One-Punch DxD: NEO
Chapter 89: The Poison

Ophis opened her eyes, and the kaleidoscope view of the Dimensional Gap greeted her. She looked around, her mind relishing in the nostalgic silence that she had longed for too long. She closed her eyes, allowing her body to float and be drifted further into the gap without any direction in particular.

A few minutes later, however, her eyes were opened. Why did the memories of her time spent in the mortal realm suddenly appear in her mind? The myriad of colors around her no longer brought her any comfort like they used to.

The sights that she took while traveling with Saitama, his broad shoulders where she always perched on, the food that his woman prepared for her… Those became more enticing than this void world.

Thinking about it, no matter what she tried to recall… She could not find a reason why she liked the Gap in the first place.

What about it was the reason she liked the vast, infinite empty space? Was it the silence?

The silence of the void was… was…

"...Boring." Ophis said.

What was the point of living in the void if there was nothing to do? The only thing she liked now was being with Saitama…

"Ophis-chan~"

Lavinia called to the dragon girl.

At the edge of the city of witches in the dimensional gap, Ophis did not turn to greet the kind buxom woman in her magician hooded robe that approached her.

"...Hello." Ophis returned with a 'hello,' however.

"...Is there something bothering you?" Lavinia asked sweetly.

Ophis turned to regard the empty void before her and looked down, "...Nothing."

"Come on. You can tell Big Sister Lavinia~."

Ophis found Lavinia's hands on her waist as she pulled her into a big hug. Ophis could feel the large breasts squishing against her head…

For some reason, it was comforting her, and annoying her at the same time. Heaving a small sigh, Ophis then cutely pushed Lavinia off, landing on her feet with a sigh of relief. The witch then settled by sitting patiently next to the dragon god.

"...I don't know what I want anymore." Ophis finally decided to air her concerns.

Lavinia giggled.

"Would you like to explain from the beginning?"

Ophis wondered if she should… she had been here training with the witches in the magical arts in order to harness her infinite power for the better.

Ophis was familiar with the concepts of the magic schools, and the witches were kind to her.

Though some of them slipped about having the infamy of their city rising for tutoring one of the Top Three Strongests.

Ophis grumbled with a cute frown.

"...This is my home. The Dimensional Gap…. I cannot remember how long I've lived there. All I remember is… the silence… and I was at… peace with that."

"...And?" Lavinia prodded expectantly.

"...Now I cannot remember why I wanted to go back home. My home is… there is nothing there that I like. There is no food, no sweets…"

The face of a certain baldy came to her mind. Her first friend.

"...No Saitama."

Lavinia could not help but giggle briefly, who knew the Infinite Dragon God could be so cute?

"I don't like the nothingness anymore… and I spent so much time trying to get someone to evict the Great Red out that I feel it is a waste of my efforts. I don't know what to do with myself."

"You can stay on Earth. In fact, I believe that you're feeling homesick right now. Would you like to return home for a while?" Lavinia offered her answer.

Ophis pondered on returning to Haruka and Saitama.

"...I miss Rover."

And the fluffy dog. She likes dogs.

"I know. Rover is fluffy and adorable." Lavinia nodded in agreement.

"Mmm." Ophis smiled as the image of the fluffy dog waddled towards her for her attention entered.

"Let's return right now. Everyone will be surprised when we come back." Lavinia held Ophis' hand.

Ophis nodded as she closed her eyes, focusing on the place she calls home.

With her powers, she warped both back to Midgard, to Earth, teleporting right into the front of the mansion due to security reasons.

However…

They were greeted with a very unexpected sight.

Instead of the peaceful setting they were usually greeted with, they saw something out of a scene from hell.

Many, many dead bodies. Lots of dead bodies were outside the gate, most not intact.

Carp carp carp carp

There was a fishman monster hoisting bundles of corpses on its shoulders before throwing it to a large pile.

Following him was a crab monster, though it was snacking on one of the corpses.

"Okay, careful now; nice and easy…"

"Where did this pile go?"

"Keep the fire up! There's still a lot of biohazards to burn away!"

And there were giant bonfires around, many dead bodies burning inside the licking flames of eldritch blue.

"Ugh, it stinks! Blow the smoke the other way! We have a newborn and a mother still recovering from labor!" Haruka complained while covering her nose.

"HAH?! Do you want to alarm the JSDF or something?! The barrier might be enough to drive away civilians, but it can't hide the corpse stench! Besides, they are inside a sanitized, air-conditioned room, they'll be fine!" Black shrieked at the matriarch in return.

Speaking of, Haruka was at the forefront commanding this operation. There were two unfamiliar faces watching the entire scene behind her as well.

A middle-aged man and a dark-skinned gentleman with short white hair were sipping from their bottles, watching the scene.

"Oh, my… Did we arrive at a bad time?" Lavinia could not help but sound a tad disturbed by the sight. "Haruka?"

The matriarch blinked and noticed the new arrival, "Ophis, Lavinia! Welcome; I'm sorry for the poor reception…" Haruka sheepishly glanced at the post-carnage behind her, "But we just survived an invasion not long ago."

"Oh." Lavinia nodded absently, "Um… an invasion… you say?"

Lavinia was well-informed of the last time someone invaded the peaceful family household… It ended up with an Archangel's face making a mark on a mountain and the near-extinction of Christianity.

"Yes, an invasion." Haruka smiled victoriously.

Lavinia's smile was but a forced rectus at this point to mask her conflicted emotions.

"How was Ophis doing in that fancy magic academy of yours? Is she studying well? Did she skip any classes?" Haruka asked as if she was asking about the weather.

"...Well, she does get bored about classes from time to time, but apart from that, she is a very fast learner." Lavinia replied with a more relaxed smile, before she took another look at the scene around her.

"Did she make any friends?" Haruka asked with eagerness.

"Ummmm…" Lavinia tapped her chin for a moment. "There are a few in progress. Most are interested in trying to pact Ophis into their familiar. But she is fitting in at least. Would you… like my assistance? And if you don't mind explaining to me what happened here in the meanwhile."

Haruka was pondering for a second over Lavinia's offer, but her attention was soon directed to Ophis who tugged on her skirt.

"Haruka, where is Saitama?"

Haruka smiled softly before she knelt down to gently caress Ophis' crown, "Sorry, dear… Last time I heard that Saitama is in the Underworld with the others. Would you like to wait for him here?"

Ophis looked around, the sight of dead bodies being carried and burned did not appeal to her, but otherwise, she was not sure of going after Saitama all the way to the Underworld either.

"...I will wait."

"Perfect! Oh, I don't think you two have met the gentlemen there; come, I'll introduce you."

