"Please enjoy your tea."
Rias said as she carefully set a cup before Odin. With Akeno refusing to be anywhere near her father, the Fallen Angel Cadre Baraquiel, the task of serving tea naturally fell to Rias, the only one in the club who actually knew how to make it.
After their date had been cut short by the unexpected arrival of Odin and his entourage, Issei and the rest of the Occult Research Club, along with their advisor Azazel, now found themselves gathered in the VIP room on the sixth floor of the Hyoudou Residence, sitting in the lounge area with the Chief Deity of Norse Mythology himself. The atmosphere in the room was a mix of awkwardness and unease, though most of it stemmed from the tension between Akeno and her father, who kept glancing at her from time to time.
Currently, she was sitting with Ravel and Koneko instead of taking her usual spot beside Rias, and every time their eyes met, Akeno would turn away, a look of disgust crossing her face. The silence that followed was uncomfortable enough that even Odin seemed to notice.
"I must say, this is quite the lively bunch," Odin said with a chuckle, breaking the tense silence finally as he casually took a sip of his tea. "I came here to meet the rest of the famous Gremory Peerage, but this certainly feels more like a funeral than a friendly visit."
Rias lowered her head apologetically after taking her seat next to Issei. "My apologies, Odin-sama." She said, forcing a polite smile before casting a pleading gaze over to Akeno. Her best friend, however, did not seem to care about it in the slightest, clearly uninterested in even trying to play along.
"Hah, not a…"
Odin began, but his words were cut short as the magic circle on the far end of the room suddenly lit up, bathing the walls in a warm pink glow. A brief moment later, the glow softened, and from within emerged Aphrodite herself, cladded in her signature two-piece businesswoman suit. The faint scent of roses drifted through the air as her heels clicked lightly against the floor before a beaming smile curved on her lips as she looked around the room and found Issei.
"Good evening, Ise."
"Evening to you as well, Aphrodite."
Issei grinned while everyone else in the room except Odin lowered their heads respectfully to the Greek Goddess of Love as she then waved at them all. The smile on her face then faltered slightly when she turned her eyes toward the old God who was still casually sipping his tea. The usual playful glint in her eyes faded slightly, replaced by a look of professionally restrained irritation as she addressed him.
"I'm happy to see that you are enjoying yourself, Lord Odin. I suppose you were having such a good time touring Olympus and coming here that you completely forgot about the meeting you were supposed to attend an hour ago?"
Odin paused mid-sip, then slowly lowered his cup, giving Aphrodite a small grin. "Ah, that. I might have gotten a little… sidetracked. These youngsters here were far more interesting company, I must say. Not that you are not a good one, of course, milady." He said, his single visible eye wandering toward her cleavage with a lecherous grin as Aphrodite walked around the couch where Issei and Rias were seated to gracefully take the open spot beside him.
Before Odin could stare any further, a sharp smack echoed through the room as Rossweisse brought a paper fan down hard on the back of his head.
"Seriously, please control yourself, Lord Odin!" She scolded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "As the ambassador of Mount Olympus, Lady Aphrodite deserves more respect than that!"
"Geez, always so hardheaded as usual." Odin remarked in annoyance while rubbing the back of his head, though it was quite clear he didn't care in the slightest that his own subordinate had just blatantly hit him. "You really ought to relax more, or else you'll never find yourself a boyfriend."
"It… it's not your business, Lord Odin!" Rossweisse exclaimed back, her face bright red as she turned away, puffing her cheeks in frustration.
Aphrodite chuckled softly at the exchange before glancing toward the young Valkyrie. "You must be Rossweisse, correct?" She asked warmly, her tone softening. "How is your grandmother? It's been ages since I last spoke with Gondul."
Rossweisse smiled, her earlier sulk fading as she answered. "My grandmother is doing very well, milady. She's helping the academy train the next generation of Valkyries. She's still as strict as ever, though."
"That sounds exactly like her. I really need to keep in touch with her more. Maybe it will help her loosen up a bit." Aphrodite laughed lightly before turning her attention back to Odin. "Though speaking of being strict, I'd say you could use a bit of that yourself, Lord Odin. Your careless attitude will only paint you in a bad light during your upcoming meetings with the delegation from Takamagahara."
Takamagahara, also known as 'the High Plain of Heaven', was the mythical realm that was the home of the Japanese Gods.
Odin let out a small sigh, leaning back in his seat. "Ah, yes… that."
It was hard for Issei to tell if Aphrodite was feeling annoyed or not, but if she did, she hid it well to maintain her professional composure.
"The talks about an alliance between Asgard and Takamagahara have been in discussion for quite some time now." Aphrodite noted, her tone turning serious as she continued. "Will you be staying in Japan until the summit takes place?"
The All-Father let out a thoughtful hum, stroking his beard. "That is the plan, yes. I thought it would be best to handle things here personally this time around. There have been... quite a lot of voices opposing the idea of Asgard making an official alliance with the other pantheons, including yours, so I need to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible."
"The summit is planned to be held in this town." Baraquiel said, making Issei and the other members of the Occult Research Club nod their heads in understanding, not feeling surprised by such a decision in the slightest. He could even hear Ddraig chuckling in the back of his mind at the irony of it all.
