ground. Finally, after months of training, he had mastered the Juggernaut Drive to the point that he could use it in human form. Giving himself a once-over, he was silently proud of himself. Slowly, he dismissed his new state and reverted back to normal. His hair flopped down while his eyes reverted back to their natural amber. ¡°Thank you, father. Though I am still a bit far from you.¡± ¡°Nonsense. In a few more years I¡¯ll be able to hand you my empire in peace. Then I can finally go on a honeymoon with your mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid felt embarrassed when his father spoke like this. It was only thanks to his thick skin that he didn¡¯t flinch or blush. ¡°Father. Please, I beg you. Refrain from including me in certain topics that include my mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Indra had to resist the urge to grin. ¡°It¡¯s because of that perverted animation you watch that you¡¯re now like this. Truthfully, if you weren¡¯t a hard worker I would¡¯ve burnt it all already.¡± *Twitch!* ¡°Father¡­please don¡¯t.¡± Indra just waved him off. ¡°I know I know. They¡¯re your life. But you have to stop at some point, Atid. Your mother and I want a few grandchildren from you. You are at that age after all.¡± ¡°...¡± And just like that, his excitement of finally accessing a unique variant of the Juggernaut Drive was snuffed out. ¡°Father. If I spend my time looking for wives, Brother Igor will surpass me. You know how ridiculous that time chamber of his is.¡± He was aware of the Himejima massacre and just how powerful Igor was in that time. It was because of it that in the last month, he had put aside all his other training and focused on solely mastering the Juggernaut Drive. ¡°Igor, hm? Then you¡¯ll be surprised when I tell you that just recently, his strength had increased by another margin. Just two days ago, he released enough power to shake not only Earth, but every single dimension connected to it. Even our Heavenly Realm wasn¡¯t unaffected.¡± ¡°?!?!¡± Before Atid could voice his disbelief, Indra interrupted him. ¡°However, it seems he still can¡¯t control it yet. That should give you enough time to gain proficiency in this new form of yours. By my guess, if you can manage three boosts while in that state, you should be able to match him.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid lowered his head in thought. ¡°So he¡¯s almost 8x stronger than me?¡± ¡°...¡± Indra said nothing. Instead, he placed a comforting hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. He was aware of how much work Atid had put in to not be left behind. ¡°You¡¯re brothers just as much as you¡¯re rivals. And, you are my son. I¡¯m sure that with that dragon¡¯s help, you¡¯ll think of something.¡± Vuuu In that moment, the green gem on the sacred gear glowed for a brief moment before it dimmed. Atid gained a dazed look for a moment before he smiled. ¡°Ddraig is mad that you aren¡¯t calling him by name, father.¡± ¡°Hmph. He lacks the qualifications to have me call him by name.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Watching his son chuckle, a flash of fatherly love appeared in Indra¡¯s eye before it instantly vanished. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, my son. You always figure something out. If you have any questions or need any advice, you know where to find me.¡± Having said his piece, he silently vanished, leaving Atid alone. ¡°...¡± The teenager was at a relative loss on what to do or where to start, but preparations for war would start tomorrow. [I¡¯m not sleeping tonight.] According to Ddraig, boosting himself while in his variant Juggernaut Drive would take away his lifeforce. He had temporarily ignored that issue, but today, he would solve it. [Goku was always ahead of Vegeta. I will not disgrace him by remaining behind Igor.] In the name of Goku, he would surpass Igor. By fire or by force. . AN . Never heard of a Juggernaut Drive in human form. I¡¯m not even sure how that works or how to even begin explaining it. Maybe we¡¯ll get some tidbits about the machinations behind it as the chapters flow along. Chapter 197 [I¡¯m not sleeping tonight.] According to Ddraig, boosting himself while in his variant Juggernaut Drive would take away his lifeforce. He had temporarily ignored that issue, but today, he would solve it. [Goku was always ahead of Vegeta. I will not disgrace him by remaining behind Igor.] In the name of Goku, he would surpass Igor. By fire or by force. . |DxD| . August 20, 1999 (Friday) . It was a lovely Friday morning. No weird weather phenomena happened. Everything was back to normal. Apart from schools, most businesses had reopened and mothers used this opportunity to take their children out to play on this nice Friday. A few kilometres from town however, while people would be feeling energetic, it was the complete opposite for a certain blonde. BAM! As the door suddenly opened, it revealed a very haggard Igor. ¡°Haaaaaa¡­¡­¡­haaaaaa¡­¡± Igor walked with heavy steps out of the house. His hand was on his stomach, his other hand holding onto the doorway for support. ¡°Aaaaah¡­I ate too much.¡± There was nothing more that he wanted than sleep right now, but it was still morning. Sleeping while everyone was up was something his father would kill him for if he did. So with a heavy heart, he trudged out of the house. ¡°Maybe¡­some training¡­will help.¡± But it was no use. His eyelids were getting heavy. The paved pathway was looking about as comfortable as a high-class suite in his eyes. ¡°...¡± Barely a few metres from the door, he fell to his knees. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± He slowly lied down, uncaring that bits of rabble were hanging onto his clothes. ¡°...a few minutes. Just five. Just¡­¡± He yawned heavily as he laid on his arms. ¡°...five.¡± Closing his eyes, he placated himself by saying he would train his mindscape. [Father will understand.] Wherever he is, he hoped he would. In fact, it would be better if his father couldn¡¯t see him. Only God knew what sort of colourful words he¡¯d receive if his father was indeed watching over him. . |DxD| . In an ever-expanding field of grass, Igor slowly appeared in a¡­ ¡°...what is this?¡± It was a mess. Everything was a mess. It was as if someone tried combining a rocky desert and a volcanic region into one biome. Giant boulders were as common as the snakes of lava flowing across the ground. How a giant prairie fire had not erupted had more to do with the little girl manipulating the lava. ¡°...¡± Oblivious to his arrival, Triny was hard at work. After Igor¡¯s insistence, she had taken to learning how to use her abilities again. Expertly manipulating the lava, she shaped it into a giant sword that began cutting apart the rocks. ¡°Die Igor!¡± Shiiing! Thinking of that pig-headed brute who abused her for three days straight, she imagined that instead of giant boulders, it was him that she was cutting. Like a never-ending dance, she gripped her giant lava sword with both hands and continued slashing. By masterfully manipulating chakra to her feet, she was able to control her speed and balance. Su! ¡­Shiiing! Waving the dozen-metre sword like a stick, she sliced apart the last boulder when a content smile formed on her face. ¡°Hmph! Take that, meanie.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Admiring the sight of over a hundred boulders sliced apart, Triny felt that her grievances had now been aired out. With a flick of her finger, her lava sword floated away from her before it turned into formless lava. Tensing her face in concentration, she manipulated the wind and the water vapour to rapidly cool the blob of lava. She knew of a rock called obsidian and she wanted to create it. But that had to be done quickly and carefully. The seconds passed gracefully. The lava was turning into a glassy substance. It was working. She was succee- ¡°Boo.¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Disturbed in her concentration, a delay happened and without any qualms, the lava exploded when it wasn¡¯t cooled quickly enough. Su! BOOOM! The massive explosion raised dirt and gravel into the air, obscuring the view with a giant dust cloud. A few hundred metres away, Igor stood with Triny in his arms, a coy grin on his face. ¡°Morning, old hag.¡± ¡°...¡± Triny couldn¡¯t respond. She watched her hard work go out in a literal explosion. And it was all because of the stupid blonde holding her like a hostage. ¡°Meanie! I¡¯ll bite you! I¡¯ll bite you to death!!¡± Immediately, she chomped on his arm with razor-like teeth. Regretfully, her teeth couldn¡¯t break through his skin, but that didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t try. ¡°Hahahaha. Who said you must imagine me when you cut those rocks, huh?¡± ¡°Nngggh!¡± Growling, Triny didn¡¯t pay his question any heed. She ravenously shook her head, eager to tear off a part of that shamelessly thick skin she had come to resent. ¡°Ow ow ow ow ow!¡± Tensing at the sudden pain, Igor cried out in pain as he let go. It didn¡¯t matter if she chomped down. But if she began shaking her head like that, then she would really tear him a new one. ¡°Hmph!¡± Landing on the ground after letting go, Triny was immensely proud of her accomplishment. Turning around to face him with a triumphant grin, she gloated. ¡°That will teach you to mess with me, meanie.¡± Rubbing his sore arm, Igor grumbled quietly. ¡°Sheesh. People her age would kill to have proper teeth. Where did she get those nasty chompers?¡± ¡°...¡± Black aura slowly formed around her when she angrily lashed out. ¡°Meanie!¡± Black tentacles came out of the ground, all of them Igor to trap this blonde idiot so that their mistress could rip out that nasty tongue of his. ¡°?!¡± Su! With splendid reaction speed, Igor retreated a dozen metres in one step, his eyes widening at the onslaught of tentacles. He hastily raised his hand in surrender while the other held his core. ¡°Wait, Triny! My stomach hurts. I¡¯m not alright!¡± Furiously, she ignored him as she manipulated a mass of tendrils to descend upon him like a giant spear. ¡°I don¡¯t care! Just die!¡± BOOOM! . |DxD| . Outside his mindscape, Igor lay on the floor with a trace of sweat dripping from his brows. Next to him were Asia and Akeno looking at him with curiosity. Akeno had knelt down next to his head, her finger idly fiddling around with a strand of his hair. Asia was standing with a stick in her hand. Her gaze was filled with pure curiosity and befuddlement. ¡°Is big brother okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sia. Mama said he did eat a lot.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, Asia reached out with her stick and poked his stomach. *Poke* *Poke* ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Asia stopped when he groaned, but her amused smile didn¡¯t stop widening. ¡°Hihi~. Big brother is making funny faces.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, Asia. Onii-chan isn¡¯t alright.¡± His face steadily got covered in cold sweat. Was he sick? Akeno didn¡¯t know. ¡°Wait for me here, Asia.¡± Standing up, she spread her wings and flew up to the second floor where she entered through an open window. ¡°...¡± Asia watched in wonder. [I wonder if I can also have pretty wings like that.] Soon enough, Asia came out the window with a wet towel in her hand. Jumping down, she landed deftly before she made her way to Igor. Kneeling down, she twisted out the remaining water in the towel before she slowly wiped his face. His body shivered from the sudden contact, but gradually calmed down. ¡°I think big brother is conip¡­constitae¡­consta¡­um¡­¡± ¡°Constipated, Asia.¡± ¡°Right! Constiplated.¡± ¡°...¡± Resisting the urge to chuckle at how her new little sister fumbled the word, Akeno gently continued pressing the towel on Igor¡¯s forehead. It was surprising how much he was sweating. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, Asia. Maybe onii-chan is constipated. Mama did say that he ate a lot.¡± Thinking of the mountains of bowls that littered the kitchen table, she was sure that she would never be able to eat so much. ¡°I know, right? There must¡¯ve been like a hundred bowls or something, Akeno.¡± ¡°Yeah. Onii-chan eats a lot. And you too, Asia.¡± ¡°Waaah? N-No. I don¡¯t eat a lot, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Blushing under Akeno¡¯s deadpan gaze, the little blonde muttered. ¡°Alright. Just¡­just a little more than¡­normal people.¡± ¡°Hihi~.¡± Giggling, Akeno was about to say more when suddenly, she noticed that black marks were covering Igor¡¯s body. ¡°Waa!¡± She instinctively backpedalled away. Seeing rivers of ink spread across his skin momentarily frightened her. ¡°Big brother!¡± Unlike Akeno, Asia rushed forward when Igor was attacked by these black marks. With her sacred gear manifesting, she grabbed his arm and tried healing him. ¡°Ow!¡± She did not expect that the moment she touched him, there would be a burning sensation in her hand. Swiftly letting go, she darted back as tears clouded her eyes. ¡°B-Big brother?¡± She stood aimlessly, unsure of what to do. On the other hand, Akeno reacted quickly. ¡°MAMA! MAMA HELP!¡± At her screams, not even a moment passed before Shuri and Aurelia appeared one after the other. Su! Su! Shuri¡¯s eyes scanned the clearing before they finally settled on Igor. ¡°...¡± Her mouth twitched when she saw Igor lying on the ground like a drunk. From her position, she couldn¡¯t see the marks on his face and hands since clothes covered the rest of his body. ¡°Aurelia-san¡­?¡± Aurelia was walking around Igor with a curious gaze before she smiled. Leaning down, she took his limp arm, peeled back the sleeve, and showed Shuri the markings. ¡°Fret not. This is a state that my lord has managed to attain recently. These markings are a byproduct of accessing that state.¡± She calmly explained everything in simple terms, ensuring that everyone understood. Some questions were asked, but she specified that even she either wasn¡¯t clear or couldn¡¯t say without his permission In the midst of their conversation, a sudden change happened. Fuush! Igor opened his eyes, but he wasn¡¯t focused on them. Immediately standing up, his eyes focused far into the distance like a predator¡¯s. Slowly, a golden aura formed around him, a grin spreading on his face. ¡°Atid is here.¡± Saying those words, he suddenly vanished from sight without an explanation. Su! It was only a while later that far off into the distance, a massive clash of fists was heard. BOOOOM! . AN . Let me take this opportunity to officiate my schedule. Six chapters a week are the baseline. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are the preferred update times. Sometimes, I¡¯ll upload on Sunday and Monday depending on how free I am since I do have work built up that has to be done every Sunday. Unless due to extremely extenuating circumstances, three days will not pass by without me updating. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can visit the site of patrons. Until the next chapter. Chapter 198 ¡°Atid is here.¡± Saying those words, he suddenly vanished from sight without an explanation. Su! It was only a while later that far of into the distance, a massive clash of fists was heard. BOOOOM! . |DxD| . A few moments earlier . It was chaotic inside Igor¡¯s mindscape. Triny was absolutely not letting up. Chasing him around, she expertly manipulated the terrain to her advantage, gaining the aid of the land in subduing her blonde enemy. But Igor wasn¡¯t an easy target to capture. Disregarding his Instant Transmission and Instant Vanish techniques, his raw speed alone had him evade armies of black tendrils and giant arms made out of earth. ¡°Heh~.¡± Remaining on the ground, he was deliberately teasing Triny by not retreating to the skies. Sporting an amused smile on his face, he vaulted over a pair of rock arms that erupted from the ground. ¡°Stop running!¡± Pouting in indignation, the little lass had enough. Furiously, she began assuming her ascended form. With nature energy gathering around her en masse, the ground shook as her power skyrocketed. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Nervously, Igor chuckled as a shroud of demi-ki subtly enveloped him. [I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be this mad. Does she want to eat me that much?] Either she was that angry or his flesh was just that tantalizing. Selfishly feeling that the latter was more likely, he didn¡¯t know whether to feel scared or proud. [Doesn¡¯t matter.] Gruu! Bursting out with his own aura, he was ready to fight Triny like his life depended on it¡­mostly because it did. Just because neither could actually kill each other did not mean they couldn¡¯t grievously injure the other. Lying flat on his stomach and getting mauled by a child wasn¡¯t a prospect he was keen on experiencing anytime soon. Su! Charging at the now adolescent lass, he had no qualms in attacking children¡­ BOOOM! ¡­especially children who can defend a full-powered punch from him. Using her dragon wing like a shield, Triny defended his attack. ¡°RAAAH!¡± Furiously, she stomped her foot down. Booom! Like the sound of a bomb going off, a very sharpened pillar protruded from the ground and made its way for his heart. ¡°?¡± Reacting quickly, Igor used his free hand to stop it. But... Pierce! ¡°?!¡± For some absurd reason, the sharp edge of the pillar was able to slightly pierce his palm. Tswii! Out of instinct, he used his Instant Vanish to appear behind Triny, just in time to avoid another pillar that would pierced him right in the back. Su! Unsure of exactly what was happening, he immediately placed a few hundred metres of distance between himself and her. Looking at his injured hand, he noticed a small broken-off blade tip stabbed into his palm. ¡°...¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He realised that Triny had coated the tips of the pillars with her chakra. It was a rather ingenious method since the amount was so small he wouldn¡¯t be able to sense it, but also large enough that it could pierce into his skin. Even though it had pierced into his skin, the size was so small that it wasn¡¯t enough to cause a reaction with his energy. [She¡¯s smart.] Covering his hand in demi-ki, the chakra tip was immediately burnt off, leaving only a small wound on his palm. Getting into a stance once more, he was about to charge forward when through his real body, he felt a very familiar energy signature he hadn¡¯t felt in a very long time. ¡°Atid!¡± Decisively and without hesitation, he left the mindscape and a very confused Triny. ¡°...huh?¡± With a mass of black tendrils at her side, she looked at where he was a moment ago before frowning. ¡°Meanie¡­¡± . |DxD| . When Igor returned to the real world, he did not notice Asia. He did not notice Aurelia, Akeno, or even Shuri. His mind was fully focused on the imminent arrival of his friend. To the rest of the world, it had only been a month. But to him, it had been ten years. ¡°Atid is here.¡± With that short sentence, he instantly soared towards his energy signature. He left the rest of his family without a blink of hesitation. ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± While the rest could only see empty skies, Aurelia could fairly discern a golden figure rushing westwards before her view was blocked by the trees. [My lord is very¡­excited.] . |DxD| . Atid calmly flew over the strip of ocean separating China from Japan. Like an elegant nobleman, his robes fluttered about as he faced the winds with his hands behind his back. Dressed in all-white, not even a smidgen of dirt was present on his robes. To a casual observer, it seemed he was flying at a rather slow speed. But that couldn¡¯t be more untrue. Despite being upright, he was cruising across the skies at double the speed of commercial planes. It had been a while since he left Flower-Fruit Mountain after having to deliver a message to Sun Wukong. As it stood, while his face was expressionless, his mind was on Igor, specifically on how to surpass him. [Ddraig. Do you have any clues?] [None I can speak of, Atid. You have done all you can to train in my abilities. Subtracting more time from the list of solutions, I can provide no other reliable methods.] [...] To an extent, Ddraig was right. Despite being the son of Indra, his divinity was still too weak to use against someone like Igor. It would grow stronger with time and would grow stronger even faster if he participated in more and more wars. Currently, just relying on his divine power without Ddraig, he was already high-god class. [Igor must¡¯ve reached the peak by now.] For Igor to suddenly reach the realm of strength his father had told him about, he must¡¯ve surely used his time chamber. ¡°...¡± Sometimes, for those very few moments, he was jealous of Igor. [Your friend possesses a mythical artifact that caused a far greater outrage than the one caused by myself and Albion. Do not forget the price that had to be paid for him to wield this artifact.] ¡°...¡± It was also in these moments that he realised how meaningless his jealousy was. [I know, Ddraig. Igor is both my friend and my brother.] There was nothing wrong in feeling a bit of envy if Igor¡¯s strength suddenly overshadowed his in a month. But he also had to remember that such an artifact that allowed him to gain strength was a double-edged sword. If Igor did not continue to grow stronger, then someone would rip that artifact out of him one day. [No matter what, I will never betray him or harbour any misconceptions against him.] Calmly flying towards Japan, his face remained expressionless the whole time. Being the son of a god, he carried himself with a certain margin of dignity. And that margin had only grown over the years. ¡°?¡± However, there were very few people who could make his cold expression waver. ¡°Igor?¡± The energy signature was very vague, almost as if it was shrouded by something. The only reason he could even sense it was because of his divinity. But there was no mistaking it. As the energy signature got closer and closer, Atid was more and more sure that this was his brother coming towards him. ¡°...¡± He was unable to stop the excited grin spreading on his face, especially when he could sense how strong Igor had gotten. Just from that alone, he knew he would need the Boosted Gear to match up. So without hesitation, he activated it. [BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!] Gruu! Exploding in power by multiple successive boosts, a golden aura blazed around Atid. Due to further mastery over the Boosted Gear, he had long since managed to figure out a way to land successive boosts without requiring the Balance Breaker to be activated. ¡°Haha!¡± Gradually throwing away the mystery and eloquence a person of his stature was supposed to have, Atid charged forward once he saw that the person flying towards him at such great speeds was indeed Igor. Su! To those with powerful perception, they would be able to see two long golden streaks of light flying towards each other in a head-on collision. To those powerful enough, it felt like seconds. To the rest of the world, it was an instant. CLASH! A massive shockwave with all the subtlety of an explosion was released in the skies. The loud clap from their clash spread like thunder. Be it Japan or China, all of them would hear this sudden boom. Yet, the two entities responsible for such a mishap did not care. GRIP! GRIP! Like arm-wrestlers, they gripped each other fiercely, their eyes locked on to each other. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Neither said a word to each other, yet their individual smiles said it all. The biceps on Igor¡¯s arms were threatening to bulge through the fabric, to the extent that the veins could even be seen through the sleeves. If a normal human was subjected to this type of strength, they¡¯d be crushed to pieces, right? So immense was their silent struggle, that the consequences were quite loud. Perhaps neither were aware of it, but they were circulating their energy quite violently in an attempt to outdo the other. The uncontrolled energy circulation resulted in energy discharges that caused explosions in the air. Windstorms occurred around them, their arrival caused by their immense energy. As the skies darkened at the impending formation of thunderclouds, two massive golden domes of energy blazed. Fortunately, before anything untoward happened, the both of them reached a silent consensus to stop. ¡°Hehe~.¡± Releasing their grip from each other, Igor chuckled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± . AN . Finally, the brothers unite. Atid is reintroduced and so does the plot move. I¡¯m looking forward to finally seeing the dynamic between these two. Chapter 199 The uncontrolled energy circulation resulted in energy discharges that caused explosions in the air. Windstorms occurred around them, their arrival caused by their immense energy. As the skies darkened at the impending formation of thunderclouds, two massive golden domes of energy blazed. Fortunately, before anything untoward happened, the both of them reached a silent consensus to stop. ¡°Hehe~.¡± Releasing their grip from each other, Igor chuckled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± . |DxD| . Igor was not stingy with his praise. What he said was the absolute truth. Ever since he returned from the Heavenly Realm over a month ago, his strength had increased considerably. From his ten years in the time chamber to merging with Triny, all of those events had made his strength soar. Even now in his current state, the nature energy coursing through him multiplied his power ten times over. For Atid to withstand his current power like this meant his old friend didn¡¯t slack off during this month. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d remain behind, brother? I can never rest when you have that artifact of yours.¡± ¡°Heh. Says the one who wields the Boosted Gear with them. Is Old Ddraig still giving you pointers?¡± In that moment, the gauntlet hidden beneath Atid¡¯s sleeves released a bright green glow. ¡°My partner endeavours to surpass you, Dimori. It is only rightfully so that I provide him my full help.¡± ¡°...¡± For a brief while, Igor looked at Atid with a look of envy. ¡°If only my partner was like you, Old Ddraig. Unlike you, my partner¡¯s an old hag.¡± {HEY!} ¡°She yells all the time.¡± {I DON¡¯T!} ¡°And she wants to eat me for some reason.¡± {Come here and say that to my face, meanie!} Expertly ignoring his tenant, Igor could only woefully lament at the severe discrepancy between Ddraig and Triny. ¡°...¡± On the other hand, Atid grew a concerned look when he heard his words. ¡°Igor. Did you¡­did you steal a sacred gear?¡± ¡®Stealing¡¯ was putting it mildly. Very few sacred gears had sentient beings sealed in them¡­and all of them would have hosts in each generation. As far as Atid knew, Aryans were unable to naturally gain sacred gears. As in, none of them had ever been born with a sacred gear. ¡°...¡± For a moment, Igor looked at Atid in confusion. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± The statement was such a complete curve ball that his brows were completely furrowed in confusion. ¡°Steal a sacred¡­why are you aski-why would I even do that?¡± ¡°Pardon my partner, Dimori. His initial conclusion was that since you claim to have a partner, you must¡¯ve stolen a sacred gear with a being sealed inside them like myself.¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks Once* *Blinks Twice* ¡°What?¡± He just stared at Atid. ¡°No no no no no. What?¡± It was then that the shock settled in before it turned to disbelief. ¡°Come on, Atid. I¡¯m many things but I¡¯m not scum, you know? Sheesh. You should¡¯ve asked.¡± He crossed his arms as his words faded into grumbles. ¡°To think he¡¯d think I¡¯d steal a sacred gear? Tch. Makes me wanna beat him up now¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! Stolen novel; please report. If it were not for the fact that they were brothers who had gone through wars together, he would¡¯ve slapped him to death on the spot. Who did he think he was grumbling about beating up? He was tempted to activate his Juggernaut Drive and splatter his head against the ocean floor. Calming down his turbulent thoug- ¡°...then he¡¯ll call me grandpa.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Bulge! ¡°YOU-¡± ¡°Calm down partner.¡± Ddraig had no choice but to calm the situation otherwise those two would get into a fight again. It¡¯s fine if they fight in deserted regions. But if they fought here, then there¡¯s a chance they might cause a tsunami. They can handle it but those coastal towns might not. No. It was best he brought about a change of topic. ¡°Dimori. Will you be able to tell us who your partner is?¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± Slowly, Igor¡¯s eyes grew dazed for a moment before they regained their clarity. ¡°Yeah. I can do you one better.¡± He stretched out his hand. ¡°I can show you who she is." ¡°...¡± Atid looked at Igor¡¯s hand. Ignoring the strangeness of the markings, he was tempted to fling him towards the ocean for his earlier insult. But he calmed down and grabbed his hand with a huff. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m interested in seeing who has enough tolerance to stomach being your partner.¡± ¡°Hehehe. You¡¯re going to be pretty surprised, brother.¡± . |DxD| . For Igor, it was a very simple matter to bring someone into his consciousness. With his attainments in Spirit Control, allowing another party into his mindscape was easy. As Atid appeared in Igor¡¯s mindscape, his attention was brought to Igor and a very young girl standing shyly at his side. Her hand was enveloped in his, her other hand holding onto his trousers. For a moment, Atid was convinced that if he took a step forward, this little lass would hide behind Igor¡¯s legs. ¡°...¡± Idly, he looked around for some other entity. He half-expected to see some giant creature like Ddraig. But when he turned back towards the duo, his gaze focused on the girl who immediately shivered and hid behind Igor. ¡°...¡± Did Igor like them young? Because he could feel absolutely nothing from this girl. And contrary to belief, Igor held very little mercy for unrelated people. So if this girl was a ghost of sorts that had a tragic death, that was nowhere near enough reason for him to merge with her. The only thing he could conclude was if his friend had weird tastes. ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! For some reason, Igor felt the desire to beat up Atid rise. He didn¡¯t like the way he was looking at him. If it wasn¡¯t because Triny would not let him place even a metre between them, he¡¯d definitely go and punch that weird look off his face. Unfortunately, he could only squeeze out a smile and introduce the little lass. ¡°Brother Atid. Meet my partner. Her name is Triny, but most people know her as Trihexa.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid.exe stopped responding. . |DxD| . Ddraig was an old dragon. A very old dragon amongst his kind. He possessed knowledge that most of the supernatural world did not possess. As such, when he saw that little girl, he froze completely. To a certain extent, dragons possessed a connection to nature. It was why their magic was so strong in the first place. Because of this, he could clearly sense the immense power the girl had. She was simply an unending well of energy. But nothing compared to when he heard Igor introduce her. [Trihexa?] If it wasn¡¯t for his old age and strong mental stability, he would¡¯ve long since fainted from shock. Remaining steady as an old dog, he gazed at the meek little girl, her disposition not matching the stories he knew of. ¡°Dimori. I am not doubting you, but it is hard to believe-¡± ¡°That she¡¯s supposed to be a monster and stuff? I know. But stories never tell the whole thing. To you, Old Ddraig, this is Trihexa, the Beast of Apocalypse, the Bringer of the End Times, and all those other fancy titles. To me, she¡¯s just Triny. Her favourite hobby is sleeping. She¡¯s shy in front of strangers, but becomes something else when you get to know her.¡± ¡°...¡± As if proving the point, Triny¡¯s grip on Igor¡¯s hand tightened. She was scared of Atid who was staring aimlessly at her. Soon enough, Atid seemed to regain consciousness. Giving Triny one last scrutinizing look, he eventually sighed in disappointment. ¡°Brother Igor. When you said she was Trihexa, I half-expected to see a giant beast with tentacles. Not a five-year-old girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s older than that.¡± Atid waved him off. ¡°Whatever. Five, five-thousand, five-million, I don¡¯t care. To me, she looks more like your sister than some world-destroying monster.¡± ¡°...¡± For a period of time, there was silence before Igor burst out laughing. ¡°Hahahahahahahaha!¡± Laughing until tears came out he crouched down and ruffled Triny¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re right, brother! She¡¯s too cute to be some monster.¡± ¡°...¡± Unknowingly, Triny smiled. Although she still remained behind Igor, she felt warm when Atid said she wasn¡¯t a monster. [Maybe¡­maybe he¡¯s good.] . |DxD| . It had been a while now since Igor and Atid began flying to Japan. After coming out of Igor¡¯s mindscape, Atid had informed him that war preparations were ongoing and that this Sunday, there would be another clash between his father and Shiva. Not finding the news detrimental in any way, Igor invited Atid over to Kuoh for a quick stay before they departed later today. As it was, Atid flew silently alongside Igor. However, while his expression was serene, his mind was in thought. [Ddraig. Did you feel her power?] Somehow, he couldn¡¯t sense Triny¡¯s power, but he knew it was this exact same power that almost obscured Igor¡¯s. To his senses, she was a hazy mist that he couldn¡¯t get a reading from. [Partner. Her power is comparable to those of true gods.] Slightly, Atid¡¯s brows rose. [Supreme class?] It was surprising and he almost doubted it. But he knew Ddraig ever since he was a small child who could barely run without stumbling. His partner wouldn¡¯t joke about matters like this. [Yes, partner. I verified it personally. She may not show it, but she certainly does possess the strength. However, I suspect she does not have access to her full-power at the moment.] [Any guesses why?] [I have a guess. I suspect that her true body is still sealed away and what we saw just now is her conscious.] [...] Atid silently pondered his words. If that was indeed just the consciousness of Trihexa, then it would make sense why he didn¡¯t feel much from her. According to his father, Trihexa is supposed to be an entity on par with the likes of Great Red and Ophis. No matter how much a powerful entity tries to hide their aura, they cannot hide their immense pressure. [I wonder if Igor will try and find her body.] It was a silent thought he had. He was deeply curious to see a full-powered Trihexa in person. [Now I¡¯m curious on who¡¯s the strongest between Trihexa, Great Red, and Ophis.] If all three of them fought in a battle royale, it would be the battle for the ages. . AN . Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you enjoyed, and until the next chapter. Things are starting to look up and you could see the plot ahead along with my patrons should you wish. Chapter 200 [I wonder if Igor will try and find her body.] It was a silent thought he had. He was deeply curious to see a full-powered Trihexa in person. [Now I¡¯m curious on who¡¯s the strongest between Trihexa, Great Red, and Ophis.] If all three of them fought in a battle royale, it would be the battle for the ages. . |DxD| . Back in Kuoh, changes had occurred. In one of the posh houses propagating the rich district, one of the satans had made it their new residence. Sitting behind her desk in her new home, Serafall looked at the several documents spread in front of her. Her face was locked in a pout at the somewhat messy layout of documents over her desk. The sun shined brightly behind her, but it couldn¡¯t lighten her feeling of fatigue and annoyance. In some form or another, all of these documents were about Igor and Aurelia. They were intelligence reports, information on what they knew so far about the duo. From Aurelia¡¯s time as Kurohime to Igor¡¯s appearance dating from as early as 1992, all that information was on her table. ¡°...¡± What baffled Serafall the most was Aurelia. Compared to Igor, the amount of information on her was much lower, even though she had been the most present. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Unlike Igor, it seemed Aurelia went to great lengths to hide her true repertoire of abilities. That was the most stifling since it had been confirmed there was a 99% chance Aurelia was the only survivor of the massacres. That meant her value instantly rose in a different field compared to Igor. ¡°All we have on her is that she¡¯s known to be good at barrier techniques. There¡¯s even enough reason to suspect that most of the current barriers in Kyoto were made by her.¡± Apart from other miscellaneous information such as her being a skilled diplomat, the rest was useless. As for Igor, he was a different problem entirely. There was a lot of information about him, but it quickly went out of date. Grabbing a report from the previous year, she grumbled outwardly. ¡°It¡¯s like all this information has a one year expiry date.¡± According to their estimated projection, even accounting for his absurd growth, Igor would¡¯ve reached the realm of Supreme Class by 2010 at most. ¡°We even accounted for the time chamber and decreased it from 2100.¡± It was irksome at how fast his growth rate was lately. He made Supreme Class look like a realm anyone could easily reach. For most people, just reaching Ultimate Class was already a noteworthy feat. ¡°And if that wasn¡¯t enough, he seems to have a relationship with Shiva of all people!¡± Scattering the papers in a temper tantrum, Serafall was tired. Dreadfully so. Handling the complaints of other factions about devils reincarnating their members was much easier than trying to figure out Igor. ¡°How can someone so simple-minded possess so much power?¡± Be it political or personal strength, he was untouchable. The amount of information she managed to grill from Cleria was unreal. ¡°The Yokai through Aurelia and the Shinto Pantheon through Shuri Himejima. The Church through Asia Argento and Vasco Strada. Grigori through Baraquiel and Azazel-chan. And the Hindu Pantheon through Shiva. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, that ridiculous power belonged to him! TO HIM!¡± She felt like tearing her hair out. Everything was ridiculous. Everything! EVERYTHING! Here she was happily playing magical girl with her precious So-tan when this sudden power shows up. Forced to drop everything, she had to go through meeting after meeting and report after report before she arrived here. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Who knew that when she arrived here, she would soon discover that it wasn¡¯t some errant entity on a power high, but their resident blonde. It¡¯s already been two days since she arrived and the urge to strangle him grew stronger. He was a walking headache inducer. ¡°Moouuuu!¡± Slumping on her desk, only the picture of her precious little sister kept her from breaking down. Igor was a prime target to form an alliance with. Not just Igor, but Aurelia as well. Fostering good relations with them would allow the devils to reap good rewards for the next few centuries. It was the consensus she and the rest of the satans reached in their second meeting yesterday. And unfortunately, she was tasked by her scummy friends in making sure this alliance comes to fruition through any means possible. Even Sirzechs didn¡¯t let her off and only smiled kindly as he foisted some encouraging words on her. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna do this anymore¡­¡± It stood to reason that as the Satan of Foreign Affairs, establishing good relations with both Aryans fell to her. Igor seemed easy enough. From what Cleria revealed, treating him with good intentions would yield good results. It was Aurelia that was the problem. The silverette, even before having assumed her true name, was a very well-known diplomat among those in the know from a very young age. It was notoriously hard to get any benefits with her around as a negotiator. Anyone sitting on the opposite side of the table mentally had to be prepared to cut off their liver before they could get a satisfactory deal. Just remembering the amount of resources they had to cough up just to get Kuoh made Serafall groan in annoyance. ¡°Back then, she was just a teenager. Now, she¡¯s even worse.¡± Aurelia would no doubt see through her attempts to befriend Igor. At that point, Serafall was afraid she¡¯d have to cut off her own liver just to satisfy that woman. BANG! She banged her fist on the table in irritation ¡°As if we didn¡¯t have to shell out money just to hide what happened here!¡± Her entire Wednesday was covered with issuing bribes, faking reportings, and eliminating spies. She had silently done a lot for Igor. Aurelia shouldn¡¯t have the guts to demand much from her, right? ¡°No. She shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Sliding off her chair, she was determined to fight that demoness with her tongue today. ¡°Hmph!¡± Vwong! . |DxD| . Igor flew with Atid beside him. Unlike his friend who liked acting cool, he was carefree in his manner of flying. With his back turned towards the ground, he silently gazed at the clouds. Silently, his mind turned towards what happened earlier. [I was right about Atid.] Igor could admit he was stupid, but he definitely wasn¡¯t an idiot. If it were someone else, he would never so casually drop a hint that he also had a tenant inside him. It was only because Atid was his friend and brother in all but blood that he didn¡¯t keep it a secret from him. [What did I tell you, Triny? He¡¯s a good guy.] Triny had initially been afraid of Igor informing others of her existence, but she relented under his persuasion. {...} Now after witnessing everything for herself, she realised that to an extent, Atid was trustworthy. {Yeah. He is¡­} Atleast he didn¡¯t think of her as a monster. Maybe there were good people beside Ig- [I am surprised though. You were so shy today, Triny. Did you¡­did you develop a crush?] {...} She changed her mind. Igor wasn¡¯t a good person. {Meanie! Stupid! I don¡¯t have a stupid crush!} [Oh¡­really? I thought I could trade you for Ddraig¡­] {...} If it wasn¡¯t because she could feel he was joking, that comment would¡¯ve hurt her deeply. {Hmph! You¡¯re not getting rid of me. Never! You¡¯re mine you hear me! Mine!} [...] For some reason, a complicated emotion rose in Igor¡¯s heart. Somehow, he didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable at her words. [Heh? Since when did tenants ever have the guts to claim ownership of the house.] {I don¡¯t care! You¡¯re my meanie. Hmph!} [...] This was a confirmation of their camaraderie, right? This didn¡¯t feel bad. For some reason, he liked her words, though he would never admit it. *Glance¡­* Though, he was sure that if Atid said the same thing, he would slap him to death. ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! ¡°Stop looking at me like that, Igor. I¡¯m not a homosexual. Find someone else for your¡­perverse urges.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Bulge! ¡°Why you¡­¡± Briefly flaring up in power, Igor calmed himself down. ¡°Hmph! Says the one who dresses like a pansy.¡± ¡°What?¡± A cold intent erupted from Atid as he looked at Igor right in the eye. Fearlessly, Igor met his stare. ¡°You say you¡¯re not gay, yet you dress like a pansy.¡± ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re simply a buffoon who doesn¡¯t know style.¡± ¡°Pssh. ¡®Style¡¯ my ass. Next thing I know, you¡¯re going to paint your nails and call it ¡®style¡¯.¡± ¡°As if I would ever do such a demeaning thing.¡± ¡°Meh. Who knows? I heard a lot of boys like you are used as inspiration for those boy¡¯s love comics and stuff. Maybe we¡¯ll see your-nghghs.¡± Igor was suddenly silenced by Atid covering his mouth. The young teenager kept a calm expression, but the bulge on his forehead showed his distaste. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°?¡± The confused look on Igor slowly morphed into a sly grin. Quickly removing Atid¡¯s hand from his mouth, he deviously enquired. ¡°Eh? Did those girls finally make a manga out of you?¡± He was excited. If it was a yes, he would gain enough teasing material for the next three years. However, who knew Atid would suddenly have a devious thought too. ¡°For your information, brother, those manga also include you.¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, the smile on Igor¡¯s face remained before it slowly fell to confusion. Then, his face turned uglier than crying. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± . |DxD| . I will speak plainly as the author. In terms of yaoi, we don¡¯t have yaoi. Chapter 201 ¡°Eh? Did those girls finally make a manga out of you?¡± He was excited. If it was a yes, he would gain enough teasing material for the next three years. However, who knew Atid would suddenly have a devious thought too. ¡°For your information, brother, those manga also include you.¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, the smile on Igor¡¯s face remained before it slowly fell to confusion. Then, his face turned uglier than crying. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± . |DxD| . The flight back home was silent. After Atid¡¯s killing move, Igor felt like someone stuffed a handful of faeces down his throat. It could also be said to be an own-goal for Atid as well. His expression was a bit sour when the silence of their flight allowed his mind to reminisce on what he saw. Neither of them was alright, both in heart and in soul. Igor knew how retched some of the women in Indra¡¯s army were. Although the deva women were alright, the other races contained the highest amount of perverts. He could only swear to give each and every one of them a proper beating once he returned to the Heavenly Realm. Forget his father, even his mother would kill him if she even suspected she wouldn¡¯t receive any grandchildren. Thankfully, an hour of flying was enough to somewhat improve his fallen mood. His face wasn¡¯t so ugly unlike before. At the very least, he was confident he could fake a smile in front of his family. As the town of Kuoh appeared off into the distance, they both lowered their altitude. Gradually, Atid fell behind Igor, a subtle indication for him to lead. The young deva hybrid was a visitor so it was normal for him to trail behind. As they descended, Igor was finally aware of a strange aura coming from the house. [Devil?] He was not overly worried. He was still worried, but more curious than apprehensive. It was when he got closer that he realised this energy signature vaguely felt familiar. [Oh. It¡¯s Serafall.] Breathing a little easier, he no longer dilly-dallied, but rushed down. Su! ¡°...¡± A moment after, Atid also followed. Su! They were both quick and they instantly landed on the ground. Su! ¡­Su! ¡°...¡± Watching Atid land elegantly with his hands behind his back, Igor was tempted to slap that pretentiousness out of him. Regardless, he could only shake his head and walk on ahead. Dakaang~ Opening the door, he was instantly met with Asia who looked at him with bright green eyes. It was clear that she sensed him arrive. ¡°Um um, big brother? Are you¡­no longer constipated?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Pffft!¡± Behind him, Atid couldn¡¯t help but snort before hastily controlling himself. However, out of the corner of his eye, Igor could see how his lips were trembling. ¡°...¡± Atid would never let him live this down, would he? Still, to think Asia would ask him such a strange question. Unfortunately for him, she picked the worst time to ask it. Regardless, he couldn¡¯t punish her now, could he? ¡°No Asia. I¡¯m not and I never was constipated.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The little blonde cutely placed a finger to her lip in thought before smiling. ¡°Oh right! Big sister Lia asked for you to come to the kitchen when you arrive. She said you mustn¡¯t run from policit¡­politec¡­the thing you hate.¡± Without another word, she ran back into the living room and joined Akeno who had glued herself to the television. ¡°...¡± Igor had the urge to curse when politics came into play once more. But considering how much Aurelia had taken care of him these last few days, he supposed he wouldn¡¯t bunk this time. ¡°Sorry, Atid. Looks like we¡¯ll have to wait. You can watch some TV with my little sisters or join me at the table.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°...¡± Atid peeked his head into the living room¡­ ¡°...¡± ¡­and immediately decided to follow Igor. There was too much pink in whatever that show was. From the grin on Igor¡¯s face, it was obvious his masculinity would come into question if he watched magical girls. ¡°I will come with you, brother.¡± Magical girls was something you watched in private. ¡°Alright then.¡± Leading the way forward, Igor and Atid made their way to the kitchen where he met three people sitting around the table. As always, Serafall was as short as he remembered. Though¡­why was she in frilly magical girl attire? Was she not embarrassed? Igor kept his thoughts to himself and greeted. ¡°Hey, everyone. This is-¡± ¡°Atid, son of Lord Indra, and this generation¡¯s Red Dragon Emperor.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± In this moment, Igor had one thought. Vein Twitch! [Pretentious little shit.] . |DxD| . Serafall sat quietly. Her expression was calm, but her mind was in peril. [Again? Again?!] Once again, Igor¡¯s dossier had to be updated. Not even a week had passed and she had to make changes to the archives holding his information. She was aware of rumours that Indra might have a son. But seeing Atid in the flesh proved those rumours true. The boy had his father¡¯s face after all. Now that Igor was seemingly on good terms with Atid, his value had to be renegotiated. And from the subtle smirk on Aurelia¡¯s face, Serafall was sure that demoness realised it as well. [I hate him! You hear me? I hate you, Igor!] . |DxD| . [What a wonderful assist, my lord.] Aurelia was so happy that she was tempted to walk up and kiss him. Just when she thought she ran out of knives to poke into Serafall, Igor arrived with another set. With the only son of Indra here in the flesh, she was sure she could make Serafall bleed a few more litres of blood. . |DxD| . Shuri was in amazement. Prior to Igor¡¯s arrival, she never truly understood just how much worth Igor had. Already, Aurelia had managed to gain free-reign access to the Underworld in every single devil territory without restraint. In short, she managed to gain Igor and herself some privileges only the maou had without the cumbersome duties. It was an exquisite battle of tongues and she¡¯d already lost count of how many times Serafall pouted or sighed. But as a silent observer, she realised why Serafall could only dumbly endure. Igor was strong. Not only was he strong, he only continued to get stronger. It was not impossible to see a future where his name alone would work as a deterrent. Just by publically having him as an ally would allow the devils to receive many favourable benefits from other pantheons. Another factor was that he could be used as a gateway to opening diplomatic talks and establishing trading with other factions, especially the Hindu Pantheon. The Hindus were relatively reclusive, but who didn¡¯t know of their wealth? Just the chance to engage with them opened up a whole new avenue of possibilities. And that was just Igor. If Igor was a menacing spear, then Aurelia was the strongest shield. Her sealing capabilities were known throughout the supernatural world. Just look at Kyoto. Their barriers were not only sturdy, but possessed strong anti-infiltration capabilities. Strays and spies found it nigh-impossible to enter. And those mass teleportation circles dotted across some of Japan¡¯s cities? Those were her innovations. It was obvious the devils would want such innovations as well and why Serafall could only grit her teeth and obediently bleed. The value these two held was unequivocal, unmistakable, and indisputable. And now that Igor showed himself to have a very good relationship with the son of the God of War, their value just rose a whole lot more. . |DxD| . It settled it. Atid was pretentious. It was one thing to introduce himself as Indra¡¯s son. But to reveal that he was this generation¡¯s Red Dragon Emperor? ¡°...¡± Glancing at the three women, Igor wondered if his brother wanted to show off in front of these pretty ladies. Already by default, one of them was off-limits. Shuri was somewhat ambiguous, but Igor wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Atid developed a crush on his aunt. He could admit that Shuri was very pretty. Poor Baraquiel. He felt sorry for the old man. Serafall? She had nice legs but if he recalled, Atid preferred breasts more. [Hmmm. Where is he looking?] Subtly following his gaze, he realised that while Atid appeared to have lowered his head respectfully, his eyes were peering right at Serafall¡¯s panties. ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! [This perverted shit!] At speeds much higher than the rest could follow, Igor could see Atid gaze intently at Serafall¡¯s legs before lifting his eyes to meet hers. Unfortunately for Serafall, she did not have the necessary perception to catch his blatant actions. ¡°...¡± In the end, Igor did nothing. While he would like nothing more than to slap Atid right in the back of the head, he refrained. His friend was an irredeemable pervert who hid behind a mask of propriety. But then again, he couldn¡¯t blame him. He also used to stare at the legs of other women too. *Glance* Correction. He still stared at them, especially Aurelia¡¯s. He just wasn¡¯t shameless about it. Like a gentleman, he took a glance and looked away. Just a glance, nothing mor- *Glance* ¡°...¡± In his defence, Aurelia had some really nice calves. . |DxD| . After Atid¡¯s introduction, the surprise faded and space was made for them on the table. To Igor¡¯s eternal dismay, five minutes passed and he already wondered why he was even needed here. Most of the time was passed with Serafall ¡°unintentionally¡± flashing a small part of her body before speaking with Atid. Be it a slip of her shirt that further exposed her cleavage or the sight of her thighs mushed together, they were all very effective moves, especially for Igor with the latter. Fortunately, both of them were gentlemen with very thick skin. For Igor, if he didn¡¯t want to fall into temptation, not even a horde of women could push him in. If he wanted to fall into temptation, he would fall into it headfirst without a parachute. Aurelia could personally attest to that. Atid on the other hand was very shameless. At Serafall¡¯s seemingly harmless probing, his face remained more rigid than an iron mask. However, very quickly, Igor was able to catch Atid glance down and stare for what seemed like minutes before glancing back up. Unfortunately for Serafall, she couldn¡¯t adapt to their level of speed. Her subtle seduction attempts were working. In fact, they were working too well. It¡¯s just that before she could capitalise on them, Atid would¡¯ve had his fill. It was both sad and funny and on multiple occasions, Igor had to stop himself from laughing. Thankfully, Aurelia was there to steer the situation. After it was proven that Serafall couldn¡¯t glean any meaningful information from Atid, she brought the topic back to them. ¡°Pardon for interrupting, Serafall-san. But with my lord here, I believe more in-depth talks about our potential alliance are necessary.¡± ¡°...¡± While Igor was glad that Aurelia had stopped calling other people with ¡°sama¡±, Serafall nearly outwardly groaned. The second round of bleeding was about to begin. Aurelia was definitely going to squeeze her right down to the marrow. . AN . Hope you enjoyed this read and until the next chapter. If you want to read ahead, you are welcome to become my patron. Chapter 202 ¡°Pardon for interrupting, Serafall-san. But with my lord here, I believe more in-depth talks about our potential alliance are necessary.¡± ¡°...¡± While Igor was glad that Aurelia had stopped calling other people with ¡°sama¡±, Serafall nearly outwardly groaned. The second round of bleeding was about to begin. Aurelia was definitely going to squeeze her right down to the marrow. . |DxD| . Aurelia was a very happy woman today. Only ten minutes into their impromptu meeting and she had milked several benefits for them. For one, she and Igor now had free-reign over most devil territories. Correction. Aryans had free-reign over most devil territories. ¡°So to summarize, Serafall-san, my lord and I are allowed to have access to all general access areas. Barring clan estates and most privately owned land and assets, publically accessible and publically owned areas of all levels are theoretically, permissible to our entry. ¡°...yes, Aurelia-san.¡± Signing the document with her magic, Serafall could only stomach her grievances and accept it. How could she not know that she was being played? Aurelia said ¡®we¡¯, but both knew that these privileges would not end with only them. These terms would apply to their children as well. [It¡¯s not a loss, Sera. It¡¯s not a loss.] ¡°Thank you, Serafall-san. Next on the agenda¡­¡± Over the course of the next few hours, several more agreements, amendments, and concessions were made. The first were territorial concessions. The devils would cede quite a substantial amount of territory to the ¡°Aryans¡±, atleast enough territory for a small town to be built. Instead of one large territory, a map was shown where Aurelia outlined several territories she wished to acquire. Some were in completely remote regions while others were next to clans. The second was military support. While Igor nearly voiced his confusion at why he would need help from the devils, Aurelia quickly told him through telepathy that intelligence would count as military support. As powerful as they were individually, they did not have the vast network of connections and spies the devils had. While the devils could not compare to Grigori, their own information network was still substantial. The terms also included resource support such as monetary support and magical artifacts. The third was the establishment of a trade agreement, something Serafall deeply wanted. Officially, Aurelia could now be hired by them to upgrade their current systems. Of course, amongst the heap of words littered underneath the trade agreement section, it highlighted in somewhat vague words that Aurelia had the right to decline any job she found distasteful. Of course, this also meant if she so wanted, Aurelia could decline all jobs without consequence. The fourth was a cultural-exchange agreement, another thing Serafall had been explicitly asked to obtain. Knowledge about the reclusive and now-extinct Aryans was extremely rare. The devils couldn¡¯t care much about their culture. What they deeply wanted was their knowledge and Aurelia was guaranteed to be a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. However, Aurelia changed the terms a bit and signed only under the factor that Ajuka Astaroth would be her liaison or point of contact. Why it wasn¡¯t written as Ajuka Beelzebub in the contract was something Serafall only partially grasped. However, the true reason was something Aurelia knew. Ajuka Astaroth was effectively ¡®dead¡¯. Only Ajuka Beelzebub remained. Officially, unless Ajuka gave up his title, she would not be contractually obliged to share the culture and knowledge of her people. Furthermore, instead of treating themselves as individual entities, Igor and Aurelia were now ambassadors of their own race. Unlike common citizens, they were not barred from high-level meetings, especially meetings that concerned them. And so, further agreements were discussed, written, and signed with Atid as witness and Shuri, a completely unrelated party on paper, as a second witness. For Atid, even if he was friends with Igor, he acted as a representative of the Hindu Pantheon for the duration of that meeting. With his presence, power, lineage, and stature, the contract was completely rendered conclusive. And with Shuri, a descendant of the Himejima clan here, the legality of the contract was further solidified. The only signature required to completely finalize the contract was one from Sirzechs. For the first time, Igor willingly listened to the entire contents of this meeting. He didn¡¯t understand most of the jargon and other fancy words that were used, but he grasped the scope¡­and found the whole thing a bit stupid. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Realistically speaking, he could break any number of promises there and nothing would happen to him. Who was going to punish him? It was an arrogant thought he momentarily allowed himself to have, but apart from no longer pulling their weight, the devils could do absolutely nothing if Igor decided to no longer honour the contents of the contract¡­not that he had much to do anyway. Apart from a mutual defence agreement where he would provide aid to the Underworld in times of war, he didn¡¯t have more to do. It was Aurelia that mostly had to do the heavy lifting, though that was heavily optional on her part from what she told him through telepathy. Even then, his worry was not on her potentially having a heavy workload, but on having to endure discrimination from the devils. It was because he voiced this concern that the Non-Aggression Pact was also amended. . Minutes prior¡­ . Serafall carefully read the contract before nodding. ¡°Aurelia-san. So we agree in this pact of non-aggression that we will not engage in hostile actions against each other?¡± ¡°Yes, Serafall-san. I agree as stated in the-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree.¡± It was Igor who spoke, instantly garnering the eyes of everyone at the table. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with this pact of non-aggression because¡­¡± Properly sitting up, he thrummed his finger on the table to indicate a point. ¡°...tell me if I¡¯m wrong, Leviathan. But this pact¡­does it mean I cannot attack or retaliate against members of your devil race under any circumstance?¡± ¡°No, Dimori-san. If one of our people do attack you, then you are liable to defend yourself.¡± Aurelia also spoke. ¡°Do not worry too much about this pact, my lord. It exists so that any attacks against us will be discouraged-¡± ¡°Do insults, swears, and derogatory comments count as attacks?¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± They were both silent. The answer was obvious, no? Since when did words count as hostile actions? Never. ¡°...¡± Igor looked at them for a moment before his frown deepened. ¡°If they don¡¯t count, then remove this pact. It¡¯s useless.¡± With a word of finality, he leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms. ¡°...¡± Amicably, Serafall tried to convince him. ¡°Dimori-san. I can promise you that the devils won¡¯t-¡± ¡°No you can¡¯t. I¡¯m not naive, Leviathan. You cannot sincerely tell me that no devil will dare insult us.¡± ¡°...¡± In due time that would be true. But he was right. She could not vouch for every devil, especially those from the Old Satan Faction. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Let me interrupt you again, Leviathan. Before you sign anything, let me state my terms right here and right now-don¡¯t, sister.¡± Lifting a finger to halt Aurelia who wanted to say something, he continued. ¡°This is something that has to be said right now to avoid any problems.¡± ¡°...¡± . . . Silence¡­ Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Igor as he calmly looked at Serafall. This was one of the few times where he truly radiated the aura of calm authority. ¡°Leviathan. I have worked my hardest from day one to reach my current level of strength. From a child who didn¡¯t have the strength to crush a rock, I have forged myself into an existence that can stand shoulder to shoulder with gods.¡± The atmosphere tentatively grew tense as he released a faint pressure. ¡°Under. No. Circumstance¡­will I tolerate disrespect from centuries-old weaklings I can kill with a flick of my finger.¡± It was not a brag. It was a fact. ¡°I am a fighter, not a diplomat. I am a warrior, not a politician. I have my pride as a son of Dimori. When I am insulted, I do not know the word ¡®endure¡¯. I will tell you with all honesty, Leviathan. Should I or my sister be insulted or discriminated by any devil, I will kill them on the spot.¡± ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Not just Serafall, even Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes. Did he not know what he was saying? These words of his could completely dissolve the entire alliance before it had even formed. He didn¡¯t just threaten. He promised to kill any devil that dared to say an offensive word to him. Was that not childish? Aurelia could already see thousands of bodies formed. This was not a casual matter and from a political standpoint, the scope was too vague. Did he mean that if a devil scoffed at him, he would kill them? ¡°...¡± Thinking on it again, Aurelia concluded he most likely would. Sigh¡­ Was he petty? Was he too domineering? She didn¡¯t know. Truthfully, Igor was indeed amongst the gods in terms of power. Now that she thought about it, gods wouldn¡¯t tolerate the slightest disrespect so why should he? ¡°...¡± She had a feeling she was going to sigh a lot more often in the future. She could see the gears churning in Serafall¡¯s head. Aurelia could imagine she was calculating the weight of the decision. From Igor¡¯s resolute gaze, the chance of convincing him to ¡®endure¡¯ was minus-zero. In the end, Aurelia had one solution she could propose. ¡°Serafall-san. By all rights, my lord does indeed have the capital to make such a statement. In order to make sure this agreement can work, please issue a public statement declaring to the entirety of the Underworld the existence of this alliance. I shall leave disclosure of the benefits brought by this alliance at your discretion. However, it is imperative that my lord¡¯s strength is classified as no less than yours. This should disseminate most untoward thoughts people may hold against my lord.¡± She sighed at the end¡­ Sigh¡­ ¡­because there was no avoiding the inevitability. ¡°This should drastically eliminate the casualty rate should you choose to agree, Serafall-san. Otherwise, we can dissolve this prospective alliance and return to our individual lives.¡± ¡°...¡± Truthfully, everyone expected Serafall to begrudgingly sign or outright disagree and leave. However, no one expected the smile to form on her face. ¡°Alright. I agree to your terms, Aurelia-san. Dimori-san, I have no problems with your desires. I shall do my best to prevent unnecessary deaths, but should anyone disrespect someone of your calibre, then I will not stop you from doing what needs to be done.¡± What she said sounded like someone who had no choice but to agree. But, why was she smiling? This should be disadvantageous to you. But who knew what Serafall was thinking? Because while others would see peril, she saw an opportunity¡­an opportunity to get rid of a few members from the Old Satan Faction. Legally of course. [The halls had been getting a bit too full over the years.] . AN . I...what? This is the weirdest alliance contract I have ever seen. I¡¯m hoping for proper justification in the next chapters because¡­this just doesn¡¯t make sense. No matter how strong Igor is, it doesn¡¯t make sense to agree to such detrimental terms just to kill a few old fogeys. That would be far too short-sighted. Chapter 203 What she said sounded like someone who had no choice but to agree. But, why was she smiling? This should be disadvantageous to you. But who knew what Serafall was thinking? Because while others would see peril, she saw an opportunity¡­an opportunity to get rid of a few members from the Old Satan Faction. Legally of course. [The halls had been getting a bit too full over the years.] . |DxD| . After weighing the pros and cons, Serafall eventually decided to take the plunge and sign the amended non-aggression pact. Compared to the lives of a few worthless old farts, pulling the last two Aryans towards their camp was undoubtedly more important. In the end, all the agreements were signed under one master contract that each attending party held a copy of. Of course, Serafall had no thoughts that a piece of paper would restrain Igor when it came down to it. As such, even if she received their signatures, there was still much work to be done. The absolute last thing she needed was stupid members of her race needlessly antagonizing him or his sister. As much as she was willing to sacrifice the lives of a few hard-headed old stooges, there were limits that if exceeded, would force them as satans to dissolve this alliance. And so when everything was concluded and hands were shaken, she wasted no time in leaving Kuoh for the Underworld. The terms of the contract were a bit ridiculous, but the benefits would far outweigh the costs. . |DxD| . ¡°Well, that went well.¡± Serafall had just left, leaving the rest of them seated around the table. Igor was satisfied with this outcome, happy that he could now legally retaliate should anyone harm his sister. ¡°My lord.¡± Aurelia began with a hint of concern. ¡°Was that not¡­excessive?¡± The terms of the non-aggression pact were too unfavourable for the devils. They essentially held powers somewhat similar to monarchs, meaning they could legally eliminate devils without care. Of course there were terms stating there must be suitable reason and evidence, but that was gibberish. Those terms meant nothing the moment Serafall agreed to this amended pact. It was the same as putting a green stop sign. ¡°Sister.¡± Igor looked at her with a smile. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll hate me for this, but I still would¡¯ve done what needed to be done, regardless of what a few squiggly lines on a piece of paper say.¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ It was then that Aurelia knew it was hopeless. She could only be thankful he raised this issue before there were sudden surprises. [To think I¡¯d live to see such an¡­agreement¡­] Not even the satans had the same leeway to be blatant like him. At the very least, they had to care about their reputation. Aurelia had a feeling Igor didn¡¯t even know what the word ¡®reputation¡¯ meant. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little shy and embarrassed as the beneficiary of such a very odd agreement. Perhaps it was the first of its kind and would no doubt raise many eyebrows when it came to light. ¡°Hehe~. I¡¯d expect no less of you, brother. I¡¯ve learnt a lot from this meeting.¡± Atid didn¡¯t expect Igor would be so bold as to claim before a satan that he would kill one of their people should the need arise. It was an arrogant statement truly befitting someone of his station. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Well, what did you expect me to do, Atid? If some random guy you don¡¯t know suddenly called you a cunt, wouldn¡¯t you want to kill him?¡± ¡°...¡± Sitting on the side, Shuri subtly shook her head. [No, Dimori-kun. No normal sane person has those thoughts.] At most you¡¯d want to hit them. Killing was excessive. Too excessive. ¡°Of course, brother. I¡¯m not disputing your point. I fully understand what you mean. If someone, especially someone weak called me a bunch of names, I¡¯d kill them without hesitation as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia now knew where Igor¡¯s wayward thoughts came from. [He spent too much time with gods, to the extent that he absorbed their distorted logic.] Indra was a war god. Atid was the son of a war god. There were more gods and other powerful entities under Indra¡¯s command. Of course Igor would be led astray. Only gods would kill someone for something as puny as an insult. [Fortunately, the room was sealed in advance. Asia and Akeno are not ready for this side of Igor-] ¡°Oh right. Before I forget. Aunty. Sister. The reason I came with Atid here is because I¡¯m leaving for the Heavenly Realm today for a war against Lord Shiva.¡± ¡°*Cough!*¡± ¡°...¡± Can you¡­not say it so casually? Aurelia was not surprised that Shuri suddenly choked on her spit. Igor wasn¡¯t even subtle about it. In fact, he chose the worst possible time to elaborate. Preferably, it would¡¯ve been better if he omitted the last part of his sentence. ¡°*Cough!*, w-what?!¡± Uncaring for her dignity, Shuri hastily grabbed Igor by the shoulder and looked him right in the eye. ¡°You¡¯re going to war? To WAR?!?!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was a bit confused by her worry. It was just war. What was she worried about?* ¡°Yes, aunty. It¡¯s time for the monthly war.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri focused on the word¡­ ¡°...monthly?¡± Her immense worry was replaced by her profound confusion. ¡°Yes. Every month or so, there¡¯s a war that I fight in.¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ Atid couldn¡¯t help but sigh in exasperation. Sometimes, Igor could be deviously cunning and sometimes, he¡¯d be irredeemably stupid. ¡°Your lack of explanation is confusing your poor aunt, brother. So allow me to do so. Madam Shuri. In my Heavenly Realm, my father, Lord Indra and his opponent, Lord Shiva, have a war they fight every month in which their armies battle to decide the victor. While casualties are inevitable, please worry less since every fallen member will be resurrected as soon as the victor is decided.¡± ¡°?!¡± Shuri widened her eyes as she gripped Igor¡¯s shoulders even more. This prompted a look of confusion from Atid. ¡°...¡± She...she did hear him mention the part about resurrection, right? Why is she still shaking like a leaf? [Women are confusing.] How would he know that Shuri¡¯s concern lay in the fact that this was a real war? When she heard ¡°monthly¡±, she figured it was some tournament event labelled as a war. Who knew that it was in fact a real war? ¡°No no no no no. Y-you can¡¯t go. You won¡¯t go!¡± She held him tightly. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. He had to go through real war every month? Well no more. Glaring at Atid with venomous eyes, she hissed. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take him.¡± Like a mother hen protecting her chick, she dared Atid to say something in retaliation. ¡°...¡± Atid could only look at her in more confusion. It wasn¡¯t that he was stupid. He just really couldn¡¯t understand what was wrong. All the deva women he knew or heard of were always eager to send their sons to war because there was no risk of a permanent death. He never expected Shuri to vehemently decline and even push back. She looked at him like he was the one forcing Igor to come when Igor was the one with the most enthusiasm between them. And that enthusiasm couldn¡¯t have chosen a worse time to show itself. ¡°Aunty. Stop worrying so much.¡± Gently pushing her off his chest, he smiled warmly at her. ¡°War is fun.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± There was no need to say or do more. Aurelia knew that if she didn¡¯t do anything, Shuri would lose it. ¡°Shuri-sama. Please remain calm and allow me to speak on behalf of my lord.¡± Prying Igor from Shuri, she indicated that he must leave while she solved this mess. These two were so warped beyond measure that if they were allowed to remain any longer, Shuri would have a heart attack. . |DxD| . Igor and Atid were outside. Both teens stood underneath the tree with equally confused expressions. For the absolute life of them, they couldn¡¯t really understand why Shuri reacted the way she did. ¡°Brother Igor. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve fallen to your level of stupidity.¡± Instead of being angry, Igor just shrugged. ¡°Welcome to the club, brother. Atleast you¡¯ll find life to be easier when you don¡¯t think so much.¡± ¡°Pfft hehehe.That¡¯s a good one, brother. Unfortunately, my situation requires me to have that little bit of extra IQ.¡± ¡°Oh right. Uncle Indra is grooming you to be a general, right?¡± Igor vaguely remembered something like that. He was pretty sure he was still reliving the battle while Atid received the award so his memories were a bit fuzzy. Sigh¡­ Releasing a breath as he sat down against the tree, Atid nodded. ¡°Yes, brother. Since I¡¯ve reached the latter stages of god class, father has been training me to lead armies. I don¡¯t suggest you do it though, Igor.¡± ¡°Pssh. As if I want to lead a platoon. They¡¯ll just hold me back.¡± ¡°Yes¡­because you¡¯re so much of a liability the squad will spend more time trying to put you in line than completing the mission.¡± ¡°...¡± Looking down at Atid¡¯s annoying grin, Igor wished he could slap it off. ¡°Yeah. Whatever. I don¡¯t need a squad. I go on my own mission.¡± . AN .