As Haruka took Ophis' hand towards Masaomi and Diehauser with Lavinia following behind, Ophis' mind wandered to how Saitama and the rest were doing.

Sycorax closed her eyes.

In her throne room, alone on her onyx throne, she tried to feel for the monster's presence within her country.

She liked to challenge herself in overcoming an obstacle she normally could not overcome. It was what defined her as her sister liked to point out multiple times.

It was what kept her strong throughout the years, through their war with Asgard, allowing her to maintain the delicate peace between her people and the Light Elves regarding their difference of opinion.

Her lips then twitched into a faint smirk as she opened her eyes, not surprised at the familiar sight standing with a stoic expression aimed at her.

"...Is it just me, or were you not trying to catch me off guard?" Sycorax asked.

"I am not here for games." Djall started clicking again, this time it was more predatory.

"I am here for the keys to your forbidden section."

Sycorax's lips twitched slightly.

"...Why, how do you know about my private study?"

It was her sanctuary hidden from all life on Alfheim. Hidden deepest within the realm of shadows, deep as she could go without losing a way to return to Alfheim.

There was a limit to how much one could dive into the darkness before the darkness refused to let them go, as if the darkness had a presence and a special hunger for anything that ended up in its clutches.

"You never attempted to see if your bounded servants could truly communicate, did you?" Djall pointed out.

"...You can speak with the dark ones?" Sycorax asked, astonished.

Any act of conversing with the Dark Ones, the familiars of the darkness, were usually one-sided.

[I have no oral limitations to communication.]

Djall spoke to her without his lips moving. Sycorax felt a slight invasion of her mind, a sharp prickle. It was not like the standard forms of telepathy others use, like Dragons, this was much different.

[Linking your mind with others is not something you people are adept in as I've found.]

Sycorax stared at the Son of the Beast in silence.

"...And why would I allow you to enter my private study?"

"Because I need something significant of yours to enter. Your head will suffice."

Her jovial facade cracked.

"...I believe such hostility is unwarranted."

"You interfered and invaded my privacy. You ruined something very important to me." Djall's left arm elongated into a bone-metallic blade.

"For that, I will consider that debt repaid this way, meat."

Sycorax inhaled.

"I believe that you underestimated the lengths I would go to to protect my investments."

Sycorax's years of political experience were now pushed to the limits, her heart pounding in her chest along with Djall's power inside her.

"I doubt that considering what I've gleaned with my eyes, and my observation has never failed me so far."

"Behind the wards that you could see from the exterior, if I am not present to , you will trigger the failsafe."

Djall's approach halted.

"...Failsafe?"

She held him back.

"Only I know how to bypass it. If it was anyone else, they would let the spells hidden inside burn the contents of my private study to dust. I believe that not even your eyes can salvage such important information from the ashes. Am I correct?"

The creature considered her a liability. It was unexpected, but she would prevail.

She must make sure that he needed her alive.

She could not recall the last time she experienced such an exhilaration, years of stagnancy broken off by this excitement. She felt alive in these moments, where she walked the rare line between life and death that only existed outside of combat.

Despite her warnings, Djall lunged towards her like a phantom that moves out of her kinetic vision, his eyes so close to hers.

Sycorax did not flinch or back down.

Djall's face split open like a nightmarish flower, human features cracked apart to reveal the rows of teeth lined under each petal as Sycorax stared unflinching into the mouth of bottomless, ravenous hunger and savagery as Djall grabbed her shoulder and pulled her in.

She did not blink even when she felt the teeth on her skin.

Yet her skull did not fracture, the brain underneath remained whole and her life still intact.

The Son of the Beast did not follow through, his teeth barely pricking her royal ashen skin.

He pulled back, the flower of teeth folding back, his human features returning as Sycorax fought back against the urge to exhale as the sound of her hearth pounded in her chest and ears.

"...You are strange." Djall commented. "The mouth of death was upon you, yet you didn't scream or beg for mercy. You don't cower even though you're weak… Your face remains unchanged yet your pulse speaks a different emotion. Many I faced within Qlippoth would run, cower, flee, even though they once in their lives professed superiority over their peers now that they have the power of my corpse father, whick I've proven wrong after the fear made their eyes cry tears, nose leak snot… They break when I showed my inhuman nature. Yet you facially stand firm despite that. Now I want to know. Why is that?"

Sycorax's smile grew wider as she leaned forward with her eyes bearing towards Djall's.

"...Experience."

Djall's eyes narrowed, "That is not what I sensed. You weren't sure whether I was serious or bluffing."

His intuition was sharp.

"Hmmmm. What do you think of death?"

"The line of no return." Djall answered.

"Interesting… I can imagine that many you met are afraid of that line."

"Correct. I am aware of deviants that live from challenging death. You? You live behind walls of comfort. You do not live for battle, from provoking death." Djall asked with a tilted head.

"...I am afraid to say that you are incorrect in some aspects of my character."

Djall narrowed his three eyes at the woman.

"But if you want a word to explain the concept… courage."

Djall tilted his head the other way.

"Courage?"

"The strength to face your fear. It isn't like those battle-maniacs. They don't like to live in peace, they seek danger to give their life meaning. In short, they value their lives too little to have courage."

Sycorax explained.

"...And you?" Djall queried.

"When a creature faces dangers and risks to their lives, they draw on courage. In my years, I have slowly mastered the art, facing the fear of uncertainty and the unknown."

"...You gambled your life on maybes and intuition alone? That's reckless and foolish. Aren't you afraid of the line of no return?" Djall summarized, baffled.

"Was my intuition wrong?" She smiled.

Djall stared at her unflinchingly. He was as still as a statue, not a single millimeter of movement.

"...You spew falsehoods as naturally as breathing, your words turns to rot in my ears. I honestly despise that about you."

Sycorax held her breath.

"...But I like your answer. I will admit that it gives me much to think about."

So she passed the test.

"I am glad that you did. Regarding my previous blunder, is there… anything I can do to rectify it? With Kiyome Abe?" Sycorax switched topics as she slowly approached the beast.

"...I doubt I can trust you, you've already tested my patience," Djall hissed.

"Oh, don't be coy. If you don't like it… you may leave. In fact, I understand that you're curious about a particularly popular emotion. Let me show you what I know about… Love."

XoX

"And that is what happened before you entered…" Djall explained the course of events much to the shock of the audience.

For one, Issei only blinked a few times before he drew a deep breath, "...Whatever, I stopped listening once you've spoken more than 25 words in that story."

On that note, Issei was still restraining a fuming Kiyome Abe by her shoulders. The said beast tamer has calmed down somewhat, but her expression was still stupefied, which was shared by other guests.

"...And you got your first kiss, congratulations." Issei shrugged, earning a few narrowed looks from Kiyome, Rossweisse and Titania.