Of course it would be held here in their hometown. Of all the places in the world, why would anyone, even the Gods themselves, want to host a world-changing meeting anywhere other than a small, peaceful Japanese town called Kuoh?
"Well, with that in mind, it has been decided that while the old man is staying here in Kuoh, you guys will act as his bodyguard." Azazel pointed out, gesturing a hand toward Odin "Baraquiel here will serve as backup from Grigori. The Hero Faction will send their own as well to help. I have got a mountain of work to handle, so I can't stick my face around here as much as I'd like, so Baraquiel will be keeping an eye on things in my place."
"I look forward to working with you all." Baraquiel said, lowering his head politely.
Of course, the idea that Baraquiel would be sticking around made Akeno visibly grimace.
It was late at night when Issei found himself returning home from the Hero Faction HQ in Tokyo, having gone there earlier to sign some papers required by Cid following his decision to have Aphrodite as his patron. During his time there, he had also learned that the leader of the Japanese Heroes himself, along with a small team of Heroes, would be coming to Kuoh in the next few days to assist with the upcoming summit between Asgard and Takamagahara just like Azazel had said.
It made Issei wonder if Goto himself would be part of the team. While the man did not choose a Patron God, he was heavily favored and held in high regard by Susanoo, the Shinto God of the storm and sea. It would make sense for the Takamagahara to request the strongest hero in Japan to come and safeguard such an important event. Mirei would probably be in the team as well, since she lived in Kuoh and all.
Feeling a little hungry, Issei wondered if there were any snacks left in the kitchen and decided to head there. He had barely stepped through when the faint sound of a can rolling down the staircase caught his attention, making him look up just in time to see Akeno rushing past him in the hallway, moving so quickly that he had to step back just in time to avoid colliding with her.
"Akeno!" Issei called after her, but she only threw him a brief, pointed look before disappearing down the stairs, leaving him blinking in confusion.
Shaking his head, his eyes fell to the source of the noise, a watering can lying on its side just a few feet away. He walked over and picked it up, realizing that Akeno must have been out watering the plants in the open-roof garden on the terrace, before making his way up the stairs. As he reached the top, Issei immediately noticed Baraquiel standing near the edge, gazing silently at the night sky. The moonlight highlighted the subtle sadness on his face, casting long shadows of his towering figure across the terrace floor.
Leaving the watering can on the nearby ledge, Issei made his way over to stand beside Baraquiel, who had clearly noticed him but remained silent. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and a comfortable silence settled over the terrace, the only sounds coming from the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant noises of vehicles crossing the streets below.
After a moment, Baraquiel finally spoke, his voice low and calm. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it really is." Issei replied, following his gaze toward the stars. "You are not with Odin?"
"He decided to visit the pub in the lower town. That is no place for someone like me, but Azazel and Rossweisse are with him, so I got the night for myself here." Baraquiel answered, nodding his head. "How was your meeting with Cid?"
"It went well. I only went there to sign some papers anyway." Issei explained. "I was also told that Cid would be leading the team coming to assist us with the summit between Asgard and Takamagahara."
"That's good to hear. Not that I don't trust you and your abilities to see things done, but having someone like Cid around would certainly put my mind at ease." Baraquiel nodded. "A great warrior, and an even finer leader… that man is."
"You know him well?"
"I have had the honor to work with him a few times before." Baraquiel chuckled. "His signature purple lightning is often compared to my Holy Lightning. I pray that the day the two of us have to face each other in battle to see which of our signatures is stronger will never come."
"We are all on the same side here, are we not?" Issei chuckled, making Baraquiel shrug his shoulders at him with a small smile "Still, I must admit that battle sounds like it would be one spectacular show."
"Perhaps, if there were ever a chance for us to have a friendly duel, I would not shy away from it. It would be an enlightening experience." Baraquiel said, nodding his head thoughtfully. After a pause, he finally broke the silence again with a question "You are seeing my daughter, correct, Issei-kun?"
Issei blinked, a little caught off guard by the sudden shift in conversation. He quickly gathered himself, and answered truthfully "Yes, sir."
"You know, I was skeptical, when I heard that you were a pervert at your school." Baraquiel said, making Issei let out an awkward laugh in response. "But I also heard about everything that you have accomplished, all that you have done for your friends and the people you care about. All the Heroes I have met with spoke highly of you, referring to you as someone they can truly rely upon."
"I just do what I think is right, sir."
"And that," Baraquiel turned to him, "is exactly why I can trust you around my daughter. Please, no matter what happens, watch over her for me, Issei-kun. Make sure that she's happy, and no harm will ever come in her way."
"Of course, sir." Issei nodded his head firmly as he looked at Baraquiel and met his gaze.
"Good. That is all I ask." Baraquiel smiled, nodding his head to Issei before turning around to leave.
Before the man could move past the door, Issei spun around and called after him.
"Excuse me, sir, sorry for my sudden intrusion, but…" Issei began, making Baraquiel stop and turn his head to glance at him. "But what really happened between you and your daughter?"