  1. Igor was a bit confused by her worry. It was just war. What was she worried about?*
Explanation: At this point, we have to accept that his common sense has been warped beyond measure. We happen to know that Igor has been fighting simulated, but very real wars every month for three years, atleast we assume he fought every month. At some point, war became something natural to him. Just like how some people would freak out if we told them we received beatings as children. Today is Friday and if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you¡¯re welcome to become my patron. You can find my name there. Chapter 204 ¡°Pssh. As if I want to lead a platoon. They¡¯ll just hold me back.¡± ¡°Yes¡­because you¡¯re so much of a liability the squad will spend more time trying to put you in line than completing the mission.¡± ¡°...¡± Looking down at Atid¡¯s annoying grin, Igor wished he could slap it off. ¡°Yeah. Whatever. I don¡¯t need a squad. I go on my own mission.¡± . |DxD| . Devil Territory, Underworld . Once again, Sirzechs was sunken into a sea of paperwork. One pile of paperwork was on his desk when his wife, Grayfia placed another stack on his left side. ¡°Sirzechs-sama. Here are some of the more immediate documents that require your permission.¡± The table groaned under the weight of the papers, but Sirzech¡¯s heart sunk at Grayfia¡¯s next words. ¡°This needs to be done by today.¡± ¡°...¡± He took a glance at the two piles. Unfortunate experience told him just from a glance that there were over three-hundred documents. ¡°Grayfia¡­¡± He wondered if she took a sick pleasure in seeing him like this. ¡°Can we take a break¡­?¡± Sirzechs was a smart man. He knew a pointless battle when he saw it. These documents¡­he wouldn¡¯t be able to conquer them. Not today. ¡°Unfortunately that is not possible, Sirzechs-sama. I have placed some of the more urgent proposals on top since by midday, the relevant departments need to have an answer.¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ When Grayfia was like this, there was no fighting her. His ever-dutiful wife stood silently behind him, always on the ready to dish out punishment should he slack off. ¡°...¡± Taking a glance at her out of the corner of his eye, Sirzechs wondered if he should get her drunk somehow- ¡°Sirzech-sama. Time is wasting away. Please begin.¡± ¡°...yes, honey-ouch!¡± Feeling her nails dig into his ear, he swiftly changed his tune. ¡°Yes, Grayfia! Yes, Grayfia!¡± Finally letting go of his ear, Grayfia brushed away a strand of her silver hair before standing properly. But not before releasing a dignified huff. ¡°Please maintain professionalism, Sirzechs-sama.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs idly wondered if that maid dress of hers was a cursed item or something. She always wanted to be prim and proper whenever she wore it. Either way, from the subtle look his wife was showing, he had about five seconds to get back to work or else he might get an impromptu pierce on his ear. Sigh¡­ Picking up his pen, he took the first document and began reading through it- Vwong! ¡°...¡± Sirzechs swore he would build an altar for whoever told Serafall to come to his office. His friend appeared in her typical skimpy magical girl outfit, an attire that Grayfia found distasteful¡­ ¡°Hey Zechs-chan!¡± ¡­and her voice even more distasteful. Unfortunately for Grayfia, Sirzechs was immensely happy at her timely arrival. But he didn¡¯t show it. It was important he didn¡¯t show it. Propping himself on the desk with his elbows, he enquired curiously. ¡°Serafall. How did it go?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Instead of answering, Serafall handed the few papers documenting the details. Taking them with interest, he began reading them while Serafall took a seat. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I did everything I could, Zechsy. But Dimori-san wouldn¡¯t sign unless we changed a few things.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs nodded slightly as he read through the documents. ¡°I see¡­¡± When he got to the parts outlining the pact of non-aggression, his brows furrowed slightly before they straightened. He quickly read through the rest of the papers before finally putting them down. There were some terms that made him slightly uncomfortable, but not to the point that he would back down. Taking his unique pen, he unhesitantly placed his signature along with a stamp of his approval. Stamp! ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± Apparently it wasn¡¯t just Serafall, even Grayfia was quite surprised by this sudden development. She had figured he would refuse what appeared to be ludicrous terms outlined underneath the non-aggression pact. For him to unhesitantly offer his signature and stamp? She knew this alliance was important but¡­this was too much. ¡°Sirzechs-sama. Is this¡­are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°...¡± The moment he offered his signature, there was no going back. Grayfia was afraid he had taken the decision too quickly. However, she couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. ¡°Grayfia. Serafall.¡± Sirzechs closed his eyes, wondering how to phrase his words. He knew their worries and he carefully had to address them. ¡°When you get to a certain level of power¡­certain things and events become intolerable to you.¡± He looked at them each in the eye in order to make sure his words sunk in. ¡°The reality of the situation is that we are the beggars. We are the ones that want this alliance, not them. Another reality is that Igor has become too powerful.¡± Sirzechs was neither jealous nor angry. He did not harbour dark thoughts or view Igor as a threat. He only felt¡­regret. ¡°We waited too long to form an official alliance with him. If his power was still the same as before, the terms of this alliance would¡¯ve been more favourable for us. Unfortunately, his power increased far beyond our estimations. We could not afford to wait any longer. Grayfia. As much as you might not like the terms of this alliance, believe me when I say the benefits we gain in a century will far outweigh the losses we will have to bear in a year.¡± ¡°¡°...¡±¡± They both silently absorbed his words, but there was one thing Serafall couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Sirzechs. What did you mean when you said certain things become intolerable once you reach a certain level of power?¡± ¡°...¡± He wondered how they would take his next words, especially his wife. But he wouldn¡¯t hide it from them. ¡°Serafall. Grayfia. I trust the both of you and I hope what I say will never leave this office.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± They both looked at each other in concern, but they both nodded their heads. Getting their agreement, Sirzechs sat up properly. ¡°Alright. As I said, as you climb up in power, certain things become intolerable to you. It is because I have reached my current level of power that I understand Igor¡¯s demands.¡± A faint pressure emanated from him. ¡°After all, not a single time goes by when I enter that building, see those decrepit elders¡­¡± For a moment, his eyes glowed red. ¡°...and not wish to kill them all.¡± . |DxD| . Serafall appeared in her office with a sigh. She¡­she had no idea that Sirzechs held such dark thoughts in his head. [To think that none of us knew¡­] No. Maybe he and Ajuka confided in each other about this. They were both the strongest of their race so it would make sense if they confided in each other. And it would make more sense why Ajuka was so reclusive. [Just how close is he to¡­breaking?] Serafall didn¡¯t want to consider the possibility, but she had seen the budding maliciousness in his eyes. There was only one other time she had seen him have those eyes. [I¡¯ve never seen him like this since the decision was made to support the fight against the Aryans.] Thinking of her father who was still suffering from sleep disease made her wish to go back in time and fulfil Sirzech¡¯s wish. If the majority did not vote in favour of the decision, her precious So-tan wouldn¡¯t be groomed for the position of leader so early in her life. ¡°Tch!¡± For the first time, Serafall let her mask fall for the briefest of moments. She understood Sirzech¡¯s thoughts and desires. [That old bastard is the reason we can¡¯t move forward!] None of the respect she usually intoned remained as she thought of Zekram Bael. Because the people under him were supporters of the previous satans, they were as stupid as their revered leaders- always willing to plunge the entire devil race into unnecessary wars. [And they don¡¯t¡­LEARN!] She might not completely understand Sirzechs, but she understood that a steadily growing part of her wanted to kill off the older generation. [No. Calm down, Serafall. Calm down.] Unfortunately, going on a killing spree would cripple their society drastically. As much as she hated to admit it, the Great King Faction controlled most of the essential resources in the Underworld. The Bael clan itself was popular, especially with the older populace who received their help after the Civil War. Even she, Falbium, Ajuka, and Sirzechs were very thankful to Zekram, not realising they were thanking a snake. [We were too young back then¡­too naive.] If not because all four of them had the backing of their clans, they would¡¯ve become figureheads without any real power. The war with the Aryans allowed them to regain a bit more influence, but at what cost? Her father didn¡¯t even get to witness his daughter¡¯s birth before sleep overtook him once more, all while those idiots who voted ¡®for¡¯ still acted pompous in the council hall. ¡°Tch¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t do anything to them, nor could Sirzechs, Ajuka, or Falbium. But Igor? He could. She was thankful the council agreed to forming an alliance with him, though begrudgingly. Their eyes were blinded by the greed of possessing Aryan weapons that they didn¡¯t bother understanding who Igor was. Of course, a few documents of falsified information might¡¯ve influenced their decision making. After all, who would believe a child advanced from high-class to god class in less than five years? [For once, their stupidity became useful.] Their short-sightedness made them allow a tiger into their homes. And because this was supposed to be an alliance with only two people, their signatures weren¡¯t required. [They did say we could use ANY method.] The Four Satans were known to be pacifistic, but they were still devils in the end. The word ¡®Any¡¯ was to never be used with a devil. [Unfortunately for them, letting Igor hold partial martial law was the only method we could use for him to sign.] Those foolish elders would never expect such a turn of events. As long as she and the rest of her friends carefully controlled the situation, Igor could be used to cull off the parasites that are detrimental to devilkind. It was a harsh solution, but this would kickstart a new period, a new evolution for the devils. And as unfortunate as it may be, a new period never once ushered in without a little bit of blood as a sacrifice. . |DxD| . So the Four Satans are engaging in some political byplay with Igor as their weapon. I can only imagine the storm that would brew if our friendly blonde finds out he is being manipulated. Pardon the late update. It wasn¡¯t intentional by any means. My internet provider faced some problems but we¡¯re all good now. Hope you enjoy the next three chapters. Chapter 205 As long as she and the rest of her friends carefully controlled the situation, Igor could be used to cull off the parasites that are detrimental to devilkind. It was a harsh solution, but this would kickstart a new period, a new evolution for the devils. And as unfortunate as it may be, a new period never ushers in without a little bit of blood as sacrifice. . |DxD| . There was silence in Sirzech¡¯s office. It had been a while since Serafall had left, yet neither Grayfia nor Sirzechs said anything since then. Grayfia was somewhat lost in thought. Who would ever think that the ever-smiling Crimson Satan would wield such dark thoughts? If he truly acted on them, the Underworld had more than a 90% chance of entering a period of decline. If that happened, then other factions and pantheons might not give them enough time to recover. Too many vital resources were held by Zekram Bael and his faction that she understood why all the Four Satans had no choice but to bear with their existence- Sigh¡­ ¡°...¡± Her thoughts were cut off by Sirzech¡¯s sigh. Her husband seemed more tired now than he¡¯d been in the last ten years. ¡°Sirze-¡± ¡°Grayfia.¡± He cut her off. ¡°We need this alliance with them. Aurelia is beneficial for us, but Igor is our battering ram. His strength and clear disregard for politics will greatly benefit us if used correctly.¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, Grayfia¡¯s lips quivered at the dangerous notion Sirzechs was having. ¡°Do you¡­do you plan on¡­using him?¡± ¡°...¡± His silence increased her worries even further. But that was soon replaced by confusion when he turned to look at her with a smile. ¡°No, Grayfia. The risk is too great. Not to mention that Aurelia will see through our schemes, being upfront with Igor will yield us far greater benefits than subtly trying to manipulate him.¡± He stood up from his chair and made his way towards the window. With his hands behind his back, Sirzechs gazed over the city under his rule. ¡°My time with Igor was short, but I understand what kind of person he is. You only get his trust once, and once only. If you have his trust, he will go to great lengths for you¡­just like how he exterminated the Himejima Clan for his aunt.¡± ¡°Sirzechs-sama. Do you think it is possible for him to do the same for devilkind?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. It is illogical to expect him to do the same for us. Igor trusts people, not groups. To tell you the truth, Grayfia¡­¡± He chuckled slightly. ¡°Hehe¡­maybe you will think it is selfish, but I only have one goal for this alliance. The benefits we will gain from both Aurelia and Igor will be of immense worth to our race.¡± He turned to face his wife once more with a very sincere smile. ¡°But, my true goal from the start, was to obtain the strongest shield for Rias.¡± ¡°...¡± Grayfia¡¯s eyes dulled for a while in thought before understanding dawned. ¡°The engagement¡­¡± ¡°Hehe. Yes. I must say that I am thankful for what Azazel and Cleria have done. Those two have gone to great lengths to hide or obscure any information about Igor. To this day, everyone thinks that the one who killed the Himejima has died.¡± ¡°But once the council finds out that Igor is the one responsible¡­¡± ¡°Then they will be forced to respect him, lest they die.¡± ¡°...the alliance terms¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Sirzechs turned to face the city once more. ¡°The alliance terms. I might not be able to do much to break the engagement, but Igor would. Unlike us, politics don¡¯t matter to him. He doesn¡¯t have to care about the wealth the Phenex inject into the economy, or how vital their tears are.¡± ¡°But then wouldn¡¯t the Phenex realise your plan and stop nonetheless, Sirzechs-sama?¡± Grayfia was truly worried about this gamble her husband and the other satans were playing. The other devils weren¡¯t stupid. They would soon realise that everything done was purely intentional. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°By then, wouldn¡¯t they stop regardless?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± With a flip of his hand, a document manifested in Sirzech¡¯s hands. He stretched out his hand and handed it to Grayfia. ¡°...¡± For a while, Grayfia read through the papers, her eyes gradually widening before her mouth opened in shock. ¡°You plan on¡­forcing them to¡­¡± ¡°Yes. If all goes to plan, not just the Phenex, but every pillar clan will be forced to ¡°donate¡± a certain amount of their resources to the treasury. It is a mandatory resource production system we have drawn up, meaning that no clan can simply have pillar status and all the power such a status has without giving back.¡± Grayfia read through the document once more. All the satans had placed their signatures on this. If such a law came to fruition, it not only meant that any clan now had the chance to ascend to pillar status, but current clans could also fall from pillar status. Clans like the Phenex would now be forced to donate a certain quota of Phenex tears every year with a minimum baseline. [The amount stipulated here is already the amount the Phenex produce in a month.] The more tears that were produced, the less the donation amount. This was the same as a regressive taxation system. ¡°Sirzechs-sama. This would¡­¡± ¡°Develop the Underworld, Grayfia. Too many clans have the traits and capabilities to make our people soar. But because of needless greed, we are now reaching a point of complete stagnation. Since benevolence has not worked after centuries of trying, I will use fear and forceful coercion.¡± Grayfia¡¯s eyes grew concerned. She now understood why Igor was offered such rights. The satans effectively had a remorseless weapon under their belt that could kill anyone without consequence. Who would retaliate against him? Everyone in the Underworld felt that power. The Underworld respected power, especially the common populace. And with the increased population of reincarnated devils, very few voices amongst the common populace would fight against having such a powerful being as an ally. And with dissent growing against the power the pillar clans have, many would even wish for such a system to come to fruition. ¡°...¡± But, did Sirzechs not see the problems with this? ¡°Sirzechs-sama. Do you not worry that he would¡­abuse-¡± He raised his hand to stop her from continuing, an action he had never done to her before. ¡°Grayfia. I trust him. Were it anyone else, I would¡¯ve torn those papers apart.¡± ¡°...¡± Grayfia was¡­appalled. The amount of leeway Igor and Aurelia, especially Igor have in this alliance means they not only have access to their council halls, but they can act with impunity. If they suddenly turned enemy or spy¡­she feared the repercussions. ¡°...¡± No. She had to voice these thoughts- ¡°If you met him, you would understand why. I¡¯ve met Igor twice, both under different circumstances. He is as simple as you can get. He doesn¡¯t have a mask nor does he try to hide who he is. When you finally meet him, Grayfia, you will understand that betrayal is the absolute last thing you could ever expect from him. And it is because of that quality that I am willing to place Rias in his care.¡± ¡°...¡± Grayfia did not try to dissuade him. Rias was Sirzech¡¯s absolute bottom-line. If he was willing to place her in his care, then that meant he absolutely trusted Igor. It still didn¡¯t make sense to her. Meeting a person only two times was far too little for her husband to trust him to such a level. But, she would believe in him. ¡°I understand, Sirzechs-sama.¡± She would trust him in his judgement. If he believed that Igor was trustworthy, then she would extend the same hospitality. ¡°If I may ask, how do you plan on placing Rias-sama under Igor-sama¡¯s care?¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzech¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. [¡®Sama¡¯ already?] His wife was more adaptable than he thought. ¡°Very simple, Grayfia. We did promise on competing who has the cuter sister. Since he won¡¯t be coming here anytime soon, perhaps I¡¯ll make a trip to Kuoh some time soon.¡± In that moment, Grayfia brought him back to reality. ¡°Perhaps we can venture to Kuoh after we accomplish this week¡¯s quota.¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Back in Kuoh, just a bit over half an hour had passed since both boys sat underneath the tree. They relaxed in a comfortable silence, seemingly uncaring for anything. Igor knew that Aurelia was still placating Shuri in the kitchen, but he didn¡¯t understand what the fuss was about. [Aunty worries too much.] To him, war was no different from going out and riding a bicycle. It was why he couldn¡¯t understand why Shuri would suddenly act like a mothering hen. Thankfully, Aurelia soon walked out of the house alone. ¡°?¡± Glancing towards her, he stood up while waiting for her to arrive. ¡°Hey, sister. What¡¯s the verdict?¡± Even Atid opened one eye to listen in. ¡°Shuri-sama still finds it hard to believe, but she has accepted that this has been something you have done for years and will not try to stop you. Her only question is how long will you be gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a week at most.¡± ¡°...I see. Then¡­may I come with.¡± At that moment, Atid was about to speak when Igor shook his head. ¡°Sorry, sister. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± Subtly clenching her fists, Aurelia was unwilling. ¡°May I ask¡­why?¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment Igor looked at her meaningfully before he glanced at Atid. Both teens met each other¡¯s eyes before Atid stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at Flower-Fruit Mountain.¡± Without further words, he instantly vanished. Su! Finally, Aurelia and Igor were left alone. Gradually feeling his friend leave this country, Igor turned to face her. ¡°Look, sister. There are no rules preventing you from coming and I do want you to come, but there are problems here. I haven¡¯t forgotten that you are hiding things from me.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia lowered her head in both reluctance and understanding. ¡°Alright. When you come back, I will give you an answer.¡± She could only solemnly give him this answer. ¡°...¡± Gently cupping her cheeks, Igor placed his forehead against her. ¡°Why the long face? I¡¯m not going to disappear, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± She couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. He almost died when she wasn¡¯t by his side. She was afraid something similar would happen again. ¡°Listen to me, Aurelia. I trust you, alright? I trust you. Right now, something is eating up aunty from the inside. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s only because of the old man or some other reason, but she isn¡¯t alright. And I have a feeling you know the reason.¡± ¡°...¡± Once again, she couldn¡¯t reply. He hit the nail right on the head. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for too much, sister. Everyone has their secrets they want to keep. You have yours and I have mine.¡± For a moment, he looked at her right in the eye before he looked down. Sigh¡­ Igor was about to regret saying the next few words, but they needed to be said. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the secret you and aunty have anymore. I just want you two to use the time I¡¯m gone to sort everything out.¡± ¡°...¡± Not knowing where the tears were even coming from, Aurelia dumbly nodded. ¡°Yes¡­I will.¡± ¡°...¡± Feeling the need to tease her one last time, he pulled away from her. ¡°Alright, Lia. Tell them I¡¯ll be back next week.¡± ¡°Ah¡­? Yes¡­¡± She was a bit saddened that he was leaving just like that, but- Chuu~ ¡°?!¡± She didn¡¯t even have time to widen her eyes when she felt the back of her head held roughly. Her mind was still caught unaware, but her body reacted naturally. Swiftly, her arms wrapped around his torso in a bid to deepen the kiss- Tswii! Suddenly, all she felt in place of the previous warmth was cold air. ¡°...¡± Her eyes opened unwillingly, her hand rising up to her lips. Still, a soft smile blossomed on her face. ¡°I love you too¡­¡± Chapter 206 She didn¡¯t even have time to widen her eyes when she felt the back of her head held roughly. Her mind was still caught unaware, but her body reacted naturally. Swiftly, her arms wrapped around his torso in a bid to deepen the kiss- Tswii! Suddenly, all she felt in place of the previous warmth was cold air. ¡°...¡± Her eyes opened unwillingly, her hand rising up to her lips. Still, a soft smile blossomed on her face. ¡°I love you too¡­¡± . |DxD| . Flower-Fruit Mountain, Himalayan Mountain Range . Tswii! Using the Instant Transmission, Igor appeared underneath the shelter of a gazebo. Atid and to his surprise, Sun Wukong were seated at the table. ¡°...¡± After merging with Triny, not only did his power increase, but also his perception. Yet when he locked on to Atid, he could sense everyone else except the old sage. Even now as he stood in front of him, Igor could barely sense him. And from the grin on Sun Wukong¡¯s face, it was clear this was intentional. ¡°Did you really think that after a few power-ups you¡¯d be able to sense me, brat?¡± ¡°...¡± Normal people greeted each other with hellos after not seeing each other for over a month. But no. The old sage decided he should crush his confidence. ¡°Tch. One day I¡¯ll surpass you.¡± ¡°Hehe. Maybe when I¡¯m dead or retired, brat. Now, do you want some tea?¡± There was a luxurious assortment of prestigious cups and what Igor assumed to be a high-end tea. From the looks of things, Atid certainly enjoyed the taste. Pulling a chair back, he also joined them at the table. ¡°What? No sake this time?¡± ¡°Cough!¡± As if the word ¡°sake¡± was the trigger, Atid choked on his tea. After repeatedly trying not to die, he took a napkin and wiped his mouth. ¡°Brother. You and sake¡­never. Never again.¡± There was visible panic on Atid¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t drink sake, Igor. Please¡­don¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± For all it was worth, Igor was confused. ¡°Why? It¡¯s just sake.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid began slowly, his tone condescending as if he was talking to a child. ¡°Brother. When you drink-¡± ¡°You turn into an infrastructural hazard, brat. Don¡¯t drink and let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor felt a bit of grief. He was told that he destroyed a building¡­ ¡°But it was only once¡­¡± ¡°One-too-many, brother. One-too-many¡­¡± Facing a two-pronged attack, Igor could only grit his teeth and endure. ¡°Fine.¡± Taking a teapot, he poured himself some tea. There was a brief period of silence as the trio drank their tea. It wasn¡¯t until a few moments later that Igor spoke. ¡°So, when are we leaving, monkey sage?¡± ¡°We can leave now or remain here for another hour. Indra said something about wanting to meet you, brat.¡± ¡°Uncle wants to meet me? If this is another request on mentoring new recruits then I¡¯m not having it.¡± ¡°As if an idiot brat like you can guide recruits. No, he wants you for something different.¡± ¡°...¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Igor saw no reason to decline so he accepted. ¡°Alright, monkey sage. I¡¯ll see what he wants.¡± Then silently, he downed his cup of tea. For the next few minutes, the trio sat silently as they savoured the tea. Over the years, it had become a sort of ritual for them to sit like this in silence. Sun Wukong couldn¡¯t help but admire the growth of these two boys in front of him. Both had grown considerably over the past three years, both in mind and in body. Especially Igor. The old monkey idly reminisced of the boy who stupidly asked him about the blindfold covering his eye. Quick to instigating conflict with absolutely no regard for the consequences, he was as hard-headed as they came. Thankfully, that seemed to have somewhat regressed over the years to a certain extent. [If only he could lose that cursed tongue as well.] Over the years, both boys had garnered quite a significant following due to them being the rising stars of the new generation. And as fortune would have, each boy had a select group of fanatical followers. While Atid¡¯s followers were perverted women, Igor¡¯s followers were a bit more unique. For some reason, young devas liked his personality and had become hellbent on emulating it. Unfortunately, they seemed to emulate the worst aspects of Igor. [I¡¯ve already lost count of how many victims had their mothers cursed for birthing them.] Still, he wouldn¡¯t complain too much. From this month alone, Sun Wukong could sense that Igor had indeed grown, and not in strength alone. ¡°...¡± Although the blonde still didn¡¯t know the proper manners required to drink tea, the calm way he drank it told the old monkey all he needed to know about Igor¡¯s mental state. [He has indeed grown.] Maybe he won¡¯t need to whack him with his staff anymor- ¡°Atid. You look like a pansy when you drink like that.¡± ¡°...¡± Contrary to expectation, Atid did not flare up in anger. After freezing for a moment, he calmly placed the cup on the table before facing Igor. ¡°Brother. We¡¯ve only just arrived. Don¡¯t choose violence when we haven¡¯t even finished half the pot.¡± ¡°The reason we haven¡¯t even reached half is because you¡¯re kissing your tea instead of drinking it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®savouring¡¯. But I don¡¯t blame you. Someone of your intelligence wouldn¡¯t understand. Look. Even Uncle Sun still hasn¡¯t finished his.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor looked at Sun Wukong for a moment before frowning. ¡°That¡¯s his second cup, idiot. Unlike you who wants to molest his cup, he actually drinks his tea.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid couldn¡¯t come back from this. His dignity had been scattered across the ground by Igor¡¯s insults. And from the slight twitch of the lip on the old monkey¡¯s face, he could tell that despite trying to mind his own business, Sun Wukong found this situation funny. ¡°Igor¡­¡± There was only one way left to recover what was left of his face. ¡°Take that back.¡± Standing up, Atid glared at Igor who only grinned back at him. ¡°Make me, cup-kisser.¡± Atid didn¡¯t hesitate. With a golden aura covering him, he spoke. ¡°The Pacific. Now.¡± Without further words, he vanished. Vwong! ¡°...¡± With Igor remaining behind, he looked at Sun Wukong with a ¡°helpless¡± expression. ¡°See, monkey sage? I didn¡¯t instigate it this time. He did.¡± Without waiting for a reply, he placed two fingers on his forehead and vanished. Tswii! ¡°...¡± Finally left alone, Sun Wukong did not seem the least bit fazed. He already knew not to get between these two when they wanted to duke it out. Sitting in silence, he calmly finished the rest of his tea before placing the cup on the table. Sigh¡­ ¡°As long as those two remain together, there will never be true peace.¡± The old monkey could swear that whenever those two got together, their respective IQs take a vacation. Just a little trade of barbs and there would soon be tsunami warnings issued across multiple weather channels. ¡°Yes. There will never be true peace.¡± . |DxD| . Remote Region, Heavenly Realm . In a region devoid of sentient life, Indra suddenly appeared. Once he arrived, all the animals in the vicinity hurriedly scattered away. Even a squirrel that was on the tree he was standing underneath it suddenly vanished faster than the eye could see. ¡°Hmph.¡± Indra smiled in amusement as he felt multiple energy signatures run from him. It was clearly intentional on his part. It brought him some enjoyment to see creatures run from him. ¡°I see that you have yet to grow, Indra.¡± ¡°...¡± Unfortunately, very few people would remain unaffected by his presence. And the one on the top of the list just happened to be both his former teacher and his current rival. ¡°Shiva.¡± Turning to face his former mentor and his attendant, Indra adjusted his glasses when he saw Shiva had assumed his childish form. ¡°Quite ironic for you to say I haven¡¯t grown.¡± Shiva didn¡¯t take offence to the subtle barb. Instead, he got right to the point. ¡°I won¡¯t waste time. You already know I want Igor to be my disciple. Now, I not only want him to be my disciple, I want him to join my camp.¡± ¡°...¡± Indra didn¡¯t react much. He was aware of Shiva¡¯s desire for Igor. He had personally seen that power after peering into the human world. So he could understand Shiva¡¯s desire. ¡°Fine. Do whatever you want.¡± Surprisingly, he did not try to refuse or negotiate, which somewhat stumped Shiva. Regardless, he wouldn¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth. ¡°Good. I am glad this concludes it. Let us depart, Nandi.¡± Satisfied that he got what he wanted, Shiva and Nandi were about to vanish when Indra stopped them. ¡°Stop. Wait a second, will you? Sheesh. Why the rush?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva stood idly with his hands behind his back, his eyes calmly looking up at Indra. Uncharacteristically, the War God rubbed his head before sighing. ¡°Look. I know I haven¡¯t been the best student and that is why you¡¯re looking for Dimori. I also know that my teaching methods aren¡¯t suitable for him and that you¡¯d be able to teach him much better than I could. But know this! Just as you will train Igor, I will also train my son. He has the potential to surpass me and I will make sure that happens.¡± ¡°...¡± Surprisingly, Shiva¡¯s lips stretched into a grin. ¡°Heh~.¡± Slowly, he hovered up until he was face-to-face with Indra. Stretching out his arm for a handshake, he spoke. ¡°I look forward to the battle between our heirs.¡± ¡°?!¡± Inwardly, Indra was shocked to the high heavens. But outwardly, only his eyebrows slightly rose. [Heir?] He had an inkling of suspicion, but he didn¡¯t truly expect that Shiva was preparing to groom Igor as the next God of Destruction. Even he didn¡¯t have that privilege when he was younger. ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± He found the whole situation funny. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Hilarious, even. Now it made sense why Shiva was so out and about. In the human world, he¡¯s appeared more times in a year than he did in the ninety-nine. Every god worth their salt knew of Shiva¡¯s ambiguous relationship with the troublesome blonde. Indra could only imagine the chaos if the world found out Shiva made an Aryan his heir. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­¡± He shook his head in amusement. He wasn¡¯t jealous of Igor. Merely intrigued. Clearly, Shiva saw more potential in Igor than he did. ¡°Alright!¡± Reaching out to shake Shiva¡¯s hand, he confirmed their agreement. ¡°I agree.¡± Indra knew he might not compete with Shiva and Nandi in terms of teaching, but his son wasn¡¯t lacking in teachers either. He had him, the annoying dragon in his gauntlet, and his mother to teach him all he needed to know. ¡°May the best heir win.¡± Chapter 207 ¡°I agree.¡± Indra knew he might not compete with Shiva and Nandi in terms of teaching, but his son wasn¡¯t lacking in teachers either. He had him, the annoying dragon in his gauntlet, and his mother to teach him all he needed to know. ¡°May the best heir win.¡± . |DxD| . The Heavenly Realm was bound with frequent activity as preparations for war went underway. Both Shiva¡¯s and Indra¡¯s armies had already begun readying themselves for the inevitable clash coming in a few days. However, few knew this, but the war already started as soon as preparations began. Small skirmishes already existed as small teams were sent to intercept convoys and destroy supply lines. While not constrained by land features such as bridges, region-wide spatial barriers deployed in key flight-paths could delay the delivery of artifacts by hours, if not days. There was mutual consent for no one from the Ultimate Class and above to take part in these skirmishes. This was to give those from High Class and below, usually children and teenagers, the necessary combat experience and a chance to shine. As these skirmishes were happening, Sun Wukong finally brought Igor and Atid. They appeared in Indra¡¯s war room situated high up in the skies. Currently, the only occupant other than them was Indra. He was looking at a holographic screen with rather intense scrutiny. Being the first to walk forward, Igor was about to greet when Indra motioned with his hand to remain silent. ¡°?¡± Curious, Igor walked over to see what he was watching. Peering over Indra¡¯s shoulder, he saw two squadrons of uniformed children fighting against each other. At a glance, one team seemed to be setting up a barrier while the other was fighting their hardest to prevent the barrier from being set up. From the uniform and emblem, Igor could tell that the defending side was Indra¡¯s army. While they were lacking in numbers due to a few of their members having splintered off to set up the formation, they were not losing. That had more to do with a young boy who wasn¡¯t even a teenager. Maybe he was ten or eleven at best. But most interestingly, it was the spear he was using as a weapon. ¡°He¡¯s quite good.¡± Igor might not be a weapon¡¯s master, but he¡¯d fought enough of them to know the boy wasn¡¯t half-bad. ¡°Yes, he is. He¡¯s one of our newer recruits. He calls himself Cao Cao and holds the True Longinus. Quite fascinating, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s just a spear though.¡± Atid couldn¡¯t help but mock. ¡° ¡®It¡¯s just a spear¡¯, he says.¡± He walked over and watched the boy fight. ¡°That¡¯s the Ultimate Longinus, Brother Igor. Even you will suffer quite a bit of damage if it stabs into you.¡± ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m sure I can kill him before he can even take out that spear.¡± Sun Wukong couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he hovered over. ¡°Can you not fantasize about killing my newest protege, brat?¡± ¡°Protege? Did you replace me already, monkey sage? Why I oughta¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Indra did his best to ignore the two most annoying people in the room. He already missed the peace and quiet that existed before they arrived. Sigh¡­ ¡°Wukong. Igor.¡± Dismissing the transluscent screen, he turned to face them both. There was no need to delay now that they were all here. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°There¡¯s been a few changes. Igor. From now on, you are discharged from my army and will be considered an enemy combatant effective in five-minutes. Should you wish, you are to report to Shiva¡¯s camp where you will be welcomed as his newest officer.¡± ¡°...¡± *Blinks Once* *Blinks Once More* ¡°Heh?¡± . |DxD| . To no surprise, the news came as an absolute surprise to Igor. He didn¡¯t expect such a sudden change, but surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t completely against it. After Indra elaborated a few points to help him understand, a large part of him even began to look forward to it. For one, he would finally be able to square off against Atid as opposing camps. While sparring with each other was fun in of itself, adding heavier stakes to the whole matter made victory that much more enjoyable. Besides, the reason he wasn¡¯t too hesitant was because his ¡°enemy¡± status would only last during wartime. Once the war is concluded, he¡¯d be more than welcome to come back here. After all, neither side were truly enemies¡­to an extent. Emnity was somewhat inevitable when it came to Asuras and Devas. ¡°Alright.¡± Igor was very quick in his agreement. Turning to face the old monkey, he had a signature look of superiority. ¡°You can go ahead and keep your apprentice, monkey sage. See if I need you.¡± ¡°Really? Then who will bring you out of the Heavenly Realm?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor stood silently. It was a good question. He couldn¡¯t use the Instant Transmission since his perception couldn¡¯t penetrate the barrier between the real world and the Heavenly Realm. So who woul- Sigh¡­ Atid couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Brother. Sometimes I swear you just choose not to think. Lord Shiva will obviously make arrangements for you.¡± Igor looked at Atid with his eyes slightly squinted in confusion. ¡°I know that, brother. It¡¯s kind of obvious. But I don¡¯t feel comfortable leaving my life in the hands of someone I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid was a bit¡­confused. What did trust have to do with travelling between worlds? Fortunately, Sun Wukong had an answer. ¡°Atid. Igor here is very sensitive to spatial fluctuations. As such, he can feel when we¡¯re crossing between realms.¡± Igor further elaborated. ¡°And if someone drops me right at the point of crossing, there¡¯s a chance I¡¯d become a mangled corpse. Even if I survive, I might become a cripple.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid wasn¡¯t unaware that Igor was sensitive to spatial fluctuations. But he didn¡¯t think it was to this degree. If he could even feel the moment they transitioned to the real world, then it would make sense why he would be so wary of something most would casually dismiss. ¡°Huh. I guess you¡¯re not an idiot after all.¡± ¡°Unlike yo-¡± Before Igor could finish his sentence, Indra interrupted him. ¡°I am sure Shiva or Nandi will teleport you themselves. But if that doesn¡¯t happen, you are welcome to come back here where Wukong or my son will send you back.¡± It was a compromise he was willing to make for Igor. Part of his camp or not, he liked the kid. ¡°Thanks, Uncle.¡± With everything sorted out, it was time to bid farewell. No tears were shed, but many barbs were shared. Igor would only be gone for a few days so no one was particularly emotional about his departure. Atid was particularly looking forward to versing off against Igor just as the latter was against him. While Igor was indeed stronger than him in their base state, his Boosted Gear could quickly outrun that advantage. . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . A few hours had passed since Igor left without giving proper goodbyes. The ones most affected by his sudden departure were Akeno and Asia. Neither could accept that he had suddenly left again without a word. Although they were told he would be back in a week, their grievances weren¡¯t completely placated. Shuri on the other hand fared somewhat better. She was not anxious about his sudden departure, but it was clear it did miff her. Aurelia did however, see this as an opportunity. With Igor gone, the air between her and Shuri was somewhat tense. It was time that it was cleared up for good. ¡°Shuri-sama.¡± Entering the living room, she went ahead and sat next to Shuri. It was already mid-afternoon and the children were in their room. With a wave of her hand, she erected a privacy barrier, something Shuri was able to pick up on. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Rather than wasting pointless time, Aurelia felt it was best everything was done now. Without getting into needless pleasantries and lead-ups, she went right into the matter. ¡°I will be the first to admit it, Shuri-sama. I will never regret what I have with my lord nor will I give up on him. But¡­I will not be opposed if you were to pursue him.¡± It was a conclusion she had arrived at ever since their return from the Underworld. Shuri cared for Igor, immensely so. When he was recovering from the injuries that came with assuming that new state, Shuri showed sincere care. This nurturing moved Aurelia and finally, though very, very¡­very reluctantly, she arrived at this conclusion. She told herself she owed it to Shuri, especially since she was the one who got Shuri¡¯s hopes up. ¡°I do not like it, Shuri-sama. But I understand the feelings you hold towards my lord are something that even time might find hard to era-¡± ¡°No. No amount of time will erase what I feel for him, Aurelia-san.¡± Shuri quietly denied her words. But what use was it? Even if Aurelia was willing to compromise¡­ ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter, Aurelia-san. As long as I carry the title of Baraquiel¡¯s woman, he will never accept me. And I have¡­accepted that.¡± Even if she divorced Baraquiel a hundred times over, he would never touch her because the man he respects was once her husband. ¡°Shuri-sama. I have a way to remedy that.¡± ¡°...¡± . . Silence¡­ ¡°?!¡± . AN . I¡¯m looking forward to a fight between Atid and Igor. With how there¡¯s no permanent death during war, I¡¯m hoping for a complete no holds barred fight. I also come with some news. On my page, you can now read up to five chapters ahead of everyone else instead of three. If you¡¯re interested, check out my p.a.t.r.e.o.n under the name, HolyGambler. Until the next chapter. Chapter 208 ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter, Aurelia-san. As long as I carry the title of Baraquiel¡¯s woman, he will never accept me. And I have¡­accepted that.¡± Even if she divorced Baraquiel a hundred times over, he would never touch her because the man he respects was once her husband. ¡°Shuri-sama. I have a way to remedy that.¡± ¡°...¡± . . Silence¡­ ¡°?!¡± . |DxD| . Shuri and Aurelia sat next to each other on the couch. The living room was sealed by a a barrier, ensuring that sound could enter, but not leave. The atmosphere was tense, especially after Aurelia¡¯s previous words. Shuri who had already entertained hopes of giving up couldn¡¯t help but look at Aurelia with a sense of urgency. ¡°How?¡± The stigma of having been a wife to a man she barely remembers was something she wanted to rid herself of. ¡°...¡± Aurelia knew she had to choose her words carefully here. She had touched upon Shuri¡¯s sore point and had to tread carefully. ¡°Shuri-sama. Unlike most, I am aware that you truly died that night. I have had chances in the past to observe you whenever I was sent to Kuoh. You still retain some of your intrinsic mannerisms, but your aura has changed.¡± Maybe Igor glossed over it out of convenience, but Aurelia had some inkling into how death works for denizens under the Shinto Gods. ¡°When my lord told me of that day, Amaterasu-sama had said that your soul had already been cleansed before she retrieved it.¡± Shuri nodded quietly. Along with the possibility of recovering her memories being very slim, Amaterasu did indeed say her soul had been cleansed. ¡°Shuri-sama. If your soul had been cleansed, then it is not wrong to say you were not revived, but reincarnated into your original body.¡± If nothing had happened, Shuri¡¯s soul may have ventured into the afterlife where she would finally experience true peace. Why Amaterasu would commit such a taboo and wrench a cleansed soul eluded her. ¡°Shuri-sama. It is long overdue, but what we need to do is let everyone realise that you are a new person, a reincarnation. And I will help you with that.¡± . |DxD| . Heavenly Realm . Two days passed without issue. Skirmishes still occurred and supplies like armour and artifacts were either retrieved or stolen. Many youths made their names known, but one special case was a youth who called himself Cao Cao. With his True Longinus, no one, not even other deva dared to underestimate him. Human or not, one stab was all it took for one to die. Further news that made the circles was Igor switching camp and joining Shiva¡¯s side. Contrary to belief, none of them called him a traitor¡­atleast not out loud. His volatile temper was well-known throughout Indra¡¯s camp and no one wanted to offend someone who could teleport right in front of them. At Shiva¡¯s camp, the reaction to Igor¡¯s reception was somewhat mixed. There were a few who were very excited. They were the generals at the upper-end of god class. Having an asset like Igor would prove to be monumental in the wars to come. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Some felt apprehension. After all, quite a lot died under Igor¡¯s hand and a few held some resentment. It wasn¡¯t resentment that they were killed, but how they were killed. It was one thing to die to a blade after a hard-fought battle. It was another thing entirely to die to a stray ki blast. Regardless, nothing could be done nor would anyone complain. One thing that was true was that Igor was strong. And if rumours were to be believed, he had recently obtained the power of a Supreme Class. With Indra¡¯s son also having recently obtained the power of Supreme Class, having Igor would be a great help. During this time, no one seemed to have seen the blonde over the past two days. There were rumours circulating that he was undergoing secret training with Lord Shiva. Others said he ran off while others only folded their arms and waited. Whatever the reason was, Igor would have to show himself sooner or later. Several generals were already debating on who could have him in his regiment. Having a powerful person like Igor under their command would undoubtedly increase their prestige. Unfortunately, as the hour of war drew closer, no one saw Igor. The armies had already assumed their formations on the horizon. All of them were waiting for the commanders in the realm of Supreme Class to appear in the skies before they could finally march. Logically speaking, Igor was still in the realm of god class so it didn¡¯t make sense for him to not appear. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Did he not come?¡± ¡°This is bad.¡± Murmurs spread across the army. Many were curious about where Igor was, but one general at the peak of god class silenced them. ¡°QUIET! THE COMMANDERS AND LORD SHIVA ARE ABOUT TO ARRIVE!¡± That silenced the murmurs completely. No one wanted to offend the commanders. Who knew if they might not be resurrected? It was not worth taking the chance. FUUUSHHH! It then happened. A massive portal opened in the skies before slowly, the elite of the elite poured out. Hundreds of warriors in silver-like armour were the first to come out. All of them radiated the aura of the Supreme Class. They each held their spears firmly at their side as they spread out to form neat rows. Soon after, Mahabali came out with his hands behind his back. He led the procession from the front as various other entities at the realm of Supreme Class followed behind. They calmly flew between the passage the armoured warriors had purposefully left open. Once a suitable distance formed between them and the portal, the group behind Mahabali splintered off to the side while he remained in front. Puffing up his chest, he looked at the army below and proclaimed. ¡°LORD SHIVA HAS ARRIVED! PAY YOUR RESPECTS¡± Instantly, all weapons were sheathed. Everyone cupped their fists as they awaited for the arrival of the God of Destruction. ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± A chorus of yells resonated throughout the valley. The ground trembled at the massive number of proclamations. Mahabali turned around and also cupped his fists, his head lowered in respect. Soon, four powerful elders at the peak of Supreme Class appeared. Their faces were covered by their golden robes, leaving only their long white beards visible. They had their hands clasped together with simple wooden beads between them. They flew higher into the sky where they would remain until the end of the war. ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡°WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO LORD SHIVA¡±¡±¡± The shouts did not recede in the slightest. In fact, they got louder, more fervent. Shiva would appear any moment now and many people were looking forward to seeing the strongest god once more. FUUUUUSH! A massive pressure suddenly descended upon the region, instantly quieting everyone¡¯s yell. Everyone silently looked up at the skies in anticipation, everyone too afraid to wipe off their sweat in case they missed seeing their god. Soon¡­ Vwong! Shiva slowly flew out of the portal. He took on the form of a man adorned with very elegant robes. His hands were behind his back as he flew ahead calmly, his eyes raking over his army. His ever-trusted attendant was at his side with his staff. Nandi always seemed to have a small smile on his face, as if everything he saw amused him. He also looked down at the army, his smile not falling in the slightest. However, the biggest surprise that shocked everyone was Igor. Garbed in a dark blue haori, he also flew next to Shiva. What was surprising was not the red aura gently emanating from him, but the power of the Supreme Class he was releasing. No one expected this. No¡­no one expected he would be granted the privilege of being at Shiva¡¯s side. His crimson gaze hovered over them with indifference before gazing at the horizon before him. The procession continued. No matter how surprised people were, no one dared not to show respect. If they did, those four old men might let their soul slip into the afterlife. Igor joining the commanders was surprising, but no one voiced their comments. Besides¡­ Vwong! The appearance of Indra meant that the time for stray thoughts was over. Indra¡¯s army was massive and had only grown over the past few years. However, this didn¡¯t mean they would back down. Igor looked straight at Atid, his eyes not once diverting from his. Atid had his sacred gear active while a gentle golden aura emanated from him. [Hmph.] Perhaps it was because they had been friends for so long, but the war no longer mattered to them. All they wanted was to embrace the Saiyan ways and fight each other. ¡°SOLDIERS! CHARGE!!!¡± . AN . A brief interlude was what this was, but rampant happenings are about to occur very soon. But some things might not turn out the way you think. Chapter 209 Igor looked straight at Atid, his eyes not once diverting from his. Atid had his sacred gear active while a gentle golden aura emanated from him. [Hehe¡­] Perhaps it was because they had been friends for so long, but the war no longer mattered to them. All they wanted was to embrace the Saiyan ways and fight each other. ¡°SOLDIERS! CHARGE!!!¡± . |DxD| . War, a bloody spectacle. No matter how glorified it appeared on the outside, very few know or are willing to comprehend the amount of bravery it takes to pick up a weapon and kill another man for an ideal. All the soldiers from both sides attacked each other with a passion. This was no place for the weak of heart. This was not a place for trembling hands. From young children and old adults, there was no distinction. A weapon did not have eyes. As long as it found flesh¡­ Puchi! ¡­it would pierce through. ¡°AAAAAAAH!¡± Low Class, Middle Class, High Class, Ultimate Class, God Class¡­there was no class distinction. There were no separate battlefields. There was no turn-based combat or fair fights. A high Class could immediately find themselves on the pointy end of a god class¡¯s spear. A young recruit could find themselves caught in the crosshairs of an old veteran. There was no such thing as retreating. Retreating meant death. The moment you turned your back on the enemy, it wouldn¡¯t be them who would kill you. It would be your ally. In a bloody battlefield where corpses were stacked on top of each other, prestigious uniforms would be dyed red. Emblems would be covered with so much dirt that the only way to tell an ally from an enemy was the direction they were facing. ¡°WITH ME SOLDIERS! PRESS ON!!!¡± The only shining light, the only beacon in a warzone clouded by dust were the yells of generals who emphatically lead their troops. The blazing power of a god class cut through lower classes like a sickle through grass. Daring to fly in such conditions was the same as mingling with death. And death, was a very cruel mistress. A poor young asura did not know this as he flew up in fear. All his right arms were cut off, his two remaining left arms holding onto the bleeding stumps. He was young, his eyes covered in tears as his panicked gaze looked left and right, his two large demonic wings keeping him above the chaos. His breaths were heavy, the pure adrenaline coursing through his body preventing him from feeling pain that would¡¯ve otherwise left him crippled. It was true that resurrection along with the complete restoration of a body was possible, but it was only now that he realised all the warnings he received before joining were not jokes. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to be here! I want to go hom-¡± Puchi! His words were cut off as a spear pierced right through his chest. ¡°...¡± Looking down at the offending instrument, he was barely able to comprehend what was happening to him before a young boy around his age suddenly¡­ Su! ¡­appeared in front of him. ¡°HA!¡± Gripping the spear tightly, Cao Cao did not pull it out, but slashed upwards, completely splitting the young asura open from the chest like a watermelon. Su! Not waiting any longer, he released a small burst of power that propelled him towards the ground once more, just in time to evade three acupunture needles that would¡¯ve impaled him from the back. Unfortunately, the young asura was not so lucky. Fortunately, he was already dead. His body lifelessly fell towards the ground where it would join other corpses. Yet fate would not let him off. An ultimate class deva who was defending against attacks from a six-armed asura quickly grabbed the corpse that was about to fall and used it as a shield. Puchi! Completely uncaring that he used a child as a flesh-sheath for an axe, the deva used this opportunity to manifest a new golden sword¡­ Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Die.¡± ¡­and pierce his shocked opponent. ¡°...¡± The axe-wielding asura did not react to having his heart stabbed. His eyes were on the young asura he had axed on the shoulder. ¡°B-Brother¡­¡± Even as he felt his lifeforce wane, the asura could only helplessly mutter these last words before he immediately got decapitated by another deva. Shiiing! It was a cruel coincidence, one that ultimately cost him his life. Resurrection existed, but at what price? This was war. ¡°We are needed five kilometres east. The situation is volatile.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su! ¡­Su! And just like that, the two devas vanished with complete disregard for their fallen enemy. There was no compassion, no empathy. Such emotions were a hindrance, a cause for hesitation. In war, you had to kill and move on. This was not a sport. This was survival, and the veterans were called veterans for a reason. For they had mastered the art of leaving their sentimentality at home. In war, only an obedient killing machine was needed. And that is what they were. . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± The tragic scene below did not go unnoticed by Igor. With his arms crossed, he impassively gazed down below like the rest of the supreme class with him. He caught the word the asura said before he unfortunately died, but Igor felt¡­nothing. Too many similar incidences existed and he¡¯d seen so much that just like the veterans, his eyes and heart had become dull to such incidences. It was only three years, but he had seen and lived through over thirty wars. He had once been down there like the rest of them¡­ ¡­and he thrived. ¡°Tch.¡± Igor had liked watching that six-armed asura fight. It was a complete waste for him to die like this, all because of his weak brother who couldn¡¯t die somewhere else. ¡°My, my, Igor. Did you find something distasteful to your eye?¡± ¡°No, Nandi. I just saw a needless death, that¡¯s all.¡± It was truly needless. He was strong for someone in the realm of Ultimate Class and Igor had come to like his fearless fiery attitude. ¡°Oh? I see what you mean. Truly he might not recover from this.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor had no words to say there. He could only imagine if the roles were reversed and his enemy used Asia as a- [No. That will never happen.] And as for letting Asia experience war, that was something he was also vehemently against. As long as she was strong enough to protect herself, he would be satisfied. Regardless, now was not the time nor place for sentimental thoughts. His job was to only observe the fight below and temper his mind. He was no longer fighting with opponents in the realm of god class. He was no longer one of the strongest in the battlefield. He was certainly not the weakest, but none of his new opponents would be easy to kill. [I won¡¯t die¡­] He had never died before. He had seen the brink, but had never tasted it. He was determined not to taste it any time soon. But whether fate would have other plans, that would remain to be decided. Indra¡¯s and Shiva¡¯s armies were in a deadlock, but Shiva¡¯s was steadily being pushed back. The superior numbers made this battle gradually turn in Indra¡¯s favour. ¡°...¡± Shiva remained impassive to this sudden turn of events. Even though it weren¡¯t the times when Igor and Atid participated on the opposing side, he didn¡¯t expect his army to win. ¡°Dimori.¡± But he held some expectations for Igor. ¡°You must win.¡± It was not a request. Shiva was not asking him to win the war, but to win against Atid. ¡°...¡± Igor did not rush to answer. It was not out of fear or hesitation, but out of contemplation. Atid had managed to keep up with him during their fight on the Pacific. His friend must¡¯ve learned some new tricks as well. ¡°I will win.¡± Regardless, he wouldn¡¯t let himself lose to Atid. ¡°Good. Mahabali.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Shiva.¡± As soon as Shiva called his name, Mahabali who was standing at the front knew it was time to call for a retreat. Su! For a brief moment, he disappeared from view before he reappeared once more. It didn¡¯t take long before down below, the horn for retreat was sounded. Fighting desperately, Shiva¡¯s army retreated to the boundary before finally, they all vanished into motes of light. ¡°VICTORY!¡± ¡°¡°¡°VICTORY!!!¡±¡±¡± Indra¡¯s army cheered at their victory. A few finally allowed themselves to collapse on the ground. The constant production of adrenaline and release of energy made them feel tired after over half-a-day of fighting. For some, it was their first war. Unfortunately, this was reality and in reality, there were no cheers. Only tears. Very few cried in relief and joy. The rest cried not because they were happy about victory, but because they survived. They killed, killed, and killed constantly in order to continue living. The mental impact of killing so many people no doubt affected them. This was also another trial for them and right now. They either surpassed this hurdle and moved on, or they crumbled. For those in the know, this was a filtering event, to cast out the ones too weak to continue. Every veteran silently eyed the recruits with varying gazes. They once had to go through such a trial as well. Would they evolve through the pain and become men, or would they fail and have looks of shame casted upon them as they left for home? It was cruel, but it was reality for those living in the Heavenly Realm. Thousands of years of monthly wars had transformed this into a culture, a trial by fire that every boy must go through in order to be considered a man. Among those boys, one in particular stood headstrong with his spear in his hand. Cao Cao was absolutely drenched in blood, yet his eyes remained firm. Even as blood dripped from the fringes of his hair, he did not break like the others. His hands trembled as he held the spear. It was not his first time killing, but it was his first time killing so many people. It was not his first time seeing horrors, but he never imagined they would be on this scale. He had seen the cruelty of humanity, devils, and fallen alike when he was sold by his parents. He was no stranger to bloody scenes or staining his spear with the blood of his foes. But, this was war. Tremble¡­tremble¡­ Regardless¡­ *Grips Spear Tightly* ¡­he would evolve past this and become stronger. . AN . Now I see where a tad of Igor¡¯s darkness comes from and why the lives of other people mean so little to him. War, to put it crassly, is shit and he lived through that. Today is Friday so until the next chapter. OR, you can now read up to five chapters ahead of everyone else. If you¡¯re interested, check out my p.a.t.r.e.o.n under the name, HolyGambler. Otherwise, I¡¯ll come back with two more chapters on Monday¡­hopefully. Chapter 210 He had seen the cruelty of humanity, devils, and fallen alike when he was sold by his parents. He was no stranger to bloody scenes or staining his spear with the blood of his foes. But, this was war. Tremble¡­tremble¡­ Regardless¡­ *Grips Spear Tightly* ¡­he would evolve past this and become stronger. . |DxD| . Supreme Class, a realm that everyone knew, but few could comprehend. Their prowess was unmatched in the supernatural world, their power known to be the pinnacle. It was why when a war between Supreme Class entities occurred, high-level ceiling barriers would need to be used. Previously, Igor could only watch from the sidelines as Mahabali and Sun Wukong led battles that would last for days on end, battles that flowed at incomprehensible speeds and always resulted in massive damage to the region. Now, he would be part of this bout, part of the elite and would engage in a true battle for his life. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su His face remained stoic, but his true desires displayed themselves through a gentle crimson cloak steadily covering him. He was already in the suppressed state of his Demigod Form, the 50x boost in power planting him solidly in the realm of Low-Supreme Class. Igor ¡°calmly¡± waited for the elders in the sky to set up a massive barrier like usual, but they did not move. Neither the elders from Indra¡¯s or Shiva¡¯s side made any movements to set up the barrier like usual. All they did was dispel the giant array after collecting all the bodies and souls. ¡°?¡± His excitement was replaced by confusion, his aura dimming as he subtly glanced around him. [Why are we standing here?] From the looks of things, it seemed that he was the only one who was unaware of what was happening. All the soldiers, supreme commanders, and the rest remained still. Igor even caught the amused smile of Nandi, making the blonde sincerely believe that he must¡¯ve missed some sort of meeting. Fortunately, Shiva decided to enlighten him. ¡°Dimori. Today you stand amongst our ranks and display power befitting as such. But, many are not convinced of your position, especially beside me and especially, as my heir-apparent.¡± ¡°...¡± The subtle glance Shiva pointed at Mahabali did not go unnoticed by Igor. He was not surprised by this. While Mahabali was calm, he didn¡¯t try to hide his displeasure and it seemed many shared similar thoughts. Igor was very tempted to fling him through a mountain. ¡°What do I do, Lord Shiva?¡± ¡°Very simple, Dimori. It is fortunate that similar to you, Indra¡¯s son has encountered a similar predicament. So it was agreed that today, the stage will be for you two. Fight well and prove that you are worthy of being someone I chose.¡± ¡°...¡± Glancing ahead, it seemed that Atid had also gotten a similar speech from Indra. ¡°Hmph.¡± He couldn¡¯t suppress a grin when he noticed his friend¡¯s challenging gaze. The opportunity to verse each other up, uninterrupted no less came much sooner than expected. In an instant, Atid vanished from sight and appeared on the ground down below, the Boosted Gear appearing on his left hand. ¡°...¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Not hesitating for a moment, Igor let himself fall to the ground. His arms remained crossed over his chest as he descended, his crimson gaze not leaving Atid¡¯s in the slightest. The wind fluttered his clothes. His coat was pushed up, the absence of undergarments exposing his chiselled form. Like a stone statue, he continued to drop until finally¡­ Booom! ¡­he landed feet first. The massive plume of dust and rubble kicked up by his landing completely obscured his form from sight. Everyone¡­everything was silent. All eyes were on the figure hidden inside the dust cloud. They calmly waited until slowly, a massive well of power was felt by everyone. *Clack*¡­*Clack*¡­*Clack*¡­*Clack*¡­*Clack*¡­ Slowly, Igor walked out of the dust cloud, an aura of demi-ki shrouding him like a red flame. His hair slowly spiked as he flooded his body with more and more demi-ki. Similarly, Atid also had a golden shroud around him. ¡°[BOOST, BOOST, BOOST]¡± The power these too released nearly overwhelmed the recruits who were watching on the sidelines from a safe space. Yet neither of them looked away, especially Cao Cao. He had heard rumours, but what he was seeing from Igor completely fascinated him. By all standards, Atid was a god. A half-god, but a god nonetheless. And Igor was facing off against a god. [Amazing¡­] Indra¡¯s son was forced to use the Boosted Gear just to equal Igor in terms of power. That was nothing short of amazing. [Some day, I¡¯ll also be like this.] He was confident he could do it. Igor was known to be a human so he was sure that he as a human could also be this strong some day, especially with his True Longinus. Down below, Igor and Atid squared off. Nearly a kilometre of distance was between them. But with their level of power, they might as well have been standing a metre apart. Both of them radiated the power of a Supreme Class entity. Both of them were looking forward to this fight. And both of them were eager to overpower the other. Su! Su! In a complete burst of speed, both fighters vanished before suddenly¡­ BOOOM! ¡­a massive shockwave spread through the vicinity. Their clash was one of epic proportions, a simple meeting between fists causing a reaction more powerful than explosives. For a brief moment, all anyone saw were the figures of Atid and Igor with their fists against each other before they both simultaneously vanished. Su! After that, it was pure chaos. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Constant explosions began occurring over the entire region, their continuous clash causing visible shockwave after shockwave. Everyone from God Class and below found it impossible to follow along. No matter how they tried, none of them could keep up. Only the generals at the peak of God Class could barely follow along, but all they could catch at most were still afterimages of Igor and Atid in various fight sequences. It wasn¡¯t until¡­ BOOOOM! ¡­a massive crater formed on the ground that everyone was able to see Atid lay sprawled at the centre. Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough and vanished from sight, just in time to evade a double stomp from Igor. BOOOM! The force of his impact expanded the crater even further than before. His legs were buried up to his knees, but he wasn¡¯t concerned about that. Igor glanced up at Atid who had backflipped away. ¡°Ha!¡± Stretching out his hands, he fired numerous consecutive ki blasts. ¡°Da da da da da da da da da!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Reacting quickly, Atid quickly darted away. Already aware of Igor¡¯s tendencies, staying in one spot and getting flooded with ki blasts was not an optimal solution, especially when the blonde could manipulate the blasts to attack him from behind. ¡°[BOOST]¡± Doubling his power once more, Atid¡¯s speed at evading the ki blasts increased. But that didn¡¯t mean he was completely out of the woods. Igor¡¯s ki blasts came from nearly every angle. The only way to get out of it was to launch one super attack. [One more boost should do it.] The seconds passed as Atid readied himself for another boost. Without his Balance-Breaker activated, there was a limit to the number of successive boosts he could stack, and that limit had been reached¡­ten seconds ago. ¡°[BOOST]¡± With his power doubling once again, he had to move fast before he started losing it again. Su! Dodging the ki blasts, he stretched out his hand and fired a powerful energy wave right at the blonde. ¡°Take this!¡± Ka¡­DRUUUU! ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t dare to linger. He didn¡¯t have to see it to know that a powerful energy wave was coming at him. Tswii! Acting quickly, he used his Instant Vanish to appear right where Atid was, right where he had corralled him, right within a range of a hundred metres. Tswii! Appearing behind his friend, a crimson blade had formed in Igor¡¯s hand. Without hesitation, he swung it in an attempt to decapitate Atid. Shiing! . . . Silence¡­ The blade sliced true. Atid¡¯s head was completely decapi- ¡°?!?!¡± It was an afterimage! Completely caught offguard, Igor couldn¡¯t defend himself from the horsekick that found its way on his chin. Gu! He was sent flying into the air, his brain briefly entering the confines of unconsciousness before it quickly reset. ¡°!¡± Opening his eyes, Igor tucked his limbs in before backflipping onto the ground once more. Standing up straight, he touched his chin where Atid¡¯s kick had landed. ¡°Good one.¡± Grabbing his head, Igor gave his neck a twist before¡­ Crunch! ¡­a satisfying snap rang out. ¡°Enough with the warm-up, Brother Atid. What you say we kick this up a notch?¡± Immediately, Igor¡¯s power started to skyrocket. He released no pressure, but everyone could feel his strength soar. Slowly, his hair turned red, the strands melding together and spiking even further. The jump from fifty to a hundred-times increase in power made him officially enter the realm of mid-Supreme Class, something Atid had to match up quickly before he lost. Instead of replying out loud, Atid used action. ¡°[WELSH DRAGON! BALANCE BREAKER!]¡± Chapter 211 The jump from fifty to a hundred-times increase in power made him officially enter the realm of mid-Supreme Class, something Atid had to match up quickly before he lost. Instead of replying out loud, Atid used action. ¡°[WELSH DRAGON! BALANCE BREAKER!]¡± . |DxD| . It was complete chaos. Four days had already passed since Igor and Atid had fought, yet neither seemed to relent. They fought without restraint, with complete disregard for the other¡¯s life. They fought like enemies who were out for each other¡¯s necks. The only reason they could afford to fight so dangerously was because of the elders above them. In the event of one¡¯s death, they could be resurrected. Regardless, no matter how hard they fought, neither managed to inflict enough debilitating injuries before they healed. The ground in the Heavenly Realm was hard. Despite Atid¡¯s and Igor¡¯s relentless clash against each other, only a few tens of craters existed. The boys fought with all their might to outdo the other. But between Atid¡¯s divine energy and Igor¡¯s demi ki healing them, neither could maintain advantage for long. BOOOM! Su! Su! After a particularly violent clash, Igor and Atid separated from each other. With a space of a few dozen metres between each other, both teenagers looked no different from when they started. While Atid¡¯s scale armour remained pristine aside from dust, Igor¡¯s coat was completely torn apart. Still, aside from a bit of dirt on his face, his grin remained wider than ever. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su His aura was still vibrant like it was four days ago. Despite releasing a few powerful techniques, his ability to regenerate ki allowed him to maintain near-peak energy levels constantly. However, this didn¡¯t come without costs. Igor could feel that in two days, he would be too hungry to continue fighting. He was already hungry even now. And with how him and Atid couldn¡¯t secure a complete advantage against each other, it was time that this fight was brought to a conclusion. ¡°Hey, Atid. What do you say we get really wild? I can feel you still have more in the tank.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid considered Igor¡¯s words. Speaking from knowledge, he knew if this pace was kept, he could win this battle of attrition. Unlike Igor, his divine energy allowed him to live without the need to eat. And as long as he¡¯s in the Heavenly Realm, the amount of stamina he regenerated eclipsed the amount he expended, especially after completely mastering the Balance Breaker. ¡°Hmph.¡± But winning like this wasn¡¯t the Saiyan way. ¡°Alright. It just so happens that I have another trick I developed just for you, brother.¡± ¡°Really? Then¡­you go first.¡± Igor was curious to see what Atid had because from the looks of things, it wasn¡¯t the Juggernaut Drive. ¡°Very well, brother.¡± Slowly, Atid began to float. ¡°Then observe me carefully, for this form was born from my desire to surpass you.¡± Atid¡¯s scale mail slowly began to glow as his power began to rise. ¡°[CRIMSON THUNDER DRIVE!]¡± As soon as the announcement ended, a crimson thunderbolt struck Atid, completely enveloping him in a bright red flash filled with wisps of green. Igor had to momentarily cover his eyes from how bright it was. However, the flash ended just as soon as it appeared and once it did, it showed Atid to be in a smaller, sleeker version of the scale mail. Two long jet-like wings protruded from behind while his form gained a more aerodynamic design. The long horizontal slit where his eyes were glowed green as he looked Igor. ¡°You have always been faster than me, brother. No matter how many times I boosted myself, I could never gain an edge on you. But now, your only advantage against me is now redundant.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he got into a stance, ready to power-up. No longer was he grinning wildly. Instead, he was serious, serious as he ever would be. If he were to fight Atid as he was right now, then his loss would be almost a guarantee. And if Atid truly was as fast as he said he was, then Igor didn¡¯t think he¡¯d last even five minutes. ¡°I can feel your power, Brother Atid. You¡¯re on a new level entirely.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Slowly, the aura around him began to billow. ¡°I¡¯ll also show you my sincerity by displaying my absolute full-power.¡± Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su His eyes gradually grew fervent. ¡°No restraints! No nothing!¡± Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! ¡°I¡¯ll show you my power in its complete entirety!¡± The aura around him violently flashed as his power continued to increase. The pressure in the vicinity suddenly became heavy as his demi-ki came out of control. ¡°HaaaAAAA!¡± GRUUUUU! With his fists clenched tightly at his sides, Igor summoned every ounce of his power, every ounce of his ki to ascend into a form he had not touched since leaving the time chamber. Like the jagged edges of a razor knife, his hair grew spiked apart as if it was struck by lightning. But the most pressing change was not only how the veins on his entire bulged, but how his muscle mass noticeably swelled. So much demi-ki was flowing through him that his veins had to widen in order to accommodate such an overcharge of energy. This widening inevitably caused his muscles to noticeably swell. However, this didn¡¯t seem to cause Igor any pain. In fact, even as he powered up, he seemed to be growing more and more feral¡­like a wild animal. ¡°HAAAAAA!¡± As his power reached its peak, his skin darkened slightly from the sudden increase in the amount of blood flowing through him. It wasn¡¯t until he powered up to his maximum that he released a powerful shockwave. BOOOM! . . . Silence¡­ As the remaining dust around him cleared, Igor was exposed to be standing tall, his hair jutting out like the jagged edges of a rocky mountain. His body had grown more muscular, his chest noticeably swelling with each powerful breath he took. His body was so hot that the mist he released through his mouth was visible to the naked eye. His gaze zeroed in on Atid, his eyes glinting as his lips spread in a very, very wide grin. ¡°I want to fight¡­¡± Igor wasn¡¯t normal. That manic gaze¡­it was completely beyond his usual scale. ¡°I WANT YOU TO FIGHT ME!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! ¡°...¡± Atid got ready. ¡°[BOOST]¡± He wasn¡¯t completely sure what was going on with Igor, but the killing intent the redhead was releasing was not normal. [Something is wron-] Tswii! ¡°FIGHT ME!!!¡± BOOOM! Igor¡¯s strike was powerful. Atid could barely block it before it struck. As such¡­ SUUuuuuu¡­ ...he was sent flying. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t enter the confines of unconsciousness so he was able to maintain awareness and correct himself. Psshhhhuaaaa! With the thrusters on his back coming to life, he rushed forward with such fast acceleration that Igor who was about to give chase¡­could barely see the fist strike him. BOOOM! With a quick feint, Atid changed direction and struck him with a powerful gut punch. Igor who had raised his guard to block a punch to the face ¡­ ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± ¡­laughed despite Atid having landed a powerful attack in his midsection. With swift decisiveness, Igor grabbed his opponent¡¯s arm and heaved him over his shoulders. ¡°?!¡± Atid struggled to escape, but Igor¡¯s grip was too strong. He was helpless as Igor performed a powerful takedown by slamming him into the ground. Booom! And it didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Keeping a firm hold on Atid¡¯s arm, Igor cackled once more before heaving him up and slamming him into the ground again. Booom! And again. Booom! And again. Booom! It wasn¡¯t until a few slams later that Igor threw Atid into the air, ran forward, and gave him a powerful soccer kick to the stomach. ¡°?!¡± SUUUuuuu¡­BOOOM! Atid ploughed right into the ground. The pain of having his back used to dig a long trench paled to the absolute pain of having his guts kicked like that. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Getting up, he felt a bit light-headed from the previous impacts he had to suffer through. But he knew one thing. Even if his view of the world was inverted, he would never stand in one spot when fighting Igor. Su! ¡­BOOOM! Having retreated, he had barely dodged a stomp that would¡¯ve no doubt seen his lungs into early retirement. Keeping his distance from the manic redhead, Atid inwardly questioned himself. [Did his defence rise or is he impervious to pain?] He had put in a lot of power into the first gut punch, yet Igor shrugged it off like it was nothing. He was sure Ddraig would know, but the old dragon was asked not to help him. ¡°Tch.¡± Su! Evading again, he landed on the ground just as Igor grabbed his afterimage in a bear hug. [He¡¯s berserk. He either has very thick skin or his sense of pain has been dulled.] ¡°[BOOST!]¡± [Don¡¯t think too much, Atid. If one punch won¡¯t do it, then how about a hundred?] ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± After boosting his power seven times in succession, his power increased by over a hundred times. Yet, that would quickly dwindle with time. Tswii! In a flash, Igor appeared in front of Atid with his hand outstretched. He tried to grab his head, but Atid calmly swayed to the side. Immediately, the world seemed to lose all of its colour as Atid entered the Zone, a unique ability of his new state. [I am one with the world.] In his view, everyone including Igor, turned pale blue with Igor being the brightest shade. Numerous little matrix lines seemed to infinitely shoot into the horizon, all while everything else remained frozen in time. Calmly, Atid got into a stance as if he was preparing to punch the now-frozen Igor. Yet¡­ Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! ¡­light blue phantom versions of himself stretched from his body and continuously punched Igor, all while the original reeled back his fist. Igor remained completely frozen in time, unaware that havoc was being wrought on his body. Suuuuuu¡­ Soon, all the phantoms slowly seemed to be reabsorbed into Atid¡¯s body before finally, he punched forward. Gu! ¡­*SHATTER!* With that one punch, the pale zone shattered like glass as the colours of the world slowly bled in. As time resumed its course, Igor¡¯s manic grin slowly fell as a flood of pain registered throughout his body. ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­¡± He stumbled forward, his eyes open in shock. His hand moved to his chest where he held it tightly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± His steps were faltering. His eyes were losing. They were gradually rolling to the back of his head, indicating his impending unconsciousness. But before Atid could release a sigh of relief, Igor suddenly exploded with untold power. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± On instinct, he evaded the scene and opened a few metres of distance between them. ¡°...what?¡± What he saw astounded him. By all rights, his technique should¡¯ve knocked Igor out if not outright killed him. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Yet somehow, said redhead was laughing wildly in front of him. ¡°YES! YES! YES! This is the feeling! THIS IS THE FEELING!!!¡± Igor raised his head to face Atid, his palm covering one half of his face. Even as blood leaked out of his mouth, his singular visible crimson eye did little to hide his excitement. ¡°Give me more¡­¡± His power spiked up even more. ¡°Give¡­me¡­MOREEEEEE!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . AN . I vaguelly remember this transformation from when Igor first entered the Demigod State. It was in chapter 121. At the time, his limit was 110x. Looks like he improved(?) on it¡­to an extent. On another note, you can read five extra chapters on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Until the next chapter. Chapter 212 ¡°YES! YES! YES! This is the feeling! THIS IS THE FEELING!!!¡± Igor raised his head to face Atid, his palm covering one half of his face. Even as blood leaked out of his mouth, his singular visible crimson eye did little to hide his excitement. ¡°Give me more¡­¡± His power spiked up even more. ¡°Give¡­me¡­MOREEEEEE!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! . |DxD| . A few moments earlier¡­ . High up in the skies, Nandi and Shiva watched Igor, the former with obvious intrigue while the latter seemed to be in contemplation. Truth be told, not just them, but everyone observing this fight was quite astounded. Both these boys were less than twenty-years-old, yet they already achieved a level of power that took most of them hundreds or even thousands of years to obtain. No matter how the other Supreme Class entities tried to keep stoic faces, their awe and surprise could not be hidden. For the rest of the surviving army observing, they were thankfully protected from feeling the overwhelming power those two released, especially Igor. This type of pressure wasn¡¯t something they could withstand, but the lack of it did not prevent the admiration every survivor felt. ¡°Oh my. This is such an intriguing state. Don¡¯t you think so, Lord Shiva?¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva didn¡¯t reply immediately. Instead, he quietly observed Igor. He looked past the redhead¡¯s manic appearance and peered into his body. And what he saw surprised him. ¡°He¡¯s growing stronger.¡± ¡°¡°¡°?!¡±¡±¡± The people surrounding them couldn¡¯t help but feel shock at Shiva¡¯s words. Many of them didn¡¯t look deeply. But once they did, their eyes widened even further. It was true. Igor was getting stronger, and he seemed to get stronger with every hit he received. ¡°He is indeed growing stronger, my lord. If this rate continues, his power might very well double within the next hour. As for whether it will be a permanent increase, we can only wait.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva knew Nandi already had the answer. But he was indeed curious. As it stood, he could infer that¡­ [Dimori¡¯s power was already twenty-percent higher than his previous state. The increase is slow, but it jumps slightly whenever Atid strikes-] ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± With slightly widened eyes, Shiva watched as Atid achieved a transcended state of speed. [Oh?] He could see Atid landing numerous punches all across Igor¡¯s body. No matter how fast Atid was, Shiva could see him perform each of those punches before finally retreating to launch one final punch to Igor¡¯s heart. Shiva watched as Igor began to stagger forward, the redhead¡¯s eyes growing lifeless. [Hmm. I doubt Dimori will come back from¡­this¡­] Logically, Igor shouldn¡¯t have survived this. That punch, while it didn¡¯t obliterate his heart, completely shut it down. But out of nowhere, the surging demi-ki in his body suddenly flooded his heart. Not only did it repair it, it also made it stronger. [Evolution?] Not just his heart, but his entire body grew stronger. Just from this, Shiva knew that Atid¡¯s previous attack would not work as well if he used the same intensity. But the most surprising thing that Shiva saw, something that almost made him throw away his dignity as a god, was how Igor¡¯s power suddenly jumped to 160x his base power from the previous 120x. GRUUUU! ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± It wasn¡¯t just him who saw it. Everyone else did. Some of them couldn¡¯t hide their shocked gazes. ¡°Give¡­me¡­MOREEEEEE!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! ¡°...¡± Shiva was glad he did not voice his doubt of Igor surviving. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. . |DxD| . ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± It grated Atid to admit it, but Igor was adapting and if it continued, his defeat would be imminent. Over ten minutes had gone by since Igor¡¯s power increased and after using [The Zone] two more times, its effectiveness was diminishing. [Damn hack.] His stamina had increased numerous folds compared to three years ago. But it still didn¡¯t equate to this stamina freak in front of him. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± It didn¡¯t mean he would give up. Psshuuaaa! With the thrusters behind him working at their maximum efficiency, he rushed forward at speeds Igor couldn¡¯t react to. Su! [One last try¡­] ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± Atid¡¯s power surged as it increased a thousand times over. He could only hold this much power for a few moments at best so he had to be quick. [I am one with the world.] As he entered the Zone, Igor¡¯s elbow that was coming for him suddenly froze. Without hesitation, he struck him. Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! He didn¡¯t hold back. With complete ruthlessness, he struck Igor in all his vital spots not with the intent to incapacitate, but to kill him. It certainly wasn¡¯t because he hated Igor, but because he knew that nothing short of death would put him down. Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! He stretched out the duration for as long as he could, each hit becoming more powerful than the next. As he neared his limit, he reeled his fist back. But this time, he didn¡¯t aim for the heart. Suuuuuuu¡­ He aimed for the neck. Gu! ¡­*SHATTER!* As the colour of the world began to fade in, Atid felt confident in his victory, especially as Igor remained frozen on the spot, trails of blood leaking through his lips. Slowly, Atid felt the remainder of his boosted power fade away. Out of no desire for any last-ditch surprises, he placed a few hundred metres of space between them. Su! But he was assured of his victory. Igor¡¯s aura was weak. The injuries were so grievous that it would be easier to resurrect him than heal him. Gradually, Igor fell on one knee. Atid admired his tenacity and desire not to lose, but it was hopeless. He had¡­wait a minute. ¡°...¡± Why was his aura not¡­fading? Su Su Su Su Su Su Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! It wasn¡¯t getting weaker. In fact, it was getting¡­stronger?! ¡°IMPOSSIBLE!¡± He survived that?! Atid couldn¡¯t let him stand up. If he stood up, then ¡­ ¡°NO!¡± ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± Psshuaaa! Rushing at full speed, Atid intended to deliver one last attack. He couldn¡¯t let him get up again otherwise, his chances of winning would completely evaporate. He had Igor on the ropes. If he could use his Zone technique again, he was sure he would be able to fell this stubborn behemoth. [Just one more! One more!] Unfortunately, he was too late. Just as Atid got within three metres of him, he was repelled by a rapid surge of power. GRUUUUU! As Igor¡¯s power rose once more, the force of the pressure he exerted sent Atid flying backwards. Flipping back in midair, Atid landed on his feet, but the damage had already been done. ¡°No¡­¡± Igor¡¯s power was skyrocketing. The massive amount of energy he was releasing acted like a powerful barrier that would prevent anyone from getting close. ¡°Damnit¡­¡± Blood covered Igor¡¯s chest like someone threw paint on him. His entire jawline was dyed red all the way to his neck. Several parts of his body had splotches of red beneath the skin, a sign of internal bleeding. SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU But as his power grew, those injuries faded like they never existed. ¡°HAAAAAAAA!¡± He shouted towards the skies as a violent curtain of crimson shrouded him. His power had increased over 200x his base state, yet it showed no signs of stopping. Having endured such a devastating attack and survived triggered his evolution multiple times over. ¡°No. I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t lose!!!¡± Atid¡¯s grievances aired themselves out in the face of this predicament. He didn¡¯t hate Igor. He hated his weakness. He hated that after all the work he did, after all the resources he¡¯s been given, and after all the guidance he¡¯s received, he still came up short. ¡°I¡¯m unwilling!!¡± A green aura flashed around him as the emerald gem on his left hand glowed ominously. In the face of Igor¡¯s rising power, Atid refused to acknowledge defeat. Gritting his teeth in mild fury, he took a glance at Igor before resolving himself. ¡°I¡­I who am about to awaken-¡± {Don¡¯t do it, son.} ¡°...¡± Atid momentarily froze as he heard Indra¡¯s voice in his mind. He did not expect his father would interfere like this. But¡­even if his father was advising him to stop, what was he expected to do against the figure clouded in a violent storm of energy? {Son. Your state of mind is not suitable for the Juggernaut Drive. You will lose yourself the moment you enter it and not only will Igor eventually defeat you, you will lose at least a century of your lifespan. Do truly want to take such a needless risk?} ¡°...¡± Atid had no reply. It was true that if he wasn¡¯t focused, he would lose himself to the power. But he was desperate. He needed the power brought by the Juggernaut Drive. {What do you expect me to do then, father? Without it, then-} {Son. I believe in you. Trust me when I tell you you¡¯re so close to a change you don¡¯t even realise it. Believe not only in your gear¡¯s strength, but in yours as well. I promise you the results will please you.} With those words said, Indra cut off contact with his son. Whether Atid followed his words or not would remain to be seen. ¡°...¡± Down below, Atid looked at the ground in contemplation. He seemed uncaring for the world around him, his mind processing Indra¡¯s words. The silence seemed to stretch on forever as he battled his inner turmoil and all his insecurities. Igor was strong, much stronger than. But Indra believed in him. ¡°Father¡¯s right¡­¡± Slowly, golden energy surrounded his scale mail as he raised his head. ¡°If he believes in me¡­then I¡¯ll believe in myself.¡± Gradually, the golden aura around him surged as it flowed all the way into his left hand. All the while, he locked eyes with the sinister gaze smiling at him. ¡°I won¡¯t lose to you, Igor.¡± A surge of power swelled around him as his armour glowed once more. ¡°You hear me?!?!¡± He shouted with fervour. ¡°I. WON¡¯T. LOSE!¡± ¡°[VELOCITY ASCEND!]¡± Pa! In an instant, golden lightning struck Atid, resulting in a bright yellow flash surrounding him. The strike was violent, the power behind it unmistakable. Hidden beneath the yellow flash, Atid¡¯s figure seemed to be remolded once more as his power reached new margins. Zuuuuu¡­ Slowly, the bright flash faded. Atid stood tall, his eyes imposing and unwavering. His scale mail now had evolved to become more angular and aerodynamic. Instead of only two jet-like wings, two more pairs formed beneath the first pair, making him have a total of three wings, each pair with varying lengths. Expanding from his rear was a very long tail over twice his height. With his new form, his power peaked. It was time for the second round. This time, Atid would give it his all. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± . AN . Sorry for the late update. I was saddled with internal family matters I won¡¯t go into. Thank you for your patience in waiting and I hope you will enjoy the next three chapters. I will do my best to make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again. Chapter 213 Instead of only two jet-like wings, two more pairs formed beneath the first pair, making him have a total of three wings, each one with varying lengths. Expanding from his rear was a very long tail over twice his height. With his new form, his power peaked. It was time for the second round. This time, Atid would give it his all. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± . |DxD| . The announcement of ¡°ascend¡± from the Boosted Gear astounded many. It was the first time in history that a different phrase was used for when a wielder doubled their power. However, none dared to think too much for fear of missing any crucial details. This was history in the making and they were witnesses. Down below, Atid didn¡¯t grow complacent despite this new well of power coursing through him. He could feel it. Not just his power, but his speed had increased dramatically. ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± He clenched his fists. This time, he was not going to repeat the same mistake as before. This time¡­ [I¡¯ll end this in an instant.] ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± He bided his time and waited for Igor. The least he could do was wait for his brother to evolve. It was also his penance for letting anger cloud him before. SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU SU On the opposite side, the dense aura of crimson surrounding Igor rapidly grew in intensity as he reached his new peak. The fluctuations were sporadic, the wisps of energy kicking up dust as the earth rumbled at the pressure he exerted. ¡°HaaaAAAAA!¡± GRUUUU! As he reached his peak, an all-powerful shockwave spread out, unleashing a hurricane that would¡¯ve blown anyone else off their feet. Yet, Atid remained steadfast, his gaze unyielding as he faced his opponent. In front of Igor¡¯s manic smile, he remained calm, his mind no longer turbulent like before. He would not give Igor the chance to best him again. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± Psshhhhh¡­ He would no longer hesitate. Right here and right now, he would put Igor down and claim victory. Pshuuuaaaa! With all six thrusters bursting behind him, he charged at speeds that eclipsed Igor¡¯s perception by miles. Gu! Landing a powerful punch, Atid dared not linger longer and circled around to land a knee on Igor¡¯s spine. Gu! ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± It was guerilla warfare. Already knowing how Igor¡¯s sense of pain had dulled, Atid would strike a vital spot before vanishing, much to Igor¡¯s immense annoyance. ¡°Stop being a coward and FIGHT!¡± GRUUU! Exploding in power, he released a super explosive barrier that absolutely destroyed everything around him. BOOOOM! Far on the wayside, Atid stood crouched. Having instantly placed a hundred kilometres of distance between them, he readied himself to charge forward once more. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± His thrusters were primed, his body coiled like a spring. As soon as that giant crimson dome vanished, he would rush forward without hesitation. SUUUuuuuu¡­ Gradually, the dome vanished. But Atid could sense another surge of energy rising. ¡°...¡± Igor was preparing another attack. He wouldn¡¯t let him complete it. Psshuuaaa! Dashing forward, he reached Igor so quickly that the redhead didn¡¯t even have the time to completely charge his energy wave attack. Su! Crouching low, Atid avoided the crimson orb on Igor¡¯s stretched-out hand and clenched his fist. With complete precision, he let loose a punch that struck Igor squarely on his stomach. BOOOM! Fist met gut. The damage was critical. The strike was so impactful that it sounded like an explosion. Suuuuu¡­ Without delay, Igor was sent flying. His eyes widened as spit involuntarily flew out of his mouth. But without the accompanying pain to distract his thoughts, his senses immediately spread out to perceive Ati- Gu! ¡­BOOOM! Without fanfare, Atid struck him once more with an overhead kick, instantly burying him dozens of metres into the ground. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. His thrusters burst to life once more before he descended like a missile. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± BOOOOOOOOOM! A giant plume of dust rose from the crater as if hundreds upon hundreds of dynamite sticks had been set off. The view of the scene was completely obscured with a dense brown curtain of sand and rubble, but the rapid increase in power was very clear to everyone¡¯s senses¡­ ¡­along with a very jubilant laugh. ¡°HAHAHAHA! GOT YOU!¡± SU! From the dust cloud, Igor emerged with his hand firmly clasped around Atid¡¯s throat. His grip was so tight that Atid¡¯s armour visibly fractured around his neck. He had a bloody smile on his face, all while the cracking sound of his bones fixing themselves rang out. Atid had struck true on his chest, but Igor was just that durable. Maintaining a firm grasp on his neck, Igor flew up before he rapidly descended towards the ground and slammed Atid head first into the hardened earth. Boom! As the dust cloud, it revealed Igor to be mounted on top of Atid, his right hand balled into a fist. ¡°Paybaaaack. Hahahahaha!¡± Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! Without mercy, he proceeded to pummel Atid right in the face. Each punch sounded like an explosive and Atid was helpless to resist. His left hand remained firmly clenched around Atid¡¯s neck, his right hand raining blow after blow on his face. Gu! Gu! Gu! Soon, Atid had enough. With his armour cracking, he knew it would be over if he lost consciousness here. Fueled by anger-induced clarity, he brought his hands in front of him and unleashed a green energy blast. But Igor already had the same thoughts as he released a mouth blast. ¡°Get off!¡± ¡°Raaa!¡± Boooom! Fortunately, the hastily charged blasts weren¡¯t powerful so the explosion wasn¡¯t too big. Still, as the loser of the exchange, Igor was flung several metres away. Krrrr¡­ Skidding on the ground, Igor didn¡¯t dare let someone as slippery as Atid escape his grasp for long. Tswii! With a quick application of Instant Vanish, he appeared in front of Atid and grabbed his leg. ¡°?!¡± It was heavily unfortunate for Atid since unlike Igor, the concussive force of the blast had temporarily immobilised him. ¡°Come! We¡¯re not done yet!¡± Maintaining a firm hold on Atid, Igor swung him around like a club, slamming him on the ground multiple times. Boom! ¡­Boom! ¡­Boom! Finally, he threw him up into the air and quickly charged up an attack. ¡°RAAAA!¡± A powerful red energy wave came out of his mouth like a laser, instantly hitting Atid. BOOOM! Atid was sent flying further into the air¡­ Tswii! ¡­and Igor was there to bring him back down. Gu! Bringing a double axe-handle right on Atid¡¯s stomach, he sent him crashing into the ground below. Suuuu¡­Booom! Atid was really feeling the damage now. All the power he gained through ascending had completely drained and Igor wasn¡¯t allowing him any time to ascen- ¡°HELLOOOOOO!¡± ¡°?!¡± Before he could react, Igor had already grabbed his face and pinned him to the ground. Doof! ¡°Hehehehehe¡­HAHAHAHA!¡± With a maniacal laugh, Igor treated him like a hoe and ran him through the ground¡­literally. Grrrrrrrrrrr¡­ Maintaining a firm grasp on his head, Igor ran full speed ahead, all while using Atid¡¯s head as a tool to till the soil. A trench kilometres long stretched as Igor pressed Atid¡¯s face further and further into the ground. Once Atid¡¯s face was nearly submerged under a sea of earth, he finally stopped¡­ ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± And pulled him out. ¡°Hehehehehe¡­¡± Having Atid hang lifelessly as he grabbed his face, Igor was filled with pride at having bested his query. Slowly, he reached out with his left hand and placed it near Atid¡¯s heart. ¡°Time for nighty nigh-¡± ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± ¡°!¡± Bursting with newfound power, Atid reacted quickly and kicked Igor right in the armpit. Igor might not feel pain, but his arm would go numb. With Igor involuntarily letting go, Atid let himself fall into the ground. Plop Upon landing, he crouched down to avoid Igor¡¯s remaining hand that reached out to grab him. Twisting his body, Atid raised his leg and struck Igor right in the ear. This served to make the redhead stumble, albeit temporarily. ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± Using his hands to push himself off the ground, Atid rushed forward and tackled Igor. It was a somewhat stupid move, but he had enough. Charging forward, he kept a firm hold around Igor¡¯s waist and ran. He had very few moments to act before Igor would grab him once more, something he didn¡¯t want. ¡°Haa!¡± Having built up enough momentum, he threw Igor far off into the distance. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± Tswii! This time, Atid¡¯s perception was more than enough to see Igor appear in front of him. [...] Calmly, he crouched and using Igor¡¯s momentum, he flung him over his shoulders into the ground. Booom! Quickly stretching out his hand, Atid fired a quick green blast right into Igor¡¯s face, temporarily disorienting him. Doof! ¡°[ASCEND!]¡± Picking up the redhead, Atid threw him away before ascending once more. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± He had already ascended eleven times. But because of Igor¡¯s constant interruption, he kept losing valuable time to build up the power needed to permanently end the redhead. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± Just one more ascension and he would be able to use explosio- Su! ¡°...¡± Reacting quickly, Atid prepared to attack¡­behind him! Tswii! Just as Igor once more tried to be slick and use Instant Vanish, he was met with Atid¡¯s elbow to his nose just as soon as he appeared. ¡°Argh!¡± Repaying the previous pleasantries, Atid placed his hand on Igor¡¯s stomach and unleashed a powerful energy wave attack. ¡°[DRAGON BLASTER!]¡± Ka¡­DRUUU! Using some of his built-up power for the blast, Atid released the attack with such fervour that Igor was constantly pushed by the attack far off into the distance. He didn¡¯t stop. He needed to place as much ground between him and Igor for this to work. It wasn¡¯t until several hundred kilometres of distance opened up between them that Atid finally cancelled the attack. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± There was no time to waste. An attack of that level wouldn¡¯t put down Igor, but the next one would. ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND!]¡± Finally, his power reached its peak. ¡°[EXPLOSION!]¡± Su! It was too late. Even as Igor appeared once more, Atid casually dodged his outstretched hand. [I am one with the world.] Once again, the colour faded from the world. This time, three more phantom versions of Atid appeared around Igor, each of them in varying states of executing an attack. And so it begun. Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! What appeared like hundreds of hands completely enveloped Igor. Fist upon fist struck his body with complete wild abandon. All his vitals were hit a multitude of times and Atid made sure to be thorough this time. Using all of his power in his arsenal, Atid did not hold back in the slightest. With the time limit on his Zone technique coming to an end, he struck as hard as he could with ruthless efficiency. Suuuuu¡­ Soon, all the numerous fists retreated to each of the four Atid¡¯s as they got ready to launch the final blow. The original reeled back his fist, his aim set on Igor¡¯s head. One phantom got ready to launch a kick that would land on Igor¡¯s jaw. Another phantom readied a fist that would target the liver and the last readied a palm strike towards Igor¡¯s back. As the time limit reached zero, all of them struck. Gu! Gu! Gu! Gu! The damage was critical. Each vital area was struck with absolute accuracy. *SHATTER!* As the colour of the world bled in once more, all of Atid¡¯s phantom versions disappeared. This time and without ceremony, Igor fell face-first into the ground, a pool of blood forming underneath him. The damage he suffered was so much that even with his massively increased defence and stamina, he could not withstand so many undefended attacks, especially to his vital points. ¡°...¡± ¡°[RESET!]¡± As the power of [Explosion] ran out, Atid lost his armour as well as his power increase after the announcement. Exhausted, the brunnette fell on his rear next to Igor. ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± He did not come out of this exchange without damage either. A small trickle of blood had made its way past his lips, but his pain was minor compared to Igor. ¡°Haaa¡­hahaha. I¡­won¡­¡± Atid was so happy, so absorbed in his victory that he did not notice one crucial detail. Igor¡¯s hair was still red. . AN . All the symptoms of battle lust Igor trained himself to remove have manifested themselves in this form. Realistically, he could¡¯ve won this fight if he didn¡¯t gloat. Chapter 214 He did not come out of this exchange without damage either. A small trickle of blood had made its way past his lips, but his pain was minor compared to Igor. ¡°Haaa¡­hahaha. I¡­won¡­¡± Atid was so happy, so absorbed in his victory that he did not notice one crucial detail. Igor¡¯s hair was still red. . |DxD| . *Sniff*¡­*Sniff*¡­ A little girl struggled to hold back her tears as she shook the bloodied body of her host. ¡°Wake up, meanie. Please wake up...¡± Triny tearfully shook Igor¡¯s comatose body. Her hands were already covered in his blood, but she didn¡¯t care. He wasn¡¯t breathing. His heart wasn¡¯t beating. ¡°Wake up.*Hik* WAKE UP!¡± But no matter how much she shook his body, his eyes didn¡¯t open. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you waking up! Please wake up!¡± Her panic was reaching new levels of high. ¡°I told you I could help! I TOLD YOU!¡± She collapsed on his chest, uncaring that her golden hair was dyed crimson. She sobbed. *Hik*¡­ She tearfully sobbed. She was distraught. But more than that, she was angry. suuuuuuuuUUUUUU A mighty pressure descended in the region. The air felt heavy, the pressure so immense that even the sun dared not shine brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him¡­¡± Her head rose as her killing intent made itself known. Her hatred for Atid reached unprecedented levels, his cruel visage firmly cemented in her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Her eyes turned completely black like mercury, all while dark tendrils slowly covered Igor¡¯s form. Her hair spiked as a completely dark aura surrounded her. ¡°I WILL KILL HIM!!!!!!¡± . |DxD| . Atid sat on the ground, heavily satisfied with his victory. Any moment now, atleast by his guess, one of the elders from Shiva¡¯s side would arrive and retrieve Igor. Having blown his heart out, it was plainly obvious that he had killed his friend. Fortunately, this was the Heavenly Realm. Death didn¡¯t mean much here- [GET AWAY FROM HERE, PARTNER!] ¡°?!¡± Combat-hardened instinct made Atid retreat just in time to avoid a very powerful explosion of power. Su! GRUUUUUU! . . . Su! Appearing several hundred metres away, Atid finally stopped and looked back. And what he saw surprised him. ¡°What is¡­that?¡± A horribly massive dark dome of energy had rose. The energy released was violent with sparks of red lightning constantly flashing. Atid didn¡¯t know how to react. His mind was unsettled and for the first time, a small tinge of fear crept into his heart. This power he felt¡­it was ludicrous and it was still increasing. With widened eyes, he found himself on the verge of retreating. ¡°Wh-whaa-¡± [Snap out of it, partner! Calm yourself and use the juggernaut drive while you still have time!] The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°...¡± For a brief moment, Atid reached out to his father with his senses. But from how Indra remained unmoving, Atid was forced to accept that his father nor anyone else for that matter would intervene. With a slight trace of sweat forming on his forehead, he grit his teeth and stood his ground. ¡°Alright.¡± This was not the time to let fear cloud his mind. If he was to face off against this new threat, he needed to remain calm. Despite the overwhelming surge of power in front of him, Atid lowered his head and closed his eyes. Like Indra taught him, he had to adapt and respond to the situation despite the odds. Even though the risk was immense, he disconnected himself from all his senses. It was vital that he stopped trembling and focus. How much time he had was unspecified, but he calmed himself before chanting. ¡°I, who am about to awaken, am the Heavenly Dragon who has stolen the Principles of Domination from God.¡± Gradually, a green aura emanated from him. ¡°I laugh at the infinite, and I fret over the dream. I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination, and I shall sink you to the depths of the crimson purgatory.¡± The tiding surge of power around him increased as he uttered each word until finally¡­his power exploded. ¡°[JUGGERNAUT DRIVE!]¡± GRUUU! His power exploded as he tapped into the forbidden form. The aura around him surged as it countered the immense pressure Igor was releasing. Having mastered the Juggernaut Drive to an extent, Atid did not become a hulking draconic beast. Instead, the Boosted Gear covering his arm slowly extended until crimson scale armour covered half of his chest. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± ¡°...¡± Remaining steadfast, Atid gazed at the giant fiery dome. From this power, he could tell that this was Trihexa. If the situation wasn¡¯t so dreary, he would¡¯ve chuckled at how such a shy little girl could hold such overwhelming fury. *Clenches fists* Regardless, even if he had to expend years of his lifespan, he would not back down here. . |DxD| . A few moments earlier¡­ . SuSu Very quickly, far too fast for most eyes to even perceive, a red flame covered Igor before it quickly faded away. SuSu Once more, the flame appeared but no one noticed it, not even Atid. However, the more obvious sightings were black tendrils stretching all over his body with his forehead as the origin point. They were like thick paint that spread throughout his body, completely covering his skin. SuSu Once the flame appeared the third time, the tendrils had already subtly spread to every corner of his body and once they did¡­a massive explosion of power happened. GRUUUU! Slowly, he pushed himself off the ground as a massive tide of crimson-black aura surrounded him. ¡°Grrrrrrrrr¡­¡± A low beast-like growl escaped through his throat. He stood on all fours, all while a metamorphosis occurred throughout his body. His skin had completely turned black while several strands of his hair had also turned black. His hulking figure had shrunk down. The lack of definition on his form made him appear very thin to the point of seeming malnourished. As Igor slowly raised his head, his eyes were revealed to be completely pupil-less. With his entire face being painted black, his empty eyes seemed to glow with a hollowness that surpassed the abyss. Slowly opening his mouth, the inside was empty. The only semblance of teeth were black spiky protrusions similar to stalagmites found in caves. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± His energy surged as he released a deafening roar. The world itself seemed to shake as his unimaginable power poured out like a raging tsunami. The massive energy of crimson mixed with black was immense. As the centre figure of it all, he was diminutive in comparison. *Tap* Walking on all fours, he took a step forward. His target was in front of him and no matter what, he would rip his target apart. ¡°Grrrrrrrrr¡­¡± His killing intent was unmistakable. Su! With incomprehensible speeds, he charged towards Atid. CLASH! The impact was violent. Atid had also charged forward and the moment they met in the centre, they entered a contest of strength with each other. Boom! Boom! Boom! Their auras collided violently with each, crimson-black clashing against emerald. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± Atid was not losing to Igor in terms of momentum. Even as he gazed into those soul-less eyes that screamed for his death, he forced himself to remain composed. With this being his sixth boost, he began to slowly overpower Igor, both in might and in aura. ¡°HaaAAAA!¡± ¡°[BOOST!]¡± Summoning all his might, he aimed to completely suppress Igor and think of a way to seal Trihexa¡¯s influence on him. As it stood, Atid knew from experience that killing Igor would be impossible with his current level of strength. From what his father told him, Trihexa had a very strong healing factor and it was possibly this healing factor that prevented Igor from dying despite having his heart destroyed. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± Having Igor on the ropes, the most pressing matter was figuring out how to seal off Trihe- ¡°RAAAAAAAAA!¡± Ka...Druuuu! ¡°?!¡± Reacting swiftly, Atid dodged a white laser beam that could¡¯ve burned through his head. [Tch! Damnit!] He cursed himself. Because he was focused on finding a solution to seal Triny, he had given Igor a window of opportunity to counter-attack. Forced to retreat, he could only watch with a horrified gaze as Igor¡¯s power rapidly skyrocketed once more. GRUUUUUU! He was forced to retreat even further and was helpless to prevent the inevitable. Under everyone¡¯s eyes, the violent aura around Igor slowly took shape before suddenly, ten bull-like horns formed on Igor¡¯s head. They were only illusory, but every single veteran, especially those of the supreme class knew what those horns were. Trihexa. Shiva¡¯s heir had a connection to Trihexa. . |DxD| . ¡°My lord¡­¡± Nandi began, but deliberately paused in the end. He was waiting for Shiva¡¯s permission. ¡°Speak freely, Nandi.¡± Nodding respectfully, Nandi spoke once more. ¡°My lord. Is it wise to let this continue?¡± ¡°Nandi. I am not a shield. Dimori must bear the consequences of his actions. I will not intervene.¡± Shiva made his stance firm and clear. Whether or not the entire supernatural world would come to know of this, he wouldn¡¯t bother to suppress it. ¡®Fortunately¡¯, everyone from the realm of god class and lower had been rendered unconscious by the power Igor and Atid released in their initial clash. And conveniently enough, they had all been teleported away. ¡°...¡± If Nandi didn¡¯t know better, he would think that Igor was his lord¡¯s secret son. ¡°As you wish, my lord. I shall not intervene then.¡± He was looking forward to how Atid would fair against Igor. From the looks of things, Indra¡¯s son would be forced to use his lifespan as a source of power soon if he wants to reach higher boosts. Regardless, this would be a very entertaining battle. . AN . I want to see how Atid fairs in this. Since he¡¯s mostly a god that is part human, I¡¯m guessing Atid would have rather sizeable reserves of lifespan. If he uses that in conjunction with his Juggernaut Drive, he might be able to stand against Igor. As Ddraig said, it¡¯s his only shot at surviving. Chapter 215 ¡°As you wish, my lord. I shall not intervene then.¡± He was looking forward to how Atid would fair against Igor. From the looks of things, Indra¡¯s son would be forced to use his lifespan as a source of power soon if he wants to reach higher boosts. Regardless, this would be a very entertaining battle. . |DxD| . As the horns formed on Igor¡¯s head, his power increased to new margins. Just from how high it rose, Atid knew he was presented with a very troublesome situation. ¡°Tch¡­¡± ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± Swiftly increasing his power over, he swiftly charged forward. Su! Five boosts was the maximum amount he could power with his current amount of energy. Any further and he would have to use his lifeforce. But¡­ ¡°HA!¡± Five boosts should be enough to beat this stubborn redhead into submission. BOOOM! . . . Silence¡­ As the dust cleared, a sight that shocked the observers once more happened. After boosting himself five times, Atid was undoubtedly stronger than Igor. Yet, he couldn¡¯t make him budge in the slightest. ¡°Ke¡­ki¡­¡± Despite punching with all his might, Atid couldn¡¯t make Igor retreat by a single step. He remained hovering in midair, his fist completely unable to penetrate the dome of energy. Even worse, Igor seemed to not be paying attention to him. His eyes remained forward, his power continuing to increase. It wasn¡¯t until a few moments later that his aura shaped itself into a long indistinct tentacle-like tail. This time, it was subtle, but his power quietly surged once more. As the one who has to face this power, Atid quietly cursed before rising into the air once more. Raising his hand, a massive green sphere formed in his hand. ¡°Now would be a good time for advice, Ddraig! HAA!¡± Throwing it down, he didn¡¯t have much hope in it hitting Igor. He just needed time to plan on how he could take down his adversary. [If you can manage to touch the mark on his forehead with the sacred gear, I can see if I can wake him up.] It was the best solution Ddraig could come up with on the spot, though Atid didn¡¯t like it. [Do you want to find a new wielder this soo-?!] Su! Reacting quickly, he dodged a massive aura hand that had extended to grab him. He didn¡¯t have time to marvel when suddenly, dozens upon dozens of hands reached out to grab him. Su! ¡­Su! ¡­.Su! He nimbly dodged each one of them whilst keeping his senses out for any surprises. He didn¡¯t dare get cocky or confident for fear of unexpected reversals. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± Regardless, he was in a passive position and the longer this stretched on, the worse it would get on him. [And this is only the first tail.] Last he checked, Trihexa had seven. If Igor was slowly transforming into a spectral version of the beast, then he sincerely didn¡¯t want to see seven tails or nine other heads sprouting any time soon. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± ¡°HAAA!¡± Yelling out as he surged with power, Atid stopped evading and charged forward. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± He could feel his lifeforce drain by the weeks, but he didn¡¯t dare stop. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± He nimbly dodged the flurry of limbs diverging towards. All Atid had in his mind was reaching Igor. But it was always easier to perform something on paper than in real life. ¡°RAAAAAAA!¡± Feeling rage at failing to capture his target, Igor released a demonic scream that forcefully repelled Atid back. It was like a windstorm that forced the brunette to shield himself from the force alone. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Su! He didn¡¯t dare linger any longer. Knowing that the arms behind him would descend, Atid decisively vanished from the spot and appeared far behind Igor with his mouth wide open. ¡°[BLAZING INFERNO OF SCORCHING FLAMES!]¡± Instantly, a massive torrent of flames poured out of his mouth. With victory completely in his mind, he was no longer averse to using some of Ddraig¡¯s more deadly attacks. Su! Instead of evading the flames, Igor got on all fours and charged ahead with incomprehensible speed. Under a torrential wave of flames, a small red streak charged ahead and met them head on. Soon, Igor disappeared under the flames and Atid felt the impact. But, something was wrong. ¡°?!¡± Something was very wrong. Igor was¡­running through the flames! ¡°GrrrrrRAAAAA!¡± To his complete surprise, he could barely react as Igor burst out of the flames with his jaws wide open. ¡°?!¡± Out of instinct, he made the fatal mistake of shielding with his right hand¡­and Igor bit into it. ¡°AAAAAAAAAH!¡± ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± Fueled by pain and rage, Atid punched him right in the gut. ¡°[PENETRATE!]¡± With complete ruthlessness, he used one of Ddraig¡¯s strongest abilities to pierce his fist right into Igor¡¯s abdomen. ¡°RAAAAAA!¡± Feeling his body¡¯s defences being bypassed, Igor roared in pain, the resulting shockwave pushing Atid away once more. Immediately taking the opportunity, Atid reeled back his left hand before charging an attack. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! TRANSFER! DRAGON BLASTER!]¡± It was an unconventional trick he discovered, but he transferred the majority of his accumulated energy into the blast and fired it. Ka¡­DRUUUU! It swiftly connected and sent Igor flying far off into the distance. SUUuuuuu...BOOOM! ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± Atid breathed heavily. Everything had happened so quickly that his mind was still slightly muddled. It was only the stinging pain he felt that finally made him pay attention to his arm that was bitten. Hiss! The wound was painful. But even more, he could see the corruption spreading from his arm upwards. This corruption was dangerous. It was eating him from the inside. Even his divine energy was helpless to being corroded. ¡°Damnit¡­¡± Despite his efforts, it had already spread all the way to his hand and even his finger nails had darkened with rot. ¡°Damnit!¡± His entire arm was turning black as the rot set in. If he didn¡¯t do anything soon, this corruption would spread to the rest of his body. By then, he¡¯d have no choice but to obediently wait for death. ¡°...¡± Ddraig remained silent, but Atid didn¡¯t need the dragon to tell him what needed to be done. ¡°...damnit it all¡­¡± Moving his left hand over to his right, a green aura blade covered the gauntlet. Atid positioned it right under his shoulder as hesitation clouded his mind. ¡°Damnit damnit damnit damnit damnit¡­¡± SHIIING! ¡°DAMNIT!!!!!!!!!! ¡± Plop¡­ Cursing through the pain, Atid fell on one knee. ¡°AAAAAH! G-GODDAMNIT!¡± Holding his bleeding stump, he did the best he could to heal it so that he wouldn¡¯t bleed out. His forehead was wet with his sweat, his brows scrunched as he grit his teeth through the pain. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­¡± The act of cutting off his arm took his breath away. If Atid had a say in this matter, he would wish for atleast a few minutes of rest. But the rumbling underground told him he had less than a second to leave or else he¡¯d wish he was dead. Su! Gritting his teeth through the pain, he vanished just in time to avoid two massive energy hands that burst out of the ground. A few moments later, Igor appeared out of the ground as well, his empty eyes turning to look at Atid. ¡°RAAAAAAAA!¡± ¡°...¡± *Clenches Fist!* ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± Boosting eleven times in succession, Atid could feel his lifeforce drastically drain by the years. But he no longer cared. It would take him a long time to regain his lifeforce, but he¡¯d make sure he¡¯d get his life¡¯s worth by pummelling Igor into the ground. Su! Rushing forward with rage-fueled boosts, he reeled his fist back before he unleashed a torrential punch. ¡°HAAA!¡± ¡°[PENETRATE!]¡± BOOOOOM! . |DxD| . Chaos. It was complete and utter chaos. Hours and it was still neck and neck. Atid stood tall, his body covered in blood. Some belonged to him while some belonged to Igor. He had lost count of how many times he had used penetrate, but it was effective when faced against Igor¡¯s high defence. On the other side, Igor was on all fours with two new tails gently swaying behind him. It had been an hour since his third tail form, but the fourth showed no signs of appearing. It was apparent that he had reached his limits. His energy wasn¡¯t surging with the same fervour as before. In fact, it was steadily declining. No matter how monstrous his body was, the effects of constantly being struck with [Penetrate] had pushed his stamina, his endurance, and his healing capabilities to their limits. As it stood, there was a visible wound between his ribs where Atid had stabbed him with his fingers. It was glaringly obvious as the only splotch of red against his darkened form. ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡± The only thing that had yet to die down however, was his immense killing intent. ¡°RAAAAAAAA!!!!!!¡± With one last outcry, he stood up from all fours and began concentrating a powerful attack between his hands. ¡°...¡± Atid knew that this was it. Perhaps both fighters had sensed each other¡¯s nearing limits and decided to settle this once and for all. Even if he did rush forward to interrupt Igor, those tails would pin him in place until he wasted his boosts. [This is it then¡­] No longer did his eyes hold fear or rage like before. In front of such a powerful foe, in front of such opposing odds, Atid remained calm as he got ready to meet Igor head-on. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± As he reeled his remaining arm back, a small emerald orb laced with golden strands of his divine energy formed. ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± This was his last shot. If he failed here, he would lose consciousness without question. By then, he¡¯d be killed with no question. ¡°Thank you for this fight, brother.¡± He could see Igor concentrate a powerful crimson-black orb between his palms. Despite its very small size, the power contained within was unmistakable. ¡°No matter what happens after this¡­¡± He looked at his remaining stump. ¡°...I have no regrets.¡± Wherever his arm was, it had probably rotted beyond recognition or had been completely obliterated during their exchange. ¡°I have grown more in this fight than I have in years.¡± ¡°[BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!]¡± ¡°I thank you for that, brother.¡± Slowly and unaware of the change, thin, barely noticeable golden stripes slowly spread over his body. Once he blinked, the emerald colour of his eyes was replaced by one of pure gold. ¡°[HYPERDRIVE!] Chichichichichichichichi! Golden lightning crackled to life like a protective armour. In an instant, Atid felt his perception increase to new margins. In slow motion, he could see Igor swallow the orb before preparing to blast it out once more. ¡°...¡± He did not have the time to savour this new state. Ready or not, he had to act now. ¡°LET¡¯S END THIS, BROTHER!¡± ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! TRANSFER!]¡± The concentration of energy in his palm grew to epic proportions, the sphere ballooning to the size of a watermelon. ¡°HAAAAAA!¡± ¡°[HEAVENLY THUNDER FLASH!]¡± . AN . Shameless promotion here. If you¡¯re willing to read ahead, you can find five additional chapters on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Until the next chapters. Chapter 216 Golden lightning crackled to life like a protective armour. In an instant, Atid felt his perception increase to new margins. In slow motion, he could see Igor swallow the orb before preparing to blast it out once more. ¡°...¡± He did not have the time to savour this new state. Ready or not, he had to act now. ¡°LET¡¯S END THIS, BROTHER!¡± ¡°[ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! ASCEND! TRANSFER!]¡± The concentration of energy in his palm grew to epic proportions, the sphere ballooning to the size of a watermelon. ¡°HAAAAAA!¡± ¡°[HEAVENLY THUNDER FLASH!]¡± . |DxD| . A few moments earlier . ¡°Grrrrrrrrr¡­¡¯ A dark red sphere had formed in Igor¡¯s hand. Black streaks of energy layered over it like spider webs. The sphere was small, but the power it contained was immense. Igor kept it suppressed within the confines of his palms, all while the sphere fluctuated violently. He continued to suppress its size between his palms and increase the power of the sphere as much as he could. As it reached critical mass, the entire sphere suddenly turned black like an endless abyss. From an outside perspective, it seemed to be calm, but Igor¡¯s trembling arms revealed just how much power was contained within this tiny orb. Seemingly satisfied, Igor did the unthinkable. He put it in his mouth. FUUUSH! An immense pressure fell upon the vicinity for the very brief moment the sphere was free from its confines. But that pressure vanished once Igor closed his mouth. His body trembled violently as he restrained the orb in his mouth. Then quickly, he jumped backwards. Stretching the claws on his fingers, he dug them into the ground upon landing. Doof! Doof! Doof! Same with his tails, they also dug into the ground like anchors. Without hesitation, his mouth opened wide. ¡°RAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± Ka¡­DRUUUUUU! Like a massive laser, a powerful beam of light rushed out of Igor¡¯s mouth and barreled towards Atid¡¯s blast. . . . Silence¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOM! The entire Heavenly Realm shook as these powers met in the middle. The clash caused the blasts to balloon in size into a giant dome of opposing energy. They were perfectly in sync, yet one side sought to overwhelm the other. One half of the dome possessed emerald energy lined with gold while the other half possessed dark energy layered with crimson. Both halves clashed violently, one side pushing the other for that critical advantage. The pressure alone from their clash completely blotted out the radiance lighting the Heavenly Realm. The entire region had turned dark. The only remaining radiance was this clustered convoluted dome of energy. The seconds passed and as they ticked on, it steadily changed from a battle of power to a battle of attrition. As neither side could definitely dominate the other, it was now a contest of who had the energy, endurance, and stamina to continuously support such a large discharge of energy without collapsing. In such a scenario, it seemed Igor had the advantage. Slowly, the dome was steadily pushed further and further towards Atid. The dome that was originally a few hundred metres away from him was now less than a hundred. ¡°Haaa¡­haaa¡­haaa¡­¡± Atid¡¯s breaths were heavy, both in panic and in exertion. He had already reached his limits, both physically and mentally. Almost five days had passed since they fought and he was tired. Keeping up with Igor had tired him. Boosting numerous times had tired him. Entering the Zone multiple times was one of the things that tired him the most and this current exchange had sapped the last remaining dregs of his strength. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. As the dome neared closer, as his impending doom came closer to fruition, thoughts of giving up crossed his mind. With how powerful this blast was, his death would be painless. With the elders under his father, he would be resurrected within a day. After that, everything would be fine tomorrow. He would wake up tomorrow¡­and he would¡¯ve lost. Even worse, he would¡¯ve lost after giving up. ¡°No! Not like this! NOT LIKE THIS!¡± Scraping the bottom of his reserves, lightning surged around Atid as he forced his energy veins to accompany one last burst of power. ¡°HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!¡± DRUUUUUUUUUUU! Giving his all, he cared not for the pain he was feeling in his arm. He cared not for the immensely hollow feeling in his stomach. All that was in his mind as his vision darkened, was that he would absolutely give his all, even if it meant he lost in the end¡­ ¡®I believe in you, son.¡¯ ¡­because as the proud son of Indra, giving up would bring shame upon his father¡¯s name. ¡°HAAAAaaaa¡­haaa¡­haaa..Haaa¡­.HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± The pain was blinding him. All of his senses were failing him. His sight was gone. His smell was gone. Even his hearing was steadily leaving him. All he could feel was the immense pain flowing like acid through his arm. Even if he didn¡¯t want to give up, his body would. If this continued, the energy veins in his arm would inevitably burst. The flow of energy would be cut off and he would be crippled. Regardless, if that happened, Atid would have no regrets- BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! . |DxD| . Very few moments earlier¡­ . Igor was winning. If nothing wrong happened, Atid would be overwhelmed and victory would be secured. Unfortunately, something terribly wrong happened. It was unknown where Atid got that extra spark from, but in the face of impending defeat, he unleashed a powerful burst of energy that swiftly pushed the blast towards Igor. Atid didn¡¯t have a lot of energy, but his outburst contained a lot of power. It was because of this that he was quickly able to gain an advantage. As the blast neared towards him, there was little Igor could do but do his best to prevent the inevitable. Unlike Atid, his attack could not be boosted any further. If he channelled any more energy than this into it, it would explode in his mouth, completely killing him.* If nothing changed, then whether he liked it or not, he would die. No matter how good his self-healing capabilities were, he hadn¡¯t reached the point where he could regenerate a head, because that was what he would lose first. ¡°Grrrr¡­grrrr¡­.¡± Possessed completely by instinct, Igor was panicking as death grew closer to him. He struggled with all his might to keep the dome from coming closer. But Atid¡¯s output superseded his own by quite a margin. In the end, he could only delay the inevi¡­table? DRUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuUUUUUUU! The dome that was nearing towards him gradually slowed to a standstill before finally, it retreated. ¡°??¡± Faced with this confusing scenario, Igor did not dare to let this chance slip and continued to power his attack. With renewed vigor, the energy in his body pooled in his mouth in order to push back this dome towards Atid. Unfortunately, while Igor had more than enough energy to push the dome back, the dome itself was facing imminent destabilization. Him and Atid used entirely different energy systems. Furthermore, Triny¡¯s possession of him convoluted his energy even more. His energy was completely incompatible with Atid¡¯s divine energy and Ddraig¡¯s energy. While balance was initially maintained in the initial stages, Atid¡¯s outburst set off a multitude of reactions that upset that balance. As such¡­the results presented themselves in a very violent fashion. BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! The dome exploded with such fury and intensity the entire region was dyed in a white light. While the explosion itself was restricted, the blinding radiance could not. It was so bright that even a blind person would have to shield their eyes. Such was the immensity of the explosion. SUUUUUuuuuu¡­ As the radiance gradually dimmed, the aftermath was slowly revealed. A massive, massive, MASSIVE crater had formed in the centre. It was perfectly concave but no one would dare enter. Even as the blast cleared, sparks of lightning occasionally flashed randomly in the crater. The air was heavy with the weight of the energy these two fighters exerted, and they were worse for wear. The focus of everyone was on the two fighters limply lying on the ground. Gone were the tails. Gone were the horns. And gone was the aura. With life and death unknown, Igor laid face first on the ground, his blonde hair draped over him. Numerous wounds covered his body¡­and they were not healing. On the other side, Atid was somewhat more fortunate. Due to the explosion occurring closer to Igor, he bore less of the brunt. Still, his sari robes were completely ruined, leaving only a few measly pieces of fabric on him. His remaining arm was bleeding from quite a few areas and he seemed more pale than before. Twitch¡­twitch¡­ To everyone¡¯s surprise, he was still able to move. His fingers twitched once or twice before a hiss of pain escaped his mouth. ¡°Ngh!¡± Opening his eyes due to the pain, Atid gazed at the darkened skies. His body felt empty. His mind felt lethargic. Such a dizzying feeling accompanied him that if he could, he would¡¯ve leaned over and vomited. Thankfully, he possessed enough sense of mind to not allow such an embarrassing scene to occur. ¡°?¡± Slowly a dark figure stood over him. His vision was somewhat blurry, but he couldn¡¯t be bothered to move anymore¡­not that he could in the first place. If it was Igor, then he would acknowledge his defeat. Not caring anymore, he was about to close his eyes when the figure looming over him spoke. ¡°I am proud of you, son. You fought well, and you won.¡± His eyes that were about to close slowly widened. ¡°Fa¡­father-¡± ¡°Ssshh. Rest now, honey.¡± He heard another voice next to him before he felt himself being gently picked up. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak anymore, my son. Your father is right. You fought well against your rival. Now, you must rest. You deserve it.¡± ¡°I¡­yes¡­¡± Feeling safe within the warmth of his parents, Atid let himself fall into unconsciousness. The last thought he had on his mind¡­was how much he would gloat his victory over Igor. [Goku¡­always wins.] . AN .