"This… 'Kiss' makes me feel weird. I am not sure what to say about it," Djall admitted. "Why are you lot here, though? With such a large escort over the one person that glues that shining city together with her presence?"

Djall's three eyes licked Titania. The Queen bit down a shudder as his pupils shifted shapes and colors.

"Oh, you're scared of me. Ahhh, don't tell me the queen of the shining castle is here to parlay? Isn't it too late for that?" Djall asked.

"It is never too late to pursue the path of peace." Titania answered.

"I doubt that. I've learned a bit about your history since I've arrived here, such a fascinating tale with the Tree of Light as you call it. I don't know why his obsession with my parent's corpse shifted to magical trees, but thinking about how the World Tree birthed more than nine realms, sub realms included, made me interested."

"What is he talking about?" Issei asked Titania.

The Queen did not answer, her gaze unmoving from the creature in human skin.

"Should I tell them? There were wars over those trees, if I recall." Djall asked Titania.

There was tension between the elves and the monster, even the dark elf escorts were gritting their teeth at Djall, Issei noticed.

"Oh, why do I bother with this? You're not here for me, and I want to witness a rare moment between two sister Queens. Go ahead. Speak your mind, see if you can alter destiny with your words."

Djall stepped aside, leaving open room for Titania and Sycorax to face each other unimpeded by obstacles.

Djall's whimsical rants and presence aside, everyone waited for the Queens to speak.

Titania stepped forward and drew the first word.

"Sister…"

"Sister."

Both leaders of the Light and Dark Elves faced each other, eye to eye.

The silence around the two royalties was heavy, the nothingness like an anchor continuing to sink deeper, dragging them further into unease.

"...You've let the shadows carry you away again." Titania smiled sadly. "I have lost count of the times you would go out of your way to pursue the impossible."

"It is better to say that the shadows came and swept me away this time." Sycorax answered plastically. "And besides, look at what the shadows brought us. Unrecorded dangers and opportunities from Midgard, the course of history at the cusp of changing forever, and we are at the helm of it. The nexus of all Supernatural is finally looking at our quiet home… ready to plunder it like in the War of the Realms before. Only under different circumstances."

"...Have you been eating well?"

Sycorax smiled at that, "Why, yes I have. It is enjoyable, exploring the palate of the beast. Now I can understand why the carnivores like the meat raw."

"Really? Is the transformation that wonderful?"

"I have never felt so free in my life. All constraints and limitations of the flesh removed… I feel like I can do anything, but not as much as he could."

"It is not too late to abandon your course." Titania pleaded.

"You know why our people split after so long." Sycorax retorted.

"So many of the Trees were taken or destroyed in the pursuit of their power. Please, spare the last legacy of the World Tree." Titania pleaded.

"...Impossible." Rossweisse muttered as if she realized something.

"What are they talking about?" Issei asked the Valkyrie.

"We have the opportunity to stand our ground and force Asgard, Midgard, Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Nifleheim, all of the dominant realms to the bargaining table, and you hide it behind walls for… display!?" Sycorax spoke with more expressive emotion than what Djall was used to, the monster surprised to see that the Queen was capable of reaching such emotional heights.

Though it annoyed him that the Light Elf Queen could do something he couldn't with simple words alone.

"The Tree must mature, Sycorax. If you consume it in your ambition, you will destroy our hope to create sanctuary. Our Heaven."

"Víðbláinn, Andlangr. The foolish prophets that named the heavens while high on psychedelic mushrooms, I still can't believe that you believe their ridiculous prophecies!" Sycorax shot back. "Look at Nidhogg! His destiny, destruction of the World Tree after Surtr burned it to ash, dead!"

"He is now my self-replenishing snack back in Qlippoth." Djall added upon hearing about Nidhogg.

Everyone stared at Djall, even the Queens.

"...What? It's true. I like to eat him constantly."

"...The human drug prophets over-glorified his destiny. By Yggdrasil, the humans that supported the Norse even claimed that the world was burned from a cow's udders. Their prophecies are tainted with hallucinations. Odin still lives, and the Gods that support Ragnarok are doing whatever they can to bring it to fruition. We live in an insane time where twisted truths are worshiped, disproven ideas run rampant. And you think creating our equivalent to Midgard's Eden and Avalon is our solution? To abandon this World Tree to make another to escape to?" Sycorax's rant continued.

Issei blinked, throwing a glance at Rossweisse who looked as confused as he was.

"Okay, uh, can we backtrack? We are left out, way into the Dimensional Gap on this one. What are you two talking about?" Issei asked.

"The elves are divided because of their differing opinions on what to do with the last world tree sapling." Djall summarized.

"...World Tree Sapling?" Issei asked.

"It's a magic tree, of course it can produce saplings." Djall scoffed.

"...He is correct." Titania sighed. "Once upon a time, there were world tree saplings in each of the realms. They were sacred objects that could give rise to new worlds, new realms… new universes. Trees that can influence the concept of time, space, the foundation of existence."

"Long ago, they were fought over in a secret war before the time of Christianity." Sycorax added. "Since Euclid already knows, I suppose it's useless to hide it. A sapling of the World Tree is a priceless ingredient capable of producing miracles unbound by mediocre concepts of reality."

"If you want an example, The Tree of Eden, the Apples of Wisdom, is one of the world tree Saplings." Djall added.

"Wait, what? It is?!" Issei was shocked, along with Kiyome and Griselda who exchanged looks to one another.

"Biblical God claimed around… two or more saplings, not sure." Djall shrugged. "Snuck into Euclid's study during my stay. One of the Longinus is used with a World Tree Sapling, though there is a catch."

"...Once a world tree sapling is converted, remodeled into something more conventional, its true purpose and potential is lost forever. Or cannot be reached naturally, forever limited and bound to its new purpose." Titania informed.

"And because of that, many of the World Tree saplings are lost forever, universes, new realms, destroyed." Djall added. "The Tree of Light… apparently is the largest growing World Tree sapling up to date. And it is fed with the souls of Alfheim to accelerate its growth, which is very interesting compared to Midgard's afterlives."

"The time it takes for a sapling to bud takes millions of years." Titania stated. "It can feed off any attempts of magic to accelerate its growth, rendering all non-offensive spells inert. It is rooted in Yggdrasil's natural flow of time, meaning its temporal state cannot be affected without great consequences. It needs the time to condense and form the energy into something more Primordial, material existence from the time of creation."

"But souls work. It is a great source of nourishment and power." Sycorax added. "Once we die, we all become one with the Tree. I am no exception."

"The amount of souls needed for this sapling to reach maturity, no one knows, but it's a lot." Djall added. "Rizevim conjectured that… it would take Trillions. Possibly Quadrillions of souls, all kinds to make it jump to adulthood."