"That… will be a story for another night, Issei-kun. If Akeno ever chooses to tell you, then that is her choice to make as well." Baraquiel said. Despite the fact that he had a small smile on his face, Issei could also hear a faint sense of sadness within his voice as he continued. "You're a good kid. Far better than even some of us adults. So keep at it, alright?"
"I understand." Issei replied sincerely. With that, Baraquiel closed the door behind him and headed downstairs, leaving Issei to stand there on the terrace of his home, lost in his thoughts as he turned back around and looked at the starry night sky above him.
What an eventful day it had been.
"Issei-sama!"
"Kyaa!"
The next day, Issei and the Occult Research Club found themselves attending an event hosted by the Gremory devil household in the Underworld. They were currently out in the garden, which had been decorated and cleared to accommodate the crowd. A huge line of devils had already gathered, all eagerly waiting for their chance to get the autograph of their idols, be it Issei, Rias, or even Gasper, who was trying to not freak out in his seat.
"Here you go," Issei said with a grin, handing the young devil in front of him a signed card. To say that he was surprised by how far his popularity among the devils in the Underworld had spread would be an understatement. He knew that after the match against the Sitri Peerage, he had gained a sizable fanbase, but seeing so many devils lining up in person, clutching his photograph and their favorite items to have him sign while calling and screaming his names, was still astonishing.
"It's an honor to meet you, Issei nii-sama!" A young boy exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement as he took a step forward, standing before his group of friends, who all looked just as excited as he was.
"It's nice to meet you as well." Issei grinned, shaking his hands with the boy before noticing the Blade toy figure that he was clutching in his hand. "Woah, is that the limited edition Blade figure?"
"Yes! I think he's the best." The boy nodded eagerly, his grin widening.
Issei chuckled. "Well, my other commanders would love to disagree… but since you brought him all the way here, how about I introduce you to someone?" With that said, Blade emerged beside Issei, standing tall and proud with his hands clasping behind his back and a smug smile plastering across his face. The boy squealed in delight while the crowd behind him gasped and cheered at the sight of Blade, who then grinned broadly and started striking dramatic poses as flashes from cameras aimed at him lit up the area.
After that, more fans, mostly children and teens around his age pressed forward, handing over photographs and other memorabilia for Issei to sign. Issei made sure to attend to them all, signing each item carefully and posing for anyone who asked for a photo, keeping a smile on his face the entire time. Hours passed quickly in a blur of handshakes, photos, and laughter, filled with the energy and excitement from all the fans who had come to see the Gremory Peerage.
By the time the crowd had finally dispersed, the artificial sun in the sky had moved directly above their head, signaling the two hours lunch break time of the event.
"Ise-sama, thank you for your hard work," Ravel said as she approached him in the dressing room, holding out a towel with both hands. Since he was the last to leave the signing stand, he was also the last to return to the dressing room. The others had likely gone back to the mansion for lunch already, just as he had told them to.
"Oh, Ravel. Thank you." Issei smiled, taking the towel from the blonde with a grateful nod before using it to wipe the sweat from his neck and face as he sank onto the nearby couch. "Man, I'm beat. That was more exhausting than I expected it to be."
And there was still the entire afternoon ahead, packed with mini events and game shows for the fans to hang out with them. Issei had no idea why, but raiding Gates or fighting terrorists never felt this tiring. He would rather charge headfirst into a battle than spend all day just smiling for the cameras.
"But you made a lot of dreams come true today, Issei-sama." Ravel said, smiling.
"And it makes everything worth it." Issei chuckled as he tossed the towel aside, letting Ravel take the seat next to him on the couch "Don't get me wrong. Lately I've started to think that making the dreams of those children come true is a great thing, I just didn't expect to see so many of them. Honestly, I don't think I have done quite enough to make them idolize me like that."
"Don't sell yourself too short. Kids think you're cool, and they love superheroes with cool abilities. You just happen to work as a Hero now as well, so they've got plenty of reasons to like you."
A familiar voice came from the doorway, making both Issei and Ravel turn toward it to see Azazel standing there with a small grin on his face, one hand knocking on the doorframe as the other held up a neatly wrapped bento box. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything. I brought lunch."
Issei blinked before a grin spread across his face. "You? Bringing me lunch? Now that's a first, sensei."
"Hey, I can be thoughtful sometimes too. Plus, it's from Asia. She made this for you and asked me nicely to deliver it to your hands, so I couldn't help myself." Azazel stated with a chuckle as he made his way into the room. "Of course, feel free to decline. I'm feeling pretty hungry…"
"No way. Give me that." Issei said, raising to his feet to quickly snatch the bento box from Azazel, who held his hands up both arms in mock surrender, watching with amusement as Issei sat back down and began unwrapping it. Inside were neatly arranged portions of fried chicken, egg rolls, several slices of braised pork, a bunch of rice that was topped with pickled plum, and a few octopus-shaped sausages. Issei had eaten the foods made by the girls living at his home so many times now, so he had no trouble recognizing Asia's cooking.
"Man, this looks amazing." Issei grinned, grabbing his chopsticks before taking a large bite from a piece of egg roll and some rice. "And they taste even better. She's really getting better at cooking."