  1. As the blast neared towards him, there was little Igor could do but do his best to prevent the inevitable. Unlike Atid, his attack could not be boosted any further. If he channelled any more energy than this into it, it would explode in his mouth, completely killing him.*
Explanation: Think of this like a car. A car engine only has a certain number of RPMs it can reach before it fails. For Igor¡¯s blast, it was already like that. He was already channelling the maximum amount of energy into the attack. If he pressed the throttle even further, the attack would explode just like how an engine would fail. Hope that explains it and until the next chapter. Chapter 217 ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak anymore, my son. Your father is right. You fought well against your rival. Now, you must rest. You deserve it.¡± ¡°I¡­yes¡­¡± Feeling safe within the warmth of his parents, Atid let himself fall into unconsciousness. The last thought he had on his mind¡­was how much he would gloat his victory over Igor. [Goku always wins.] . |DxD| . Destruction was everywhere. The ground had been dyed red with the blood of thousands, turning it from brown to crimson. Such a landscape that was originally flat had now become a smouldering mess of craters. The region had darkened. The aftermath of Igor¡¯s and Atid¡¯s clash completely blotted out the radiance of the skies. Everyone below the realm of supreme class had long since been forcefully teleported away even prior to their final bout. The remaining few hundred Supreme Class entities in the skies remained rooted to their spots. A minute hadn¡¯t passed since the final clash and although they would never show it, most of them had become somewhat frightened by the power displayed by these two boys. The Heavenly Realm valued strength above everything. Despite both boys being under a century in age, they displayed power at the level of High-Supreme Class. That was power only very, very few people possessed. In the supernatural world at large, these two on their own at such a young age, possessed enough power to wipeout entire factions. Even those who weren¡¯t convinced had to grit their teeth and accept that not only were those two worthy of standing alongside them, but they were also worthy of being the heirs chosen by their leaders. Mahabali was also one of those who had previously found Shiva¡¯s arrangements unacceptable. He did not desire the position of heir, but was disgruntled that some boy, especially one who came from Indra¡¯s side would eventually become someone who could order him. But seeing how much power Igor wielded, he could only sigh and accept the results. ¡°Soldiers! Depart for home base!¡± ¡°¡°¡°BY YOUR ORDERS, COMMANDER!¡±¡±¡± With Indra¡¯s army already gone, there was no need for them to stay any longer. Although the new heir did not win, he fought valiantly. [They both fought well.] Temporarily disregarding his hatred for Indra, Mahabali could admit that Atid was raised well and had the capability to lead Indra¡¯s army in the future. Vwong! . |DxD| . Shiva looked at Igor¡¯s prone form with a somewhat complicated gaze. Open wounds littered the boy¡¯s body like weeds. They were clotting, but with how slow the process happened, he would bleed out before he even begun to heal. ¡°...¡± The only fortunate thing was that the blonde was alive¡­barely. It was also the reason for Shiva¡¯s complicated gaze. Through his eyes, he could see Igor struggling to hold on. His heart-rate was abysmally low, and even that was because his ki was manually pumping it. Even before he was possessed by Trihexa, his heart had already stopped functioning. ¡°His instinct to survive is quite something, alright. Isn¡¯t it so, my lord?¡± Nandi casually remarked as he levitated Igor¡¯s body off the ground. "Young Dimori is truly a strange case. Should the conditions be replicated on others, I dare say ninety-nine out of a hundred would let death embrace them.¡± Nandi was not speaking carelessly. Here in the Heavenly Realm where death meant little, he had seen many let death overtake them in war. Very few over the years had the will to fight to live. Such a need was nigh-redundant when the possibility of instant resurrection existed. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Almost none had the will to needlessly prolong their suffering. ¡°He has grit, Nandi.¡± Shiva approached Igor¡¯s hovering body and placed a hand on his back. Briefly, a golden radiance flared before it gradually vanished. At a sight visible to the naked eye, the wounds all across Igor¡¯s body started closing in on themselves. Even the particularly gaping wound on his shoulder closed itself like an eyelid. Removing his hand, Shiva felt a bit annoyed at Nandi¡¯s slight smile. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯m only giving him a fighting chance.¡± Healing magic was not his forte. He just happened to pick up some things along the years but never invested the effort. ¡°I believe with your help, he definitely has a fighting chance now, my lord. Should I take him back to the mountain to recuperate properly?¡± ¡°...¡± The mountain Nandi mentioned was Mount Kailasa. Apart from his family, no other being is allowed on his mountain. Even his subordinates dare not stay for long after reporting to him. ¡°Do what you feel is necessary, Nandi.¡± ¡°As you wish, my lord. I shall entrust Lady Parvati to him.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva said nothing in response. Him saying nothing was the same as him tacitly agreeing, something Nandi grasped very quickly. In all honesty, it was quite amusing seeing his lord provide special privileges for the young lad. Fortunately for Shiva, he did not have to endure Nandi¡¯s smile anymore once Indra came over. His wife, a blonde young woman in a long red robe landed alongside him while carrying Atid on her back. ¡°Greetings, Lord Shiva, Nandi.¡± ¡°Hello to you too, Kristina.¡± While Nandi happily greeted back, Shiva did not reply. It wasn¡¯t out of disrespect, but more-so because his focus was on Indra¡­and he was getting annoyed by his smile. ¡°Ind-¡± ¡°I win.¡± Flashing a peace sign, Indra grinned. ¡°Not only did my army defeat yours, but my son defeated your heir in one-on-one combat.¡± ¡°Really? Do you forget that were it not for that dragon, my fighter would¡¯ve decapitated him?¡± Shiva casually reminded Indra of the scenario a few days ago. It was when Igor had almost managed to end the fight with one slash of his sword. Atid at the time had been too slow to react. ¡°If that dragon did not control your son¡¯s body at the last moment, we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation.¡± Sighing as he repeatedly shook his head, Shiva crossed his arms. ¡°I thought you would have some degree of awareness, Indra. It seems I overestimated you.¡± ¡°Hmph. Is it a problem if my son uses the tools at his disposal? I thought this was war, not those pesky human tournaments.¡± ¡°...¡± Feeling some slight anger at how shameless Indra was, Shiva composed himself. ¡°Then tell me something, Indra. In a real war, who has the time to counsel someone else¡¯s mental state? Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t hear your conversation with your son.¡± Shiva did not forget to bring up the words of inspiration Indra said to his son. In the face of Igor¡¯s overwhelming power, Indra¡¯s words allowed Atid to calm down and attain his Velocity Ascend form. ¡°If you had not interfered like we agreed not to, my fighter would¡¯ve won twice by now.¡± Counting Ddraig¡¯s interference and Indra¡¯s calming words, Shiva looked at Indra with eyes that dared him to say something different. He dared him to come up with some nonsense to justify his son¡¯s victory. Unfortunately, even after countless years of knowing each other, Shiva underestimated how shameless Indra was. ¡°Bah. All of those were reliant on my son¡¯s abilities. The lizard is a tool my son uses. So even if the lizard controls my son¡¯s body, it still counts as one of my son¡¯s abilities. As for my words, they would¡¯ve meant nothing if my son didn¡¯t inherit his father¡¯s awesomeness.¡± Arrogantly adjusting his glasses with a finger, Indra displayed a signature look of superiority. ¡°Admit it, Shiva. My son is better. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything if you also said some words of encouragement to Igor.¡± He lifted his arms helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault if you chose not to. Just admit that my son is the better fighter. I won¡¯t shame you¡­much.¡± ¡°...¡± Vein Twitch! A thick, misty purple aura formed around Shiva. He possessed more than half-a-mind to destroy Indra right here and now. This so-called War God was so thick-skinned that he wanted to test his mettle against- ¡°Please calm down, my lord. Indra. I do congratulate you on your son¡¯s victory. It is truly well-deserved and while you do make valid points, it was agreed that no one would interfere. This includes verbal interference and your words count as such.¡± Completely unbiased in his opinion, Nandi announced his verdict. ¡°Under normal circumstances, young Dimori would¡¯ve bested Atid, Indra. As much as you might dislike my words, young Dimori is by overall, the better fighter between them. While I am happy for your son¡¯s growth, there is a significantly high chance he would¡¯ve fallen in battle eventually. This may be your son¡¯s victory, but there is a significantly high chance he might not win the next one after all.¡± ¡°...¡± Indra could say nothing in response. If Nandi said it, then he was willing to believe it¡­to a certain extent. ¡°Hmph, whatever. Speculation exists in people¡¯s heads. This is reality. You speculate that my son will lose his next encounter. I speculate that he will dominate Igor over there. You or Shiva¡¯s training will mean nothing.¡± Not willing to stay any longer, he held his wife by the shoulder and vanished. Su! . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* *Tremble* ¡°I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Not only did the young brat from before become more shameless, he even grew thick skin to match with it. ¡°Please calm down, my lord. Right now, our concern is young Dimori. After such a long fight, he will be very hungry once he wakes up.¡± ¡°...¡± Temporarily pushing aside Indra, Shiva agreed. ¡°Alright. Take us home.¡± ¡°At once, my lord.¡± . AN . I¡¯m here with a shameless promotion. For those willing, you can find five extra chapters on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n Until the next chapter and thanks for the support, reviews, and invigorating comments. Chapter 218 ¡°Please calm down, my lord. Right now, our concern is young Dimori. After such a long fight, he will be very hungry once he wakes up.¡± ¡°...¡± Temporarily pushing aside Indra, Shiva agreed. ¡°Alright. Take us home.¡± ¡°At once, my lord.¡± . |DxD| . Mount Kailasa . Igor was slowly awoken by stray beam of sunlight that penetrated through the gap in the curtains. Before he even opened his eyes, his senses subconsciously already spread out. By the slowly forming frown on his face, he could feel that he was in an unfamiliar place. ¡°?¡± Opening his eyes, Igor sat up and found himself in a simple, but fairly large bed. The room he was in was also normal, if not somewhat spacious. [Where am I?] Just from spreading out his senses prior, he couldn¡¯t detect anyone within a few kilometres around him apart from a few animals. Even then, those animals seemed to have more lifeforce than a normal human¡¯s. [Some sort of barrier is preventing me from sensing any further.] He found that after a few dozen kilometres, his senses couldn¡¯t expand any further. Like waves against a wall, the subtle sonar of ki released would rebound. ¡±Huh?¡± He quickly sat up, his fatigue completely vanishing. At this point, he was deeply confused and his wariness was steadily climbing up. Standing up from bed, he figured there must be a- [Someone?!] As time grinded to a halt around him, his eyes zeroed in on the door that was gradually opening. On instinct, he swiftly assumed his Suppressed Demigod Form. He ignored the hollow feeling in his stomach and remained on high alert. When the door finally opened, a beautiful woman with a very motherly figure entered. She was adorned in a beautiful red sari dress, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. But Igor dared not lower his guard. Seeing past her beauty, his instincts SCREAMED that this woman was dangerous. She gave off the same feeling as Amaterasu, a feeling of extreme danger. Seemingly unaware of Igor¡¯s wariness, the woman calmly spoke. ¡°Oh? Pardon me. I was so busy that I forgot to take care of you. How are you, Igor?¡± ¡°...¡± Suuuuu¡­ His hair flopped down as he ended his transformation. She wasn¡¯t a threat¡­hopefully. Even if she was, Igor could feel she wasn¡¯t something the current him could defeat. So rather than needlessly remain apprehensive, it was better to casually enquire about the situation. ¡°You¡¯re a god, aren¡¯t you?¡± He tiredly asked. Even as she stood in front of him, he could feel absolutely nothing from her. But it was because he felt nothing that he was sure she was a god. ¡°Little old me? Why yes, Igor. I am the Goddess of Motherhood, Harmony, and Fertility. I am also Lord Shiva¡¯s wife, Parvati. But since my husband has taken you in, you can just call me aunt or aunty, alright Igor?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t know how to feel about the way she spoke to him. It felt like she was treating him like a child. The way she looked at him¡­he didn¡¯t know whether it was condescending or something similar, but her eyes sparkled too much. ¡°Call you ¡®aunty¡¯? Isn¡¯t that too much? How about I call you Lady Parvati-?!¡± Igor didn¡¯t blink. He could swear he never blinked. One minute, Parvati was standing by the door. The next, she was standing in front of him, her soft hands cupping his cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to be familiar with me, Igor. I will be taking care of you soon so I want us to get along.¡± ¡°...¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Slowly, Igor felt weakness enter him. It wasn¡¯t quite a weakness, but a warmth that made him want to close his eyes and bathe in the feeling of her warm hands on his cheeks- ¡°What the?!¡± Opening his eyes, he zeroed in on one of the animals and instantly used his Instant Transmission. Tswii! Immediately, the scenery changed from a modest room to a forest filled with absurdly tall trees. As astounding as the sight was, Igor had no time to appreciate it. ¡°What¡­what was that?!¡± He was on the verge of panicking. It was a simple touch, but the warmth he felt from her almost reminded him of¡­of his moth- ¡°You remind me of my little Ganesha when he was young. Always so rowdy and energetic.¡± ¡°?!¡± Suddenly, he felt her place her hands on his shoulder. She wasn¡¯t even grabbing him, but he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°What¡­the hell?!¡± This was impossible. He couldn¡¯t access his ki! ¡°What¡­what did you do to me?¡± ¡°Language, Igor. As for your question, your ki is dangerously low so I sealed it. Now come. I prepared some good food for you that I¡¯m sure you will love.¡± Slowly, her hands went around his waist as she hugged him. He felt that warmth once more and it made him panic. He didn¡¯t like it. He didn¡¯t like it at all. ¡°Hey! Let me go, goddamnit!¡± Parvati ignored his requests as she flew along with him. ¡°No, no. We must get some food in you before you can go out and play, Igor.¡± ¡°?!¡± Her words struck a chord within him. This gentle chastisement evoked long dormant memories- [No!] He buried them again. This was not the time nor place. He tried to shake himself free, but her arms were more unyielding than iron. ¡°Fufufu~. So cute~ Relax and I will take care of you, Igor. I promise you will love my cooking. Nandi did tell me you love chicken.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor felt extremely embarrassed. This woman genuinely treated him like child didn¡¯t she? Being held like this was extremely embarrassing. But just because his bone age said he was ten didn¡¯t mean he was actually ten! ¡°Goddamnit! Let me go, woman!¡± ¡°Such a rowdiness. My husband told me you¡¯d be difficult, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this much.¡± She ignored his grumbles. The house was already coming into view but Igor¡¯s expression remained scrunched like a squeezed lemon. In only a matter of touches, she completely restricted him from moving and even sealed off his ki. Still, he wasn¡¯t willing to give up. It was one thing to suppress him through might. But sealing off his ki was something he could never accept. That was HIS power. No one should have the capability of sealing it off. ¡°HAAA!¡± GRUU! Completely taking Parvati by surprise, he immediately assumed his Demigod State and let himself fall towards the ground. Doof! As soon as he landed, he was about to vanish once more when he was suddenly grabbed by the scruff of his collar. ¡°The food will get cold if you keep being disobedient, Igor.¡± Despite his power being boosted a hundred times over, he still couldn¡¯t see, nevermind sense her. ¡°Alright, alright. I give up, aunty. I give up. Happy now?¡± ¡°...¡± Gu! Like the sound of gun, she flicked his forehead and sent him crashing into a tree. PA! ¡°Such an unruly child. But don¡¯t worry. I will soon turn you into a splendid young man worthy of being a god. Now come, Igor. I left the stove on and I don¡¯t want the food to burn.¡± ¡°...¡± Weakly, Igor could only follow. He was unwilling to endure defeat like this, but he could only grit his teeth as the seal over his ki acted once again. That and¡­that last outburst really made him hungry. ¡°Yes¡­aunty.¡± He was unsure why Parvati was hovering over him like this, but he would definitely fling her against a tree in the future¡­the far future. . |DxD| . Very few things could be used to bribe Igor. One of them was a good fight, and the other was good food. Eating like a man should, he tore into the chicken leg. The fork and knife on the side were as clean as ever, showing that ever since he began eating, Igor had not once touched them. Sitting on the opposite side, Parvati used a spoon to savour her vegetable soup. Occasionally, her eyes would flicker towards Igor with intrigue. From the looks of things, she didn¡¯t seem bothered by his voracious eating habits and in fact, found them endearing. ¡°Did you like the food?¡± If the large bowl filled with bones wasn¡¯t obvious enough, then his groan of contention was obvious. ¡°Ohhhh¡­¡± Leaning back into the chair, Igor held his stomach. ¡°The best, aunty. The best.¡± ¡°Wonderful.¡± Parvati had completely pacified him through his stomach. But Igor couldn¡¯t be blamed. He had eaten some good food before, but Parvati¡¯s pot was something else entirely. He was so full that he didn¡¯t even notice how he casually called her ¡®aunty¡¯. ¡°Now then, I know you¡¯re curious as to why you¡¯re here. I will do my best to keep it short for you, alright?¡± ¡°...¡± There was that tone again. She was really treating him like a child, wasn¡¯t she? Igor was tempted to flare up, but he knew he¡¯d be suppressed very quickly. He could only swallow his grievances. ¡°I¡¯m listening, aunty.¡± For now, he would endure. At the very least, until his base power reached Supreme Class. ¡°Very good. Besides bringing you here to recuperate under my care, there is another reason. Now, I¡¯m sure you know that my husband has decided to make you his heir candidate. Do you know what that means?¡± Igor answered noncommittally. ¡°He wants me to become the next God of Destruction.¡± ¡°Indeed he does. I am also aware that in a year, you will come here to begin your training. While my husband will train the physical aspects, I will nurture your mind and instill the proper behavior of a god upon you. For example¡­¡± With a gesture of her finger, she made Igor who was slouching on the chair sit upright. ¡°...as a God of Destruction, you must be dignified at all times. You must not only establish power, but authority. You are destruction incarnate. The masses must not only fear you, but respect you. This title is a title that comes with its own requirements not only in terms of power, but in dignity as well.¡± Smiling warmly, she appeared right next to him. ¡°While you have met my husband¡¯s requirement in terms of power, your mannerisms leave much to be desired, Igor.¡± It was unknown where he got the spine, but the blonde spoke without a filter. ¡°What use are manners when I¡¯m stronger than everyone? Even if I act like a hooligan, it won¡¯t matter because anyone who comments on it will be afraid I¡¯ll kill them.¡± ¡°Fufu~.¡± Parvati found Igor¡¯s thoughts to be rather cute. ¡°Tell me. When you look at my husband, what do you feel?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor would never say this out loud, but Shiva was¡­cool. He was always so stoic as if nothing could ever faze him. ¡°I think I understand, aunty.¡± ¡°Fufu~¡± She seemed to have seen through his thoughts. ¡°Maybe you do, but you will gradually understand in the future. Until then, I look forward to the end of this year. I have so many things to teach you.¡± . AN . In Igor¡¯s defence, he was hungry. Let him maintain some of his face. Chapter 219 Igor would never say this out loud, but Shiva was¡­cool. He was always so stoic as if nothing could ever faze him. ¡°I think I understand, aunty.¡± ¡°Fufu~¡± She seemed to have seen through his thoughts. ¡°Maybe you do, but you will gradually understand in the future. Until then, I look forward to the end of this year. I have so many things to teach you.¡± . |DxD| . Alone in the kitchen, Parvati looked at the spot where Igor once sat. Over an hour had passed since he woke up and after a brief conversation, he finally departed for Japan. For Igor, his conversation with Parvati was somewhat normal, if not weird. He would never imagine that the simple questions he was asked would completely disclose his state of mind to Parvati. [Such a poor child¡­] The clock had marched on, but Parvati couldn¡¯t move past that one simple conclusion. Her eyes could see through many mysteries and secrets. The moment Nandi brought Igor here, she had seen the deep well of pain and insecurity hidden behind a very thick veil. There were some things she couldn¡¯t see, but she saw enough to know the depths of his scars. [An orphaned child that endured decades of loneliness. To lose your entire family at such a young age¡­how much was he affected?] His past was very clouded, but she knew he had parents and a younger brother¡­and they were all murdered. There was never a lack of orphaned children in history, but only Igor was forced to endure decades without receiving any companionship¡­a guiding hand. ¡°Husband. I know you have an answer, but I would like your confirmation once more. Do you truly desire to let him take over your mantle?¡± Out of the void, a purple haze formed before Shiva appeared behind her. His expression was stony, though it was unknown what was going through his mind. ¡°Yes.¡± As a man of few words, he did not elaborate any further. Rather, he was curious about something. ¡°Why do you ask, my wife?¡± ¡°...¡± Parvati couldn¡¯t help but think of the darkness she saw. With Igor¡¯s personality, that darkness would be restrained, but it would always be there. The relationships he¡¯s forged had prevented it from festering, but no relationship, no love could compare a family¡¯s, to a mother¡¯s. ¡°He¡¯s still a child, husband. I¡­want to nurture him.¡± His mind had not completely solidified into that of an adult. He was still a young teenager. There was still time to give him the love he desperately needed, a love she could give. ¡°Do you speak as the Mother Goddess, or as Parvati. Because if it is your divinity that makes you feel like this, I suggest you do not interfere.¡± This ¡®suggestion¡¯ was a command. Shiva was well aware of how sympathetic his wife was. If this was a sudden decision encouraged by her divinity, then the impact on Igor when he finds out would be too much. In fact, it might even drive him away, something Shiva did not want to see at all costs. ¡°Parvati.¡± ¡°No, husband. I will not lie and say personally meeting him did not influence my thoughts, but I¡¯ve been watching him ever since you mentioned him three years ago.¡± Her fists clenched slightly. ¡°The death of Shuri Himejima, the one person he truly and utterly let into his heart, nearly broke him. She was his second mother and she died in his arms. If you did not appear, husband, I would¡¯ve gone myself.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The killing intent boldened by the power he released that day was felt throughout the whole world. While the others could only feel his power, she could hear his cries, his grievances, his unwillingness. ¡°Husband. He has never forgiven himself for her death. It is also why he hesitates to come here for training. Not because he wants to spend time with his family, but because he has a deep-rooted fear that if he disappears, something will happen again.¡± She looked up to Shiva with budding tears in her eyes. ¡°Husband. If he loses someone else, he won¡¯t be able to endure it. At that time, the darkness in his heart will be too big for anyone to stop.¡± The supernatural world was cruel. Even with extreme longevity being readily available, one could never guarantee when their loved ones would be killed. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t interfere too much. I just¡­the world has been too cruel to him. I want to give him the love he deserves so that when he grows up and becomes a man, he won¡¯t lose himself to the darkness in his heart.¡± Perhaps it was a childish thought, but Parvati truly felt Igor¡¯s pain. The only reason she could never act before was because she did not wish to interfere with her husband¡¯s evaluation of him. But since Shiva had accepted him as an heir, there was very little that restrained her from giving him everything he deserves. ¡°...¡± Shiva could not help but smile at his wife¡¯s compassion. No matter how tainted the world was, she always had such a loving heart. Placing his hands on her shoulder, he casually remarked. ¡°He¡¯ll be troublesome.¡± ¡°I know. I saw it today.¡± ¡°Really? What did he do?¡± ¡°Fufu~. You should¡¯ve seen him, husband. I never expected him to be so rowdy in person. He reminds me of our eldest son when he was still a child.¡± ¡°I can imagine...¡± Shiva could tell his wife was just casually venting. But he could see it in her eyes. Somehow, some way, there was already a trace of affection in her eyes as she recounted Igor¡¯s actions. ¡°...¡± It didn¡¯t make sense nor would he try to make it make sense. As long as it was beneficial to his heir, then he would allow it. [My heir?] His mind froze when he realised how he casually called Igor his heir in his thoughts. [Hehe. It seems I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s been affected.] . |DxD| . Igor was on his way back to Kuoh after escaping that evil woman¡¯s clutches. As the self-proclaimed number one warrior, her actions could be said to have violated his dignity immensely. Even worse, she bribed him with food¡­and it worked! Such humiliation couldn¡¯t go unpunished, but he had to let his grievances go. ¡°Goddamnit! If you weren¡¯t Lord Shiva¡¯s wife, I would¡¯ve beaten you into the ground!¡± It was a deluded thought, but it was the only way he could comfort himself. At the very least, he believed he could counter if he fought alongside his tenant. ¡°Right, Triny? We could definitely beat her.¡± [...] ¡°?¡± Stopping mid-flight, Igor spoke once more. ¡°Triny? You there?¡± [...] Once again, silence greeted him. ¡°Tri-¡± [NOW you remember me?] ¡°??¡± When did he ever forget her? [You almost died!] The little lass could no longer restrain her grievances. [I could¡¯ve helped you but ¡®Nooo¡¯. You wanted to beat him yourself. Well look where that got you!] ¡°...¡± Igor wasn¡¯t too sore about losing. It was just a fight and he learned a lot about his own capabilities and limits. Now he knew what to work on for the remaining yea- [STOP SHRUGGING IT OFF, IDIOT! YOU ALMOST DI-] ¡°You¡¯re pushing it now. Don¡¯t yell at me.¡± He quickly and calmly, shut her down. Ever since a young age, Igor never liked being yelled at. Yelling at someone indicated anger. Anger caused one to say words that could never be taken back, words that would remain in the receiver¡¯s heart forever. ¡°If you have problems, talk them out properly, Triny. Don¡¯t yell at me like I¡¯m your dog.¡± After she called him an idiot, he couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t endure it any longer. Without even understanding the reason for his actions, she called him an idiot. ¡°Listen, Triny. Do you want to know why I did not ask for your power? There was no need. Atid isn¡¯t my enemy. If he was my enemy, I would¡¯ve borrowed your power instead of using such a risky transformation where I lose control of myself.¡± His full-power state was very risky, yet also had boundless potential. He could never use it in the time chamber because he would be overwhelmed by the desire to fight Aurelia. He could never be sure if he would stop himself from killing her if that happened. ¡°Before everything else, I am a warrior, Triny. Understand that. My priority as someone who aspires to be the strongest one day is to find my limits and push against them. Fighting against Atid helped me understand what I¡¯m capable of and what I need to work on.¡± [...] As Triny remained quiet in his head, Igor couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He had to remind himself that to some extent, his actions were indeed worrisome and she was only worried about him. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. I still want to live a few thousand years, you know? Maybe have a dozen children and bring honour to my ancestors as well. I still want to see which scum Akeno and Asia will marry once they grow up and I need to be alive to see that. So don¡¯t worry too much, alright? I¡¯m not dying anytime soon.¡± [...] There was silence as Igor continued to fly further. He was concerned that Triny would not accept his words, but her sudden response nearly made him chuckle. [Hmph! Do what you want and see if I care. If you die, I¡¯ll possess your body and make you walk naked on the streets!] ¡°...¡± Well¡­that was a low-blow. But as long as she¡¯s back to normal, he could tolera- [I¡¯ll make you kiss other men too!] ¡°?!?!¡± . AN . Shameless promotion. If you¡¯re willing, you can read up to five chapters on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Until the next chapter and thanks for reading. Chapter 220 [Hmph! Do what you want and see if I care. If you die, I¡¯ll possess your body and make you walk naked on the streets!] ¡°...¡± Well¡­that was a low-blow. But as long as she¡¯s back to normal, he could tolera- [I¡¯ll make you kiss other men too!] ¡°?!?!¡± . |DxD| . 1999/08/20- August 27, 1999 (Friday), Kuoh Town, Japan . Serafall was once more in her office. A week had gone by since their alliance agreement with the Aryans. Everything has been prepared and all that is needed is Aurelia and Igor¡¯s presence in the Underworld. They had yet to inform the council of elders about the agreement and instead delayed matters. After all, it would be best if everyone was there when Sirzechs recited the contents of the agreement. [I wonder if he¡¯ll return today.] Sirzechs had personally arrived with Rias a few days ago. While Igor wasn¡¯t there, the little redhead was quick in making friends with Asia and Akeno. It was a good step in the right direction. While neither she nor Sirzechs ever entertained thoughts of Asia or Akeno being added to Rias¡¯s peerage, just her getting along with them was more than enough. [Should I bring So-tan as well?] It was a temporary thought she had, one she immediately banished. [No. I¡¯d be overstepping my bounds. At least I shouldn¡¯t send her now.] Anyone with a certain degree of smarts would insinuate that Sirzechs was using Rias to forge a relationship with Igor. While Sirzechs would never stoop that low, the potential benefits were rather too obvious for anyone to ignore. Sigh¡­ She hoped Igor would return today. Two days later on Sunday, they¡¯d have to report to the council about their progress. They delayed the first time and couldn¡¯t delay a second time as that would prove them incompetent. ¡°Hm?¡± Vwong! Suddenly, a teleportation circle formed in her office when a woman appeared out of it. She was a beauty in black office attire and long stockings that stretched underneath her skirt. Adjusting her glasses, the woman bowed respectfully. ¡°Serafall-sama. We have news regarding the church.¡± She respectfully handed over the file containing the latest news on the Vatican. ¡°...¡± Silently, Serafall received the dossier and took out the document inside it. ¡­ File no: c3842 Date Issued: August 23, 1996 Date Appended: August 26, 1999 Classification: Maou ¡­(Next Page) Summary: As of August 15, 1999, Vasco Strada has been crowned as the new Pope. The previous pope, Pope Alphonsus II has willfully resigned, a scene that has never happened before in the last 500 years. As this is the first time in centuries a Pope has resigned instead of passing that hat on after their death, we have deemed it necessary to investigate the reasons why. (The rest of the page contains images of Vasco being made a pope.) ¡­(Next Page) Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. After preliminary investigation, it was found that several key figures of the church as well as key investors had either disappeared, or joined Vasco¡¯s camp. It is unclear why such situations appeared, but current evidence supports Vasco Strada used force to solidify his political position and eventually pressure Pope Alphonsus the Second to resign. Supporting evidence includes the exposure of the Holy Sword Project followed by the immediate execution of Valper Galilei. Further exposures such as the Homunculus Project where descendants of heroes were being forcefully created and cloned placed the faith of believers on tenterhooks. However, the swift discontinuation of these projects and the widespread hunt of rogue exorcists has ignited belief in the church once more. It is believed that as Pope Vasco exposed the deeds of previous popes, it solidified his own position which allowed him to gain a massive following. Further evidence of this is supported by his desire to maintain his own name instead of assuming the name of a saint. As it stands, Pope Vasco may very well be the lifeblood that may lead the church out of its dark age. (The rest of the page contains several images of fervent worshippers praying underneath the guidance of Vasco Strada.) ¡­ There were further pages, but Serafall did not need to read any further. After casually skimming through the rest of them, it mentioned key details of the holy sword project and nothing more. ¡°Then this Isaiah boy Rias reincarnated was the sole survivor of the Holy Sword project?¡± ¡°Yes, Maou-sama. Current evidence suggests Pope Vasco did not have awareness of the project¡¯s existence until it was too late. While he was busy cracking down on other departments, it was reported by one of our spies that Valper had rushed the experiments until finally, the children rebelled. Their immediate massacre caused commotion but by then, it was too late. When Pope Vasco rushed in, it is reported that he executed Valper alongside all the other exorcists on the spot without trial. After that, a crusade against all rogue exorcists pardoned by the previous pope was launched.¡± Serafall was aware of that little tidbit of information. Several hundred Enforcers from the Church were sent to the ends of the world to capture all rogue exorcists. Any that refused arrest were decapitated on the spot and had their heads brought back. ¡°I recall that our Kuoh Town¡¯s Masaomi Yaegaki also joined the crusade?¡± ¡°Yes, Maou-sama. Just in Japan alone, he has been reported to have killed over ten exorcists and arrested three.¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall was not unaware of the repercussions. While it may seem like the church was killing itself, they were actually weeding out the dregs and becoming purer than ever. With Vasco solving the majority of the internal issues plaguing the church, solving external issues such as rogue exorcists would cast a new light on the church, making it more pleasing to the eyes of the supernatural world. By then, the church would have a smoother time completing political transactions with other countries and attracting followers to their side. ¡°Maou-sama. If I may be impudent, the rise of the church will impact our ability to attract sacred gear wielders to our side.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Their cities in the Underworld had come to rely on the versatility of reincarnated sacred gear wielders. Though not all of them possessed outstanding abilities, most of these sacred gears had the ability to simplify many processes that would normally require the services of top or even pillar clans. [If we lose the ability to reincarnate more sacred gear wielders, our plan to usurp the monopoly held by the clans would be impacted.] If it was before they met Igor, Serafall would still feel some amount of trepidation. But now, she no longer worried as much. ¡°Deliver this information to Falbium and Sirzechs. This also concerns them just as much as me.¡± ¡°Yes, Maou-sama.¡± The woman was about to leave, but she hesitated. ¡°Maou-sama. Please allow me to speak my mind once more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Yes. Maou-sama. Is it not possible to¡­assassinate Vasco?¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall almost had the urge to laugh out loud. ¡°Assassinate him? You speak as if that was something easily accomplishable.¡± Over the decades, it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that Vasco had endured hundreds of assassination attempts. If it were that easy, why would there be so many failures? And if it was difficult before, now it was downright impossible. ¡°Let me give you some advice since you¡¯re reliable. Do you know of that massive power we felt in Kuoh? The wielder of that power is related to Vasco Strada. While you might be able to kill Vasco, the revenge of that person is not something you might be able to bear.¡± Despite looking like a magical girl, her attire did very little to diffuse the seriousness of the situation. ¡°Since you have this idea, I¡¯ll assume others do as well. So I want you to quietly spread this information. No one is to touch Vasco Strada. Absolutely no one is to touch Asia Argento, especially her. ESPECIALLY¡­her.¡± She made sure to emphasize this point deeply. ¡°If ANYONE has those thoughts, forget that person¡¯s revenge. I will kill them myself.¡± Serafall had no illusions about the extent of Igor¡¯s anger. He was only at the realm of low-Supreme Class when he destroyed the Himejima. Ignoring his backing, just his current power alone made him not only the Underworld¡¯s greatest beneficiary, but also its greatest danger. If he was sent into a berserk state, Serafall was sure there would be no calming him down. He would destroy the entire Underworld out of anger alone just like how he almost destroyed Earth. ¡°Do you understand?¡± The woman quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Maou-sama.¡± Her previous thoughts immediately shattered without reservation. She had no deep impression of the person behind that power, but she had a deep impression of Serafall. Behind the facade she put up lay a ruthless warrior who slaughtered her way through two wars. Having served her for hundreds of years, the woman could be said to understand Serafall the most. ¡°I will immediately pass down your words discreetly, Maou-sama.¡± Without fanfare, she vanished in a magic circle. Vwong! ¡°...¡± Once more, Serafall was left alone in her office. After a while, her thoughts slowly deviated to the new knight Rias reincarnated. But more prudently, her thoughts moved over to how Sirzechs had been in Italy when that happened. [Maybe Sirzechs isn¡¯t wrong when he says we should also form an alliance with the church.] It was a previously inconceivable notion because of the previous leadership. But with Vasco as the new pope, the possibility existed. [I should arrange a meeting with him. If I also introduce myself as Igor¡¯s acquaintance, it should open some doors for me.] Chapter 221 [Maybe Sirzechs isn¡¯t wrong when he says we should also form an alliance with the church.] It was a previously inconceivable notion because of the previous leadership. But with Vasco as the new pope, the possibility existed. [I should arrange a meeting with him. If I also introduce myself as Igor¡¯s acquaintance, it should open some doors for me.] . |DxD| . Far in the outskirts of Kuoh sat a lone two-storey house. Hidden inside the forest, it was pleasantly taken care of with elegant flowers planted next to the iron fence surrounding the entire household. Inside the house, Asia and Akeno were quietly watching some anime dvds on television. Both girls sat limply on the sofa. It was a hot day and both seemed like they were moments away from dozing off. Asia was especially vulnerable since she was lying down. With her head on the pillow, the scenes on the television were gradually getting more and more blurr- ¡°?!¡± With completely unexpected swiftness, she sat up. She immediately stared at the wall, but it seemed as if her eyes could penetrate through it. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Without hesitation, she leaped off the couch and ran out. Wrenching open the door, she ran with her arms spread out. ¡°Big¡­big brother!¡± Jumping up, she closed her eyes in a gleeful smile, fully aware of what would happen next. In an instant, a shadow seemingly snatched Asia before the sound of shoes skidding on grass was heard. ¡°Ooooh! My precious little sister! How are you?¡± ¡°Hihihihihi~¡± Asia was wrapped in the tight embrace of Igor who plastered her with kisses all over. Standing at the doorway, Akeno quietly peeked out. ¡°Nii-chan?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Looking over Asia¡¯s shoulder, Igor smiled as he offered his other arm. ¡°Akeno! Come here.¡± ¡°...¡± There was a brief sense of hesitation before finally, she also ran forward. But instead of hugging him, she crashed into him with the intent to knock him over¡­which failed. ¡°Mouuu!¡± Grabbing his pants, she looked up at him with an expression of grievance. ¡°Why did you leave like that? Don¡¯t leave like that!¡± She looked at him with a piercing gaze. What she thought was a deadly and menacing stare was instead a pouty glare in Igor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hehe.¡± Patting her head, he let Asia down. ¡°Alright, little chick. Next time I¡¯ll leave with a goodbye, okay?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± She turned away from him. ¡°BUUUT¡­I¡¯ll only do it if you give me a hug.¡± ¡°...¡± Her lips twitched in contemplation. Akeno couldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction. She had to show that she was angry at him for suddenly leavi- ¡°Akeno. You were the one who missed big brother the mo-¡± ¡°A-Asia! Don¡¯t say anything!¡± Akeno leveled a pouty glare at the little blonde, her cheeks puffed in indignation. But it was too late. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Swiftly, Igor swept her off her feet and pulled her into a hug. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Hahaha! I missed you too, little chick.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­hmph! Well I didn¡¯t miss you!" ¡°Oh rea-hm?¡± Igor¡¯s attention was brought by Asia pulling on his pants. ¡°Hihi~. Akeno is lying, big brother.¡± ¡°Asia!¡± While the two children were embroiled in a game of truths and lies, Aurelia and Shuri walked out of the house one after the other. ¡°My lord. It is good to see your safe return.¡± Letting Akeno down from his embrace, Igor flashed a bright smile. ¡°Hey, sister. Hey, aunty. How are you two?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine, Dimori-kun. How was the¡­¡± Realising what Shuri was getting at, Igor replied unabashedly. ¡°It was fun. Really got my blood pumping and now I know how to train for the rest of the year.¡± Shuri was quick to catch that last tidbit. ¡°Rest of the year?¡± ¡°Yep. But let¡¯s talk about that later.¡± With a glance of his eyes, he showed that he didn¡¯t want to talk about such a matter in front of Asia and Akeno. Although the two were not paying attention, he didn¡¯t want them to hear too many things. ¡°Alright, Dimori-kun.¡± Slowly, time passed and the afternoon stretched into the night. School children that were not home by sundown could expect a sandal to the back accompanied by a scolding from their mothers. As the sun set and the street lights turned on, fathers and husbands returned home from work to a warm dinner prepared by their wives. A warm dinner was also being shared in the Himejima Household. In a heavily watered down retelling, Igor spoke of what happened the past few weeks, making sure to skip over the gory details and focus on the parts filled with glory. Asia and Akeno were particularly interested in the concept of people like asuras who had multiple arms. They never imagined that there were actually beings with six arms and their elder brother had fought them once. In exchange, Igor was told of Sirzech¡¯s visit with Rias and how he would come back tomorrow with her. The two girls excited recounted their days of playing tag in the forest. They especially shared a giggle on how they tortured Rias by always evading her by the briefest of margins. Although minimal, Igor was proud that Asia was already fast enough to outrun a devil with a naturally superior physique. [As expected of my cute little sisters. I told Sirzechs they were better.] As dinner came to an end, the children were sent to take a shower together, leaving Igor, Aurelia, and Shuri at the dinner table. With all the dishes cleared, it was time to discuss the real matters. . |DxD| . ¡°Dimori-kun. How was¡­the war?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was not in a rush to answer. He learnt his lesson in discretion after Shuri¡¯s reaction a week ago. Knowing how sensitive she was, he decided to give her two options. ¡°You want the gory rundown or the simplified rundown, aunty?¡± ¡°...¡± Now it was Shuri¡¯s turn to be silent. Her brows furrowed in contemplation as she weighed Igor¡¯s words. In the end, she sighed and chose the first option. ¡°Please tell us in detail, Dimori-kun.¡± She had a somewhat resigned look on her face. Igor was tempted to skim certain parts, but that would be disrespecting her wish. ¡°Alright, aunty. For one, I actually became Lord Shiva¡¯s heir, making me the next possible candidate for the title of God of Destruction. I¡¯m not sure what Lord Shiva sees in me, but he said I¡¯m not forced to take the title. It¡¯s also why five months from now, I¡¯ll be leaving for the Heavenly Realm where I¡¯ll be training under him. As for the war¡­hmmm. It was a bit different this time. I didn¡¯t actually get to participate this time. Because of how powerful Atid and I were, we could no longer fight alongside those of God Class and below.¡± Shuri seemed to heave a silent sigh of relief at that. Unlike Aurelia, she did not focus on Igor revealing his status of heir. She was only glad that he didn¡¯t have to fight. [Thank goodne-] ¡°So we were set up to fight with those of the Supreme Class.¡± ¡°?!¡± Shuri couldn¡¯t hide her shock. No matter how much she prepared herself, she couldn¡¯t prepare herself for the bombshell he just dropped. ¡°S-Supreme Class?¡± ¡°Yes, aunty. I qualify since my power has reached that level. It¡¯s a shame that I couldn¡¯t fight alongside them in the end though. Because Atid and I had been made heirs, it was decided that the both of us would fight each other. Quick question. Are you considered dead if your heart stops beating?¡± ¡°...¡± Not just Shuri, even Aurelia¡¯s expression turned slightly ugly when Igor asked such a question. She had somewhat gotten desensitized to some of his stunts, but she could never not worry when his life was in danger. Regardless, she could only answer his question solemnly. ¡°It has to stop for five minutes before one can be considered dead, my lord. The same rule generally applies to other supernatural species but we can survive for longer.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s good then. I asked because Atid has this technique where his speed suddenly increases by insane margins. I don¡¯t know how many times he punched me in the heart, but I had to restart it a couple of times. It was really annoying fighting him when he could do that.¡± Tactfully, Igor decided to end it then and there. Though it might¡¯ve been too late. Shuri was especially fraught with worry as she looked at his chest. ¡°It¡¯s also because of that annoying technique that I ended up losing to him in the end.¡± In a sense, he wasn¡¯t lying. His heart had given out and he was unconscious. He had lost and had no input on what happened after. ¡°W-wow¡­Dimori-kun. That was¡­are you alright?¡± ¡°Alright?¡± Triumphantly, he beat his chest twice which made Shuri flinch. ¡°I¡¯m better than alright, aunty. That was the best fight of my life and I¡¯m looking forward to a second one. Next time, I¡¯ll definitely beat Atid.¡± . AN . I do realise that some people are dissatisfied with how Igor lost. To speak the truth and this is my opinion, Igor could¡¯ve very well won. Easily in fact. The problem is, both him and Atid had different motivations. He just wanted to fight. Atid wanted to win. Atid knew he was weaker than Igor and as such, wanted to win more than anything while the blonde was more interested in getting a good fight than winning. If we speak truthfully and this is facts, Igor could¡¯ve ended this entire fight in just his Demigod State. If his sole focus was to kill and win, then his Instant Transmission, Instant Vanish, and his insanely high ki reserves would¡¯ve netted him a win. If he was truly serious, bootleg sage mode and Kaioken x20 would¡¯ve been more than enough. The 300x power boost would¡¯ve slept Atid even if he had Juggernaut Drive or Hyper Drive or Whatever Drive. The insane perception that comes with those tattoos Igor gains most likely borders on the realm of future prediction. Almost like the sharingan on steroids. Thank you for reading and once more, five chapters are available on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Today is Friday so until the next chapter. Chapter 222 In a sense, he wasn¡¯t lying. His heart had given out and he was unconscious. He had lost and had no input on what happened after. ¡°W-wow¡­Dimori-kun. That was¡­are you alright?¡± ¡°Alright?¡± Triumphantly, he beat his chest twice which made Shuri flinch. ¡°I¡¯m better than alright, aunty. That was the best fight of my life and I¡¯m looking forward to a second one. Next time, I¡¯ll definitely beat Atid.¡± . |DxD| . Gremory Estate, Underworld . ¡°Ria-tan. I¡¯m going to leave if you don¡¯t hurry up!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming, onii-chan!¡± In a posh dining room, Sirzechs sat opposite his parents on the dining table. Because his wife wasn¡¯t present, there were only four of them including Rias for today¡¯s breakfast. With Rias absent, the atmosphere between the three of them slowly became tense. ¡°Son. Are you sure that what you¡¯re doing is a good idea?¡± Venelana looked at her son with slight worry. Brown hair perfectly framed her face, her somber violet gaze replacing her usually serious personality. ¡°I concur with my wife on this, Sirzechs. The repercussions should failure occur¡­¡± Zeoticus levelled a serious stare at Sirzech¡¯s. Different from his casual yet playful normal moniker, his blue eyes held an unusual level of sternness in them. Like his son, Zeoticus also had crimson hair. ¡°Father. Mother. We know what we¡¯re doing and the risks have been assessed. Even after five-hundred years, our people still hold to the glory and mistakes of the past. This prevents us from realising our truest potential. But if this works, then we will evolve.¡± ¡°You said ¡®if¡¯, Sirzechs. ¡®IF¡¯.¡± If it were not for her husband restraining her with his hand, Venelana would¡¯ve shouted. ¡°This is too much of a risk, son. You have to stop.¡± ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ With a wave of his hand, Sirzechs produced the contract signed by all Four Satans. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot, mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Not just Zeoticus, even Venelana went silent when they observed the contract. It was completely clear that neither of them had any knowledge of this. But after seeing the terms, the completely and utterly dastardly terms, they- ¡°Onii-chan! I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here!¡± Rias ran into the dining room with heavy breaths. She carried a handbag almost half her size and from how it was bulging, many things were packed into it. ¡°Ria-tan. I almost left without you.¡± Sirzechs couldn¡¯t help but tease when he saw she was struggling to properly hold the bag. ¡°Nooooo. Don¡¯t be mean, onii-chan.¡± Rias carried the bag all the way to Sirzechs and then dropped it. Excitedly, she clasped onto his cloak. ¡°Let¡¯s go, nii-chan! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Hehe. Alright alright, Ria-tan.¡± Rubbing her head, he stood up and picked up her bag. As a magic circle formed underneath them, he looked at his parents once more. ¡°Mother. Father. Trust me. Everything I do is for our people.¡± Vwong! ¡°¡°...¡±¡± As Sirzechs vanished Rias, Venelana and her husband were left alone at the dinner table. Due the the seriousness of the situation, none of the servants had come in to clear the table even after the food had long since been consumed. ¡°Venelana. We have to trust in our son-¡± ¡°Zeoticus Gremory! Do you-¡± ¡°NO, Venelana! If Sirzechs asks for our trust, then we will trust him!¡± ¡°...¡± Venelana was rendered mute by her husband¡¯s stern reprimand. ¡°I¡­alright¡­¡± If even her jovial jokester of a husband believed in their son, then she would place her faith in him as well. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t impact our people negatively.¡± ¡°Hehehe. Who could¡¯ve imagined, Venelana. The small town of Kuoh could hold a monster.¡± Frowning, she hit him lightly on the chest. ¡°Don¡¯t make light of this, Zeoticus. I¡¯m worried for our son.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s our son after all.¡± . |DxD| . Himejima Household, Kuoh Town, Japan . It was a bright Saturday morning in the town of Kuoh. As always, Igor was meditating underneath the tree in the yard. He didn¡¯t get the time while he was in Mount Kailasa, but here, he had the time to review his fight with Atid. To date, it was his most strenuous battle, one he lost, but one he didn¡¯t regret losing. With his coat neatly folded at his side, his baggy shirt was ruffled as the morning breeze blew by. Yet with a mind as calm as the sea, he remained serene. He relived his fight with Atid in its complete entirety, his focus leaning more on when he was in his berserk state. [Like I thought. Using my full-powered transformation makes me go mad with the desire to fight.] The transformation itself was strong, absurdly so. But it also came at the cost of enhancing his bloodthirst and killing intent. Still, Igor never expected that it would have further benefits. [To think that I could actually get stronger in battle. But I feel no different as it stands.] Now that he was calm, he was able to review all of his experiences with complete clarity. The increase in power caused by accumulating damage was a genuinely surprising phenomenon he never expected would happen. [No. I actually do feel my power has increased.] *Clenches Fists* [Even if it¡¯s by a small margin.] It wasn¡¯t even a ten percent increase, but power was power. The stronger his base power got, the more powerful his Kaioken and Demigod Transformation would be. Regardless, using this power wasn¡¯t something he could do frivolously. [I¡¯ll have to learn how to control¡­hm?] He opened his eyes the moment he felt the formation of mana a few metres from him. Without hesitation, he stretched out his finger and formed a ki blast at the tip. From experience, he knew someone was teleporting here. The problem was, he didn¡¯t recognise this mana signature. Vwong! As the flash of light from the magic circle vanished, Igor lowered his hand just as Sirzechs glanced at him. ¡°Lucifer. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d come this soon.¡± Standing up, Igor was somewhat unprepared for the red blur that rushed towards him. With unparalleled enthusiasm, Rias grabbed Igor¡¯s leg and asked with bright eyes. ¡°Nii-chan! Can you do the Kamehameha?¡± Rias was very quick to enquire about his capabilities. The moment she saw him, it instantly became something she must know at all costs. Ever since she heard from Akeno that Igor could do the Galick Gun, she had been anxious to meet him again ever since. ¡°Hahaha. Ria-tan. Atleast greet Dimori-san before you ask him questions, alright?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Taking a step back, Rias calmed herself and bowed her head as a sign of greeting. ¡°I, Rias Gremory, greet you, Sir Dimori.¡± She even went so far as to elegantly lift the fringes of her dress, which made Igor¡­ ¡°Pfft¡­pfft¡­¡± ¡­struggle to contain his laughter. ¡°...¡± Rias frowned when she heard him chuckle. ¡°Hmph!¡± Annoyed, she folded her arms and turned her back to him¡­which only made Igor burst out with laughter. ¡°Pwahahahahah!¡± He couldn¡¯t help it. Igor could care less about her cute curtsy. What had him going was¡­ ¡°Sir? You called me ¡®sir¡¯? I¡¯m the furthest thing from a ¡®sir¡¯!¡± Walking forward, he placed his hand on Rias¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t call me sir, Rias. Call me nii-chan like you did earlier. Fancy titles don¡¯t suit me.¡± ¡°Maybe we have just yet to find a suitable one for you, Dimori-san.¡± Approaching with a light smile, Sirzechs extended his hand. ¡°How are you? I heard you were gone for a week.¡± Reaching out to shake his hand, Igor replied. ¡°I was in the Heavenly Realm this past week. So what brings you here, Lucifer?¡± Sirzechs didn¡¯t immediately reply but meaningfully glanced at his sister for a brief moment. ¡°My sister has been wanting to see you for quite a while. Other than that, I also have some business with Serafall. I assume you know she¡¯s here?¡± ¡°I did sense her when I arrived.¡± Igor was not oblivious to Sirzech¡¯s true intentions. The satan wanted to see him but the subject was something that couldn¡¯t be discussed in front of Rias. Just as Igor was about to speak further, Aurelia walked out of the house with Asia and Akeno in tow. ¡°RIAS!¡± Excitable as always, Asia rushed forward and gave her new friend a hug. ¡°Hihihi~. Hello, Asia-chan!¡± Rias was especially happy to see Asia. Alongside her and Akeno, Asia was the youngest amongst the trio, making her the little sister of the group. ¡°Akeno-chan. Today, I want to play tag. This time, I will win!¡± Approaching rather slowly, Akeno scoffed. ¡°Hmph! Just admit I¡¯m better than you, Rias.¡± With her nose pointing directly to the sky, Akeno displayed her superiority- ¡°Tag! You¡¯re it!¡± While Akeno was embellishing herself, Rias quickly tagged her before flying away. ¡°...¡± Asia looked at Rias who had disappeared into the forest and Akeno who stood ramrod in confusion. ¡°Um¡­¡± With her finger placed between her lips, indecision gripped her before she made a choice. ¡°Bye!¡± Su! In an impressive display of speed, she vanished into the forest, leaving Akeno who was growing increasingly miffed. ¡°Mouu!¡± Revealing her wings, Akeno charged into the forest. ¡°You can¡¯t run from me!¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs watched helplessly as his body sagged under the weight of the bag filled with anime dvds. Regardless, now that the children weren¡¯t here, they could get to business. ¡°Dimori-san. I won¡¯t waste your time so I¡¯ll be brief.¡± Letting the bag vanish, a dossier appeared in its place. ¡°We are hoping that you and Aurelia-san can make an appearance tomorrow in the Underworld.¡± In place of Igor, Aurelia took the dossier and opened it. ¡°What might this be, Lucifer-san?¡± ¡°Names and pictures of all the elders we are prepared to¡­lose.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Igor was now also curious. Looking over Aurelia¡¯s shoulder, he could see a few middle-aged men with their names, clan affiliation, and more. But what caught Igor¡¯s eyes was¡­ ¡°Eunice Gremory?¡± Without batting an eye, Sirzech¡¯s nodded. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s risen to the position of elder almost three-hundred years ago. Unfortunately, she lost her husband to your people and¡­I believe it¡¯s time she reunites with her husband.¡± ¡°??¡± Not just Aurelia, even Igor looked up in surprise. Sirzechs was oddly¡­blunt about this. From the little that he, Sirzechs was the type to honey his words. This? This was as blunt as he could get. ¡°Hehehe. Way to respectfully insinuate someone should die, Lucifer. I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Dimori-san. But it is true. Ever since her husband met his unfortunate end, she had been the lead in trying to introduce some distasteful policies inspired by her hatred for humans.¡± ¡°In other words¡­¡± Aurelia began. ¡°...because her husband was killed by Aryans, she now harbours a hatred for humanity and this extends to reincarnated devils, correct?¡± ¡°An impressive deduction, Aurelia-san. But yes. It is indeed the case.¡± ¡°It is indeed, Lucifer-san. But that isn¡¯t enough for you to turn on your relative, no?¡± ¡°...¡± The light smile Sirzechs had gradually faded as the tiniest hint of murderous intent emanated from him. ¡°You are once again correct, Aurelia-san. My¡­aunt, wanted to sell my sister.¡± . |DxD| . Things are getting out of hand now and slowly, we¡¯re seeing the true Sirzechs. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s bad, but he¡¯s definitely frustrated. Maybe Eunice will live. Who knows? I still don¡¯t understand this whole arrangement but hopefully in the following chapters, things will be cleared up more and more. Chapter 223 ¡°An impressive deduction, Aurelia-san. But yes. It is indeed the case.¡± ¡°It is indeed, Lucifer-san. But that isn¡¯t enough for you to turn on your relative, no?¡± ¡°...¡± The light smile Sirzechs had gradually faded as the tiniest hint of murderous intent emanated from him. ¡°You are once again correct, Aurelia-san. My¡­aunt, wanted to sell my sister.¡± . |DxD| . Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes. It was not a secret to the supernatural world that Sirzechs absolutely doted on his sister. To think that someone would attempt to use Rias as a bargaining chip, perhaps only a family member would have the guts to do that. But now, it seemed Sirzechs¡¯s ruthlessness did not discriminate. ¡°Hey, Lucifer. This aunt of yours¡­how strong is she?¡± ¡°?¡± It was a question that took both parties by surprise. ¡°Why do you ask, Dimori-san?¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious. You love your little sister, right?¡± Without hesitating, Sirzechs replied. ¡°More than you can imagine.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Then, Igor levelled a calm gaze at him. ¡°Then why is that woman still breathing?¡± ¡°...¡± Catching Sirzechs tongue-tied, Igor continued. ¡°I understand that you use politics to keep everything stable, Sirzechs. But there should be limits to everything.¡± He then stood right in front of Sirzechs and looked him in the eye. ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned¡­¡± He placed a finger on Sirzechs¡¯s chest. ¡°...you are the strongest person in the Underworld alongside Beelzebub. From what I can feel from your power, you can lay waste to the entire Underworld should you wish. With that amount of power, why do you let weaklings disrespect you to the point of walking over you?¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but get agitated. ¡°You¡¯re the Crimson Satan goddamnit! Is that name for show? You were completely willing to kill me and my sister for kidnapping your sister. So tell me, Lucifer.¡± In his angered state, his eyes turned red. ¡°Why is that bloody aunt of yours still alive!¡± Igor couldn¡¯t understand. If someone, ANYONE tried to forcefully sell Asia under the guise of an arranged marriage, the very, very least that would befall them would be the loss of two limbs. So if Sirzechs truly loved Rias¡­ ¡°Why is she still alive?!¡± ¡°My lord. Please calm down.¡± Aurelia placed her hand on his chest and gently pulled him back. ¡°How can I calm down? He has power on par with gods yet he¡¯s taking nonsense from someone¡­someone who can¡¯t even withstand one punch from him! It¡¯s infuriating!¡± The Sirzechs he saw in the Underworld was strong. After the situation was diffused, Igor came to admire him for his strength. But now¡­now? ¡°Tch!¡± He couldn¡¯t stand him. To be precise, Igor couldn¡¯t stand his actions. From the little information Aurelia told him, he knew almost all of those supposed elders had never gone above High-Class in power. Sirzechs already had power at the peak of God Class without assuming his true form. The difference was clear. ¡°Dimori-san. I will not hide it from you. Yes, I do possess the power but I lack the capability.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. A self-deprecating smile formed as Sirzechs lowered his head. Sigh¡­ ¡°I wish it were easy, Dimori-san.¡± Seeing Sirzechs¡¯s helpless sigh, Aurelia took the initiative to speak. ¡°My lord. It is true that the Four Satans possess abnormal strength far surpassing the average devil. Unfortunately, too many prominent families, particularly the Bael clan in the Underworld used the discord sowed by the Civil War to firmly cement themselves into a position where even just uprooting them would cause widespread destabilization. In simpler terms, if Lucifer was to engage in wanton killing like his predecessors, the Underworld may see another Civil War.¡± Sirzechs took this moment to also interject. ¡°And we cannot afford a Civil War, Dimori-san. The repercussions are not something I can bear. At the time, even if I establish a dictatorship, the other factions will take the initiative to eliminate us completely from Earth.¡± With the peerage system, the Devils were no longer presented with a pressing population issue. However, if the Old Satan Faction pulled strings and another Civil War happened, the inner turmoil would result in many devil territories on Earth to be vacated. Other factions would use this opportunity to occupy those territories and completely bar the devils from gaining a foothold on Earth ever again. Of course, such an occurrence is rare, but that was only if Sirzechs never pushed. ¡°If I started brutally eliminating everyone, public opinion would place me and all the other satans in a bad light. At that point, our dismissal would be called for. But no matter what, the end result would be a civil war.¡± If the Old Satan Faction came into power, there is a very high likelihood that reincarnated devils would be oppressed like slaves. The number of stray devils would skyrocket, causing the hatred of devils by other factions to also rise. Most likely in a century, growing dissent would result in reincarnated devils to launch a rebellion. By then, external forces would most likely fund this rebellion but by then, the devils would be completely done for. ¡°I don¡¯t want that, Dimori-san. If all it takes is enduring to make sure we survive, then I will do so.¡± ¡°...¡± Faced with such dreadful facts, even Igor found himself sympathizing with the plight Sirzechs was faced with. ¡°Tch! Damn politics¡­¡± Seeing Igor frown as he crossed his arms, Sirzechs couldn¡¯t help but sport a smile. ¡°Indeed they are annoying, Dimori-san. Which is why I need you as someone who is both not a devil, and someone who doesn¡¯t care about ¡®annoying politics¡¯.¡± A look of interest flashed on Igor¡¯s face. ¡°Oh? What would you need me for?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from the both of you, especially you, Dimori-san. Part of us in agreeing to your use of lethal force should the need arise is that we need your help in placing some of the more fanatical members of my people into a permanent rest. If either of us do so, we risk destabilizing the Underworld. But if you do¡­well, you do have full right to kill any assassins, don¡¯t you?¡± After listening carefully, Aurelia was not pleased with this arrangement. ¡°No. Apologies, Lucifer-san. But my lord¡¯s reputation would be tarnished if-¡± ¡°Bah! What do I care about what weak people say about me?¡± Cracking his knuckles, Igor pointed his thumb at his chest. ¡°Let me be arrogant this once, sister. Me strong. Them weak. Them talk nonsense. Me break skulls.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was rendered mute by his¡­enlightening words. ¡°Lucifer. I like you. You¡¯re a good guy: you and your friends. If you want me to kill whoever¡¯s on this list for you, I¡¯ll do it. But you¡¯ll owe me a fight. A proper fight. Of course, I¡¯ll do it once your mind is clear. I can¡¯t get a proper fight when you¡¯re thinking about other things.¡± ¡°Hahaha. You have my word, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll hold you to it, Lucifer. But¡­¡± He glanced at the picture of Eunice once more. She looked like a middle-aged woman with long red hair tied in a ponytail. With her glasses, she looked rather stern. ¡°...are you sure you want your aunt dead? Maybe cutting off her limb would send a better message.¡± ¡°Your methods are surprising, Dimori-san. But there is no need to burden her with the task of breathing any longer.¡± ¡°I¡­I see.¡± Igor tried to restrain a chuckle. Sirzechs truly was ruthless. ¡°Lucifer-san. What shall you do about negative public opinion if my lord interferes? Will the Old Satan Faction not subtly promote messages that speak of your incompetence? The authority you¡¯ve given my lord is quite high.¡± Sirzechs sported a smile as if he was directly waiting for that question. ¡°That is where you come in, Aurelia-san. If possible, please allow us to enlist your services. It is a plan that has been long since in the making, but we are planning to establish a service that allows members of a peerage to maintain a further degree of freedom. Ajuka already has the method, but we have yet to propose it due to the opposition we would face.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Aurelia quietly pondered. ¡°In short, you want me to advertise my services as someone who can lessen the restrictions placed by becoming a member of a peerage? What restrictions, per say?¡± ¡°A few, but the key restriction is the dependency on the king.¡± ¡°...¡± This¡­ ¡°Lucifer-san. Do you know what you¡¯re proposing? There would be upheaval.¡± ¡°From the various kings and upper echelons only, Aurelia-san. The common populace would be jubilant. You see, over the centuries, reincarnated devils have come to get along with the rest of the devils. This is especially because devils have come to sympathize with the former. Normal devils without any clans or backing have a hard life but reincarnated devils have it much worse. Unfortunately for the deluded members of noble society, people who suffer together bond.¡± A small smile formed as Sirzechs spoke, as if he was remembering a fond memory. ¡°There have been secret marriages between reincarnated devils and normal devils over the years and the number only increased as the years passed, especially in this century. If the method to solve the king¡¯s dependency was released as part of your skillset, the news alone would completely undermine any deaths Dimori-san causes.¡± . AN . I am partially confused by this talk of the Old Satan Faction. To my knowledge, there are three factions. The Old Satan Faction led by the descendants of the original satans, the Great King Faction led by Zekram Bael, and the New Satan Faction led by the current Four Satans. From how Sirzechs is speaking, I¡¯m questioning whether he¡¯s treating the Great King Faction and the Old Satan Faction as one entity or if the Great King Faction doesn¡¯t exist here. Hopefully we¡¯ll gain a proper understanding as the story progresses. Should you wish, there are five more chapters to read on p.a.t.r.e.o.n with my name. Chapter 224 ¡°There have been secret marriages between reincarnated devils and normal devils over the years and the number only increased as the years passed, especially in this century. If the method to solve the king¡¯s dependency was released as part of your skillset, the news alone would completely undermine any deaths Dimori-san causes.¡± . |DxD| . How massive was the commotion this piece of news would cause? It would be massive. If it was leaked out, the media sensation would splash over any other news. ¡°Lucifer-san. You truly thought this through. But how will you make sure that this news is not suppressed?¡± ¡°Haha. We¡¯re not truly incompetent, Aurelia-san. Maybe you¡¯re not aware, but your people are acknowledged for their craftsmanship and ingenuity. Even if Ajuka himself introduced this method, our rivals can quickly come up with all sorts of ¡®problems¡¯ that relinquishing dependency could have. I¡¯ve learned not to underestimate the multitude of reasons they can sire at any given moment. Indeed, Sirzechs had learned not to underestimate the ingenuity of the Old Satan Faction. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they could convince the populace that a male is a female or that black is also white. ¡°But if it¡¯s you, most devils will believe you, Aurelia-san. And if we reveal that you were the one who created the Barrier of Kyoto as well as the teleportation array, the established credibility will bury any ¡®concerns¡¯ our rivals can conjure under hoax.¡± Sirzechs had full belief that if Ajuka¡¯s method was endorsed under Aurelia¡¯s name, all the devils would seek her out. And if Igor killed a few key elders in the Old Satan Faction, the two-pronged attack would quickly undermine their authority and allow Sirzechs, Serafall, and Falbium the opening they need to penetrate deep into the faction and take it down. ¡°To further establish credibility, Ajuka will also ¡®verify¡¯ this method with you, Aurelia-san. If even the creator of the peerage system grants his approval, then no amount of ¡®concerns¡¯ will stop desperate reincarnated devils from trying.¡± Once that happens, the benefits will come in droves. For one, there will be more people willing to become reincarnated devils, especially sacred gear wielders. The number of stray devils will decrease drastically. Just two of these benefits would improve the image of the devils on the international stage. ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this through didn¡¯t you, Lucifer?¡± Igor might not be as smart as them in terms of politics, but even he could see how well this could turn out. ¡°We do try our best, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll crush a few skulls for you when?¡± ¡°If possible for you, we need you to come tomorrow. The both of you.¡± ¡°Alright, Lucifer. We¡¯ll be waiting for your arrival then.¡± Right as Sirzechs was about to speak, Aurelia interjected. ¡°Before you leave, Lucifer-san, I believe that we need to smooth out some details. Depending on the outcome, I could also enlist the help of Yasaka-sama. It would also be in her best interest if everything turned out well.¡± ¡°What sort of details, Aurelia-san.¡± At that moment, Igor saw where this was heading. They were going to wade deep in the waters of politics, a region he did not want to dwell in. ¡°I¡¯ll take this as my cue to leave. I¡¯ve had my fill of political stuff for the day.¡± ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Sirzechs and Aurelia watched as he picked up his coat by the tree and walked towards the house. Without fanfare, he leaped towards the second floor where he pulled open the window and- ¡°Kyaaaaaa!¡± ¡°Oh! Sorry, aunty! Didn¡¯t know you were inside!¡± Quickly, Igor closed the window and looked at the both of them with an angry expression. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°See what your politics did? They made me muddleheaded!¡± He didn¡¯t wait for their response as he flew towards the other window that would lead to Akeno¡¯s room. ¡°Stupid politics. I didn¡¯t even notice and¡­¡± His quiet grumbles faded as he entered the room through the window. ¡°¡°...¡±¡± Both Aurelia and Sirzechs couldn¡¯t help but sport amused smiles. It was quite funny seeing someone with absurdly high perception stumble right into the bathroom where Shuri was bathing herself. ¡°You know, Aurelia-san. If I didn¡¯t know of Dimori-san¡¯s disposition, I would¡¯ve assumed he was a pervert who did that intentionally.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia chose to keep her silence. ¡°Aurelia-san?¡± Sirzechs turned to face the silverette, only to find that her cheeks were slightly flushed. ¡°Aurelia-san. Is he¡­I see.¡± Seeing Sirzechs¡¯s coy smile, Aurelia hurriedly denied any sort of thought he would¡¯ve had. ¡°No no no, Lucifer-san. Don¡¯t assume my lord would stoop that low. It¡¯s¡­¡­¡­.may we please continue with our previous topic?¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs sensed a rather good story behind all of this. He wouldn¡¯t lie and say he wasn¡¯t interested. But for now, he would save her the embarrassment. ¡°Alright, Aurelia-san. As I was saying¡­¡± . |DxD| . Remote Location, Devil Territory, Underworld . In a very dimly lit room, the current head of the Bael Clan, Zelefam Bael sat behind a desk. In front of him, a subordinate from the Nebiros clan bent down on one knee with his hands outstretched. ¡°Lord Bael. I have arrived with an urgent report.¡± ¡°...¡± Zelefam said nothing. He puffed on his cigar as he savoured the view outside. The white light from outside could not penetrate far into the room, but it was enough to illuminate his hand adorned in luxurious rings. Fuuuuu¡­ He smoked once more before cradling the cigar between his fingers. He seemed to be in no rush to attend to his subordinate. In fact, it appeared as if Zelefam didn¡¯t acknowledge his existence. But the subordinate dared not complain. He waited patiently until Zelefam spoke. ¡°I permit you to speak.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. We have received a report from our spy in the Gremory Household that Sirzechs has left with his younger sister for Kuoh. On the outside, it appears as if he has gone there for leisure, but it is already the second time he has gone there this week alone. We have also confirmed that he was not there to visit Serafall, but¡­¡± He seemed too afraid to speak but¡­ ¡°...¡± ¡­under Zelefam¡¯s intense stare, he hesitantly continued. ¡°...w-we have lost our spy stationed there and¡­i-it is estimated that infiltration will be difficult in the near future. Before we lost contact, we were able to receive two names. Asia Argento and Akeno Himejima.¡± If it were not for the face mask clinging to his face, his sweat would already be dripping on the floor. ¡°...¡± Zelefam did not reply but once more, puffed on his cigar. Once he holstered it between his fingers, he leaned back on his chair again, his darkened figure seemingly gazing at the ceiling in thought. ¡°Hmmm. Tell me. Approximately how soon can we expect to embed another spy?¡± ¡°...¡± The subordinate couldn¡¯t answer immediately. Infiltrating Kuoh was already hard with Cleria Belial managing the reigns. The only time they ever managed to insert spies was during the Himejima Massacre. Even then, most of them were captured and eliminated within a week. It is unknown through what methods, but they were only left with one spy. Now that spy has now been eliminated as well. As for the previous incident now known as the Power Surge, the window of time was too low to plant another. ¡°My lord. It will be difficul-¡± ¡°I said, give me an approximate timeframe.¡± ¡°...¡± This was his last chance. The subordinate knew if he dawdled, his head would roll on the floor. ¡°If we truly focus on this task and are given the necessary resources, we can have an agent inside by the end of next year-¡± ¡°This year. I want an inside man by the end of this year. Do not fail this task. Am I understood?¡± ¡°Y-yes, my lord.¡± Then, silence descended once more as Zelefam puffed his cigar once more. The smoke obscured his figure even further, hiding him behind a darkened silhouette. ¡°Any further reports?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Bael. We have intercepted another piece of news. Serafall Sitri has released a warning that should anyone target Asia Argento, the repercussions will be severe. Summarizing her words, she says anyone who does so can forget about the revenge of the person behind Asia. They will have to face her wrath. According to our reports, there¡¯s a high likelihood that whoever is behind Asia is also the one responsible for the Power Su-¡± ¡°The end of next month. I want an inside man by the end of next month. I will give you all the resources you need. But by the end of September, I want to begin receiving information on that person¡¯s identity, their affiliation¡­¡± In the darkness, two red eyes glowed. ¡°...and their weakness.¡± The eyes zeroed in on the subordinate, making him feel terrified by the pressure of his gaze. ¡°Y-yes, my lord. I shall endeavour to complete this mission.¡± ¡°...¡± Zelefam looked at the subordinate for a while longer before his eyes dimmed. ¡°Very well. Next, I want you to tell me. What is the progress on Project Four?¡± ¡°Reporting, my lord. We have come to a realisation that senjutsu can be used to stimulate demonic power. Currently, we have two Nekushou in captivity. One has been reincarnated and has been used for experiments. Currently, her magic power has reached Ultimate-Class and is estimated to rise even further.¡± ¡°And the second?¡± ¡°We have kept her as a spare, my lord. ¡°Good. I want detailed progress on my desk by midday. You may depart.¡± ¡°My lord.¡± The purple magic circle of the Nebiros clan formed underneath him before he vanished. Vwong! . AN . Looks like we¡¯ve gotten to Kuroka and Shirone¡¯s arcs. Interesting things are lining up and I¡¯m curious if the Nekomata Massacre will happen or not. Chapter 225 ¡°Reporting, my lord. We have come to a realisation that senjutsu can be used to stimulate demonic power. Currently, we have two Nekushou in captivity. One has been reincarnated and has been used for experiments. Currently, her magic power has reached Ultimate-Class and is estimated to rise even further.¡± ¡°And the second?¡± ¡°We have kept her as a spare, my lord. ¡°Good. I want detailed progress on my desk by midday. You may depart.¡± ¡°My lord.¡± The purple magic circle of the Nebiros clan formed underneath him before he vanished. Vwong! . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . Time quickly passed in the small town of Kuoh. Once the main talks were concluded, Sirzechs and Aurelia discussed some minor details while Igor disappeared to only God knew where. It was only after midday that he returned, though it was unknown why he left nor did he explain anything. With Shuri offering, Sirzechs and Rias stayed for lunch and to say they were ¡®only¡¯ surprised at the two blondes¡¯ eating habits was an understatement. The two siblings vacuumed their food in real-time with Asia seemingly doing her best to keep up with her older brother. It was a rather humorous lunch, especially when Sirzechs had to stop Rias from trying to race them to the bottom of the bowl as well. In the end, a satisfying meal was served and it was time to discuss arrangements. When the children left to play once more, Aurelia revealed to Igor that it would be best if they left for the Underworld today. One reason was to acquaint themselves with the landscape and the other was for¡­ ¡°Rias was hoping my little sisters could come visit her?¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow at the request. ¡°Yes, Dimori-san. Don¡¯t worry. Our family does not hold discrimination towards non-devils.¡± ¡°I could care less about that, Lucifer. But who you should really be asking for permission is aunty. Not me.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± As all eyes turned towards her, Shuri couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. She was truly content to be a spectator, not the subject of the conversation. All of this was a bit¡­sudden. ¡°Well¡­¡± A brief moment of hesitancy struck her. Asia could be forgiven for being human, but her daughter was a fallen angel, a hybrid no less. Despite Sirzechs¡¯s words that no one in the Gremory household was racist, there were always exceptions. Apparently, her worry was visible since the next thing she felt was a warm hand on her shoulder. ¡°Hey, aunty. Don¡¯t think too much about this. If they go, I will protect them from anyone. If someone says something mean to them¡­¡± He turned to face Sirzechs with a smile. ¡°I trust you can cover the medical costs, Lucifer?¡± Sirzechs chuckled. ¡°Yes, Dimori-san. Nonetheless, I suspect there will be no need for that. Shuri-san. It will mean a lot to me if I can satisfy this little wish of my sister. You have my word that their safety will be a top priority. I can assure you that no physical or psychological harm will befall them.¡± ¡°...¡± Truth be told, Shuri had learnt a lot about the supernatural world in the past month. Be it from Cleria or from diaries and notebooks written by her previous self, her information could be said to be truthful, realistic, and current. ¡°Lucifer-sama.¡± ¡°Please, Shuri-san. Call me, Sirzechs.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She was momentarily taken by surprise. Under normal circumstances, such a privilege would never be granted to someone like her. ¡°Then¡­Sirzechs-san. Can you truly guarantee that my daughter will not encounter discrimination?¡± ¡°In the Gremory household? I can guarantee you, Shuri-san.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She picked up that little tidbit of information. She was about to decline, but decided to relent. ¡°¡­alright then, Sirzechs-san. I will trust you.¡± It was then that Igor interjected. ¡°Hey, aunty. Don¡¯t you want to go too? You¡¯ll feel more at ease if you also come.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Left unsaid was that he would also feel at ease if she came. Without Aurelia here, Igor didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving her alone. ¡°I would rather stay behind, Dimori-kun.¡± She had her reasons, but she wouldn¡¯t say them. Atleast not yet. ¡°...oh.¡± For a moment, Igor went blank-faced, something Sirzechs noticed. But he didn¡¯t voice his thoughts because that would undermine Shuri. [I will have to ask Serafall to monitor this place. It is important that nothing happens to Shuri.] . |DxD| . Time passed once again and before evening, Sirzechs, Rias, Igor, Aurelia, Akeno, and Asia all left for the Underworld, leaving Shuri alone. She stood outside right where they vanished in a teleportation circle. Truth be told, she was feeling quite a bit anxious. That look Igor gave her when she refused to leave made her come to a realisation she was hesitant to acknowledge. [I¡¯m a burden.] Her strength, something that would see her labelled as a top-class fighter if she were to join an organisation was absolutely nothing when compared to the behemoths Igor and Aurelia conversed with. [This has to change.] Disregarding her goal, it was imperative that her power increases. Not only for Igor to worry less about her, but also so that she could protect Akeno and Asia should the need arise. So with her determination set, she bowed her head and respectfully called out. ¡°Amaterasu-sama. I need your help.¡± There was no answer. ¡°Amaterasu-sama. I need your help.¡± Once again, there was no answer. But she remained steadfast and called once more. ¡°Amaterasu-sama. I need your help.¡± . . . Silence¡­ Apart from the sound of birds and insects in the forest, there was silence. Regardless, Shuri did not raise her head. Having called out three times in a row, she quietly waited for the inevitable. ¡°Ahhhh~, Shuri-chan. You called me sooner than expected.¡± Shuri did not flinch even when she heard the voice of a woman behind her. ¡°Thank you for coming, Amaterasu-sama. I shall not be long-winded. Because of certain reasons, I accept your proposal.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± With a slight smile, Amaterasu walked around Shuri like a customer surveying the goods. All this time, Shuri did not raise her head. ¡°Are you sure? Becoming my priestess will not be an easy task but¡­hmmm. For you, I¡¯ll make an extra exception.¡± ¡°?¡± Laden with curiosity, Shuri raised her head and for a moment, she wished she didn¡¯t. Amaterasu was in a¡­school uniform? Shuri didn¡¯t keep up with the times so she was unsure if this was a school uniform or some scholarly way of dressing. At the very least, the blazer Amaterasu wore bore no emblem. ¡°Shuri-chan?¡± Shuri shook her head when she realised she was out of it. ¡°Apologies, Amaterasu-sama. Yes. I agree to become your priestess. May I ask what my responsibilities will entail?¡± ¡°For now? Nothing I have time to get into. I¡¯ll have Yasaka-chan come visit you to explain the specifics. However¡­¡± With a snap of her fingers, a crudely simple sword sheathed in a scabbard as well as a dagger appeared out of midair. ¡°A question, Shuri-chan. How averse are you to killing?¡± With the casual smile Amaterasu had on her face, it would seem as if she was talking about slicing apples, not bodies. ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Gremory Estate, Underworld . The courtyard of the state was beautifully paved. Dozens, possibly hundreds of plants and neatly trimmed shrubs line the gardens, the sidewalks, and the rather tall walls. Everything was pristine and elegant with multiple gazebos, stone arches, and tall poles fitted with lights for illumination at night. In the middle of the courtyard, a large magic circle formed. The circle spread out quickly before it flashed. Vwong! As soon as the flash faded, it revealed Sirzechs and everyone. As the centre figure, Sirzechs had Igor and Aurelia to his side while the children were in front. It was quite funny seeing all three children hold on to one massive handbag stuffed full of toys, dvds, and other things. Immediately, Rias rushed out and spread her arms as if to present the beauty of the estate. ¡°Asia! Akeno! What did I tell you? It¡¯s beautiful! See?¡± Asia looked around in wonder. The Underworld was completely different from what she thought it would be. When she was still under the church, they made it out to be completely chaotic and lawless. ¡°Woah! There are pretty flowers!¡± Akeno on the other hand was¡­apprehensive. The excitement of being in a new place was immediately doused by her instincts going haywire. The presence of multiple devils so nearby made her look around in alert as she subconsciously stayed close to Igor. ¡°This place is pretty big¡­¡± Igor silently commented. He was impressed by how orderly everything was. He idly wondered how this place would look at night. But more than that, he was curious about the landscape behind the walls. ¡°Let me get a better view.¡± Without warning, he vanished on the spot. Su! ¡°?!¡± Taken by surprise, Akeno desperately looked around. ¡°Ah...ah¡­a-¡± ¡°Calm down, Akeno-chan. You¡¯re safe here. Besides, he¡¯s up there.¡± As Sirzechs calmed her, he pointed up towards Igor who was perched on one of the taller floodlights. ¡°HEY LUCIFER! YOU PEOPLE ARE RICH!¡± Igor couldn¡¯t hide how impressed he was. The estate extended as far as the eye could see with various fields and other buildings all over the place. Far off into the distance, he could see devils working in the fields on some sort of herbs and other interesting things. [Man. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think they¡¯re normal humans.] Their use of magic to work fascinated him greatly. Jumping off, he allowed gravity to take hold and bring him down. Just before he landed, he slowed down his fall and landed gently. ¡°I knew devils were rich but this is on another level. If I knew, I would¡¯ve beat up some protection money from you guys instead.¡± Sirzechs was intrigued. ¡°You take protection money, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°Sometimes. How do you think aunty can afford to feed me and Little Asia? We eat a lot, you know?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t eat a lot!¡± ¡°...¡± With a small smile spreading on his face, Igor ruffled her hair. ¡°Yes you do, my cute little sister. You eat more than I did when I was your age. But don¡¯t worry. Big brother will beat up protection money all day if it means you can eat ¡®til you¡¯re full.¡± Just then the voice of another man rang out. ¡°Well then, I hope we won¡¯t be the beneficiaries of your protection.¡± With the double doors open, they revealed Zeoticus and Venelana. Behind them was a small entourage of maids following silently. ¡°Mother. Father.¡± Acknowledging their presence, Sirzechs moved aside and began introducing the rest. ¡°These two here are Igor von Dimori and Aurelia von Drachenburg, the last two Aryans in the world. And these two are Asia Argento and Akeno Himejima, Ria-tan¡¯s newest friends.¡± Zeoticus noticed Akeno¡¯s heritage, but made no fuss about it. ¡°A pleasure to meet you all.¡± As he gave a small bow in greeting, Aurelia also reciprocated. ¡°Likewise, Gremory-san. On behalf of my lord, we greet the lord and lady of the Gremory household.¡± . AN . Seems like Shuri¡¯s road to power is about to begin. As far as we know, her resurrection resulted in her body having roughly the same potential as Vasco Strada, meaning that of the ten seals god placed on humanity, one was possibly removed by Amaterasu. Remember that breaking the first seal practically eliminates most of the negative effects that come with old age. That and it drastically increases potential. As for the sudden talk of this deal, I assume we¡¯ll get more info on when it was made as the story goes. Until the next chapters. My p.a.t.r.e.o.n is available for those interested. Chapter 226 ¡°These two here are Igor von Dimori and Aurelia von Drachenburg, the last two Aryans in the world. And these two are Asia Argento and Akeno Himejima, Ria-tan¡¯s newest friends.¡± Zeoticus noticed Akeno¡¯s heritage, but made no fuss about it. ¡°A pleasure to meet you all.¡± As he gave a small bow in greeting, Aurelia also reciprocated. ¡°Likewise, Gremory-san. On behalf of my lord, we greet the lord and lady of the Gremory household.¡±. |DxD| . Igor was not one for meaningless pleasantries. When Aurelia spoke, he remained silent, all while he observed the Gremory couple and their entourage. They were dressed rather elegantly. Well¡­atleast Venelana was. He wasn¡¯t sure if Zeoticus was trying to be an army naval officer or something else. ¡°...¡± In short, he was not impressed. In fact, he was almost disappointed to the point of disgust. [They¡¯ve lived so long but they¡¯re so weak?] He could not only feel their strength, but also their lifeforce. They were numerous centuries old, but their combat power was weak. The woman was better to some extent. She was somewhere around the lower end of Ultimate Class¡­which was still weak for someone who lived this long. The discrepancy between their powerful lifeforce and weak combat power tickled his senses in the not-so-fun kind of way. [Tch. What a waste.] Maybe it¡¯s because of how everyone and their mother in the Heavenly Realm was strong, but he couldn¡¯t accept that these people had lived for so long yet remained stagnant. Regardless, he did not voice nor show his displeasure. He thought the parents of Sirzechs would at least be in the realm of God Class, but it seems he vastly overestimated them. [Maybe the others will be stronger.] Surely not all devils would be weak, right? Atleast he hoped so. Just from feeling the strength of most of the devils here, even the children in the Heavenly Realm would walk all over them. As he zoned out in his thoughts, the group was escorted into the living room where they were seated. Rias had taken Asia and an unwilling Akeno out to explore. The little ravenette still didn¡¯t feel safe being in the midst of all these devils, but she knew her elder brother was nearby. Furthermore and thankfully, none of the devils she saw seemed repulsed by her, or atleast didn¡¯t show their repulsion. Igor also kept his senses on them. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let harm befall them in any manner. He respected the Gremory family, but not to the extent that he wouldn¡¯t kill any member that tried to harm his little sisters. . |DxD| . The pressure in the living room was slightly tense. The luxurious and ambient lighting did little to alleviate this pressure. It was only fortunate that a barrier had been erected otherwise, this pressure would¡¯ve spread throughout the entire mansion. Igor and Aurelia sat on one couch together. Sirzechs sat alone in the middle while his parents sat together on his right. It was understandable why the atmosphere was tense. Previous relations between Aryans and Devils were rather tense and the last time Aryans visited Devil Territory, a clan head of a pillar clan was inflicted with a debilitating disease. Still, Sirzechs knew he had to act as the intermediary here, especially for his parents. ¡°Mother. Father. I once more introduce to you Aurelia von Drachenburg. But you might know her under her previous alias as Kurohime.¡± ¡°¡°?!¡±¡± There was no need to give an extensive introduction. Everyone of note knew of Yasaka¡¯s famed assistant. Not only a master diplomat, but also one of, if not the finest seal master in Japan. Her most famous work was the massive teleportation circle implemented in all major cities in Japan as well as the Great Barrier surrounding Kyoto. Just these two achievements have cemented her name in history. However, no one would ever think that the one and only Kurohime was an Aryan, one of royalty no-less. It would seem that those who wished her death of old age would have to add a zero to the number of decades. ¡°Once again, a pleasure to meet you, Aurelia-san.¡± ¡°I also extend my pleasantries to you, Aurelia-san. I never figured my wife and I would meet such a master in the flesh.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Zeoticus and Venelana extended their sincere greetings to Aurelia. Similarly, she replied kindly. ¡°Please. To meet the esteemed parents of the Maou is a pleasure in of itself.¡± Zeoticus chuckled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Aurelia-san. My son has worked hard to get himself to where he is.¡± How could old devils like them not see the benefits of befriending her? Establishing good relations with such a master would net them interest in a myriad of ways. As for grudges? What grudges? Their surname is Gremory, not Sitri. Once the pleasantries were done, Sirzechs moved on and introduced Igor with a small smile. ¡°As for this young man here, his name is Igor von Dimori. Not only powerful in his own right, he¡¯s also the disciple of Shiva, the God of Destruction.¡± ¡°¡°...¡±¡± The Gremory couple could be forgiven for their slow reaction. If Aurelia¡¯s achievements were astounding, then Igor¡¯s were simply out of this world. He was the disciple of Shiva, the god who made ten nuclear bombs traded during the Cold War between the Americans and the Russians vanish like they never existed. The widely acknowledged third strongest entity in the supernatural world, popularly known for his elusiveness, took on a disciple. And that disciple was sitting in front of them. ¡°We are pleased to make your acquaintance, Dimori-san.¡± Reacting faster than her husband, Venelana extended her sincere greetings once more. ¡°?¡± Hearing his name, Igor turned to face her and gave a nod before staring intently at the ceiling. He was already aware that what came next would be politics¡­and he had no interest. His time would be better spent watching over his sisters as they played in the room above. No matter how many IQ points were to be shoved into his brain, Igor would never enjoy politics. Even if his age had four digits, he would still choose fist over thought any day. As far as he was concerned, Sirzechs had told him who he could get rid of. It wasn¡¯t that he was looking forward to it, but already knew that it was inevitable. Either way, he wouldn¡¯t care for the lives of a few devils. . |DxD| . True to Igor¡¯s prediction, what followed next was a series of political talks. Sirzechs no longer hid what he planned to do to his parents. He fully explained the plan him and the rest of his friends had thought up, the benefits, and the consequences. Surprisingly, to the extent that Igor took notice, Venelana and Zeoticus were more worried for their son than the fact that him and his friends just conspired to effectively cull the council. Of course, they weren¡¯t blind. Although they were slightly averse to such an idea, they understood why. As the talks continued, Igor learned that the reason why such drastic actions were taken was because the council voted for devils to involve themselves in the war against Aryans decades ago. Fortunately, no direct army was dispatched, but they were to supply the invading army with weapons, magical artifacts, and medicine. Unfortunately, as one of the clans known for their prominent medical capabilities, the Sitri Clan Head was also one of the people sent to help. As a result, he was immediately targeted by the Aryans with The Sleep Disease. Furthermore, there were no benefits gained from the war. The moment the Aryans died, their dimension collapsed, allowing no one to steal their treasures. Even if there were benefits, the fostered hatred Serafall bore for the council could never be quenched while they still drew breath. By extension, nearly everyone who bore close relations with the Sitri harboured a small hatred for the council. It was also why the Gremory couple were not entirely opposed to their son¡¯s plan. Their only problem was the level of political power and diplomatic immunity Igor and Aurelia wielded. But once Igor said¡­ ¡®Whether it¡¯s in ink or not, my actions would not change.¡¯ ¡­there were no further arguments. Such a bold statement silenced the room. It was one thing to be allowed by the contract. It was one thing to explicitly state that the contract meant nothing to him. Though¡­he did have the capital to be domineering and uncaring. Disregarding his strength, his status as a disciple of Shiva could allow him not to care about the contract. It was also because of this that Venelana and Zeoticus realised the contract meant nothing. Even if it were to be amended, it would not restrict his actions. Of course, no one would dare discuss the talk of a soul contract. Further plans were discussed with Igor remaining a casual listener. Although most of his attention was on the presence of Asia, Akeno, and Rias, he still spared an ear to the conversation taking place¡­as well as another ear to the surroundings. Igor prided himself on being stupid, but that was only when he chose to be. Even he knew that the talks going on were important and as such, there must be no other witnesses. ¡°...¡± It was slight¡­very, very slight, but upon focusing, he heard a breath, one that did not belong in this room. He closed his eyes in focus. If his thoughts were true, then someone else was in this room. ¡°...¡± As he closed his eyes, no one bothered him. After over an hour of talks, they had come to understand that Igor did not care for the contents. However, absolutely no one expected him to make this next move. ¡°There!¡± Su! Without ceremony, he vanished in a burst of speed towards the corner of the room. Time slowed around Igor as he sensed a very, very, very faint aura fluctuation. He could vaguely sense the aura radiate in the form of a humanoid figure, one he would capture very soon. Brandishing a crimson aura blade, he slashed across without hesitation, and his hunches were proved right. With his slash, he cut off the legs of the now-visible figure. They wore very tight black clothing made for stealth, to the point that even their entire head was covered in the material. From the build, it was a woman, a very shapely woman. But that didn¡¯t matter. Man or woman, his blade didn¡¯t discriminate. Shiing! With an upward swing, he cut off the woman¡¯s right arm before letting his blade vanish. At the same time, he grabbed her by the throat so that she wouldn¡¯t fall down. As time resumed at its normal pace, the woman, overbidden by the sudden pain, released a bloodcurdling scream. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAH-¡± ¡°...¡± Without care, Igor shoved his hand into her open mouth. Her screams of pain were of no concern to him. His hand moved around as if searching for something until finally, he found it. ¡°Got it.¡± With complete ruthlessness, he ripped out a tooth that had a small sachet tied to it. Observing it briefly, he threw it on the carpet before placing his palm on the woman¡¯s stomach. Ignoring her screams, he closed his eyes as if sensing for something. He rubbed his hand over her chest with no perverted intentions. It glided over her breasts towards her navel until it finally settled on her stomach. For a while, his hand lay still until slowly, a red aura covered it. ¡°Found it.¡± Reeling his hand back, he straightened his palm before stabbing it into her core like a blade. With that action, the woman froze and the small red sphere she made dissipated. Calmly, Igor looked at the woman who was glaring at him with eyes that could kill. There was no emotion on his face. Like a switch that had been flicked on, he had turned into the killing machine that slaughtered the Himejima Clan. ¡°Now¡­who might you be?¡± Chapter 228 Truthfully, he was more worried about Igor causing some sort of mishap, but he trusted Aurelia could restrain him to some degree¡­hopefully. ¡°Alright.¡± With a magic circle forming underneath him, he vanished. Vwong! No matter what, he would get answers from her by any means necessary. Torture was not above him. . |DxD| . The entire Gremory manor was in a state of confusion, but no one knew the reason why. With a giant barrier suddenly sealing off the entire clan, there was bound to be restlessness. Fortunately, the living room was sealed off by a small barrier in advance so even when Eunice screamed, no one heard it. Zeoticus had addressed the issue of the sudden barrier by recalling all members, workers, and servants of the Estate for a headcount. Under the reasoning of looking for spies, thorough investigations were launched into the whereabouts of all personnel. As for the children, Venelana had gone to take care of them. Not only did she reassure the three of them, but she was also there to protect them. With the entire estate under lockdown, she along with Aurelia who came later were the deterrent that would prevent any other desperate would-be spies from capturing them. On the other hand, Igor was sitting on the rooftop of the mansion. He had his eyes closed, all while his senses had covered the entire estate and beyond. Having proved his perception to the Gremory Couple, he had been asked to find and prevent anyone who would try to escape. With his role as a sentinel, Igor performed it faithfully and without complaint. Although he didn¡¯t quite truly acknowledge the husband and wife, he respected their son. That and he recognised that they were truly kind to everyone under them. It was surprising since from what he knew, devils of noble titles view devils under them like livestock, especially reincarnated devils. But when he heard how Zeoticus calmly addressed their servants, he could admit that his respect for them went up a notch. Still, he had a job to do and more than observing, he also had to quell any threats. Just beyond the barrier, he felt someone teleport there. They were surprisingly strong. They were low-God Class from what he could feel. What was more interesting however was that disguised by the demonic power was the feeling of chakra. To be accurate, he felt a multitude of different chakra signatures. That truly got him interested. [Must be someone Sirzechs sent.] They didn¡¯t feel stronger than Serafall at first glance, but they were strong nonetheless and it got him interested. He wanted to see whoever that person was. Su! . |DxD| . Outside the Gremory Estate, a man in a loose cloak with an unbuttoned top casually stood. This man was Souji Okita and he was¡­bored. ¡°¡­¡± He stared listlessly at the barrier in front of him and despite being sure he could break it, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to. ¡°Sensei? Why are we standing here?¡± ¡°...¡± Souji turned to look at the boy standing next to him. The boy just so happened to be his newest protege¡­more like a piece of work. Why Sirzechs assigned him a headcase was something he questioned himself with everyday. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°There¡¯s a barrier in front of us, Isaiah.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Silence descended once mor- ¡°Can¡¯t you break it, sensei?¡± ¡°I could.¡± ¡°...¡± Young Isaiah couldn¡¯t understand his sensei¡¯s reasoning, but he chose to stay silent. Souji also couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain to a child. After all, he knew that once he broke this barrier and entered, he¡¯d be embroiled into whatever troublesome situation was brewing. Unfortunately for him, a troublesome situation came to him¡­and he could sense it. ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± Sighing, he looked towards the tree on the side of the dirt road. ¡°Come out. I know you¡¯re there.¡± There was silence until slowly, Igor walked out from behind the tree. ¡°Huh. I thought I concealed my presence. How did you sense me?¡± ¡°...¡± Souji chose not to comment on how his lifeforce felt like a burning blaze. Combined with Igor¡¯s appearance, Souji could see that he was the Aryan Sirzechs talked about. Still, no need to inform the kid about that tidbit. For now, he would feign ignorance. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What do I want? Hehehe¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Oh no. Souji recognised that grin. He had seen it one-too-many times in his lifetime. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s-huh?¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°...what?¡± ¡°...¡± Souji already knew what the blonde would want. ¡°I won¡¯t fight you.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was caught by surprise at how Souji¡¯s statement was spot on. It was true that he wanted to fight the swordsman but¡­he couldn¡¯t be that easy to see through, right? ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°How I know doesn¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t fight you.¡± Souji was still firm on refusing. Just one glance and he could tell that Igor was an annoying battle-hungry maniac. Fighting those types of people was always annoying, especially since they never stay down. Unfortunately for him, Igor wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡°Come on¡­whoever you are. Let¡¯s fight!¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re strangers to each other.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯ll be fun. I promise.¡± ¡°It was fun. I admit defeat.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was taken aback by Seiji¡¯s stern refusal. Unfortunately for the swordsman, Igor truly wanted to fight him. The oddity the blonde sensed in Souji made him want to see what it was. ¡°You talk as if you have a choice.¡± Su! Charging forward, he reeled his fist back for a punch that would land on Soiji¡¯s face. ¡°...¡± With his fist separated only by a few millimetres from its target, Igor stopped when for some reason, Souji didn¡¯t bother dodging. He was sure his speed was something even a seasoned high-Ultimate Class could react to. ¡°Hey. What are yo-¡± ¡°Oh? It seems you are too fast for me to react. I admit defeat.¡± ¡°...¡± And just like that, Igor¡¯s flames died. Landing slowly on the ground, the blonde folded his arms. ¡°Tch. You¡¯re no fun.¡± When he got closer, he became intrigued by this person and his desire to fight had ignited. But now, Souji had thoroughly doused it by his lack of enthusiasm. ¡°But I had fun-¡± ¡°Bah! You¡¯re speaking nonsense.¡± Igor couldn¡¯t bear to listen to him anymore. ¡°Come on. You¡¯re the guy Sirzechs sent, right? I can feel his aura on those pieces in you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± For once, Souji showed a hint of interest on his face. ¡°You can sense my pieces?¡± ¡°Yes. And I can sense Rias¡¯s piece in whoever this kid is.¡± Being called ¡®kid¡¯ by another kid was something Isaiah couldn¡¯t tolerate. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid!¡± ¡°Until you can follow my speed, you¡¯ll be a kid in my eyes.¡± ¡°?!¡± Taken completely by surprise, Isaiah was shocked when Igor¡¯s voice came from behind. Reacting on instinct, he jumped forward and used his sacred gear. ¡°S-Sword Birth!¡± A small flash of light formed before an ordinary looking steel sword formed in his hand. ¡°Hyaaaa!¡± Crying out, he charged forward and posed to stab his sword into Igor, who blocked the pointy end with his finger. . . . Silence¡­ [Huh. I think I understand how Lady Parvati felt now.] It was rather¡­humorous. Igor couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread on his face after seeing how Isaiah still tried to injure him. ¡°Haa! Haa! Haa! Haa!¡± The young blonde was relentless in his strikes, but Igor would always casually dodge them. It was quite comical watching a younger blonde do his best to hit the older blonde. In the end, Souji couldn¡¯t take it anymore. No matter what, Isaiah was still his protege. ¡°Alright, alright, kid. That¡¯s enough.¡± Appearing behind Isaiah, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and lifted him off the ground. ¡°But sensei! I almost had him!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Quickly turning around, Igor tried his absolute best to hide his laughter. He couldn¡¯t help it. The kid¡¯s statement caught him off guard that he almost choked. ¡°Haaaaa¡­Isaiah. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself.¡± Souji could only be glad that there was no one else around. If they heard Isaiah¡¯s statement, it would trend on the devilnet. His illustrious name as a famed swordsman would be ruined by this disciple of his if this continued. Conveniently enough, the barrier had also dropped during their exchange. ¡°Come on.¡± Dragging Isaiah by the scruff of his neck, Souji walked along the path to the mansion. As for Igor, he had a hunch on who the blonde was, but he didn¡¯t want to rattle that topic if he could help it. ¡°Until we meet again.¡± Waving goodbye, Souji didn¡¯t look back. He would rather deal with the woman who accompanied Igor than the blonde himself. Thankfully, Igor didn¡¯t follow them. That meant he could stretch this walk for thirty-minutes or so. Yet just as he thought he would do that, Igor came out from behind a tree just ahead of them. ¡°Hi. We meet again.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 229 ¡°Until we meet again.¡± Waving goodbye, Souji didn¡¯t look back. He would rather deal with the woman who accompanied Igor than the blonde himself. Thankfully, Igor didn¡¯t follow them. That meant he could stretch this walk for thirty-minutes or so. Yet just as he thought he would do that, Igor came out from behind a tree just ahead of them. ¡°Hi. We meet again.¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . Souji, Igor, and Isaiah walked in silence towards the mansion. While the two blondes seemed to have no problems, Souji warily eyed Igor. Ever since he saw him, Souji knew that Igor would be a great threat to his idle life. Someone like Igor was too active for his liking, a conjecture thoroughly proven when the boy wanted to pick a fight with him. [Troublesome¡­] They walked along the gravel road towards the gates¡­which were still far, far away. All around them was forest and at this rate, it would take quite a while to reach the mansion. ¡°...¡± Igor was not having that. ¡°Hey, sword brother. How about we hurry this up?¡± ¡°If you wish to hurry, then feel free to do so. I¡¯ll continue walking at this pace.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was slightly miffed at Souji¡¯s attitude. ¡°Nope. My sister needs to meet you soon. So¡­let¡¯s go.¡± Su! Rushing towards Souji with his full speed, Igor was about to grab his shoulder when at the last second, Souji backpedalled slightly. ¡°??¡± Igor was taken so much by surprise that he stumbled forward. He knew Souji was fast, but not that fast. ¡°Eh?¡± Correcting his posture by cartwheeling, he turned to face Souji with a look of astonishment. ¡°You¡­you¡¯re fast.¡± Slowly, that astonishment turned to excitement. ¡°Really fast¡­¡± Granted he wasn¡¯t serious, but Souji was still fast. ¡°...¡± Souji knew everything was now FUBAR*. That glint Igor had in his eye told him that he had exposed too much. A massive part of him told him that reaching the mansion earlier would¡¯ve been much better than catching the interest of a battle-maniac. [This will be troublesome.] Su! True to his thoughts, Igor rushed at him once more. Souji could see the blonde near him with his hand outstretched. He briefly wondered if he should let Igor catch him. That way, he could attest the previous event to luck, but that changed when Igor suddenly appeared behind him. Tswii! ¡°?!?!¡± Years of instinct took over. Completely exposing his speed, Souji drew out his sword and prepared himself to cut off the hand that was close to grabbing his shoulder. SHIIING! *Blocked!* His blade was caught in Igor¡¯s hand. Not even a millimetre of skin was cut by the edge, something that Souji found appalling. But more than that, it was Igor¡¯s cerulean gaze that had him alert. ¡°You¡¯re fast. If I didn¡¯t get serious, I would¡¯ve lost my hand.¡± Igor was honestly impressed. He thought he would gain an advantage by using the Instant Vanish. But Souji¡¯s reaction speed genuinely surprised him. ¡°Say. How do you feel about becoming my training partner? You could help me train my reaction speed.¡± Because of Aurelia¡¯s insistence on not using the clone scrolls, Igor was scrapped for challenging methods of training lately. But Souji? With Souji, he could train his perception and reaction speed. Stolen story; please report. ¡°No.¡± Souji was quick to disagree. Disengaging his sword, he sheathed it once more before reiterating. ¡°I cannot afford to train with you. My time does not allow me to.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Igor was quick to dispute him. ¡°Your aura fluctuated when you mentioned your time constraints. That means you have a lot of free time, right?¡± Igor had a victorious smirk on his grin. Folding his arms, he waited for how Souji would refuse him next. [Lazy bastard. See how I don¡¯t drag you to the training field with me. How can I let go of a gold mine like you?] Strong? Free time? He was perfect. Unlike Atid, Souji had no political obligations to attend otherwise, Igor would¡¯ve made the Heavenly Realm his home. ¡°...¡± Souji could only grumble. He was caught in a very awkward position ¡°Tch. Troublesome¡­¡± He grabbed Isaiah by the shoulder and turned to face Igor. ¡°Next month-¡± ¡°Week. I¡¯ll come find you. See you later.¡± Tswii! ¡°...¡± If Sirzechs did not tell him how important these guests were, he would¡¯ve refused even if his whole family was brought back from the dead to plead with him. Now, not only did he already have one blonde to deal with, but there was another one now. ¡°...¡± *Glances at Isaiah* ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± Souji sighed at his current predicament. He wondered if becoming Sirzechs¡¯s knight was worth it. [Troublesome blondes.] Su! . |DxD| . Back at the mansion, everything had been resolved. Once Igor returned, he found that Aurelia was now casually chatting with the Gremory Couple. Upon hearing the contents of their conversation, he did not see the need to stay any longer. They were discussing some potential business deals and other miscellaneous matters that did not need his ear. As far as he knew, Aurelia would tell him if there was anything of importance. So he went and saw Rias and his little sisters. The girls were playing around with Akane, Rias¡¯s bat familiar. When he entered the room, the bat was spooked by him and immediately hid behind its master. Either way, he didn¡¯t care about it much. He was content that his sisters were happy here at the mansion and that was enough. The girls wanted him to stay behind, but he tactfully declined when he saw what was on the big screen. He did not know what was the obsession with magical girls, but he would not embark on that route. Upon leaving the girls alone, Igor sensed that Souji had returned along with Isaiah. He could sense that the kid was in some library of sorts with another older devil while Souji was in another room with his sister and the Gremory Couple. There was nothing of interest for Igor to do and he couldn¡¯t be bothered sitting with a kid like Isaiah, nevermind the other devils. Apart from the sacred gear he sensed, Isaiah had nothing that would interest him. And so faced with nothing to do, he vanished from the hallway towards the rooftop. Su! . |DxD| . The Gremory Estate was immense, yet beautiful. Igor could vividly see the extensive landscape from his place on the edge of the rooftop. His legs dangled lifelessly, all while his mind absorbed the horizon. Nearly an hour had passed by his guess, yet he never tired of the sight in front of him. A part of him idly wished he had a cup of tea to enjoy this view with. [Hehe. I guess the old sage¡¯s influence is getting to me.] While the view from the gazebo in the Himalayas was of pure, untouched nature, here it was a beautiful union of old-age architecture coming together with nature. As time passed by and the sun slowly began to set, Igor felt Aurelia ascend the stairs leading to the rooftop. Soon¡­ Dakaang~ ¡­the door opened. Turning to face her out of the corner of his eye, he couldn¡¯t help but inwardly remark how beautiful she was. [As always.] She closed the door behind her and walked over to him. In her arms was a clipboard that contained several documents which upon seeing the dollar symbols all over, Igor guessed it was for her services. Slowly, she sat next to him and said nothing. Neither said anything to the other. Just like that, the seconds drawled by as they looked at the horizon together. Slowly, Igor snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She didn¡¯t resist and even actively scooted closer to him. He took the documents from her hands and gave them another cursory glance. True to his guesses, the document was a contract for her to install new anti-spy barriers for the Gremorys. The cost was already more than the GDP of some countries, but the amount of zeroes didn¡¯t faze Igor. Rather, he felt some concern. ¡°Aurelia. Are you sure you want to do this? I can stop the whole thing and make sure no one says a word.¡± Igor truly did not care for this alliance. He only went through with it because she truly wanted it. But if it would overwork her, then he would immediately tear it apart. ¡°Thank you for worrying, Igor. But this much work is something I can complete in a day. Clones, remember?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± He had forgotten she could make them. If that was the case, then there was no need to worry about her. Still¡­ ¡°Be careful, Lia. Some of these devils will try to take advantage of you. If you try to make a contract with them and see something you don¡¯t like, tell me. I¡¯ll break them.¡± Such a domineering attitude. But¡­she didn¡¯t hate it. ¡°Fufufu~. Thank you, my lord.¡± ¡°Hey. We¡¯re alone, remember? Cut out that lord stuff.¡± ¡°...¡± Finding his annoyance cute, Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Chuu~ ¡°...Igor.¡± She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before leaning on his shoulder. The feeling of knowing he cared for her was enough to make her smile for the whole night. ¡°Hey, Lia. You know that¡¯s not gonna cut it, right?¡± ¡°?¡± Looking up, he was looking at her with a coy smile before she realised what he meant. ¡°Right¡­¡± Mustering her courage, she raised her head and pressed her lips against his. She let herself sink in this blissful feeling before slowly, she pulled away. Looking into his eyes, she could see the love and care contained in them. ¡°...¡± If it wasn¡¯t because they were at the Gremory mansion, she would¡¯ve wanted him here and there. Sadly, she could only restrain herself and lean on his shoulder once more. The feeling of his arm on her waist was something she enjoyed. ¡°I love you, Igor.¡± ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t reply, but the tightening of his hold around her was more than enough to convey his feelings. He hadn¡¯t forgotten about the issue between her and Shuri, but he no longer pursued it. Everything was fine without the need for him to dig into other people¡¯s secrets. And so as the sun set and the moon rose, they sat on the rooftop in each other¡¯s embrace. They were silent, but their intimate contact spoke of the connection they shared. Just these little moments were more than enough for him. . AN . Enjoy this heartwarming moment, for it is the last. If you wish to read further, you are welcome to go read ahead on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Until the next chapter. Chapter 230 He didn¡¯t reply, but the tightening of his hold around her was more than enough to convey his feelings. He hadn¡¯t forgotten about the issue between her and Shuri, but he no longer pursued it. Everything was fine without the need for him to dig into other people¡¯s secrets. And so as the sun set and the moon rose, they sat on the rooftop in each other¡¯s embrace. They were silent, but their intimate contact spoke of the connection they shared. Just these little moments were more than enough for him. . |DxD| . Today was a busy day. The sun was peeking over the horizon and the entire mansion was abuzz with activity. Breakfast had been had and it was time for everyone to get to work. Because today¡¯s matter would be crucial, it was requested that Souji take care of the children while Sirzechs, Igor, and Aurelia made their way to the council hall. To say the girls had taken a liking to Isaiah would be an understatement. Rias was proud to show off her knight to her friends and it was only thanks to his thick skin that Isaiah wasn¡¯t turned into a toy. It was the first time either girl had been in such close contact with a boy for long periods of time and it intrigued them. Downstairs, Sirzechs, Aurelia, and Igor were ready to leave. There were still two hours until ten but Sirzechs wanted to rendezvous with his fellow satans first and iron out the minor details. It was why that after a series of goodbyes, the trio finally left the estate. . |DxD| . Lucifaad Parliament Hall, Underworld Devil Territory . The parliament hall, also known as the council hall was truly magnificent in its size and majestic in its architecture. Just standing next to its pristine white walls made one feel like a dwarf in front of a giant. The trio calmly made their way through the lush gardens. Because today was a special day, Aurelia had garmed herself in pristine white attire befitting a noble lady from the early 20th century. Sirzechs was in his robes and armour like always and Igor was¡­Igor. Thankfully he had received a new dark blue coat when he returned from the Heavenly Realm. But Aurelia could never understand his obsession with sandals. The only thing she could manage to do was convince him to put on a shirt underneath that coat of his. As they walked through the gardens on a paved path, they soon met up with Serafall who was waiting for them outside. Clad in business attire, there was a stern aura around her. But her expression softened when she saw them. ¡°Sirzechs-chan. Aurelia-san. Dimori-san. How are you?¡± She greeted them with a kind smile, one which Sirzechs reciprocated. ¡°We are fine, Sera. I assume Falbium and Ajuka are inside?¡± ¡°Yep~. We were waiting for the rest of you.¡± She led the way in and the interior was just as beautiful as the outside. When the receptionist saw the two satans and¡­humans(?), she did not dare remain seated. She quickly stood up and offered her bow, though her gaze did remain on the two non-devils. Sirzechs and Serafall inclined their heads to acknowledge her bow while Igor was a bit unnerved by her gaze. Were it not for Aurelia tapping his shoulder, he would¡¯ve done something about that stare. Soon, they reached the elevator and after a while, they stepped into a hallway where they walked towards the last room. Upon entering it, it was a lounge room where as always, Falbium was sleeping on the sofa. The bald satan had his arms spread out like a king on his throne, all while his head reclined on a pillow. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Ajuka was sitting calmly on the other sofa and he seemed to be busy with some minor research. When Serafall and the rest entered, the magic circles around him vanished as he stood up. ¡°Well. A pleasure to see you again, Dimori-san and Aurelia-san.¡± ¡°The pleasure is ours, Beelzebub-san.¡± Ajuka shook his head. ¡°Please. Call me Ajuka. Beelzebub is simply a title and nothing more.¡± Sirzechs also took this moment to speak. ¡°I also have the same sentiments. Please call me Sirzechs from now on as well, especially since we¡¯ll be working toge-¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Igor was quick to refuse him. ¡°Until you give me a good fight, you¡¯re Lucy from now on.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not hearing it, Lucy.¡± Completely ignoring Sirzechs, Igor made his way over to Ajuka and stretched out his hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, Ajuka. I hope you¡¯ll take care of my sister.¡± Ajuka reciprocated the handshake. ¡°Likewise, Dimori-san. I shall do so as well.¡± ¡°Thanks, Ajuka.¡± Turning around, he came face to face with Serafall. Same with Ajuka, he stretched out his hand. ¡°We didn¡¯t meet under the best of circumstances, but I hope we¡¯ll get along¡­what¡¯s your satan name again? I honestly forgot.¡± ¡°...¡± Serafall felt a bit miffed about that. Still, she shook his hand. ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s Leviathan, but you can call me Serafall.¡± ¡°Right. I hope we get along, Serafall.¡± He then walked over to Sirzechs. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get this show on the road.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs wondered if Igor was ignoring Falbium on purpose, but it wasn¡¯t his place to ask. Besides, he was more thankful he didn¡¯t call him Lucy. ¡°Alright. Then we¡¯ll have to go through some things, Dimori-san. But before we begin, let me relay our findings from yesterday.¡± . |DxD| . Because of the capture of Eunice Gremory, the original plan had to be changed. For one, it seemed that the Old Satan Faction had penetrated into the Underworld deeper than they previously thought. And the only way they could do that upon reasonable conjecture was through the help of Zekram Bael and his Great King Faction. Through the help of Ajuka and Falbium, a lot more information was pried from Eunice before her departure from this world. Be it her equipment and concealment methods, they were not something of devil origin. Upon investigating further, it was found that her equipment was of Norse origin, equipment that cannot be stolen, but given. She didn¡¯t know more, but this minor information led to the possibility of another larger international organization behind this series of events. That or the Old Satan Faction has gotten powerful enough to steal from the Norse. Neither of the possibilities were preferrable. The only good that came out of this was that her contact was from the Bael clan. Although they didn¡¯t get a name, the satans now knew where to focus their investigations. As it stood, Sirzechs planned to reveal the death of Eunice. While he wouldn¡¯t be confident in finding out those who had ties to his aunt, he had confidence in Igor¡¯s sensory capabilities. If everything went well, they could find more moles from the Old Satan Faction and extract information. . |DxD| . The hour of the weekly meeting was close at hand. Since it was supposed to be a minor meeting, there were no clan heads present. Appointed elders from all the pillar clans and other substantial clans filed into the room and took their seats. Representative elders from all the pillar clans, from the Phenex to the Baels, and from the Agares to the Sitris all shuffled into the room. As the clock reached the ten-hour mark, more and more people entered. Soon, over forty people had taken the seats. Aside from the original thirty-two pillars, there were extra clans who had made achievements over the millennia that allowed them to earn a seat in the hall. As the hall quietened, the door at the side of the room slowly opened and soon, Sirzechs entered along with Serafall. All of them remained seated even as the leaders of their race entered. However, their disinterested gaze shifted once another person entered. *Doof*¡­*Doof*¡­*Doof*¡­*Doof*¡­ His sandals reverberated against the carpeted hardwood floor. His posture was straight, his long blue coat adding to the majesty he was establishing. Upon reaching Sirzechs, Igor met every single eye that stared at him with varying levels of intensity. Some eyes looked at him with curiosity, others like he was a possession, and others with disgust. ¡°...¡± His senses washed over each and every one of them. He felt their weakness and it disappointed him, especially when he sensed just how old most of them were. If this was the standard of the older generation, then no wonder the new generation was filled with weaklings. Fortunately, Sirzechs had brought him here to cull them. If before it was a simple task, now it had become a job he would do with fervour, especially when he saw how some elders were outright glaring at him. ¡°Greetings esteemed elders. Thank you all for coming and without further ado, let us begin the first agenda. As you may have noticed, I have a new face standing next to me today. His name is Igor von Dimori, an Aryan and the newest ally of devilkind. Lord Dimori. Perhaps you might want to share a few words of greeting before we officially begin?¡± Sirzechs had a small smile on his face. But different from before, it was very, very genuine. The elders were behaving according to his expectations. The more they looked down on Igor, the angrier he would become. And what Sirzechs wished for the most was an Igor who would be extremely invested in culling the parasites. True to his estimations, Igor had a dark expression as he stepped forward. ¡°My first impression of you all is¡­I don¡¯t like you. I don¡¯t like you at all.¡± . AN . Poor elders... Chapter 231 Sirzechs had a small smile on his face. But different from before, it was very, very genuine. The elders were behaving according to his expectations. The more they looked down on Igor, the angrier he would become. And what Sirzechs wished for the most was an Igor who would be extremely invested in culling the parasites. True to his estimations, Igor had a dark expression as he stepped forward. ¡°My first impression of you all is¡­I don¡¯t like you. I don¡¯t like you at all.¡± . |DxD| . Silence. There was absolute silence. Absolutely no one expected Igor¡¯s words, especially these elders who had gotten too used to their high positions. No matter what their expectations were, it did not reach this extent. Unfortunately for them, Igor was not a mere high class as they thought he was. ¡°All of you here are smart to an extent. So I will not beat around the bush. You will figure it out once you read the alliance terms.¡± Suddenly, a small stack of documents appeared in front of each of them. While a select few began reading them, the rest stared at Igor with gradually darkening gazes and glares that the blonde did not care for¡­yet. ¡°Starting from today I will be your judge, jury, and executioner. Your clan, backing, or faction mean absolutely nothing to me. I believe I¡¯ve made myself clear.¡± ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±¡± They were all astounded by his words. Even more, the elders were more angered by how Sirzechs and Serafall stood to the side in inaction. And¡­was that a smile on Sirzechs¡¯s face? Impudent! ¡°How dare you!¡± Finally, an elder couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He banged his fist on the desk as he stood up, his amber eyes glaring murderously at Igor. ¡°A mere human scum dares to-¡± Before anyone could even react, Igor had latched his hand around the elder¡¯s throat. His face was impassive while the elder was futilely struggling. ¡°A mere High Class scum dares to talk back to me?¡± His grip remained tight around the elder¡¯s throat. Despite the man¡¯s portly appearance, he weighed like a feather in Igor¡¯s hand. ¡°You are Dagan of the Vapula Clan. Already over a thousand years in age, yet I know one of those human ¡®scum¡¯ that can kill you very easily.¡± Dagan furiously glared at Igor, but his gaze quickly changed when the grip around his throat tightened. Igor was no longer just constricting his airflow. He was crushing his windpipe. His legs flailed wildly while he desperately tried to remove Igor¡¯s arm from his throat. But it wasn¡¯t working. He couldn¡¯t kick the blonde. The table was in the way. His mind was too impaired to invoke magic. None of the other elders showed any signs of helping him. In fact, they couldn¡¯t even process this sight. They had been elders for hundreds of years. Not once had a scene like this happened during their tenure. Dagan couldn¡¯t help but release tears. His vision was already darkening. Those blue eyes that impassively watched as his lifeforce waned horrified him to the core. He regretted it. He regretted lashing out. If only¡­if only it was someone else- *Plop* Dagan flopped onto his desk like a lifeless hunk of meat. He was just barely, barely, BARELY alive. ¡°HOOOAAAH!¡± A short while later, he took in a deep breath. His eyes widened like saucers as he frantically looked around. A part of him thought it was a dream, that he must¡¯ve fallen asleep somehow before the meeting. But when his eyes met Igor¡¯s, he nearly panicked. ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t dare breathe loudly. There was genuine fear in his eyes. He almost died. He was THIS close to death. This blonde kid showed no hesitation. No matter what, he didn¡¯t want to offend him. ¡°...¡± Igor was disappointed by how quick to break these elders were. None of them showed camaraderie and helped their fellow elder. Like sheep, they stayed to the side and watched. Even worse, this Dagan had completely become subservient. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Pathetic. Dagan. Do you admit you are pathetic?¡± Dagan dared not refuse. Quickly standing up, he lowered his head in a bow. ¡°Yes. Yes I am pathetic. I am very pathetic, Lord Dimori.¡± All of his haughtiness had disappeared in that instant. Dagan no longer cared what the other elders would think of him. What was most important was his life. As long as he lived, there was hope! ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Igor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly. ¡°You are indeed pathetic¡­and crafty.¡± ¡°What?¡± Raising his head in surprise, Dagan inquired. ¡°Lord Dimori. What do you-¡± BANG! Dagan¡¯s words were cut off¡­because he no longer had a head. . . . Silence¡­ Everyone¡­absolutely everyone was caught offguard. Igor had his fist outstretched and¡­pieces of Dagan were splattered across the room. In one punch, he had completely shattered Dagan¡¯s head into chunks of bone, tissue, and brain matter. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± No one dared to breathe. No one dared to scream. No one dared to fart. ¡°Well¡­that was that.¡± Igor shook off the bone and brain matter hanging on his fist. It splattered onto another elder¡¯s cheek, but he dared not complain. He didn¡¯t even dare to wipe it off. Dagan was one of the more powerful elders, especially ever since Misla Vapula had married into the Bael Clan. Yet he was killed just like that. No matter what, no one would say anything even if they were given ten guts. ¡°Dear elders. I think I did not make myself clear before.¡± Igor turned around and walked down the steps towards the podium. He did not hide his dislike for them. It practically wafted off of him. Compared to the denizens of the Heavenly Realm¡­no. These elders weren¡¯t even worthy of being compared to them. Slowly, his previously concealed aura was released. High-Class, Ultimate-Class, God-Class, Peak-God Class. Each increase in stage made each elder widen their eyes as realisation set in. The information was wrong. He was of equal strength with the satans. ¡°I will start again.¡± Slowly, Igor turned around and faced them once more. ¡°From today moving forward, there will be a change of management. I will be the new Enforcement Elder. My job? To keep you all in line. You have two choices at this moment. Be obedient like the pathetic dogs you are, or die by my hand.¡± He observed their reactions¡­and his disappointment-no, his disgust grew even more. These elders who had lived for centuries had less spine than a ten-year-old deva. [Tch!] A bunch of snakes, a bunch of filthy rats is what they were. If it were left to his discretion, he would¡¯ve killed every single one of them and called it a day. Having such spineless cowards influence the direction of an entire race was nothing short of disgraceful. All of them were men. All of them had neatly trimmed beards that signified their manhood, yet they lacked the gall to defy a foreigner who waltzed into their territory. That very same foreigner began issuing orders to them and even went so far as to kill one of their own, yet- [They didn¡¯t even try to fight me.] If this were the type of people Sirzechs had to deal with for centuries, then Igor would happily cull a few for him. Cowards deserved to be at the bottom, not hold prestigious positions. ¡°Listen here, all of you. I have a special someone I would like you all to meet. You will treat her with better respect than your own mother. Fail to do so and I will end you.¡± Just before he gestured towards the door, he paused. ¡°A word of advice. If you want to keep your worthless lives, do not look where you are not supposed to look.¡± He couldn¡¯t care for their reactions anymore. He loathed them. They were parasites that he would recommend Sirzechs rid himself of as soon as possible. ¡°You can enter now, sister.¡± His mood got noticeably better when the door opened. Soon, Ajuka and Aurelia entered alongside each other. When the pair glanced at the elders, both were surprised by the amount of blood splattered across the back wall. If that wasn¡¯t enough, the headless corpse on the floor made them question Igor¡¯s methods. On one hand, Ajuka inwardly agreed with them. He had an imperceptible smile on his face as he walked towards the board. Suddenly, he was genuinely looking forward to performing this presentation for the Peerage System Overhaul. Aurelia had a somewhat mixed reaction. From the fear on the faces of the elders, she approved the effectiveness of his brutal methods. Dialogue never worked with people of their ilk. But more than anything, she was worried about what would happen to him if he unnecessarily stained his hands with blood. Yet no matter the reason, she couldn¡¯t coddle him. He had already grown up from the boy he was. If he saw this as the best course of action, then she wouldn¡¯t fight him on it. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°The stage is yours, sister. See how I warmed them up for you?¡± ¡°...¡± She took in their apprehensive gazes once more. Some, especially those from top clans like the Bael seemed to be a bit more cool-headed. They held some fear towards Igor, but they were also analyzing him. If he didn¡¯t do anything to them, she would make sure to remind him before they left. ¡°They are very warm indeed, my lord.¡± ¡°Right? Now just let me say a few words to them before you start.¡± He then turned towards Sirzechs. ¡°There¡¯s no problem if I take a few more minutes of extra time right, Sirzechs?¡± ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no problem at all, Dimori-san.¡± If possible, Sirzechs wanted to let Igor speak for the entire day. He¡¯d never seen the elders so tamed before. If it wasn¡¯t because he had to take care of his image, he would¡¯ve laughed out loud. So happy was he inside that for once, he felt like trying for a baby with Grayfia. Sharing his exuberant emotion was Serafall. But while Sirzechs was more jovial, her happy emotions came from a far more darker source. [Finally. He¡¯s finally dead.] He was one of few, but Dagan Vapula was one of the main supporters for her father¡¯s deployment in the war against the Aryans. His death was a bit too quick for her liking, but he was dead nonetheless. And that was the most important thing. . AN . I partially don¡¯t agree with this new Igor. Not because his actions are wrong, but that they don¡¯t fit well with his established personality. But then, I think of this same kid who quietly watched thousands, possibly millions of people fight to the death in a war. It¡¯s not wrong to say that besides the time chamber, Igor spent more time in the Heavenly Realm than on Earth. People the same age as those elders were either God Class or Supreme Class. When he sees those elders who are weaker than children like Cao Cao, he feels disappointed. But as described in the story, when those same elders don¡¯t try to do anything to stop him, it turns to disgust because not only are they weak in body, but in mind as well. Like I said prior, I don¡¯t quite agree with this personality change, but I can understand where it came from. Maybe I¡¯m the one who¡¯s too soft. Then again, I don¡¯t have an Uncle Indra to teach me torture methods and the like. Until the next chapter and thanks for reading. More chapters are available on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n Chapter 232 [Finally. He¡¯s finally dead.] He was one of few, but Dagan Vapula was one of the main supporters for her father¡¯s deployment in the war against the Aryans. His death was a bit too quick for her liking, but he was dead nonetheless. And that was the most important thing. . |DxD| . ¡°Elders of the devil race. This is my sister, Aurelia von Drachenburg. In the future, she may be interested in working alongside your clans. When that moment comes, treat her better than your mother because I promise you this. If I receive notice that you, your clan heir, clan head, or anyone else mistreated her, I will end them. Even if it is your ancestor¡­¡± His gaze hovered over the elders before it stopped at an elder belonging to the Bael Clan. ¡°...or progenitor.¡± . . . Silence¡­ ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Igor was daring. Too daring. In fact, what he said was outrageous. His actions were already incomprehensible, but implying that he would kill the Bael Clan¡¯s progenitor was¡­it was too much! ¡°Am I understood?¡± ¡°...¡± The elder of the Bael clan couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. He stood up and glared at Igor with a very hateful gaze. ¡°NO! YOU¡¯RE GOING TOO FAR, DIMORI!¡± He was absolutely writhing with fury. Zekram Bael was their honoured progenitor, their ancestor who led the Bael Clan to its current status. He was their god! Under no circumstances could the elder tolerate such insolence anymore. ¡°Sirzechs! How long do you plan to continue this farce?! You think using Aryan scum will-¡± Much faster than the elder could ever hope to react, Igor rushed forward and grabbed him by the top of his head. ¡°If I am correct, you are Zelithor Bael. You are nearing almost three thousand years in age.¡± Slowly, Igor used his hand to squeeze his skull. ¡°How is it that you are so old, yet so stupid?¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Zelithor gritted his teeth, but he didn¡¯t hide his venomous gaze. ¡°You think killing a pawn like Dagan would scare me? Would scare us? I¡¯ve already seen through your plans. You cannot afford to kill me. Now, be a good dog and let me go right this instan-ah!¡± Creeeeaaaaak¡­ ¡°Ah...ah¡­aaaaaah!¡± Gradually, Igor¡¯s already tight grip around Zelithor¡¯s skull tightened even further. Without fan or fervour, he was slowly crushing his head. ¡°Aaaaaaah! Stop! Stop! Stop!¡± He wouldn¡¯t stop. No matter what, Igor wouldn¡¯t stop. Someone like Zelithor is someone who cannot be left alive. *CRACK!* A large snap resounded throughout the room¡­along with Zelithor¡¯s screeching wail. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAH!¡± A part of his skull caved in. It had deformed under the crown of Igor¡¯s fingers. Unfortunately, no matter how luscious and full his well-kept raven hair was, the budding deformities could not be hidden. ¡°Please stop! PLEAAASE!¡± For once in his life, Zelithor wished he was a human, a species he always viewed as inferior. Because right now, his devilish vitality was preventing him from falling unconscious. Igor stared at him with an impassive yet utterly ruthless gaze. Torturing a man like this did not cause any ripples in his heart. In fact, the moment Zelithor called him a dog, he already had the conviction to end him. ¡°I want every single one of you to pay attention.¡± Zelithor¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as tears streaked out. The side of his head was trickling concerning amounts of blood that stained Igor¡¯s thumb. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I want you to listen to his screams.¡± ¡°AAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!¡± ¡°This is what happens¡­¡± *Craaaaaaack¡­* ¡°...when you refuse to acknowledge power.¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-¡± CRACK! . . . Silence¡­ Under everyone¡¯s, absolutely everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, Igor sheathed his fingers inside Zelithor¡¯s skull. He heartlessly crushed his skull like a piece of paper. Zelithor¡¯s arms fell limply to his sides. Blood oozed down his neck and stained his suit. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of blood dripping from the tips of his fingers. Such an event stunned everyone present. Even the present satans didn¡¯t expect such a scene, much less Aurelia. She could see how calm he was as he took a life once more. But more than that, she could see the revulsion in his eyes. It wasn¡¯t at himself, but at the devils present. For Igor who prided strength above all, for him who fought in multiple wars against seasoned opponents, this entire group of weak millennia-old beings repulsed him to the core. ¡°I don¡¯t think some of you understood your current situation.¡± Plop! He dropped Zelithor¡¯s corpse on the table without care. ¡°Your surname, your position, your backing¡­all of it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± His eyes slowly turned red. ¡°Your useless politics will not work on me. Your importance to devil society is irrelevant to me.¡± Vast amounts of killing intent began to fill the room. ¡°You are lowlife scum, weak rabble that should not have been allowed to live this long.¡± His killing intent was starting to suffocate them. ¡°Were it not for Sirzechs¡¯s request, I would¡¯ve killed every single one of you.¡± Igor felt complete abhorrence for these elders. They lived such long lives, yet he could clearly feel even the Low Class stray that almost killed him years ago could kill most of them. The Astaroth elder, the one that he hoped would atleast have some amount of power was just as much a failure in his eyes. ¡°Pathetic.¡± They had no strength. They had no will. They had no spine. They were a complete disgrace. He could see the fear in their eyes. They were strong when he walked in. They eyed him like a possession. Dagan, the elder he killed first had even muttered about putting him in a peerage. As if he would ever allow that! ¡°I will say this once to all of you. As far as I am concerned, you will be slaves¡­dogs, from now. Sirzechs is your master. Ajuka is your master. Serafall is your master. Falbium is your master. All of the Four Satans are your masters from today onwards. When they issue an order, you will be obedient like the filthy mutts you are.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± His face scrunched in fury when he saw some of them show signs of resistance. He was angry, furious that they even dared to harbour silent resistance. They were weak and weak-willed. They had no choice but to obey! FUUUUSH! Immediately, he flooded the entire room with killing intent so thick, so full of murder that some elders outright collapsed to the floor. *COUGH* *COUGH* *COUGH* *COUGH* They felt as if they were being choked. The oppressive nature of Igor¡¯s genuine desire to murder all of them showed itself in a very violent fashion. Serafall was worried, worried that if this carried on, they would all die. As much as she wished for it, they couldn¡¯t die yet, not while most of them had not been properly uprooted. ¡°Dimori-san! Stop!¡± ¡°...¡± There was an audible pause. Igor¡¯s expression was very ugly. For a short moment, he briefly looked over his shoulder before slowly, he relinquished his killing intent. If there were any elders who didn¡¯t love Serafall, now they existed. Those who had fallen over quickly picked themselves up. They did not voice their complaints nor did they dare to make eye-contact with the blonde. In such a situation, everyone kept their heads low. Elders from the Glaysa-Labolas, Astaroth, Sitri, and other clans aligned with the current Four Satans were not let off the hook¡­because they also weren¡¯t innocent. The Sitri elder had looked at Serafall a few times but was ignored. When he was thoroughly doused under Igor¡¯s oppressive aura, he as well as other elders realised that the Satans knew of their secret dealings with other clans. Under such a realisation, none of them dared to have the same haughtiness as the now-dead Bael elder. ¡°Elders of each clan. If you disagree with becoming a tool, now is your chance to object and die honourably.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± There was silence. None of them dared to object. They had grievances in their hearts, but they would not voice them even if they had ten guts and twenty livers. ¡°Tch.¡± Once again, they proved how spineless they were. Strong against the weak and weak against the strong. ¡°I¡¯m done with you wastes. Behave well, follow orders, and you will get to keep your worthless lives.¡± Su! In a burst of speed, he appeared right at the back where there was an empty seat. To the complete detriment of the elders, he took his seat and it seemed he would not get up anytime soon. ¡°The stage is yours, sister. Do as you please.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± The atmosphere was tense. There were two terribly mutilated corpses in the room. Blood was soaking into the carpets and Sirzechs was¡­smiling? Indeed, the Crimson Satan was smiling. Not just him, even Ajuka had a faint smile on his face. Igor did a much better job than they could¡¯ve ever hoped for. Sirzechs initially estimated that five elders would have to die today before dominance could be established. He never thought that Igor would be so menacing that just two corpses would be enough to completely and thoroughly tame them. Losing the Bael elder was a bit of an unexpected occurrence, but not a cumbersome one. That old fox was usually very quiet in his seat. Who knew he would obediently stick out his head for it to get squished? And his death was a resounding success for him and his fellow satans. [Now that they know even the Baels won¡¯t be pardoned, it¡¯ll be much easier for us to uproot all of them.] They just had to carefully issue a series of small laws that would result in cumulative changes. For now though, they would start off with a bang so that this incident would be¡­covered up. [Once the law concerning peerages is passed, the resulting scandal would be so huge that Igor could eliminate them all and no one would care.] Of course, they couldn¡¯t allow Igor to do that. Atleast¡­not until they absorbed all the assets and resources the elders had accumulated. For now, they could be used to pass the peerage law for general appeal. Since this concerned peerages, Clan Heads would be required to come and vote for the final passing of this law. But by then it would be too late. The general populace would already be aware of it and by then, Serafall would¡¯ve marketed the new Peerage Overhaul System. The pressure for this law to be passed would not be something that Clan Heads could overrule. [Truly, this is a blessing.] Change was drawing closer and Sirzechs could smell it in the air. . AN . Alright. I think I¡¯m coming around to this. I am gradually accepting that this smiley-faced Igor who cares for his family and desires fights like golddiggers desire money can become frighteningly cruel should the situation desire it. Chapter 233 But by then it would be too late. The general populace would already be aware of it and by then, Serafall would¡¯ve marketed the new Peerage Overhaul System. The pressure for this law to be passed would not be something that Clan Heads could overrule. [Truly, this is a blessing.] Change was drawing closer and Sirzechs could smell it in the air. . |DxD| . ¡°Greetings esteemed elders of the Underworld. My name is Aurelia von Drachenburg, attendant of my lord, Igor von Dimori. If possible, please allow me to borrow a few moments of your time.¡± ¡®If possible¡¯, she says. As if they had a choice in the first place. The elders no longer had their haughty appearance. Each and every single one of them sat ramrod straight and appeared as if they were paying attention. They were indeed paying attention¡­to the person behind them. They didn¡¯t dare turn around for fear of catching his eye. But everytime they knew that Igor was behind them, it felt like someone had pressed a knife to their spine. They were afraid that if they turned around, they would¡­ Gulp¡­ ¡­become the third corpse. Two elders dead. One had his head punched into oblivion while the other and arguably the most important elder¡­ Drip¡­Drip¡­ ¡­had his head crushed by a crown of fingers. Their mangled corpses still released blood, but none of them had the liver to attend to them. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡°¡°?!¡±¡±¡± When Igor called out, they somehow sat even straighter than before. ¡°My sister is kindly asking for a few moments of your time. Why are you ignoring her?¡± They couldn¡¯t see his face, but they could imagine the consequences if silence ensued. ¡°We-we don¡¯t mind, Lady Aurelia!¡± The Astaroth elder was the first one to stand up and speak. His brows were covered cold sweat. He knew what his crimes were and from how Sirzechs ignored him, it was obvious he knew too. Like Igor said, if he wanted to keep his worthless life, he had to be obedient. His life was worthless, but it was his goddamnit! [A worthless life is better than no life at all.] His eyes flickered to the Crimson Satan every once in a while, but all he saw was Sirzechs¡¯s amused smile at every turn. He had probably turned into a joke in the satan¡¯s eyes, but living as a joke was much better than the alternative. Soon, the other elders all clamoured to fill the silence and please Aurelia. ¡°Please, Aurelia-sama. Our time is yours to take.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. We absolutely don¡¯t mind at all, Lady Aurelia.¡± ¡°Take as much time as you need, Lady Aurelia.¡± They all cursed the Astaroth Elder in their hearts for being so quick-witted, but they dared not dawdle. Who here had no crimes? Even if their hands were clean after the civil war, numerous centuries had passed since then. ¡°Thank you, esteemed elders.¡± Aurelia would blame Igor¡¯s influence on this, but she found it just a teency weency tiny bit amusing that they were suddenly so enthusiastic about the speech of a ¡®low-life Aryan scum¡¯. ¡°I shall not waste any more of your valuable time. I would first like to say that I am honoured to have entered an alliance with you all. As pertaining to the terms of the contract, I am willing to provide my services and expertise to those willing to contract them. I would also like it that if you have it in your hearts, please forgive my lord for his actions. I understand that he may have been somewhat heavy-handed in his introduction, but I hope you will give him another chance. We as members of the Aryans endeavour to maintain amicable ties with our partners.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± ¡®Forgive¡¯ she says. ¡®Somewhat heavy-handed¡¯ she says. ¡®Another chance¡¯ she says. She spoke as if they had a choice. But what could they do? They could only don ugly smiles and ¡®forgive¡¯ her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to forgive anything, Lady Aurelia.¡± ¡°We hope this alliance will last for days to come.¡± They did not dare to dispute her, not with that monster sitting behind them. Dagan said a few words of opposition and his body was already cooling in front of them. They were smart enough to know these corpses were purposely left to intimidate them. And they were weak enough that it worked on them. ¡°Thank you, esteemed elders. I look forward to a fruitful collaboration.¡± Su! Just like Igor, she vanished from sight and appeared right at the seats in the back. Her little show of speed cemented in the hearts of every elder that she was also much, much stronger than them. Those that had the tiniest little smidgen of thought to kidnap Aurelia immediately dispelled such a notion. Aurelia was seated next to Igor. The elders were quiet. Serafall and Sirzechs stood to the side while Ajuka carefully set up his presentation. The council hall had entered a brief period of silence. At the bottom of the stage, Sirzechs looked up to the elders with visible satisfaction. Those eyes that always looked at him like he was an idiot, eyes that looked at him with boredom and disdain, and eyes that looked at him with goading had changed to gazes of fear and pleading. He took a sadistic pleasure to this. After centuries of being seen as a puppet, Sirzechs almost wanted to scream into the air in jubilation. Things were changing for the better. Even if today¡¯s events were found out, no one would dare make a fuss, not after the immense power Igor released in Kuoh. [As long as I covertly trickle that information outwards, any minor notions of dissatisfaction from the clans will be immediately quelled.] . |DxD| . Ajuka was a happy man. In fact, he felt this might be the first time in centuries that he enjoyed a day not spent in his lab. He could finally implement the change that made his peerage system, a tool that is disliked by the supernatural world into the innovation it was finally made to be. ¡°Elders. I, Ajuka Beelzebub extend my humble greetings to you.¡± Usually, they would be quiet or perhaps half-hearted greetings would be offered in return. However, today was a change. ¡°The pleasure is all ours for gracing us with your presence, Lord Beelzebub.¡± An elder from the Astaroth clan had quickly stood up and offered his greetings. Soon, many elders also stood up and bowed their heads. ¡°¡°¡°The pleasure is all ours for gracing us with your presence, Lord Beelzebub.¡±¡±¡± [Oh?] Ajuka looked at his uncle with some intrigue. He never expected such an enthusiastic greeting to follow. If the situation permitted it, he would¡¯ve chuckled. ¡°Thank you for your kind words. It has been quite a while since I¡¯ve come to the council hall. This time, I¡¯ve come with a new innovation I would like to share with you all.¡± In his hand appeared a small case that held peerage pieces inside. ¡°With the help of Aurelia-san, I would like to introduce a few new features to the peerage pieces. I guarantee all of you will be happy with the results.¡± He knew they wouldn¡¯t be happy with the results. But even if they wouldn¡¯t be happy, they¡¯d have to smile and vote yes or else their heads would roll. ¡°Over the years, we have received numerous complaints from other factions and pantheons about how we devils are taking their members. Due to this, we have lost direct trade with several of them including the Norse Pantheon and the Heavenly Palace in China. The loss of access to their artifacts has severely diminished our potential for progress, but this innovation I bring aims to change that.¡± ¡°...¡± Some of the elders already had a bad feeling in their hearts, but Ajuka continued. ¡°The first feature I would like to list is number one. Consent.¡± On the whiteboard behind him, a short reconstructed GIF of a Bael trying and failing to resurrect a dead samurai repeatedly played. ¡°Three-hundred-years ago, we had experienced the first case of a person opposing the piece even when they had just recently died. It was the first and only case documented, but it highlighted a key oversight in the peerage system. Some people genuinely do not want to become devils, and we should not force them.¡± Ajuka enjoyed the ugly smiles on their faces. When one or three might¡¯ve shouted objections in the past, they had no choice now but to dumbly sit and endure. ¡°Once this change is implemented, the piece will detect someone¡¯s willingness and automatically decide if it transforms the recipient or ejects itself from their body. Whether the recipient is coerced through various or other means, verbal confirmation of acceptance alone will not be enough. If their rejection comes from deep within, then reincarnation becomes impossible.¡± With a wave of his hand, the GIF on the board disappeared. ¡°This will only mean that people who genuinely want to become members of our society will be accepted. Thus, the rate of stray devils will decrease and gradually, our humane actions will result in previously closed trade agreements opening once more. This little change will improve our standing in the supernatural world and allow us to net more allies.¡± A very, very kind smile spread on Ajuka¡¯s face. With every benefit he listed, the faces of the elders turned more and more ashen. What they saw weren¡¯t benefits, but the disappearance of their dominion. And their faces paled once more when Ajuka mentioned this next. ¡°Thanks to Aurelia-san¡¯s expertise, this feature can not only be implemented on new pieces, but on existing peerages as well-¡± ¡°NO! I DON¡¯T ACCEPT THIS! THIS IS NONSENSE!¡± . . . Silence¡­ ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± . AN . I wonder. If some powerful entity cloned itself and entered our parliaments, would our countries finally develop? Because that¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing here. The method is bloody and tickles my morality bottom line, but you can¡¯t deny effectiveness. From what we¡¯ve seen, the Four Satans had policies that were declined for years because of greedy elders and clan heads. I do hope Igor somehow benefits from this. A simple fight isn¡¯t even a worthy price in comparison to kickstarting a revolution. On another note, today is Friday and I¡¯m thankful for the continuous support. Until the next chapter. Chapter 234 A very, very kind smile spread on Ajuka¡¯s face. With every benefit he listed, the faces of the elders turned more and more ashen. What they saw weren¡¯t benefits, but the disappearance of their dominion. And their faces paled once more when Ajuka mentioned this next. ¡°Thanks to Aurelia-san¡¯s expertise, this feature can not only be implemented on new pieces, but on existing peerages as well-¡± ¡°NO! I DON¡¯T ACCEPT THIS! THIS IS NONSENSE!¡± . |DxD| . In the Underworld, every clan has its share of outliers. The Phenex were known to be a clan of arrogant and prideful individuals. Because of this innate pride, they shared a similar trait with the Gremorys. It would be beneath their standing if they had to force a person into their peerage. Unfortunately, there would always be rules to this exception. And this elder was one of them. ¡°NO! I DON¡¯T ACCEPT THIS! THIS IS NONSENSE!¡± His blonde hair sloshed wildly as he stood up. Luzan Phenex could absolutely not accept this. He put hundreds of years into assembling the perfect project, the perfect peerage. If all the peerage members he painstakingly scouted and collected were going to be pulled from underneath him, then he would fight. ¡°None of us can accept this! This is beyond crossing the line! This is OUTRAGEOUS!¡± . . . Silence¡­ Many elders shared the same sentiments, but none of them dared to stand up. That entity that sat behind them frightened them to the core. They had no idea where Luzan got his guts, but theirs had shrivelled up. ¡°Why are you all quiet? Does this not anger you?!¡± Luzan turned to glare at his fellow elders, but none of them met his eyes. It was not that they were ashamed, but that they didn¡¯t want that monster behind them thinking they were friends with this lunatic. Fuuush Gradually, a heavy pressure flooded the room. Every elder felt weakness from shortness of breath, but they didn¡¯t dare turn around, not when that person was making a move. ¡°Luzan Phenex. My words are like fart to you, aren¡¯t they.¡± Contrary to expectation, Luzan didn¡¯t back down. He turned to glare back at the blonde with a dark frown. ¡°I don¡¯t fear you, human. You have killed the scum from the Vapula and Bael clan. But you can¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°...¡± Luzan was right. The Phenex was also one of the clans that fought against the previous satans in the Civil War. They were key figures that were also instrumental in the victory and recovery afterwards. If he was indeed killed here, the Phenex would take this as a slight against them and they might even retaliate by joining the Old Satan Faction. ¡°Why are you silent now, huh? Did you finally realise that some of us are untoucha-krgh!¡± Boom! His words were cut off by the hand that firmly clasped around his throat. Igor had bounded across the room in a burst of speed and pressed Luzan against the wall. ¡°You forget one thing.¡± Slowly, tattoos spread across his body. ¡°I¡¯m not a devil.¡± GRUUUUU! If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The explosion from his power alone shattered the table he was standing on. The wall next to him cracked. Light globes exploded. Elders that were nearby were blown away by the power Igor released. This time, it wasn¡¯t just the room. Every single entity in the Underworld felt this sudden spike in power. Igor kept the power outburst controlled, but the pressure he released could not be hidden. High-Supreme Class. He was releasing power equivalent to someone of High-Supreme Class. This sort of power eclipsed both Sirzech¡¯s and Ajuka¡¯s by an unfathomable margin. This was a show of power, a show of strength, a show of his qualifications. With such power, his previous words rang in everyone¡¯s head. ¡®Your surname, your position, your backing¡­all of it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡¯ ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Not just Luzan, but even the other elders could barely breath in the face of such power. Luzan was especially vulnerable to this. He regretted it. He regretted it with every fibre of his being. He was old. He had seen many things and thought that maybe, maybe Igor was a bluff Sirzechs made. ¡°W-w-wait!¡± Now he came to a realisation. Sirzechs had no control over this person. Igor wasn¡¯t a leashed dog like he thought. He was a monster. He was a terrible terrible monster. ¡°P-p-p-please!¡± He feared the hand that was nearing his chest. He might have his clan¡¯s regeneration, but he didn¡¯t believe he¡¯d survive against someone of this calibre. ¡°Please, Lord Dimori! I apolog-¡± Puchi! ¡°aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!¡± Methodically and mercilessly, Igor hovered his hand over Luzan¡¯s chest and abdomen before piercing right between his ribs. The old devil felt the pain of being pierced, but it was what followed after that had him screaming and fighting for his life. For Igor copied exactly what he did to Eunice onto him. . |DxD| . Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Serafall did not interfere. To some, it was a display of incompetence. But they trusted Igor to stay within the parameters of their agreement. To some extent, Luzan was right. Elders from the families that helped them could not be killed arbitrarily. Apart from Eunice whose death could be justified, elders from the Astaroth, Glaysa-Labolas, Sitri, Phenex, Agares, Belial, and Dantalion clans could not be eliminated for the time being. All of them had become corrupt under the coercion of the Great King Faction. All of them were under the thumbs of Zekram Bael. But they couldn¡¯t be touched yet due to how the current Satans have close political and personal ties with each clan. Yet, grievous bodily harm was not excluded. While what Igor was doing might be too much, the main reason Sirzechs didn¡¯t move was because of Igor¡¯s power. He didn¡¯t know if the blonde did it out of anger or on purpose, but what Igor did replicated the power surge in Kuoh. He released so much power that even if the Phenex Clan Head were to come here, they would not dare to utter even a peep. At the end of the day, behind all the bureaucracy and politics, devils respected strength. And Igor¡¯s strength, strength which far surpassed his or Ajuka¡¯s would earn him the respect of the devils. He and Ajuka might get put out of the limelight. Some may mock or shame them, but Sirzechs felt no palpations. The stronger Igor proved himself to be, the more he could shrug his shoulders and say he had no power to stop him from doing anything. Was it a cowardly tactic? Maybe. Will it work? Definitely. While he was a car, Igor was a truck. They can¡¯t expect him to beat the blonde in a battle of power, right? And with how apathetic Igor was to politics, there could be no bribing him. [If only he was a devil. I could retire peacefully and let him take charge.] . |DxD| . ¡°Luzan Phenex. Over two-thousand-years of age. I thought you would be smart enough to listen to me.¡± Igor was impervious to the man¡¯s suffering. He had completely crippled him. His healing? It would no longer work. The demonic power required to trigger the healing was completely scattered. ¡°I would admire you for your guts if you weren¡¯t relying on your clan.¡± He let the man drop onto his seat. ¡°You would¡¯ve earned my respect.¡± Slowly he hovered towards the front of the stage where he remained in midair. His aura cloak gently billowed. The usage of the Kaioken allowed him full control over his current state compared to when he was in Kuoh. Through his perception, he could sense their fear. The smidgen of hope that was aroused by the lifeless Luzan was crushed. [Pathetic.] Even if he gave these elders a hundred years, none of them would have the mentality to train. No. They would scheme and target him from the shadows. [Utterly pathetic.] Those gazes that did not want to meet him would quickly change to ones of fury behind closed doors. These were the type of people Vasco spoke of. These were the types of snakes Indra taught him of. And it just so happened that the War God taught him how to deal with these types of people- by breaking them. FUUUUUSH! He pressed down on each and every one of them with his overwhelming power. Because they were weak and weak-willed, he would not show them respect. Because they were snakes at heart, he would be cruel to them. Since he had gotten himself involved, he might as well go all the way and have Sirzechs praise him for taming these old coots. He would oppress them just as much as they oppressed their peerages. He would humiliate them just as much as they humiliated others. These elders, high and mighty to others¡­ ¡°All of you¡­¡± ¡­were no different from dogs in his eyes. ¡°Bow!¡± . AN . Igor is doing the most and the Satans are just eating up the benefits. Since Igor was stupid enough to only want a fight from Sirzechs, I trust Aurelia will bleed the devils for everything. They can¡¯t make our guy and his family an assassination target and not pay for it. Still, this mafia-style Igor is freaking me out a bit. He¡¯s too unfamiliar to the one we know and is making me hope there¡¯s a proper explanation in the coming chapters. Chapter 235 Since he had gotten himself involved, he might as well go all the way and have Sirzechs praise him for taming these old coots. He would oppress them just as much as they oppressed their peerages. He would humiliate them just as much as they humiliated others. These elders, high and mighty to others¡­ ¡°All of you¡­¡± ¡­were no different from dogs in his eyes. ¡°Bow!¡± . |DxD| . One word. One command. It was as if a rough hand grabbed them by the hair and smashed them onto the table¡­hard! Bang! The sound of tables cracking rang out through the room. Without exception, all of them had their foreheads pressed against the table. Such humiliation was never something they had to face in their long lives, but none dared to utter a peep. There were elders who were already bleeding from their foreheads, but they dared not cry out in pain. They shivered underneath the invisible force pressing down on them, their current state arousing pity. No one here bore pity for them because their atrocities were simply that atrocious. The only one who worried in this hall was Aurelia. However, her worry was for Igor. She was worried that he was possibly getting too invested, that he was letting things get too personal. But she didn¡¯t stop him. [Don¡¯t coddle him, Aurelia.] Regardless of recent complications, her goals had not changed. She wished for him to become the new leader of their people in the centuries to come. If she restricted him at every point due to every concern she had, it would be unbecoming and she would possibly rob him of experience. [I hope this will not affect his light.] Perhaps it was a naive thought to have, but she wished this new event would not rob Igor of his natural kindness. But she couldn¡¯t deny one thing. What he was doing was indeed domineering. Some might find it distasteful and hard to swallow, but leaders must be willing to be capable of extreme benevolence and cruelty alike. . |DxD| . Igor felt no satisfaction in his actions. He was constantly on the verge of outright rage-fueled disgust, but he schooled his expression. These elders were weak in mind, weak in body, and weak in heart. People like them wouldn¡¯t even qualify to be cannon fodder in any of the numerous wars he¡¯s been in. Yet somehow, they actually thought themselves to be high and mighty. How they could have such conclusions with their current power was something that reviled him to no end. ¡°Elders of the Underworld. I want to make myself very clear. I am no devil. I share no kinship with any of you. Your connections, faction, clan, money, and artifacts mean nothing to me. Three of you have moved my hand. Four if we count Elder Eunice.¡± ¡°¡°¡°?!?!¡±¡±¡± Cold sweat covered their brows once more. If Sirzechs was ruthless to even his own family, then what were they? If some didn¡¯t realise it then, now they did. This was truly the end of the rope. The Four Satans had enough and they found a willing party to end them. This was no joke. It truly mattered not which clan they came from. If it was Sirzechs doing this, they still had a chance. But this was another party. Even worse, they were Aryans. This was the end of the line. They had to accept that this was the end of the line. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You can hide at your clans. I will personally travel to find you and kill you right in front of your sons.¡± ¡°?!¡± Aurelia was shocked. He was treading on dangerous territory. She could tell he wasn¡¯t bluffing and that worried her. But she kept quiet¡­for now. ¡°Understand that the Four Satans are your masters and you are their dogs. As far as everyone is concerned, your input is no longer required. Ajuka bothering to present his proposal is already too high a luxury for you. If ballot papers are passed to you, you only need to vote in agreement. Your voices and input are no longer needed from now on.¡± Like a cruel tyrant before his prostrated subjects, Igor was overbearing to the point of concern. ¡°I hope I am understood.¡± But even if he was overbearing, these elders had no choice but to accept it. . |DxD| . Just a little over ten-minutes had passed since Luzan¡¯s sudden outburst. The man was completely lifeless. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. Ajuka paid no attention to this. He happily continued his presentation like nothing ever happened. He especially enjoyed their veiled reactions to his proposals. Their reluctant smiles brought a smile to his own face. Now, he was looking to their reactions even more when he announced this next issue. ¡°The second feature that we have is to relinquish dependency on the king.¡± Full stop. Ajuka took his time surveying their reactions. He did not rush forward or show any inclination in continuing. Their negative emotions came out in waves, but none dared to overtly disagree. If they did, their family tombs would have one more individual. Either that or be crippled like Luzan Phenex. No one could be sure which was worse, but Ajuka enjoyed seeing their conundrum nonetheless. Maybe he was sadistic. Who knew? But the major source of his jubilation came from finally being able to allow his creations fulfil the purpose they were designed for- to repopulate their race, not fulfil harem dreams. ¡°Allow me to go into explanation on how this will work, esteemed elders. We are all aware that peerage pieces rely on the king¡¯s demonic power to remain stable. This is a fatal flaw I was unable to combat in my first design of the pieces. It wasn¡¯t until a while ago that I was able to solve the issue. Now, each individual piece has the capability to generate and stabilise a person¡¯s demonic power without the need for the king.¡± Truth be told, Ajuka had made his successful breakthrough over two centuries ago but he knew his proposal would never be accepted. Now, he could make it with peace of mind and he particularly enjoyed their strained smiles when he said ¡®without the need for the king¡¯. ¡°The benefits of such a feature speak for themselves, dear esteemed elders. It is no secret that many people, particularly humans with sacred gears yearn for the lifespan provided by becoming a devil. The limiting factor that prevented them from taking the plunge was the issue of complete servitude. If this is removed, we might stand to gain a Longinus wielder in the near future.¡± Ajuka¡¯s work for devilkind was honourable. It is not impossible to say that with his innovations, the devils might¡¯ve become a race comparable to the Aryans or even the Shinto or Hindu if given enough time. But because these elders were only concerned with their stomachs, their greed-motivated votes prevented the passage of laws and regulations that stunted their growth by centuries. But it wasn¡¯t too late. ¡°There are other minor benefits I would like to implement, but they are still a work in progress. If I am given the elder¡¯s support, I promise I can complete a new conceptual feature within ten years. By twenty-ten, I should be ready to implement an idea that will revolutionize the rating game scene and real-life combat itself. However, this will all rely on the generous support of you, esteemed elders.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± He was asking them for money. Correction. He was demanding money from them. Not just money, but resources and more. They couldn¡¯t refuse even if they wanted to. They might maintain a somewhat haughty appearance to the satans and refuse with some bureaucratic nonsense, but the demon behind them would kill them before they said otherwis- ¡°Your donations would be greatly appreciated.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± This son of a #%&$ wasn¡¯t even trying to hide it anymore! Donations? This was outright extortion. ¡°Elders?¡± Ajuka looked at them innocently, but he couldn¡¯t hide the small smile on his face. He felt like a prodigal son about to receive compensation from his enemies. Igor was quiet, but he had firmly cemented his presence in the minds of each elder. Because of how smoothly things were going, Ajuka felt he wouldn¡¯t mind referring to Igor as his father. In one day, problems that had plagued them for hundreds of years were already showing signs of being solved. In one hour, he thoroughly tamed these elders and made them as meek as sheep. Their painful expressions as Ajuka waited for their reply made him feel as if he finally took a breath of fresh air. Greed or life? It wasn¡¯t even a hard choice for these elders to make. They didn¡¯t dare say no and directly agreed to donating. ¡°We hope you succeed in your endeavour, Lord Beelzebub.¡± ¡°I am willing to offer support in your wishes to better our kind, my lord.¡± Similar responses rang out. Their voices were rankly and old, but Ajuka could swear it sounded like the greatest symphony since the dawn of time. Centuries of meetings, and this was the first one he was completely satisfied with. Igor fulfilled his role exceptionally well. He never showed it, Ajuka always wanted his people to reach for higher heights. Igor has shown himself to be the key to that and no matter what, he would always remember that. ¡°Thank you, esteemed elders.¡± . AN . This meeting is coming to an end. For further content, you are welcome to read ahead on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Just look for HolyGambler. Chapter 236 Igor fulfilled his role exceptionally well. He never showed it, Ajuka always wanted his people to reach for higher heights. Igor has shown himself to be the key to that and no matter what, he would always remember that. ¡°Thank you, esteemed elders.¡± . |DxD| . The rest of the meeting seemed to have passed by in a blur. Serafall went on and reported the current state of affairs and the progress of several alliances that fell, passed, or are still in progress. Sirzechs took the moment to time to explain the circumstances behind Eunice¡¯s death and seemed very mournful of her loss. Everyone knew that was nonsensical. While the satans continued leading this gathering forward, Aurelia had lost all will to pay attention. No matter how she tried to silence her thoughts, she couldn¡¯t forget how Igor seemed too invested in this venture. Particularly, this statement had her glancing at him every once in a while. ¡®You can hide at your clans. I will personally travel to find you and kill you right in front of your sons.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure if Igor meant it or was bluffing, but she was almost sure it was the former. From her knowledge, Igor was not one for empty threats. If he said he would kill the father in front of the son, then he would do it. But could he take that leap? Could he callously kill someone who was possibly innocent? Or was he banking on that the sons would be just as rotten as their fathers? She didn¡¯t know what to think. All she knew however, was that Igor had gone dark. If Igor was taking this matter of the elders personally, then she had to find a way to- ¡°Esteemed Elders. This concludes today¡¯s weekly gathering. We offer our sincere gratitude for sparing the time to come and we ¡®hope¡¯ we can see you next Sunday.¡± She looked up in a daze when she heard the sound of feet shuffling towards the doors. The Elders were despondent as they walked out. None of them caused any noise and absolutely none of them looked back. When she turned to face Igor, he seemed impassive as ever. But if she looked closely enough, she could see the veiled abhorrence he held for the elders. ¡°...¡± She had to deal with this. It would not do good for him if he became too invested. She would rather end this whole alliance than see him get stained by the blood of worthless beings. . |DxD| . Remote Location, Devil Territory, Underworld . In a dimly lit room, Zelefam Bael sat behind a curtain of darkness that shrouded his figure. The only visible appendage was his pale hand adorned in various rings. He sat quietly with a lit cigar stick gently wafting smoke from its tip. Soon, his peace was disrupted by a masked subordinate appearing in front of his desk like the wind. ¡°Lord Bael. I come with an urgent report. Elder Zelithor has met an unfortunate end within the confines of the parliament hall. Reports and eyewitness accounts suggest he was killed by the Aryan known as Igor von Dimori.¡± ¡°...¡± A brief period of silence entered before slowly, red eyes glowed in the darkness before dimming again. ¡°Oh? Tell me more.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Bael. Emissaries from the Vapula were sent to the False Lucifer to demand an explanation. In return, they received the severed heads of those emissaries as an explanation.¡± ¡°Did Sirzechs kill them?¡± ¡°No, my lord. It is reported that the Aryan was responsible for doing so.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± His hand disappeared behind the curtain of darkness. In the silence, Zelefam drew upon his cigar before letting his hand see the light once more. ¡°Tell me, Number Three. How likely is it that the person behind those two surges of power was him?¡± ¡°Reporting, Lord Bael. The first surge in Kuoh was unclear, but the second surge happened right in the Parliament Halls. We have yet to find an opportunity to directly converse with some of the elders under our ranks, but we are ninety-percent sure the surge of power was caused by the Aryans and seventy-percent sure it was caused by Igor von Dimori.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°...¡± Zelefam sunk into his thoughts once more. The power he felt from the capital managed to reach him all the way here in such a remote location. Igor was undoubtedly powerful, more powerful than Sirzechs or Ajuka. ¡°This is indeed¡­troubling.¡± An unknown variable with unknown affiliation has entered the political scene through Sirzechs. And it seems they had no qualms in eliminating the opposition. ¡°How troubling. Might I suppose you have any ideas, Number Three?¡± ¡°Reporting, Lord Bael. Everyone has a weakness that can be exploited. I humbly suggest that we find the Aryan¡¯s weakness and use it against him.¡± ¡°Mm. A simple plan, but I suppose it is the only mode of action for now.¡± Zelefam quietly stretched his finger and tapped it on his desk three times. Thump Thump Thump It was slight, but a faint trickle of demonic power would leak with every tap like a sonar. It didn¡¯t take long before soon, the magic circle of the Nebiros appeared on the ground. Vwong! In a purple flash of light, a masked subordinate appeared. There was no time for pleasantries. The moment he appeared, Zelefam spoke. ¡°Number Thirty-Seven. I hope you have worthwhile news for me.¡± #37 did not dally and got down on one knee. ¡°Y-yes, Lord Bael. We have received news from the Naberius that Igor von Dimori has killed elders Zelithor Bael and Dagan Vapula and crippled Luzan Phenex. The exact method of crippling Elder Luzan is unclear, but everyone witnessed his demonic power leave his body. He has lost all of his demonic power and his immortality. A further report states that delegates from the Vapula clan were beheaded by the Aryan when they went to seek an explanation from Sirzechs Gremory.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Zelefam nodded contently. So far, everything #37 said to him matched with what #3 said to him. What he was undoubtedly interested in was Igor¡¯s ability to strip a devil of their power. Such an ability would solidify his clan¡¯s position as overlord. Now more than anything, he wanted to meet the boy. But first, he needed to find a way to bring him here. ¡°Any reports on the task I gave you, Thirty-Seven?¡± ¡°Reporting, my lord. We have launched an investigation by looking into Dimori¡¯s close relationships. We particularly analysed the identities of Asia Argento and Akeno Himejima. T-The time was short, but we have managed to gather enough data to compile into dossiers.¡± Number Thirty-Seven was very nervous when he took out the dossiers. He was afraid that Zelefam would be dissatisfied and kill him on the spot. But what could he do? Not even a full two days had passed since his lord issued him with this task. ¡°...¡± Quietly, Zelefam received the dossiers and opened them. ¡­ File ID: #1105199221215145 Date Issued: 27 August 1999 Classification: Lord ...(Next Page) Name: Asia Surname: Argento Race: Human Familial Status: Abandoned Orphan Born: 11 May, 1992 Existing Relations: Vasco Strada, Igor von Dimori (Suspected) Current Residence: Kuoh, Japan (Suspected) Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing Power: (
  • Igor could admit he was genuinely impressed. He was sure that if he was still low-God Class, that first strike would¡¯ve grievously injured him and might¡¯ve possibly killed him.*
    • Explanation: This most likely means he could¡¯ve died if Shuri struck him under the same circumstances. Igor was completely unguarded and wasn¡¯t taking the situation seriously. If he was still low-God Class and Shuri struck him, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to react in time and avoid serious damage like he did. Chapter 241 ¡°N-no¡­¡± Shuri didn¡¯t want to rely on him like this. ¡°I can still fight, Dimori-kun.¡± ¡°Yep. You can fight alright. But not now. Still, you were pretty strong, aunty.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She wanted to dispute him again, but froze when she heard him call her ¡®strong¡¯. ¡°I see. Thank you¡­Dimori-kun.¡± . |DxD| . Strong. Whenever Igor used that word, it spoke of him truly acknowledging a person as a fellow warrior. Very, very few people have been praised by him like him. Perhaps it may be considered a foolish objective, but Shuri¡¯s entire goal today was to change the way Igor and everyone else looked at her. She was no longer the same person who played meek housewife, but a willing combatant who would continue to get stronger. ¡°Hey, aunty. Can you tell me what happened and how you got strong so quickly? I can sense another entity in you.¡± ¡°...¡± Somehow she was not surprised when he sensed her newest tenant. ¡°I will happily tell you, Dimori-kun. But I would prefer if Aurelia-san was present as well. That way I won¡¯t have to repeat myself.¡± ¡°No problem. You can stand, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Dimori-kun.¡± He slowly let her down and allowed her to stand on her own legs, only to almost sink into the ocean. ¡°Woah there!¡± He held her up once more. ¡°Nope. If the little chick sees you like this, she¡¯ll hate me. So I¡¯ll have to be rough with you a bit, aunty.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Shuri was not prepared for the warm surge of energy flooding her body. It felt like she was being rejuvenated in real-time. ¡°This is my ki. It should help put some stamina back in your tank.¡± She felt his energy travel all over her body. Her fatigue was diminishing and her vitality was recovering. This energy of his was not just aiding her recovery. It was improving the quality of her mana! ¡°?!¡± The realisation made Shuri almost beg him not to stop. This level of mana refinement was something that would take her years to achieve, yet it was being accomplished in mere seconds. She would hate herself immensely for this, but she didn¡¯t want to take advantage of his ability. ¡°Dimori-kun. That¡¯s enough now. Thank you.¡± ¡°Hm? Why? Your body can still accept more without harm.¡± ¡°I¡­because¡­¡± Her mind was in a twist. Dark thoughts were telling her to remain quiet and accept the free gain in power while the other urged her to come clean. ¡°Because I will feel like I have cheated you. Your ki is helping me refine my mana to levels that would take me years to achieve.¡± She half-expected him to stop here and there. But it was the unexpected that happened. ¡°Just that? I know.¡± ¡°...then-¡± ¡°Aurelia told me my ki does that. I¡¯ve been helping her refine her mana every week now. I would¡¯ve done the same for you aunty, but your body was too weak back then. Fortunately, you¡¯re much stronger now so you can handle it.¡± ¡°...¡± She did not know whether to feel insulted or relieved. ¡°Oh. By the way, aunty. I just want to make sure but, you didn¡¯t bargain away your soul for this power, right?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Good. It¡¯s never worth it.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate any further. It was unclear whether he saw the results of such cases, but Shuri decided to take his word of advice. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He gently let her stand on the water¡¯s surface once more. It was calm as if no explosions ever happened in the first place. ¡°Are you good enough to head back?¡± ¡°Not yet, Dimori-kun. I want to ask a few things before we leave.¡± ¡°Oh? Alright, aunty.¡± She got him alone. This was a chance to ask some questions that she¡¯d long since wanted to know the answer to. ¡°Dimori-kun. When I died-¡± It was brief, so brief that even someone as sensitive as her thought it was a slip of her senses. But when she saw Igor¡¯s slightly forced smile, she knew that the killing intent she felt was not a fault in her perception. ¡°Aunty. Can we not¡­talk about it?¡± His eyes were closed, a small smile spawning on his face. ¡°Dimori-kun. Do you remember Amaterasu-sama¡¯s words?¡± ¡°Aunty. We just had a good fight.¡± His fists clenched. ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up.¡± But Shuri wasn¡¯t going to stop. It was precisely because they fought that she picked this opportunity. ¡°Dimori-kun. You smelled the blood on me, right? I killed people to get this power. Would the previous me have done it?¡± ¡°...¡± The answer was blatantly obvious. Shuri was a pacifist right down to the bone. Her very, very first kill was Masaru Himejima, the hulking man who threatened to kill Akeno. If Shuri survived that night, it would not mean that her aversion to killing would suddenly be gone. ¡°Your silence tells me everything I need to know, Dimori-kun. Do you know why I¡¯m doing this?¡± He didn¡¯t reply. His eyes remained tightly shut to the reality in front of him. ¡°Dimori-kun. On the sixteenth of July¡­I di-¡± ¡°Aunty!¡± His eyes opened to reveal crimson orbs filled with immense fury. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri slowly pulled out her dagger from its holster. ¡°I have no memories prior to my death. This is not amnesia, Dimori-kun. The part of my soul associated with my identity was cleansed.¡± ¡°Stop it. Just stop it!¡± Her words were giving rise to terrible memories, but Shuri wasn¡¯t stopping. She would not skirt around this issue. ¡°Dimori-kun. When you left, Amaterasu-sama came with an offer of power to me. But to get it, I had to execute one-hundred people with this very blade.¡± The dagger wasn¡¯t remarkable...apart from the blade that was blood-red in colour. ¡°Tell me honestly. Is this something your aunt would¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°...¡±we His fists were clenched, because she was right. . ~Flashback~ ¡°Your heart is too kind, aunty. At some point in time, I can see you sparing the wrong person and dying from an attack to the back.¡± Shuri wanted to refute it. She truly did but¡­she could only smile weakly. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I am a healer, not a warrior. I just cannot bring myself to take someone¡¯s life.¡± . Igor remembered the conversation he had with Shuri years ago. They were on their way to pick up Akeno from school when their conversation led to this admission. Taking a life was something Shuri could never bring herself to do. The only reason she ever took a life in the first place was for her daughter. ¡°...¡± But this woman in front of her¡­the scent of blood reeked from her body. Were it not for her lifeforce, were it not for her scent¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I can no longer fulfil her role.¡± ¡­he would¡¯ve thought she was an impostor. ¡°Dimori-kun. On the sixteenth of July¡­¡± It was a bitter pill to swallow, but this woman and his aunt¡­were not the same person. ¡°...I died.¡± . . Silence¡­ GRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! His power exploded in a giant fiery blaze of energy. The waters around him parted like a giant boulder was sinking into it. The massive pillar of demi-ki fluctuated so violently and with such viciousness that the entire region was plunged into immediate darkness. Gone were his eyes. The only thing in place was an empty white void filled with the ferocity of the world. Igor had an extremely violent snarl on his face. His gaze was locked on Shuri, but she didn¡¯t fear it. Rather, she walked closer to him. ¡°You never had the chance to grieve her loss.¡± She didn¡¯t fear the overwhelming killing intent he was releasing. It was as if the force of his power and rage avoided her, allowing her the leeway to get closer to him. ¡°I am very sorry, Dimori-kun. I am not the aunty you knew and loved. I am¡­different.¡± It was subtle, but she could see the beginning of tears in his eyes. She opened wounds and even worse, poured salt on them. She was forcing him to actively accept that the previous her had died, that the current her could no longer be used as a placeholder. Gently, she cupped his cheeks and pulled him into her chest. ¡°Igor.¡± For the first time, she called him by name. ¡°I want you to know that she loved you dearly until her final moments. Do not blame yourself anymore for her death.¡± ¡°...¡± It was the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. *Grab!* His arms snaked around her and locked her in. He did not make a sound, but Shuri could feel her clothes get wetter and wetter with his tears. The violent surge of energy around him gradually dimmed. His risen hair slowly fell over his shoulders and light finally filled the region once more. Shuri gently hugged him and let him pour out the grief he had bottled up for far too long. To him, it had been over ten years since she died. He had only seen her alive for less than a day before their separation. It was inevitable that even though he didn¡¯t notice it, he would see her as the same aunty from before, something Amaterasu tried warning him against. But now, now he could grieve. She would let him grieve and finally accept the loss of that fateful day. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Igor. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Her actions were initially inspired by selfish greed, a desire for him to see her as Shuri, not aunty, not a placeholder. But she could selflessly admit that seeing him like this, he truly needed this more than her. . |DxD| . ¡° *Hik*¡­*hik*¡­mama¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright to be sad, Akeno-sama. It¡¯s alright to cry.¡± Aurelia, Akeno, and Asia were back at the house in the living room. Through magic, Aurelia allowed them to watch the fight between Shuri and Igor. It was also because of the same magic that all three of them witnessed this scene. Apart from Shuri revealing the part about Amaterasu and how she obtained her power, Aurelia did not censor anything else. She wanted the girls to grow up, but not too quickly. Shuri¡¯s revelation was not within her expectations, but it was necessary. Akeno needed this just as much as Igor. Shuri died that night. She was resurrected, but she was no longer the same woman they knew and it was not fair to force her to be. ¡°It¡¯s important that you don¡¯t blame yourself, Akeno-sama. Don¡¯t blame yourself for the actions of others. Your mother loves you dearly and would never change that for the world, alright?¡± ¡°Y-y-y-yes¡­¡± ¡°Come here¡­¡± Aurelia gently pulled the little lass into a hug. She was confident Akeno could pull through this. It was a day of unwanted revelations and realisations. But they were needed nonetheless. It was unknown how everyone would continue after this, but as long as the knots in their hearts were untied, it would all be well. . AN . Thank you for reading. We are already on chapter 246 on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n if you¡¯re interested in reading ahead. Just look for HolyGambler. Thanks for reading and until the next chapter. Chapter 242 ¡°It¡¯s important that you don¡¯t blame yourself, Akeno-sama. Don¡¯t blame yourself for the actions of others. Your mother loves you dearly and would never change that for the world, alright?¡± ¡°Y-y-y-yes¡­¡± ¡°Come here¡­¡± Aurelia gently pulled the little lass into a hug. She was confident Akeno could pull through this. It was a day of unwanted revelations and realisations. But they were needed nonetheless. It was unknown how everyone would continue after this, but as long as the knots in their hearts were untied, it would all be well. . |DxD| . Some time had passed since Shuri¡¯s forceful revelation. Akeno was sad, deeply so. The little lass immediately clung onto Shuri the moment she walked through the door. However, the one who seemed to have it the worst was Igor. His eyes were dead and he seemed listless the entire time. The only one who could gain a reaction out of him was Asia. The little blonde sensed her brother¡¯s sadness and silently hugged him. They sat together on the couch but no further changes occurred. Both blondes were silent while Akeno was crying on Shuri¡¯s shoulder. It was a hard pill for either person to swallow, but medicine was needed in order for the body to heal. Still, it seemed it would take quite some time for Igor to heal. Unlike Akeno, he truly and fully understood the implications of Shuri¡¯s words. The woman in front of him would still be Akeno¡¯s mother, but she was no longer his aunty. He could only sit in silence as Akeno let out her grief. Shuri truly was a mother to Akeno. She gently squashed Akeno¡¯s stuttered mutters that everything was her fault. The Himejima were the ones at fault, not her. It took a long time for Shuri to finally coax Akeno into a peacefull sleep. She eventually took Akeno upstairs where she laid her on the bed. When she came back down, it was time to address Igor¡¯s matter. He was like a zombie with a completely expressionless face. His blue eyes no longer had their usual lustre and his skin seemed to have gotten paler¡­more lifeless. As she stood at the entrance to the living room, she silently debated if what she did truly was the best course of action. [Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have?] Her eyes flickered to Aurelia who was standing at the corner of the room. The silverette was looking at her with a complicated gaze. Shuri was not sure if Aurelia was mad at her or not, but she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was. ¡°Dimor-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. You can call me by my name. While we¡¯re on that, what do I call you?¡± His listless gaze slowly turned towards her. His eyes were hollow¡­and it worried her. ¡°Do I call you sister? Do I call you Shuri?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri would¡¯ve preferred if he asked with some snark. Instead, what he was asking was a genuine question. Because he¡­he didn¡¯t look at her like he did before. No longer was she his aunty. He looked at her like an unfamiliar person. ¡°I¡­you can still call me aunty, Di¡­Igor.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, Igor began shaking his head repeatedly. ¡°No. I can¡¯t. Aunty¡­¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He began to shake his head more vigorously. ¡°Aunty is¡­¡± For a brief moment, his eyes turned red. His expression morphed into a snarl before Asia silently gave him a squeeze. Her touch brought him back from the madness that almost took over. ¡°I¡¯m here, big brother.¡± ¡°...¡± The two siblings looked into each other¡¯s eyes before for the first time, a small smile formed on Igor¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Asia.¡± She laid her head on his chest once more. Her ear was pressed directly above his heart while her hands sneaked around his chest. It was not a lie to say that Asia¡¯s presence was the only thing keeping him grounded. His chaotic thoughts were purged. His mind came back into focus and he could continue the previous conversation. He turned to look at Shuri once more. He felt a pang in his heart when he took in the sight of her. He previously ignored it, but this woman wasn¡¯t his aunt. His aunt died that day. This woman may have inherited the traits of his aunty, but she wasn¡¯t his aunt. She never would be. ¡°What do I call you?¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri regretted it. She regretted forcing him to move on. There was no longer warmth in those eyes anymore. ¡°You can call me¡­Shuri.