"...And how does that bring us to this point?" Issei asked.

"One side wants to use the sapling to advance their species, the other wants to preserve it." Djall gestured to Sycorax and Titania. "I understand why she wants to use it, but I don't know about the other side of the argument."

"...The Tree of Light needs to live." Titania added. "At least one Tree must survive. When the age of Ragnarok arrives, and all the souls of every realm are without physical form, The Tree of Light will be the catalyst for the rebirth of the New World Tree. It will absorb all of the fallen souls to reach its full potential, birth the new realms, and reincarnate everyone that died in Ragnarok into the new worlds."

"With us as the dominant race of the new realms." Sycorax finished.

"Okay, back up. You lost me. What the hell do you mean by that?" Issei asked.

"The Tree of Light is primarily filled with Alfheim souls, druids." Djall explained. "The Tree of Light is groomed so that once it matures, it will spit out all of the souls out into the new realms, reincarnating everyone that died in Ragnarok, with the Elves as the dominant race of the new world order. Sycorax, despite having my power," Djall pointed at the ashen elf, "...Wants to dominate the current realms with the tree. Not sure how, though."

"...Meaning?" Issei asked.

"One side wants to prosper AFTER Ragnarok, the other, BEFORE Ragnarok." Djall summarized in one sentence. "One is willing to sacrifice the future for the present, the other, the present for the future. You're dumber than you look."

"Hey!" Issei frowned at the thrown insult.

"...I see." Rossweisse understood. "Your Highness Sycorax, the Treaty of Asgard explicitly labeled all Seeds of the World Tree as a protected species. What you're doing is a crime against the realms."

"Correction. Seeds." Sycorax rebuked. "The Tree of Light is no longer a seedling. It is pre-adolescent."

"You're playing the Devil's loophole rule?" Issei quirked a brow at the ashen elf.

"Yes, you can say she is."

Another voice suddenly echoed - prompting everyone to look around and saw a figure slowly came out from behind Sycorax's throne.

Sycorax's lips curled into a frown at the voice.

"...Euclid…" Sycorax spoke with venom.

"Sycorax." Euclid smiled as he stood beside the Dark Elf Queen. "Djall… congratulations on your first kiss…. And finding the will not to eat her."

"Your humor is worse than mine." Djall rolled his eyes.

Every Midgardian tensed, the sole Asgardian readying her spear at the sight of Euclid.

"...Excuse me, but mind answering a quick question for me?" Issei, however, raised his hand and interrupted the current mood.

Euclid slightly raised his eyebrows in curiosity, prompting Issei to continue, "How long have you been sitting and hiding behind that big-ass throne? Seriously, were you camping behind that chair just for this moment to look dramatic? Because that is just sad, bro."

Euclid stared at Issei completely unamused.

Kiyome and Griselda stifled a giggle.

Djall stared at Euclid… and smiled mockingly. A vein popped under Euclid's skin at the sight.

"...I teleported. I have to keep a closer eye on my friends than my enemies, after all." Euclid explained. "I just happened to catch sight of you engaging dialogue with the Queen when I was looking for my charge. I honestly expected Sirzechs, but I guess his job is more important than his wife."

"She still won't mate with you." Djall roasted him.

"Of course she won't, young master." Euclid replied with a twitch on his eye with his tone heavier, ignoring the strange looks thrown at him.

"...Okay. So his twisted sense of humor has no friendly fire. How do you manage him for so long like this?" Issei asked.

"It is not an easy task, but we must move on." Euclid groused. "Since you're here, I'm afraid that I must accelerate my schedule. I've invested much in obtaining the purest essence of a World Tree that is not guarded by barbarian gods for our projects, and I will not let a bunch of children stop me."

Titania's honor guard drew their weapons, and Rossweisse prepared her spear and shield.

Kiyome summoned her metallic claws while Issei brought out his Boosted Gear as he entered his martial stance.

Griselda drew the Sword of Duality and entered her own stance.

"My Queen…" Leidarla spoke out.

"Leave. Prepare our armies for my arrival." Sycorax ordered coldly.

The Dark Elf escorts could only swallow their protests, years of respect and service responding with a bow before they left their escorts to their fate, leaving the throne room - leaving her queen with the devil and monster invaders by her side, while facing Titania and those from Midgard.

"...Are you going to listen to me for once and help me erase these intruders?" Euclid asked his charge.

"No."

Djall instantly rejected him much to Euclid's chagrin and the humor of the others.

"But I have business with him." Djall pointed at Issei.

"...Me?" Issei pointed at himself.

"Not you. The red meat on your arm."

[...Is he talking about me?]

Ddraig asked.

"Tiamat sends her regards. She requested my current companions to make you suffer while extracting where you lost her treasures."

[….Ah… Wait, is he saying he ran into Tiamat?]

Ddraig's voice then came out from the Boosted Gear.

[Did you meet Tiamat? What were you doing with her?]

"Yes. She attacked me and my companions after a peaceful transaction…. I like her. Her meat is so tender and rich with flavor." Djall licked his lips with a hint of drool.

While the others were unnerved, Issei narrowed his eyes as he felt a pulse from his Boosted Gear - more precisely, Ddraig's simmering rage.

"What? Why the rage? I heard that you constantly robbed her and ran away like a coward, why are you concerned for her? She hates you, and you see her as nothing more than a resource." Djall asked with what appeared to be mocking innocence.

Issei glanced at his Boosted Gear with a concerned look when the pulse died down, followed by Ddraig's voice.

[...I see how much of a child you are, easily jumping into conclusion without understanding bonds that we shared throughout eons.]

"Your bond is worthless. She did nothing to save you from that state, trapped as a worthless toy for weak flesh humans, while you did nothing for her in return. Explain to me how your 'bond' has value, senile meat."

Euclid could not help but smirked, as if impressed by Djall's critical verbal shots.

[We have disagreements and fought many more than we could count, but I have acknowledged her as one of the most powerful women I've known, even after her loss of power by the Hands of Jehovah. Should she retain her true form, Thirteen Longinus would have gone down to Twelve.]

Ddraig's story brought more confused looks from others. Tiamat's true form? Longinus?

"She told me all about it. Even so, you did not answer my question." Djall retorted.

[Then I am afraid that you will never understand as you are now. It is never about the give and take.]

"You avoiding the answer only further proves your failure. You have proven yourself nothing more than a shameless parasite. You are as worthless as the dragons I consume. I should destroy your soul as an act of mercy at this point."

Djall walked towards Issei, growling with a tinge of hunger. Everyone widened their eyes when the next time they blinked, Djall and Issei were already standing within arm's length; the latter only had a fraction of an instant to notice the former move.