He then turned to Ravel and asked her with a small grin "You want some? You've been waiting for me, so I bet you haven't had lunch yet."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine, Ise-sama. Please enjoy your meal."
"Nonsense." Issei shook his head, already scooping up some food into the bento lid before handing it over to her with the spoon that had been prepared along in the wrap. "Here. No way I'm eating this alone. Just tell me if you want more, okay?"
"I… thank you, Issei-sama."
"Oi oi. How come Ravel gets some and I don't? I even helped deliver it." whined dramatically, crossing his arms as he flopped down onto the sofa across from them, pretending to sulk.
"Because Ravel's different." Issei replied simply, his head barely even looking up from his food after Ravel had accepted her portion with a grateful bow.
Azazel's brows lifted slightly before he gave an amused snort, leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms along the armrests. "Anyway, enjoy the meal, both of you. You guys still have a pretty busy day ahead." He paused, eyes flicking between them before continuing oh "And just so you know, Cid and his team will be arriving tomorrow evening. They'll be staying with Amamiya Mirei at her apartment, which is not too far from the hotel Odin is staying… unless, of course, you want to offer them some of the spare rooms you have at your home."
"I don't mind, but my parents, though. I mean... they knew Rias and the others were my closest friends at school, but Cid and his team are complete strangers." Issei reasoned. He'd love to have Cid over, but he also didn't want to make his parents uncomfortable with a bunch of adults crashing at the house for a few days, even if by now, they'd probably grown used to him inviting his friends over to live with them.
"Fair point." The Governor of Grigori nodded before reaching into the inner pocket of his coat to bring out a slim folder of documents. Flipping the cover open, Azazel then took out a single page and handed it to Issei. "Here. Cid also told me to give you this. Said you'd be interested in learning we've found out about those strange eggs you discovered on Jeju."
"Great. What have you guys learnt about them then?"
Issei asked as he took the page from Azazel, who held out his hands, the tips of his thumbs touching his index fingers to form two small circles, and said flatly,
"Absolutely, nothing."
Issei could do nothing but blink at him, staring at his teacher for a second before lowering his gaze down to read the page, with Ravel leaning in beside him, her eyes scanning probably even faster than he did. There was a picture of one of the eggs at the top, but most of the info talked about the strange composition of the shells, with none of the retrieved samples matching any known species of Gate monsters. There were mentions of abnormal mana reading, and something about failed stimulation tests, but none of it pointed to anything concrete.
Issei exhaled through his nose and looked up. "So basically, we still have no idea what they are."
"Trust me, Issei. If we did, you'd be the first to know." Azazel said. "The last time we came across a new type of Gate monster was fourteen years ago. It only took us three years after the first Gate appeared to identify most of the types we're still dealing with today. And yet here we are, more than a decade later, discovering something entirely new."
"I mean… it could just be a new variant of ants, right?" Ravel pondered, glancing between Issei and Azazel. He had already told her and the others about his discovery on Jeju, so she was well aware of what they were discussing.
"No. Cid already told me ant eggs don't look like that. No matter the variants, they all come from the same round, smooth, pale eggs. These are something else." Issei said, and Azazel nodded in confirmation, pointing at him. "I also felt a presence that made my skin crawl lurking around before discovering the eggs, so something did hatch from them. Whatever it is, it's…"
"…still on Jeju, at least? That's the scary thought, because the cleanup squad swept the entire island, but they found absolutely nothing as well." Azazel explained "And if they got off the island somehow while being able to hide themselves that well, then I think we're in a lot of shit right now."
Issei and Ravel exchanged uneasy looks, neither needing to say a word as they let the information absorb themselves.
Time passed, and before Issei even realized it, a little over a week had gone by since Odin arrived in Kuoh. Thanks to Cid and his team, consisting of Kanae and Kenzo Tanaka, Issei got to spend his days at school, studying and hanging out like any other high school student. At night, however, he and the others had to accompany Odin around, with Mirei joining them whenever she could.
Since he got to spend his time with Cid and the Heroes, and the whole thing also accounted for his Hero duties, Issei didn't mind it in the slightest, but while Odin did attend the occasional meeting with the Japanese Gods, with Aphrodite acting as the middle-woman for them, the old man also spent most of his nights out crashing bars, pubs, and other places teenagers weren't exactly allowed to enter. Not that Issei was particularly interested anyway, but being dragged around all of Japan but then left outside with nothing to do except hang around food stands and wait for Odin until midnight was starting to get pretty annoying.
Unfortunately, tonight was one of those nights, and after waiting for hours for the old man to explore Kabukicho, the most famous Red Light District in Japan, they were finally on their way home, soaring through the night sky in a carriage pulled by the legendary eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. Issei sat on one side of the carriage with Aphrodite taking the seat across from him, gazing out the window at the glittering cityscape below. Around the magically expanded carriage, most of the others had already fallen asleep, leaving only Issei and a few others awake.
"Enjoying yourself, Issei?" Hearing his name being called, Issei turned his head inside and looked up to see that it was Cid who was standing with his hands holding onto one of the railings above their head.
"Guess you could say that," Issei replied with a small smile. "It's really peaceful up here."