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± An uncomfortable silence filled the room. The moment Igor replied, he turned to face outside the window once more. No one said anything further. No one knew how to continue such a sensitive topic. As the target of this uncomfortable silence, no one could tell what was going on through Igor¡¯s mind. There was no rage, no sadness, or anything. Aurelia wanted to say something but didn¡¯t even know where to begin. She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to comfort him because¡­she advised Shuri to do this. She was so narrow-minded that she failed to consider how deeply affected he would be. [Please be strong, Igor.] She couldn¡¯t bring herself to comfort him out of guilt, but she hoped he would make it through this. [If only-] Her thoughts were cut off when Igor suddenly stood up. His torn clothes hung off him like the rags they were, yet he cared not for his appearance. ¡°I need some time alone.¡± He didn¡¯t look at anyone. ¡°Shuri. Thank you for opening my eyes, but I will need time to accept this.¡± His voice was hollow without any emotions. He spoke like he was a businessman assigning tasks to employees. ¡°Asia. I will trust you to take care of Akeno. She¡¯ll need all the support she can get.¡± He gently ruffled her hair, imprisoning her objections in her throat. Asia didn¡¯t want him to leave, but she understood his desire. ¡°Okay¡­big brother.¡± ¡°Thank you. Aurelia. If Lucifer asks, tell him I¡¯ll meet him at the Gremory Manor on the fourth. I¡¯ll arrive around the evening. And¡­tell Souji that I¡¯ll have to cancel our training session.¡± A faint mock of a smile formed when he spoke of the knight. ¡°Though I doubt he¡¯ll be sad about that.¡± That was the last smile he showed¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡­and the last time they saw him. Tswii! . |DxD| . Himejima Clan, Kyoto, Japan . Nearly two months have passed since the Himejima Clan was plunged into a bloodbath. Gone were the piles of dismembered bodies and blood-covered tiles. The massive compound was cleaned from the bottom up. Plants and other greenery that were damaged during the affair were restored using magic. Under Yasaka¡¯s arrangements, very few people knew of the gruesome scene that resulted from the aftermath of the massacre. Even the remaining members of the Himejima clan were oblivious to the scene. It was why after cleaning was done, the compound was lively¡­to an extent. The shadow from the deaths of so many husbands and fathers was not something that would simply vanish. Such a massive loss of capable military personnel would¡¯ve seen the clan annihilated within the fortnight, especially if this was war. Thankfully, they were still under Yasaka¡¯s protection. But that protection had limits. No matter how strong Yasaka was, she could not protect them if the same demon that caused all of this returned. And lo and behold, he did return. High up in the skies, Igor gazed at the Himejima Clan. His eyes were emotionless, his face completely expressionless. There was no hatred whatsoever...except for a small flicker of fury. He silently watched the children, teenagers, and young women training in the courtyard under the instruction of an elderly man. He silently watched the women attend to the crops growing in the fields. Every single one of their actions were within his perception. He would never forget the unique energy signature belonging to those from the Himejima Clan. But maybe¡­it¡¯d be best if the world forgot about them¡­permanently. Slowly, Igor raised his hand to the sky. He wanted to. He wanted to destroy them all, to air out the grievances in his heart. His cheeks twitched slightly as a trace of budding anger finally made itself known. The Himejima Clan was full of scum that needed to be wiped out from the face of the Earth. ¡°...¡± Yes. They needed to be destroyed- ¡°Igor.¡± Slowly, arms snaked around his waist. ¡°Don¡¯t do it¡­¡± ¡°...¡± He recognised this voice. ¡°Lady Parvati.¡± . AN . We almost got a Himejima Massacre part 2. Igor is still feeling downright murderous with everything he¡¯s keeping bottled up. I won¡¯t say I understand what he¡¯s going through, but I can imagine it. Thankfully, Parvati showed up because I don¡¯t think the Shinto would sit still again if he went through with his plan. Chapter 244 ¡°I want to murder them! I want to tear them apart! I WANT TO KILL THEM ALL!¡± She felt his tears wet her robes. ¡°They took her! THEY TOOK HER FROM ME!¡± His attempts at escaping weren¡¯t ceasing, but Parvati kept a firm hold on him¡­ ¡°THEY TOOK HER!!!!!!¡± GRUUUUU! ¡­because he needed her. . |DxD| . 1999/08/29- September 1st, 1999 (Wednesday), Naberius Clan, Underworld . It was early morning in the Underworld. The territory of the Naberius Clan was vast, especially for a branch clan belonging to the Nebiros Clan. It wasn¡¯t prestigious like the Gremory Clan and lacked the numerous buildings that dotted the landscape. Instead of agriculture, the lands belonging to the Naberius housed different biomes populated with all sorts of strange species. Apart from the singular massive mansion, the lack of infrastructure would make one believe the Naberius were game rangers or animal lovers of sorts. But they would be in for a surprise for deep below the ground was where the Naberius truly worked. The Naberius were mainly a clan of scientists under the employ of the Nebiros. Because some of their experiments were less than¡­humane, they needed to be conducted in secret, away from the prying eyes of the current satans. The base was somewhat futuristic with thick metal doors that only opened through biometric authentication. There was a distinct lack of colour- everything was grey. Teams of scientists in white robes pitter-pattered about with clipboards in hand. In one room, there was a spectacled man with a receding hairline. To be accurate, this room was more of a lab than a private room for rest. There were multitudes of scientific tools and different sorts of machines. The only thing that stopped this place from becoming a full-blown lab was a single bed by the corner¡­and a jail cell on the other side. The man was furiously typing something on his computer, obviously uncaring for the weirdness of his quarters. On the screen was the molecular structure of DNA and from the results of his typing, he was running simulations. He scribbled on a notepad beside him each time the machine ¡®booped¡¯ a negative response. ¡°I¡¯m close. I¡¯m getting closer. I¡¯m getting closer! I¡¯m getting closer¡­¡± His hand trembled as he scribbled in his notebook. His ineligible writing would make doctors wish to take notes and pharmacists to reconsider their life choices. His eyes glanced towards the seemingly empty cell like a predator glances at prey. ¡°Maybe if I¡­¡± He quickly went to typing on his computer before eventually, a positive ¡®boop¡¯ sounded. A tiny bottle connected to small mechanical assembly line was filled with a strange yellow liquid. The man quickly stood up and took a new syringe from a bowl. He grabbed the bottle and extracted the liquid into the syringe. After calculating a few millilitres of the liquid, he marched towards the bars. ¡°Kuroka~ Time for your daily dose~.¡± He was met with silence, silence he didn¡¯t like. ¡°If you continue to play your games, perhaps your sister would apprecia-¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kuroka fell down from the ceiling and glared at the man. She was a Nekushou, a rare breed of cat yokai in her early teenage years, possibly thirteen or fourteen. She was young in age, but her golden eyes showed maturity far above her years. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister!¡± However, the man had a kind smile on his face, seemingly unfazed by her glare. ¡°I promise that I, Sullivar Naberius shall not touch your sister¡­¡± Slowly, his expression became one of mocking. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°...as long as you are obedient like the animal you are.¡± ¡°...¡± Kuroka absolutely reviled this perso-no, this monster in front of her. From the bottom of her heart, she wished to skin- ¡°I can see it in your eyes. You wish to skin me alive, little kitten. Unfortunately for you, your first attempt failed rather pathetically. Be glad I do not hold grudges. In fact, be glad I tolerate you.¡± Without warning, he grabbed the iron bars and looked right into her eyes. ¡°You should be grateful that through my help, you will be elevated into an existence far above your lowly status. Now be obedient and GIVE ME YOUR-¡± Psshhhhh¡­ The metal doors slid open to reveal a man in a pristine suit. He was accompanied by a receptionist wearing a lab coat that adorned her figure. ¡°Professor Sullivar. You have a visitor.¡± ¡°...¡± From the looks of this person, Sullivar could tell he was from the Bael clan. ¡°Pardon me for my current state of distress.¡± He stood up straight and brushed off the nonexistent dust. ¡°I was told that I would be receiving a visitor today. Might I hazard a guess and assume it¡¯s you, Sir¡­?¡± ¡°Bael. You need not know my name.¡± ¡°...¡± It was only when the man walked in that Sullivar realised how tall he was. ¡°Of course, Sir Bael. While I was aware of your impending visit, I was not informed of the reas-¡± ¡°Her. I have been sent to collect her sister.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Rather than get mad, Sullivar was curious. ¡°We have received your report. We plan to replicate the procedure on an untainted nekomata.¡± ¡°No! Take me instead!¡± In her cage, Kuroka was violently shaking the bars. Shirone was her absolute bottom-line. Nothing could happen to her. Nothing! ¡°Leave my sister alone!¡± ¡°...¡± Sir Bael glanced at Kuroka indifferently before turning to the receptionist. ¡°Madam. May you please bring the one named ¡®Shirone¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Bael.¡± Like a robot, she replied monotonously and left to complete her task. ¡°...¡± Sullivar was left lost for words. These two girls were obviously his possessions. He worked hard on one of them to improve his conjecture of creating an artificial Super Devil. He devoted years of research to this, even going so far as to seek the assistance of a mere human. So¡­no. He couldn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t let them take his precious subject away like that. ¡°Nyaaa! Let me go! Let me go!¡± His eyes flickered when they brought in a very young girl. She was only six-years-old with short white hair and golden eyes. ¡°Sir Bael. I understand your desires, but please give me some time to prepare them well for you.¡± He was nervous when he saw Shirone being dragged in by the receptionist. She was his prime experimental piece, his foundation, his dreams. But Sir Bael didn¡¯t care. The moment Shirone was brought in, he eyed her like a specimen. ¡°Sullivar. I operate on orders. My orders are to take her.¡± ¡°...¡± Sullivar sank deep into his thoughts. The screams and protests of Kuroka faded as he gazed at Shirone. His research was already taken. Now they were going to take his prized possession. They would use his experiments to turn her into a Super Devil and not give him the credit. They were stealing his lifelong work right in front of him. ¡°...¡± *Clenches fists¡­* ¡°So be it.¡± ¡°We are glad you unders-¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t have her, THEN NO ONE CAN!¡± Without warning, he charged towards Shirone with a dagger that suddenly appeared from the sleeves of his coat. He was going to kill her right then and ther- *Puchi!* . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± Sullivar looked down. A small hand had pierced through his chest¡­ Badump¡­Badump¡­ ¡­and ripped out his heart. He could only watch his heart beat helplessly within the grasp of that tiny hand. In a flash, so many things happened. Stimulated by the impending death of her sister, Kuroka exploded with power and tore apart the cell restricting her. She then killed Sullivar with absolutely zero hesitation. Now, everything was a mess. Kuroka was quick to realise her crime. Including her and her sister, there were two more devils in this room and dozens, possibly hundreds of more in this base. ¡°...¡± She had no time to worry about her sister¡¯s mental state. She had to quickly kill them both and- *Puchi!* ¡°...¡± Right in front of her, Sir Bael shoved his hand into the receptionist¡¯s chest. The woman was shocked since she never expected she would be killed by him. ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­¡± The woman collapsed to the ground with eyes full of unwillingness. Sir Bael didn¡¯t even have the decency to look at her. He could care less about a useless devil. His only role was to fulfil orders. ¡°Girl. You should quickly escape before you are stopped.¡± Sir Bael moved to the side so as to not block the door. ¡°Do not ask me why. Use this chance to escape.¡± ¡°...¡± Kuroka could not hesitate. She jumped over Sullivar¡¯s corpse, grabbed her sister, and vanished like the wind. Su! ¡°...¡± Sir Bael looked at the two corpses on the ground with indifference. He took a small cloth from his suit pocket and used it to wipe his bloodied hand. The magical effects imbued in the serviette completely removed the blood on his hand and sleeves along with the scent. He then used the power of destruction to destroy it. Vwong A small magic circle formed around his ear. ¡°Mission accomplished. Target has successfully killed their master and is fleeing.¡± A smooth yet professional feminine voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Good work, Thirty-Four. Follow up on the matter and report back to base. I will convey your success further up the chain.¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± The magic circle vanished. *RING!* *RING!* *RING!* *RING!* The emergency alarm blared across the entire base and it was synonymous with the pitter-patter of boot-clad feet coming closer to him. Sir Bael or number Thirty-Four remained unfazed when four special operatives poured into the room. Different from the typical medieval armour worn by guards, their attire was a more modern combat suit that also covered their heads in a helmet. The moment they spotted the corpses, three of them left while one remained to question him. After that, it was simple procedure. Because he was from the Bael household, the Naberius couldn¡¯t keep him detained. As such, Thirty-Four walked out of the base with an imperceptible, but nonetheless triumphant smile on his face. His mission was complete and the subsequent set of events would ensure that no matter what, the Peerage Overhaul Policy would not pass. . AN . Well¡­that happened. Zekram must have one very good intelligence network if he could figure out how Sullivar and Kuroka would react if certain events were manipulated. Chapter 245 As such, Thirty-Four walked out of the base with an imperceptible, but nonetheless triumphant smile on his face. His mission was complete and the subsequent set of events would ensure that no matter what, the Peerage Overhaul Policy would not pass. . |DxD| . Outrage. Fierce outrage resounded throughout the Underworld. News of the death of the esteemed Professor Sullivar and a secretary was broadcasted repeatedly. He was a man of repute and had some historical inventions and breakthroughs accredited to him long since before Ajuka was born. What had the devils in sheer outrage was not of his death, but of how he died. It was known that he was killed by a member of his peerage, a Nekoshou now on the run. The fact that his death coincided with the avenue of the Peerage Overhaul Policy was not lost on the populace. Unfortunately, rumours had surfaced that Sullivar was one of the first who gave the Nekushou free will¡­and she killed him. ¡­ Comments: EvilUser3000: ¡°He was killed by his peerage member! His PEERAGE!!!¡± LordLuvizan: ¡°If a researcher like him could die, then what about us?¡± MeatySera: ¡°I knew this shouldn¡¯t have gone through!¡± ScrambledEggs: ¡°Who¡¯s to say we won¡¯t be killed?¡± ¡­ Similar voices shared the same sentiments. They were rampant and voices of outcry were common on the Devilnet. Those who tried asking questions were immediately overwhelmed by the flames of anger and rage that was sired by the loss of such a figure. Be it public forums or the streets, devils were calling for the execution of the Nekushou girl. Some of the more radical ones were calling for the death of all Nekomata as penance for the loss of such a well-known figure. This feeling was like a weed that spread as the hours trickled by. Sceptics were crushed by the tsunami of devils calling for the death of the Nekushou. The voices calling for the deaths of all Nekomata were being curbed by Serafall who was furiously coordinating with Ajuka to crush all the radical outcries. They were alone in her office. They both were working tirelessly to change the distorted public opinion that was making the rounds. They were in the highest part of the tower, but they could still hear the voices of protests amidst the whirring of their computers. Serafall could do nothing about the outside protests for the time being. Her brows trickled with sweat as she typed comment after comment urging the public to think things through logically via a secret account she had. ¡°Tch!¡± Every once in a while, she would click her tongue when infuriating replies to her comments labelled her a ¡°false devil¡± or a ¡°Scum Sympathiser¡±. But no matter how calm she might try to remain, there were limits to her tolerance. *BANG!* She banged her desk with her fist. Her anger was not at the comments, but at how hellbent the Old Satan Faction was on promoting radical views. She might not be a technical wizard, but she knew a bot account when she saw one. There were so many of them with generic names, sentences, and obviously fabricated backgrounds that she wished she could find the owner and crush their skulls! ¡°...¡± Ajuka did not comment on Serafall¡¯s outburst. As the creator of the Devilnet, he could help her by subtly silencing the worst of the dissenters. Through his magic and a special computer, he could manipulate the entire Devilnet and ban certain accounts, though his methods were limited. He was already doing the best he could given the situation. If he was more overt in his attempts to stop them, the Old Satan Faction could use this as ¡°proof¡± that the Peerage Overhaul Policy was a sham since the satans were trying to cover it up. Because of how those people could turn black into white and make water mix with oil, he was very careful in his manipulations. Serafall was already hard at work dealing with the crux of the matter. Her tower which was dedicated to handling foreign affairs was now completely focused on internal affairs. Thousands of her best workers on their computers fought tooth and nail with ¡®flamers¡¯ who were constantly trying to sway public opinion to a more radical reaction. Ajuka worked alongside them to crush the bots and multiple fake accounts, but it wasn¡¯t easy. The Old Satan Faction truly was prepared this time. It was only fortunate that while all of devilkind was indeed outraged, they still retained some logic in their heads. Serafall could only temporarily give up defending the Nekushou who killed her master. What she needed to do was silence the cries of killing the entire village of Nekomata as compensation. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Under no circumstances must that be allowed to happen. The Yokai Faction and the Shinto Pantheon by extension were already one of the extremely few organisations willing to trade with devils. The Nekomata were one of their topmost suppliers of precious herbs that only they could cultivate, lifesaving herbs that were very important for those who could not afford phoenix tears. If they were eliminated, not only the citizens, but their troops that relied on these herbs would take a massive hit and they would have to ¡®rely¡¯ on the Phenex once more. ¡°Damnit! How are you fairing, Ajuka?¡± ¡°My team and I are doing our very best to ban their accounts under the pretext of rule violations. But as you can imagine, we are having a rather hard time.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± Serafall hated this political landscape to the core. The Old Satan Faction had dozens of clans under their helm and each clan had thousands of people under them. Them? They couldn¡¯t even get their own clans to give them full support, especially for this issue concerning peerage rights. ¡°Do you know what Falbium is doing?! Or is he sleeping again!¡± ¡°Last I heard, he was mobilising a pursuit squad to capture the escaped Nekushou and her younger sister. It stands to reason that this¡­Shirone, will be executed alongside her sister too.¡± ¡°Damn old fogeys¡­¡± Serafall truly and utterly wished she could kill them all, especially Zekram. There was no one else she knew who could create a scheme as convoluted as this. They were attacked from all fronts, a scenario that was rarely, if ever welcomed. It was either the massacre of the Nekomata Village, the death of the rare breed of Nekushou, or the forfeiture of the Overhaul Policy. All of them had their losses, but Serafall was forced to choose to fight the first case. She could only temporarily leave the second case to Falbium and the last case to Sirzechs. As it stood, the public needed to be addressed and strings had to be pulled to make sure that no matter what, everything went well. Still, it was times like these that Serafall even questioned why they even did all of this, why they tried so hard for such ungrateful people who changed allegiance like underwear. ¡°Ajuka. Is what we are doing¡­right?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask herself this simple question. The amount of negative comments she read¡­ ¡°Is this even worth it?¡± ¡­made her truly realise how difficult it would be to press for change. She was trying to use logic, but the death of Sullivar made people genuinely believe peerage members should not be granted free autonomy. Whether the satans were at fault or not, Sullivar¡¯s death proved that peerage members could kill their masters if nothing held them back. ¡°...¡± Ajuka could not provide an immediate answer. The arguments posted by the opposition made him, the creator of the evil pieces waver. What does that say about normal devils? ¡°We should trust Sirzechs, Serafall. Remember that what we do is for our future generations.¡± He continued to type on multiple spectral keyboards. ¡°We¡¯ve had five-hundred-years of no progress. Perhaps if we change our focus, we shall see positive changes in the next five centuries.¡± His voice was ever-calm, his expression the definition of unfazed. ¡°What we need to do is remain faithful to our narrative, Serafall. For if we don¡¯t, those without voices will continue to suffer.¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, Serafall ceased typing. Ajuka¡¯s words struck a chord in her. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ta Ta Ta Ta Ta Ta Ta Ta She began typing once more with unburdened zeal. ¡°If we don¡¯t do it, no one else will.¡± . |DxD| . ¡°Those damn bastards¡­¡± Sirzechs sat at his desk with piles of reports informing him of the recent happenings. Were it not for his wife, Grayfia, he would¡¯ve stormed off to the Bael Manor and demanded an explanation from Zekram. ¡°They¡¯ve ruined everything. They¡¯ve RUINED everything!¡± ¡°Please calm dow-¡± Sirzechs lashed out. ¡°HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?!?!¡± Silence¡­ The only sound that could be heard were piles of papers falling to the floor, further aided by the vague shouts of ¡°KILL THEM ALL¡± that came from the window. Sirzechs was rightfully angry. They were so close¡­so close. They were so close and now everything was THIS close to being ruined. He was angry, but he couldn¡¯t take out his anger on his wife. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grayfia. I know you¡¯re trying to help.¡± He was reaching the end of his rope. Not even three hours had passed and he was pushed into a corner. The rumours that this Nekushou was the first experiment of the Overhaul Policy had spread and cemented themselves so firmly that just denying knowledge wouldn¡¯t suffice. What they needed was hard evidence that could absolve them of responsibility. Sadly, minor evidence like alibis wouldn¡¯t be enough, not with the existence of teleportation magic. [Even if I did find evidence, so what?] Sullivar¡¯s death awakened the fear of what peerage members would do to their masters without fear of becoming stray. ¡°What do I do?¡± Sirzechs sank into his chair and buried his face in his palms. His fellow satans were counting on him to issue a statement that would set things right. But what could he say? Patriotism? He could implore the devils to trust in their comrades. ¡°...¡± He immediately scrapped the idea. Such a weak defence would be easy pickings for their enemies to poke through. Stalling was also not optimal. That would give enough time for the flames to grow. [Damnit.] They were trapped on all fronts. Sirzechs could see all sorts of political issues that could arise just from this one event. The narrative had changed. Whereas before it was about the benefits that would arise, now it was about whether it was safe. The worst part, Sirzechs couldn¡¯t truly argue that it was safe. The only option he could think of was to screen each peerage member, but that could be used to push back the passage of the law by weeks or even months. Time was not something he wanted to give his opponents. It had to happen this Sunday. It had to! But he had no viable defence that could give it enough momentum to still pass. [Damnit. Damnit, damnit, damni-] He was brought out of his thoughts when soft hands landed on his shoulders. Grayfia was standing behind him, her gentle smile looming over him. ¡°You can do it, husband. I trust you.¡± ¡°...¡± If Sirzechs had a confidence meter, it would be seen rising to one-hundred in an instant. Grayfia¡¯s words, his wife¡¯s sincere words made him regain confidence in himself. If she faithfully believed in him like this, then he would do his best to pull himself and his friends through this. ¡°Thank you, my wife.¡± His turbulent emotions calmed down as he allowed himself to think things through. Grayfia was silent and gave him a minor massage on his shoulders. In such a stressful situation, it was important he relaxed his mind. Her husband was smart, smarter than he knew. Without a shred of a doubt, she knew he would surprise everyone. He did it before and he would do it again. She just had to give him the support he needed, and¡­ [...he will show miracles.] . AN . Grayfia is a good wife. Prove me wrong. Chapter 246 ¡°Thank you, my wife.¡± His turbulent emotions calmed down as he allowed himself to think things through. Grayfia was silent and gave him a minor massage on his shoulders. In such a stressful situation, it was important he relaxed his mind. Her husband was smart, smarter than he knew. Without a shred of a doubt, she knew he would surprise everyone. He did it before and he would do it again. She just had to give him the support he needed, and¡­ [...he will show miracles.] . |DxD| . ¡°I greet you all, fellow brethren. My appearance today is to address the rumours circulating throughout all media channels.¡± Sirzechs stood on an elevated podium with over a dozen cameras pointed at him. None of his fellow satans were present. Each of them were busy with their own important tasks. His back was straight, his brows firm and his jaw stony. His commanding presence silenced the picketers who slowly gathered around the square to hear his next words. One of them wanted to speak but Sirzechs silenced them with a stony yet calm glare. ¡°I would sincerely appreciate it if you wait until I finish before you ask any questions.¡± His words would be broadcast throughout the entire Underworld. This situation was a delicate matter that had to be handled carefully lest everything be ruined. The sun bore down on him, but it did not lighten the situation. ¡°I am aware that many have come to believe my compatriot, Maou Beelzebub was responsible for freeing the Nekushou. I assure you he is not. Perhaps many may not believe in me, in us, but believe in our philosophy. Ask yourselves this. Why is it that when we finally promote a law that will benefit all of us devilkind, such an incident occurred?¡± Sirzechs thought long and hard about what to do. In the end, he decided to forgo conventional political manoeuvres and be direct. To be accurate, he decided to take a page from Igor¡¯s book and not skirt around the issue. ¡°It is no secret that if this law was passed, we would see sanctions removed and trade agreements reopened within the next century. Contracts with humans would be easier to complete, allowing more of us the chance to grow.¡± Silence! For those who could not enter rating games, they completely relied on contracts with humans to advance, and Sirzechs¡¯s words directly touched their souls. ¡°I want you to think of this, my brethren. I want you to listen to my words and think this carefully.¡± His eyes pierced the camera. He was not releasing any pressure, but his authoritative gaze made viewers quiet. ¡°Many shall frown upon me for declaring this publically, but our situation as devils is grim. Hundreds of pantheons and organisations do not want us. We have lost fifty-three alliances over the past century alone and many factions are working together to expel us from our territories in the human world. Pantheons would rather work with the Church that is notorious for their vile deeds over us¡­for only one reason. Our peerage system.¡± His grip on the podium tightened. This was an issue that touched his heartstrings and it showed with his next words. ¡°Our peerage system, a proud symbol of our cultural heritage and ingenuity, a proud invention of Maou Beelzebub is viewed as a system of slavery in the wider supernatural world. A system that was designed to bring us from the brink of extinction has now become a symbol that makes others spit at the mention of our name.¡± Sirzechs¡¯s voice grew more fervent. ¡°Yes, there will be issues. It is not hidden that there are masters who mistreat their peerages. But ask yourselves this. Will we truly stop change on the accounts of a few?¡± *Pause* Those words echoed. ¡®The accounts of a few¡¯. They were simple words, but they were like a basin of cold water dumped upon them. Sirzechs was forcing them to open their eyes. His words were purposely vague, but everyone knew what their leader meant when he said ¡®few¡¯. ¡°Will we prevent our society from evolving because of a little fear? Will you truly fear the turbulent river and ignore the greener pastures on the other side?¡± He let the silence spread before sealing it with one more statement. ¡°In all of this, ask yourselves. Who benefits the least?¡± . |DxD| . *GASP!* The shock was palpable. What Sirzechs said-no, what Sirzechs did went beyond common sense. Any Devil with a few dozen points of IQ could deduce what Sirzechs was implying. The problem was, rarely, if no politician in history EVER did what he did. It was an unwritten rule between politicians that no matter what, they would never directly demean the other. That was because politicians were never clean to begin with. Each of them had done and were aware of each other¡¯s dirty dealings. What Sirzechs did was equivalent to stepping on this unwritten rule and directly demeaning the pillar clans, particularly the Great King Faction. This was an affront to their sovereignty and their reputation. But Sirzechs had nothing to fear- not anymore. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°My fellow brethren.¡± He leaned closer to the microphones in front of him, yet his voice only got quieter. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t announcing, but telling them a secret. ¡°If all of you can take the time to carefully think this through, surely you can imagine who suffers if this policy comes in effect, correct?¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± The reporters remained silent. The crowd went silent. The users at home went silent. What Sirzechs was doing was a direct declaration of war, a political war. He wasn¡¯t even subtle about it. ¡­ Comments: LuluTheDestroyer: ¡°OHHHHHHHH! I knew it! I KNEW IT! Lord Lucifer is NEVER WRONG!¡± SentientBot#2: ¡°After further analysis, I have confirmed that our leaders are innocent and the pillars are playing games.¡± WeLoveLucifer: ¡°Lord Lucifer! Say no more! We understand! DOWN WITH THE BAELS!!!¡± AgdanBael: ¡°What?! Come here and say that to my face!!!¡± UnknownPhenexGremory: ¡°Mister Agdan. We know your clan is engaged in suspicious stuff. It¡¯s just that those old guys don¡¯t wanna say anything. So I agree with @WeLoveLucifer when they say: DOWN WITH THE BALES!¡± MisterBale: ¡°Hey @UnknownPhenexGremory! What did we do? Target the Baels!¡± UnknownPhenexGremory: ¡°Shut up @MisterBale! I know your account was created recently! [Screenshot: account was created 33 seconds ago] Even the bots from the Baels know how to change their timestamps!¡± AgdanBael: ¡°For the last time! We have NOTHING to do with this! (FlipsTable.jpg)¡± SentientBot#2: ¡°I have corrected your statement as follows: ¡®We have SOMETHING to do with this!¡¯.¡± AgdanBael: ¡°@SentientBot#2 fuck you!¡± ¡­ The Devilnet was rife with competing comments inspired by Sirzechs¡¯s controversial statement. The younger generation of devils was very quick to list the Baels as the main culprits. Their fearless nature allowed them to hit the nail right on the head, much to the Bael¡¯s misfortune. But where Sirzechs was, everyone was silent. None of them could speak or comment for fear of inviting trouble upon themselves. The only one who dared to show a smile was Sirzechs. He was happy to see the gears turn in their heads. It seemed everyone had some inkling as to who was to blame for everything. ¡°To avoid any cases of defamation launched against us, I will not say any names. However, I come here with the promise that we will give you reason to believe in us. The attack on Professor Sullivar Naberius, as sad as it is, has no part with us. Our methods were created by Maou Beelzebub with the assistance of our Aryan allies.¡± And just like that, the narration immediately shifted. One of the reporters under Serafall¡¯s employ quickly capitalised on the change in narrative and asked Sirzechs about their new allies. Other reporters quickly brought their microphones closer and asked further questions. Questions such as ¡°Who are they¡±, ¡°When did talks begin?¡±, ¡°Are they dangerous?¡±, and more were all quickly launched. Sirzechs showed no annoyance in having so many mics shoved in front of him. He had his coined closed-eye smile and raised his hands to placate them. ¡°Please calm down. I shall answer all of your questions in one statement to the best of my ability.¡± Everything was going well. He planted a seed of doubt in the hearts of everyone watching. He hoped the spreading confusion would slowly silence the calls for blood and gore to an extent. ¡°To begin with, I officially announce that we have concluded an alliance with the last two Aryans in existence. The first one is Aurelia von Drachenburg, more popularly known as Kurohime of the Shinto Pantheon.¡± Establish doubt in enemy forces and reinforce belief in one¡¯s own forces. A simple plan that would firmly direct most, if not everyone¡¯s thinking. ¡°¡°¡°WHO?!¡±¡±¡± There was a reason everyone was surprised. Being a Drachenburg was already enough to garner significant attention. But to also be known as ¡®Kurohime¡¯ was more than enough to firmly bolster the rumours as hogwash. Disregarding her fame in other areas, Kurohime was a person who was known for her immense talent in seals and inscriptions. Now that she was known to be an Aryan, belief spread that her capabilities far surpassed what she¡¯s shown. As a descendant of Aryans, it was completely illogical that she could fumble the process of manipulating the intricacies of a peerage piece. Being able to safely teleport millions of people away from a city, place them in suspended animation, AND implant new memories was much more difficult than manipulating a peerage piece. That conjecture alone was enough to make everyone cast doubt that Sullivar¡¯s death was possibly staged or just happened to be coincidental. Regardless, the effectiveness of the rumour decreased drastically. ¡°The looks of recognition you all have tell me I need not introduce her. Very well, I shall move on to the next person. His name is Igor von Dimori and¡­he¡¯s responsible for the two power surges we all felt earlier.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Sirzechs had a gentle smile on his face. He felt no shame in introducing Igor this way. There was no one in the Underworld who did not feel Igor¡¯s power a few days ago. His power was controlled, but the immense pressure he exerted back then could not be hidden. Devils were drawn to power just as much as they respected it and Sirzechs himself was not excluded from this. ¡°Lo-Lord Lucifer. Is this¡­is this really true?¡± It was one journalist who finally grew the liver to ask. He was nervous because¡­that surge of power truly frightened him to the core. ¡°I kid you not. Igor von Dimori truly wields such immense power and I am proud to say that he has entered an alliance with us along with his sister, Aurelia von Drachenburg. We have to thank Lady Leviathan for that.¡± He could never forget to credit his friends. ¡°As such, I respectfully ask that when you see them, do show them appropriate respect. Perhaps some of you will see them when Lady Aurelia performs the unlinking procedure on your peerage piece.¡± Gone was rage. Gone was anxiousness. Now, there was excitement. Sirzechs could see the budding excitement in the eyes of the citizens who came to personally see him speak. Not only did they manage to secure the fabled Kurohime, but they also snagged her brother, a behemoth who could freeze their hearts with a whiff of his power. Normal humans would never understand but to devils, such intoxicating power drew them like moths to a flame. Humans idolised beauty and money. Devils idolised power and authority. The name ¡®Kurohime¡¯ held authority and prestige. The mysterious Igor von Dimori held power and intrigue. Together, these two acted like catalysts that broke through the devil¡¯s defences. Sullivar died because of a failed procedure on his bishop? Preposterous. Are you telling us that THEE Kurohime fumbled something as simple as that? Nonsense! Most devils were beginning to harbour such thoughts. Along with Serafall¡¯s and Ajuka¡¯s continuous work to steer public opinion, dissent was being extinguished in real-time. Anyone who tried to fan the flames was quickly placed under doubt. No matter how many devils each clan had under them, their numbers could not compare to the public. Any alternate accounts created were quickly removed by Ajuka while Serafall continued to bury dissenters under a dog pile of logic and suspicion. Sirzechs pulled out all the stops and public faith in the satans increased even further. The tables were turned and several clans were already being accused on public forums. The Bael surname was mentioned numerous times. Not only them, but several other suspicious pillar clans were, to put it crassly, ¡®flamed¡¯ on the Devilnet. Give anyone a keyboard and they would instantly grow ten guts. Give them a VPN and their livers would bloat under the ingestion of confidence. Give them a proxy server and they would hop on a clan¡¯s official page and curse their ancestors right down to their progenitor. Comments: ConfidentArrogance: ¡°The Baels are shit! Prove me wrong if you dare.¡± WhyDoWeLive?: ¡°Prove what wrong @ConfidentArrogance ? There¡¯s long since been rumours that the Baels have been engaged in several hidden schemes.¡± Don¡¯tBotherI¡¯veHidden: ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s right! I know a stray devil who escaped from the Baels. She said that their public appearance is all a farce. Ever since the Civil War, they¡¯ve been involved in several questionable things.¡± F*ckTheBaels: ¡°What I wanted to say is Fuck The Baels! Fuck their patriarch! Fuck their ancestors! Fuck their progenitor! Fuck everything about them! #FuckTheBaels¡± . AN . #FuckTheBales (I still want to live so¡­) Thank you for reading. Work was put in this chapter and previous so I hope you enjoyed them. Chapter 247 Give anyone a keyboard and they would instantly grow ten guts. Give them a VPN and their livers would bloat under the ingestion of confidence. Give them a proxy server and they would hop on a clan¡¯s official page and curse their ancestors right down to their progenitor. . |DxD| . ¡°Hmmmm. Well played, Sirzechs. Well played.¡± Zekram watched Sirzechs¡¯s speech from a small laptop on his table. He held a glass of wine in his hand while reclining on his chair. He did not feel angry at Sirzech¡¯s words of insinuation. Just surprised and impressed. ¡°You are no longer the boy you once were. Perhaps those Aryans gave you the wings you needed to fly?¡± Ever since he met the Aryans, Sirzechs¡¯s actions had been getting harder and harder to predict. The words Sirzechs spoke in this interview did not follow the rhythm Zekram predicted. ¡°But, you are still too young.¡± Zekram was an old schemer who lived for tens of thousands of years. It would be demeaning if he didn¡¯t have a contingency plan in place. ¡°Number Thirty-Four.¡± Su! A muscular man in a grey suit appeared like the wind. He was tall and imposing. His hair was neatly combed and his violet eyes glowed in the darkened room. ¡°Progenitor.¡± He was taller than Zekram, but he humbly got on his knees. ¡°I am listening.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Zekram didn¡¯t reply immediately. He took his time to savour the wine before he gently placed the empty cup on the table. ¡°Thirty-Four. Report on the progress of the hunt.¡± ¡°Reporting, Progenitor. We have received word that Falbium of the Glaysa-Labolas has left with a few operatives on the hunt for the Nekushou. Number Fifty-One is part of the group and will relay his movements to us. On our side are hunters from Vapula, Naberius, Zepar, and Asmoday. Number Thirty-Six is leading the hunt.¡± His words were concise and straight to the point, a detail Zekram appreciated in his subordinates. ¡°Hmm. Very well. Here are your new orders. Enlist the help of Number Thirty-One for this endeavour. Inform Number Thirty-Six that he is to relinquish leadership of the hunt to one of the Vapula. He is to depart with the Naberius for the Nekomata Village. You and Thirty-One shall convene there.¡± Zekram closed his eyes, almost as if he was in thought for a brief moment before he continued once more. ¡°Once you arrive, you are to eliminate them all without failure.¡± ¡°Yes, Progenitor.¡± . |DxD| . Zekram Bael was alone once more. His office was large and had a large desk to boot, much larger than a meeting table. In such a large office, the light could barely penetrate all the way to the back where he sat. The only visible aspect of him was a rough silhouette. The old progenitor loved the darkness for that is where he thrived the most. Remaining behind the scenes and manipulating the world from this very office was something he¡¯d done for so long it was now ingrained in his blood. Directly fighting against Sirzechs was not something he would do. That method would require revealing himself for it to be effective. That, and victory was not guaranteed. No matter what, his reputation and prestige as a progenitor could not contend with the satans¡¯s fame and the credibility of the Aryans. [Hmmm. Delaying the establishment of this policy seems like something I may not be able to easily stop.] Statistics showed that more and more devils were gradually believing Sirzechs¡¯s words and directed their suspicions towards the pillar clans, particularly the Naberius. His side was putting up a decent fight, but the end result would only be the delay of the policy¡¯s deployment, not its cancellation. [Preventing it will result in higher costs than its worth. There will eventually be calls for it to be reenacted and if it were to be shut down¡­public rebellion must not occur.] No matter what methods he could use, the damage had been done. He could work to get the policy scrapped, but the younger generation, especially the heirs would see it enacted through any means necessary. Be it ten years or a hundred years, Zekram could see this policy being proposed again. And once that happens, methods of suppressing it would be scarce. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. [Perhaps I can manipulate it to my advantage?] It was already a given that even if the policy would not come into action, reincarnated devils would seek out the Aryans to have their peerage piece modified. Sooner or later, evidence would force this Overhaul Policy into law. [Yes. Since it has become an inevitability, I may as well leverage it to suit our needs.] And coincidentally, Zekram had the perfect leveraging tool that could see him manipulate the whole narrative of this law. [This Aryan killed two of the elders and crippled one of them. Regardless of reason, such an offence cannot be buried nor forgiven.] If Sirzechs thought he could drown the death of two elders under the wave of this peerage policy, then they would be in for a surprise. ¡°The Phenex will be of help. If I can foster their rage, it would be a stepping stone to ensuring that Sirzechs¡¯s idealistic dreams end at their conceptual stage.¡± It was already a given that until the policy is passed, the Devilnet would be monitored by Ajuka and Serafall. This left Zekram around three days to slow down the establishment of this law. ¡°It is safe to assume that Aryan will be there, so let me plan around that.¡± Framing the overhaul as unsafe was no longer an option. The existence of Aurelia directly shattered such a notion. Rather than frame it as unsafe, he could work on ¡°who¡± is eligible enough to perform the procedure. ¡°The Daughter of Drachenburg is talented, but she is alone. It is unrealistic that she solely be responsible for modifying the pieces and entrusting others to do so would be a dangerous notion.¡± That could give enough reason to delay the passage of the law, but it was not enough. He could push back the law¡¯s vetting process for a few months or possibly years, but it was not realistic to only count on such a measure. He needed more angles and narratives he could use to push back the establishment of the policy. That would give him enough time to plant more restrictions around the policy. But his most concerning problem was Igor. [The Son of Dimori has a volatile temper. Direct resistance might result in us losing people.] It was a reality Zekram was quick to accept. The moment he heard Igor killed two elders, he knew he had to adjust his plans to match the blonde¡¯s temper. [For now, it seems he will not kill the members of the New Satan Faction if the Phenex elder is anything to judge by. Zeoticus will almost always support his son, but I can draw a rift between them.] He might not have had the material before, but he could now leverage the Phenex into cancelling their engagement with the Gremory. The Phenex were a very important family that had the potential to control the military and the economy through their Phenex tears. The threat to their superiority were the Nekomata, but those animals would be annihilated soon enough. This would once more place the Phenex in a vital position of importance. [The Phenex have slowly become a neutral family over the years and that won¡¯t do.] The marriage between the Phenex and the Gremory would¡¯ve pulled the former into the camp of the New Satan Faction. It was why Zeoticus wanted it so much and why Sirzechs could only grit his teeth and endure the arrangement. The military needed phoenix tears and the Phenex could provide them at discounted rates. If they outright stopped providing them, it is not impossible that Falbium or one of the other satans would have to kneel in front of the patriarch and beg for them to provide them. [Perhaps I should free my schedule and make an appearance at the Phenex Clan. It is only right that I offer my condolences.] The Phenex would no doubt feel some amount of resentment for having their representative crippled so painfully at the meeting. And the fact that Igor killed elders from the Vapula and Bael clan could be used as powerful material. [If only the elder from my house was killed, I would be limited in my approaches. But since lower clans like the Vapula are not safe, then I can rally their support. If I can change the narrative, I can frame Sirzechs¡¯s fight for the people as an affront to tradition.] Doubt. That was Zekram¡¯s main plan. It would act as a foundation for further attacks. If he could garner enough voices that label Igor as a foreigner, he could oust the boy from their internal politics which would allow him free reign to manipulate matters once more. ¡°Mmmm. But let us not rush things. First, a visit to the Phenex is in order. Having them on our side would be a significant achievement.¡± Zekram couldn¡¯t help but smile. Sirzechs and his little circle of friends were still too young to play politics with him. He will show them that even if they wield a nuclear weapon, it means nothing if it can¡¯t be fired. [The public whom you treasure so much- I¡¯ll show you how relying on them is akin to building on sand.] . |DxD| . 1999/09/01- September 2nd (Thursday), 1999, Mount Kailasa, India . Four days had passed since Parvati went to Igor. After letting him vent his anger, she brought him back to her home where she further took care of him. The blonde was despondent for the first few days and lost all signs of rebellion. He didn¡¯t talk and most concerningly, he didn¡¯t eat for over two days. His metabolism had shrunk drastically to accommodate his self-imposed starvation until Wednesday when Parvati finally had enough. She was prepared to seal his ki and force him to eat when out of nowhere, Igor picked up his bowl and downed the soup in one go. He muttered a thank you and left once more for his room. It was the only time he spoke and as they sat down to eat again, he didn¡¯t speak a word. The silence wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. Only concerning. Igor wore a vest that Parvati made for him along with some simple pants. If her eyes weren¡¯t deceiving her, she could swear he had gotten skinnier. She was unsure how to get close to him without stirring his hatred. He was extremely averse to getting close to her because of her divinity. Her title as a Mother Goddess made people feel as if she were their mother. Others might welcome it, but Igor showed he despised the feeling. Unfortunately, turning it ¡°off¡± was the same as asking her to hold her breath. ¡°Igor. Perhaps you would like to talk?¡± He didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine-¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence when behind him, Shiva appeared and struck him at the back of his neck. Gu! Igor fell unconscious instantly and banged his head on the table. Everything happened so quickly that Parvati was worried about how he would react once he woke up. ¡°Husband. Don¡¯t you think-¡± ¡°Parvati. Your methods have been too soft.¡± He grabbed Igor by the scruff of his neck. ¡°Since he refuses to cross this hurdle, I will force him to.¡± Su! And just like that, Shiva vanished along with Igor. Less than ten seconds passed between his arrival and departure. ¡°...¡± Parvati was concerned, but she would let her husband sort it out. [Perhaps only another warrior can get through to him.] . AN . I was previously against Igor involving himself in devil politics, but now I want to see how he handles Zekram. Those willing can read up to chapter 251 on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Same as always, the username is HolyGambler. Once again, thank you for reading and until the next chapter. Chapter 248 ¡°Parvati. Your methods have been too soft.¡± He grabbed Igor by the scruff of his neck. ¡°Since he refuses to cross this hurdle, I will force him to.¡± Su! And just like that, Shiva vanished along with Igor. Less than ten seconds passed between his arrival and departure. ¡°...¡± Parvati was concerned, but she would let her husband sort it out. [Perhaps only another warrior can get through to him.] . |DxD| . ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, Igor got up and wiped the trickle of blood off his lips. It has been a while since Shiva begun a brutal sparring session that had him knocked down several times. They were in a wide clearing on the mountain. Surrounding the field were rows of tall trees with very thick trunks. The god of destruction stood with his hands behind his back while Igor was now bare-chested. His breaths were slightly heavy while Shiva was calm. If he had the words, Igor would¡¯ve cursed his darned luck. After waking up from being knocked out, the first thing he saw was a fist covering his vision. From there, things have descended into their current state. The blonde was forced to endure this sudden beating without reason or explanation. Still, that didn¡¯t mean he would lie flat on the ground and accept it. Su! The grass beneath his sandals was torn apart by his rapid acceleration. He charged towards Shiva with a calm-filled gaze. He brought his leg down for an overhead quick before¡­ Tswii! ¡­he appeared behind Shiva with a rising horsekick that would hit the god right at the back of his neck. Shiva dodged the kick without even needing to see it. He stepped to the side and raised his am to¡­ Tswii! *Grab!* ¡­block a side kick from Igor that would¡¯ve caved his face in. ¡°Your instantaneous movement technique is worthy of commendment, but your perception cannot follow your speed of movement.¡± BOOM! There was no sign of movement, no sign of transition. One moment, Igor was caught in midair. The next, he was instantly slammed into the ground. The earth broke like shattered glass. The booming sound shook the mountain for a moment¡­such was the power of the slam. ¡°Puargh!¡± For all his durability, Igor coughed out a mouthful of blood. He was slammed into the ground so hard that he could swear his back was broken. Everything happened so quickly that he would swear he was teleported into his current state. His vision was fuzzy, but he tiredly opened his eyes after nearly falling unconscious. ¡°...¡± His leg was bent at an odd angle and the one responsible for it hovered in midair without a care in the world. It hurt. Igor was sure this simple strike from Shiva could make it into the top ten worst attacks he suffered. Suuuuu¡­ His injuries slowly began to recover at a visible rate. Black mist surrounded his body and accompanying it after was the cracking sound of bones resetting themselves. He was not put down by the pain for long. As soon as his bones reset themselves, he stood up and looked at Shiva. ¡°...¡± Since Shiva said his perception was lacking, then he would fix it. Gradually, marks began spreading throughout his body with his forehead as the origin. Igor did not know what Shiva¡¯s intentions were, but he would listen to his arrangements. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Suuuu Golden energy slowly cloaked his body like a thin film of water. It was so comfortable that it revitalized him instantly. Tswii! He charged forward and readied a strike once more. His perception had risen dramatically. The power he felt from Shiva almost made him give up his pointless endeavour, but he pressed on. ¡°Ha!¡± Shiva dodged his punch and idly commented on it. ¡°Your technique is good, but the force is too dispersed.¡± Gu! A finger-flick to his forehead pushed him back by a few metres. He felt an ocean of curses well up in his throat, but Shiva silenced him with a command. ¡°Again.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor suppressed his dissatisfaction and charged forward once more with his fist outstretched. BOOM! The impact thundered in the region. The power of his fist caused a powerful shockwave, something Shiva didn¡¯t like. A few of his precious trees had their branches torn off. ¡°You don¡¯t listen.¡± Shiva held Igor¡¯s fist firmly in his grasp. ¡°You focus too much on power instead of control. When you punch, your power must be concentrated into one area. Like this.¡± Gu! ¡°Argh!¡± When Igor looked down, Shiva¡¯s fist had buried itself in his stomach. His organs were scrambled as if a tornado had gone through them. He instantly lost strength in his body and keeled over Shiva¡¯s fist. He wasn¡¯t unconscious, but he wished he was. Shiva¡¯s blow shocked his whole system. ¡°This is what a proper punch is like. I emulated your current power-level and struck with the same force you will be capable of once you learn this technique.¡± If he had the strength, Igor would¡¯ve widened his eyes. This was a punch he could achieve? Shiva¡¯s punch was simple. There was no explosion or fanfare, but the power behind it was phenomenal. [Is this what he meant by¡­control?] His vision was gradually darkening, but this simple punch would persist in his memory. ¡°Recover slowly. You and I have much to talk about.¡± Shiva let go and let him fall to the ground like a ragdoll. . |DxD| . Time passed and evening came. Shiva continued to administer punishment to Igor under the guise of teaching him. The amount of momentum-ending punches Igor suffered made him contemplate life multiple times. The punches weren¡¯t just powerful, the force contained in them disrupted his spine which in turn affected his nerves. The good side? His sense of pain was numbed for a moment. The bad side? He was reduced to a ragdoll without combat capability. It was only when Parvati brought refreshments that the duo finally noticed the setting sun. She carried a tray filled with a plate of biscuits, two glasses and a jug of juice. ¡°I¡¯ve brought food.¡± Her voice was soft, but their keen senses allowed them to hear her clearly. Shiva was the first to walk towards her with Igor following slowly behind. The blonde didn¡¯t have the energy to utter a grievance against Shiva. His stomach hurt so much that he just wanted to lie down. Shiva took the tray and uttered a ¡°thank you¡± to his wife before turning around. Parvati could only offer a comforting smile to Igor who looked close to dying. The tattoos on his body had faded a long time ago, leaving him looking like a blonde vagrant. ¡°Dimori. Come and eat. My wife¡¯s baking will surprise you.¡± ¡°...¡± If the massive power difference between them didn¡¯t exist, he would¡¯ve pummeled Shiva into the ground for treating him like a toy. . |DxD| . Time passed slowly. The duo enjoyed the snack under the shade. The tray was placed between them as they ate in complete silence. They ate the biscuits and finished the juice. Surprisingly, Igor felt satiated. One biscuit made him feel as if he had eaten ten large bowls of meat. He had no idea what Parvati did, but it didn¡¯t matter. The remaining pain in his body and the ¡°lag¡± he felt from his limbs faded with each sip of his juice. Shiva really struck it lucky marrying a woman like her. ¡°Dimori.¡± Now that they finished eating, Shiva decided to talk to the boy. ¡°Can you guess why I sparred with you today?¡± [Because you¡¯re a sadist.] Those were his thoughts, but he was aware Shiva wasn¡¯t one for jokes. ¡°Because I was down in the dumps and you wanted to pull me out.¡± It was an idle comment said without much thought. Igor had enough self-awareness to know he was a threat when he was¡­the way he was. ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason.¡± Shiva adjusted his posture before leaning against his tree once more. ¡°What I wanted to see was if you were still worth teaching.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t speak. He didn¡¯t care if Shiva taught him or not- ¡°So¡­?¡± It was a lie. He was short of begging Shiva to teach him. The unique insight to something as simple as punching made Igor willing to acknowledge him as his grandfather. Who knew what other things Shiva could teach him? ¡°...¡± Shiva gave the blonde a glance. Igor was sitting cross-legged in front of him like an obedient child. ¡°You accepted the loss of an important figure in your life. You have accepted that nothing can be done to get her back.¡± Shiva looked at Igor right in the eye. ¡°From my observations, many become driven by the concept of reviving their loved ones. I know men who risked everything in exchange for the soul of their loved one, unaware that their departure from the mortal realm has changed them- a case that happened with the Himejima woman.¡± The only sign Igor showed that he was affected was an involuntary twitch of his mouth. He still had some trouble getting through Shuri¡¯s loss, but the time to grieve had long since passed. His stony face made Shiva¡¯s approval of him rise a bit further. ¡°Most men are broken by such a case. You were never the first one nor shall you be the last. My assessment of you today was to see if you still had the same drive, or if your path would end there.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor didn¡¯t reply. Rather, he was irked that Shiva had the gall to question his drive. So discomforted was he that whether he knew it or not, his eyes turned red. ¡°Lord Shiva. My goal has always been to become the strongest in the universe. Don¡¯t question my drive.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva did not take Igor¡¯s display of killing intent as disrespect. Rather, he was impressed. [As expected of the one I¡¯ve chosen.] If he were to borrow Igor¡¯s terminology, he did not want a pansy as an heir. Only those who could overcome their losses were worthy of his cuirass. . AN . Thank you for reading. Things show promise of escalating and I sincerely hope the Nekomata massacre doesn¡¯t occur. Chapter 249 ¡°Lord Shiva. My goal has always been to become the strongest in the universe. Don¡¯t question my drive.¡± ¡°...¡± Shiva did not take Igor¡¯s display of killing intent as disrespect. Rather, he was impressed. [As expected of the one I¡¯ve chosen.] If he were to borrow Igor¡¯s terminology, he did not want a pansy as an heir. Only those who could overcome their losses were worthy of his cuirass. . |DxD| . 1999/09/02- September 3rd, 1999 (Friday), Devil Territory, Underworld . Su! ¡­Su! ¡­Su! A barely perceptible figure flashed across the treetops in one of the Underworld¡¯s forests. Their movements were so quick that the only sign of their passage was a singular leaf falling to the forest floor. Su! ¡­Su! ¡­Su! Kuroka was running away from her pursuers using the tree tops. Her little sister Shirone clung tightly to her back, her beady eyes shivering in fear. For two days they had been evading pursuit. In that time, they did not have the time to eat, drink, or sleep. The devils were relentless in their pursuit and Kuroka was beginning to feel weary. Senjutsu could only sustain her and her sister for so long before they needed real food in their bodies and Shirone was still growing. Su! ¡­Su! ¡­Su! [I have to get to the village of my people.] She leaped from branch to branch in a surprising display of agility. This forest presented her with the chance to escape detection from her pursuers. She did not leave traces on the ground nor was she visible from the skies. [We can seek sanctuary there for a while and¡­hope for the best.] She had no solid plans in her mind for now. Everything happened so quickly that a part of her still couldn¡¯t believe the mess she had gotten herself into. She was a stray devil, a fugitive who would be killed on the spot if caught. Her only worry was Shirone. [She hasn¡¯t been reincarnated yet so¡­she could still be accepted by our people.] Unlike her, Shirone wasn¡¯t tainted by demonic energy. Kuroka had no idea if her people would accept her back, but she wouldn¡¯t hold her breath. If need be, she was willing to move on and live as a fugitive. Su! She leaped over towards another branch and continued forward. Her senses were spread out for the slightest sign of any pursuers. The only benefit of the crazy experiments Sullivar performed on her was that her strength had risen to Ultimate Class. That allowed her senses to stretch for a few kilometres. [What?] She stopped. [One¡­three¡­six?] She could feel six devils homing in on her location. Five of them weren¡¯t much, but one of them had power that completely eclipsed anything she ever felt before. [Oh no¡­] She recognised this power. It was this same power that had been chasing her for two days now. Apart from this group of six, there was also another group that had roughly thirty people. But no matter what, she wouldn¡¯t risk meeting with either of them. [Damn devils¡­] The group of six was heading towards her with some amount of speed. She knew they were heading right for her, and its all because of the pieces in her chest. [Calm down, Kuroka. Control the energy and suppress it.] Because she killed her master, the demonic energy contained in her peerage piece was no longer stable. She had to use her youki to control it via senjutsu. It wasn¡¯t hard, but it took time, time she did not have. [This should be enough for now.] She opened her eyes and rushed forward once more. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Su! ¡°Nya?!¡± Shirone was taken a bit by surprise from the sudden acceleration, but Kuroka could afford no liberties, not when the enemy would reach her previous spot in a few seconds. Thankfully, the little neko made no further sounds after that and this allowed Kuroka to think. [I have to move faster. No matter what, we can¡¯t be captured.] Her brows were covered in sweat from nervousness, but she held hope that everything would be fine. It had to be fine. The pieces in her chest would act up a few hours later, but she would deal with it then. She just had to place as much distance between her and her pursuers first. . |DxD| . In a remote clearing, six individuals garmed in dark clothing stood. Some were hooded and some wore face masks. The only one who didn¡¯t hide his identity was Falbium Asmodeus. His hulking figure and his bald head made him a person to be feared. His blue eyes penetrated the depths of the forest with a slight frown. He was getting tired of having to chase this Nekushou. If the situation wasn¡¯t so delicate, he would¡¯ve had his subordinates handle it themselves. [What I wouldn¡¯t give for a nap.] Interrupting his listless thoughts was one of his subordinates. It was a woman who carried a small tablet with two long antenna stretching from it. ¡°Lord Falbium. We¡¯ve lost the target again.¡± The screen where the red dot was slowly disappeared. ¡°We move to their last seen.¡± It couldn¡¯t be helped. They were over five kilometres from their target and using teleportation was an absolute no. It was too easy to be tracked that way. ¡°Be quick and discreet.¡± ¡°Yes, Maou-sama.¡± The woman replied and instantly, they moved. Su! Kuroka was fast so they had to move even faster. Her senjutsu made it hard to locate her through conventional methods. Five kilometres wasn¡¯t a long distance and they covered it after a dozen seconds or so. Su! All six of them arrived in the clearing and immediately, four of them spread out to find any traces. Su! ¡­Su! ¡­Su! ¡­Su! Falbium was left alone with the woman who immediately took out another device once the others were gone. It was a small computer and slowly but surely, she began typing into it with her dexterous fingers. Kla Kla Kla Kla Kla Kla Kla Kla Kla She only used one hand to type, but she was very quick. Soon, the sound of static rang out before she pressed a button for it to stop. ¡°Lord Falbium.¡± Her small laptop hovered in the air while she took out two wireless earpieces and handed one to Falbium. He took it and placed it into his ear. ¡°Begin the transmission.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Falbium waited for the static in his ear to end before finally, audio finally played in his head. {...orting. This is number Fifty-One. We have found traces of the Nekushou at coordinates¡­} Falbium listened without a single change in his expression. He was not surprised to find that amongst those he nurtured, one of them was a spy. {The false Asmodeus has not revealed knowledge of the location of the Nekushou, but there¡¯s suspicion that it will be caught soon.} Falbium looked at his watch and knew the rest would soon be coming back. ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± He handed her the earpiece and focused ahead, unaware of the woman¡¯s blush. ¡°Y-yes, Lord Falbium.¡± She quickly closed the laptop and hid it away. A few seconds later, the four other members returned with grim expressions on their faces. The shaking of their heads was a view on how they failed to find traces of their target. Falbium furrowed his brows lightly before turning away. ¡°We head south. The Familiar Forest is there and that is where she may seek refuge.¡± Su! They all vanished. Falbium has long since been aware that his movements would be tracked. He hoped that by leading the enemy astray, he would give the girl enough time to reach her village. Once he captured her for trial, she could atleast have diplomatic protection. By then, no one would be able to kill her without consequence. [Survive, girls.] Su! He had to spend some time in the Familiar Forest, but not for too long. If the other side went too long without receiving intelligence, they may go ahead and search the Nekomata Village out of spite. He¡¯d already received intelligence of such a scenario most likely happening. The hours passed and they finally reached the Familiar Forest. They skirted around it with intent to find their target. As expected, there were no traces. Since there were no traces outside, Falbium saw it necessary to enter. This time, he spent a few more hours with his team, letting the day finally pass into night. He was sure that by now, Kuroka and Shirone would¡¯ve made it or are atleast close to the Nekomata Village. [We don¡¯t need to stay here any lon-] ¡°L-Lord Falbium.¡± ¡°...¡± Falbium looked at his assistant with a slightly concerned look. Her grave expression was putting him on edge. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. The¡­the Nekomata Village¡­it was attacked.¡± . |DxD| . Blood, corpses, fire¡­that was all that remained of the village. There were hundreds of corpses littered across the ground. Limbs of adults, limbs of¡­children, no one was spared. There were far too many Nekomata who had their limbs severed, showing that this was a one-sided fight¡­a massacre. It was a blood sport. The pungent stench of demonic energy mixed with the blood to create a hazy atmosphere. In such a scene, only three figures were left standing in front of the burning village. #31, #34, and #36. These three were the elite operatives under Zekram Bael. Amongst the corpses of Nekomata were also the corpses of devils, a multitude of devils. Only those three were the survivors. To be accurate, they were meant to be the only survivors. ¡°Mission accomplished.¡± Number Thirty-One was the one who spoke. He was short with neatly combed hair that threatened to spike out. Like his fellow numbers, he was garbed in black skin-tight combat gear along with a face-mask that hid half of his face. ¡°If you will throw away these daggers of yours again, why don¡¯t you give them to me, Thirty-One?¡± Number Thirty-Six was an effeminate-looking man. His long raven hair and lithe figure made him appear like a woman from behind. But his cold violet gaze and sadistic smile made him appear otherwise. ¡°Thirty-One. Thirty-Six. Cease your meaningless pleasantries. We must depart for base before our presence is detected.¡± Number Thirty-Four, the tallest of them commanded them to leave. Multiple teleportation circles were appearing and it would not be long before one of the satans arrived. ¡°Awww. Alright, Thirty-Four.¡± Different from a conventional magic circle, a dark vortex swallowed them individually before they vanished from sight. The death of the Nekomata would not doubt stir the supernatural world, but that was not for them to worry about. Their only allegiance was to their progenitor. . AN . Once again, thank you for reading. We are up to chapter 254 on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. For those interested, you can read on ahead by looking for Holygambler. Until the next chapter. Chapter 250 ¡°Awww. Alright, Thirty-Four.¡± Different from a conventional magic circle, a dark vortex swallowed them individually before they vanished from sight. The death of the Nekomata would not doubt stir the supernatural world, but that was not for them to worry about. Their only allegiance was to their progenitor. . |DxD| . It was nighttime in the Underworld. After a long day of work, everyone was ready to move on to their respective residences for some well-deserved rest. When the sun went down, it came with the tacit understanding that work was over. Unfortunately, today would not be peaceful like the previous, for a new piece of news penetrated the works. ¡­ The Nekomata Massacre- Tough Times Are Ahead Of Us Nekomata Extinction: Where Does That Leave Us? Phoenix Tears Cost Predicted To Increase? The Massacre Of The Nekomata- Hospitals In Outrage! Nekomata Massacre!- Territories Lost In Japan! ¡­ Several news articles quickly entered circulation, none of them bearing good news. Information on the Nekomata Massacre instantly made headlines and dominated every avenue of media. An entire village of cat yokai was completely destroyed. Illegal images of the burnt-down village circulated throughout the Devilnet like a plague. The news was so shocking that reactions were mixed. Some were happy, but most were very, very angry. The death of the Nekomata resulted in the knowledge of their worth. Those who were unaware now realised they were the only race of people keeping the Phenex in check. With the Nekomata dead, analysts predicted the price of Phoenix tears would rise soon, which caused outrage. That rage was not at the Phenex, but at the Naberius¡­for only they had the means and motive. People who previously supported the Naberius now completely abandoned them. No one imagined that a small village of what they considered animals sustained such a vital part of their economy. The pillar clans and other more fortunate clans may not suffer, but the common people would have to bear the brunt of this loss, especially the troops. They hadn¡¯t even begun to enter the political consequences of exterminating the Nekomata. So it stood to show that the public was completely and utterly outraged at the Naberius. And as evidence would have it, corpses of Naberius soldiers were found alongside the corpses of Nekomata. Gone were the calls for the death of the Nekomata and the Nekoshou. Now, the people wanted the Naberius to suffer for what they did. The clan was pushed into the spotlight and no matter what words or manners of excuses were used, it was inevitable that the Naberius would enter a period of decline after today. Unfortunately for the people, no matter how outraged they were, they could do nothing to the clan. At the end of the day, the Naberius were part of the remaining pillars. But that didn¡¯t mean that nothing would not happen to the Naberius. In the capital city of Lilith, an immense tyrannical aura shrouded it. The streets were completely empty. Shops and bars were closed with no presence of nightlife. Everyone was inside their houses with nary a single soul prowling about. This was because for the first time since taking office, Sirzechs Lucifer¡­was angry. FUUUUUUUSH! His anger and killing intent mixed with the atmosphere to create a heavy pressure that descended upon the entire city. In certain areas, it was so heavy that street lights burst and windows cracked. The phenomenon was posted all over the Devilnet with various titles under it. The only thing common beneath the comments of these posts¡­were various people asking Sirzechs to ¡°Kill the Naberius scum!¡±. The death of the Nekomata would result in thousands upon thousands of devils losing their jobs. The resulting inflation would cripple everyone not rich enough to survive. The Nekomata occupied a vital part of their economy. They kept the Phenex in check and provided the poor affordable means of healthcare. A pill or medicine from the Nekomata was like a second life to their soldiers, and the Naberius killed them.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Teach them a lesson they¡¯ll never forget Lord Lucifer!¡± ¡°Tear them apart! These pillar clans are too arrogant!¡± ¡°What are we supposed to do now?! My clan¡¯s entire livelihood was centered around supplying their herbs!¡± ¡°Kill them! Kill them all!¡± Similar comments rang throughout the Devilnet. The people were angry. The people were fed up. But none of them were more fed up than Sirzechs. ¡°...¡± The Crimson Satan was in his office reading the latest information. The bundle of documents in his hands were on the verge of being torn apart. His oppressive aura shrouded the room in darkness. A vague aura of destruction surrounded him. His eyes were the colour of blood and Grayfia could tell that no matter what, blood would be spilt tonight. ¡°Call Aurelia, Grayfia.¡± His form began to flicker. ¡°They¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± ¡°WAIT! SIRZE-¡± *SHATTER!* The only thing Grayfia received as response was the sound of the glass shattering. When she looked into the distance, all she could see was a red corona of energy leading straight to the Naberius clan. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± It was official. Sirzechs was completely unhinged. Her husband had gone completely rogue. No matter what, he would make the Naberius pay for this incident in blood. ¡°...¡± She had to call Aurelia quickly. Vwong! . |DxD| . A giant red comet was slowly descending upon the Naberius Clan. Correction. It was slow to the observer who was watching from dozens or even hundreds of kilometres away. To the Naberius, they wished those mere ten kilometres between them and this comet were multiplied by a hundred. The night sky was lit up by this red comet and everyone paid attention to where it landed. BOOOOM! There was no respectful entry nor a courtesy greeting. The pristine lawn in front of the mansion turned into a deep pit upon Sirzechs¡¯s landing. Chairs, lamp posts, gazebos, everything was blown away, bolted down or not. Trees and bushes were stripped of their leaves and grass was uprooted. Windows shattered and the frames shook violently. Such an abrupt entry made everyone aware of Sirzechs¡¯s stance in this matter---he was not here to play games. ¡°I command the Lord, Lady, Elders and all who hold and bear allegiance to the Naberius name¡­to appear in front of me.¡± His voice was calm, but it resonated throughout the lands. His aura covered the entire Naberius territory and his power of destruction created a dense field at the borders. The only way any devil could leave here was through his permission, or as ashes. Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Multiple magic circles bearing the Naberius emblem formed. There were over a dozen of them and they all formed around Sirzechs. When they appeared, it was revealed to be men in animal masks who were wielding strange weapons. ¡°I see¡­¡± Sirzechs had no time for games. A gesture of his hand was all it took for him to erase them¡­permanently. Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! Shu! A red blaze covered each of them. They were all destroyed without having even the time to scream. The only thing he couldn¡¯t erase were the spear-like weapons that dropped to the ground. He dared not carelessly touch them nor place them in his pocket dimension. He used a gesture of his hand to make them levitate and shoot far off into the skies. Once he¡¯s done settling his affairs here, he would send them to Ajuka. ¡°Very well, Naberius.¡± His expression turned grim. The fact that he couldn¡¯t destroy those weapons means the Naberius were working on a weapon that could kill him. Any tiny notions of mercy immediately evaporated. ¡°You attacking a Maou is a crime punishable by clan extermination.¡± His cold voice rang once more. He could sense their presence, yet they attacked him instead of obeying his orders. ¡°Perish with your descendants!¡± He raised his arm. Slowly, his demonic energy made itself very well known as a bludgeoning pressure surrounded the entire mansion. Just as he curled his fingers upwards, the doors of the mansion opened and the clan head, Taito Naberius ran out alone with a panicked expression. ¡°Lord Lucifer! Please allow me to plead my case!¡± ¡°...¡± Taito Naberius, a man known for his stony expression and dignified appearance was now prostrating himself in front of him. Yet in the halls, this same man never regarded him with respect. ¡°Lord Naberius. Explain your case.¡± ¡°...¡± Taito couldn¡¯t explain immediately because¡­ ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡­Sirzechs had his hand pointed right at his head. One wrong move and Taito knew he would not live past today. ¡°Lord Lucifer.¡± He had to remain calm. ¡°The matter earlier was not done upon an order from me or any of my family members. They were agents from the Nebiros Clan. Prior to your arrival, we were restrained and it was only under your aura that the restraints fell. We would never oppose you. This was all a scheme set to make us scapegoats if they failed to kill you! Please believe me!¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs believed him. He truly did¡­to an extent. ¡°I shall repeat my earlier command once more.¡± Slowly, a large magic circle formed in the sky. It was wide, wide enough to cover the entire territory. In the darkness of the night, it was bright enough to be visible from afar. ¡°All members of the Naberius household, are to appear in front of me.¡± Now there was truly no one who could leave. Such a massive magic circle was ever used for one reason. ¡°?!¡± Taito now truly knew what Sirzechs¡¯s order was for. ¡°My lord!¡± Asking for his whole house to appear here only meant one thing. Sirzechs would choose a male and female to continue the bloodline¡­for the rest would not see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise. . AN . I can understand why Sirzechs acted this wildly¡­to an extent. Unlike canon, he was on the line to actively implementing policies that elevate their image in the wider world. Such a vital foundation, one that showed signs of succeeding was now tarnished by the Naberius. Now they could lose the Shinto as allies and according to a newspaper article earlier, they already are, or stand to lose vital territories in Japan. Chapter 251 ¡°All members of the Naberius household, are to appear in front of me.¡± Now there was truly no one who could leave. Such a massive magic circle was ever used for one reason. ¡°?!¡± Taito now truly knew what Sirzechs¡¯s order was for. ¡°My lord!¡± Asking for his whole house to appear here only meant one thing. Sirzechs would choose a male and female to continue the bloodline¡­for the rest would not see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise. . |DxD| . Clan extermination, a taboo of the highest order. To be accurate, it was taboo in this era. In a world where their numbers were low, exterminating an entire clan was not conducive to the survival of their species. The losses from eradicating a clan would far outweigh the benefits, especially in times of war. Yet here was Sirzechs, fully and utterly willing to eradicate the Naberius. Taito was familiar with this procedure. Gathering all who bear the clan surname in one place---he knew this procedure all too well. ¡°Lord Lucifer!¡± In the olden days, the previous satans were known to exterminate lower-level clans. He once also exterminated branches of his clan¡­with the very same tactic Sirzechs was using. ¡°Lord Lucifer please! PLEASE!¡± Gone was his composure. The reality of the situation made him forgo all the dignity a clan head should bear. Dakaang~ ¡­ta¡­ta¡­ta¡­ta¡­ Sirzechs¡¯s words were like a command. Taito could only watch with a harrowed gaze as his wife, his concubines, and his children walked out with a mix of somber and curious gazes. Vwong! Vwong! Vwong! Multiple magic circles formed as everyone else teleported here. Servants, elders, overseers, scientists¡­everyone came once they heard Sirzechs¡¯s decree. There was no escaping it. There was no fighting it. Everyone bore grim expressions on their faces. It seemed the older generation was aware of what was happening. [This fool...] [So¡­it has come to this.] [Tch! I told him not to follow through with the massacre.] Some glared at Taito with expressions of hatred. If their foolish clan head didn¡¯t trust in those flimsy spears, there¡¯d still be a chance to talk. Now, it was gone. Sirzechs was resolute in killing them. As devils, the least the Naberius could do was face their impending end with dignity rather than pathetically beg like Taito. Teleport from a satan? What a joke. They¡¯d be tortured before being destroyed on the spot. And so all who bore the name Naberius assembled in front of Sirzechs. The courtyard filled with barely over a two-hundred people. The clan had lost a considerable number of soldiers in the Nekomata Massacre. But no matter what, Sirzechs was aware that this was not all of them. Through his perception, he could sense around sixty more devils far underground. Fortunately, his ¡®backup¡¯ was able to knock them all out. He waited for a while until some time later, a yellow flash appeared next to him. Shuu! Her sudden appearance aroused the surprise of many. It was Aurelia. The silverette carried several documents along with a flash drive on her. Her gaze was extremely cold, especially when she locked eyes with Taito. ¡°They are guilty, Sirzechs.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aurelia-san.¡± The evidence in these files and drive alone would be enough to justify his next actions. ¡°Naberius. This is what happens when you fail to heed my words.¡± He turned around and pointed two of his fingers right where the underground lab was. ¡°[Pillar of Destruction]¡± His fingers swiftly curled up, and an explosion strong enough to shake the Underworld occurred. BOOOOOOM! A massive crimson pillar surged out of the ground like a humongous snake. It pierced the clouds and dyed the skies red. A giant storm, a power of such immense magnitude that the skies thundered. From a distance, all anyone could see was a massive pillar that buried itself into the skies, a tornado that brought destruction upon the Naberius. Taito could do nothing as their clan¡¯s lab was destroyed. Any words he had in his mouth died the moment Sirzechs released such a massive discharge of power.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. It was over. Everything was over¡­everything. ¡°...¡± Here they were, his entire family present in front of Sirzechs. There was no trial, there was no dignity. He was older than Sirzechs by hundreds of years, yet this body did not show him respect. *Clenches Fists!* Since Sirzechs was truly set on killing him, then he would make sure¡­to take out that¡­ ¡°DAMNED ARYAN SCU- KRGH!¡± *Throat Grabbed!* Aurelia¡¯s hands were small, but they grabbed tightly around Taito¡¯s neck. His eyes widened in shock yet any resistance froze when a numb feeling spread all over his body. ¡°Father!¡± One of Taito¡¯s sons tried to help his father, but a clone of Aurelia formed and grabbed him by the throat. Immediately¡­ Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! Shuu! ¡­over two hundred more of her clones appeared and restrained every member of the Naberius. There was no chance to resist. Their movements were so fast that not to mention the adults, even the children couldn¡¯t utter a cry before they were restrained. Aurelia herself had strength at the peak of God Class and her clones inherited that power. The only Ultimate Class the Naberius had were killed by the Nekomata and Sirzechs just prior. Since this was a clan marked for extermination, there was no need for her to be merciful. ¡°I will transfer the results to you, Sirzechs.¡± Her tone was cold and similarly, so was her mana. Hiss! The Naberius members froze up when she prowled their mind with her mana poured into their bodies. Each clone was swift and the procedure took no less than ten seconds. Very quickly, roughly twenty people were suddenly frozen into giant blocks of ice. This shocked the others, but they could not move nor protest due to Aurelia¡¯s mana paralysing them. Whether she was aware of or disregarded their plight, the real Aurelia turned to face Sirzechs and stretched out her hand. ¡°Please verify the authenticity of this information. None of it has been modified.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs took her hand, and his expression soured instantly. ¡®AAAAAAAH!¡¯ ¡®PLEASE! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t sign up for-NO! Please don¡¯t take me! Please don¡¯t take me-AAAAAAAAAH!¡¯ ¡®D-d-d-d-d-don¡¯t do it! Please don¡¯t do it! Please don¡¯t-ARGH! MY EYE! MY EYEEEEEE!!!!!¡¯ Images flashed in his mind. Experiments upon experiments, cruelty upon cruelty. This¡­this was horrible. Devils, yokai, humans, dragons¡­no race was spared. In that lab, they were all treated worse than slaves. Their agony¡­it was enraging. FUUUUUUUSH! Murderous killing intent covered the vicinity once more. Every single one of these monsters was worthy of death by crucifixion. Of the entire people who bore the Naberius surname, only a young girl barely nine-years of age and her elder brother were innocent. There were other children, yet they were also darkened. Sirzechs glared at a seven-year-old girl. At her age, she had already experimented on and killed twenty-four people from other races. ¡°Monsters¡­¡± Of hundreds of people, only the twenty frozen by Aurelia were innocent. Of those twenty, only two truly bore the Naberius name. ¡°All of you are monsters.¡± It was a disgrace. It was disgraceful to see that in his rule, so many horrors happened under his nose. ¡°No more.¡± ZUUUUUU¡­ The massive magic circle in the sky hummed ominously. The pulsing glow lit up the night, igniting the memories of the devils who lived during the era of the satans. That dull glow and hum used to be accompanied by an arrogant self-righteous announcement. Now, the populace was fearful, yet curious as to what justification their leader would have for¡­exterminating a pillar clan. Sirzechs never thought he would have to, but what the Naberius did was something that could never be condoned. ¡°Citizens of the Underworld. I have been¡­incompetent.¡± So many souls have met their end at this clan that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to list their true crimes. ¡°The Naberius have violated the laws of the Underworld. They have grievously harmed our allies and brought untold damage towards our lives.¡± Them killing the Nekomata was a terrible enough crime. No matter how much Sirzechs wanted to do right, he could not expose the true extent of their crimes. So long was the list, so heavy were the names on it that he was sure every single pantheon and organisation would shun the devils completely. ¡°With the power invested in me as the Satan Lucifer, I announce the verdict for the Naberius. Lord Taito Naberius and his wife. All of the elders and their wives. All of their children, descendants and their wives¡­will be executed. The only members eligible for pardon, will be Ruzen-Riothama Naberius and Daikazren Naberius along with their servants.¡± As his words came to an end, the circle vanished from the sky. . . . The silence was deafening. Working devils flying in the sky remained frozen like figures in a painting. Markets that would be lively with the shouts of merchants fell silent. Bars and taverns that held retired veterans and reincarnated devils were completely silent. The Underworld grinded to a halt at the significance of Sirzechs¡¯s words. There was a large difference between hoping, and experiencing. . . . Silence¡­ [Oh no¡­] [Sigh¡­it¡¯s happening again.] [Is Lord Lucifer really going to¡­] Old figures from the times of the old satans couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the skies with a forlorn look. It has been centuries¡­CENTURIES since such a scene occurred. The voice responsible was different, but the older devils displayed a hint of fear on their faces. Was this a new era? And¡­would it be good? Their greatest fear was living under a rule of cruelty once more. It was only now that people understood one thing. Someone pushed Sirzechs. Someone pushed their kind-loving Satan so far, took advantage of his kindness to the extent that a clan was now in danger of ceasing to exist. The question was, would the Naberius be the only clan? Sigh¡­ Khalios looked at the skies with an unreadable expression. As a second-generation devil, he had seen that magic circle so many times he couldn¡¯t bleach it out of his eyes even if he tried. So many clans were exterminated underneath that very magic circle. The previous satans alone were responsible for the extermination of seven pillar clans. There was a time when devils lived in fear because as soon as that circle appeared, relatives would die¡­and they would follow. [Zekram Bael. These children are the best leaders our people have had in all our history.] A faint murderous intent exuded from him. [If they mimic their predecessors, I will kill you.] Khalios had detached himself from the world and was content to remain an observer. But he would readily intervene if necessary. [I see hope in those children. For your sake, I hope you do not destroy it.] He turned around and walked into the depths of the familiar forest. Zekram could play his games, but only the blade was true. Khalios would use that very blade to sever his head should the need arise. . AN . From this chapter, we can see that the Naberius have been engaged in nefarious experiments for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. I came to this thought because they also experimented on dragons. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d have enough guts to kidnap the dragons under Tannin¡¯s care. But yes, their crimes could literally see the devils become public enemy number one. Major pantheons would gang up on them like what happened with the Heavenly Dragons. The devils might not be wiped out, but they definitely would be ousted from Earth. As always, you¡¯re welcome to read more on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n under the name HolyGambler. Thanks for your constant support and until the next chapter. Chapter 252 [If they mimic their predecessors, I will kill you.] Khalios had detached himself from the world and was content to remain an observer. But he would readily intervene if necessary. [I see hope in those children. For your sake, I hope you do not destroy it.] He turned around and walked into the depths of the familiar forest. Zekram could play his games, but only the blade was true. Khalios would use that very blade to sever his head should the need arise. . |DxD| . Mount Kailasa . It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, illuminating the forest below with its radiance. From the skies, animals could occasionally be seen prowling about, yet there were no birds in the skies. That was because of the two entities facing off against each other. To be accurate, only one of them was doing the part of ¡°facing off¡±. The other calmly stood with his hands behind his back. [Hey, Triny.] [...yes?] FUUUUUUUUUSH ¡°...¡± Igor was in a bit of a pickle. [I might need your help.] Hovering in front of him was Shiva¡­and the god was releasing an immense tyrannical pressure. Gulp! If anyone asked, he would swear that he was swallowing his saliva from excitement. Just because Shiva released some of his power didn¡¯t mean he would be afraid. No. He was not afraid at all. ¡°...¡± Igor wordlessly got into a stance. The aura of his demi-ki and nature energy harmonised to create a subtle mix of gold and red---the latter having a higher density. It was fortunate there was no vegetation around them¡­or beneath them. Igor and Shiva hovered in the cloudless skies where another round of sparring was about to take place. Saturday, a day meant to rest was threatening to turn out quite badly for Igor. [Boost me up, old hag or else we both won¡¯t see the sunset.] GRUUUU! Compared to Shiva¡¯s aura, his was minute in comparison. Power that was enough to place the Underworld in shock was nothing in front of Shiva. Igor was fully aware Shiva could swat him like a fly, but he was only thankful this was not their usual spars. ¡°Judge me well, Lord Shiva!¡± He charged forward. Su! It was a textbook charge, but a horrifying one to those without the reaction speed. Gu! His fist collided with a raised palm and made a soft clapping noise. However, the distortion of air betrayed the power behind the punch. He couldn¡¯t fully contain the power, but it was progress. [Good. He¡¯s learning well. I¡¯m tempted to keep him here.] But that was only a fleeting thought Shiva had. *Grips Fist* The god still had to wait a couple more months before he could truly polish out the blonde. In the meantime, he would give him a prelude of what¡¯s to come. SUUUUUUuuuuuu He threw Igor far off into the distance and quickly followed up. Su! Igor might not be much, but Shiva figured he might use the boy to warm up his body for his own training later today. Only he knew how much Nandi pestered him for a chance to train Igor. . |DxD| . [Triny. You had one job.] [Hmph. It¡¯s not my fault you can¡¯t fight] [I can fight you $@&*%!] Igor was¡­bruised. The bruises were fading in real-time, but the lump on his forehead would fade after a few minutes. His defeat was embarrassing¡­really embarrassing. [Damnit, old hag! Are your eyes for decoration?! Do I need to get you glasses, huh?!] [Meanie! Don¡¯t blame your failures on me!] [Blame?! Look at the size of the bump on my head! Who can I blame if not you?!] [You¡­pfft!] [Don¡¯t laugh, damn hag!] [Pfft! Hihihihihihihi!] [Damnit, old hag! See how I come in there and beat you to deat-] ¡°Igor. While I understand you¡¯re having a nice conversation with little Triny, I would appreciate it if you don¡¯t move so much.¡± Igor¡¯s attention was captured by a gentle hand grabbing his forehead. ¡°Yes¡­aunty.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The woman in front of him was Parvati. Indeed, upon getting knocked out by a finger flick of all things to the forehead, Igor awoke in his new room to the sight of Parvati applying some cream on him. If he could, he would curse Shiva for beating him like a useless grandson! Couldn¡¯t he atleast leave him some dignity by punching his lights out? Why did it have to be a finger-flick of all things! [Hihihihihi! Hahahahahaha!] [Stop laughi-] ¡°Ow!¡± Igor was brought back to reality when Parvati flicked his forehead. ¡°Igor. If you¡¯re talking to her, atleast try to keep it subtle. People may think you¡¯re a madman.¡± Parvati wished Igor could see himself. He no longer spoke out loud, but the myriad of expressions he made would make people wonder if he was having a seizure. ¡°Alright, aunty. But have you ever had an old hag in your---yes you¡¯re an old hag, old hag! You¡¯re thousands of years old, goddamnit!¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Parvati¡¯s expression darkened. The pressure she released was enough to slightly rattle the windows. ¡°Igor. I¡¯m also thousands of years old. By that logic, am I also¡­an old hag?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor¡­looked at her like she was an idiot. ¡°Is it not obvious?¡± . |DxD| . Nandi, a faithful attendant to his lord shared a common love for nature with Shiva. If he was not attending to Shiva, he could usually be found mingling with the wildlife. The animals of Mount Kailasa were not only larger, but also more intelligent. They knew that this pale man could protect them from the terrifying new blonde resident and the mountain owner. It had been difficult for the beasts of Mount Kailasa these past few days. From dawn to dusk, explosions of power destroyed their peaceful lives. It was only when they were near this blue man that everything calmed. Unfortunately for these animals, their little peace was soon about to be disrupted. Tswii! Igor appeared behind Nandi with his Instant Transmission. His ki was in a state of flux, his senses spreading throughout the region. ¡°Pssst. Nandi. I need some help. Can you hide¡­nevermind.¡± Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­Ta¡­ Crushing the leaf litter beneath her feet was Parvati who had a ¡®kind¡¯ smile on her face. She stopped just a dozen metres away from the duo and ¡®glared¡¯ at Igor with a closed-eye smile. ¡°Igor. Perhaps I didn¡¯t quite hear you clearly. Are you saying I am a¡­hag?¡± ¡°...¡± For once, Igor thought this matter through. With Nandi as his makeshift shield, he didn¡¯t need to worry about Parvati launching a preemptive strike. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s actually wrong to say you¡¯re an old hag.¡± He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re more like an ancestor if we¡¯re speaking honestly. Wait¡­how old are you? You must be older than my entire lineage.¡± ¡°...¡± Parvati¡¯s expression grew darker while Nandi was growing more and more amused. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re an ancestor-no. That doesn¡¯t sound right.¡± Igor seemed oblivious to the darkening atmosphere. ¡°Great Ancestor? Supreme Ancestor? No. It doesn¡¯t quite capture it. Hmmm¡­¡± Igor feared nothing. Nandi was his shield and by now, he was absolutely sure this seemingly frail man was the strongest on this mountain. It was why he could safely ponder without fear of death. ¡°Aha! PriMORDIAL Ancestor-?!¡± Keen instinct guided Igor to dodge the hairpin that blazed past right where his forehead would¡¯ve been. Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! Doof! The hairpin penetrated right through the thick trunks of each tree and continued to do so to the following ones without losing momentum. ¡°...¡± Igor did not know how many trees it burst through, but he wasn¡¯t confident his skull could survive. ¡°Ancestor? Why did you¡­?¡± SHIIING! A single blade of hair stopped right in front of his eye. . . . Silence¡­ ¡°...¡± Parvati¡¯s stance was clear. She had enough. ¡°Igor. I would appreciate if you stop.¡± [But my ancestor¡¯s ages added up don¡¯t compare to yours.] ¡­is what he wanted to say. Igor was truly tempted to let his intrusive thoughts win but ultimately controlled himself. ¡°Alright, aunty. I won¡¯t tease you anymore. But-¡± ¡°Ohohohoho. I think that¡¯s enough now, young Dimori. We don¡¯t want to get Lady Parvati mad now, do we?¡± Nandi finally acted. He tapped his staff on the ground and the hairpin Parvati threw earlier came flying back. The unfortunate trees caught in its path also recovered to their previous state under Nandi¡¯s time reversal. He enjoyed the subtle banter between Igor and Parvati, but he did not want to see this lovely forest destroyed. ¡°Lady Parvati. Would you find it in your heart to forgive Igor? He¡¯s still young after all.¡± [...compared to her? Very.] He kept his thoughts to himself this time. He couldn¡¯t be sure whether Parvati was truly angry or faking it. To him, all women were incomprehensible¡­including his own. Thinking of Aurelia made him want to return, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could properly face Shuri. But those migrant thoughts had to wait since Parvati still had her strand of hair follow him around. ¡°...¡± No matter how he moved or swivelled his head, that needle-like strand hovered over his eye. His trusty shield called Nandi didn¡¯t even try and move the strand away. While he was preoccupied with Parvati¡¯s preditorial advances, Nandi proceeded to calm her down. ¡°Lady Parvati. Should you wish to instill punishment, might it wait until after my time with him. I need young Dimori in one piece for the next few hours.¡± Just because Igor wasn¡¯t paying attention doesn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Wait what?¡± Did¡­did Nandi just throw him under the bus? . AN . This is a bit long overdue, but here¡¯s an update for each currently relevant person¡¯s current power level. Characters like Shiva, Parvati, Indra, Mahabali, and other gods will not be mentioned since we barely know anything. The only thing we¡¯re aware of is that Igor¡¯s full power with help from Triny might force Indra into his true form. But that¡¯s all. Here¡¯s the list in no particular order. . Year: 1999 (September) .