Issei's body suddenly was launched until he crashed through the palace walls. He quickly regained his posture and landed on his feet. Truth to be told, the initial strike was meant to be fatal; Issei just barely managed to react and allow himself to be launched to avoid the direct impact.

Blood dripped from his lips, Issei wiped it off as he glowered.

"I underestimated your reflexes. Allow me to correct that oversight."

"How about no?" Issei moved this time.

A brief afterimage was left where he once stood before everyone saw Djall's form blurred.

[Boost!]

Everyone heard the iconic phrase of Boosted Gear. Something crashed through the palace doors, the hole the shape of a human through before the door flung open before they briefly caught sight of Issei's passing.

Kiyome switched her vision into a high kinetic move, trying to detect them.

Sycorax could see half of it. Titania could barely register the fight in her eyes.

Euclid could almost see it lucidly with his Trihexa eyes.

Griselda could see it completely due to her training and her angelic powers.

The two engaged in high-motion combat, like two lines clashing against each other, spreading everywhere, traversing the floors, the walls, even the ceiling, bashing into each other for dominance if one did not care to read their exchange of hands.

Fists of the Water Stream received and delivered, yet the monster, with one arm, timed and read the flow of his attacks, blocking with his elbow, forearm, and palm, like he was fending him off with a baton one-handedly.

The monster was reading him somehow with lethal accuracy and proficiency, and Issei did not like how he was fluently reacting to his attacks.

Issei could see Djall's eyes shifting colors before the monster swept around Issei and pirouetted into a lariat against the back of Issei's knees and carried him, holding his entire weight over his shoulder.

It never happened to him before, Issei could not react or jump, or anything in this state, held by the calves while the rest above was perpendicularly over Djall's shoulders.

Then Djall shifted his hold, tilted Issei down until his other hand grabbed his hair before he battery rammed Issei into the wall beside the door, the thick barrier of enchanted stone of centuries of historic life collapsing from a boy's skull.

Djall did not stop as he battery rammed Issei through another wall, filling his eyes with dust and mouth with stray pebbles.

And then the next.

And the next. He ran past the dark elf escorts, surprising them as he continued until he rammed his way out of the castle, ran towards the edge of the bottomless abyss, held Issei overhead, and jumped down.

With a wicked smile, Djall threw Issei down into the bottomless darkness with the force of a superconducting railgun.

Issei plunged face first into the darkness with the monster after him, his eyes still stinging from the dust.

He switched his meta vision to see where he was going.

However, he saw nothing but a black circle approaching him the further he fell.

He switched to night vision.

Same thing, only darkness, but the closer he fell towards it, the more he could feel the alien presence of an otherworldly power hidden within the abyss.

He needed to get out before he fell even deeper. Gathering his power, Issei decided to break out the big guns.

"Balance Breaker!"

XoX

"Issei!"

Rossweisse and Griselda could not help but fear for the worst when Issei was pushed into defensive by the Son of The Beast, rammed out of the royal throne room, leaving them alone with Euclid and the rest.

"Hmmm, his training with Xingtian bore remarkable fruits." Euclid commented. "As for you, I have come prepared. This time, I will not end up as a metallic statue or otherwise."

[Drekari Champion Promotion!]

Euclid paused when he heard the sound of Boosted Gear, followed by the massive surge of power.

Then something came crashing through the doors of the throne room. Sycorax managed to step aside in time to avoid it, the object crashing into her throne.

Everyone stared at Djall, now seated on Sycorax's throne. A trail of blood trickled down his nose, with his three eyes staring at the approaching figure obscured by dust.

The figure was clad in a deep scarlet armor, the metal molded into a more organic make, as if it was grown over him, layered over him like the imbricated scales of a dragon.

Ethereal flame-like wings perpetually sprouted from his back, almost otherworldly in nature, more phantasmal than raw energy in make.

His form was more demonic, his armor more knight-like than his previous sleek power-ranger armor subspecies, thicker.

Each vambrace was a flawless, strange fusion of heroic yet wicked, a noble hero's arms wearing a demonic design if one wanted a comparison, each bearing an emerald jewel of Boosted Gear.

In the center of his breastplate armor were sixteen symbols, eight pawns surrounding two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and a Queen and King piece was in the center of the rooks, knights, and bishops.

His helmet was a faceplate of crystal bearing a demonic face, this time, he was wearing the demonic face instead of becoming it like the first time he entered this form.

"...Interesting." Djall rose from Sycorax's throne, licking some of the blood that gathered near his lips before wiping the rest off with his finger. "Never saw this type of Balance Breaker before. I can see it… almost as if fifteen presences are giving you strength somehow."

Issei paused in his steps upon hearing the number.

"...I see." He smiled a bit behind his helmet.

So the girls are watching his back from the beyond. It was nice to hear it confirmed from his opponent.

He pointed at Djall and wiggled his finger.

Djall smirked and took one step forward.

Then both fighters blipped from everyone's perception before destruction and chaos graced Sycorax's throne room once more, magnified many times in scale and property damage.

Explosive Heart Release Fist

This time, even Griselda could barely see the fight taking place, the current level too much for any of them.

Mighty thrums of the beat of hearts followed by explosive strikes, Issei fought against the slippery monster with everything he has, knowing that Djall can survive it.

[Boost!]

Boosted Gear repeated ad infinitum as they continued, yet Djall somehow managed to keep up with the current Issei somehow.

"Heheheheheheheh…!" Djall's wicked smile brought unease in Issei as they fought.

Issei unleashed his touki, dragonfire, and norse lightning, cladding his fists in his power as he assaulted the monster in his furious assault.

Lightning and fire splashed against the monster with each strike, but the energies cascaded off him like rain to an umbrella, the monster smirking mockingly at every attempt.

The more he attacked, the more he realized that the monster was reacting before he moved with uncanny timing, stepping back before he threw a straight punch and socking his jaw when he tried to move in.

"Are you using precognition?!" Issei accused the monster, only for his smile to grow.

Djall's smile only grew as he ducked an explosive straight punch and slammed his elbow into Issei's throat, the kinetic impact traveling through Issei and breaking though his enhanced Balance Breaker to his shock, to everyone's shock.

Djall followed by a series of rapid strikes against his vital points, artery, jugular, liver, between the ribs; Issei stumbling as he coughed blood from the damage.

Issei retaliated; he noticed how Djall's eyes were unfocused, stealing glances at his limbs or specific sections of his body during their fight - His mind was in a different place despite the intensity of their brawl.

[Boost!]

Issei's amplified his [Boost] even more, skyrocketing his power. This definitely caught the monster off guard, his lack of experience showing.