"That's one way to say it." Cid remarked with a soft laugh, before reaching into his coat to bring out a note "Here, these are the assignments I have for you next week."
"Thanks, Cid." Issei grinned and read the list. The life of a Hero sure was busy, and that's not even taking Gate Raiding into consideration. Those jobs were emergency work, so they were not listed beforehand.
"Really? Isn't he busy enough already?" Aphrodite asked, narrowing her eyes at Cid as she took the note from Issei to look over the list, blinking and making a mocking groan of boredom at what she saw. "Can I have a say in his work schedule? I'm his patron, so…"
"Don't worry. I will…"
HIEEENNNNN
Before Issei could finish telling Aphrodite that he would manage it, Sleipnir screeched and dipped forward without warning. The sudden descent sent the entire carriage lurching violently, the floor tilting as the wheels slammed into the ground with a heavy thud. Aphrodite let out a startled gasp as her balance gave out, tumbling forward toward Issei. He reacted instantly, catching her before she could hit the window frame, one arm around her waist as the other braced against the seat to steady them both.
Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the rest of the carriage. Thuds and muffled groans followed as several of those who had been sleeping rolled right out of their seats and onto the floor. The ones that had been sleeping with someone still awake next to them were a bit luckier, though being suddenly jolted awake was still enough to leave them confused and dazed.
"Well, isn't this nice?" Aphrodite said playfully as she pressed herself against Issei, who just let out a nervous laugh before he pulled themselves up.
"Is everyone alright?" Cid asked loudly after the carriage had fully settled. Everyone could hear Sleipnir outside snorting and stamping, the sound of his hooves echoing through the air.
"Yeah… I think so." Mirei groaned, rubbing the back of her head as she sat up from the floor. "What was that?"
"Beats me, but I think something hit Sleipnir and caused him to lose his strength." Azazel answered. He looked fairly relaxed, but anyone could tell that he was quite tense as well.
When Issei looked out through the window again, he found that Yuuto, Xenovia and Irina were forming battle positions with Baraquiel at the center between them. Without another word, Issei vaulted over and landed outside, joining his friends in the frontlines, the heroes making their way up right behind them, forming a tight knitted formation that Cid had taught them a few days ago in the situation of emergency, like this one.
Turning his head up, Issei then spotted someone hovering above them in the sky. It was a young man with sharp looks, wearing a robe similar to Odin but with different ornate markings. The man also possessed light blue hair that floated behind him with two small bangs. There was also a blue jewel on his forehead and yellow earrings.
Rossweisse murmured, her face paling the instant she saw him. "No way…" she breathed.
Azazel clicked his tongue in irritation as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Great. Just what we needed."
The stranger spread his arms, his robe fluttering dramatically in the wind. "Greetings, everyone!" He called out proudly, a confident grin on his face. "I am Loki, of Asgard!"
Issei widened his eyes. Of course he knew who Loki was. Anyone with a basic knowledge in Norse Mythology knew him.
In the supernatural world, he was also known as an Evil God, and that was already quite self-explanatory.
"To meet you in a place like this…" Azazel clicked his tongue in annoyance before he spoke up loud and clear "Do you have some business with us? On this wagon is the chief-God of Northern Europe, Lord Odin, and Lady Aphrodite of Mount Olympus. Your action is done with that knowledge, no?" He said, looking over to Sleipnir, who was sprawling out on the ground, breathing harshly.
"Of course. Our chief-god left our organization to make contact with another pantheon… and that is something incredibly painful for me to endure." Loki replied while crossing his arms.
"Can't say that I am surprised. Among us Norse gods, you are probably the only ones who think it's a bad idea to open our arms to another Pantheon for the sake of peace." Odin replied in a somewhat humorous tone as he walked out of the carriage with Rossweisse following closely beside him.
"Quite arrogant for you to say that to our faces as well, Loki-sama." Azazel said in a mocking tone. Despite the respectful suffix that he just used, it was clear he had no respect for Loki, but the Evil God did not seem to be offended by it in the slightest. If anything, he looked quite amused.
"As expected of the governor of the fallen angels. Always the one with no far and dry humor in every situation, even in the presence of a superior being." Loki laughed before looking down at them "It's not in my intention to meet you, Baraquiel and the devils tonight, but I guess it can't be helped. You shall receive my punishment along with Odin."
"Are you with Khaos Brigade, Loki?" Then the fallen snorted. "Cause quite frankly, your actions thus far have proven you to be in the same bed with them. To think that the mighty god of mischief himself has sunk so low and become a terrorist just because he doesn't like something."
"Don't you dare compare me to those foolish flies, Azazel." Loki shot back with a deadly calm tone "I came here on my own free will."
"Loki-sama." Rossweisse raised her voice as she walked forward, her formal, cheap suit that she had bought from a local 100 yen store had been replaced with her Valkyrie armor. "Please rethink what you are doing. To raise your arms against our chief god, it is unforgivable!"
"Hmmm, I have heard many things about you, little Valkyrie." Loki began, turning his gaze finally to Rossweisse for the first time "You are an excellent warrior even by the standard that has been set up by your grandmother, but a mere battle maiden shouldn't speak so casually in front of us gods."
He finished, a dangerous, deadly aura about him that caused Rossweisse to step back instantly in caution.