    1. Igor von Dimori
    Base: Peak-God Class Full-Power: High-Supreme Class (Indra¡¯s base = High-Supreme Class) Combat-Capability: High-Supreme Class .
    1. Aurelia von Drachenburg
    Base: Peak-God Class Full-Power: Peak-God Class to Low-Supreme Class (Unverified) Combat Capability: Low-Supreme Class (Potentially/Unverified) .
    1. Atid
    Base: High-God Class Full-Power: High-Supreme Class Combat Capability: High-Supreme Class .
    1. Himejima Shuri
    Base: Low-Ultimate Class Full-Power: Low/Mid-Ultimate Class (Unverified) Combat Capability: Low-God Class (Limited) .
    1. Azazel
    Base: Peak-God Class Full-Power: Mid-Supreme Class Combat Capability: Mid-Supreme Class .
    1. Baraquiel
    Base: Low/Mid-God Class (Unverified) Full-Power: Low/Mid-God Class (Unverified) Combat-Capability: Peak-God Class .
    1. Sirzechs Gremory
    Base: Peak-God Class Full-Power: Mid-Supreme Class Combat-Capability: Mid-Supreme Class .
    1. Ajuka Astaroth
    Base: Peak-God Class Full-Power: Mid-Supreme Class (Unverified) Combat Capability: Mid-Supreme Class (Unverified) .
    1. Serafall Sitri
    Base: Low-God Class Full-Power: Low/Mid-God Class (Potentially) Combat Capability: Low/Mid-God Class (Potentially) .
    1. Falbium Glaysa-Labolas
    Base: Low-God Class Full-Power: Low/Mid-God Class (Potentially) Combat Capability: Low/Mid-God Class (Potentially) . For those interested, here¡¯s a more detailed power output for Igor. .
    1. Igor von Dimori
    Base (Relaxed): Peak-God Class Base (Full-Power): Peak-God Class (1.5x multiplier) Base (Full-Power + Passive Kaioken): Unknown (Current Kaioken Multiplier unknown) Demigod State (Suppressed): Low-Supreme Class (x50 multiplier) Demigod State: Mid-Supreme Class (x100 multiplier) Demigod State (Full-Power/Berserk): Mid-Supreme Class (120x to 160x multipliers) Sage Mode(?): Peak-God Class (x10 multiplier) Sage Mode(?) x30 Kaioken: High-Supreme Class (300x multiplier) Sage Mode(?) x Demigod State (Suppressed): High-Supreme Class (500x multiplier) . As it stands, no official name has been given for the state Igor enters when Triny draws in nature energy through him. Until an official name is given in the story, I shall refer to it as sage mode in any ANs. Now for comparison purposes, you can view the previous rankings on chapter 127. These rankings were made just when Igor entered the time chamber with Aurelia. Chapter 253 ¡°Lady Parvati. Should you wish to instill punishment, might it wait until after my time with him. I need young Dimori in one piece for the next few hours.¡± Just because Igor wasn¡¯t paying attention doesn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Wait¡­what?¡± Did¡­did Nandi just throw him under the bus? . |DxD| . Yin-Yang Breathing Method, a technique used to enhance one¡¯s control of their energy. The ability for one to raise and lower the output of their energy at will could decide the fate of a battle. The Yin-Yang Breathing Method allowed one to regulate their energy output through breathing. For decades, this has been Igor¡¯s staple technique and now, he was showcasing it to Nandi. After Parvati left, Nandi wasted no time and instructed Igor to sit down and meditate. The core of today¡¯s instruction was this: ¡°Since Lord Shiva furthered your striking ability, I shall focus on your current most glaring weakness---control.¡± Nandi stood in front of Igor with a neutral smile on his face. They were surrounded by trees so close together that the sun could barely reach the bottom. Igor sat in front of Nandi like a good student with his legs crossed, his ears peeled for every word the pale man had to say. ¡°For now, I want you to slowly increase your power through your Kaioken. To my understanding, this simple technique requires stringent ki-control.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor did not reply, but the red aura around him spoke for him. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Igor had the Demigod State and Triny to lean back on, but that didn¡¯t mean he abandoned his Kaioken. His aura silently formed around him like flames, his power instantly increasing to twenty-times his base. Just a few years ago, increasing his multipliers so quickly would¡¯ve crippled him. Now, it was nothing. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su X25 X30 His body prevailed. Under the enhancement of the 30th multiplier, the gentle red flames of energy around remained exactly that---gentle. [Hmm. Impressive.] Nandi was impressed at the level of control he was displaying. At the very least, he was amongst the top of his peers. But this wasn¡¯t Igor¡¯s limit. His control had increased drastically since leaving the time chamber. Fusing with Triny not only doubled his power in all aspects, but increased the strength of his soul. He was still far from reaching the point of unifying his soul with his body, but the boost to his Spirit Control allowed him to easily control his Kaioken. X35 X40 X45 X50 The 50th multiplier, a stage that saw him enter a state of unconsciousness a few wars back was no longer a threshold he couldn¡¯t surpass. X55 X60 X65 The last time he attempted to reach the Demigod State via Kaioken, this level was his hard limit. Now, he only felt some strain. He felt he could try and push for the seventieth multiplier, but that would affect his ability to properly execute the breathing method. So not only did he not advance the Kaioken, he also decreased the multiplier by just a bit. X64 Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su One multiplier decrease made all the difference. His fluctuating aura calmed once more and Nandi was pleased with Igor¡¯s decision. [I assumed he would¡¯ve pushed ahead. To decisively lower the multiplier¡­hmmm.] Nandi liked him more and more. Sometimes, higher isn¡¯t always better. ¡°Young Dimori. To my understanding, your breathing method involves repeatedly raising and lowering your energy output to its highest and lowest margins within the span of a breath, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Nandi. If I fail to properly control my ki, I risk tearing apart my veins.¡± His crimson gaze locked with Nandi¡¯s. His hair gently sloshed like leaves in a breeze. He was uncharacteristically serious. In front of Nandi, he harboured no thoughts of playing games like he did with Parvati.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Dimori. This is the current limit of the Kaioken you can control without burden. Quite impressive. You have truly crafted your physique to unprecedented levels. As it stands, there is nothing much we can do on that front in the short time we have. However, I suppose we can work on your mind.¡± Nandi stretched out his hand and on it appeared a simple bronze bell. ¡°By my hypothesis, you could maintain the Kaioken indefinitely. The problem lies in the effects on your emotional state. You have advanced your power and physique through meticulous training, yet your mind has not caught up yet.¡± With a gentle hand gesture, he rang the bell. ¡°?!¡± It chimed gently. But to Igor, it felt like someone poured hot lava on his head. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± He dropped out of his Kaioken and collapsed to the ground. His hands covered his ears, but the intense stinging sensation on top of his head did not stop until a few moments after. ¡°Aaah...goddamnit¡­¡± He slowly sat up when the chiming stopped. When he saw Nandi¡¯s kind smile, Igor felt that for once¡­ ¡°...being punched by Lord Shiva is better than this.¡± ¡°Ohohohoho! Don¡¯t give up so soon, young Dimori. We¡¯ve only just begun, after all. What I have here in my hand is a Soul-Tearing Bell. As the name implies, every chime releases a pulse of energy that strengthens the soul.¡± ¡°...¡± Strengthens the soul but is ominously named the Soul-Tearing Bell? Did Nandi think he was stupid? ¡°Can I¡­leave? I still have some questions I want to ask Lord Shi-¡± ¡°Apologies, Dimori. But I do take my job as tutor very seriously.¡± He decisively tapped his staff on the ground and immediately, Igor felt a barrier trap him inside. His range of perception was instantly reduced from a few kilometres to a measly fifty metres in radius. ¡°...¡± Flicker¡­flicker¡­ Aaannnnddd Instant Transmission was unusable. ¡°...¡± In his mind, he decisively cursed Nandi. [Fuck your mother.] . |DxD| . Igor was always curious about a treatment method where a person¡¯s skull was drilled open to release demons, illnesses, or something else. He couldn¡¯t remember what it was for. All he was curious about was if those people felt pain. Given how well-known the method was, his young self once harboured curiosity as to how it would feel. Now, he could decisively say he NEVER EVER wanted to experience it. ¡°Don¡¯t slow down, Young Dimori. We¡¯ve barely gotten to the fifth multiplier.¡± Nandi was a monster. Six hours had passed. SIX HOURS of unending torture. He was declared legally brain-dead twenty-six times! Or was it thirty-six? He couldn¡¯t remember. But he definitely knew his brain gave out over twenty times. This pale effeminate man¡­was a demon. ¡°Nandi. Can we¡­take a break?¡± Igor had just been revived once more by a gentle tap from Nandi¡¯s staff. He never imagined that a simple bell could push him to this state. If his gender allowed it, he would¡¯ve cried from the mental torture he suffered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I still have around thirty-minutes left with you, Young Dimori. Please get into position and try again. Remember, this is for your own benefit.¡± ¡°...¡± That kind smile did not align with the methods at all! Igor had grievances but did not know who to cry to. He now regretted teasing Parvati. If he put aside some dignity and screamed ¡°mother¡±, he was sure she would rescue him. Unfortunately, he could only endure this devil¡¯s torment. ¡°Tch! Fine! Thirty minutes, right? Let¡¯s do this!¡± He sat up and crossed his legs once more. He glared at Nandi with determination. He¡¯ll show him that no son of Dimori is a pansy. ¡°Oh my! I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve finally recovered your vigour, Young Dimori. Instead of the fifth multiplier, let¡¯s push for the tenth.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was glad puberty came and his voice dropped. At the very least, his screams were low enough in tone to be considered ¡®manly¡¯. . |DxD| . 1999/09/03- September 5th, 1999 (Sunday), Devil Territory, Underworld . September 5th, a Sunday that would¡¯ve been declared a holiday for the devils now left the entire populace feeling tense. What may have been a promising start to a new chapter may very well become a novel abandoned in the first chapter. The final parliamentary meeting for the Peerage Overhaul Policy was taking place today. Clan heads from all the remaining pillars aside from the Naberius attended. Other clan heads from gradually rising clans also had the leeway to attend along with some other influential figures. Such a spectacle brought in many journalists from all media agencies. The outside of the prestigious Parliament was packed with men and women carrying cameras. Leaders from different clans appeared in teleportation circles and walked along the red carpet towards the open doors. Journalists enthusiastically took pictures while others recorded this scene live. Thousands of devils tuned in to this live broadcast, for today may decide the direction of the entire devil race. Vwong! The Phenex Clan Head appeared along with another elder from his clan. The duo were stoic in front of the camera flashes. Different from other clan heads, they wore pristine burgundy suits that accentuated their blonde hair. ¡°Lord Phenex! A moment please!¡± ¡°Lord Phenex! Please give us your opinion on the Nekomata Massacre!¡± ¡°My Lord! The people want to know if you will lower the price of phoenix tears!¡± ¡°Lord Phenex! The¡­¡± The two Phenex walked along the carpet towards the door, completely ignoring the reporters fervently trying to question them. Due to the Nekomata Massacre, the Phenex were the ones who would benefit immensely from their extermination. The price of phoenix tears noticeably rose in the past few days as many well-off figures sought to purchase them while the price was still down. Unfortunately, the journalists wouldn¡¯t get their answers from the stoic clan head and his elder. The duo entered the building and disappeared inside. Guards stationed at the door ensured no journalists could prematurely enter the building. Vwong! Soon enough, the main characters of this meeting appeared. Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus. *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* *Click!* The Four Satans received cheers upon their arrival along with dozens of camera flashes. ¡°Maou Lucifer is here! Maou Lucifer!¡± ¡°Leviathan-sama! Thank you for your efforts!¡± ¡°Cheers for the satans! They got rid of the Naberius scum!¡± Amidst the praises of the satans, a few took the liberty to praise Sirzechs for culling the Naberius. The voices could not be identified in the crowds, but it was almost certain they came from those who lost their jobs or suffered greatly from such a loss. ¡°Everyone. Thank you for welcoming us. Your sincerity gives us hope for a better path forward.¡± Sirzechs offered a warm smile to one camera before moving forward along with his compatriots. If he was speaking honestly, he was on tenterhooks today. Today was a big day, a very important day. One misstep and everything could be ruined. Today, not only would they be discussing the Peerage Overhaul Policy, but also the effects of the Nekomata Massacre. The most critical part? Yasaka, the leader of the Yokai Faction would be present. Vwong! Speak of the yokai and she shall arrive. . AN . Yasaka makes her first appearance in the Underworld, and not for good reasons. Thank you for reading and until the next chapter. Chapter 254 ¡°Everyone. Thank you for welcoming us. Your sincerity gives us hope for a better path forward.¡± Sirzechs offered a warm smile to one camera before moving forward along with his compatriots. If he was speaking honestly, he was on tenterhooks today. Today was a big day, a very important day. One misstep and everything could be ruined. Today, not only would they be discussing the Peerage Overhaul Policy, but also the effects of the Nekomata Massacre. The most critical part? Yasaka, the leader of the Yokai Faction would be present. Vwong! Speak of the yokai and she shall arrive. . |DxD| . Previous Day¡­ . Igor was unsure whether he wanted to kill or thank Nandi. After hours of torture, the strength of his soul had risen. He could feel it. Enduring torture under that bell placed him further up the totem pole of Spirit Control. Still, he wasn¡¯t about to say it was worth it. If it was only through his own efforts, he was sure he could achieve the same results in a month or three. ¡°...¡± Okay. Maybe it was worth it. ¡°And that marks the end of our session, Young Dimori. We may not have achieved our goal, but I believe reaching the third multiplier shall suffice for now.¡± ¡°...¡± Suffice? Suffice??? [It¡¯s a bloody miracle I made it this far! I want to see YOU focus when your head feels like it¡¯s being split in half!] He really wanted to throw that bell across the forest right now. No matter the circumstance, he was not willing to endure that chime again. From now on, it was his worst enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Young Dimori. For a beginner, you made splendid progress. Why I¡¯m almost tempted to push on with this sess-¡± ¡°Nope! Nope nope nope nope NOPE!¡± His head was still throbbing in pain. Going through another session was not something he was looking forward to. ¡°Oh? Then I shall reserve this for another day. Your level of endurance still needs a bit of work, but it is quite substantial for someone so young. For comparison¡¯s sake, the strength of your soul roughly matches those who have lived two centuries. Your ability to focus and push onwards to the third multiplier is worthy of commendment. Truthfully, I am impressed, Young Dimori.¡± Nandi stretched out his staff and hovered it over Igor¡¯s head. A brief flash of light covered his form before suddenly, Igor felt his headache vanish. ¡°While I would recommend letting the tears on your soul heal by themselves, I¡¯m afraid this option is currently not feasible. You may not be aware, Young Dimori, but tumultuous events have taken place and from the appearance of things, they may require your immediate attention.¡± ¡°??¡± Igor¡¯s elation at his headache disappearing vanished. ¡°What happened?¡± He stood up on both legs, not bothering to dust off the leaf litter clinging to his rear. ¡°Is someone targeting my family?¡± Come rain or fire, he would deal with whatever threats that came¡­in a permanent fashion. ¡°No, Young Dimori. Your family is safe. These events pertain to certain disruptions in the Underworld. You will learn more details from your partner. She has a certain level of involvement in these events and as we speak, she is eagerly awaiting your retur-¡± Su! Igor vanished from the scene without hesitation. He headed straight for the barrier where upon reaching it, he vanished. ¡°...¡± Nandi couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly to himself. ¡°Always so willing to charge ahead. Isn¡¯t that right, my lord?¡± Vwong! ¡°He¡¯s a good lad.¡± Shiva faded into existence, as if he was previously camouflaged. He was topless with only two golden bracers on his arms. Apart from some bit of dust on his pants, he was fine. Nandi wasn¡¯t surprised by his presence since he knew Shiva was always there.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°My lord. What do you think of Young Dimori¡¯s involvement with the devils?¡± ¡°Whether he involves himself or not is of no concern to me.¡± ¡°But the devils might seek to take advantage of his connection to you, my lord. I¡¯ve also received news that Young Indra plans on sending his son to the Underworld tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh? Is Indra planning on opening up trade with the devils?¡± Shiva assumed that after the originial Lucifer disrespected Indra, the Asura would never lift their embargo against the devils. ¡°Not exactly my lord. Officially, he will be travelling alongside Young Sun as delegates of the Shinto Pantheon. Given our close relations with the Shinto Pantheon, Young Atid¡¯s presence raises no point for dispute.¡± ¡°I see. And unofficially?¡± A small smile spread on Nandi¡¯s face. ¡°Indra aims for his son to establish a reputation in the supernatural world like Young Dimori¡¯s.¡± . |DxD| . Devil Territory, Underworld . Aurelia was not on Earth. Igor had checked. So the only possibility was she¡¯s in the Underworld. Finding her energy signature was not difficult so without hesitation, he went to her. Tswii¡­ Unfortunately for him, he seemed to have teleported himself right into a meeting that reeks of politics. Fortunately for the participants in the room, the blonde was the person they needed the most right now. Igor¡¯s relief in spotting Aurelia safe and sound was brief when Sirzechs spoke. ¡°No time to waste, Dimori-san. Please take a seat.¡± . |DxD| . All the Four Satans, Aurelia, and Grayfia were in a secret room located in of the city¡¯s tallest towers. There was no door or window. The only method to enter was through teleportation. They all sat around the table with grim expressions on their face, especially Sirzechs and Serafall. The death of the Nekomata resulted in the Yokai almost declaring war upon them. Only the extermination of the Naberius and Aurelia¡¯s words were barely enough to calm the situation. Now, they were faced with a new issue. Tomorrow, not only a meeting to vote on the Overhaul Policy would take place, but reparations for what happened to the Nekomata would have to be discussed. Normally, such arrangements would be discussed by the devils in private, but Yasaka made it absolutely clear that not only did she want to be present during the vote, but that reparations would also be discussed in her presence. Such drastic changes required Igor to be updated on all of them. ¡°Aurelia. Are you sure there is absolutely no way to contact him?¡± It was Sirzechs who asked. This whole mess required changes to the plan for tomorrow. ¡°I can¡¯t find him, Sirzechs. He may be in the Heavenly Realm.¡± Sigh¡­ Things were not looking good. The two Nekoshou were secretly captured by Falbium and would be released to Yasaka¡­who would also arrive tomorrow. This conundrum was why Sirzechs arranged such a meeting and Igor absolutely needed to be here- Tswii! . . . Silenc- ¡°No time to waste, Dimori-san. Please take a seat.¡± Sirzechs got over his surprise very quickly and directed Igor to take his seat. As the last person required, talks could finally begin¡­much to Igor¡¯s dismay. His whole purpose was to verify his sister¡¯s safety, not engage in politics. ¡°...¡± Sigh¡­ Still, Sirzechs¡¯s grave expression told him this was of some importance. So unwillingly, he took his seat and readied himself to endure hours of political drawl. . |DxD| . The Nekomata Massacre, the Yokai¡¯s retaliation, the Overhaul Policy¡­everything was discussed late into the night. The crux of the matter this time were the Yokais. The Nekomata were rare species and an estimated ninety-five-percent made their residence here in the Underworld. Losing such a vital population to a race of people who were supposed to be their caretakers no doubt set the yokai on edge. What was more concerning was that Yasaka would not arrive as the leader of the Yokai, but as a delegate of the Shinto. That meant the devils weren¡¯t now just dealing with the Yokai. They were dealing with the entire Shinto Pantheon. The stakes were much, much higher and only careful steps from now on could exterminate their isolation or worse¡­their extermination. The fodder for the flames of war was ready and only the extermination of the Naberius prevented it from being immediately lit. Tomorrow and with no room for negotiation, Yasaka and a few others would make a trip to the Underworld for talks. Serafall could not get information on who might be accompanying her, but that was not important. What was important was showing the Yokai their sincerity. It might be devious, but Yasaka¡¯s presence could be used to push forward votes in favour of the Peerage Overhaul Policy. Not only would that show their sincerity, but it might pressure the other clan heads to vote in favour of passing the policy. As for Yasaka being a foreigner---who would have the guts to dispute that? There was a war looming the horizon and under Falbium¡¯s advice, they aimed to publicise that fact. If this succeeded, not only could the Four Satans pressure the clan heads to vote in favour, but they could also earn some goodwill from the yokai. Their gamble might expose the ugly side of their politics, but it was much better than further straining relations with the Yokai and the Shinto by extension. As for Igor¡¯s role in all of this, he had to memorise some new names and laws. Fortunately for all of them, the old satans had some ¡®obscure¡¯ laws that allowed them to get away with murder. Igor might be a foreigner, but the stipulated words in the alliance contract allowed the Aryans to not only attend parliamentary meetings that might relate to them, but to retaliate on any perceived threats to their sovereignty.* It might be a gory and humiliating display in front of their ¡®visitors¡¯, but Sirzechs was willing to let such actions happen. His authority as leader might be dampened, but as long as his people could move forward, he¡¯d endure. . |DxD| . Present Day¡­ . Vwong! . . . Silence¡­ There were no camera clutters. There were no quiet murmurs. There were no scrambling footsteps. The only sounds that could be heard was the gentle rustling of trees spurned by the wind. Everyone¡¯s eyes were locked on the figures who appeared, specifically the one in the middle. Yasaka, Leader of the Yokai Faction and Priestess of Amaterasu. A nine-tailed fox with power equal to the satans. Her presence brought a silent pressure to the vicinity. It was her first appearance in the Underworld, and it was not for good reasons. Once again, people silently cursed the Naberius. Whatever they gained from eliminating the Nekomata paled to the troubles that they brought---for this seemingly kind woman now held the power to perhaps¡­eliminate them. . AN .
    1. Igor might be a foreigner, but the stipulated words in the alliance contract allowed the Aryans to not only attend parliamentary meetings that might relate to them, but to retaliate on any perceived threats to their sovereignty.*
    Explanation: The parliamentary meetings involved peerages. Peerages are reincarnated devils that can be recruited from possibly any sentient race. There ¡°may¡± be a future where Aryans are reincarnated so based on that vague fact, Igor and Aurelia can attend without room for rebuttal. I¡¯m assuming this privilege is currently only allowed to the Aryans. That¡¯s as much as I can infer from what we¡¯ve seen. The specifics aren¡¯t there yet. Chapter 255 Yasaka, Leader of the Yokai Faction and Priestess of Amaterasu. A nine-tailed fox with power equal to the satans. Her presence brought a silent pressure to the vicinity. It was her first appearance in the Underworld, and it was not for good reasons. Once again, people silently cursed the Naberius. Whatever they gained from eliminating the Nekomata paled to the troubles that they brought---for this seemingly kind woman now held the power to perhaps¡­eliminate them. . |DxD| . When Yasaka arrived, multiple magic circles from several houses formed before a over dozen guards appeared around her and her entourage. They wore golden knight armour and wielded long decorated spears. They were professionals with work ethic. No words were said and immediately they formed a wide perimeter around Yasaka and the satans. Their fierce aura forced the journalists and other observers to retreat. Nobility, commoner, or reincarnated, these guards didn¡¯t care. Their spears had no eyes. Once the perimeter was clear, Sirzechs and the rest of the satans went along and greeted the new visitors. ¡°Lady Yasaka. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°...¡± Lady Yasaka smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She seemed to scrutinise Sirzechs and his friends for a moment. The atmosphere was gradually rising in intensity and Yasaka¡¯s ¡®smile¡¯ wasn¡¯t aiding matters. However, she soon offered a small bow in return to his greeting. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Lucifer-sama. I hope we didn¡¯t keep you waiting.¡± ¡°No. On the contrary, you arrived rather early, Lady Yasaka. I trust the journey had no hiccups?¡± ¡°Not at all. The arrangements made for us on the train were quite comfortable. Thank you, Lucifer-sama.¡± ¡°A pleasure, Lady Yasaka.¡± Sirzechs then turned his attention to the short monkey standing next to Yasaka. The blindfold covering his eyes might make him seem more feeble, but few would recognise this particular yokai as the Great Sage Sun Wukong. ¡°Lord Sun. We are happy you¡¯ve taken the opportu-¡± Sun Wukong was quick to wave him off. ¡°Stop stop stop. There¡¯s no need to go so far, Lucifer. A simple greeting is all it takes. No need to be long-winded.¡± His disrespectful action caused some of the devils nearby to glare at him, but the old monkey couldn¡¯t care. Why he let Indra coerce him into this farce, he would never know. ¡°...¡± A hint of a smile formed on Sirzechs¡¯s face. He now knew who Igor got his abhorrence of politics from. ¡°I see. Then I greet you on behalf of my fellow satans.¡± ¡°Yes yes. Hello to all of you. Can we get this over with?¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s dismissive gesture might be treated as disrespectful, but he didn¡¯t care how he was viewed. From his point of view, there was no need to be so courteous. In his opinion, they should be demanding reparations instead of playing this long game. ¡°I apologise on Wukong-sama¡¯s behalf, Lucifer-sama. Recent events have made him displeased.¡± That was a warning from Yasaka. It was no secret that Sun Wukong held considerable influence in both the Yokai Faction and the Hindu Pantheon. It seemed like Yasaka was apologising for Sun Wukong¡¯s grumpy mood¡­ ¡°...¡± ¡­but she was reminding Sirzechs of just how terrible his position was. ¡°We will make sure to give you all a satisfactory answer.¡± Sirzechs still had a small smile, but he swore to himself that if they survived this, changes would immediately start coming in stride---whether ¡®they¡¯ wanted them or not. Regardless, that would have to wait for another day. For now, he had to focus on not creating an even bigger mess, especially with the last member accompanying Yasaka. ¡°It is our pleasure to host you, Lord Atid. Dimori-kun told me a lot about you.¡± ¡°I hope it was all good news, Lucifer.¡± Atid toned his head just slightly. Just enough to show his respect, but not enough to be seen as a bow. ¡°I promise you it was all good.¡± He offered a kind smile before he gestured behind him. ¡°Let us not waste any more time, shall we? We have much to discuss.¡± Yasaka was the first to walk forward. ¡°Yes. Yes we do, Lucifer-sama.¡± The satans, Yasaka, and her entourage followed behind Sirzechs as he led them inside. The guards made sure the journalists did not cross the boundaries. When the satans and the delegates disappeared behind the doors, some of the guards stood guard while the rest vanished. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! . |DxD| . A few moments prior¡­ . The reception area of the parliament building was as luxurious as the outside. Pristine 16th century architecture and decor blended splendidly with a hint of modernity. Rose-red carpets, earth-brown walls and ceremonial candles combined to form a somewhat dreary, yet noble atmosphere. Igor was not one to enjoy such sights. Devils clustered in groups and mingled with each other. Their conversations were either mundane or irrelevant to the events of today. Atleast having Aurelia next to him made this dreary place somewhat bearable. The slow music was already on the verge of making him fall asleep.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. [I knew we shouldn¡¯t have come so early.] A glance at the Renaissance-style clock told him there were only twenty minutes left until the proceedings would begin. [Tch. They didn¡¯t even give us food. Stingy devils.] He ate a lot at the Gremorys, but he could go for an extra bite right about now. ¡°Hmm?¡± His daydreaming was interrupted when he felt the energy signatures of Sun Wukong and Atid appear. ¡°Those two are here?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but the devils heard him clearly.¡± ¡°Do you know Lady Yasaka, my lord?¡± Aurelia asked out of curiosity when she saw him stand up. From her senses, only Atid and Yasaka appeared, but Igor wasn¡¯t supposed to know Yasaka. ¡°Hehe. You need to up your training, sister. The Monkey Sage is also here.¡± He left her at the table and went to lean against the wall. From this position, he could see Sirzechs talking to a pretty fox lady. She was strong, unlike the weaklings he saw. [I wonder who¡¯d win between her and old man Baraqui---what the?] His attention was immediately drawn by Atid. The young teen was dressed rather well, but his subtle actions ruined the noble aura he was trying to portray. [This perverted shit¡­] Yasaka was a gorgeous woman. She was garmed in a lovely shrine maiden outfit---respectful, elegant, but couldn¡¯t completely hide her generous assets. Maybe Yasaka didn¡¯t notice, but Igor could see Atid ever-so often sneak a glance. That glance turned into a stare when he inclined his head at Sirzechs. He used that moment to full capacity, utilising that small amount of time to longingly gaze at Yasaka¡¯s chest. [Tch. This idiot. No wonder he¡¯s still single.] A pervert of the highest margin. Well¡­maybe not the highest. But he was a pervert nonetheless. Sometimes, Igor asked himself if the reason Atid got stronger was so that he could use his enhanced perception to gaze at breasts for longer. [I wouldn¡¯t put it past him.] More power meant more perception. If they so willed it, one second to others could become ten or thirty seconds to them. [Poor Ddraig.] [Hmph! That stinky dragon could die for all I care. And his stinky host!] ¡°...¡± Igor wisely decide to ignore her rant- [Meanie! Don¡¯t ignore me. We must kill them next time!] ¡°...¡± Talk about cranky. Old age definitely was catching up to her. [I¡¯m not old!] [Triny. You¡¯ve seen more monarchies than I¡¯ve seen underwear.] [I¡­hmph!] She decisively cut off their connection, apparently too mad at her host¡¯s rebuttal. Igor was happy at his victory, but it dampened when he realised who was standing in front of him. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Atid, in all his annoying glory was looked at him with a subtle smirk. Not just him, nearly everyone¡¯s eyes were on them. Apparently, Igor was in a daze longer than he thought. [I definitely missed something important.] Those devils seemed far too interested in them- ¡°Igor. One must certainly admit you rather present the appearance of a fool.¡± ¡°...¡± His attention was brought back to Atid. This idiot was definitely using him to posture wasn¡¯t he? Well two could play that game. ¡°Atleast I don¡¯t look like a disease.¡± ¡°You emulate a retard.¡± ¡°You look like chlamydia.¡± Atid raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m surprised you could enunciate such words without stumbling over yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you can go ten seconds without looking at breasts.¡± Over where Aurelia was sitting¡­ ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ¡­Yasaka stifled a laugh. Igor¡¯s reply caught her off guard. She certainly wasn¡¯t ready for that one. Compared to her, several devils sported slight frowns on their face. Igor¡¯s crass method of speech clearly irked them. ¡°...¡± Atid¡¯s expression grew stony, especially when he heard Yasaka¡¯s little giggle. On the other hand, Igor¡¯s gaze grew more challenging. ¡° *Smile widens* ¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Pfft¡­¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Pffft-pwehehehehehehe.¡± Igor chuckled when it was clear Atid was tongue-tied. Catching his friend like this brought him some comfort in this tiring political atmosphere. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± While he tried to restrain his chuckle, the old monkey erupted in full-blown laughter. Sun Wukong was uncaring that such a laugh destroyed the opulence of the venue. The more the devils glared at him, the more he¡¯d make them bleed. ¡°Good one, brat! Good one!¡± He walked over to the two boys along with Yasaka and Aurelia in tow. ¡°Especially that last part. It¡¯s definitely true! Pwahahahahah!¡± Sun Wukong snaked a glance at Atid who wished for the ground to swallow him up, especially when Yasaka also glanced at him. ¡°Fufufufu~.¡± Such lively banter was like a breath of fresh air. At the very least, it made her reevaluate her opinion of Igor. ¡°Hello. You must be Dimori-kun. I¡¯ve heard so much about you.¡± ¡°And you must be Yasaka. I¡¯ve heard a bit about you too.¡± Yasaka¡¯s sudden presence brought a soft fragrance over, something Aurelia didn¡¯t like. She subtly leaned closer to him, very well aware of the allure fox yokai had. Yasaka pretended not to notice, though she would definitely make sure to tease Aurelia later. ¡°Oh my. I trust it was all good?¡± ¡°...¡± Igor¡¯s expression turned weird. He glanced towards Aurelia a bit before looking back at Yasaka with a weird face. ¡°You want the honest truth?¡± . |DxD| . Sirzechs, Yasaka, and Sun Wukong were in a fairly large office. Unlike the jovial atmosphere from before in the reception, there was a certain realm of tension in the room. They all sat around a round table in silence, but that silence wouldn¡¯t last for long. The curtains were open, letting the morning sunlight in, yet Sirzechs¡¯s expression was dark. All that laughing Yasaka had with Igor was now gone. Sun Wukong was entirely dismissive of Sirzechs while Yasaka calmly sipped her tea. ¡°Lucifer-sama. I shall be brief. We have heard of the Overhaul Policy you want to implement. Because of it, we have decided to be a bit lenient on the reparations. But, this will all depend on how the day ends. Your act of eliminating the ones who committed such atrocities has stabled more of our radicals. However¡­¡± Her eyes darkened with a hint of malevolence. ¡°...please make no mistake, Lucifer-sama. Should you fail today in your endeavor, it will prove that your race is beyond redemption.¡± Threat. It was a blatant threat. She was threatening them with extermination. Sirzechs once more felt the weight of his position. The lives of millions weighed on his shoulders like a mountain. Yasaka¡¯s words directly poked his sore spot. ¡°...¡± *Subtly Clenches Fist* But no matter how much he hated it, Sirzechs had to endure. ¡°Yes, Lady Yasaka.¡± He had to grit his teeth and endure. He couldn¡¯t even be angry at Yasaka. In fact, he could only be grateful she spoke to him privately. ¡°I promise I will give you results¡­¡± ¡­through any means necessary. Sirzechs would make sure this policy passes¡­no matter what. . |DxD| . The time for the meeting to start would soon arrive. With only a few minutes left, every clan head and elder slowly walked into the hall and took their respective seats. No words were said but subtle glares were sent. There was clearly a division amongst the devils and it had only become more pronounced when Yasaka arrived. But, this wasn¡¯t the place to address such issues. Soon enough, all the devils were seated and it was time for the allies to come in. Igor was the first to walk in alongside Atid and Sun Wukong. The trio were dressed rather normally apart from Atid. He dressed in a long white robe that in Igor¡¯s humble opinion, made him look like a pansy. Unlike the devils, Igor and Sun Wukong seemed to be holding back chuckles, especially at Atid¡¯s expense. For all it was worth, the half-deva remained stoic. Their entrance drew eyes, but none dared to glare. Igor¡¯s actions last week still rung fresh in their heads. Serafall directed the trio to a set of seats on the left corner of the room at the topmost rows. The seats of extinct clan heads were kept so they made great use of this space. Soon after, Yasaka, Aurelia, and Sirzechs walked in. While Sirzechs made his way to the podium, Aurelia and Yasaka made their way to their seats at the top. All of them were under the surprised eyes of the devils. Them gathering together at the reception area was one thing. They only represented each other. But in this parliament, sitting together like this meant they not only represented themselves, but the factions and pantheons behind them. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Their faces turned grim. The Aryans seemingly aligning with the Shinto and Yokai wasn¡¯t within their plans. Some adjustments would have to be made, but it wasn¡¯t a total loss. Down below, Sirzechs got up on the podium and began speaking. However, his tone was different from before. It was more serious---darker even. ¡°Clan heads, elders. I shall not be long-winded. We are all here today to discuss the Peerage Overhaul Policy and conclude by voting on it. Our allies have requested to observe the proceedings and we have granted them that right.¡± His eyes narrowed in on an elder who almost voiced his complaints. His subtle killing intent immediately silenced him. Everyone felt it. No one commented on it. The sweat-stained elder swallowed any objections he had in his throat without defiance. Sirzechs¡¯s actions may displease his allies, but he had no time to care about straining relations and offending key members. Too much was at stake for him to worry about decorum. ¡°In recognition of our allies, there may be an unfamiliar faces for all of you. So with this opportunity, I would like for Lord Atid to come forward.¡± . AN . Thanks for reading. If you¡¯re interested in reading ahead, you can find five more chapters on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Until the next chapter. Chapter 256 His eyes narrowed in on an elder who almost voiced his complaints. His subtle killing intent immediately silenced him. Everyone felt it. No one commented on it. The sweat-stained elder swallowed any objections he had in his throat without defiance. Sirzechs¡¯s actions may displease his allies, but he had no time to care about straining relations and offending key members. Too much was at stake for him to worry about decorum. ¡°In recognition of our allies, there may be an unfamiliar faces for all of you. So with this opportunity, I would like for Lord Atid to come forward.¡± |DxD| . Atid stood at the podium, completely unfazed by the disgust some of the devils were showing him. He was partially a human so they could sniff that part out. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to let those eyes of disgust last. ¡°My name is Atid but you shall refer to me as Lord Atid.¡± Like clockwork, the Boosted Gear Gauntlet manifested on his left arm. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± FUUUUUUSH! The power he kept suppressed surged like a rocket, flooding the room with his pressure. ¡°I am the son of Lord Indra, and the last Red Dragon Emperor.¡± ¡°¡°¡°?!?!¡±¡±¡± The tension in the room was palpable. Atid wasn¡¯t a bastard son of a god left to rot on Earth. He was the true heir of Indra and the Sekiryuutei. Furthermore, he was strong. His high-God Class power was revealed when he manifested the Boosted Gear. ¡°...¡± What was worse, he was aligned with both the Shinto and the Aryans. [Problematic indeed.] Zelefam, the head of the Bael clan scrutinised Atid. In the face of such sheer circumstances, he remained calm and collected. He had a feeling Atid was strong, especially when he spoke on equal terms with Igor. Given how the blonde also suppressed his energy last week, he assumed this Atid could do the same---though he did hope his conjecture would only remain a conjecture. Unfortunately, it was true. [As if there weren¡¯t enough problems.] This whole mess with the Shinto and the Hindu wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. The Aryans were already enough of a headache, but a combination of these three produced a deterrent effect that couldn¡¯t be underestimated. [Rizen might no longer be willing to dispute this policy. This will weaken our delayment argument significantly.] Rizen Phenex, clan head of the Phenex and a key instrument to their argument might change his mind due to these three factions. The threat of the Aryans was neutralized since Sirzechs would never let Igor attack his own allies. But the pressure from the Shinto and the Hindu was real. [A new set of plans need to be drafted in face of these circumstances.] Zelefam kept a cool head. The arrival of Yasaka, Sun Wukong, and Atid was a clearly kept secret since not even his clan received notice. It would¡¯ve been better if they arrived yesterday, but Yasaka arrived thirty-minutes before this meeting---not close to enough time to plan proper countermeasures. ¡°...¡± Hie glanced at his peers and elders. Some of them, especially heads from lower-ranking clans seemed to have lost all hope. [Disappointments.] His eyes showed veiled disgust. These failures who loved to boast were now on the verge of losing their composure like headless chickens. [It¡¯s up to me now to lead the way forward.] The Shinto, Hindu, and Aryans were interfering in devil politics. Cutting them out was not viable in the near future. At the very least, their threat deterrence had to be addressed. [This will not be easy.] Zelefam had to plan things properly in the short time he had. Not only did he have to test the Aryans¡¯s response, but he also had to carefully navigate just enough to delay the policy¡¯s deployment, but not also offend the Shinto and the Pantheon. [Hmmm. Just like chess. And as always, chess needs a few¡­pawns.] Since these useless clan heads could no longer contribute their intellect, they¡¯d serve far better use as probes. If they were killed by Igor? Well, what are heirs for?This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. . |DxD| . Serafall had no smile on her face. She was all business with no room for any giddine- [Yaaaayyyy!] There was room for some giddiness. Serafall loved the gloomy faces of the elders and clan heads. The presence of Yasaka and Atid¡¯s by extension was the same as aiming a missile at a small village---the clan heads being the village in question. The combined might of the Shinto and Hindu was not something devils could bear. It was self-deprecating, but Serafall wouldn¡¯t create a fuss. Indra¡¯s motivations could not be guessed, but his son¡¯s presence as a delegate of the Shinto did not bode well for the conservatives. By her estimations, Serafall was sure the establishment of this policy was going to be a smooth ride. If anyone threatened to be a speed-bump, she¡¯d sic Igor on them. [And he¡¯ll bash them like the scum they are!] Her thoughts were jubilant, but she kept a calm expression. She¡¯d roped Falbium into making this policy nitpicking-proof. She would not give those old farts the chance to delay it by any margin. Their race¡¯s prosperity hinged on this policy passing. As long as it was made into law, it would make it easier for more changes to be made into law. [Done!] She activated her magic and immediately on everyone¡¯s desk, a stack of documents appeared. Without a word, the devils as well as the allies took them and read. Some devils frowned when they saw Serafall had given ¡®those foreigners¡¯ confidential documents, but they did (could) not dispute her. [Hmph! That¡¯s right.] She was excited, but she had to remain stoic. She could laugh all she wanted when they succeeded. ¡°As you can see on your desks, I have given all of you the current stipulations regarding the Peerage Overhaul Policy. This is a big change for our people so I hope for your sincerest reviews. If you have revision recommendations, please voice them out so we may make changes as required.¡± Her tone was calm and formal, but her inner thoughts were another matter entirely. [Hah! I dare you to find something you old fogeys! I dare you! I double dare you!!] She stayed up for two days straight, continuously going back and forth between Aurelia and her tower just to draft these stipulations. Even if she left anything, Serafall was confident all of it could be addressed today. By fire or by force, this policy had to be voted for, signed, and passed into law by the end of today! Failure was not an option! . |DxD| . The hall was silent as each person read their document. Surprisingly, even Igor was readin- *Vein Twitch* Correction. He was trying to read. There was so much political jargon and nonsensical words that he found it tiring to read. If he could, he would skip to the end and sign ¡°I agree¡±. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t required to sign or agree to anything. The number of small letters and fancy words was not something he was fond of. [Terms and conditions agreements are better than whatever this is.] The stipulations were long, but they could vaguely be summarised like this: The very first thing that was addressed was the availability of professional individuals qualified to perform the procedure. Currently, only Ajuka and Aurelia were qualified. Thankfully, Aurelia could create clones of herself with the same intellect and capability. She can create and sustain well over five-hundred clones without harm to herself. This gives enough time for a specialised task force to be trained in modifying peerage pieces by Ajuka. Secondly, a pilot group of one-thousand devils selected randomly from all clans will be eligible for free peerage modification and monitoring will last a year to ensure no unexpected results occur. Thirdly, implementation would be based on eligibility. Reincarnated devils who¡¯ve reached high-class are eligible by default. Devils with significant contributions to society will also receive high priority to have their evil piece modified. After that, the system would descend downwards from those who¡¯ve served the longest. Next was the issue of reincarnated devils turning rogue upon freedom. They were categorised as high-risk pieces and held the highest eligibility for modification. Reincarnated Devils known to belong to masters who treat them poorly would receive further counselling. Masters will be forced to pay reparations to the abused. Depending on the level of the abuse, it may be money, resources, imprisonment, or a combination of all three. A special trial council will be created to try incompetent masters who abused their peerages and the punishment would be at the council¡¯s discretion.* Reincarnated devils possessing insider, dangerous, or crucial knowledge were also labelled as high-risk. Unfortunate as it may seem, they will have to accept a soul contract and an Aryan seal binding them from releasing confidential information. This policy was cut and dry. Serafall believed that she could shut down anyone who tried to oppose this policy¡¯s implementation. By now, sixty minutes have passed, more than enough time for anyone to read it properly¡­except for Igor. The blonde was well aware of his diminutive patience. If it came to training, he could endure. Reading? Unless it was a manual containing a technique, he wouldn¡¯t last over two minutes. So to maximise his time, he subtly began spreading his senses throughout the building. The incident at the Gremory household made him wary of unwelcome visitors. His training with Sun Wukong allowed him to spread his senses without anyone noticing, except for the master of course. The old monkey subtly turned around, grinned, and faced forward once more. Igor¡¯s technique was good, but he still hadn¡¯t surpassed the old. [Hehe. Of course the monkey sage would sense me.] His method of spreading his senses was slow and passive, but it still allowed him to sense everyone. As he expected, all the devils here were wea- [Hmm?] He glanced at the far corner of the hall right across him. [Ultimate Class? That¡¯s rare. He¡¯s even reached the high stage.] The person he sensed had black hair and violet eyes. He appeared rather young¡­maybe thirty by his guess. But judging by the lifeforce he felt from the man, he was maybe seven or nine-centuries old. From his knowledge, this person was Bael. [But¡­] His brows furrowed slightly. [...why so many rings? Is he¡­bent?] If he wore so many rings, Igor was sure his father would beat him half to death. [Then again, maybe those rings contain enchantments.] The man from the Bael was strong, certainly stronger than the other middle-aged Bael sitting next to him, but Igor didn¡¯t pay him much attentio- [Wait.] He scrutinised the man more. It was faint¡­very, very, very faint, but those rings were emitting mana, not demonic energy. Just the use of mana told him this was most likely a human-made artifact. Why a devil from the Bael was wearing magic rings made my humans could be anyone¡¯s guess. What Igor knew however, was that he would keep the man in his mind. Still, for whatever mystery those rings had, Ultimate Class wasn¡¯t much by his standards. The man didn¡¯t even look or feel like a fighter. His energy reserves were something though. [Meh. Still weak.] His bones were disappointing for someone in the realm of Ultimate Class. He couldn¡¯t see clearly, but just a glimpse of his hands told Igor this guy had no calluses. [I could be starving, tired, blind, and he still wouldn¡¯t land a blow on me in a millio-] ¡°Everyone. I would now like your opinions and comments on any of the stipulations so that any adjustments can be made as necessary.¡± Chapter 257 [Meh. Still weak.] His bones were disappointing for someone in the realm of Ultimate Class. He couldn¡¯t see clearly, but just a glimpse of his hands told Igor this guy had no calluses. [I could be starving, tired, blind, and he still wouldn¡¯t land a blow on me in a millio-] ¡°Everyone. I would now like your opinions and comments on any of the stipulations so that any adjustments can be made as necessary.¡± . |DxD| . The critical moment had arrived. If they wanted to resist the policy¡¯s approval, now was their chance to do so. The tension in the room seemed to increase by a steep margin. Some elders glanced over at Igor, very well remembering the ¡®lesson¡¯ he imparted to them the previous week---that they were only to be ¡®yes¡¯ men. Only one of them seemed to have the guts to take Serafall¡¯s opportunity. It was an elder from the Berith Clan. The middle-aged man stood up with a bit of hesitation, but orders had to be followed. ¡°Lady Leviathan.¡± His eyes avoided the monster sitting on the far right and focused on Serafall down below. ¡°We are concerned about Aureli-¡± ¡°Lady. Refer to her as ¡®Lady Aurelia¡¯ or ¡®Lady Drachenburg¡¯.¡± That menacing voice entered his ears. It was calm, methodical, yet carried the silent promise of death. ¡°Or we will have problems.¡± ¡°...¡± Elder Berith turned his head to face the source. He met those blue eyes that regarded him as something just slightly better than an insect. ¡°Y-y-yes¡­¡± Elder Berith lost his will under that cerulean gaze. He meekly sat down, not daring to finish his earlier sentence. Speaking with this monster in the room was the same as skirting on the edge of death. ¡°Tch.¡± Lord Berith, a young man who only became clan head a few decades prior couldn¡¯t help but scoff at how meek Elder Berith was. He was not oblivious to the rumours surrounding Igor, but surely this Aryan scum wouldn¡¯t dare to commit overt actions in such a prestigious meeting. So he confidently stood up and faced Serafall without considering Igor. ¡°Lady Leviathan. I, Lord Berith, shall speak in my elder¡¯s stead. The issue he was trying to address concerned Lady Drachenburg, particularly her sealing methods. What guarantees do we have her seals may not be a covert attempt at espionage for example? To my knowledge, seal masters at her level can embed hidden seals with nefarious purposes. Be it espionage, exploitation, or anything else, how would we know? They are Aryans after all.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor wanted to crush his skull, but Aurelia held him back. {Igor. This is an important meeting. Please hold back.} ¡°...¡± Lord Berith was deliberately trying to drag her name, and he was supposed to just sit here and take it? (Please, Igor. The devils are goading you into taking action. Please hold it in for now. Atleast¡­atleast until the end of this gathering.} Igor was out for blood. Aurelia could feel his ki surging. On one hand, she was very happy that she cared for her dignity. On the other, she was very wary of any ammunition he might give the devils by taking action. {Alright.} Igor calmed himself. Getting mad wouldn¡¯t help make things better. Like Aurelia said, he would only give the devils more ammunition to counter this polic- *Smirk* Out of the corner of his eye, Lord Berith saw Igor¡¯s reaction and smirked at the clear look of rage the blonde was sporting. [Heh~. Distasteful scum. I dare you to do something.] Igor might be powerful, but under the rules of politics, he would have no choice but to sit there and take it. That was where Lord Berith¡¯s confidence came fro- Su! It was brief, so brief one might swear it was a dream. But it wasn¡¯t a dream for Lord Berith. One moment he was giving Igor the side-eye. The next, he was staring death right in the face. *CLASH!* . . . Silence¡­ Lord Berith¡¯s legs went weak. ¡°Wh-wh-wh¡­wh¡­whaa¡­?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He flopped down on his seat, his eyes wide open in shock, his face contorted in fear. Sweat poured down his forehead like a waterfall. This scene completely went beyond all logic! Zuuuuuuu Right in front of him, Igor brandished a long crimson aura blade poised to decapitate him. It was nearly there, just barely able to nick off a few strands of his beard. The blonde was locked in a snarl of rage, his angry red eyes locked with his own. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt, Atid.¡± The only thing standing between Lord Berith and imminent death was the son of Indra. Atid stood with his back towards Lord Berith. He stopped Igor¡¯s blade with the Boosted Gear¡¯s gauntlet, his eyes narrowing on the blonde¡¯s. ¡°Brother. Not now.¡± Golden lightning occasionally flickered around his form, his expression resolute and unwavering. Tensions were through the roof. Igor¡¯s blatant attempt at murder left many unable to leave their seats. They¡¯ve lived for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, yet never had such a scene occurred in their long lives. ¡°...¡± Igor slowly removed his fierce gaze from Lord Berith to Atid. The two brothers silently communicated through their eyes. Igor¡¯s menacing blade shimmered violently, and Atid¡¯s golden lightning flickered in response. No one interfered. To be accurate, no one dared to interfere. The pressure these two released was already at the level of the satans. ¡°Brother.¡± It was one word, but Atid¡¯s eyes communicated the rest. ¡°...¡± His bout of rage slowly simmered under Atid¡¯s words. He wanted to kill this scum, WOULD¡¯VE killed this scum, but that would inconvenience Sirzechs. ¡°Tch.¡± He could only reluctantly back off. ¡°I will remember this.¡± His threat was not aimed at Atid, but at Lord Berith. ¡°I will remember this, Berith.¡± He would never forget. His face, his energy signature¡­he would not forget it. Su! He appeared at his seat not-a-moment later. His face still contained a visible scowl, but his actions shocked many, particularly the lords aligned with the New Satan Faction. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Atid chuckled lightly. Igor¡¯s actions no doubt doused many rebellious flames. It was a smart action, but he knew Igor¡¯s retaliation had no political consonant to them. He simply wanted to defend his woman¡¯s honour. As for consequences, would anyone dare raise a fuss with the person in question here? [You¡¯re lucky I was here, Berith clan head. You still have some use for Lady Yasaka.] This brash young clan head just over two centuries in age was a valuable target Yasaka spotted earlier. If he was used carefully, the Old Satan Faction, Great King Faction, or whatever they called themselves, would fail to succeed today. Su! A burst-of-speed later, Atid appeared in his seat. For a dozen seconds or so, there was complete silence. Igor¡¯s sudden attempt at killing an elder caused a full halt to the proceedings. Such an action would¡¯ve resulted in immediate indictment, but who had the liver? Igor¡¯s actions were wrong in every sense of the word but all opposing factions stayed quiet. Zeoticus was particularly¡­not surprised? He¡¯d heard the rumours and saw Igor personally cripple Elder Eunice Gremory. Still, he didn¡¯t agree with his method. But just because he didn¡¯t agree didn¡¯t mean he would speak. [I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t see anything.] It was a shameless action, one that many other clan heads and elders mimicked. But who said a hyena must provoke an elephant? In front of power, friendship is meaningless and at heart, they understood this. The room was silent and if it remained like this, proceedings would not continue. As the leader of the devils, Sirzechs had to fight for them¡­to an extent. Igor¡¯s actions were a bit too much so he had to put a word in. ¡°Lord Dimori. Please limit such actions in future. They interrupt this meeting¡¯s proceedings.¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± That¡­that¡¯s it? Atleast chase him out of the room! Lord Berith was almost brought to tears. ¡°Alright, Lucifer.¡± Igor agreed perfunctorily. Sirzechs¡¯s smile did not match his admonishment. On the other hand, Serafall felt disputed by Lord Berith¡¯s near death. [He just HAD to provoke him.] She wanted no hiccups in this meeting nor did she want problems arising in the near-future. If noises were made that the policy was strong-armed into law, it would cause headaches. She could only hope no one else would be stupid enough to provoke the Aryans. Regardless, this meeting had to continue. And she could start by addressing Lord Berith¡¯s concerns before he nearly¡­disgraced himself. ¡°Lord Berith mentioned his fears of Lady Aurelia tampering with the seals placed on individuals with confidential information. First of all, the Aryans stand to gain little from subterfuge. They would lose their means of income with no faction willing to trade with them.¡± If foreign seal arrays were found, not just the devils, but even the Shinto would refuse to accept Aurelia¡¯s seals. ¡°Secondly, Lady Aurelia is willing to disclose the mechanics behind the seal. Independent researchers from our allies will test and verify the seal¡¯s usage. Thirdly, any devil fit to have a seal placed on them will only have one applied under the oversight of researchers from differing factions. If the seal has a foreign array attached to it, Aurelia and the Aryans by extension will face penalties varying from diplomatic sanctions to alliance discontinuation.¡± Such penalties would effectively garner ostracization from the whole supernatural world. Under such harsh penalties, the Aryans might not make a comeback in centuries to come. Serafall¡¯s counter-argument was solid. Aurelia had nothing to gain by fiddling with the seals. ¡°I implore everyone to propose their questions respectfully. As long as respect is maintained and cordiality is observed, no one shall be interrupted.¡± ¡®Interrupted¡¯ she says. She framed a clan head¡¯s near-death experience as an interruption. Still, Serafall¡¯s words served to inject some guts back into some of the devils. It might seem like a counter-intuitive action, but having everyone voice their opinions would prevent any arguments in the future. Gradually, elders and clan heads began raising questions and arguments. This time, they observed propriety and did not display haughtiness towards the satans. They respectfully stood up and said the concerns. ¡°One year is too short a timeframe to determine if the modified evil pieces will not cause unexpected changes to a devil¡¯s biology.¡± It was a key argument raised by the Head of the Beleth Clan. His imposing figure dominated over the diminutive Serafall, but she did not falter. ¡°I believe my compatriot, Lord Beelzebub will explain better than me.¡± Rising from his seat, Ajuka made his way to the podium while Serafall stepped to the side. He got up the podium and looked at Lord Beleth with a kind smile. ¡°First, I would like to begin by humbly greeting each and everyone of you. To ¡®suade your concerns, Lord Beleth, I would like to thank Lord Agares for his help in eliminating this concerning factor. Under the help of Lord Agares, we have created ChronoStasis Modules, or CSM capsules for short.¡± Behind him, a clear hologram of a person-sized pod appeared. ¡°The CSM will collect information from a person¡¯s body and simulate a hundred years of their life. By collecting biological data and demonic energy, changes over time can be recorded and then added to a simulation feature.¡± A gesture of his hand made a single document appear in front of everyone. ¡°Some details were kept confidential, but this shall explain how it works in greater detail. In short, we need not worry about time issues. We are aware that each reincarnated devil is unique and may respond differently to having a modified piece, but the CSM allows us to catch any concerning changes before they occur.¡± . AN . First off, I would like to comment on the devil¡¯s reaction. I initially assumed some clan heads would kick up a fuss, but Igor callously killing two elders and crippling one probably made most of them adopt a ¡®wait and see¡¯ approach, except Lord Berith. Second, I¡¯m a bit concerned about Sirzechs¡¯s lack of reaction along with the other satans. Logically, it should¡¯ve been Sirzechs who stepped in to stop Igor, not Atid. By my guess, Sirzechs and the other satans were willing to let Lord Berith die. Maybe he was a sacrifice of sorts? We don¡¯t know. We aren¡¯t really privy to what was discussed the night before. Anyway, until the next chapter and thank you for your support. Chapter 258 ¡°The CSM will collect information from a person¡¯s body and simulate a hundred years of their life.¡± A gesture of his hand made a single document appear in front of everyone. ¡°Some details were kept confidential, but this shall summarise how it works. In short, we need not worry about issues. We are aware that each reincarnated devil is unique and may respond differently to having a modified piece, but the CSM allows us to catch any concerning changes before they occur.¡± . |DxD| . Ajuka proudly introduced the innovation developed with the help of Lord Agares. It was truly an unexpected cooperation, a cooperation that dealt a huge blow to Zelefam. [This could be problematic.] The Agares cooperating with the satans would lead to the neutrals voting in favour of this policy. Having the vote of the Archduke placed Zelefam in check. As it stood, it was certainly a guarantee Lord Agares would favour this policy. [This is my lack of oversight.] The Agares were the only pillar clan along with the Gremory that held reservations about the Peerage System due to ethical reasons hundreds of years ago. It only made sense Lord Agares would jump at the opportunity to push for change. [I must propose further counter-arguments.] Zelefam kept a cool head. Reacting untowardly in the face of such circumstances would lead to defeat. The phrasing of his arguments had to change in light of the Shinto¡¯s presence, but the syntax would remain the same. [I¡¯ll have to watch the Aryan.] Lord Berith allowed him to understand Igor¡¯s limits. So far, as long as no perceived disrespect was detected, the boy wouldn¡¯t interfere. It grated Zelefam that he had to dance to the tune of a foreigner, but the Four Satans¡¯s clear tacit approval limited the opportunities he had to indict the boy. [If he killed Lord Berith, I could¡¯ve had some momentum to have him leave this room.] The possibility was slim, but it would¡¯ve been a chance nonetheless. Regardless, the past could not be lamented. Zelefam could only move forward and push his plan one piece at a time for that crucial checkmate. The minutes trickled by and under his lead, several devils from smaller clans proposed questions. ¡°Lord Beelzebub. Your ChronoStasis Module is a fortunate invention, but one that unfortunately rose as the sun set.¡± A clan head from a clan that rose to its current position through merchantry spoke. ¡°Funding these reparations will cause undue strains on our economy, especially considering the light of recent events. Financing the training of dedicated evil piece modifiers, starting a council, all of it requires funds we currently do not have the leeway to allocate. Many of our people currently do not possess adequate means of income. Diverting relief funds to this policy could further damage our already fragile economy.¡± It was a solid argument, one that might possibly see the policy shelved until a further date. But Serafall wouldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Once she motioned Ajuka she would handle it, she stepped forward and spoke. ¡°The consequences of leaving the system unchanged pale in comparison to the untold benefits of exacting it. A recent survey conducted by my team unearthed a concerning level of discontent amongst reincarnated devils. Estimations reveal their productivity is less than thirty-percent of their full capacity. Secondly, there is no need to divert relief funds. We have negotiated with Lord Phenex and he has agreed to temporarily fund our endeavour.¡± In one movement, Serafall respectfully bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, Lord Phenex.¡± ¡°It is my pleasure, Lady Leviathan. I only did what was necessary.¡± Rizen similarly stood up and reciprocated her bow. . . . Silence¡­ Rizen¡¯s sudden change of affiliation made Zelefam grit his teeth. Another slip happened without his knowledge, significantly derailing his plans. [To think he would betray us¡­] It was an unexpected occurrence, especially after Zekram Bael personally paid the Phenex a visit. [We will remember this.] Rizen¡¯s stance deprived Zelefam of his biggest piece. His mental chessboard lost its queen in a completely unexpected attack. His game plan that hinged on this crucial piece now had to be drastically changed. [We will remember this, Phenex.] He only allowed himself to indulge in his rage for a moment before closing his eyes once more. The Phenex were gone. The Gremory were gone in the form of Elder Eunice. The Belith could not be overly relied on. The Astaroth and Sitri showed signs of wavering. The Naberius were also lost---an expected consequence. Even if they weren¡¯t massacred, the stain on their reputation would leave them unusable for future endeavours. The Naberius were a key sacrifice in taking a big leap forward, and the Phenex were the blade that would allow them to capitalise. [According to our calculations, that fox would¡¯ve demanded reparations, leaving our economy in dire straits. If we leveraged the Phenex to our side, the False Satans would be left dancing to our rhythm.]This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The Phenex were a key piece in all of this. Logically, Rizen should¡¯ve fallen to their side after an elder of his clan was crippled like a dog. [Tch!] But he didn¡¯t. Instead, he leaned towards the Satans and went so far as to fund their little policy. Zelefam was getting a bit frustrated. He was now playing a game of chess where the opponent had two queens. The situation was grim but¡­ [I can¡¯t give up yet. I must not disappoint our progenitor.] He still had a few cards he could play. He didn¡¯t want to play one of them this soon, but as the losing side, he could not afford to lose any more ground. [I can only take this risk.] Slowly, he formulated the words in his head before sending them telepathically to Lord Berith. [He is already expendable.] He held no hopes this brash young man only two-centuries in age would live to see the end of today. Since his death was set in stone, Zelefam might as well use Lord Berith one last time. . |DxD| . For a while now, Igor has been paying attention to this man called Zelefam. Ever-so often, he would feel a barely traceable flow of demonic energy that would flow to one of the elders and clan heads. A few seconds later, the person in question would stand up and follow with an argument, seemingly compelled to do so. It was no secret to him this Zelefam was the brains behind the scene. If it weren¡¯t because Sirzechs asked, he would¡¯ve exploded this man¡¯s head. [Tch. Useless politics.] So far, this meeting was rather tame. Unlike the previous week, he couldn¡¯t strong-arm them into voting ¡°yes¡±. He understood Sirzechs¡¯s and Serafall¡¯s concerns, but these pointless proceedings only served to make him despise politics even more. [If I had a say, this whole thing would¡¯ve been over in five minutes max.] It was a shame, to be honest. None of these elders and clan heads carried themselves in such a way that he¡¯d be ¡®legally¡¯ allowed to kill them. They didn¡¯t shout, didn¡¯t scorn the satans, or showed further disrespect towards him, Aurelia, and their allies. The fools learned from the Berith idiot and didn¡¯t try angering him. For once, he wished he didn¡¯t train them so well last week. They were too meek for him to justify crushing their heads. [I was too good.] He propped his elbows on the table and supported his head with his hands. Hours had gone by and he was starting to regret forming an alliance with Sirzechs. If it wasn¡¯t because Aurelia said this would benefit them immensely, he would¡¯ve walked out that door without a care in the world. [This is the last time I get roped into this. Never again-hm?] His attention was grabbed when once more, he felt Zelefam send a strand of demonic energy to Lord Berith. Igor silently observed, curious as to what this pudgy soon-to-be-dead man had to say. ¡°My lords. We have neglected one crucial factor in this discussion.¡± Slowly, Lord Berith turned to face Yasaka. The small smile he had on his face told Igor things were about to get good. ¡°Lady Yasaka. We are aware of our crimes. The loss of the Nekomata due to our oversight is something we cannot compensate for. Our industries and economy have also taken a crucial blow due to their loss. As such, we understand if you want reparations. My humble question is¡­how much?¡± ¡°...¡± The moment Igor heard this question, he knew this man would die by the end of today. In fact, he¡¯d be lucky if he walked out of this hall aliv- ¡°?!¡± It was faint. In this entire room, very few could feel it, but none could feel it as clearly as Igor. Instincts honed from years of fighting allowed him to sense the extreme rage-fueled power this seemingly feeble old monkey held. *Puchi!* Retaliation was quick. Sun Wukong acted with ruthless decisiveness. His staff extended with such extreme speed that it penetrated Lord Berith¡¯s chest. The old monkey purposely missed his heart---aiming right for the middle. The actions were so quick that the moment people noticed Sun Wukong standing on his desk was when they noticed his staff had penetrated right through Lord Berith¡¯s chest. . . . Silence¡­ The Satans did nothing. The Aryans did nothing. The Clan Heads and Elders did nothing. Atid did nothing. Yasaka did nothing. Perhaps they were unprepared. Perhaps they were shocked. Perhaps they were dismissive, but the room fell into silence for a moment. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Drip¡­ The carpet could not muffle the sound of blood dripping. Each second, in sync with the ticking hands of a clock, a drop of blood was absorbed into the carpet. Lord Berith looked at the offending appendage pierced through his chest in shock. He was helpless to move his limbs. The staff completely shattered through his spine, paralysing him from the neck down. ¡°W-Why¡­?¡± The question, instead of garnering pity, re-lit the flames of anger. ¡°You dare to ask why?¡± With ruthless tenacity, Sun Wukong hoisted his staff up along with Lord Berith. Now, Lord Berith was dangling from the air, his entire body weight painfully supported by the staff. *COUGH!* *COUGH!* Blood splattered out of his mouth, the offender caring not for his plight. ¡°Young ¡®uns these days---are their mouths full of faeces?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, Wukong-sama.¡± Yasaka gracefully stood up and directed a gaze filled with killing intent at Lord Berith. Similarly, Lord Berith¡¯s question troubled her deeply. He relegated the lives of their kinsmen to a mere transaction like they were livestock. ¡°I shall answer your question, Berith-san. We have yet to discuss reparations with Lucifer-sama. You see, we do not classify the lives of our people as monetary. However, since coin is the only language you people understand, reparations will be quite significant. But rest assured that we accept monthly deposits. The deployment of this policy will not be affected whatsoever. Though, you no longer need to worry about that, Berith-san. Lord Atid. If you would, please?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Su! Atid disappeared in a burst of speed and appeared right where Lord Berith was skewered in midair. ¡°Repent in your next life.¡± He reeled his fist back and punched Lord Berith¡¯s head clean off his shoulders. Gu! . AN (Quite long. No spoilers) . I know some of you may feel tired about this political drivel and whatnot. Most importantly, some of you may be wondering what Igor and Aurelia gain from this. The answer is¡­a lot, actually. Here¡¯s my guess from what we¡¯ve seen so far. We know that a couple of territories have been ceded to the Aryans as stipulated in the alliance agreement. Aurelia is planning to unlock the curse seals locking human potential. So far, I think she can unlock the first and second seals if I¡¯m not mistaken. But that¡¯s not the point. The point is, I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s trying to do the opposite of what her ancestors did. Remember that the Aryans were a reclusive race that lived in their own dimension. Outside contact with the world was very limited. In short, they most likely had no allies aside from a minority in the Church. They did have a dimensional gate in Italy if I still remember correctly. Moving on, because the Aryans didn¡¯t have allies, it was quite easy to have the whole supernatural world gang up on them. So Aurelia is trying to get as many allies as possible in order to secure a safe space for her people. That is why she¡¯s involved in devil politics by my guess. Think about this. If this policy passes, who will the devils thank? It¡¯ll be her since she¡¯s the main engine driving this entire thing forward. Without her, this whole policy may not have seen the light of day. So she¡¯d earn the full respect of the devils which would lead to any Aryan occupation being acknowledged by all of them. Since she has territories in the Underworld, I¡¯m assuming this is where all the new-generation of Aryans will live. If any for some unknown reason decide to join a peerage, they won¡¯t be signing themselves into slavery and similarly, Igor won¡¯t start killing heirs of pillar clans for reincarnating his people. This is just my two cents. The situation may develop differently in the future. As long as Igor doesn¡¯t die and no second logic-shattering artifact is made prematurely, the Aryans may stand to see their next revival progress smoothly. ¡­ TLDR (Too Long Didn¡¯t Read): Aurelia helps devils. Devils acknowledge Aurelia, Igor, and Aryans by extension. Second-generation Aryans can live in the Underworld without discrimination. Extermination becomes impossible because multiple allies will defend them. Chapter 259 ¡°I shall answer your question, Berith-san. We have yet to discuss reparations with Lucifer-sama. You see, we do not classify the lives of our people as monetary. However, since coin is the only language you people understand, reparations will be quite significant. But rest assured that we accept monthly deposits. The deployment of this policy will not be affected whatsoever. Though, you no longer need to worry about that, Berith-san. Lord Atid. If you would, please?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Su! Atid disappeared in a burst of speed and appeared right where Lord Berith was skewered in midair. ¡°Repent in your next life.¡± He reeled his fist back and punched Lord Berith¡¯s head clean off his shoulders. Gu! . |DxD| . Silence¡­absolute silence. Lord Berith¡¯s head crashed into the wall and fell. The dull thumps it made as it rolled towards the stage was the only audible sound in the hall. His headless body fell on top of Elder Berith. The blood pouring out of his neck stained the old man¡¯s robes, yet Elder Berith was too shell-shocked to react. ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­¡± His voice turned feeble as his hands trembled. Tears of rage spilled as he glared at Atid¡¯s retreating figure. He wanted to curse him, to kill him, to torture him, to maim hi- *Glance* Golden irises filled with immense killing intent silenced Elder Berith. It was just a glance from Atid, but his fighting spirit was crushed. Gu¡­Gu¡­Gu¡­Gu¡­Gu¡­ ¡°...¡± Elder Berith could do nothing as Atid walked away. Each sound of his feet on the floor was like a hammer that nailed down his inadequacies. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord.¡± He hugged the corpse, all while his eyes watered with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Seeing an old man cry was a sorry sight. A clan head was killed. Not an elder, but a clan head. The worst part, it was a foreigner who did the deed. Did they have no shame? No sense of propriety? Did these foreigners really not respect them as devils? [He¡­he actually¡­] [Sigh¡­Lord Berith really had no tact.] [Are the Satans truly going to do nothing? A clan head just died!] [We have aroused the rage of a sleeping tiger. I¡¯m afraid one can only endure.] The Devils had varying reactions to this ordeal. Some gnashed their teeth. Others gripped their seats so hard the wood cracked. The rest only sighed and accepted the situation as it is---because what could they do? Nonetheless, a powder keg was threatening to burst in the hall. Igor¡¯s actions prior could be tactfully ignored, but not Atid¡¯s. Killing a clan head right in front of them was tantamount to spitting on their face. No matter what, they still had a reputation to keep. The satans might no longer care about theirs, but they as clan heads still di- ¡°You people have rotten bananas for brains, don¡¯t you.¡± It was a statement, not a question. Sun Wukong retracted his staff and let it disappear in a brief flash of light. His eyes were covered, but his intense gaze caused fists to unclench and jaws to relax. ¡°I think all of you are forgetting something extremely vital. Your leaders have pampered you so well you¡¯ve forgotten your places. So let me remind you. We can declare war on the devils. Have no illusions of your victory. You will be defeated and executed publically---each and everyone of you.¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s words were equivalent to dousing a candle flame with a waterfall. The old devils understood the power the Shinto wielded. There might be some hopeful element of victory over the yokai, but not the Shinto. It wouldn¡¯t be a war. It¡¯d be a massacre. ¡°The only reason why there isn¡¯t an army of angry gods behind us is because of these four.¡± Sun Wukong pointed to the Four Satans on the stage. ¡°Sitri convinced us to lower our arms. Gremory convinced us to come and negotiate. Glaysa-Labolas showed his sincerity by rescuing our young ¡®uns and Astaroth convinced us of his willingness to repair damages done by your kind for years. If it were not for these four, I would¡¯ve killed every one of ya bumbling bastards without a second thought.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The old monkey did not mince his words. He held a great realm of hatred for the devils responsible for this massacre. The Four Satan¡¯s sincere attitude told him they were also victims of political schemes, schemes he hated the most. ¡°Tch! Disgusting cunts.¡± If he had more mouths, he would¡¯ve spit on all of them. All of these so-called clan heads were useless. If they weren¡¯t guilty, they were bystanders. Even fathers did little-to-nothing to help their children. His gaze particularly focused on Zeoticus, Lord Astaroth and Lord Glaysa-Labolas. No wonder the devils did not advance all these years. If even the parents didn¡¯t help their children, then who¡¯d expect others to do so? ¡°Useless.¡± He spat out the word and sat down once more. Lord Berith¡¯s corpse was of no concern to him. These devils couldn¡¯t do anything to him anyway. He¡¯d send them on the path to reincarnation if they tried¡­if they could even reincarnate at all. The death of Lord Berith aroused some tension, but the meeting carried on¡­to an extent. The logical solution in such a scenario would be to postpone matters until a later date so they could clear their minds. But they weren¡¯t humans so Serafall had it continue. Everyone here was an adult who¡¯d seen blood. Their mental acuity could not be compared to those of shorter-lived races. They may have lost a brethren, but it was his fault for mouthing off after all. If Lord Agares didn¡¯t cause a fuss, then the rest wouldn¡¯t kick up one. . |DxD| . The moment Lord Berith died, Zelefam knew his gamble had failed. In fact, he knew from that moment onwards there was little hope of this meeting turning out in his favour, especially when Sun Wukong complimented Ajuka. The Aryans and the Shinto were working together with the Four Satans. This lineup alone was not something he could contend against, not with his limited resources. [This woman should¡¯ve been killed.] He did not look at her, but he cursed Aurelia¡¯s name in his head. Without her, this entire thing would¡¯ve grinded to a halt. [No. I shouldn¡¯t disrupt my focus. Taking her life is no longer a feasible option.] Disregarding Igor¡¯s rage, the Shinto would launch a full investigation and sooner or later, the kill order might be traced back to him. At that point, his family might suffer for his lack of oversight. He did not want to become a sinner that all descendants would spit upon. Sigh¡­ [This policy will be passed into existence by the end of today.] His fists unclenched at this self-imposed realisation. It was a solemn truth, but one he had to accept. If the Shinto were neutral, there was a chance. But since they aligned with the New Satans, there was no chance, atleast not in this hall. [Diplomatic actions are no longer a viable solution.] The Baels were powerful, but they could not contend with this triple alliance. The New Satan Faction had the support of the populace. The Aryans had overwhelming strength surpassing the Satans. The Yokai were one of the richest factions on the planet. [I shall reconvene with Lord Progenitor and discuss further plans.] Zelefam no longer had any plans of trying to combat this policy. He listened to the arguments the other clan heads and elders made, but they were all quickly shut down. Secure benefits? Serafall had the moral high ground here. They wouldn¡¯t be able to gain any benefits at all, not to mention protect their interests. Fortunately or unfortunately, some of them were smart enough to remain quiet. Anyone with eyes could see the Four Satans had won. Just having Lord Phenex and Lord Agares show their unwavering support was more than enough reason for the neutrals to align with the Satans. And so as the arguments dwindled, the time to vote drew closer. After a few minutes of mandatory silence for new arguments to surface passed, Serafall happily announced the time to vote. . |DxD| . The voting process was simple. There was a small booth by the corner of the hall where each clan head would go and vote. The elders only had the power to vote for a policy into consideration, not into law. The only exception was the elder from the Sitri Clan since their clan head could not attend due to the Sleep Disease. One by one, each clan head would get up from their seat, walk to the booth, and return to their seat in silence. [This is probably the most they¡¯ve exercised.] Igor couldn¡¯t help but hold that silent remark in his head. He still found it funny that High Class scrubs had the ability to influence a race¡¯s entire direction. [They¡¯d be minced meat in a battlefield.] Atleast there was one benefit of their weakness. They had no unity. They only knew how to look out for their own skin. If they had unity, it might¡¯ve been harder for Sirzechs¡¯s plan to work. Regardless, Igor was not anxious. Since voting has begun, it meant this meeting was coming to an end. Lord Berith¡¯s corpse had already been removed so no one stumbled on it. It was quite sad to die without a complete body. [I don¡¯t know whether to praise his guts or question his intelligence.] He sat idly on his table and silently observed the proceedings. The last clan head walked up the steps and once he sat down, Falbium entered the booth and took out a box. He showed the box for everyone to see and sense it wasn¡¯t tampered with. After a few seconds, he let it hover in midair when a small magic circle formed under the box. Vwong! Immediately, the sounds of paper whirring ensued. The sound gradually faded until the results of the votes displayed directly above the box in hologram format. The screen was large with two large columns titled ¡°FOR¡± and ¡°AGAINST¡±. Below those headings were percentages and unsurprisingly, the policy had an overwhelming victory with over seventy percent of the votes under ¡°FOR¡±. Instantly, the faces of many devils turned ugly. A few couldn¡¯t help but click their tongues, but Zelefam paid them no attention. Roughly thirty percent voted for the policy¡¯s approval, yet over sixty percent of the devils showed expressions of disapproval. [Confidentiality precautions have to be taken after this. Betrayal is an inevitability.] It was clear some of the heads from smaller clans faked their displeased attitudes. This was already a sign of shifted loyalties. It would not surprising if in future, these clan heads would offer confidential information to the Satans in exchange for protection. [I must prevent that.] Zelefam¡¯s thoughts shifted from the policy. Right now, what was important was erasing any evidence of their involvement with the Nekomata Massacre. Rather than fruitlessly trying to advance, it was better to fortify their current position. From here onwards, it was official. The Peerage Overhaul Policy would be passed into law, and nothing could stop it. . AN . I have to say this. Disregarding the motives, I like this Zelefam guy. I¡¯m no planner nor am I an intellectual, but I admire his decisiveness in stepping back. We are already up to chapter 264 on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. If you want to read ahead, simply search for HolyGambler. Thanks for reading and until the next chapter. Chapter 260 [Confidentiality precautions have to be taken after this. Betrayal is an inevitability.] It was clear some of the heads from smaller clans faked their displeased attitudes. This was already a sign of shifted loyalties. It would not surprising if in future, these clan heads would offer confidential information to the Satans in exchange for protection. [I must prevent that.] Zelefam¡¯s thoughts shifted from the policy. Right now, what was important was erasing any evidence of their involvement with the Nekomata Massacre. Rather than fruitlessly trying to advance, it was better to fortify their current position. From here onwards, it was official. The Peerage Overhaul Policy would be passed into law, and nothing could stop it. . |DxD| . The streets of the Underworld were packed to the brim with cheering devils. News of the Overhaul Policy being passed into law made all avenues of media. Reincarnated Devils were the ones who cheered the most. ¡°It¡¯s here! It really happened! IT REALLY HAPPENED!¡± ¡°Three-hundred years. I¡­I never thought I¡¯d see this. Is this¡­is this really¡­true?¡± ¡°Haha! I can finally ditch that scumbag master of mine!¡± ¡°Honey! Did you hear what Lady Leviathan said? Did you hear?!¡± Tears of relief, cries of joy, and yells of jubilance could be heard for dozens of kilometres. From the most prestigious of cities to the humblest of villages, everyone heard the news and celebrated. Old reincarnated devils who¡¯d long since given up on experiencing true freedom shed tears as they watched the news from the devices of their children and descendants. September 5th, 1999 would be a day to remember---for it represented a new period in the history of devilkind. . |DxD| . Igor and Atid were watching the wave of cheering devils from one of the taller buildings in the city of Lilith. They sat on the edge of the roof and watched with neutral gazes as countless devils celebrated with exuberance. For the Devils, this was a day that would start new beginnings. For these two, it was just another Sunday. ¡°The Satans sure have a lot of work cut out for them.¡± The streets were completely clogged and magic fireworks peppered the skies. With people cheering so much, expectations were sure to be high. ¡°They do, brother. And your sister too. She¡¯ll be busy modifying each devil¡¯s Evil Piece after this.¡± ¡°Mm. She¡¯ll be busy alright.¡± Igor agreed with Atid¡¯s statement. They heard Serafall¡¯s and Ajuka¡¯s speeches when they described the rollout plan. ¡°I hope she won¡¯t overwork herself. Lia can become too absorbed in her projects sometimes. But enough about her.¡± Igor turned to face Atid. ¡°What are you doing here? Seriously, brother. You can¡¯t tell me Uncle Indra let you skip training for Yasaka.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡± Atid chuckled at Igor¡¯s light jab. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, brother. Father wants me to experience more of the world. It was by coincidence when Uncle Sun was asked by Lady Yasaka to accompany her as a delegate to the Underworld. Since I¡¯m also his disciple, there was no problem with me accompanying them.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor scrutinised Atid carefully because¡­he didn¡¯t believe him. Rather, he didn¡¯t believe in Indra. He knew the god far too well. ¡°Bullshit. Tell me the honest truth.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Pfft¡­pwahahaha!¡± Atid broke out in a chuckle. Igor¡¯s disbelieving expression caught him offguard. ¡°Hahaha. Of course you¡¯d figure it out.¡± He wiped a single tear from his eye. ¡°Haaaaa, Brother. What I said before is partially true. But what father wants for me to do is to also earn a reputation like yours. As it stands, your name is being spread across the supernatural world. Father wants mine to spread as well.¡± ¡°...¡± *Clenches Fists!* ¡°No wonder you stole my kill!¡± His nostrils flared up in rage. Lord Berith was his target yet Atid had the guts to stop him? ¡°Bloody hell! Shit! I¡¯ll beat you up here!¡± He decisively formed a ki blast in his hand. ¡°Wait, Igor! Let me explain!¡± Atid knew his temperamental friend very well. Igor really would dare to fight him in a period of celebration. On another day, he¡¯d be very willing. But not today because that would reflect poorly on Yasaka! ¡°Listen, brother! That guy was already marked by Lady Yasaka before the meeting ever began. If you killed him right then, then her plan would¡¯ve been ruined. That¡¯s why I stopped you.¡± Steadily, Atid told Igor of the plan. When Yasaka arrived and entered the hall, she heard Lord Berith make a lewd yet racist comment about her. Instead of being angry, she saw an opportunity. The older clan heads were more reserved and shrewd, but this young buck would be easy to influence. So she subtly influenced him with senjutsu and bolstered his bravery. This type of unrestrained person would serve as her leverage in interfering in Devil Politics. She just didn¡¯t expect him to say such demeaning words, but his purpose was served so he was killed. ¡°...¡± In face of such ridiculous manipulation, Igor could only lower his hand with a frown. ¡°Politicians. They will take a thousand-kilometre detour just to reach a destination one kilometre from them. Why do you people always go for hard solutions? Are you that afraid of stepping on some toes?¡± He understood, but he also couldn¡¯t accept it. Unlike Igor, Atid just shrugged. ¡°It is what it is, Brother. We can¡¯t have disputes coming up in the future. If suspicion is thrown that the current Satans are nothing more than puppets, then destabilization would occur.¡± Igor waved him off. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I understand that part. I just don¡¯t like it so don¡¯t expect me to follow it.¡± ¡°Hehe. Perhaps only you can speak like that, brother.¡± ¡°It comes with training my guts out. I¡¯m not tap-dancing around weaklings.¡± Atid smiled wryly. Igor truly had the most interesting perspective. ¡°That¡¯s just how the supernatural world works, brother.¡± ¡°Not unless we use our fists. Because let me tell you, Atid. If we wanted to, we could kill the Four Satans and rule the Devils.¡± ¡°...¡± Atid fell silent. Igor¡¯s words were¡­true? They were surprisingly true now that Atid gave it some thought. But those words weren¡¯t something that should be said out loud. ¡°Have some tact, Igor.¡± ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡± The blonde shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m saying the possibility is there. Just like how Lord Shiva can decide one day to up and kill me. Maybe the chance is zero-point-something percent, but it¡¯s not truly zer- wait. What were we talking about again?¡± ¡°...¡± *Mouth Twitch* This idiot. Sometimes he would gain those few moments of wisdom before he reverted back to factory settings. ¡°Hahahahahahaha! Truly an interesting perspective, brat. Truly!¡± The old sage appeared between the boys and sat on the edge of the tower. The smile on his face was bright and he couldn¡¯t help but pat Igor on the shoulder a few times. ¡°I never expected you could think like that, brat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m wrong. If I wanted, I could dominate the Underworld and rule with an iron fist. I just can¡¯t be bothered. That¡¯s probably why Lucy even agreed to the alliance in the first place.¡± ¡°Lucy? Who¡¯s Lucy?¡± It was Atid who asked. He didn¡¯t recall of anyone called Lucy. ¡°He means Lucifer, brat. That¡¯s his nickname.¡± ¡°Pff- what?¡± Atid¡¯s worldview was shattered. He did not expect the Crimson Satan, Leader of the Devils, an entity present on the list of Top 10 strongest beings, would effectively be demoted to ¡®Lucy¡¯. ¡°...¡± Atid found it a bit hard to accept. The name ¡®Lucifer¡¯, an honoured name for the devils was degraded by his idiot of a brother. But it also made him realise how strong him and Igor were. If it were someone else, they¡¯d be killed on the spot. *Cough* *Cough* He cleared his throat before leaning in to whisper. ¡°Brother. Don¡¯t let the devils hear what you said otherwise¡­Sirzechs wouldn¡¯t know where to bury himself.¡± Igor pushed away this idiot who was dangerously close to his face. ¡°I know, I know. I only call him Lucy when he¡¯s with his friends. By the way. What are you doing here, monkey sage? Shouldn¡¯t you be doing political stuff?¡± Sun Wukong¡¯s expression turned ugly. ¡°Brat. Believe me when I say I will whack you across this city. You know how I don¡¯t like these meetings. That lass Yasaka can handle it herself.¡± . |DxD| . Yasaka was in Sirzechs¡¯s office sitting across from the owner in question. The two enjoyed a cup of tea in amiable silence with dozens of thousands of cheers serving as the background noise. It was the sound of success. Unlike earlier in the morning, Sirzechs was in a much better mood. The policy successfully passed into law. His friends were handling the after-effects and implementation after his speech. Since he handled the load this whole time, it was time they did their share and let him rest. The critical stage had passed. No matter what methods the Old Satan Faction had, they could no longer influence the policy. Now, all Sirzechs had to do was deal with the mess the Naberius left him. He put his cup down and propped his elbows on the table. ¡°Lady Yasaka. I am fully aware the lives of the Nekomata cannot be relegated to a mere transaction. As such, I am willing to listen to whatever demands you may have.¡± He was ready for Yasaka to make him bleed. The Nekomata were already somewhat rare and their population was concentrated in the Underworld. If push comes to shove, he¡¯d ¡®reallocate¡¯ funds from some clans like the Naberius. ¡°Your willingness is appreciated, Lucifer-sama.¡± Yasaka put down her cup of tea. ¡°As for reparations, would it be too much for you if you rebuild the Nekomata Village?¡± ¡°...¡± The gears slowly churned in Sirzechs¡¯s head. The condition Yasaka proposed confused him greatly, until¡­realisation. ¡°?!¡± . AN . I¡¯m curious as to what will happen to Shirone and Kuroka. Chapter 261 ¡°Lady Yasaka. I am fully aware the lives of the Nekomata cannot be relegated to a mere transaction. As such, I am willing to listen to whatever demands you may have.