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.]
"..."
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."
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|DxD|
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"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|
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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.
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.
2. 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.
3. 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 gear* 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!"
Chapter 4
1991-1995, August 6th (Sun), Kuoh Town, Japan (Hyperbolic Time Chamber=40 years)
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"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.
"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.
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|DxD|
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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?"
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?"
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|DxD|
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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.
"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
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.
[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.]
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.
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.
[H-how…]
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.
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