After this, Loki turned his attention back to Odin and asked "Now, Odin, do you still plan to involve yourself with matters outside Asgard and Valhalla?"
"Why yes, I am." Odin replied without hesitation and gave a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Meeting with the Three Factions, talking to them, watching their games, hanging out with them are a million times more interesting to me than having to deal with you. I also want to know more about the Greek and Japanese gods, who have shown interest in forming alliances with us. I have every intention of following the example that has been set up by the Three Factions and making friends with other Pantheons, so that we can grow strong together and exchange our cultures in peace."
Issei looked over to Odin and stared at the old God in admiration. So even with all his flaws, there were still apparent reasons why he was the chief deity of an entire Pantheon.
Upon the answer, Loki only smirked as he slowly unleashed his divine aura, appearing to have fully expected the chief god of the North to say it. "It appears that small talk will not bring you out of your foolish plans. Very well then, let's have a showdown right here to decide the fate of the divine world."
"I take that this is your declaration of battle?" Cid asked as he snuffed out his cigarette and unsheathed his blades, while Baraquiel took off his cloak and prepared himself to act, holy lightning crackling around his fists.
"Declaration of battle? No, Cid of the Hero Faction…" Loki said, extending his arms out "This is a declaration of war! Of Ragnarok!"
The sky flashed blood red as Loki's magic flared, and the ground beneath him cracked open with a deafening roar. Dark portals began to bloom across the earth, swirling in pools of energy. From within, came the sound of rattling bones and guttural moans that grew louder with each passing second. The first to emerge were decayed, frost-covered humanoid corpses in rusted armors, Hel-Walkers, their eyes glowing with cold blue light as they rushed out of the portals in waves, weapons and shields glinting dangerously in their hands.
Behind them came the Draugrs, towering and broad, carrying rusted weapons and axes that matched their towering forms. Their armor was corroded and fused to their flesh, every movement accompanied by the creak of stones and bones. The sheer number of them spilling out from the portals made it impossible to count, forming an army of the dead, stretching as far as the eye could see as they rushed toward the small group of Devils, Humans, Angel, Fallen Angels and Gods.
"Issei!"
Cid called out, and Issei instantly leaped over his head, his twin daggers flashing into his hands midair as his shadow spread across the torn ground below. The dark mass rippled outward like a living tide before erupting into motion, his army of Shadows surging forth with thunderous battle cries from Vulcan and Asterius. They clashed against the undead horde in an explosion of steels. Blades met bone, claws tore through armor, and the first wave of Hel-Walkers and Draugr were cut down before they even managed to advance a step past the midpoint of the battlefield.
[Pact Switch]
Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Rassei (Lightning)
His aura flared, switching from blazing red to bright blue, Issei moved like a storm at the center of it all, each strike chaining lightning from one enemy to several others. His two most trusted commanders Gladio and Blade were at his sides, tearing through the enemy ranks with him the whole time, and with the assistance of others, the shadow army quickly reduced their enemies from frost-covered and stone-fleshed corpses to fragments of ice and ash on the ground.
But as his blade pierced through the head of another Draugr, Issei noticed something odd. None of the Hel-walkers and Draugr were actually trying to fight back, and as he raised his blade toward the trio standing before him, they instantly threw weapons away and raised their hands, cowering in fear as they backed off from him.
"What the… Wait!" Issei murmured in shock before shouting out with a fist raised into the air, giving his army and Cid, along with the others who were about to rush into the fight to stop.
The battlefield went silent for a brief, tense moment before, much to the shock of everyone who was breathing, the undead army began to kneel. One by one, they all dropped to their knees, their weapons pressed into the ground as their heads bowed low before Issei. The same monsters that had risen to slaughter them all, now kneeled in reverence, as if they were all in the presence of a king…
… their king.
To say Issei was shocked would be an understatement. Even the ones that just arrived did the same thing as their gaze landed upon him.
"Okay, this is not disturbing at all." Azazel made the comment, though there was no dry humor in his tone as he looked around before fixing his gaze on Issei, something that everyone else was doing. Up in the sky, Loki continued to hover, but the confident grin he wore on his face had faltered, as he took in the scene below, the sea of kneeling undead forming a perfect, unyielding line of submission before Issei Hyoudou.
"This… What are you all doing!?" He bellowed "Pick up your weapon! Stand up and fight!"
But much to his frustration, none of them moved even an inch.
With his grip loosening slightly on the two daggers in his hands, his own surprise mirrored in the wide eyes of the Heroes behind him, Issei quickly collected himself and turned his head up, looking directly at Loki as the Evil God stared hatefully at him. "I guess the battle has been turned. Your army doesn't obey you anymore, Loki."
"Silent! I don't need them to kill the likes of you." Loki barked, and raised his hand, causing another rift to materialize behind him. From it, a giant, majestic looking wolf with ashen colored fur crawled its way out, standing at 10 meters tall and peering down upon them with an overwhelming presence, causing even Cid, Azazel and Baraquiel to take a step back in caution at the sight of it.
"Issei…" Cid called out carefully from behind him "That thing is Fenrir."