¡± He was ready for Yasaka to make him bleed. The Nekomata were already somewhat rare and their population was concentrated in the Underworld. If push comes to shove, he¡¯d ¡®reallocate¡¯ funds from some clans like the Naberius. ¡°Your willingness is appreciated, Lucifer-sama.¡± Yasaka put down her cup of tea. ¡°As for reparations, would it be too much for you if you rebuild the Nekomata Village?¡± ¡°...¡± The gears slowly churned in Sirzechs¡¯s head. The condition Yasaka proposed confused him greatly, until¡­realisation. ¡°?!¡± . |DxD| . Sirzechs remembered the devastating sight of the Nekomata Village like it was yesterday. The stench of the corpses, the limbs peeking beneath the rubble, the burning flames¡­everything was clear in his head. He saw the bodies himself. Under such grievous injuries, it was impossible for the Nekomata to be alive. Sigh¡­ He shook his head tiredly. [I thought too far.] Yasaka¡¯s words made him delusional. Perhaps all she wanted was the town to be built as a memorial of sorts. Or maybe there would be another group of Nekomata who would go and live there. Regardless of reasons, he would fulfill her request. ¡°I will have our best teams work on it as soon as possible, Lady Yasaka.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe himself. For a moment he thought the Nekomata were alive---a foolish notion. ¡°Fufu~¡± Sirzechs¡¯s reactions did not go unnoticed by Yasaka. The brief flashes of surprise and most importantly, hope, did not escape her senses. Inwardly, she approved of Sirzechs more and more. It showed he didn¡¯t view yokai as people of lower caste. ¡°You know, Lucifer-sama, your thought process is not entirely incorrect.¡± She looked at him with a teasing glance. There was no need for her to elaborate. A smart man like Sirzechs would figure what she meant. ¡°...¡± Indeed, a small sparkle of hope ignited in his eyes. ¡°Lady Yasaka. Do you mean that¡­¡± He dared not finish his sentence. A wrong presumption would only further sour relations between them. ¡°Yes, Lucifer-sama. The Nekomata are still alive.¡± She nodded with a smile. Her clear and concise words echoed throughout the room. Krrrrr! The chair scraped the floor as Sirzechs abruptly stood up. He gripped the edges of his table tightly. The wood creaked under the force of his hold. His knuckles turned white, anticipation filling his eyes. ¡°I need to see them!¡± The death of the Nekomata was always a heavy weight in his heart, a terrible outcome aroused by his incompetence. Having a whole race slaughtered under his eyes would always remain a sore point in his life. But to hear they were alive---he desperately wanted to see them¡­needed to see them. ¡°Where are-¡± ¡°Please calm down, Lucifer-sama.¡± Yasaka put a dampener on his enthusiasm with a small smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait until everyone is free? That way, we can all go and see them.¡± ¡°...¡± Slowly, Sirzechs realised the brashness of his actions. He was indeed a bit too eager. ¡°Apologies, Lady Yasaka. I was too rash.¡± He took his seat once more and calmed his excitement. Serafall, Ajuka, Falbium, and Aurelia were embroiled in work and would be kept busy until late evening at most. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how did the Nekomata survive?¡± It was a question he desperately wanted to know.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We have to thank Aurelia-chan for that. She had a suspicion the devils would try to harm the Nekomata for reasons of self-interest. So out of caution, she worked alongside the village chiefs to create a large barrier that would induce very realistic illusions.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs felt a bit of horror at Yasaka¡¯s insinuation. He personally walked through those streets. If everything he saw truly was an illusion¡­ ¡°Lady Yasaka-¡± ¡°Fufu~. I know you don¡¯t believe me. But you¡¯ll see for yourself soon. In the meantime, can we go and see those little ones? Wukong-sama has been anxious for a while now.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sirzechs could only temporarily put aside his doubts. If Aurelia can create seals that could even fool someone of his calibre, then her reputation was well-deserved. . |DxD| . Luxury, opulence, and tons of food---that is what could best describe the current living conditions of Kuroka and Shirone. The two girls were treated like royalty, a true definition of rags to riches. They were in a rather modest two-floor house situated far from the bustling noise of the city. The place was maintained by a few devils who managed the house. They were kind and did not discriminate against the two of them. In the dining room, the two girls were set to have a feast. Shirone¡¯s little mouth was covered in oil from the meat she was eating. Her small hands clumsily held a piece of steak ready to enter her mouth after she finished chewing. A devil maidservant stood at her side and continued to cut the steak into small pieces for the little Neko¡¯s enjoyment. Next to Shirone was Kuroka. Unlike her sister, Kuroka was a little nervous. The table was filled with plates of hot food and drinks, yet her wariness kept her appetite from blossoming. It¡¯s been only two days since they were caught by a bald man---and she was so close to reaching her village! If it weren¡¯t because she sensed a large number of devils, she would¡¯ve made it before they got captured. Fortunately, this devil didn¡¯t seem to bear hostile intentions against her and Shirone. He instead shoved them in this fancy house and had two women personally take care of them. What plans he had for them, she didn¡¯t know, but she couldn¡¯t bear to worry her little sister. [Please let nothing happen to her.] As long as Shirone survived, she¡¯d accept anything¡­even if it meant becoming an experiment again. ¡°Miss Kuroka. Please eat your food before it gets cold.¡± The woman at her side took the initiative to pick out a steak for her and put it on her plate. She then cut the meat into smaller portions that could be picked up using a chopstick. Kuroka did not know what to say to this feeling of being babied. The woman¡¯s smile certainly was sincere, which only made Kuroka more unsure since the woman was a devil. It could be fake for all she knew. ¡°There. Doesn¡¯t that look scrumptious?¡± ¡°...¡± Honestly, it really did. Shirone certainly did. Sigh¡­ Kuroka took her chopsticks and obediently ate the pieces of meat. Whether it was poisoned or not, she no longer cared. This was the heart of devil territory. There was no escaping, especially when she knew that bald man could easily find her. [I really hope nothing bad happens.] She continued to eat while the lady at her side enthusiastically picked out some meat and veggies for her. The minutes dragged on and the two girls continued to eat in silence. But soon enough, a change happened. ¡°?!¡± Her hand froze. Five powerful energy signatures suddenly appeared outside the house. They were suppressed, but she could feel them clearly through her senjutsu. Clatter! Clatter! She dropped her chopsticks and all eyes turned to her. But she didn¡¯t care¡­didn¡¯t notice. Her eyes were focused on the door. From what she could sense, these people were walking up a pathway, and all of them were behemoths equal-to or far-surpassing the bald man. The only reason, the only reason she was not doused in panic was because she sensed the familiar aura of her people. Two yokai were amongst the group of people approaching and for once, a faint sense of hope aroused in her. There were two yokai. That much she was sure of. Then there was one devil. His power was scary, but it didn¡¯t compare to the two¡­humans? [Focus, Kuroka!] She didn¡¯t know what their intentions were, but she only hoped their intentions were benign. Steadily, the energy signatures neared until she heard the muffled sound of bickering coming from beyond the door. ¡°-brother. You can¡¯t just rush in and eat.¡± ¡°Says who? I can smell the food from here.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can just eat it.¡± ¡°Bullshit! I¡¯m hungrier than a bear after hibernation. Unless you want me to eat you instead? I¡¯ve never had dragon meat before.¡± ¡°What?! You want a piece of me?!¡± ¡°You bet I do! In fact, let¡¯s go! Right here! Right now!¡± ¡°Why you little-¡± *THWACK!* *THWACK!* ¡°You two darn brats! You¡¯re causing a fuss!¡± She heard the voice of an elder admonish the two boys. There were aggrieved mumbles, but the boys quietened down until they soon reached the door. BA! The door was slammed open by a teenager with blonde hair tied in a ponytail. He was seventeen or eighteen by her guess and just from seeing him, she could confirm he wasn¡¯t a devil. ¡°Meat!¡± He shouted in jubilation. He gave her and Shirone a side glance, but his focus was on the food on the table. He swaggered forward while those behind him watched with varying sighs of disappointment ¡°Someone bring me a plate. I¡¯m starving!¡± He pulled a seat and sat down without invitation. One of the servants helplessly brought him a plate, a gesture which told Kuroka this¡­human(?), was someone important. ¡°Brother Igor. Have some decorum.¡± The teen with brown hair walked over. ¡°We have to respect someone¡¯s dwelling.¡± His voice was light yet commanding, yet it clearly couldn¡¯t command the one called Igor. ¡°Meh. I¡¯m sure Falbium wouldn¡¯t mind. We¡¯re brothers who understand each other. Besides, too many hours have gone by without me eating, Atid.¡± ¡°...¡± The one called Atid also held his stomach. Indeed, Igor¡¯s words aroused the hunger in his stomach. The decorum he spoke of? It flew out the window. Helplessly, he looked at one of the maidservants. ¡°Please bring me another plate.¡± Igor dug into the meat without a care in the world while Atid sat down next to him. The ravenous sound of Igor chomping his meat seemed to irk Atid a bit, which prompted him to speak. ¡°You really are a glutton, brother. I hope you choke on that meat.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± *Chew* *Chew* *Chew* *Swallow* *Wipes lips* ¡°Atleast I have a gag reflex.¡± ¡°Hmph. Whatev¡­wait a minute.¡± The tension in the air slowly rose. ¡°What are you implying?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. Why? You have a¡­problem?¡± The two boys glared at each other. One could swear they could see lightning flash between them. Each held on to their seats, daring the other to make the first move. Sigh¡­ Finally, the man in royal armour couldn¡¯t remain a bystander anymore, not when these two were on the verge of fighting again. He stepped between them in an effort to mediate. It was clear these two truly would fight if no one stopped them. ¡°Dimori-kun. Lord Atid. Please calm down.¡± Igor was quick to shrug his shoulders and deny responsibility. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, Lucifer. Atid started this whole thing.¡± Kuroka couldn¡¯t help but find this whole situation a bit funny. These two were like oil and water, yet they were also friends. It was a funny contradiction, but that thought quickly evaporated when she processed what the blonde said. ¡°Lucifer?!?!¡± . AN . Thanks for reading. My p.a.t.r.e.o.n is there if you want to read further. Just look for HolyGambler. Until the next chapter. Chapter 262 ¡°Dimori-kun. Lord Atid. Please calm down.¡± Igor was quick to shrug his shoulders and deny responsibility. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, Lucifer. Atid started this whole thing.¡± Kuroka couldn¡¯t help but find this whole situation a bit funny. These two were like oil and water, yet they were also friends. It was a funny contradiction, but that thought quickly evaporated when she processed what the blonde said. ¡°Lucifer?!?!¡± . |DxD| . All eyes turned to face the young Nekushou. Her face was white from fright. Her tail stood ramrod straight, almost as if she was ready to escape at any moment. Her high-pitched squeal of fright aroused a few snickers from the servants gathered around. Her mouse-like scream was especially endearing. Sirzechs smiled helplessly and broke away from Yasaka. If he didn¡¯t do anything, this girl would certainly have a heart attack. ¡°Hello. You must be Kuroka. And you must be Shirone.¡± ¡°?¡± Shirone looked up from where she was eating. Her bright yellow eyes hovered over Sirzechs¡¯s form before she uttered one word. ¡°Hello nya~.¡± And just like that, she was back to eating. She harboured no thoughts about the strange people in the room. They didn¡¯t feel weird so it was fine. On the other hand, Kuroka wasn¡¯t as casual as her sister. She knew full well the only person called ¡®Lucifer¡¯ was the leader of the Devils. But, what would such a figure be doing here?! There was no time to figure it out. She could only quickly lower her head. ¡°Y-yes, Lucifer-sama. My name is Kuroka and I humbly greet you also on behalf of my sister.¡± At this moment, Kuroka was so nervous her verbal tic was nowhere to be seen. Her danger senses were blaring and her hair stood on end. If the current Lucifer bore ill-intent against her, there was no running, no hiding, and no escapi- ¡°?!¡± Her body shivered when a pair of soft and tender hands touched her hair. Soon, those same hands cupped her cheeks and gently forced her to look up. She was met with the teary gaze of a woman, a fox yokai from the scent. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered so much.¡± Yasaka felt sad when she felt how nervous Kuroka was. She could only imagine how if would feel if it was her daughter who was like this. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°...¡± Kuroka was left in a daze when she was suddenly hugged. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time in her life where she was held like this. The only time she was held like this, the only time she felt this warmth was on the day before her mother died along with her father. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Kuroka. I¡¯m sorry I have to place this burden on you. But¡­they¡¯re too close. I can¡¯t let them succeed.¡¯ Her mother¡¯s silhouette slowly bled together with Yasaka¡¯s. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± This feeling, this contrast¡­she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. Drip¡­Drip¡­ Yasaka¡¯s embrace was warm and slowly, Kuroka found herself shedding tears. Those gentle hands circling her back were like bulldozers that dug away her defences. ¡°Onee-chan?¡± Shirone could no longer sit still when she saw her sister cry. She immediately pushed off her chair and ran to her. The maidservant attending to the little Neko didn¡¯t hinder her. Like the rest, they watched this heartwarming atmosphere. ¡°Onee-chan. Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t cry, onee-chan.¡± The little six-year-old tugged at her sister¡¯s skirt, her eyes growing teary as well. Unwittingly, Yasaka also pulled the little Neko into her embrace, even going so far as to hug them with all of her tails. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kuroka, Shirone. But from today, I promise you will be safe.¡± Those words were like the final hit that cracked open the dam. Years of insecurity, fear, and sadness burst out at the critical moment. Kuroka could no longer hold it. ¡°Waaaaa¡­¡± She wept. Her tears came out in droves. Yasaka¡¯s words directly triggered the deepest part of her. After their mother died, only she knew how much she suffered to keep her little sister safe. Only she knew what she endured under that man¡¯s knife day and night. The only thing, the only thing that kept her going was her sister---the hope that Shirone and maybe her, might make it out and have a better future. Now? Now it was here. It was here. . |DxD| . Yasaka¡¯s fluffy tails shrouded the two girls in their warmth. She comforted them like a mother, reassuring them of the better days to come. But, there was a problem. [Sooo¡­] Igor watched the trio cry with a somewhat confused gaze.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. [Do I eat or not?] There was already a piece of meat in his mouth but he was afraid his chewing would disrupt the atmosphere. [Should I?] It wasn¡¯t that he was heartless. He was just really hungry. If he knew this scene would happen, he would¡¯ve dished up and ate outside. [If it wasn¡¯t loud, I would¡¯ve used Instant Transmission.] Unfortunately, that tell-tale high-pitched sound when he tore space would be more than enough to sully the atmosphere. [Maybe if I leave quietly they won¡¯t notice?] It was a good solution. If he used superspeed, they wouldn¡¯t even notice he was gone. So under Atid¡¯s curious eye, he began taking pieces of meat from a bowl and piling them on his plate. The height soon reached the length of a person¡¯s face, something Atid would never accept. Igor wasn¡¯t the only one who was hungry. So he placed his hand on Igor¡¯s shoulder and glared at the blonde with a fiery gaze. In those few seconds, an intense stare-down ensued where they subtly threatened each other through intent alone. [Oh no you don¡¯t, Igor. Not under my watch.] [Oh yes I will. Watch me do it.] [I won against you before. I¡¯ll do it again.] [Things change. I¡¯ll be the one who wins this time.] [Really? Want to test that out?] [As long as you¡¯re not pansy enough to chicken out.] The two boys glared at each other, unaware the fragile atmosphere had long since been crushed by their battle intent. [These idiots¡­] Sun Wukong could no longer find it within him to interrupt these two. In a short span of time, they¡¯ve nearly fought three times. Each time he tried to stop them, the time between their confrontation would shorten. [They¡¯re always like this¡­] These two could be the best of brothers and the worst of enemies within a snap of a finger. The only way they could ever go back to being brothers is if they fought until exhaustion. Sigh¡­ He gave up. Separating them now would only lead to a worse confrontation five minutes later. ¡°Igor. Atid. Limit your fight to the skies. Don¡¯t harm the people or the environment.¡± Their agreement was swift. ¡°¡°Got it.¡±¡± Su!¡­Su! . |DxD| . Beautiful cloudless skies, the warm afternoon sun, and a prime view of the mountains and valleys---the perfect recipe to relax under the shade of an umbrella. Unfortunately, two fighters decided to christen the skies with a fireworks display of their battle. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Two dozen minutes have passed since the surprising interruption. Igor and Atid fought to their heart¡¯s content after the old sage gave them the okay. Yasaka, Sun Wukong, Sirzechs, Kuroka, and Shirone were outside watching the two boys fight. Sirzechs stood next to Sun Wukong with his arms crossed while Yasaka had the two girls to her side. All of them watched with some element of interest at their fight. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Each clash caused explosions and shockwaves to resound like fireworks. No matter what one would say, watching two boys go at it with vigour was an interesting way to spend an afternoon. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± CLASH! They fought each other without any scruples. Their figures flickered in and out of existence, their attacks executed at speeds far too fast for the naked eye to see. Atid had his sacred gear. Igor had his Kaioken. They were neck and neck. Their muscles bulged as they faced each other in a contest of strength. Neither was willing to let the other win. ¡°[BOOST!]¡± ¡°Times-ten!¡± Gruuuu! It was only fortunate these two kept their power within the confines of God Class. Otherwise once they entered their ascended forms, there would be chaos. BOOOM! The clash of their aura caused an explosion that forced them apart, but they soon charged at each other like magnets. Su! ¡­Su! CLASH! Their fists and kicks were like blurs. Sometimes their figures would freeze like a game with a high ping before they¡¯d suddenly appear a few metres away. [These idiots. Couldn¡¯t they just hold it in?] Sun Wukong could swear he¡¯s aged by fifty years ever since these two brats got together. [They better not cause any trouble.] The moment he had that thought, he realised he was asking for the impossible. The first time they met, they fought and destroyed the canteen hall. Now he hoped they wouldn¡¯t destroy this villa. It¡¯d be embarrassing if that happened. [Atleast the little ones are enjoying it.] Shirone and Kuroka were particularly engrossed in their battle, especially Kuroka. The power these two exerted trumped everything she¡¯d ever seen in her life. Their blazing figures, their speed, the power behind their strikes, all of it aroused something in her. [This power¡­] If she had this power¡­ *Clenches Fists* ¡­neither her, Shirone, and her mother would¡¯ve suffered under that scum of her father and her master. If she had this power, she could¡¯ve killed the entire Naberius, took Shirone, and walked backwards to her village without anyone daring to strike her. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Her fierce expression did not go unnoticed by the adults, especially Sirzechs. He was happy she wasn¡¯t broken, but¡­ Sigh¡­ [So many things happened without our knowledge. If we were a little more wary, the Naberius would¡¯ve never been so bold.] Just a teenager, yet her thoughts deviated far from girls her age. At an age where she should be thinking of makeup and beautifying herself, she harboured thoughts no one so young should ever have to hold. ¡°I want to get stronger!¡± Her shout was startling. It was a declaration that came suddenly, but they could understand her feelings. ¡°Kuroka-chan. You¡¯re safe here. There¡¯s no need to worry-¡± ¡°No!¡± She directly shut Yasaka off. Her mother said the exact same thing to her all those years ago and look where that got them. ¡°I have to get stronger!¡± Devil wings formed behind her before she took flight. Whoosh! Dust and pebbles scattered when she took off. She flew towards the boys with determination. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Let her go, Yasaka. She must feel for herself if this is what she wants. Besides, the boys won¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°...¡± Yasaka weakly lowered her hand under Sun Wukong¡¯s behest. She knew best how intense battles between powerful entities could be. Just the shockwaves from their strikes were deadly to those not strong enough to withstand them. She could only hope nothing would go wrong. [The world already took too much from them.] . |DxD| . Kuroka rushed towards the duo fighting up in the skies. There was a strong look of determination on her face, the desire to wield the same power as them transcending all reason. [If¡­if I can just convince one of them¡­] She might not be the best at sensing strength, but she instinctively knew those two were the strongest in the group. Even Lucifer with all his power couldn¡¯t contend with the sheer energy these two boys possessed. *Flap!* *Flap!* *Flap!* She soared high into the air until she got close to the scene of the battle. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Compared to the ground, the scene was chaotic. Each trade of their fists released brief, but bright sparks of energy. Powerful winds born from their shockwaves disrupted her flight. It felt like she was in a hurricane. The power she felt before could not compare to how dense it felt here. The air itself was dense with their energy. Their power alone caused the turbulence in the vicinity to rise by several margins. The wind violently blew her dress with such force it threatened to tear off her body. She instinctively closed her eyes, but it was the worst mistake she could make in such a situation. Su!¡­Su! Igor and Atid met once more in their continuous clash. Red and yellow met with their attacks at the ready. Their fists were reeled back and they struck. BOOM! The shockwave was strong yet contained. Under normal circumstances, these shockwaves would not exceed a few dozen metres. However, Kuroka was directly within thirty metres of them. ¡°Ah!¡± The shockwave hit and jostled her organs. Internal injuries caused her to spit out a mouthful of blood. They were far too engrossed in the fight to notice her until it was too late. Her cry allowed Igor to notice her, and his expression instantly darkened. ¡°Tch!¡± He clicked his tongue and flashed over to this idiot. She was about to fall but he wrapped his arm around her waist and placed his other on her chest. ¡°You¡¯re injured. Don¡¯t fight it.¡± He applied pressure on her chest and directly infused her with some of his ki. His goal wasn¡¯t to heal, but to stabilise her, a process that was finished after a few seconds. Su! In an instant, he brought her to the ground and gave her a stern warning. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. You¡¯ll die.¡± He said those few words and vanished into the skies once more. Su! The fight in the sky continued like nothing ever happened. The boys paid no attention to her, and this made Kuroka desire their power even more. [I want it¡­] Kuroka still felt muddle-headed even as Yasaka held her. The concerned voices around her grew weak, but she already knew what she wanted in her heart. [I want¡­strength.] Chapter 263 ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. You¡¯ll die.¡± He said those few words and vanished into the skies once more. Su! The fight in the sky continued like nothing ever happened. The boys paid no attention to her, and this made Kuroka desire their power even more. [I want it¡­] Kuroka still felt muddle-headed even as Yasaka held her. The concerned voices around her grew weak, but she already knew what she wanted in her heart. [I want¡­strength.] . |DxD| . Kuroka did not know long she¡¯d been asleep. The moment she came to, she felt she was in her bed. She slowly sat up and rested her back against the headboard. The skies were darkening outside. The few fauna she spotted told her she was still in the Underworld. She pushed off the covers and stepped onto the wooden floor. ¡°?¡± She was still groggy, but she could sense several figures downstairs. Their presence lit up like lightbulbs, an indicator of their power and vitality. There were four more presences she sensed and three of them were devils. The bald man that caught her was also amongst them. Why so many powerful people were clustered under one roof confounded her, but she dared not think about it further. [I must see Shirone.] Gu. Gu. Gu. Gu. Gu. Her feet thumped on the floor as she walked towards the door. There was no doubt they already knew she was awake, especially Igor. He¡¯s the only one who briefly turned to look in her direction. Just as she reached to open the door, her hand froze. Raising her arm brought about a phantom pain in her stomach. [Right. I was injured.] She was not struck in any manner. Not a single finger was placed on her. She was only unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was injured just from the aftershocks of a fight between two powerful people. [Power¡­] ¡­an alluring prospect many desired, yet few could understand. Power came in various forms. Money, connections, political, all of that were forms of power. But true power, true power was power over life and death---to easily decide someone¡¯s fate, to easily do things others would dare not do. That was the power Kuroka desired. She thought her power as an Ultimate Class was substantial, but it was nothing more than air in front of those two. The powerful blow she suffered erased any semblance of arrogance and pride she had. [I must get it.] Her goal did not fade. It only increased in intensity. Dakaang~ For the power to protect herself and Shirone, she would do anything, even if it meant getting on her knees or¡­offering her body. As long as she could get it, her purity could freely be offered. . |DxD| . Two boys in damaged clothing ate together in the kitchen. Luxurious antique lighting illuminated the array of food on the table. Two maids stood dutifully to the side ready to serve the two boys whatever dish they wanted. Igor and Atid ate enthusiastically, though Igor certainly ate like a machine. His hands were whirlwinds that rapidly shoved chunks of food into his mouth.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Gnom gnom gnom gnom. Mm! So good!¡± The blonde was merciless. A whole chicken thigh entered his mouth and out came only the bone. Not even the cartilage was spared! His teeth worked like industrial grinders that crushed anything and everything to oblivion. All of these separate parts came together to create one efficient system that worked to recover the calories drained in the prior fight. ¡°Brother. The food isn¡¯t running awa-don¡¯t take that piece! It¡¯s mine!¡± Atid ate a bit more moderately than Igor. As such, he was blindsided when the drumstick he¡¯d been saving for last was suddenly snatched away. Clang! Clang! Clang! The plates and cups rattled as Atid wrestled with Igor for a juicy chicken thigh. The maids dared not interfere. They could only try to save the few plates and bowls skirting dangerously close to the table¡¯s edge. As for these two behemoths? Please. They still had some sense of self-preservation. . |DxD| . In another room, eight individuals gathered around a table. From the Yokai, they were Sun Wukong, Yasaka, and Shirone who sat on the former¡¯s lap. Aurelia was present as a representative of the Aryans and the Four Satans were also present. The room was covered in Aurelia¡¯s barrier. Sound could come in but not out. As such, their meeting was interrupted by the grunts and curses of the two boys beyond the wall. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Black lines sprouted across Sun Wukong¡¯s forehead. He really wanted to whack those two miscreants with his staff. [They¡¯re always causing trouble!] Sirzechs maintained a calm smile while Aurelia blushed slightly from embarrassment. Yasaka and Serafall found this situation amusing and Falbium was worried about the damages these two would cost him. Only Ajuka was neutral in this matter There was no need to speak. Everyone had the same consensus. As amusing as their fight could be to witness, this informal meeting needed to continue without unnecessary interruptions. Vwong! The barrier shimmered slightly before the noise slowly faded into nothingness. Aurelia lowered her hand once more and adjusted her posture. The topic was currently on how the Nekomata survived and under Yasaka¡¯s behest, she continued to explain the process. ¡°As I was saying, I¡¯d asked Cleria-san to keep an eye on the situation in the Underworld for me.¡± Left unsaid was Aurelia also sought Azazel¡¯s help. The man¡¯s intelligence network really couldn¡¯t be underestimated. ¡°I knew the changes Sirzechs wanted to implement would cause radical shifts, so I paid attention to the news behind the scenes. When I heard of Kuroka-san¡¯s escape, I knew the situation had the potential to reach previously inconceivable proportions. So I took the time to secretly travel to the Village of Nekomata and brief the chiefs on the situation.¡± Aurelia continued to elaborate on how she convinced them to have the village evacuated. In place of the Nekomata were clones created from blood samples. The clones could only last thirty-minutes upon creation and would disappear after. The reason corpses could be found and even touched is because of a highly-advanced illusion magic barrier set to target all five senses. Under this barrier, even a rock can feel like a limb. ¡°The illusion can last for about a week outside the barrier. As such, please don¡¯t be surprised when some of the corpses collected turn into various animals. The Nekomata are safe and are willing to continue working alongside the devils once more after hearing of your actions, Sirzechs.¡± ¡°!¡± Sirzechs had to restrain himself from jumping up in celebration. The news of the Nekomata¡¯s survival would be great for everyone involved. Thousands of lost jobs would be regained. Relief funds could be redirected towards further streamlining the Overhaul Policy. Their economy coul- ¡°Woooo! Aurelia-chan!¡± Serafall did not bother restraining herself. Unlike Sirzechs, she had no such reservations. She was tired from work, but this news served to reinvigorate her. She blitzed towards Aurelia and wrapped her in a tight hug. Her eyes quite literally had sparkles in them. ¡°I love you, I love you, I love you!¡± Serafall rubbed her cheek against the confused silverette and was just short of kissing her when Ajuka grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. ¡°Apologies, Aurelia-san. I had no idea she¡¯d be this¡­excited.¡± ¡°Mouuu! Let go, Aju-chan!¡± Serafall tried to scramble towards Aurelia like a dog floundering for a steak, but her height worked against her. Up in the air, she had no leverage. So she could only be carried back to her seat like a disobedient child. ¡°Fufufu~.¡± Yasaka giggled heartily. The atmosphere was rather jubilant and even stone-faced people like Falbium and Sun Wukong revealed a smile or two. Time passed and further arrangements were made. It was soon agreed upon that after the village is rebuilt, the Nekomata would return and previous transactions with the devils would continue to function in the same manner as previously. In the meantime, it was time to satisfy everyone¡¯s curiosity. Personally seeing the yokai was out of the question. It was obvious the Naberius clan was manipulated into starting the massacre. Whether it was the Nebiros, the Baels, or a coalition of the two, no one knew. Without knowing the enemy¡¯s means, it was too risky to visit the Nekomata while the world still thought they were extinct---because someone might turn that lie into reality. . |DxD| . ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Back in the kitchen, two pairs of eyes narrowed in on one pair. Igor was still processing the words this girl just said. ¡°You want us to what?¡± Kuroka nervously clutched her skirt in nervousness. Under the gaze of these two behemoths, she forced herself not to back down. ¡°I-I want to be strong. Please train me!¡± . AN . Thanks for reading. Your support, your likes, and comments are greatly appreciated. If you want to read further, head over to my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Just search for HolyGambler. Until the next chapter. Chapter 264 ¡°You want us to what?¡± Kuroka nervously clutched her skirt in nervousness. Under the gaze of these two behemoths, she forced herself not to back down. ¡°I-I want to be strong. Please train me!¡± . |DxD| . A few moments earlier¡­ . Kuroka made her way downstairs slowly. Her grip on the railing was tight and with each step she took, her pace became slower. Her mind was numb from trying to plan countless methods of having even one of them take her as their disciple. Her only regret was she didn¡¯t know much about these two. In fact, it would be accurate to say she knew little-to-nothing about them at all. [What do I say?] Her time with the Naberius taught her to be shrewd. But being shrewd relied on knowing the other party. Otherwise, what if she said the wrong thing? The stronger a person was, the less they hesitated to kill. The weak were shrewd and the strong were overbearing---a sad truth in this world she saw firsthand. [Don¡¯t scheme, Kuroka. Be sincere and ask them.] She felt slightly apprehensive. Her grip on the railing tightened in nervousness. She didn¡¯t know these two boys nor did they know her---meaning they didn¡¯t owe her anything. ¡°...¡± She slowed to a halt at the end of the steps. She could hear their chatter in the kitchen. They were bragging to each other about who¡¯s killed the most in war---a matter that only served to fuel her hesitation. [Maybe I shouldn¡¯t interrupt them?] Kuroka briefly considered the notion of turning around, but she cancelled that thought very quickly. If she turned back now, who knew when the next opportunity would come? [Come on, Kuroka. You can do it!] She psyched herself up and finally made her way towards the kitchen. Du. Du. Du. Du.. Du..Du¡­Du¡­Du¡­Du Her steps slowed down. In just a few dozen centimetres, the wall would no longer shield her and she¡¯d enter their view. Her bravery was operating on its last fumes, but she forced herself to tap into her reserve tank. [Don¡¯t be a coward, Kuroka!] She clenched her fists and marched into the kitchen with determination. Her heavy steps naturally aroused Igor¡¯s and Atid¡¯s curiosity, but she dared not look at them for fear of losing her willpower. She could feel their gaze on her. The scent of their power alone made her instincts go haywire. Every single nerve fibre in her body was telling her to retreat, but she endured and lowered her head. ¡°G-Good morning Igor-sama. Atid-sama. I-I¡­please take me as your disciple!¡± Saying this much was already the best she could do. She heavily underestimated how their gaze would affect her. There was a stark difference between a lion not paying attention to you and directly focusing on you. Now, she¡¯d attracted the attention of these two behemoths. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Igor was having a hard time¡­computing this. ¡°You want us to what?¡± This girl couldn¡¯t be serious, right? First she interrupts their fight. Now she even has the gall to ask for tutorship? Shameless! ¡°...¡± Kuroka clutched her skirt nervously. She dared not look up for fear of their expressions. They probably looked at her with ridicule, but she wouldn¡¯t back down. ¡°I-I want to be strong. Please train me!¡± ¡°...¡± Igor still had a hard time believing what this girl was asking. Couldn¡¯t she atleast wait until they¡¯d finished eating? Most of his blood was flowing to his stomach, not his brain. While Igor was doing his best to process this, Atid was different. The brunette quickly capitalized on this conundrum by shifting responsibility to Igor. ¡°Kuroka. Even if I wanted to, I don¡¯t have the time to train you. I have responsibilities. My brother here on the other hand can help you out.¡± ¡°?!¡± A smidgen of hope arose in Kuroka¡¯s heart. She looked up with anticipation¡­into Igor¡¯s darkening eyes. ¡°Time? I barely have time for my own training. Where would I get the time to train this girl?¡± ¡°Just wake up earlier or something. I don¡¯t know.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Atid made his stance clear. This hot potato wasn¡¯t his to deal with. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s put aside time for a bit.¡± His finger pointed straight at Kuroka. ¡°Who says I have to train her? Yasaka or the monkey sage can train her. Not me.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s asking us. Plus, you can use senjutsu, brother. You¡¯re clearly a better fit for her than me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t be bothered.¡± A coy smile formed on Atid¡¯s face. ¡°Oh come on. Do it for charity?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Look at her, brother. She¡¯s pitiful.¡± ¡°I said no.¡± . |DxD| . Kuroka could only remain silent at their banter. It was clear they were making a fool of her. ¡°Come on, Igor. You¡¯re closer to her so you should accept.¡± ¡° ¡®Closer¡¯ my ass. If that¡¯s your logic, then you can definitely get to her faster than me. You¡¯re the fastest man alive, right?¡± *Shiver!* Kuroka couldn¡¯t believe it. Her plight was genuine, yet she became material for their banter. The maidservants at the side looked at her with some element of pity, yet they couldn¡¯t interfere. It was a solemn truth in the supernatural world. She¡¯s come to beg them for guidance, yet she¡¯s now being treated as a joke. *Clenches Fists* Kuroka felt aggrieved, but she dared not get angry. She was the beggar. Expecting them to feel sorry for her was never a card she expected to work. Perhaps it was audacious for someone of her level to dare ask for their guidance, but she was willing to take a chance. [Don¡¯t give up.] Their banter showed no signs of stopping soon. They bickered like women, constantly using the issue of training her as fuel for their argument. Her plight was like a hot potato they constantly tossed each other, frequently shifting responsibility to the other. But the conclusion was obvious. If she didn¡¯t do anything, it was plainly obvious she¡¯d be leaving here in disappointment. [I must try!] What she was about to do would be considered disrespect towards them, but she had no intention of letting things reach their natural conclusion. At the very least, she was confident they wouldn¡¯t take her life. ¡°Igor-sama. I beg you. Please train me!¡± She targeted Igor from the get-go. She gleaned some information from their argument and knew Atid had stronger reasons to refute her. ¡°¡°...¡±¡± Their argument stopped instantly and two eyes focused on her, one of them showing a hint of annoyance. ¡°She¡¯s still here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also surprised, Igor. I thought she would¡¯ve left by now.¡± ¡°Tch. She¡¯s stubborn that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°She did survive several experiments on her, brother. You can feel her chaotic energy, right? You¡¯d have to stubbornly cling on to life in order to survive.¡± Igor gave Kuroka a cursory glance before turning to face Atid. ¡°I can feel it. That piece inside her will eat her up unless Ajuka or my sister do something.¡± ¡°Or maybe you can give her some of your divine ki. Maybe it will help.¡± ¡°Not a chance. I don¡¯t know nor care for this girl. As for training her, forget it. The monkey sage can deal with that.¡± This time, there was no joking tone in Igor¡¯s voice. He was absolutely serious. He had no obligation nor desire to entangle himself with this girl. Her story was tragic, but that¡¯s all there is to it. There¡¯s never been a shortage of sad stories. Igor was truly apathetic, but Kuroka was unwilling to give up. She¡¯d endured being treated like air. She¡¯d endured being the butt of their jokes. She harboured no grievances. She only wanted to wield the same power that allowed them to act freely like they did. ¡°Please! I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll do anything.¡± Her head lowered as she contemplated doing the unthinkable. Her hands clenched the sides of her dress in a suggestive manner. ¡°Anything¡­¡± She wanted to raise her dress and reveal her luscious thighs, but she found her arms were like steel rods---unable to rise up. ¡°?¡± It was only then that she became aware of the firm hands clutching her arms. Her eyes first registered the sight of sandalled feet before moving onwards to slightly-torn pants. ¡°...¡± She dared not raise her head, but a finger under her chin forced her to like a hydraulic lift. Golden eyes met blue. She wanted to look away, but she found herself unable to. His gaze felt like it pierced into her very soul. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly¡­serious.¡± Igor was genuinely surprised. He understood her intentions, but he had no interest in seeing a girl so young debase herself. ¡°Tell me honestly. Is your desire for power so strong that you¡¯d willingly offer your virtue?¡± Igor wasn¡¯t insensitive---only uncaring. This girl suffered for years and survived. It was a tear-jerking matter, but her story was only one of thousands to him. Her desire for power wasn¡¯t unnatural, but to be willing to offer her innocence was indeed surprising. ¡°...¡± Kuroka found herself tongue-tied. The firm grip he had on her arms made her feel like an animal in a trap. ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± She weakly nodded. For her and more importantly, Shirone¡¯s safety, her purity could be bargained away. ¡°...¡± Igor was on the verge of clicking his teeth. Circumstances caused him to be apathetic to many things, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the plight of a young girl who would soon find herself on a dangerous path. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she could find herself enslaved through a method far more dangerous than an Evil Piece. He wanted to convince her to give up on her venture, but found he couldn¡¯t. When he looked into her eyes, her desire for power was strong and unyielding. ¡°Hehe.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a bit. Through her eyes, he glimpsed a younger version of himself in her. It¡¯d be a waste if this girl took a path of no return. ¡°I like you.¡± This determination¡­perhaps this girl was a diamond in the rough. He even found himself wondering how she¡¯d fare in the upcoming war. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t train you girlie. I¡¯ll be busy for the next few months with my own training.¡± ¡°...¡± Kuroka seemed to visibly deflate at the news. Her excited heartbeat slowed down after his refusal, an event she¡¯d foreseen yet didn¡¯t want to accept. ¡°Thank you. I¡­understand.¡± Her eyes grew watery, but she didn¡¯t want to cry. If she cried, it¡¯d seem like she was trying to manipulate them and that¡¯d erase the little goodwill she¡¯s managed to earn with them. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Igor placed his hand on her head. ¡°I can ask the old sage if he¡¯s willing to take you in. He¡¯s taught me most of what I know. If you¡¯re with him, you¡¯re guaranteed to get stronger.¡± It was the most he could do. It was small, but he was interested in seeing how far someone so determined like her would get. If the old monkey took her in, perhaps he¡¯d see her fighting in a war after a few months. . |DxD| . Igor watched Kuroka enter the room where the others were in. The girl seemed to be satisfied after hearing he¡¯d put in a word for her. [If she keeps that determination, she¡¯ll become stronger than Sirzechs if he doesn¡¯t shape up.] Unknowingly, a small smile formed on his face. He was interested in how far she would go. ¡°Hehehe. Brother Igor. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d believe she was your daughter.¡± ¡°Daughter? Why do you say that?¡± Atid picked his teeth with a toothpick. ¡°She¡¯s got too much in common with you. Both of you are stubborn bulls. Or are you telling me you¡¯re not interested in becoming her master?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± Igor was quick to deny him. ¡°She¡¯s interesting, but that¡¯s it. I already plan on going back to ¡®that¡¯ place in a week or two.¡± The place Igor mentioned was the time chamber. Even if these devils were Falbium¡¯s servants, he wouldn¡¯t dare mention such a precious artifact in their presence. ¡°Oh? Won¡¯t you miss the war, brother?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll be there in time. Don¡¯t worry about it, brother. But I¡¯m glad this whole mess is over with. I already miss home.¡± His mind revisited the matter with Shuri. This time, he won¡¯t cause a fuss. . AN . It¡¯s a shame Igor didn¡¯t take her in, but it¡¯s understandable. They had no prior connection so him already offering to put in a word is already a lot. On the other hand, atleast he¡¯s going back to the time chamber soon and I¡¯m looking forward to the next war. Chapter 265 ¡°She¡¯s interesting, but that¡¯s it. I already plan on going back to ¡®that¡¯ place in a week or two.¡± The place Igor mentioned was the time chamber. Even if these devils were Falbium¡¯s servants, he wouldn¡¯t dare mention such a precious artifact in their presence. ¡°Oh? Won¡¯t you miss the war, brother?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll be there in time. Don¡¯t worry about it, brother. But I¡¯m glad this whole mess is over with. I already miss home.¡± His mind revisited the matter with Shuri. This time, he won¡¯t cause a fuss. . |DxD| . Time passed relatively well in the Underworld. Hours had passed since the announcement yet excitement over the Overhaul Policy had yet to die down. The night sky was brightened up by the continuous explosion of fireworks and magical displays. Just over three hours were left until midnight yet no one was asleep. Even New Year¡¯s celebration paled in comparison to the devils¡¯s fervour. In a house located far in the outskirts, several powerful people were finally saying their goodbyes. If normal people saw this scene, their eyes would bulge out of their sockets. It was rare to see such influential people of different races casually conversing with each other without animosity. The Four Satans personally escorted their esteemed delegates out. Naturally, Shirone and Kuroka were with Yasaka, Sun Wukong, and Atid. Standing next to them were Aurelia and Igor while Sirzechs and his friends stood on the other side. Truth be told, Sirzechs wished they could stay a bit longer, but he was afraid Falbium would hate him if he did so. The amount of food Atid and Igor ate certainly racked up a hefty bill, not to mention they were walking natural disasters when they were together. Maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad they were leaving after all. ¡°Thank you all for coming today. Your help was greatly appreciated and we hope you all have a safe journey.¡± Yasaka¡¯s smile was gentle. ¡°Your hospitality is appreciated, Lucifer-sama. We al-¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. We thank you for taking care of us and so on and so on. Can we leave now? We¡¯ve had more than enough politics for one day.¡± Naturally, Sun Wukong was not willing to put up with these meaningless pleasantries. He stood next to Igor with a clearly defiant expression. His aberration for honeyed words was made very clear. ¡°You tell them, monkey sage. Who knows how long we¡¯ll be here for if they continue talking.¡± Igor also followed suit. His arms were crossed in mock annoyance. He initially wasn¡¯t going to say anything, but Sun Wukong¡¯s outburst gave him the confidence. Unfortunately, that confidence would be brought down by an unexpected variable ¡°Hihihihi~. You¡¯re funny nya~.¡± Shirone let out a giggle that surprised everyone. Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on this little Neko standing next to her sister. Her cute laughter certainly raised a few eyebrows and someone¡¯s blood pressure. Kuroka was on the verge of having a heart-attack. Her little sister¡¯s naive personality might¡¯ve just earned her the ire of a very powerful person. She was just about ready to apologise in her stead when Igor responded in a very unexpected manner. In full view of everyone, he analysed Shirone like a scientist before speaking confidently. ¡°Cute. Of course not as cute as my sisters, but cute nonetheless.¡± The arrogance and pride in his tone could not be mistaken. Compared to his cute little sisters, this little cat could be placed at number three. ¡°...¡± Shirone did not take kindly to that. She let go of her sister¡¯s hand, marched up to him, and grabbed his pants. ¡°Maaaa~. I¡¯m cute!¡± Her expression was fierce and her glare could melt hearts. Igor placed his palm on her head and condescendingly smiled. Shirone¡¯s scrunched-up face was cute, but not enough to change his evaluation. ¡°Yes. Yes you are. But not as much as my sisters. You¡¯re cuter than Rias though.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± Sirzechs reacted in a very predictable fashion. Igor¡¯s controversial statement lit a fire in him. The moment Rias was pulled into the conversation, all gloves were off, especially when someone belittled her. He marched towards Igor and grabbed the blonde by the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know Ria-tan is the CUTEST in the entire world!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Heh~. You forgot to add ¡®under¡¯. As for my sisters, they¡¯re the cutest in the entire supernatural world!¡± ¡°No! Ria-tan is¡­¡± ¡°Asia and Akeno are!¡± ¡°How can they both be number one!¡± ¡°Hmph! An ignorant person like you will not understand even if I explain it to you ten times!¡± ¡°Maawuu! I¡¯m cuter! I¡¯m the cutest nya!¡± On the side, Ajuka tuned out the conversation. [Here we go again.] It was a comical sight. A little girl, a teenage boy, and a young man were all arguing about who looked cuter. Shirone supported herself by frequently interjecting. Igor agreed with her and said she was the cutest ¡®in the Underworld¡¯. Sirzechs repeatedly fought for Rias to have the title of ¡®Cutest in the Universe¡¯, but the other two instantly shut him down. [What is¡­going on?] Kuroka was frozen by confusion and shock. She felt as if her whole worldview had been overturned. Her little sister was communicating with two powerhouses as if they were equals. Aurelia released a helpless sigh. She knew best how Igor could be when Asia and Akeno were thrown into the conversation. He could argue from dawn to dusk about his little sisters¡¯s cuteness. Even a rock would have to concede defeat. On the other side, Ajuka wished Grayfia was here. Atleast someone would have their ear pulled and their brain reset. He could swear Sirzechs lost his IQ whenever Rias was mentioned. [Atleast Serafall isn¡¯t involved in all of¡­hm?] ¡°My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is the cutest. My So-tan is¡­¡± Her mutters were very quiet and repetitive. She was biting her finger nail while glaring at the trio arguing over who was the cutest. Of course her So-tan was the cutest! ¡°...¡± Ajuka felt he should find a suitable heir to replace him soon. His friends were too¡­eccentric. If this continued, he feared he¡¯d turn crazy. [If only Diodora wasn¡¯t a disappointment.] His younger brother was nearing his twenties, yet he seemed intent on debasing himself with women instead of pursuing excellence. Ajuka had long since lost any love and hope for this kind of waste. . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . It was night in the town of Kuoh. The streets were silent except for a few people. In such cold weather, few were willing to remain lurking around. One of those few was Shuri. She sat alone on the porch outside the house. The winds carried a coldness which only served to arouse a bad premonition in Shuri¡¯s heart. Today would be the day Igor and Aurelia returned. The girls were already put to sleep a while ago. She didn¡¯t want them to witness anything bad that might happen. She wondered what his reaction would be if he saw her. Would he be angry? Forlorn? Unwilling? Whatever it might be, she could accept it. Shuri was willing to tolerate many things, but not his indifference. [Perhaps I was too rash.] As the hours dwindled closer to midnight, her thoughts became more restless. There was no helping it. Despite trying to keep herself calm, she found herself growing more and more nervous with each passing minute. [Aurelia-san told me they¡¯d be arriving soon.] There was some element of regret, but there was no use mingling with the past. What¡¯s done is done. She could¡¯ve been gentler with her words to Igor, but tripping herself over the matter would no longer help. Gradually, the minutes trickled by in silence. She wore a light dress over her nightwear in an effort to preserve her modesty. This wasn¡¯t adequate attire in such cold weather, but her natural affinity towards fire gave her some element of cold resistance. So she waited in silence. Her eyes were closed, making her seem as if she was asleep. However, her senses were spread far and wide, just waiting for the moment they¡¯d appear. And appear they did. A golden magic circle formed before they flashed into existence. Vwong! . |DxD| . Truth be told, Igor also felt a sense of apprehension when he knew he¡¯d see Shuri once more. It wasn¡¯t that he feared her, but was ashamed of his actions. His emotions got the better of him and he ran away like a coward. Thankfully, some good came out of this situation. His little time away allowed him to come to terms with many things. His aunt was dead and he wronged this woman by seeing her as the same Shuri he knew. So when he saw her, there was no need for hesitation. Su! Dust and rubble took his place by Aurelia¡¯s side. He appeared in front of Shuri and grabbed her by the shoulder before vanishing once more along with her. Su! ¡°...¡± Aurelia was left alone in the yard. She felt Igor and Shuri stop just a few kilometres north. She did not intend to chase after them. She understood Igor may want to have some privacy with Shuri. She knew his character so she wasn¡¯t worried anything untoward would happen. ¡°Since he said he¡¯d handle it, I¡¯ll believe him.¡± She did not know how Igor would navigate around this issue, but she trusted his adaptability. . |DxD| . Deep in the forest, Igor stood away from Shuri by a metre or two. There was an ambiguous silence between them only filled by the sounds of crickets and other insects. Igor found it hard to extricate himself from her eyes. Her amber gaze was like a window that betrayed her nervousness. ¡°Shuri.¡± He called out her name with a semblance of calm neutrality. Skirting around the issue was not his forte. It was easier for everyone if he dealt with this issue right now instead of avoiding each other¡¯s eyes for the next few days. ¡°I will not apologise for my behavior. I believe in action more than simple words.¡± It was an ideal his father had. For as long as he could remember, Igor never heard his father say the word ¡®sorry¡¯. ¡°I acknowledge my actions were disgraceful. I shamefully ran from the truth and caused further trouble for you.¡± ¡°Igor. You-¡± ¡°Please let me finish.¡± Slowly, he closed his eyes before he opened them once again. This time, they were red and glowed ominously in the darkness of the night. The added clarity to his sight allowed him to see what he so willfully missed. ¡°When I lost you, I was unwilling to accept my failure. When Lady Amaterasu told me of the consequences of your revival, I ignored them in favour of my own selfishness.¡± Beautiful, youthful, overflowing with vitality---a complete contrast to her more mature version. Overflowing power, the blood of dozens---a complete contrast to her previous self. He hated how he willingly blinded himself to her changes. ¡°I do not hold any blame over you for the words you said. You told me the truth, a truth I chose to ignore for a long time. I burdened you with the same expectations as your predecessor and that is inexcusable.¡± His eyes dimmed once more to their natural blue colour. Sigh¡­ When he still thought of the days where he called her ¡®auntie¡¯, he wondered how much he hurt her. He felt regret, yet his admiration for this woman rose to another level. ¡°You no longer have to worry about me. I¡¯ve accepted the truth for what it is and I thank you for it.¡± . AN . If you¡¯re interested, their¡¯s five extra chaps on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Just look for HolyGambler. The comments are once again, greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and until the next chapter Chapter 266 ¡°I do not hold any blame over you for the words you said. You told me the truth, a truth I chose to ignore for a long time. I burdened you with the same expectations as your predecessor and that is inexcusable.¡± His eyes dimmed once more to their natural blue colour. Sigh¡­ When he still thought of the days where he called her ¡®auntie¡¯, he wondered how much he hurt her. He felt regret, yet his admiration for this woman rose to another level. ¡°You no longer have to worry about me. I¡¯ve accepted the truth for what it is and I thank you for it.¡± . |DxD| . Shuri felt like she was dreaming. Igor¡¯s eyes were undeniably tender yet filled with remorse. If it weren¡¯t for the sound of trees ruffling under the force of the wind, she would¡¯ve thought this was a dream. ¡°...¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡®Thank you¡¯? ¡®I¡¯m glad¡¯? ¡®You¡¯re welcome¡¯? What does one say in her situation? No matter what she said, it would come as unsightly or self-centered. [Igor¡­] All she could see in his eyes was acceptance. His gaze was clear without ripples. It no longer had that hesitation. He had truly moved on. But¡­did she have the right to feel relief? Could she even dare to? She didn¡¯t know how to feel. At the core, her motivation for her choice was for him to see her for her, to not just be his aunt, but to be- ¡°Shuri.¡± ¡°?¡± The call of her name brought her out of her reverie. When her eyes regained clarity, she saw Igor looking at her with that stupid smile of his. ¡°I¡¯m pouring my heart out and you¡¯re not listening to me? I¡¯m really hurt by that.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri was caught dumbfounded for a moment before she couldn¡¯t help but release a soft laugh. ¡°Fufufufu~¡± It was a lighthearted jest, but Igor¡¯s mock anger served to lighten the air between them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll cook you a nice breakfast if you forgive me.¡± ¡°?!¡± The allure of food made him forfeit even the tiniest hint of grievance. ¡°You have a deal Shu-¡­are you fine with me calling you by your name? I can call you ¡®sister¡¯ if you want.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you call me Shuri.¡± She brushed aside a strand of her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I call you Igor-kun?¡± His face scrunched up like a fist before he shook his head. ¡°Remove the ¡¯kun¡¯. It doesn¡¯t go well with my name.¡± ¡°Fufufu~. Indeed it doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The two looked at each other before bursting out in light-hearted chuckles once more. ¡°Fufufu~¡± ¡°Hehehehe. Let¡¯s go home, Shuri.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll trouble you to take me there, Igor.¡± Igor looked at her with a confused, yet amused eyebrow-raise. ¡°Can¡¯t you get there yourself?¡± Shuri shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She took the initiative to place his hand on her shoulder.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°You brought me here. Take responsibility and send me back.¡± ¡°Hehehe¡± He chuckled as he tightened his grip on her shoulder. ¡°Women.¡± ¡°Men.¡± ¡°?¡± Igor turned to face her, but Shuri¡¯s eyes remained facing forward. No matter what, she wouldn¡¯t turn to face him, though there was a subtle smile spreading on her face. [This is a nice side to her.] She had a good sense of humour. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take you back.¡± Su! . |DxD| . Shuri was alone once more in her room. This time however, there was a small smile on her face. Her mind flashed to her interaction with Igor. It was natural and blissful. Her smile bloomed like a rose when she thought of the laughter they shared over a silly joke. ¡°Fufu~¡± She felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. The worry she¡¯d been carrying for almost a week vanished like smoke. Igor not only accepted the truth, but also accepted her. It was selfish¡­very selfish for her to think of this, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the chance this realisation brought up even if she wanted to. [Perhaps? ¡­no, Shuri. Just be happy with how things are.] She pushed aside the dangerous thought and switched off the lamp beside her. [Other things can be decided in the future.] . |DxD| . The moon fell and the sun rose. In a flash, a brand new day came. For others, this Monday signified brand new beginnings and it was not any different for Igor. Yet regardless of everything, old habits were not forgotten. As always, Igor got up at the crack of dawn and commenced his daily meditation. His fight with Atid in the last war along with Nandi¡¯s impromptu session allowed him to get a further understanding of his limitations. Now he just had to carefully document those limitations in his head so he would know what to train when he returned to the time chamber. [I must get stronger.] To reach the likes of Indra, he wanted to push himself. Because of the upcoming war, he could only afford to train for roughly five years in the time chamber. This time, he would place further emphasis on training his soul. [I¡¯ll ask Nandi for the bell.] He hated the Soul-Tearing Bell with a passion, but its efficiency could not be denied. Just one session and he felt the strength of his soul rise. The stronger his soul was, the stronger his perception, and the further he could rise in his level of Spirit Control. For the goal of achieving true unity with his body, he was willing to endure that bit of pain. Igor meditated underneath his regular spot in Shuri¡¯s yard. His heart was calm without turbulence. A gentle white aura of ki flared like a gentle flame around him. On the outside, it appeared gentle, but only those skilled in perception would be able to sense just how quickly he was circulating his ki. The speed was great and it only continued to increase. It was to the extent that despite his stringent control, some of it leaked into his divine strand, causing a slowly densening red aura of demi-ki to envelop his normal ki. [My strength has increased by an estimated sixty-percent.] Speeding up one¡¯s circulation of ki does increase their strength to an extent. Previously, Igor could increase his strength by fifty-percent before his ki would be enough to trigger his divine strand and produce demi-ki. This was a testament to his increased control. The faster his ki circulated, the denser it would become. Controlling dense ki was hard and inevitably, some would diverge from the pathway into his divine strand. To be able to increase his power by 1.6x before triggering the Kaioken might seem minor, but doing this would allow Igor to polish his control, pursue higher multipliers, and gain an edge in combat. [Triny. How are you doing?] In his mindscape, Triny hovered over the grass in a meditative pose. Her long blonde hair glistened in the sun, her olive skin reflecting its rays. Her eyes were closed in focus all while a black aura surrounded her. ¡°I¡¯m making some progress.¡± Gruuuu! Her aura exploded as if to insinuate that progress. Fortunately it was controlled so only a few strands of glass were torn apart. In the real world, Igor marveled at the power he felt from her. [What multiplier is that?] {The tenth one. I feel I can go for the thirteenth, but it¡¯ll affect my control.} [Don¡¯t rush. Take the time to learn the Aura-Flowing State properly.] The Aura-Flowing State was a multiplier technique suitable for wielders of chakra. Unlike the Aura-Burning State, it did not rely on lifespan to be activated nor was it uncontrollable once executed. Time continued to pass as Igor meditated along with Triny. For the next three hours, he utilised the Yin-Yang Breathing Method to continuously train his control. With each breath, he would flare his ki to its greatest intensity before withdrawing it once more.* Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Igor could by now tell the time depending on the Sun. Just from feeling the intensity of its radiance, he knew it was around seven in the morning. [I should take Akeno to school today. After that, I should go to the Underworld and find Souji.] He knew sparring with the man would undoubtedly aid him in sharpening his perception. Speed was not his biggest concern at the moment. In short bursts, he was undoubtedly faster than Atid. His Instant Vanish allowed him to blitz towards a location nigh-instantly. What he wanted to do was temper his perception, particularly his reaction time. He needed to be able to process the high volumes of information his body was delivering to him and sparring with Souji would fix that. [Yes. I will find some time this week to go-] ¡°Big brother!¡± . AN .
    1. Time continued to pass as Igor meditated along with Triny. For the next three hours, he utilised the Yin-Yang Breathing Method to continuously train his control. With each breath, he would flare his ki to its greatest intensity before withdrawing it once more.
    Explanation: It is unclear whether flaring ki and circulating ki are similar phenomena or not. We might get information on why there¡¯s such a difference when he perhaps enters the time chamber. With all this talk about ki-control, Spirit Control, perception, and whatnot, we¡¯ll maybe receive explanations for all of this. Just a little tidbit, it was stated in chapter 17 that the faster ki circulates, the denser it becomes, thereby making the person unable to move. Though for that to happen, the user¡¯s circulation speed must increase by 100%. As for Triny learning the Aura-Flowing State, I¡¯m more interested in when chi is going to be mentioned. Since Igor has a demon, working to get chi should be possible now. Chapter 267 What he wanted to do was temper his perception, particularly his reaction time. He needed to be able to process the high volumes of information his body was delivering to him and sparring with Souji would fix that. [Yes. I will find some time this week to go-] ¡°Big brother!¡± . |DxD| . Few things in life could make Igor smile. Some of them were food, battle, legs, and training. The last of them was family. When he saw Asia running towards him, a genuine smile spread across his face. ¡°Big Brother! You¡¯re back!¡± The little blonde jumped up and latched on to him like a koala. ¡°Hihihihihi~¡± Her tender giggle made Igor¡¯s eyes fill with warmth. ¡°Yes. Big brother is back, Sia.¡± He wrapped his arms around her and stood up. ¡°Come on. I want to see Akeno too.¡± ¡°Okay~. But let me tell you a secret.¡± Slowly, Asia leaned into his ear. ¡°Akeno missed you the most, big brother.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t?¡± Asia seemed to be offended by the statement. ¡°Hmph! Of course I missed you.¡± She spoke as if he should be proud of that singular fact. And he was. ¡°Hahaha! To be missed by my cute little sister is a great achievement for me.¡± He walked with her towards the house. She was in his arms and with how glued she was to him, it was clear she wasn¡¯t willing to be let down. ¡°By the way, why aren¡¯t you wearing shoes? You¡¯ll get cold if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°A little cold won¡¯t defeat me. I¡¯m strong too, you know?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. My little Sia is strong. But just to be safe, big brother will check.¡± One of his arms supporting her moved to grab her foot and Asia quickly realised what was happening. ¡°Huh? Wait¡­wait, wait, wai-hihihihihi~. Hahahahahaha! Stop it, big broth-hahahaha!¡± The tickles began, and there was no escaping. She furiously struggled, twisted and turned, but she couldn¡¯t escape his hold. ¡°Hahahahaha! Stop, big brother. Hahaha! Stop!¡± Escape was futile. The devious grin Igor had told her she was completely at his mercy. Kicking or pushing away were fruitless endeavours. That warm arm supporting her waist now became a lock that kept her in place. It was only fortunate that assistance soon arrived. ¡°Waah! Sneak attack!¡± Jumping from the roof was a fearless Akeno aiming right for Igor. Her wings were deployed and she swiftly latched onto his back. ¡°Hmph! Have a taste of your own medicine, onii-chan!¡± She quickly directed her hands underneath his arms and began tickling him. ¡°Hey! Hey stop it!¡± Igor¡¯s body involuntarily twitched. Her soft fingers completely bypassed his absurd defence. He tried shaking her off, but Akeno firmly secured herself to him using her legs. Her powerful core muscles and her wings kept her upright. ¡°This will be the last time you bully Asia!¡± Akeno shouted with righteous indignation as she continued her assault. Igor had no choice but to let go of Asia. But no sooner did that happen, the little blonde turned on him and targeted his ribs and sides. Her feather-like fingers did far more damage than any knife or bullet ever could. Igor could shrug off most attacks, but these two managed to topple him down. ¡°Let¡¯s get him, Asia!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. He fell on his knees and eventually his side under their incessant attacks. He tried protecting his vitals, but it was no use. Their little hands could bypass their way through any defence he put up. ¡°Aaah! Hahahahahaha! Stop it! Sto-hahahaha!¡± The noise of the battle naturally attracted Shuri and Aurelia. When they came outside, they arrived at the sight of a fallen giant being ruthlessly tickled to death by his two little sisters. ¡°¡°...¡±¡± Lord Shiva¡¯s heir, Veteran of Thirty Wars, The Demigod of the Aryans¡­was defeated in a hard-fought battle. . |DxD| . Gremory Clan, Devil Territory, Underworld . Teleporting to the Underworld was now an easy affair for Igor. He¡¯d memorised the energy signatures of the Four Satans enough for him to use the Instant Transmission to find them. Finding energy signatures across another dimension was still somewhat cumbersome, but possible. The only problem with teleporting across dimensions was that unlike on Earth, he wasn¡¯t able to accurately sense the surroundings around where he would teleport. So to his surprise once more¡­ Tswii! ¡­he teleported right into the dining room where the Gremory were still having breakfast. ¡°...¡± ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± Several pairs of eyes locked on to him. Zeoticus and his wife, Rias and Isaiah, along with a couple of maids carrying away empty plates and leftover food. [Atleast I arrived after they finished.] The timing was a bit awkward, but Igor did not waver before these eyes. His back straightened and his arms remained crossed. His thick skin made him refuse to admit he was intruding. His shamelessness erased the word ¡®embarrassed¡¯ in his dictionary. ¡°Just to be clear, I knew you were eating, but this couldn¡¯t wait.¡± Lies. All of it was lies, but his steel jaw didn¡¯t twitch even once. ¡°¡°¡°...¡±¡±¡± If Igor thought he could deceive a room full of devils centuries his senior, he was in for a rude awakening. He was strong, but he was no deception expert. ¡°Oh? Might we know what you require, Dimori-san?¡± The first to recover was Venelana. Contrary to being offended, she was amused at this unexpected turn of events. Playing along with him might bring her some extra amusement. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be good if they embarrassed the benefactor of their people by chasing him away¡­along with her fun. ¡°I wanted to talk to Sirzechs. But specifically¡­¡± Su! He instantly appeared next to Souji and placed his hand on the man. ¡°...I wanted to ask. Can I borrow Souji for today, Sirzechs? We had an agreement we would fight.¡± ¡°...¡± Sirzechs didn¡¯t know how to answer. Souji¡¯s eyes were pleading for him to say no, but he also wanted this lazy knight of his to get off his rear. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± A plan quickly formed in his head. Igor¡¯s arrival was a chance for him to exploit. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Dimori-san. A promise must be fulfilled after all.¡± A small smile formed on his face as he uttered these words. Souji¡¯s helpless expression was one he would remember forever. ¡°Thanks, Sirzechs. Let¡¯s go, Souji!¡± ¡°?!¡± The swordsman tried to break free, but Igor¡¯s firm grip made it impossible. Souji was fast, but he was still in the realm of low-God Class while Igor was at the peak. ¡°WAIT!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Souji tentatively asked. ¡°Can I refuse?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m stronger than you.¡± ¡°...¡± For the first time in his life, Souji held thoughts of signing up for his evil piece to be modified. Under the assistance of his pig-headed king, he was about to be thrust into a battle he was unwilling to endure. [Curse you, Sirze-] Su! . |DxD| . The Underworld had no lack of land. There were plenty of wastelands available for one to go wild. Far into the wilderness, Igor and Souji were in one of those wastelands. For as far as the eye could see, there was only barren land with a few scattered rock hills. The ground itself was grainy and unusually red instead of brown. The grainy sand was as numerous as the sea and each step would crush it into smaller particles. Krrr¡­Krrr..Krrr¡­ Igor took a few steps forward and observed the horizon with a prideful smile. ¡°Yep. This will do.¡± ¡°...¡± Standing sullenly behind him was Souji. His heart ached when he thought of the dessert he missed, his warm bed waiting for him, and the book he was looking forward to reading. Now this battle-maniac was here and Sirzechs actually offered him up like a- ¡°?!¡± Clang! In an astoundingly fast quick-draw, Souji unsheathed his sword and blocked Igor¡¯s white aura blade. He found himself struggling under Igor¡¯s downward swing. A lapse in concentration nearly led to him gaining a nasty gash on his chest. ¡°Hey, Souji. Don¡¯t sleep on me, alright?¡± [Tch! What an annoyance!] It felt like he was fighting against a hydraulic arm. Igor¡¯s blade was nearing closer and closer to his head- Tswii! Igor instantly appeared behind him and struck out before¡­ Tswii! ¡­he appeared in front of Souji once more. His posture was crouched, his blade ready to slit open Souji¡¯s exposed nape if he couldn¡¯t react in time. ¡°?!¡± Souji had initially slashed out behind him with his sword, but he never expected Igor would appear behind him with his sword once more. Clang! Astonishing reaction speed was the only thing that saved Souji¡¯s life. He had swung his sword over his shoulder just in time to block that brutal slash. But that was only a temporary measure. In such an awkward position, competing in a test of strength would be counter-intuitive. Su! Souji dared not linger. He swiftly opened up some distance in an effort to regain his bearings and calculate his next moves. But Igor was incessant. ¡°Let¡¯s fight, Okita!¡± [You say that after you¡¯ve attacked?!?!] Clang! Souji blocked another strike once more. Igor¡¯s absurd strength made him wish this maniac could¡¯ve picked someone else like Bahamut or Surtr. Both were rooks and incredibly strong. But wishes couldn¡¯t contend with reality. [Tch!] Souji dared not be careless in front of Igor. This maniac really would gut him if he wasn¡¯t careful. So he decided to go all out. In place of demonic energy, he began to utilise youki to- ¡°Nope!¡± Faster than Souji could ever hope to react, Igor struck him with a powerful gut punch. Gu! ¡°Argh!¡± His grunt of pain was followed by him weakly falling to his knees. The power behind the punch rattled his spine, temporarily paralysing him. Even worse, Igor had the audacity to stand in front of him with a small smile on his face. ¡°Can¡¯t have you using that, Souji. I want to fight you, not your teammates. Now¡­¡± Souji looked up to see Igor cracking his knuckles. Crack!¡­Crack! ¡°...will you get up or should I help you?¡± ¡°...¡± . AN . I¡¯m writing an exam on the 6th which is on Friday. This unfortunately disallows me from either writing or updating since I need to make preparations. So thank you for reading and until the next chapter. Should you wish to read ahead, you can go to p.a.t.r.e.o.n and look for HolyGambler. Chapter 268 ¡°Can¡¯t have you using that, Souji. I want to fight you, not your teammates. Now¡­¡± Souji looked up to see Igor cracking his knuckles. Crack!¡­Crack! ¡°...will you get up or should I help you?¡± ¡°...¡± . |DxD| . [Aryans are lunatics.] It was an undisputed fact throughout the centuries. The reclusive race of blondes were lunatics with an unhealthy desire for fighting. They put the ¡®m¡¯ in ¡®maniac¡¯. Whether it was arrogance, confidence, or sheer lunacy, Aryans were always troublesome foes to fight. [But him¡­] Yet there would always be outliers¡­unique variants. [He¡¯s insane!] Souji was absolutely battered. His clothes were torn, leaving him shirtless. A few nasty cuts were on his chest and there was one particularly bloody gash stretching from his shoulder all the way to the elbow on his left hand. The yokai in his body were working to repair the wound, but Igor¡¯s ki made it particularly difficult. [I must find a-] ¡°Hey! Are you having fun?¡± ¡°...¡± Fun? Fun?!?! This manic piece of #&$% brought him so close to death he had to use two phoenix tears! Two!! TWO!!!!!!!! Did he think just because they were Sirzechs¡¯s peerage members they¡¯d be rolling in money?! They were broke! BROKE! And now that he had to replace two bottles of phoenix tears, he was extra broke! *Grits teeth* ¡°No. I¡¯m not HAVING fun.¡± Souji didn¡¯t want to be here, but Igor wouldn¡¯t let him go. Everytime he tried to escape, the blonde would explode with that annoying Kaioken of his and stop him from leaving. Just like Igor said in the morning, his strength meant refusing was out of touch. But Souji wasn¡¯t weak. Reaching God Class in less than two-hundred years was an amazing feat. It was just this damned monster that was too strong! The only bright light in this dark situation was that he managed to leave a wound on Igor¡¯s shoulder. He¡¯d wanted to cut it apart like a steak, but Igor was able to move his shoulder at the last minute. Unfortunately, the wound healed in less than seconds, but the torn patch Igor had on his shirt reminded Souji it wasn¡¯t his imagination. Now if only he could wipe that annoying smile off his face. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Souji. I know you¡¯re having fun.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Souji¡¯s frown was so deep Igor knew the man wished to decapitate him. It was funny because that was all it would remain---a wish. ¡°You might disagree, but your blade certainly doesn¡¯t. Tell me, Souji. How long has it been since you¡¯ve doused your blade in the blood of a worthy foe? Or does it sit in its scabbard the whole day, only coming out when you want to teach your protege?¡± ¡°...¡± Souji¡¯s brows furrowed in budding anger. Igor was targeting his honour as a swordsman. ¡°That is none of your business, Dimori-san.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You¡¯re right. It isn¡¯t, but I can make it my business.¡± Slowly, a profound killing intent fueled by the blood of millions made itself known. It manifested itself as a crimson-black mist and in it, Souji heard the screams of thousands upon thousands of men, women, and children. ¡°?!¡± His vision shifted. He suddenly saw himself in a desolate wasteland. Next to him were people from all walks of life created from blood. Their figures were formless like mannequins, yet they all wielded their arms in preparation for an enemy. A war was occurrin- *Puchi!* First Death! ¡°What?!¡± *Puchi!* Second Death! The scene reverted back to the same battlefield, the same blood comrades, the same¡­ *Puchi!* ¡­ending. Third Death! No, this wasn¡¯t a war. Fourth Death! This was a massacre. Fifth Death! And he was part of the massacred. Sixth Death! ¡°Stop! STOP IT!¡± Su! For the first time, he saw it. He saw those eyes the same shade of blood, that blood-covered hand wielding a crimson aura blade. Igor was in front of him, his blade poised to use his forehead as a sheath. Those eyes were uncaring. They regarded him as nothing¡­as insignificant. *Puchi!* . |DxD| . ¡°?!¡± When Souji came to, he found himself back at the red wasteland. The same dreary landscape, the same sight of the rock hills, was better than any spring in this realm. ¡°Wha¡­what?¡± His forehead was completely covered in cold sweat. The weather was cool yet his back was wet and his hands had dug into the earth. It was only then Souji realised he was on his knees. Drip¡­drip¡­ He tasted a metallic liquid on his lips. When he looked down, he saw drops of his blood fall to the ground and disappear between the grains of rocks and sand. ¡°...¡± He slowly brought a finger to his nose and what he touched was not air, but blood. ¡°What¡­happe-¡± Su! ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d collapse this quickly.¡± ¡°?!¡± Souji hastily looked up and was met with Igor¡¯s very disappointed gaze. The blonde had his arms crossed and his smile was gone. ¡°Just a bit of killing intent and you fell like a house of cards.¡± [A bit?!] In his entire life, Souji had never encountered such intense killing intent. He was no stranger to killing, but Igor killed far too many people¡­and those people weren¡¯t weak. His killing intent was much too thick for it to come from killing ordinary people. Souji could admit that for once, he truly feared Igor. He feared him from the bottom of his heart. His instincts told him to run, told him to get away from this monster, but logic kept him still for several reasons. ¡°Where¡­?¡± One was that Igor wouldn¡¯t truly kill him. The second was¡­ ¡°Where did it¡­come from? How did you get such killing intent?¡± To be able to kill so many entities would send the whole supernatural world into upheaval. Ignoring the lower tiers, just killing thousands of God Class entities was not something that could be ignored. ¡°War. Where else?¡± He answered matter-of-factly. ¡°...¡± Souji didn¡¯t know how to process it. Unless Igor was actually an ancient being, there were never any wars where one person slaughtered so many people. A person who had a kill-count in the millions would be very well-known. ¡°Souji. When was the last time you¡¯ve faced a life-or-death situation?¡± Igor asked with a slight frown. Souji¡¯s reaction to his killing intent was too¡­¡®pronounced¡¯. The amount of killing intent Igor released was something even an Ultimate Class could endure. Souji was both old and one tier higher than Ultimate Class. He shouldn¡¯t be collapsing from weak killing intent. ¡°...¡± Souji slowly got up to his feet and regarded Igor with a wary look. He wiped away the blood pouring out of his nose and spoke. ¡°We are in a time of peace. There has not been a need for me to risk my life in decades.¡± ¡°Hah? Don¡¯t tell me you believe that nonsense. Peace is just a prelude to the next war.¡± The initial admiration Igor had for Souji slowly dwindled. ¡°Let me tell you something. As it stands, you¡¯re weak. You¡¯re far too weak for a man at your age. Over a hundred-years-old yet can¡¯t take a whiff of killing intent. Come on, Souji. I actually thought you¡¯d be stronger than this.¡± Were all devils infected with a gene of laziness? He no longer knew. ¡°Your sword technique is good, but it¡¯s clear you¡¯re rusty. I¡¯m more of a martial artist than a swordsman, yet I surpass you. How long has it been since you¡¯ve had a proper fight? You don¡¯t even practice with your sword, do you.¡± It was a statement. Igor¡¯s barrage of words rendered Souji silent. His eyes were drawn to the sword in his hand. The handle was covered in his blood and the blade edge in Igor¡¯s blood. The blade was dirty, completely different from its polished style, but that was because it had tasted battle once more. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± A small smile spread on Souji¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my way, the way of the sword.¡± Igor¡¯s words were true. It¡¯s been decades since he truly practiced his sword technique, decades since his sword tasted the blood of a worthy foe, decades since he ever had to grip the handle this tightly. ¡°Dimori-san. You are right. I am weak, and I have become complacent with my weakness.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Souji¡¯s quick acceptance had him genuinely surprised. ¡°You sure you¡¯re not lying just so you can lie down and sleep the whole day-¡± Su! Igor¡¯s dialogue was cut off when Souji appeared in front of him with his blade poised for a quick decapitation. *Block!* The sword was stopped in its tracks by Igor¡¯s hand. He held it between his thumb and forefinger, all while a small smile spread on his face. ¡°Such speed and fervour! I might have to remove some of my weights if you keep this up.¡± ¡°...¡± What did he say? Was he fighting with weights all this time?! . AN . Thank you for bearing with the wait. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Igor¡¯s finally entered the time chamber and he¡¯s already gambling with things that would give Aurelia a fright. Fortunately, it seems as if everything was successful. Chapter 269 The sword was stopped in its tracks by Igor¡¯s hand. He held it between his thumb and forefinger, all while a small smile spread on his face. ¡°Such speed and fervour! I might have to remove some of my weights if you keep this up.¡± ¡°...¡± What did he say? Was he fighting with weights all this time?! . |DxD| . In the rocky wasteland of red, two men stood metres apart from each other. After receiving a thorough beating from before, Souji¡¯s clothes were. His robes were cut into rags, exposing his fit upper body. For the first time in a long time, Igor was relatively fine. Aside from a small tear on his long-sleeve, he was fine. His eyes looked over Souji appraisingly, unclear exactly what he was planning. The gentle morning sun served as the only witness for their upcoming fight. Souji stood firmly with his sword in his hands. He¡¯d just taken a third phoenix tear, completely healing each and all of his injuries. Were it not under Igor¡¯s insistence, he would never have taken it, but the blonde wanted him at full power for this next part. Souji expected a hard battle from how serious Igor was, but he still couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Dimori-san. What is it that you wanted to do?¡± He was on the ready for any sort of move Igor might make. The boy had no etiquette in announcing his attacks and Souji had no wish to be caught offguard. ¡°Very simple. I want you to attack me with all you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°?¡± A momentary glint of confusion compounded in Souji¡¯s eyes. He was about to ask what Igor meant when a white light formed in the blonde¡¯s hand. The light faded as quickly as it came, leaving behind a simple-looking blindfold. ¡°I won¡¯t fight back. I¡¯ll only dodge or counter your attacks.¡± Souji did not dare underestimate Igor just because he put on a blindfold. ¡°Whether you blind yourself or not, please remember your strength is much higher than mine, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But your speed is almost the same as those of high-God Class. But I¡¯m beyond that level. Under normal circumstances, it¡¯d be hard for you to beat me even if I¡¯m blindfolded.¡± ¡°...¡± Souji had no idea how to feel about that statement. It was true but¡­did he have to say it out loud? Couldn¡¯t Igor atleast leave him some dignity? ¡°But you neglected one thing, Okita. This isn¡¯t a normal blindfold. It¡¯s been enhanced so it reduces one¡¯s level of perception by an adjustable percentage. I got it from the Monkey Sage during my training with him.¡± Souji filed that information mentally. He¡¯d make sure to report it to Sirzechs. ¡°I see. That certainly will give me an advantage, Dimori-san.¡± ¡°Of course it has to. I¡¯m wearing seven-thousand-tons and have blinded myself. If you still can¡¯t strike me, then you¡¯re more useless than a bastard drunk of a grandson.¡± * Souji did not hear that last part. ¡°...thousand?¡± Shock completely overwhelmed any sense of anger Souji might¡¯ve felt. No matter how it looked, he could swear Igor didn¡¯t seem like someone who was wearing that many tons. His clothes were clearly all fabric. If it was through magical means, he could believe it if it were a few hundred tons. Several-thousand was too hard to swallo- ¡°Why do you look so surprised? Did you really think you were my match? Unlike you who slacks off every day, I actually train.¡± The mocking grin Igor had on his face made Souji sincerely want to cut him to pieces. This kid was really poking all the spots he could today. Being considerate towards this type of pers- ¡°Will you stand there like a pansy all day or will you fight me like a man?¡± ¡°...¡± *Vein Twitch!* ¡°Very well, Dimori-san. I shall strike without reservations then. Please get ready to-¡± ¡°Get your mother ready. Why are you so long-winded? Sheesh. I swear you devils-¡± Su! Souji appeared above Igor. His sword was above his head, fully poised for a downward swing. ¡°Ha!¡± Shiing! Igor dodged Souji¡¯s ruthless swing by sidestepping. The distance between the edge and his nose was less than the width of a finger. For a moment, he could smell the metallic scent of his dried blood. [He¡¯s gotten faster.] Time resumed to normal speed. Booom! Souji missed his strike, but he quickly followed with a side kick to Igor¡¯s midsection¡­which was promptly blocked.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Is that it, Okita?¡± ¡°...¡± Even through the blindfold, Souji swore he could see Igor¡¯s mocking gaze. His desire to use the blonde as a flesh sheath trumped his moral compass. Su! ¡­Shiing! Igor retreated in the face of another slash and Souji quickly followed. What ensued was high-speed combat that left them looking like blurs. The only evidence of their presence were small plumes of dust kicked up by their movement. Su! Su! Igor continued his haste offence against Igor with absolute vigor and fervour. Despite his annoyance, his slashes were controlled. In fact, they only got more controlled as time went on. Igor was evading the attacks with what seemed like ease, but Souji knew he was getting closer and closer. Su! Su! Their blurred figures darted across the wasteland. Souji was determined to leave a mark once more on Igor while the latter was unusually calm in his evasion. Still¡­ Shiing! ¡­he was determined to leave atleast a gash on his body once more. . |DxD| . Hours passed as the two engaged in battle. True to his word, Igor didn¡¯t obstinately fight back. He only dodged, parried, blocked, or countered. That and there was the occasional insult or two. ¡°Should I have given you time to digest your food? Your swings are pathetic.¡± Shiing! ¡°Missed again? Are your eyes for decoration? I¡¯m here you idiot!¡± *Vein Twitch!* Igor¡¯s clothes were damaged from some of Souji¡¯s swings, yet his tongue sang insults with fervour. His casual words served to make Souji ignite with a fiery passion fueled by the desire to skewer him. Yet the best the swordsman could do was damage his clothes. [How is he doing it?] It was understandable that Souji was getting mildly frustrated. The two had dashed across this wasteland for who knew how long, yet all his sword tasted on those rare occasions was fabric. If only Souji knew how masochistic Igor was when it came to his training. Years of fighting blind against his clones in the time chamber allowed him to excel in blind combat. The blindfold he wore not only restricted his sight, but severely limited his ability to sense energy. His only remaining senses were his hearing, smell, and vibrational sense. It was fortunate this wasn¡¯t the Dimensional Gap or his reliance on wind displacement to detect Souji¡¯s movement would be somewhat difficult. [I can feel it.] Su! Souji¡¯s sword strikes were improving, but his senses were also being refined. It came at the cost of a few cuts on his clothes, but those paled to the benefits. ¡°Come on, Souji! Swing your noodle arms more! Put some backbone into it!¡± He continued to taunt Souji, not only because it was fun, but because this kind of lazy person performed best when scorned. Compared to training with his clones, training with Souji was indeed a bit lacking. Atleast the swordsman wasn¡¯t entirely useless. Igor could feel the visible improvement in his soul and his ability to control his body was improving in realtime. Shiing! *Catches sword!* ¡°Look at you. Can¡¯t even beat a blind man carrying the weight of your ancestors on his shoulders. Your lifespan has been wasted on you, Okita.¡± ¡°...¡± Souji tried not to let Igor¡¯s words get to him. It was irksome being mocked by someone over three generations his junior, but what could he do? He could only reluctantly endure everythi- ¡°You should quit the sword. You¡¯ve failed it for too long.¡± ¡°...¡± He must endure. *Grip Tightens!* He. Must. Endure. ¡°Such a fine weapon. Maybe I should take this sword of yours. I know others far more deserving of-¡± ¡°Shut up!!!!!¡± Fuuush! A surge of killing intent poured out of Souji. He forcefully drew his blade out of Igor¡¯s hand, making sure to cut deep into his palm. Unfortunately he failed to draw blood, but the speed of his sword would make sure it pierced into his heart. Su! Igor retreated just as the sword pierced through the fabric of his shirt. Souji¡¯s speed increased by a great margin---an unexpected event, but a welcome one nonetheless. ¡°Good! Fight as if you want to kill me!¡± Su! Igor¡¯s grin widened when Souji appeared in front of him with a bloodthirsty expression. He could feel the killing intent the man had and¡­it was refreshing. Shiing! . |DxD| . Minutes turned to hours and in that timespan, the benefits came in droves. The faster and more dangerous Souji¡¯s strikes were, the more gains Igor could extract from this session. The merge with Triny boosted the power of his soul and his body qualitatively, but that boost did not effect his conscious to the same degree. There was that very small minute detachment he felt to his body since then and it was present during his fight with Atid. Shiing! *Dodge!* ¡°You¡¯re doing better, Souji! Keep it up and you¡¯ll finally make it to the ranks of cannon fod-¡± Slash! ¡°Let me finish my sentence, goddamnit!¡± Igor continued to taunt Souji, but he never forgot to pay attention to his own body. His perception was increased during the merge, but his ability to fully utilise it did not. It was similar to a car suddenly gaining a few new features to use. It would take some time to adapt to this new feature depending on the person. Fortunately, multiple circumstances have made Igor quite adaptable. Shiing! *Block!* Igor swiftly removed his blindfold and stopped Souji¡¯s blade with his palm. The sword was sharp, but it could not get cut into his ki-reinforced skin. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s enough for now. Let¡¯s rest until high noon. I need to digest my gains.¡± Without another word, Igor sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes. Immediately, a powerful white aura exploded around him that pushed Souji away. GRUUU! Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su The white bonfire surrounding him billowed violently, yet his expression was calm. His abrupt discharge of energy was a simple test of his capabilities and Igor was satisfied with the results. [The change is very small, but I have a better grasp over my body and soul.] If his body was the car and his soul was the engine, then his conscience was the driver. This short sparring session with Souji made Igor experience improvement. Souji himself wasn¡¯t the key, but the weights he wore along with the blindfold. [I knew choosing him would yield good results.] On his own, the benefits Igor could gain were very minimal. There was hardly anyone he could fight who wasn¡¯t occupied with things in their lives. So far, only Souji was free. What the swordsman lacked in strength, he more than made up for it in speed. Souji¡¯s strikes forced Igor to dodge while bearing thousands of tons on his body. His restricted perception and denial of vision made it so he barely had any time to react. To other observers, this might seem counter-intuitive since this sort of training would increase the power of his body and his perception. While this is true for normal people, it is different for Igor. His ability to recall his memories and see his body from a third-person perspective was a major reason why such training was extremely beneficial for him. Seven-thousand tons was not a lot for him, but it was enough to make his muscles twitch and bulge should he engage in high-speed movement. Once he reviewed the fight in his mind, he would be able to clearly see which muscle group and segment was affected the most when he moved a certain way. Clothes were irrelevant. As long as he could feel, he could sync the experience with his memories and relive the experience as many times as he wished to. By doing so, his understanding of his movements would reflect itself in his conscious-control of his body. Actions that were unconscious would become conscious and deliberate. Movements would become refined and imprinted in his mind. It was through this same process that he learned how to punch from Lord Shiva. . AN .