Everyone saw Issei's sudden domination over their duel, pounding the creature with every martial technique he could think of in the duration.

Issei punched his stomach, grabbed his hand, then punched his face in before he summoned Kokabiel's Solar Light Spears and threw them at the monster.

But Djall backflipped down on all fours, belly touching the ground as the spears flew over their mark.

With legs tensed, Djall sprung and pounced like a frog, his fist greeting Issei's face.

Issei felt the impact, but he did not expect the explosive shockwave reverberating through him.

?!

There was something familiar about that shockwave, but it was off.

Djall twisted his center and turned with centrifugal force, sending Isse Issei flew towards the throne with his punch, landing on it.

Issei's group gasped as they watched Djall throw something at the ceiling, too fast for then to register Djall's teleporting them.

When Issei looked up, two sharp bone lances fell on his hands, pinning them to the armrest of the throne.

Then Djall threw two more, pinning his calves to the dais. Djall leapt, crossing the arc before landing atop of Issei, grinning his teeth

Djall's head opened like a nightmarish flower of teeth and gums, his inhuman nature showing.

"...SHIT!"

He could see his own head bitten off by that mouth, a classic Resident Evil Game Over.

However, instead of biting his head off, Djall turned around and grabbed a bone pike, something more fragile than what he could make.

His flowered face folded, his human features reforming as he stared at one Kiyome Abe.

He could smell the fear leaking through her pores yet the 'courage' Sycorax spoke of was keeping her still. Djall snapped the bone pike and tossed it aside.

"...Are you sure that is wise as you are now?" Djall asked Kiyome as a tendril erupted from his spine and stung Issei's neck, through the armor and into his artery before he could react.

"Issei!" Griselda aimed her sword at the monster.

Issei grimaced as he felt something foreign entering his system.

"I injected a lethal poison of my make." Djall explained.

"You what…?!" Issei hissed as he could already feel his veins on fire.

"Healing magic will make it worse." Djall answered.

"How the fuck does that work?!" Issei shouted.

"Because there are parasites mixed in the poison."

"You fucker!"

"The poison isn't meant for you." Djall answered.

Issei's rage turned into confusion, now that he took another look, the burning pain was concentrated on his left arm.

"I'm here for the red dragon meat. The poison is meant to ease the separating process. But it will hurt."

"Separate? Separate what?" Issei asked.

"I want your dragon." Djall answered. "I'm going to torture him and make him reveal where he lost Tiamat's stolen treasures. I did say that. And then I'm going to kill him out of mercy."

He definitely did, Issei heard that direct line.

Euclid was impressed that he formed a poison that could do that.

"Ddraig? Ddraig, status report!"

Issei called out. There was silence.

"Go ahead. See what is happening to the red meat." Djall gestured.

Issei clenched his teeth and closed his eyes to take a quick glance at his soul realm.

Throughout his studies in all things Sacred Gear, Issei read about how the spirit dwelling in the artifact could sometimes kill the host.

Like that one gear with the Tarrasque, a vicious dragon powerful enough to do whatever he could to murder his host.

But he had never seen anything about the spirit within the artifact fighting for their lives in any case.

[Partner!]

Corruption, a creeping black shadow was infecting the white space of the soul realm.

Ddraig was present, his dragonic aura was all over the place, infusing the soulscape with his red energy to fight off against the creeping black.

"Shit."

This was not good. Elsha and Belzard were there beside Ddraig, using their borrowed dragonfire to fight off the darkness.

[If this continues, the red meat shall be infected. He shall experience pain like no other. Then I will extract the sludge that remains and torture what's left of him.]

Djall's voice echoed within the realm.

[You have no power here. The poison is based on Yamato No Orochi's venom which could corrode the soul.]

Djall continued his narration.

Issei had no idea how he could speak inside here, but he chalked it to poison or something.

"Let them go, Djall! This is between us!" Issei shouted.

[You're right. You can fight on without your toy.]

Djall responded.

[And any dragon content with his cage and slavery is worthless, submitting to the whims of worthless strangers for centuries. He has lost his independence. This is mercy.]

Issei could not believe the words coming out of his mouth.

"Is that all you can see between us? Master and slave, huh?!" Issei hissed.

[Didn't you enjoy the power when it first came to you? And that it is yours to do as you see fit? When did the dragon ever agree to be yours in the first place? It is completely unearned and he decided to play the part just because he had no other choice. There is no factor of choice in your relationship.]

Issei did enjoy that. He would not lie, when he found out that he had the power of a legendary dragon inside him since he was a kid, he was ecstatic, enough not to consider about Ddraig's position…

"Yeah, I did. I was stoked. Finding out that there is some godlike power and the feeling of being special, yeah, it comes naturally to a kid. But that does not give you the right to do whatever you want to Ddraig."

They heard the familiar rhythmic clicking within the soul-scape.

[Hmmm… your emotions… It is genuine. You actually care. Now that I can feel your soul through the poison, I can sense it… Why do you care? Cao Cao doesn't care about his Sacred Gear. Neither does George, Leonardo, Hercules… and they drew out great power from callous disregard. Tell me.]

"It's called bonds, you prick. Our meeting may have been by chance, but we grew as thick as brothers despite what you think."

Issei analyzed the situation. A quarter of this realm was corrupted by the toxic darkness. He knelt down a knee and touched the ground, attempting to feel for the soulscape.

"I ain't like the others. Yeah, I get it, I like to use his powers, it is fun, but if you're as smart as you think you are, you know that the stronger the bond between us, the stronger we can be. And this power isn't something I can get by being an asshole."

He might be able to do it. He called upon his demonic power and tried to feel for the Sacred Gear, scanning the damage, feeling for the poison.

[That is true in some cases. But then again, where is the consent?]

Djall asked.

[If you truly cared about your dragon, you should've done everything in your power to free him from his prison.]

He attempted to purge the poison… he could not purge it.

The poison was not something that he could simply get rid off. He poured his Ki into the soulscape, focusing on Boosted Gear… he stopped when he sensed the acceleration of the poison seeping deeper into Boosted Gear.

This bastard knew how to make the most vile things.

Think, think, what could he use to expunge the venom… wait…

He could sense something within Boosted Gear that did not belong to Ddraig's magical signature.

Issei did not know why he could not find it before. It was hidden, very well hidden, one with the white void.

The poison managed to reveal it to him, the shape and color exposed by the corrosive black, the camouflage broken down to reveal the hidden filling inside of Boosted Gear. From what he could sense, a seal.

"...Ddraig, you told me that God sealed your powers, right?" Issei called out.

The seal felt divine in origin, and its signature reminded him of Kokabiel in his Ascended Form. It was something layered around Boosted Gear, woven so finely with the scale mail that it was nearly impossible to distinguish the difference between seal and armor.