"Everyone, no matter what you do, keep your distance from that thing. Stay around Odin." Azazel spoke up loudly as he held a hand up to signal his students to back off when the wolf took its first step forward to start slowly approaching them like a predator preying upon its prey.
"That's right. You children should be careful." Loki said smugly, regaining his confidence as he lowered himself down and stood beside his pet, his hand reaching up to pet it "Fenrir is among the most powerful monsters that I have created. Its fangs are something that can kill any god, so don't feel surprised if it can even inflict mortal wounds upon you devils, angels and fallen angels."
"I honestly didn't want to use Fenrir's fangs on those who are not worthy to be killed by it, but I believe for the sake of experience I can let him taste a new blood." The Evil Norse god then turned his gaze towards Aphrodite, who narrowed her eyes when she realized that he was referring to her "I haven't tried it just yet, but I am sure that they should also be effective against gods from other Pantheons as well. How about we give it a test?"
"…Kill her." With that order from Loki, Fenrir let out an earthshaking howl before disappearing from sight as it rushed toward Aphrodite.
"LYCAON!"
Issei exclaimed as he rushed forward, and Lycaon wrapped himself in lightning to move just as fast as the God slaying wolf, crashing into it with a thunderous crack and knocking it out of the way before it could reach the Greek Goddess of love. The beast regained its balance instantly, low growls rumbling from its throat as it bared its fangs at Lycaon. The shadow wolf mirrored the stance, fur bristling, eyes burning with feral intensity.
With a deafening snarl, the two wolves lunged at each other, teeth snapping and claws raking. Sparks of lightning erupted as Lycaon's electric aura as he met Fenrir's raw, destructive power. They spun and collided with bone-shattering force, each strike sending shockwaves across the battlefield, ripping up chunks of earth and scattering the kneeling undead. The clash of jaws, claws, and elemental energy created a storm of ferocity, the fight between wolf and shadow threatening to eclipse everything else around them.
For a brief moment, it seemed like Lycaon had the upper hand, but Fenrir suddenly surged forward and bit down into his neck, and yanked him off the ground to fling him, sending him hurtling across the battlefield. Lycaon crashed through stone and debris before skidding to a halt several meters away.
"Ravel! Your bow!"
Before Fenrir could strike again, Issei, after catching the bow Ravel had thrown at him, skidded under the airborne form of Lycaon, his hand holding up the Phoenix Soul while its aura flaring violently around him.
[!] Weapon Acquired – Phoenix Soul (Bow)
[!] The skill Phoenix Shot [New] will be used when using Phoenix Shift (LV2) in incorporation with the Phoenix Soul.
Letting go of the flaming string after teleporting a short distance forward with the Phoenix Shift, Issei fired a devastating shot infused with the flame in the shape of a phoenix taking flight from the bow. The blazing arrow streaked through the air in a blaze of golden light, striking Fenrir squarely in the chest. The resulting explosion rocked the battlefield, flames and energy erupting outward with such intensity that even some of the undead shattered instantly.
Fenrir howled, staggering backward from the blast, smoke and ash trailing from his ashen fur. Seizing the opportunity, Cid and Baraquiel struck simultaneously, the two men channeling a concentrated lightning strike with Hero calling down a powerful bolt of lightning from the sky while the Fallen Angel sent a bolt of pure holy energy from the side. The combined assault crashed into Fenrir, sending the God-slaying wolf into the ground, smoke and sparks cascading off his massive frame as he struggled to regain his footing.
"Impossible…" Loki muttered, shock and disbelief twisting his features as he watched his greatest creation, the wolf that could kill even the Gods themselves, being pushed back with alarming ease.
Odin, with one hand stroking his beard, let out a small, amused smirk. "You see this, Loki? This is the strength we can achieve when we walk together. I hope what you witnessed today will be a valuable lesson to you."
The chief deity called out, his voice carrying confidence that only seemed to fuel the fury bubbling inside Loki, his fists clenching as he glared at Odin. Still, the reality of the battlefield hit him hard. His army of undead, meant to be expendable to weaken the force safeguarding the old man, still knelt to a mere boy. Fenrir, his God-slaying wolf, being defeated by a combined assault of mere mortals. It was clear that he had lost control of the battle
"Fenrir! Back!" With a frustrated growl, Loki raised his hand. Fenrir howled one last time before retreating back to his side.
"What are you going to do now, Loki?" Odin asked, a smug grin on his face as he stepped forward and asked the god of mischief "Your trump card is out of commission now. I know that you have others with you as well, but are you willing to summon them here as well and let them face these amazing youngsters? You saw what they did to your undead army and precious Fenrir. Imagine what they are going to do to the others."
The smile that Loki had earlier had been wiped completely off his face as he stared at Odin, before finally, after a moment, he spoke loudly.
"Very well, it appears that I will have to give you guys the satisfaction of victory tonight. I merely came here tonight to make my intention clear and declare the start of Ragnarok only, after all."
"However, on the day where the Norse and Shinto gods will meet in this country, I shall return with the full might of my army!" Loki declared, loud and clear "Odin, the next time we meet, Fenrir will definitely devour you whole and eliminate you from this world with his god slaying fangs!"