    1. ¡°Of course it has to. I¡¯m wearing seven-thousand-tons and have blinded myself. If you still can¡¯t strike me, then you¡¯re really useless.¡±
    Explanation: It was revealed in chapter 128 that 2500 tons of weight felt normal to him. To be accurate, wearing five tons in 500x gravity felt normal to him. Merging with Triny multiplied his strength twice-over, so it¡¯s not a surprise he can withstand this weight. He¡¯s most likely also able to withstand much higher weights given how easily he can move under 7000 tons. For more chapters, you can go to p.a.t.r.e.o.n and look for HolyGambler. Chapter 270 Clothes were irrelevant. As long as he could feel, he could sync the experience with his memories and relive the experience as many times as he wished to. By doing so, his understanding of his movements would reflect itself in his conscious-control of his body. Actions that were unconscious would become conscious and deliberate. Movements would become refined and imprinted in his mind. It was through this same process that he learned how to punch from Lord Shiva. . |DxD| . Souji watched Igor meditate from a distance. The veins on his forehead were bulging and his sword-arm was still twitching to skewer this annoying blonde. Pansy? Who was a pansy? Who has noodle arms?! Who is the one failing to digest his food?! It certainly wasn¡¯t him!!! His body was still very healthy and vigorous! Souji still wanted to get back at Igor for every insult aimed at him. Unfortunately¡­ Sigh¡­ ¡­he did not expect Igor would suddenly stop combat without a second thought. Souji was itching to cleave him a new one, but he couldn¡¯t find it within himself to strike a man who¡¯s down. Well¡­not that he could strike this monster in the first place. Just the sheer output of raw power once more made Souji realise the gap between them. Yet strangely enough, he found himself even looking forward to another round. [He really is something alright.] It¡¯s been so long since his blood pumped like this. For a few moments, Souji felt like he was twenty all over again. It was a shame really. He was just getting into a proper rhythm. [I never realised I had gotten this rusty.] Souji¡¯s fear of Igor gradually turned into respect. The past few hours of their fight made him begrudgingly agree Igor¡¯s words were true. Decades of being acknowledged as one of the greatest swordsmen had made him complacent. [Since he¡¯s digesting his insights, let me observe mine as well.] Souji stood up from the ground and patted the dust off his rear. The grip on his sword never slackened. It was so firm one would swear it was welded to his hand. With slow and deliberate movements, Souji clasped the sword with both hands and took a stance. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯ve forgotten how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve done this.¡± It was the most basic stance for a downward swing. It was usually the first swing novices were taught and he did the same to Isaiah. ¡°This will be tiring, but I might as well pass the time meaningfully.¡± The veins on his arms bulged¡­ ¡°Hm!¡± ¡­as a rush of youki filled him. A small trace of it leaked before it was swiftly contained in his body once more. The air around him turned sharp as if thousands of tiny swords filled it. Souji¡¯s somewhat carefree expression was replaced by one of complete focus. He raised the sword above his head, his figure remaining rigid as iron. His arms lowered with slow movements. His arms would lower, stop, then continue to lower. He lowered his arms in stages, occasionally stopping when his arms reached chest-height before continuing lower. At the very least, that is what the casual viewer would see. Only those with very keen perception could see that Souji was swinging his sword very quickly. His hands became literal blurs and not once did he stop nor waver. His figure remained rigid while his arms moved wildly. It was similar to watching a badly crafted toy in action. If it wasn¡¯t for the sweat pouring out of his skin, he might truly have been considered a statue.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. It was fortunate he had long since discarded his robes otherwise the temperature would¡¯ve become unbearable. And so as the sun bore down on him, Souji continued to swing his sword while Igor remained engrossed in his meditation. Two men with similar goals remained together in training and were left undisturbed in the wasteland. Souji did not know how long Igor would meditate for, but he looked forward to another bout. That desire for improvement he once bore¡­he found it slowly being rekindled once more. . |DxD| . Kuoh Town, Japan . It was a lovely September afternoon. The harshness of the Summer sun was slowly descending into the gentler weather of Autumn. Compared to the peaceful atmosphere between Igor and Souji in the Underworld, the one between Aurelia and Shuri was somewhat tense. Both women were together in the kitchen after an afternoon of grocery shopping. It was fortunate Asia and Akeno weren¡¯t here to witness anything. Both girls had been sent to school with Asia being a recent enrollee. Moments passed and Aurelia couldn¡¯t help but look at Shuri with a somewhat ambiguous gaze. It was unclear whether it was filled with annoyance or helplessness, but the former was more likely due to Shuri¡¯s words. ¡°I wonder what Igor would like today~.¡± ¡°...¡± Shuri had a perpetual smile on her face since morning. The casual conversation she had with Igor along with the extra attention she gave to him was not lost on the silverette. Igor naturally told her what happened between the both of them yesterday, yet Aurelia was unsure of exactly what to feel, especially today. ¡°Shuri-sama.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Shuri closed a cupboard behind her and turned to face Aurelia. ¡°Yes, Aurelia-san?¡± ¡°...¡± There was no subtle way of broaching this question. It was somewhat redundant, but Aurelia had to know. ¡°Shuri-sama. Do you intend on pursuing my lord?¡± ¡°If you will allow it, yes.¡± Shuri answered without a flicker of hesitation. Her ¡®yes¡¯ was humble, but her eyes certainly were not. She met Aurelia¡¯s gaze with unwavering resolve. For a moment, there was an intangible silence between them. Aurelia could not find any words to say under such an answer. It wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say she wasn¡¯t happy about Shuri¡¯s words. But what could she say? Yet it seemed Shuri could guess her thoughts with ease. ¡°I know this will be uncomfortable for you and I sincerely apologise, Aurelia-san. Igor is someone you care about and I fully understand that, but I will not let this opportunity leave me.¡± Shuri¡¯s words were heavy, so heavy they crushed the air between them like a balloon underneath a hydraulic press. It seemed Shuri wasn¡¯t willing to skirt around the issue and it left Aurelia feeling a bit overtaken. This was especially so when Shuri respectfully inclined her head. ¡°Please don¡¯t take this away from me.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia was momentarily left tongue-tied. Shuri¡¯s sincerity jumbled her emotions so much she found herself opening her mouth only to close it again. What could she say? Perhaps¡­no? ¡°Shuri-sa-¡± ¡°I know you made love to him last night.¡± ¡°?!¡± Aurelia¡¯s shock was palpable. It was impossible that she¡¯d be found out. Not just her, Igor¡¯s perception alone would make it impossible for anyone to spy on them and her barriers would make sure no sound would leave. So¡­ ¡°How?¡± Aurelia found herself absentmindedly asking. ¡°Aurelia-san.¡± A small smile formed on Shuri¡¯s face as she raised her head. ¡°We are both women, you know? I can see it in your eyes. You can remove the scent, clean the sheets, and tidy yourself as many times as you want, Aurelia-san. But you can¡¯t hide that sparkle in your eye.¡± Shuri spoke fondly. ¡°I see it every morning we¡¯re together. You smile for the whole morning, only restraining yourself when Igor comes in. But you cannot hide your fondness for him.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia felt embarrassed at how she was being viewed like an open book. Shuri actually knew they were doing ¡®that¡¯ everyday. ¡°Aurelia-san. I¡¯m not shaming you.¡± She didn¡¯t know when, but Shuri was already standing in front of her. Aurelia was taller by some margin due to her genes, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel short under Shuri¡¯s ambiguous gaze. ¡°Shuri-sama. We shouldn¡¯t discuss such shameful things like this.¡± Aurelia was hasty to redirect the topic from her. Discussing matters of the bedroom was something she was uncomfortable with. ¡°...¡± Unfortunately, Shuri¡¯s silence could mean she didn¡¯t agree on the matter. The way she looked at Aurelia was silent, yet discerning. In the end, a weak smile spread on her face. ¡°I envy you, Aurelia-san.¡± Aurelia truly had it well with Igor. There was no disputing the connection between them. Both treasured each other immensely¡­and Shuri wished for that too. ¡°Aurelia-san.¡± Slowly, she took a step back before she decisively bowed ninety-degrees. ¡°I formally ask for your permission to pursue Igor. I yearn for the joy you experience and I also wish to experience his love. I wish to possess the same eyes as yours and know how it feels to be held by him. Feel free to hate me, scorn me, and curse me. I will willingly endure it all. But please allow me to pursue him fairly.¡± ¡®Fairly¡¯¡­Shuri¡¯s words were clear. She wished for an honest chance at earning his affection without Aurelia jeopardising her efforts. Her position was very fragile. Aurelia could legitimately destroy all her attempts by simply telling Igor how Shuri felt about him. With how Igor was, he would immediately deny Shuri¡¯s affections and the only lifeline to anything more would be cut off permanently. ¡°I promise I will not use uncouth means to win his affections. I will not use potions, magic, or any other supernatural means. I shall rely on my own efforts and if he is to¡­reject me, I hope it will not be due to external influence, but my own failure.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia did not respond. But there was a thought in her mind. She, from the bottom of her heart, wished to say¡­no. Chapter 271 ¡°I promise I will not use uncouth means to win his affections. I will not use potions, magic, or any other supernatural means. I shall rely on my own efforts and if he is to¡­reject me, I hope it will not be due to external influence, but my own failure.¡± ¡°...¡± Aurelia did not respond. But there was a thought in her mind. She, from the bottom of her heart, wished to say¡­no. . |DxD| . Aurelia despised how hypocritical she was, but she found herself unable to help it. In her heart, it was clear as day. She didn¡¯t want to share him. She didn¡¯t want to let Shuri have even a sliver of a chance. If she were being honest, she wanted to take Igor far away from here so that Shuri would never see him again. But alas, there was no controlling that man. His love for Akeno and Shuri would make it hard-¡­no, impossible to separate them. [...] Aurelia found herself unable to think properly. Shuri had bowed to her and did not once raise her head. She knew she had to say something, but all that pervaded her mind were negative thoughts. It was moments like these that she missed her political mind. Shuri was Amaterasu¡¯s priestess. Investing in her would be very beneficial in the long term. But her heart and mind refused to agree. Sigh¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shuri-sama. I need some time to think this through.¡± Aurelia couldn¡¯t bring herself to a decision. If it were a few weeks ago, then she¡¯d still have the confidence to agree. But the longer she stayed with Igor, the more she was afraid of losing him. There was no helping. Shuri was too¡­beautiful. ¡°...¡± Aurelia¡¯s words reverberated like thunder in Shuri¡¯s mind. For a brief moment, her hands clenched into fists before relaxing. ¡°I see¡­¡± Shuri was frustrated, but she was in an inferior position. She¡¯d already pushed the bounds of their friendship by putting Aurelia on the spot like this. Any further might serve to damage the camaraderie between them. ¡°Then I shall await your answer, Aurelia-san.¡± She stood up with a slight smile on her face. Getting this far was already good enough. Soon, Shuri turned around and began making arrangements on the table. ¡°I will begin preparing dinner.¡± ¡°I will hel-¡± ¡°No.¡± Shuri interrupted her. ¡°I will prepare dinner today. Please use this time to think through what I said, Aurelia-san. I am quite anxious for your reply.¡± All this time, Shuri did not make eye-contact with her. She was packing some of the spices and other ingredients into the cupboard. But, she soon stopped and gave Aurelia a deep look. ¡°I wish we could be sisters under the same name, Aurelia-san.¡± ¡°...¡± Marriage---that is what Shuri was implying. But was it really possible? To coexist? Perhaps. But Aurelia didn¡¯t want to think about these things, atleast not for now. ¡°Please excuse me, Shuri-sama.¡± Aurelia left the kitchen. Once again, she found herself indecisive on the matter. Shuri was a good woman¡­too good in fact. What if Igor ended up leaving her for Shuri? What if¡­what if¡­ Sigh¡­ Aurelia cancelled those thoughts as she closed the door behind her. Who knew that she who planned for Igor to have dozens of wives, content to be a simple attendant now found herself afraid of losing his attention?Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Selfish thoughts dominated her mind, but she knew she was in the wrong. She was the one to give Shuri hope only to break. At the very least, the woman deserved a chance. Aurelia knew that, but she found it hard to say yes to Shuri¡¯s request. [How the tables turn¡­] . |DxD| . 1999/09/10- September 14th, 1999 (Friday) . Time passed and a few days went by. Igor¡¯s life became easily predictable. After waking up and meditating, he would spend time with his family and send the children to school. It¡¯s been a few days and it still surprised him how Asia had become a student in Akeno¡¯s school. It was pretty hard for her to adjust as an Italian, but she was picking up Japanese very quickly. He was grateful to Shuri for taking time out of her day to teach Asia all the essentials. After sending the children to school, he¡¯d go straight to the Underworld where he would train with Souji once more. The swordsman¡¯s temperament compared to the first day was worlds apart. After the first day, Igor never had to force Souji to come. The man would wait for him at the Gremory Manor and sometimes, he¡¯d be found maintaining his sword. The overly extravagant robes were reduced to a simple cloak draped over a tunic. According to Rias, Souji looked like an anime protagonist. The two would then train for an entire day, only ending at around four in the afternoon. He would then pick up his sisters from school and train them both on the basics of combat for the next two hours until dinner. He loved them dearly, so he trained them to the dirt each time. On certain days, he¡¯d fight them himself. He mostly had them double-team him in the spars they had. Having them fight him together would solidify their teamwork. His blows were not light. They weren¡¯t enough to break bones and shatter ribs, but they¡¯d definitely test their willpower. He was happy to admit the girls didn¡¯t disappoint him. The competitiveness between them had them raring to outdo the other. Once the day ends, Asia would use her Twilight Healing to heal herself and Akeno before they both went inside for a shower, bringing an end to that day¡¯s training. It lasted two hours, but that timeframe was too short for Igor¡¯s liking. So some time in the future, he planned to have his sisters dropout. The supernatural world was far too dangerous for them to waste time playing school. Though such a matter would be discussed for when he leaves the time chamber. Coincidentally, it was time he informed them all of his impending departure. . |DxD| . The town of Kuoh was beautiful at night. Repetitive destruction forced the town to use the latest technology and architecture during rebuilds, making it look more modern and appealing to the eye, especially in the middle of the night. Igor took particular solace in this sight, especially given the thoughts going on his mind. It was uncharacteristic for him to still be awake at this time, but he found himself unable to sleep. As expected, news of his departure in four days for the next three weeks was a hard pill to swallow for his family, especially Shuri and Aurelia. The kids were oblivious, but the women knew he would be going to war once more. The kids whined about him leaving, even going so far as begging him to stay. Igor could only begrudgingly break their little hearts and remain firm in his stance. In the end, Asia and Akeno gave up, but this left Igor conflicted. It was especially so after seeing Shuri¡¯s worried gaze---because for the first time, he found himself considering whether he should stay. It was an inconceivable thought to have, but he considered sacrificing precious training time he desperately needed just to spend time with his family. This brought him to a phrase he¡¯d heard often: family holds you back. It was a harrowing thought to have, but Igor realised he was being held back by his family. Having a family came with having concessions. It reminded him of his father. He belonged to a powerful mafia group in Italy. But because of concessions, he abandoned the life and moved to America to live an ordinary life with his wife and children. In the end, everyone was killed, leaving Igor as the only son alive in this strange world. Such a dark thought struck him deeply because¡­what if his family died because of him in the future? This series of dark thoughts led to a downward spiral, and all of it was sparked by a single notion---does family make you weak? [I wish father was here.] Right now, he wished he could ask his father what he thought, of whether it was worth leaving everything behind for a woman. Maybe he¡¯d wish he never left Italy? Who knows? [Don¡¯t lose sight of your goal, Igor. Remember, you want to become the strongest in the universe.] Losing sight of his goal could mean certain death not only for him, but for all those he loved. ¡°Hey, Uncle Ay. Are you going to continue stalking me or did you have something to say?¡± Igor subtly turned his head to view the man standing behind him. In the darkness of the night, Azazel indeed looked menacing. There was a road behind him leading up the hill. Naturally that road had street lights and with how ominously they illuminated him, it was a sight straight out of a murder scene. ¡°Who would stalk you?¡± Azazel pulled his hands out of his pockets and walked towards the boy. Instead of his usual suits, Azazel wore a trenchcoat. It was the luxury kind made from high quality leather. Still, he didn¡¯t hesitate to join Igor at the edge of the cliff. Both men sat together with their legs dangling over the edge. The sight of a sleeping Kuoh was beautiful. Systematically arranged street lights lit up the streets along with carefully aligned greenery. Azazel couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of pride. His woman was responsible for all of this development. But that could come later. ¡°So, what¡¯s got you so troubled, kid?¡± ¡°*Sigh* I don¡¯t know.¡± Igor turned to face him. ¡°Uncle Ay. Does family make you weak?¡± . AN . Should you wish to read ahead, you can browse my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Thanks for reading and until the next chapter. Chapter 272 Azazel couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of pride. His woman was responsible for all of this development. But that could come later. ¡°So, what¡¯s got you so troubled, kid?¡± ¡° *Sigh* I don¡¯t know.¡± Igor turned to face him. ¡°Uncle Ay. Does family make you weak?¡± . |DxD| . For Igor, nothing in this life was more important than his family. The bond he shared with them triumphed all logic and reason. This love and care he bore for those precious to him now conflicted with his deepest passion---training. To them. it would be two weeks. For him, it would be five years alone in the time chamber. The decision was easy when he spoke about it with Atid. But when those four eyes looked at him with unwillingness, his desire to part from them increased. As someone who treasured strength and loved the process, he found himself at a crossroads when his passion met with his family. The logical choice was clear, but his heart was making him hesitate. It was why he felt the need to seek the guidance of Azazel. Perhaps he could help him. ¡°Uncle Ay. Does family make you weak?¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel wondered if the person he was talking to was the real Igor. For Igor to think this deeply¡­it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Whoa. Look at you using that brain for once. You can actually think of such profound questions?¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Igor playfully shoved Azazel¡¯s shoulder with a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m serious here, Uncle Ay. I want to go back to the time chamber in a few days but I¡¯m hesitating because of my family. When I think of how many years will pass without me seeing them, I find myself not wanting to go.¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel did not reply immediately and observed the boy. He was attempting to lighten up the atmosphere earlier, but the turmoil in Igor¡¯s eyes was very clear despite the dim lighting. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what to tell you kid. It depends. How important is your family to you?¡± Igor lowered his head when Azazel posed this question. What was his family to him? It was everything. ¡°Very.¡± *Clenches Fists* ¡°Anyone who touches them¡­will die.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor¡¯s face was hidden by the shadow of his hair, but for a moment, Azazel saw those red eyes oozing with killing intent. ¡°Yeesh!¡± Azazel placed his hand on Igor¡¯s shoulder and playfully shook him. ¡°Why so serious? I was just asking. If you really love your family that much, then use them as your motivation.¡± ¡°Motivation?¡± Igor faced Azazel with a questioning gaze. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It means exactly what it means. When you¡¯re in that time chamber, don¡¯t train for the sake of training. Train for the sake of protecting your family. Every moment you are away, tell yourself you are doing this for them.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°...¡± Igor¡¯s eyes flickered with unexplainable emotions, but it was an irrefutable fact that his gaze lightened. ¡°You¡¯re¡­right.¡± Azazel¡¯s words truly struck a chord in him. As expected of someone who¡¯s lived for thousands of years. A profound problem for him was a mere inconvenience for them. ¡°Right? Of course I¡¯m right. Who do you think I am?¡± Unfortunately, his elevated perception of Azazel was shattered by the man himself. His lips twitched when the fallen blatantly tooted his own horn. ¡°Tch. An arrogant halfwit, that¡¯s who.¡± Azazel was ¡®offended¡¯. ¡°And you took advice from this arrogant halfwit. So what does that make you?¡± Igor glared at Azazel and raised his fist. ¡°Someone who¡¯s about to punch this halfwit.¡± Azazel hastily raised his arms in mock surrender. ¡°Hey hey hey! Easy now. I can¡¯t afford to get injured. I scheduled some sexy time with my lovely Cleria-chan.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this why?¡± Azazel leaned and nudged Igor on the shoulder. ¡°Come on, Igor. Who doesn¡¯t know of your relationship with your darling Aurelia? We both bagged hot girls with silver hair.¡± Igor frowned in confusion. ¡°What? Is that common knowledge now?¡± ¡°Tch. Not even a blush? So boring.¡± Azazel leaned away and sat up straight. ¡°But yes. Information of your relationship with her has entered the works. There¡¯s also word you almost killed an elder for her. It caused some upheaval, but it was quickly quelled by your Satan buddies.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Igor didn¡¯t care much for this. But Azazel thought differently. His demeanour gradually shifted into a serious one, all previous sense of casualness fading. ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to dismiss this, kid. I¡¯m not done. There¡¯s been a lot of people purchasing information on you and Aurelia. It¡¯s not just limited to the Three Factions. Other factions and pantheons have been enquiring about you lately.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor digested this information. In the past, such an event might¡¯ve had him jumping in jubilation. Now, it had him considering preemptive measures. ¡°Who do I kill?¡± ¡°No one. You¡¯re a new player in this world of ours, kid. It¡¯s normal for people to gather information on you. Anyone of significant worth has their own dossier in every notable organisation¡¯s archives.¡± He grabbed Igor¡¯s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry so much. Given how powerful and influential you are, you¡¯re practically on the ¡®Do Not Touch¡¯ section of everyone¡¯s archives.¡± ¡°What about Asia? What about Akeno?¡± Igor¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°Is there information on them?¡± ¡°...¡± Azazel knew he had to tread carefully here. Family was Igor¡¯s absolute bottom line. A poor choice of words could see the boy commit very reckless actions could destabilize the supernatural world. Sigh¡­ ¡°I hope you remain calm for this, Igor. Inevitably, Asia and Akeno have been linked to you. But you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Even with you gone, no one would touch those two. Disregarding your reaction, Asia and Akeno are publically known to have the backing of entire factions behind them.¡± ¡°Asia has the protection of the Aryans and the Church. Aside from me, who does Akeno have?¡± Azazel clutched his heart with a ¡®hurt¡¯ expression. ¡°How you wound me¡­---Grigori of course! Did you forget about us?¡± ¡°Grigori? Wouldn¡¯t they be the first to try something against her?¡± ¡°Wipe away that prejudice, kid. That kind of discrimination died over the years, especially after the war against your ancestors. There¡¯s no denying a few hardliners still exist, but they won¡¯t cause problems for her. I¡¯m still the Governor after all. My words hold weight.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± For a brief moment, Igor smiled. ¡°If you and the old man are willing to protect her, then I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s not just us, Igor. Akeno has the backing of the entire Shinto Pantheon.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Igor was completely startled. Having the protection of a faction was one thing. Having an entire pantheon backing you was another thing entirely. The latter was far stronger! ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Yasaka released official information inaugurating Shuri as Amaterasu¡¯s second priestess. As a priestess, any of her children would be protected by the Shinto. Unofficially, that extends to Asia too.¡± ¡°I never knew that¡­¡± A small smile spread across Igor¡¯s face. The knowledge that his sisters had such a powerful backing served to calm his apprehension. ¡°See? So you have nothing to worry about, kid. Big mama Amaterasu is protecting them so go on ahead and train in that time chamber of yours.¡± ¡°...¡± At this point, Igor regarded him suspiciously. ¡°Why does it sound like you really want me gone?¡± Azazel¡¯s face turned stony. ¡°Because I do want you gone.¡± He did not hide it. ¡°Do you have any idea how much work I¡¯ve been in ever since you came back? You¡¯re a walking calamity! It¡¯s like every moment you breathe, a document forms on my desk detailing some mess you caused directly or indirectly! I¡¯ve been swamped in work for the past month because of you! And my Cleria-chan too¡­¡± His rant ended with a small plea. ¡°I just want to slack off, have a couple of beers, and some sexy time, you know? Is that so much to ask? Do you know how long it¡¯s been?¡± Azazel grabbed on to Igor¡¯s shirt like a beggar. ¡°It¡¯s been three weeks. Three weeks since I¡¯ve last drained them! A hand is no longer eno-¡± ¡°Shit! Don¡¯t tell me that, pervert!¡± Igor¡¯s expression turned very ugly. His face was scrunched up like a piece of paper. A coloured page from a doujin he unfortunately saw surfaced. ¡°Bloody hell! Why did you tell me!? WHY!?¡± He didn¡¯t know why his mind pictured it. The cursed images of the yaoi book, the Korean kind that had extreme details on the characters laser-printed themselves into the forefront of his mind. ¡®It¡¯s been so long, Akira-kun. I saved up a lot as you said. Please help me¡­empty th-¡¯ ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± Igor lunged at Azazel, but the man dodged and ran away very quickly. ¡°What happened?!?!¡± He questioned, but all he got was a ki blast narrowly missing his face ¡°Wait!!!¡± Azazel retreated into the skies with Igor hot on his tail. Igor¡¯s angry outburst was far beyond his prediction. ¡°IT WAS A JOKE!¡± ¡°DIEEEE!¡± Chapter 273 ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I¡¯LL KILL YOU!¡± Igor lunged at Azazel, but the man dodged and ran away very quickly. ¡°What happened?!?!¡± He questioned, but all he got was a ki blast narrowly missing his face ¡°Wait!!!¡± Azazel retreated into the skies with Igor hot on his tail. Igor¡¯s angry outburst was far beyond his prediction. ¡°IT WAS A JOKE!¡± ¡°DIEEEE!¡± . |DxD| . Igor stared as Azazel retreated into the distance. Unknowingly, he had chased the man far into the wilderness. There were mountains draped with luscious greenery as far as the eye could see. In such a beautiful night, the moonlight illuminated the valleys. The only reason Igor stopped was not because he wished to admire the sight, but because he felt the time had reached midnight. This further brought about a change in his time chamber artifact. After a long month, he could finally be able to enter it. ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll let you go this time, Uncle Ay.¡± As much as he wanted to beat Azazel to death, every second and minute he delayed translated to days and months of missed training. He could conjure up methods of beating the Fallen once he returned. But for now, he had to depart. ¡°Hehe.¡± A flicker of unwillingness flashed in his eyes for a brief moment, but the white light gradually covering him erased it. Just like Azazel said, he was no longer getting stronger solely for himself, but for his family too. Only when he surpassed the likes of Shiva could he deign to relax. [I¡¯ll see you all in three weeks.] Vwong! September 15th, 1999, Igor left the world just as Saturday made its appearance. Aurelia was left behind to protect everyone and that singular fact alone would serve to calm Igor¡¯s nerves. With his sister at the vanguard, even a Supreme Class would have trouble against her. . |DxD| . The same scent, the same sight, the same vastness---Igor could admit he missed the time chamber. He stood on the steps and gazed forward with a resolute gaze. The emptiness didn¡¯t fill him with dread, but with anticipation. For a moment, Igor saw the four-year-old version of himself standing next to him. At the time, he¡¯d already trained for thirty years and had just come back for his fortieth year. The gaze in his eye back then still held fierce determination, yet the fatigue behind them could not be hidden. Now, he was ten, yet had lived far longer and experienced more than any human could ever hope to see.* His eyes had lost their innocent lustre over the years, but that was the price to wield power. Fortunately, he had his family. His desire for power was kept afloat by his love for his family. With absolute power, no one would lay a finger on them. Just like Shiva, he would also become an existence everyone would respect and fear offending. ¡°Hey, Triny. You ready?¡± {Yes!} The little lass was also excited. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go! ¡­read books.¡± His voice lowered as his excitement died. He tried, but he couldn¡¯t do it. He couldn¡¯t force himself to be happy about what he was about to do next. {Are you giving up already~?} ¡°Tch! Who said I was giving up. It¡¯s just a couple of books on theory and stuff.¡± Igor crossed his arms and walked into the building. Unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be seeing any physical training for a few months because of a certain someone. {Bleh! Stop complaining and go study, meanie!} Igor ignored her. His steps were somewhat solemn as he made his way towards the library. Dakaang~ He opened the door and as always, the small room was filled with books and scrolls of sorts neatly placed on shelves. He went to one of them and began browsing all the books on it. This particular shelf contained books on theory instead of techniques. Igor rarely read books on theory and if he did, they were only on Ki and Spirit Ki. But today, he had to read up on chakra and most importantly, nature energy. Because a certain old hag was useless¡­ {Hey!} ¡­she couldn¡¯t create nature energy on her own. Triny was a demon without a real body. Her true body¡¯s whereabouts were still unknown because once again, she¡¯s useless. {Stop saying that! It¡¯s that stinky old man who hid it from me!} Now, the only way for her to possibly manifest herself through him is if she could create her own nature energy. Not only would tmhis be a massive boon to his strength, but they¡¯d no longer have to rely on existing nature energy.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Not only was Earth¡¯s nature energy too tainted, there wasn¡¯t enough for Triny to create a spiritual body and manifest herself without consequence. But if she could create her own nature energy and use him as a medium, then she¡¯d no longer have to remain in his head all day. Seriously, who would want to have an old hag in their head? {Meanie! Meanie! Meanie! I¡¯m not an old hag!} ¡°Yes, yes. And men can turn into women.¡± {You¡­hmph!} He didn¡¯t pay much attention to her and continued roaming the shelf for that one specific book he knew he saw a couple of times. He rounded the shelf once more and finally found it. ¡°There it is.¡± Igor would never forget it. It was so thick it¡¯d make the bible look like a little brother. ¡°Nature Energy Encompassed. Yep. It¡¯s this one.¡± He picked it up and walked over to the desk where Aurelia used to read. *Thump!* As expected of a historical book. Igor¡¯s excitement slowly faded once more after he placed it on the table. Sigh¡­ This book was fairly large and just opening the first page aroused a sense of fatigue within him. The book was the size of his chest, yet the text was barely the width of a baby¡¯s finger. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± His hair turned red as he entered his Demigod State. The transformation not only increased his strength, but his cognitive ability as well. As a state derived from the Kaioken, it produced a qualitive boost to nearly all his attributes. That unfortunately included his emotions, but he¡¯d take this as a chance to train himself to control them. But no matter what, he wanted to understand everything in this book and many more within a month or two. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: Three Months Later . Igor holed himself up in the library and read everything with great fervor. There was no need to take notes. His elevated thinking not only allowed him to commit everything to memory, but his Demigod State allowed him to understand everything. The only cost to this was his sky-high irritability. His transformation was one born from the desire to fight and kill. Sitting for a few hours without smashing everything to pieces was already Igor¡¯s limit. Any longer and he might be consumed by the desire to fight and destroy. So whenever his bubbling anger reached the boiling point, he¡¯d decisively cancel his transformation and meditate. If the situation permitted it, he¡¯d use the suppressed state of his transformation. Compared to the full transformation, the fifty-times multiplier was easier to handle. He considered it a sort of training and over the weeks, results were shown. Unfortunately, his constant usage of his transformation for studying slowed down his progress of reading. Still, he did his best not to waste time. The increased comprehension was indeed a great benefit and during his times of meditation, he used the time to think of ways to create nature energy. From the get-go, he knew it would be a great gamble and the knowledge increased with each book he read. But after three months of reading, Igor now had a solid grasp on what he could do. It would be dangerous, far more dangerous than anything he¡¯d ever tried, but the end results would be worth it . |DxD| . Time Chamber: Seven Months Later (Ten months after entry) . Everything on paper was easy. But in practice, the difficulty skyrocketed to unimaginable heights. Seven months. Igor has been trying and failing for the past seven months to create nature energy. Nature energy was a very finicky form of power to capture. It¡¯s illusiveness had Igor and Triny wondering if they were treading on the right path. From one of Nakamura¡¯s books, nature energy is described as a neutral energy that ki and chakra branch from. If ki and chakra combine, the two energies will form chi, but what if a change in the merger resulted in nature energy once more? It was a conjecture the duo came to after three months of intensive reading. Gambling on such dangerous ideas was far too daring, but the possibilities made it worth trying. So for the past few months, Igor coordinated with Triny to create nature energy. The process was not easy and required different levels of experimentation. The two of them were operating on limited information. The books they read did not contain knowledge of how nature energy came to be---only that ki and chakra were sourced from nature energy. So it was reasonable that combining ki and chakra would lead to forming nature energy once more, but the result of that would be chi, not the former. Worse still, information on chi was also scarce. The number of chi-users was so rare there were no documented processes. Creation of chi either happened naturally over time, or spontaneously like a hurricane. So Igor and Triny were scrapped for information, but that didn¡¯t mean they gave up. For months, Igor tried merging his ki with Triny¡¯s chakra. They tried merging it internally and externally, yet all methods ended in failure. It was only fortunate the different energies silently cancelled each other out. For days in succession, Igor wondered if the issue was due to his lacking control over his ki or Triny¡¯s over her chakra. The pain of having chakra forced through him was nearing his limits at the time, especially after continuously doing this for weeks on end. Because he was Triny¡¯s host, the only way the lass could interact with the world was through him or rather, his body. It was why more often than not, Triny had to channel excessive amounts of chakra through him if they wanted to try merging the two energies externally. But as the saying says, fortune favours the bold. In the sixth month, Igor instinctively used his demi-ki one morning when the pain in his left arm got too much. The chakra she channeled through his arm was immediately expelled, but the sudden expulsion created a very, very, very faint trace of an energy they knew all too well---nature energy. As Triny¡¯s host, Igor was able to clearly sense that tiny presence of nature energy. This little smidgen of nature energy was so minute even a blade of grass had more. But this little smidgen presented hope, hope that their experiments finally had a direction. Regretfully, Igor and Triny couldn¡¯t begin testing themselves once more. The damage to Igor¡¯s left arm was far too significant to ignore. His healing abilities were indeed fast, but besides how the damage was extremely far-reaching, the lack of nature energy slowed down his healing rate. It was fortunate the time chamber still produced the healing herbs kept in his bedroom. Soaking his arm in water laced with them allowed his skin to gradually change from scorched-red back to normal. Still, it took three weeks for Igor to heal from this incident. But when his arm healed, he was ready to try again. The benefits of producing nature energy certainly wouldn¡¯t be small. The after-effects were still unknown, but he would gamble on this. . AN .
    1. The gaze in his eye back then still held fierce determination, yet the fatigue behind them could not be hidden. Now, he was ten, yet had lived far longer and experienced more than any human could ever hope to see.*
    Explanation: This is a bit confusing because I just did the math. Igor entered the time chamber in 1991 when he was still four. He stopped entering the time chamber in 1996 and went to train with Sun Wukong for the next three years. Prior to that, Igor was still four in 1996. If we account for the number of months he spent waiting for the time chamber to reset, then we can give him a freebie and say he¡¯s five. Counting from 1996 to 1999, his bone age should be eight-years-old, not ten. So where did the extra two years come from? My only guess could be when he first activated the Demigod State. In his state of grief at Shuri¡¯s death, he tapped into a power his body was not prepared to handle. If we recall, Shiva said Igor lost twenty years of lifespan in total just by maintaining the transformation. My guess is that somehow some way, his body was forcibly aged up by two years because of that. I still don¡¯t understand how twenty years translated to two years of forced-ageing, but that¡¯s really the only explanation I can dig up for how he¡¯s now ten. Either that or Igor is intentionally ageing himself up in his thoughts because he¡¯s desperate for those double digits. With that said, thanks for reading my work. I¡¯m thankful for the comments I get from all of you. Until the next chapter. Chapter 274 It was fortunate the time chamber still produced the healing herbs kept in his bedroom. Soaking his arm in water laced with them allowed his skin to gradually change from scorched-red back to normal. Still, it took three weeks for Igor to heal from this incident. But when his arm healed, he was ready to try again. The benefits of producing nature energy certainly wouldn¡¯t be small. The after-effects were still unknown, but he would gamble on this. . |DxD| . The time chamber was suffering through great turbulence. Hundreds of kilometres deep within its perilous confines, Igor sat cross-legged on his trusty straw mat. Three months had passed since he entered the time chamber and he was about to take his biggest gamble yet. The pressure emanating from him was overwhelming. The aura of his Kaioken billowed wildly as he attempted what could possibly be the most dangerous gamble in his entire life. The right half of his body was releasing pure unadulterated demi-ki. His opposite half was fraught with a powerful surge of violent blue chakra. The two energies fluctuated violently in his body like massive pyres of flames. His right eye was dark red and bore essence to the might he displayed. His left eye was gold in colour, but the difference was, it was leaking blood. In fact, the entire left half of Igor¡¯s body was not alright. The veins on his arm were bulging unnaturally. Half of his skin was red as Triny¡¯s chakra surged through his veins without restrained. His arms were fanned out and in them, two orbs were rapidly rotating on their own axis---one red, one blue. For nearly half-an-hour, Igor had been concentrating energy into these two orbs. The reason it took this long to condense these two orbs was because the pain was messing with his control. Fortunately, Triny commandeered one side of his body while he focused on the right side. ¡°Tch!¡± He grit his teeth in pain as Triny¡¯s chakra tore through his arm like a vortex. His left eye bled every single time her chakra made its way from the mark on his head to his hand. But there was no choice. Because of their current circumstances, neither could properly control their respective orbs. Triny was forcing her chakra through Igor¡¯s ocean of ki. It would be a miracle if she could still exert complete control over the orb. On the other hand, Igor¡¯s level of ki-control was reduced due to the amount of pain he was feeling. He was no stranger to pain, but Triny¡¯s chakra made him feel like acid was tearing through his body. He briefly even wondered if he should¡¯ve trained his resistance to it first, but there was no going back now. If he stopped, it¡¯d be a miracle if he could get up in half-a-year. So he could only gnash his teeth and hold on. Triny was almost at the stage where her orb would reach critical mass and so was his. This coming opportunity was precious and it had to be ceased quickly. Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! The two orbs spun furiously within his palms. The two opposing auras covering his body fluctuated wildly and violently. They were burning a tremendous amount of energy to power two spheres of such immense density. And now, the time has come to reap the fruits of their perseverance. ¡°Triny! Get ready to absorb it!!!¡± Without hesitation, Igor lashed out with his hands and slammed the two orbs into each other.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. BOOOOOOOM! A powerful shockwave resounded throughout the time chamber and directly shook the entire region. The combination of blue and red resulted in a cataclysmic clash that resulted in bright white flashes of light. The fabric of space tore and healed itself repeatedly, yet Igor¡¯s expression remained firm and unyielding. ¡°HAAAA!¡± The twin auras covering each side of him surged with newfound fervour. Igor and Triny put everything into this one gamble. Ten months of arduous effort culminated at this moment. His arms trembled like leaves in the wind. Nevermind the push-back, the energy waves alone from the collision were rattling his bones and jamming his nerves. His demi-ki and her chakra clashed without end. The white flash from the clash was not only bright, but it came with a searing heat that would put the sun to shame. The aura surrounding Igor protected him, but several patches of his pants were burnt off by concentrated rays of burning light. Enduring such punishment could be seen as the height of stupidity, but risks needed to be taken for progress to come. And with how high the risks Igor and Triny took, there naturally would be results. {I see it!} The little lass shouted enthusiastically in his mind. The clash from the two opposing energies bore fruit and through the chaos, steady slivers of golden energy was born. ¡°Absorb it!¡± Igor spoke through gritted teeth. Blood leaked out of his eyes and mouth, forming a combination of bloody streams that trickled down his chin all the way to his chest. He was desperate for the regenerative boost nature energy would give him. His body was already nearing its limits. {Got it-} *Cough!* Triny¡¯s excitement was short-lived when Igor suddenly spat out blood. Igor¡¯s situation was already dire enough as it was without having to endure the aftershocks of these two orbs. The little lass immediately sat down in the mindscape and concentrated on absorbing the slivers of nature energy. All the effort rested on her now so she couldn¡¯t fail. The tiny wisps of nature energy entered through Igor¡¯s forehead and made their way to Triny. Right now, the lass had her eyes closed in focus. As each wisp was absorbed, the pressure around her caused a wind to blow through the field. She couldn¡¯t afford to waste this painfully-created energy. Every wisp absorbed represented Igor¡¯s chances of survival. Back in reality, Igor struggled to contain the two orbs. Without Triny¡¯s help, he had to take control of this foreign energy called chakra. It was like trying to balance a pencil with his nose, but he could only endure. Under no circumstances could this orb explode right now. [Al¡­most¡­] He felt the diamond tattoo on his forehead react. Nature energy was seeping into his body, but it wasn¡¯t enough yet to trigger a transformation. He had to hold on. The most important moment as about to arrive so he had to hold on. But it was hard. Igor expected some pain, but not this much! The veins in his left arm were being corroded in realtime. The copious amounts of chakra flowing through his arm were on the verge of causing his skin to flay off. Despite that searing pain, he had to hold on. He had to stay conscious and bear through this. If he lost consciousness now, everything would be for naught. The amount of chakra coursing through his body has already poisoned his body to the extent that months or even a year of no training were unavoidable. But everything, everything can be mitigated if he managed to tap into that state. ¡°?!¡± Igor felt it---that familiar energy coursing through his body. It was nature energy! ¡°Hhup!¡± GRUUUUU! As the marks on his forehead spread throughout his body, he hurriedly increased the multiplier of his Kaioken. X33! This was the critical moment. It was time to go all in. Pushing himself to his current limit of times-thirty-three would undoubtedly strain his already-damaged body, but he couldn¡¯t give up. At most, it¡¯s just another month of rest, but he needed to analyse this chaotic orb in front of him as much as he could. His enhanced perception allowed him to gaze into the intricacies and makeup of the core. The ratio, the make-up---he observed and felt everything. Everything needed for the creation of nature energy was laid bear in front of his senses. [I see. So that¡¯s how it is¡­] The time seemed long, but only a few moments barely passed. Briefly, Igor smiled as he felt his heart giving out. They took so many risks just for these few moments of insight, but it was worth it. With this knowledge, not only would he grow stronger, but Triny would finally be able to produce enough nature energy for her to manifest herself in the physical world. But that could be a consideration for later. The moment Igor combined his Kaioken with nature energy, his body began collapsing. Not just his heart, the power of such a state was not something his fatigued ki veins could handle. But just before they could burst, the sweet embrace of unconsciousness claimed him. He willingly embraced it and let Triny take over control of his body. The power of his Kaioken receded and the power of nature energy surged. Countless black tentacles covered Igor¡¯s body like a shield, just in time for the profound explosion that followed. BOOOOOOOOM!!!! . AN . Some unfortunate delays saw me unable to post, but my schedule was free so I managed to upload. Tomorrow is Wednesday so I¡¯ll come with two chapters as usual. Chapter 275 But just before they could burst, the sweet embrace of unconsciousness claimed him. He willingly embraced it and let Triny take over control of his body. The power of his Kaioken receded and the power of nature energy surged. Countless black tentacles covered Igor¡¯s body like a shield, just in time for the profound explosion that followed. BOOOOOOOOM!!!! . |DxD| . TIme Chamber: Seven Months Later (1 year and 5 months after entry) . Months have passed since that cataclysmic event. Peace and serenity had returned once more to the time chamber. The iridescent lights in the sky illuminated the time chamber without hindrance. The only evidence that a catastrophe had taken place was the massive hole deep within the confines of the time chamber. The ground in the time chamber was incomparably hard, yet the explosion still managed to gauge out a hole the size of a small house. The ones responsible for such a mess were safely tucked in bed, or rather, one of them was. Igor was still unconscious, but his body had greatly recovered compared to then. This was due to Triny¡¯s diligence in the matter. Black tribal markings covered Igor¡¯s body, signifying that nature energy was flowing through his body. All the injuries he suffered from chakra tearing its way through his body were steadily erased over the months. Naturally, Igor would be unable to keep up and maintain nature energy flow while unconscious. Again, this was all thanks to Triny¡¯s diligence. Their experiment succeeded and through his memories, Triny knew exactly how to merge her chakra and his ki to create nature energy. Temporarily disregarding the benefits of advancing his healing rate, the ability to produce nature energy had finally allowed her to manifest herself in the physical plane. Dakaang~ The door to the bedroom opened, but there seemed to be no one behind it. However, the sound of footsteps echoed on the floor before finally, a small pair of hands reached up and clutched on the blanket. ¡°Nngh!¡± A cute childish cry of struggle rang out before the owner of the hands pulled themselves up. Slowly, threads of blonde hair exposed themselves before a tanned childish face revealed itself. It was Triny---her cute little face locked in an expression of struggle. She held onto the blankets with all the strength she could muster before swinging her leg over. She was draped in a black dress, yet wore nothing under her feet. She rolled over for the last stretch before she finally laid on the bed. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­haa¡­¡± She gazed at the ceiling with a sense of accomplishment. ¡°I did it¡­¡± It was a minor victory, but a victory nonetheless. Soon, she sat up and crawled over to her fellow blonde. He was completely covered by the blanket, leaving his face exposed. She crawled onwards and sat on top of his chest. ¡°Hey. Wake up. I can feel you¡¯re fine now.¡± She was tempted to sit on his face just to suffocate him for all the trouble he put her in, but she discarded the thought. ¡°Wake up, meanie.¡± She tried shaking him, but those eyes remained peacefully closed. ¡°Hmph!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. She decisively stretched out her hand and clinched his nose shut. If he wasn¡¯t going to wake up, then she¡¯ll suffocate him to death. ¡°...¡± A brief silence ensued in the room. The gentle yet conniving grin Triny wore spoke volumes of her non-altruistic intentions. But soon enough, a calm voice called out. ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I should break your arm.¡± ¡°Hmph! Try making threats after your voice doesn¡¯t sound funny.¡± ¡°...¡± Coral blue eyes opened and met with amber brown. A silent battle was fought between them in a bid to see who would relent first. Triny¡¯s grin and Igor¡¯s calm glare---it was unknown who would throw in the towel first. In the end however, Igor was the first to admit defeat by shifting the topic. ¡°How long have I been out?¡± Triny retracted her hand and crossed her arms. For a moment, a brief flash of worry flashed over her eyes. ¡°Seven months¡­¡± ¡°Hm. I woke up earlier than expected.¡± ¡°Of course you did. Look at who¡¯s been taking care of you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah.¡± Igor effortlessly grabbed her by the waist, sat up, and pulled her into a hug. ¡°Thanks for the help, Triny. I knew I could count on you.¡± And he meant it. His tone was sincere and his gesture was warm. Lord knows what Triny could do with full uninterrupted control to his body. If she wished, she could potentially squash his soul and fully control his body. It was a testament to just how much he trusted her, and she felt it. ¡°...¡± Triny¡¯s true emotions were slowly revealed. His hug was a simple gesture, but it was like the final stone that cracked open the dam. Drip¡­Drip¡­ It was easy to make fun of him and even joke around just earlier. But when he held her, when she felt his warmth and sincerity, it was like the afternoon sun that thawed away the wall she built. Her arms latched around his waist. ¡°You¡­*hik* you almost died¡­¡± Perhaps Igor was unaware, but she knew how close he was to dying in the first few months. In his plans, he had overestimated the defence of her tentacles and underestimated the power of the explosion. On normal days, he could survive it without any problem, but his body was weakened from chakra-poisoning. He was infinitely¡­infinitely close to death and she had to expend a great amount of effort just to keep him alive. If he didn¡¯t live¡­she couldn¡¯t bear the thought. ¡°You almost died.¡± ¡°...¡± Igor wasn¡¯t insensitive to her dilemma. True to her thoughts, he was unaware how close he was to death, but he could make guesses. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me.¡± His words were sincere without repute. He held the little lass in his arms and was grateful for her efforts. Apologise? That would undermine their hard work. Promise not to do it again? The future was too finicky to chain himself to such a promise. But for now, he was glad. Triny can form a physical body to use in this world. And as expected, she was strong. Just from her aura alone, she was in the realm of Peak-God Class like him. Earth¡¯s current nature energy levels would never be able to support such a powerful entity purely formed from nature energy and chakra. Still, all of that no longer mattered. Now, she was strong enough to protect herself. As long as she learned everything she could in the library, she¡¯d have more means of defending herself from anyone who¡¯d seek to take advantage of her, especially if she transforms. . |DxD| . For the first time in a long while, Igor missed Aurelia from the bottom of his heart. And for the first time, he cursed her existence. Food, food he used to enthusiastically eat now tasted like dirt. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. All Igor knew how to do was add salt to meat and barbecue it with his ki. Such an arrangement satisfied him greatly in the past, but Aurelia¡¯s feasts for the past ten years made him used to tastier food. Sigh¡­ There was no use complaining. Triny sustained him with nature energy, but it could only suppress his hunger, not replace it. So with some amount of reluctance, Igor took the roasted leg of a cow and began eating. Just the size of the leg alone was nearly half his height, yet that wouldn¡¯t be enough to feed him. Triny sat on the other side of the table with a smile. A few hours had passed since Igor woke up and her mood was better. In fact, part of the reason her mood was better was because Igor was ¡®suffering¡¯. As the person bonded to him, she could feel his clear desire for Aurelia¡¯s cooking. [Hmph! Serves you right!] She had no desire for food. As it stood, nature energy was being transferred to her remotely, allowing her to maintain this form. ¡°Hihihi~.¡± ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Igor looked at her with an unkind frown. ¡°If I recall, you have the wings of a dragon. Rather than beef, I¡¯m in the mood for some roasted dragon wings.¡± Krrr¡­ The chair creaked ominously as he stood up. His eyes turned red, his body slowly being surrounded by a crimson aura. ¡°Eep!¡± Triny dared not linger. Su! She ran faster than the winds, but Igor was right behind her. ¡°Leave me alone!¡± ¡°Give me a wing!¡± ¡°Nooooo!¡± She didn¡¯t stop running because if she did, Igor might really tear her a new one. She quickly dashed out the door and disappeared into the skies. Indignant tears streaked across her cheeks when she saw Igor was still behind her with saliva dripping from his mouth. He just wouldn¡¯t relent! ¡°Waaaaa! I¡¯m sorry!¡± She tried to open a gap, but he remained right behind her at all times. And so the minutes passed as Igor playfully chased the young lass. He wasn¡¯t wholeheartedly serious about eating her¡­maybe. He was hungry, but not to that extent. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he tried eating someone after all. Now that he thought about it, maybe Triny would be tasty. ¡°Just give me an arm!¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± ¡°A finger?¡± ¡°Waaaaa! Leave me alone!¡± Chapter 276 He was hungry, but not to that extent. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he tried eating someone after all. Now that he thought about it, maybe Triny would be tasty. ¡°Just give me an arm!¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± ¡°A finger?¡± ¡°Waaaaa! Leave me alone!¡± . |DxD| . Time Chamber: Four Months Later (1 year and 9 months after entry) . Time passed peacefully in the time chamber. To Igor¡¯s dismay yet still within his expectations, he would be unable to train for a few more months. The damage to his ki veins, particularly those in his left arm had gone far beyond his threshold. Thankfully, no permanent damage was done and he¡¯d soon recover, especially with the help of nature energy. He couldn¡¯t produce it in his body, but Triny could in their shared mindscape. All he had to do was¡­nothing. Some of the demi-ki he passively generated would be diverted by her into the mindscape and in return, his body would be baptised by nature energy. For the past eleven months, his body has continuously been washed with nature energy. Besides boosting his healing rate, there weren¡¯t any benefits worth mentioning. Perhaps it did help with his lifespan, but the Kaioken he passively maintained achieved the same effect, though he wasn¡¯t using it for now. If he truly wanted tangible benefits, then he¡¯d need enough nature energy to enter what they both called the Origin State. Alas, his veins were too damaged to support that kind of power for now. He knew if he tried, his withered veins would burst apart. Channelling just enough nature energy to heal himself further was already his limit. Since he was in a state of decommission, he¡¯d decided to focus his attention on Triny, particularly her training on the Aura-Flowing State. He was no chakra user, but his insights from the Kaioken were able to help the little lass a lot. The only disadvantage to the Aura-Flowing State was the lack of ability to use any sort of non-physical attacks. Triny could not release flames, manipulate the earth, or even shape the chakra in her hand. The flow of chakra was too fast for her to grasp it. She was only left with punches and kicks which admittedly, were quite strong. Igor wasn¡¯t sure if there was a Kaioken-equivalent for demons, but he reckoned Triny just needed to improve her chakra control to the point that even in the Aura-Flowing State, she¡¯d be able to use other techniques. During this time, Igor also chose to brush up on his knowledge. He recognised what he did was far too risky, even for him. The throbbing pain in his ki veins was a constant reminder of how close he was to permanently crippling himself. If that happened¡­he didn¡¯t want to think about it. He¡¯d made a lot of enemies over the years. Too many people wanted him dead. One did not need a strong imagination to guess what would happen. So when he wasn¡¯t overseeing Triny¡¯s training, he was reading a book on all the energy systems. Expanding his knowledge might help him further his Spirit Control or perhaps enhance the quality of his demi-ki. Who knew? He just had to buckle down and read a few more books. . |DxD| . Of the four months that had passed, Igor spent the majority of the last month in the library. Triny joined him a few times since she also needed to read up on a few techniques and theories related to chakra. But most of her time was occupied with training. Igor rarely oversaw her progress. The difference in the type of energy they used made him unable to help her in many aspects. Nonetheless, he continued to guide her where needed while also submerging himself in knowledge.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! What he did find out in his studies was at the moment, it was impossible for him to obtain chi. This was all because he had activated his divine strand. From the moment it was activated, he had been soldered into the path of ki. Every trace of his ki would contain trace amounts of demi-ki and overtime, those trace amounts would increase until eventually, his ki would completely transform into god ki. His only hope of possibly obtaining chi was if he unlocked god ki, but that was still a few years away. Initially, such a process was supposed to take a thousand years, but because of the Kaioken and the Demigod State, a massive chunk was taken off. Igor vaguelly felt if nothing happened, he¡¯d be able to attain god ki in a hundred years or so. If he continuously used the time chamber, that could translate to less than two years. But that goal was unfeasible since it required him to constantly keep either his Kaioken or Demigod State active. It was easy on paper, but it was insanely hard for him to do so. The subtle changes to his mental state was not something he could resist even under meditation. Just like hunger, channelling his demi-ki activated his instinct to fight. The longer he went without a fight, the more irritable he¡¯d become until eventually, he¡¯d turn into a mindless beast that craved battle. Thankfully, continuous usage of the Kaioken over the years has allowed him to maintain a two-times multiplier without significant change to his mentality. Theoretically, he could squat in the time chamber for the next few months until his time for training with Shiva would arrive, but that would interfere with his plans of training Asia and Akeno. At the very least, he wanted them to gain the power of Low Class before he left some time around next year. It was times like these he wished he had the Soul-Tearing Bell. With it, he was confident he could increase his soul strength which would undoubtedly help him in fighting against his instincts. As his level of Spirit Control increased, the fusion between his soul and his body would also increase. This would make him more in-tune with his instincts, which would conversely affect him negatively when it came to the Kaioken and Demigod State. But alas, Nandi denied him when he asked for it, with adequate reasoning too now that Igor thought about it. Nandi could heal his soul with a touch of his hand, injuries that could take years to recover from. Regardless, this didn¡¯t ¡®suade Igor from trying to study methods of controlling his inherent aggression. He remained holed up in the library and continued reading. If Aurelia saw this, he was sure she¡¯d be immensely surprised. But what could he say? Some things just couldn¡¯t be ignored forever. Putting aside the issue of attaining god ki, he also needed a way to control his full-powered state without losing his rationality. He was sure Nandi and Shiva would help him with this in the future, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t start now. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: Three Months Later (2 years after entry) . The farther one ventured into the time chamber, the more perilous the weather becomes. From scorching desert temperatures to blistering arctic cold, few could bear such treacherous conditions. If one chose to venture even deeper, they would find the weather would change sporadically. Searing heat, strong winds, and blistering cold---one could experience everything within a day. If one still chose to venture further, they would steadily encounter an increase in gravity. The gravity would increase as one ventured further in along with a deadly increase in weather intensity and variety. Hailstorms were not uncommon. A tornado could form out of nowhere. Venture deep enough and you¡¯d encounter weather so hot it¡¯d be hard to breathe. Remain long enough and the temperature would drop to margins so low every breath would feel like a stab to the lungs. The ones who can withstand this are few. The ones who can function somewhat normally are fewer. The ones who can fight in such conditions are a distinct minority. In gravity levels easily surpassing Earth¡¯s by hundreds of times, in sporadically changing weather that could shift from flaming hot to drop-dead cold, the ones who could shrug all of it off were a cut above the rest, the elite of the elite. Right now, two monstrous entities were about to engage each other. To them, hurricanes felt like a breeze. Temperatures exceeding the norm weren¡¯t qualified to even be listed as an inconvenience in front of them. Gravity easily eclipsing nine-hundred only served to make their hair droop a little lower. Nothing more. Two blondes: one short, one tall, yet both exuded power many envied. The air was dense with the radiance of nature energy. Steady golden auras covered their individual forms like a blanket. Over the months, Igor found a solution to his problem over his instincts. The solution was right at his fingertips---nature energy. Pure nature energy brought peace and could balance out some of his more destructive urges. It was why he took to learning more about it as quickly as possible, even going so far as to further temper his control over the mystical power. The results after months of training and meditation showed themselves. No longer was his body covered by tribal markings. The markings just barely stretched below his forehead. A pure golden aura surrounded him, a result of nature energy effortlessly synchronising with his ki. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su When he opened his eyes, they were golden-yellow in colour like the afternoon sun. His entire demeanour gave off a sense of gentleness and peace, but that could swiftly change in an instant. GRUUUUU! Chapter 277 No longer was his body covered by tribal markings. The markings just barely stretched below his forehead. A pure golden aura surrounded him, a result of nature energy effortlessly synchronising with his ki. Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su Su When he opened his eyes, they were golden-yellow in colour like the afternoon sun. His entire demeanour gave off a sense of gentleness and peace, but that could swiftly change in an instant. GRUUUUU! . |DxD| . Origin Mode, a state where nature energy gracefully merges with a user¡¯s ki and brings along enhancements above the norm. There was no clash nor any violent side-effects. Unlike the Kaioken, Igor could perpetually keep this state forever should he wish to---and he did. Not once did he ever cancel the state. The qualitative enhancement to his power, especially his perception was something else entirely. But the one unique thing Igor loved the most about this state, was the peace he felt. There was nothing more to it. Nature energy did not conflict with his passive Kaioken nor did it cause his body undue strain. But it certainly cleared his mind. But just because he was at peace did not mean he was incapable of violence. GRUUUUU! The golden aura around him violently surged. The muscles in his leg tensed as he leaned forward. His golden pupils remained solidly locked onto his target. The world seemed to slow down with each passing moment. The colours faded away and in its place, Igor¡¯s perception finally showed itself. Su! He instantly appeared in front of Triny with his fist outstretched. He felt her manipulating her chakra to create tentacles, a movement that didn¡¯t escape his eyes. If he didn¡¯t do anything, a tentacle would instantly pierce his abdomen. How unfortunate---nothing could be hidden from him. *Grab!* A tentacle protruded from her stomach like a pillar in an attempt to stab him, but he grabbed it with his hand. A visible look of shock appeared on her face, but his fist swiftly erased it. Gu! Her head twisted awfully. She stumbled a few steps back before finally righting herself. Igor didn¡¯t give cha- Su! He gave chase. He followed up with a gut punch that had her keeling over his fist. For normal people, seeing a six-year-old keel over a grown man¡¯s fist would undoubtedly be an uncomfortable sight. Yet in the supernatural world, needless morality would get you killed very quickly. He swiftly grabbed her by the jaw and held her up. She was helpless to this humiliating move. The shock to her body was still there. ¡°Do not solely depend on illusions for my perception is your worst counter.¡± He swiftly threw her away into the distance without care. SUUUUuuuuuu¡­ This time, he didn¡¯t follow after her. He remained standing where he was with his arms crossed. The terrifying cold did nothing to affect his focus. His eyes remained focused ahead without smile or frown. Twice, Triny tried using illusions on him, but she couldn¡¯t escape his perception. It was actually smart on her part. It showed she was improving, but she failed to plan for an event of failure. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! ¡°A different attack? Good.¡± Igor was indifferent to the tsunami rushing towards him. The pressure made his coat and hair billow, but nothing more.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. He stretched out his arm and found her presence hidden within the waters. A small golden orb formed within his palm before he released a blast wave. Ka¡­DRUUUUUU! The power contained in the attack expanded to ridiculous margins. An orb barely the size of a coin released a blast wave big enough to span a six-lane highway. It was nothing against the tsunami, but Igor¡¯s target was Triny. BOOOOM! A powerful explosion ensued and the tsunami collapsed without the chakra to support it. His blast made contact, but he didn¡¯t linger. Su! He charged forward, ki blade in hand. Countless tentacles lashed out to stop him, but his Instant Vanish technique allowed him to easily evade them. Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Tswii! Not even the helms of his coat were cut. He was easily able to predict the trajectory of each tentacle by monitoring the chakra in them. Tswii! Soon enough, he appeared behind Triny. His back was towards her, his blade pointing in front of him in midair. ¡°Like I said. Don¡¯t overly rely on illusions when facing me. My perception is your worst counter.¡± ¡°...¡± There was silence for a moment before slowly, the real Triny faded into view. Igor¡¯s blade that had seemingly pointed at empty air was now revealed to be directly against her throat. The blade was so close if Triny dared to gulp, her neck would be pierced. The little lass felt aggrieved at her swift defeat. She had not accessed her true form, but she was still stronger than him. Yet, he managed to take her down like an old dog. ¡°Hmph!¡± She was unwilling to admit defeat, but reality was in front of her. Soon enough, the fake version of herself along with the tentacles vanished into wisps of chakra. Simultaneously, Igor let his blade vanish. He dropped her like a sack of potatoes on the waterlogged ground. The after-effects of her tsunami still existed, but the water would evaporate very quickly in the upcoming heat. ¡°You still lack combat experience, but we¡¯ll slowly refine it. Once we leave here, I¡¯ll see if I can arrange some people to spar with you. Or do you prefer fighting in the upcoming war?¡± At Igor¡¯s serious enquiry, Triny merely huffed and crossed her arms. ¡°Do what you want.¡± ¡°...¡± She was throwing a tantrum, wasn¡¯t she? *Flicks Forehead* Pa! ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t complain to someone who¡¯s teaching you. That¡¯s how you get beatings.¡± Triny furiously rubbed her forehead. This big oaf used nature energy! ¡°Meanie¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m mean. But so is the supernatural world. You are strong and have a lot of potential for growth. Your only problem is your lack of repertoire. Chakra is weaker than ki, especially in a direct clash. Your use of illusions and that tsunami is good enough, but they¡¯re still lacking against me.¡± He placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°What I have in power, you have in versatility. If you¡¯re going up against someone like me, subterfuge is your best advantage. You can use your chakra to make traps, cause icicles to rain from the sky, manipulate the terrain, and so on. I can¡¯t teach you well in regards to this aspect. I¡¯ve always been more of a frontline fighter. I can try and see if my sister can spare a clone to teach you. But not now. She¡¯s probably busy in the Underworld and can¡¯t spare any. Once we come back from the war, I¡¯ll see about finding some help for you.¡± . |DxD| . Time Chamber: One Year Later (3 years after entry) . Time passed and during this year, Igor solely focused on his training. There was nothing more he could do to help Triny aside from the occasional spar. The little lass sincerely followed his suggestions and began increasing her repertoire. And not just that, she also refined her moves to be far more deadly. Natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis were deadly¡­to ordinary people. But if the might of a tsunami was concentrated into one torrent, then someone like him would have to dodge, especially when she added some of her corrosive chakra. Furthermore, she¡¯s delved into the art of perception like him. In fact, she took to it like a fish to water. The air, the earth, and everything else around her became an extension of herself. This made landing attacks on her somewhat harder since she could sense his position right down to the millimetre. Of course, just because Triny made gains didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t. For once in many decades, Igor didn¡¯t touch the gym. It was always either meditation or squatting in the library. But he couldn¡¯t help it. Harsh lessons taught him to master everything in his arsenal before striving for further improvement. What Igor needed to fix the most was his control. His issue of his Full-Power Demigod State was no longer something that could be delayed. This was where nature energy came in. Currently, a year of effort allowed him to combine his Origin State and Kaioken x45 to reach a staggering 450x boost in power. As long as he remained diligent, he would be able to bear using his Demigod Suppressed State without damaging his brain.* Igor had a hunch. If he could handle a 500x increase in power, then it¡¯d be all the more easier to handle his full-powered state. It was only an instinct, but he felt he¡¯d be able to quell the bloodlust he had when he transformed. It was only a hunch, but only time would tell whether he¡¯d be able to achieve a breakthrough. . AN . [1] Currently, a year of effort allowed him to combine his Origin State and Kaioken x45 to reach a staggering 450x boost in power. As long as he remained diligent, he would be able to bear using his Demigod Suppressed State without damaging his brain.* Explanation: Some of you might be a bit confused about this part. It is widely known by now the Kaioken strains the body far more than the Demigod State. However, it is the brain being mentioned here. Igor¡¯s body is strong, but his mind cannot process all the sudden information that comes from his enlightened perception. So don¡¯t confuse the mind for the body. More chapters are available on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n. Chapter 278 Author¡¯s Note: Hello everyone. I¡¯ll get straight to the point so as to not waste your time. I was in an area with poor network coverage and recurring power outages that lasted until the following day. Naturally with my luck, there was a power outage. Moving on, aside from the chapters I¡¯ve uploaded, I believe I owe four more. I¡¯ll see about making up for them gradually over time. I hope you¡¯ll enjoy this chapter and the next. . A/N END . Currently, a year of effort allowed him to combine his Origin State and Kaioken x45 to reach a staggering 450x boost in power. As long as he remained diligent, he would be able to bear using his Demigod Suppressed State without damaging his brain. Igor had a hunch. If he could handle a 500x increase in power, then it¡¯d be all the more easier to handle his full-powered state. It was only an instinct, but he felt he¡¯d be able to quell the bloodlust he had when he transformed. It was only a hunch, but only time would tell whether he¡¯d be able to achieve a breakthrough. . |DxD| . Time Chamber: Five Months Later (3 years and 5 months after entry) . Strong, yet gentle. Fierce, yet calm. Overwhelming, yet peaceful---those contradictory words could be used to describe the state Igor was in from an observer¡¯s perspective. He was deep within the confines of the time chamber with nothing but his trusty straw mat, pants, and a pair of sandals. He was caught within a hurricane, but he remained immovable like a statue. In comparison to the harsh winds around him, his aura gently surged like slow-moving river. A delicate coalition of red and golden aura surrounded his body like a burning flame. His hair flowed all the way down his back, the influx of energy causing it to clump together and spike like mountain peaks. He sat with his legs crossed, his eyes closed in focus. An overwhelming power radiated from him, firmly placing him in the upper ranks of High-Supreme Class. Origin Demigod State was the name he came up with for this new form. This time, his mastered control no longer caused him to bleed like he did when he was with Nandi and Shiva. Then again, there was hardly anything to sense in the time chamber, but he was certain after months of effort, he had attained nigh-absolute control over the form. Nature energy coursed through him like a torrential wave. The amount was distinctly different from when he was on Earth. The planet could never afford to give up so much pure nature energy. The rest of it was already so corrupted he¡¯d be forced to filter it, which would take precious time were he in battle. But this would no longer trouble him. The feeling of nature energy coursed through his body. Each and everyone of his cells were filled up to the brim with the mystical energy. Some of it lazily flowed through his divine strand and back into his ki network, dutifully on its way to nourish more of his cells. Igor was very clear about the current situation in his body. His enhanced perception allowed him to observe the flow of nature energy and even the most minute of details in real-time. By observing all of this, he had a bold idea he wanted to try. Some time in the future, he wanted to know if it was possible for him to generate nature energy on his own. But unfortunately, such an idea seemed impossible. His body could only contain nature energy, not create it. ¡°Fuuuu¡­¡± In his state of meditation, he released a breath of turbid air. The impurities in his body were cleared out in one gust of black air. It was another miracle of nature energy. Through it, he never needed to worry about dead cells, rotting matter, clogged injuries, or any negative ailments to his body. Anything that was of no use could be collected and secreted in one breath. He no longer even needed to use the toilet. The presence of nature energy in his body kept him in tip-top condition at every moment. And with how well he¡¯s now adapted to it, the setback of using his Origin Demigod State was effectively countered. The only limit holding him back¡­was his body. [I can maintain this state for only five minutes.] It was a simple acknowledgement of his weakness. All or most of his other problems had been fixed. His control issue had been addressed. He commanded absolute control over his body. Right now, the problem lay in his foundation, and there was a simple solution for it---the gym. Higher gravity and heavier weights---he would need to pump himself to the max for the next two years, and he had just the right idea on how to get maximum gains. [This is enough for now.] Suuuuuu¡­Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The aura around him faded away. His hair went flaccid and shortened in length. Without that powerful surge of energy, it no longer needed to be used as a chimney to relieve the pressure. ¡°Haaaaa¡­¡± He let out a minor breath of relief. The transformation was strong, but the burden it placed on his body was a lot. He stood up and let the most of his nature energy flow back into the diamond mark. For what he was about to do, the last thing he needed was triggering his Origin Mode by mistake. Su! He vanished a few-hundred metres deeper into the time chamber. Because tapping into his full power produced very strong fluctuations, he didn¡¯t want to tear his mat apart. He didn¡¯t have the patience to wait for the time chamber to create a new one. ¡°This should be far enough.¡± Gruuuu! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Su! Without delay, he tapped into his Demigod State. His fallen-hair instantly spiked up with fervour. His blonde locks were christened red by the powerful surge of demi-ki flooding each individual strand. His cerulean gaze turned crimson like the very aura surrounding him. This solid 100x multiplier from his Demigod State placed him at mid-Supreme Class. But this normal state wasn¡¯t Igor¡¯s intent. He planned to go beyond. ¡°...¡± *Clenches Fists!* His calm aura rapidly began to fluctuate once more. His expression turned fierce with each passing moment. After so many years without using it, digging out that power was surely going to be troublesome. ¡°HaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAH!!!¡± GRUUUUUUUU!!! His aura surged like a violent flame. It lashed out like massive tentacles that would easily obliterate those who dared to get close. The veins on his body bulged due to untold amounts of demi-ki flowing through his veins. He grit his teeth and powered through it. There was no going back and he could already feel a tinge of bloodlust muddying his rationality. But that was all it was---a tinge, a tinge he could easily snuff out. ¡°HEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAH!¡± His yell reverberated throughout the barren region. His powerful aura affected the auroras hovering in the skies. Igor did everything he could to dig out this sturdy stone called power. It was definitely more difficult than before. Previously, this would¡¯ve been enough to fully ascend, but it was only enough to trigger the changes. His muscles slowly began to swell. The injection had reached the point where his body had to grow to accommodate the sudden influx of power. His hair grew spikier. The strands clustered like mountain peaks turned to jagged edges so sharp they could skewer a fly. The pupils in his eyes flickered with the intention of disappearing. With so much energy flowing through him, his brain had to allocate resources from sight in order to manage this dangerous amount of energy. GRUUUUUU! A breaking point was reached and the aura around exploded in a plume so dense his figure disappeared. X110! X120! X130! X140! X150! X160! His power continued to soar until it settled at 165x his base power. Such a margin of increase from the previous 120th multiplier was astonishing to say the least. As his power solidified, his aura also began to calm down, but nothing could hide the tyrannical pressure he released. If anyone were present, they would feel as if drawn bow was aimed right at the foreheads. The overwhelming bloodlust Igor released was so strong weaker people would freeze in fear. ¡°Hehehehehe¡­¡± A demonic chuckle jejely rang out. Those empty pupils seemed to hold the desire to destroy all creation. ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± There was no rationality in that gaze. The plan¡­had failed. His will to fight and destroy superseded all thoughts of logic. GRUUUU! His power exploded with great fervour. His monstrous expression was terrifying. His head swivelled around frantically, his nose sniffing the air for any scent. Sniff Sniff Sniff It was clear he was looking for an opponent, but he neither sensed nor smelled anyone¡­and that made him angry. ¡°RAAAAAAAAA!!!! I WANT TO FIGHT!!!¡± His power exploded once more as rage consumed him. His desire for battle was like an itch desperate to be scratched. Fighting and killing was an instinct soldered deep into the bone. Without a suitable opponent to battle or lives to reap, Igor descended further into madness.* GRUUUU! ¡­.SUUUUUUuuuuuu The ground beneath him cracked as he flew into the skies. His mind was gradually descending into madness. It could be said Igor truly turned into the incarnation of slaughter. Without feeling the flesh of others in his hands, his mind began its pilgrimage into the abyss of no return. But before it could embark, black tentacle-like markings were released from his forehead. The markings creeped down his forehead and Igor quickly recognised the abnormality. ¡°What?!¡± He stopped mid-flight and began scratching his forehead incessantly. ¡°What is this?! WHAT IS THIS!!!!!?¡± These strange markings were suppressing his power. For a moment, a strange sense of fear flashed across his gaze, but it was instantly erased by profound rage. ¡°RAAAAAAAA!!!!¡± GRUUUUUU! His aura of demi-ki surged once more like a thundering flame. Igor furiously resisted, but what was his strength to a High-Supreme Class? Vwong! A golden light flashed from his forehead before Triny appeared in front of him in her true form. Three different pairs of wings were on her back---a dragon¡¯s, a bird¡¯s, and a bat¡¯s. Her body had grown to resemble a girl in her early teenage years, a very demonic teenager. Two rows of horns were on her hear and black tribal markings covered her entire form. Her beautifully tanned skin seemed to glow with the colour of gold, giving her the feel of an unprovokable goddess. ¡°WHO ARE YOU!? RELEASE ME NOW AND FIGHT M-¡± She silenced him by placing her finger on his forehead. Just from how Igor didn¡¯t recognise her, she knew he was too far gone. She¡¯d been content to wait like he asked her, but she couldn¡¯t risk it any longer. ¡°Sleep now.¡± Her ethereal voice rang with a maturity unbefitting of her age. Her golden pupils looked down on him with a tinge of pity. She knew Igor would undoubtedly be upset once he recovered. She¡¯d held some confidence he¡¯d recover in the event of failure, but sometimes, things never went according to plan. With a touch of a finger, the tentacles covering Igor instantly spread across his whole body, dying his skin black in its entirety. His aura fizzled out like a candle flame under a bucket of water. No resistance could be mustered, no curses could be uttered. In one swell swoop, Triny successfully restrained him. He may have failed today, but failure was only the prelude to success. . AN . [1] His power exploded once more as rage consumed him. His desire for battle was like an itch desperate to be scratched. Fighting and killing was an instinct soldered deep into the bone. Without a suitable opponent to battle or lives to reap, Igor descended further into madness.* Explanation: I keep being confused by this ¡°battle instinct¡± thing. I get that Aryans are battle maniacs, but Igor is originally not from this world. He just happened to be some blonde guy who said some nonsense and was coincidentally selected by a sex-starved transmigrator deity. Unless Ted changed Igor¡¯s physique to match an Aryans, I don¡¯t see where this battle instinct stuff comes from. Maybe it arose when the Himejima Massacre happened? Maybe constant wars had something to do with it. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m leaning on the latter though. I believe once you fight in dozens of wars every month, you either grow crazy or develop some sort of sick enjoyment from spilling blood and guts. Perhaps Igor¡¯s a psycho at heart because once he loses rationale, the first thing he wants to do is crack skulls and tear people apart. That¡¯s just my take on the matter. Maybe you hold a different opinion? Chapter 279 With a touch of a finger, the tentacles covering Igor instantly spread across his whole body, dying his skin black in its entirety. His aura fizzled out like a candle flame under a bucket of water. No resistance could be mustered, no curses could be uttered. In one swell swoop, Triny successfully restrained him. He may have failed today, but failure was only the prelude to success. . |DxD| . Nature energy is a neutral power that can be found wherever there is life. To whoever decides to wield it, nature energy will affect their mentality to a certain extent depending not only on its purity, but also on the wielder. Tainted nature energy inspires anger and malevolence. The desire to destroy is seared into the user¡¯s blood as long as the energy in its tainted form exists in the wielder¡¯s body. The same could also be said for pure nature energy. However in its case, it inspires feelings of peace and neutrality. Under the baptism of pure nature energy, the wielder¡¯s indifference to all life is increased. The opposite could also happen depending on the user¡¯s initial mentality. What was true about both aspects of nature energy however, was the effects would only last as long as nature energy continues to course through the body. Without it, whether it be rage or indifference, all of it would vanish. This aspect is what Igor failed to account for. As one who had been under the baptism of pure nature energy for months, he made the crucial error of associating his state of mind as something of his own conjuration and will, not a side-effect of nature energy. When he let the nature energy in his body disperse, his ability to calmly suppress his instincts dispersed along with it. Normally, he should¡¯ve been able to feel the changes to his state of mind, but he was blinded by confidence, so much so he failed to pay attention until the last step. The only fortunate outcome from all of this was Triny¡¯s interference. Unfortunate lessons from the past taught him to place fail-safes for ¡®just in case¡¯ scenarios. In her true form, Triny would be able to suppress him should his plan go awry, and it did go awry. Were it not for her strength, he might¡¯ve descended into madness and fallen to consequences unknown. Now, a few hours had passed since his failure. Igor was currently awake. The blonde sat outside on the steps with a somewhat dazed expression on his face. His hands cupped his cheeks, his eyes staring listlessly into the depths of the time chamber. [What am I doing wrong?] It was a question he¡¯s been asking himself repeatedly. Everything was going to plan right up until that moment. [I lost my sense of reason and became a mad dog.] He frowned in thought. Right now, there was no nature energy flowing in his body nor did he have his Kaioken activated. He bore no weights nor had any fatigue. He suffered no hunger nor ailment of any kind. In his complete base state, he was at his absolute peak. His mental clarity was as clear as glass. As far as he could feel, there was nothing wrong nor was there any lingering aggression. [I didn¡¯t keep my Kaioken active for an entire month. I did not engage in fights and I did not train. So why did I fall so easily?]If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He had no resentment that could sprout like a seed and cause him to become mad. His parents¡¯ death? His brother¡¯s death? Shuri¡¯s death? He no longer had resentment or any negative emotions. The people he hated were all dead by his hands. He had a new family that loved him. He had a best friend who he¡¯d bonded with over the holy book of Dragon Ball. He had a wonderful woman by his side and a world-destroying entity as his partner to boot. He was living the life goddamnit! So where did this anger come from? It didn¡¯t make sense! [No. Maybe I¡¯m going about all of this the wrong way.] Igor stood up with his arms folded against his chest. His expression was locked in a contemplative frown as he aimlessly walked around. [What if what I¡¯m feeling isn¡¯t repressed anger?] Igor silently recalled the memories of himself wielding his full power. [When I¡¯m in that state, my biggest desire is to fight.] He walked around in further ponderment for dozens of minutes. His eyes were closed, his fingers scratching his nonexistent beard in further thought. He tried to think of why he becomes a murder junkie upon assuming that state, but he came up empty at every turn. [Could it be that¡¯s all it is? Is fighting just my baser desire?] For Igor, he slowly felt as if a curtain was being pulled from his eyes. It was a budding realisation caused by a random thought, but the possibility made it all the more feasible. [Maybe that¡¯s the answer!] He stopped walking and looked up with a brief flash of enlightenment. [That has to be the answer!] Previously, Igor thought his desire to fight was his desire to lash out against the world in rage. To put it in embarrassing terms, he saw it as his way of venting and throwing a tantrum¡­by using blood as water to rinse his face and corpses as tissues to wipe his eyes. But now, what if it was his baser instinct? Everyone has baser instincts or actions they perform when their mental acuity degrades beyond a certain level. Some act like beasts, some rape, some eat like gluttons or become mischievous, and so on. What if his baser desire just so happened to be a natural instinct was to fight? [It makes sense!] In fact, now that Igor truly took the time to think about it, it would make perfect sense. The notion alone opened up a box of clarity that enlightened him further. [When I¡¯m using my full power, my brain can¡¯t manage all that amount of energy without sacrificing something. So I lose not only my sight, but my mental acuity.] For normal transformations, this type of thing wouldn¡¯t matter. But his Demigod State was much like the Kaioken in terms that it also heightened his emotions. Without his brain having enough resources, time, and power to manage them, he¡¯d become unrestrained like a child who grew up without whoopings. [Well¡­atleast it¡¯s not rape. That¡¯d be embarrassing.] He chuckled lightly at the thought, but Igor was now very sure of his idea. It was weird that his inner inhibition manifested itself as a desire to fight and kill, but atleast he didn¡¯t become a sex-crazed freak. ¡°Alright! I know what to do. I¡¯ll have to ask the old hag again for help.¡± . |DxD| . A few moments prior¡­ . Triny watched Igor silently ponder to himself. He was so out of it he didn¡¯t even sense her nor hear the door opening. She held a glass of water in her hand, yet she didn¡¯t go and deliver it to him. [He¡¯s been sitting there for over two hours now.] She was worried about him. His emotions of anxiousness and confusion were transferred to her in great clarity. The first thing he did upon waking up was thank her before decisively coming to sit on the front steps. She couldn¡¯t read his mind, atleast not without him knowing, but she didn¡¯t need to to know he was searching for a solution. Unfortunately for this matter, she couldn¡¯t help him. This situation was unique to him as far as she knew. Not a single one of her previous hosts came across this issue. [I hope he¡¯ll find a solution.] She knew of his efforts to become stronger for his family. His motivations were pure and undisguised. She believed in his ability to pull through and what do you know? He did. Like clockwork, it seemed he did find a solution. The confusion she felt from him slowly decreased in intensity when he stood up. He walked around with no sense of direction, but his budding excitement told her he saw a new path. [I guess he won¡¯t need this anymore.] She turned around and went back into the kitchen. Knowing how he was, she was sure he¡¯d come up with some new outrageous method. But she¡¯d still help him without hesitation for it was the least she could do for her savior- ¡°Alright! I know what to do. I¡¯ll have to ask the old hag again for help.¡± ¡°...¡± All her good feelings were washed away like concentration under the smell of a fart. ¡°Meanie!¡± ¡°Huh?! Wait!¡± She stormed away into the kitchen. To think she actually thought he was good. ¡°Hmph!¡±