[This isn't the time for such questions!]

Ddraig pointed out.

[But yes, he did! He sealed my most powerful technique from me!]

Issei looked around… he heard Ddraig boast about his ultimate skill that was supposedly strong enough to even erase the soul from existence, fires so devastating that it burns other fires, the flames of the apocalypse.

"...I have an idea."

Issei might be able to pull this off.

"I think I understand you a bit." Issei called to Djall. "...You think that positive relationships are something like obligations, right? You think that if I really cared, I should've acted on it sincerely and stuff? Yeah, you got something right. I probably should've done it earlier if I cared like that. It's just that I really like his dragon powers."

Issei's aura surged, the power of soul manipulation spreading throughout Boosted Gear.

"But that is one-sided. Have you ever thought that Ddraig cared about me just as much to stay with me all the way?"

[A mighty dragon is too prideful for that. It is not a good position to be in for anyone.]

Djall asked.

"Yeah, it might be too much for you to get it, but I understand. It's a complicated thing to get."

He 'gripped' the poison. If he could not expunge it, he would redirect it around the seal… yes, it was eroding the seal.

The bastard made the poison too well.

The corruption eroding Boosted Gear flowed towards that one point, concentrating at the sky of the soulscape, where the seal was stronger than the rest of the white void.

The Biblical God knew how to exploit the oversights of humans too well, it seemed. The soul realm was not infinitely vast, it just seemed like it to those unlearned about the matter, especially first-timers that entered the soul realm.

He started to understand how Ersi managed to exploit Boosted Gear and play with Ddraig so easily. There were hidden seals and functions of Boosted Gear hidden in this soul scape and Ersi located and hacked into them, granting him omnipotence here.

The seal was extremely high in the sky of the soul scape, probably at the proverbial ceiling, out of reach, out of notice… probably to symbolize the concept that God is always watching and stuff. No wonder why the other users couldn't pick it up.

"But there's a word for that… It's called Sacrifice. Something you should know very well, Stjarna."

Issei felt irritation from Djall upon using that name.

Almost there… Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

The black corruption compressed around the shining jewel that was the seal…

Got it.

A crack echoed within the soul scape followed by the surge of heat.

[You….]

Djall sounded caught off guard.

[What are you doing?]

"Thanks for the poison." Issei grinned. "You really are a 'strong-flesh' thing. Is that what you call yourself?"

The flames of the apocalypse surged..

[Partner… I will say this as many times as I can - you are one mad son of a bitch! You did the impossible!]

Ddraig's roar was downright euphoric as he could feel his original power back.

[This heat…. There is no mistake - this is my flame! The very flame that burns the heavens down during my prime!]

"Can you destroy the poison with that?"

Issei's question was met with roaring flames that burned the corruption across the soulscape.

[So that's what you did. Interesting.]

Djall's voice echoed once more.

Djall leapt from the throne as blazing fire surged from Issei.

Everyone gawked at the sight of Issei's frame suddenly caught on fire. However, there was no scream of pain as they watched Issei ripped the bone pikes from his hands and calves with sheer force, yanking them out as he rose from the throne and tossed them aside.

"I've met many who called themselves 'strong,' but they are nothing but delusional disappointments. This is the first time someone countered me." Djall remarked.

"Glad for the compliment." Issei remarked.

"But you forgot about something. Have you ever seen a broken Sacred Gear?" Djall asked as the colors of his eyes shifted.

The question aroused everyone's attention, the words 'broken' and 'sacred gear' failed to register in everyone's ears.

"Excuse me?"

"Burning my poison away isn't the same as repairing your armor, challenger."

"What do you-"

Issei stopped upon hearing cracks from his armor, pieces falling off and cluttering around him.

More of his armor flaked off his body, the faceplate cracking and the glass shedding.

"...Oh… Ohhh."

[Partner… this isn't good. This might be our latest form's first and last performance. The poison damaged the Boosted Gear too much. It isn't something that can be repaired automatically like the scale mail.]

"...Interesting accident." Djall clicked his throat with curiosity and excitement, his head leaning forward with a widening grin. "Well, now you're stuck with a broken toy. Your shell is shedding with no new armor waiting for you, but this is unexplored territory. After all, you're the first human with a broken sacred gear in history. How do you feel and function now?"

Issei stared at the monster while feeling for his condition… yeah, Boosted Gear is fucked.

Totally fucked.

But his connection to Ddraig was no longer limited by the Sacred Gear anymore in return, but it was still dangerous, like relying on an unstable core of a nuclear reactor in comparison.

Issei simply scoffed and resumed his stance, "Good enough to beat the shit outta you."

He might be able to pull off some sick moves like never before.

"Prove it." Djall wagged his finger at Issei to come at him.

[Boost!]

Issei boosted.

[Explosion!]

But first, he needed to determine how much the damage was.

His demonic wings spread out of the shell as he took off like an arrow, everyone saw Issei carry, or lead, Djall out of the throne room as a trail of destruction followed them.

XoX

Now, Issei's group was alone with the others.

A tense silence followed as two sides finally could pay attention to each other.

"...Fascinating." Euclid broke the quiet with a growing smile. "His evolution has surpassed predictions. The murder of a Sacred Gear… to think I witnessed something supposedly impossible."

He then turned his attention to the others in the room, "Oh dear, I've digressed. My apologies for neglecting all of you, ladies and gentlemen."

His voice brought the attention of the elves and those who came with Issei.

"Are you alright with engaging your sister?" Euclid asked his current ally.

"...I have no qualms." Sycorax grimaced, her face saying otherwise.

"Good." Euclid poised his arm at the ground.

Two teleportation circles appeared, each bringing a strange giant construct of… warped, sculpted material that could only be described as an unholy fusion of flesh and metal.

Their exterior looked no different than that of a Sacred Gear, only it looked far more warped and perverted by design.

Each of them were giant and bipedal…

"...Are those Jotuns?" Titania accused.

One of them looked armored in stone, the other blazed with primordial fire.

"A fire and a stone giant. Lots of experimental material from Alfheim. Sometimes, I just need something new to work with, too many evil dragon clones at my disposal and all that." Euclid shrugged with a mocking grin.

"They are converted into Aberration constructs, living organic soldiers capable of self-evolving… at least on paper. They are currently under my domination. But enough talk."

Euclid summoned something that no one expected on his left arm.

It looked so frighteningly similar to that of Boosted Gear, the red gauntlet and the green jewel.

Then sprouting from his back were silvery metallic wings with blue membranes of light.

"I hope you don't mind my testing my newest toys. May the taste of Two Dragon Emperors be to your liking."