With that declaration, Loki summoned a space distortion and disappeared into it with Fenrir, who wasted no time to follow its creator. After the two had left, the group finally allowed themselves to breathe out a sigh of relief, with Rias looking over to Issei to see him kneeling down beside the sprawling form of Fenrir with one hand resting on the fur near his neck. The wolf whimpered weakly on the ground as his bite wound continued to remain there.
"Ise…" She called, rushing over to him with the others.
"Is Lycaon alright, Issei-kun?" Ingvild asked, kneeling down next to her favorite Shadow wolf with a worried expression on her face. Asia immediately raised her hands and tried to use her Sacred Gear to heal him, but the wound continued to remain open, albeit with a small sign of shadowy flesh stitching itself back.
"His wound is healing slower than usual… but he'll be fine." Issei answered, not just because he thought so, but he knew so. The System was showing him that, while Lycaon was regenerating like normal, the bite Fenrir had delivered had also inflicted a debuff that significantly slowed not just his self-healing rate, but also healing received.
[Grievous Wound], it said.
Looking at Fenrir, he could see the debuff hovering directly above his head, clearly marking the source of the effect, and a 24 hour timer ticked steadily beside it, counting down the duration.
It was quite clear that in their future battles against Fenrir, his shadows would need to be very careful.
"Your wolf fought well. Make sure he gets plenty of rest." Odin said as he walked up to them, his hand resting comforting on Issei's shoulder as he looked around the battlefield. The Hel-Walkers and Draugr had all crumbled away after Loki left.
"Ragnarok, huh?"
Azazel spoke up finally with a small chuckle, breaking the silence before asking them all with a grin as he walked toward them with Baraquiel, Aphrodite and Rosseweisse. Cid, with a cigarette in his mouth, also joined them with Mirei and Kanae, who grimaced while waving a hand in front of her face due to smoke coming from her leader.
"So, which one of you is ready to face the end of the world?"
"Damn them all!"
Loki roared as he swept his hands across his table, sending papers and instruments, flying in all directions. Cracks spread across the obsidian floor of his lab beneath the weight of his divine aura as his fury radiated outward, causing the walls, lined with ancient tomes and enchanted artifacts, to tremble under the intensity.
"They will pay!" He bellowed, slamming his fist into the table with such force that it shattered into pieces "They will all pay for this humiliation!"
"Oh, Loki! Why the tantrum."
From behind, a sweet, seductive voice interrupted his tirade, causing Loki to whip around, his eyes narrowing murderously at a certain pale skinned, vampiric woman while she strutted her way seductively toward him, hands running up her neck before sliding into her long, silver hair as a mocking smirk etched across her face.
Walking right behind her, meanwhile, was a muscular man who was about twice as large as the average adult human, with bluish-gray skin, long messy black hair with a scraggly beard, and glowing red eyes. His clothing consisted of a lone shoulder-guard, and fur loincloth around his waist that covered the lower half of his body down to his knees. His arms were thick with muscles, with two heavy shackles on both wrists.
"I warned you, little giant." The hulking man said, his tone deep and full of mockery as he looked at Odin with a small smirk "Yet you still chose to bring an army of undead from that Hel realm of yours into the fight against the King of the Dead itself. You are lucky that the vessel hasn't discovered the full extent of his authority just yet."
"But, he realized now, so we will still be holding you accountable." Bedelia said sweetly as she pointed a long fingernail at Loki.
"Tch…"
"Regardless, you should have accepted my help. You would have fared better in this little war that you plan to wage."
The man rumbled, his voice reverberating through the lab. Before Loki could reply, the rooftop of the lab was ripped away, metal and stone screaming as a giant hand tore itself through them. Dust and debris filled the air before clearing away just enough for Loki to look up to see the humongous, towering form of monstrous humanoid figures looking over him.
"My… you seem excited, Lord Legia." Bedelia said, giggling in pure excitement as she stared up at the giants standing over them.
"Of course." Legia said, the smirk on his face widened as he turned his attention back to Loki "Prepare your own army, little giant. Let's have this… Ragnarok of yours."
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 42 Shadow Monarch
HP: 26,241/26,241
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 9250/9250
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 280 (28)
Vitality: 224 (22)
Intelligence: 247 (25)
Dexterity: 229 (23)
Perception: 204 (21)
Charisma: 200 (21)
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1), Shadow Exchange (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV2).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV2 - Water Dragon Pact Affected), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1, Ingvild Leviathan (Water) – Pact LV4
Current Shadows: 520 / 550 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troopers 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13. Orcs 69, Soldier Ants 170)
Elite Shadows: Asterius (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Lycaon (Elite Knight), Tora (Elite Knight), Blade (Elite Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight), Aegis (Elite Knight).
Exclusive Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), [High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), [Obsidian] Jewelry Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 – repaired (LV40), Staff of Avarice (Given to Glacia), Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3…
Gold: 10.123.320 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon (Crimson Scale Mail), Twinflare (Soul Link – Bishop Promotion), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link – Rook Promotion), Draconic Assault (Soul Link – Knight Promotion)
Tower of Ascension sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander – Igirs (Incomplete), Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank (Incomplete).
END OF CHAPTER 42