Euclid's smile creaked with malevolence as a newfound fear struck them.

In a certain undisclosed location on Earth, under the cloudy afternoon sky, there was a humble cafe where a gentleman was sitting on a table.

He stood out from the other customers, not only with his meticulous suit only worn during funerals, but also with his deathly pale, corpse-like.

The old man's closed eyes opened when he saw the waitress come around to place his drink, a cup of seemingly pitch-black liquid. He sent the waitress a quick grateful smile before he reached for the cup, took a quick whiff at the aroma and took a sip.

The door opened, ringing the entrance bell.

His spiky sandy blonde hair aside, the rest of his appearance was something out of a science fiction story, bedecked in metal armor underneath his modern clothes. His black sclera eyes scanned around, ignoring the approaching staff who attempted to welcome him, until they landed on the old man who was smiling knowingly at him.

The newcomer made his way towards the table, and when he arrived, the old man merely waved his hand at the waitress, who blinked and proceeded to leave them be, along with the other patrons who also stopped watching them.

The old man then gestured to the newcomer to take a seat across from him. The latter eyed the empty chair for a second before he did as he was told. Soon the old man decided to speak after taking another sip of his drink.

"Mr. Genos, you don't need to assume that form in a humble meeting like this."

"I cannot take any chances with an unknown factor. You're already doing the same, aren't you?"

The Demon Cyborg looked at the nearby customers.

The other customers in the cafe looked back. All of them at once. One of them lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing an alien gun powered by arcane energies.

"Zeno, Grim Reaper of Hades. I didn't think your master's hand was involved with the founding of Pandora's Aegis. An organization armed with an unnatural surplus of supernatural arsenals unrecorded, my only other answer was the Demons." Genos deduced.

"My my. It seems the power of technology has exceeded this old man in a way." Zeno chuckled, "You are correct. The agents disguised as civilians here are members of the organization. Military soldiers that joined willingly or conscripted with an rewarding offer most cannot refuse. Mercenaries involved with the Supernatural world are also included as well."

"Yes. I can see Magnus Rose among them." Genos glanced at another patron.

The aforementioned CIA agent with his back facing Genos turned his head, sending an apologetic smile with a tip of his hat.

"Agent Rose happened to agree with our cause and chose to join. Please don't blame him." Zeno placated, "After all… We would like to extend our invitation to you as well, Mr. Genos."

"...I refuse." Genos answered.

"Why, you haven't even heard about our terms…" Zeno could not help but blink, albeit his lips twitched in amusement.

"I understand from your perspective, but it isn't monetary at this point. I am willing to work with your organization under special conditions, but I will not abandon all I've built with Saitama to work under another agency. I have invested much of my time and resources with the Grigori, and they are my most direct and familiar connection to the Supernatural world. I am not convinced that your connections are the same. The main reason being - I don't know you or your superiors like I do with Azazel."

Zeno listened before nodding, "...Understandable. I never expect a negotiation with you will be easy to begin with."

"Who is responsible for arming your agents? They are not of heaven's or the Underworld's designs. The only other supernatural organization that might garner my suspicion is the Vortex, but they in fact aren't worth my attention. The Youkai are too traditional, and the organizations from Asia are too focused on their own internal conflicts to matter."

"Hmmm… You are correct on the Demons. Yes, they are involved." Zenos nodded to Genos. "The ones arming them are the Demiurge, the ones enhancing them are the Agiel Tribes. For now, it is a matter of… trust." Zenos smiled.

"...I can already guess how it will go. Won't chaos ensue should the truth go out?" Genos asked.

"Should the truth go out… We're already prepared." Zenos answered, "Some still bore the misconceptions about the Supernaturals. It is true that some races earned their reputation for a reason."

"So is the truth that God is dead. The Christians will face the most backlash once their faith in Jehovah is shattered." Genos retorted.

"They have it coming for a long time, if you ask me." Zeno said with a small scoff, "But considering the threat that is looming over this world… No, this reality itself, we believe the world can afford to stay idle no longer. Change is coming, Mr. Genos, and we might as well prepare ourselves for the inevitable to come."

"...Why do you reach out to me when there are better candidates?"

"There are no better candidates." He shook his head. "There is no one better than you, Mr. Genos. A pure human that sacrificed most of his flesh for power, a man that spent most of his life warring against the forces of malevolence. I may be an old demigod, but I cannot relate or train them the most efficiently in the art of war."

"Didn't Alcaeus train under the guidance of Olympus?" Genos reminded.

"That is from a different time… and it involved Zeus' infidelity." Zenos sighed. "It was a troublesome era, I admit, having to deal with an angry, unreasonable wife of the King of Olympus. Hades took pity on him and decided to set his soul into the cycle of eternal reincarnation until Hera lets go of her wrath… My other point is that you also have knowledge most useful for our warriors, weapons, science, tactics… in fact, why don't we show you our base, Genos? A tour as a show of good faith between us? Ah, and you're free to bring Saitama…"

"I doubt Saitama would receive a warm welcome as the strongest man from those that haven't seen his power." Genos commented.

"You have a point…" Zenos admitted awkwardly. "Saitama is never the type who leaves a remarkable first impression. Maybe it would be warmer if we set up a demonstration?"

"I will not accept unless everyone acknowledges Saitama's greatness." Genos remained steadfast.

Magnus chuckled before sipping his coffee.

"We will discuss this next time. I need to consult the matter with Saitama first."

"Of course. Master Hades also said that the Awakened One is free to visit Olympus, or Tartaros, whenever he wishes." Zeno nodded with a satisfied smile before he finished the rest of his drink.

To Be Continued…

Omake: Strongest Giant vs the Strongest Hero

Muspelheim continued to churn rivers of the world's molten lifeblood.

Not a speck of normal could survive the harsh flames of this world.

Flame blossoms and infernal mushrooms thrived in this realm, the only source of food for anyone that wished to consume, but the creatures of this realm feed mainly from the heat of this world, drawing from the eternal wrath of Muspelheim as their milk for their existence.

Home of the Fire Giants, the most destructive race, the most gifted race in the art of the forge, master smiths and makers that could create legendary weapons no different than those of the Dwarves, matching even Mjolnir itself.

The culture of the Fire Giants revolved around two major factors - skill and might.

Their King, the ruler of this realm, was the strongest Fire Giant, Surtr, the towering creature so grand and mighty, bearing the destiny of burning Yggdrasil and the Nine Realms to cinders.

The destined destroyer beheld no palace.

He had no throne for his seat of power.

His land of authority was the burning blue fields of Muspelheim, the warrior king continuing to swing his flaming sword that bore the primordial fire of the cosmos, training eternally for the promised day of Ragnarok.

Each swing of his sword parted the smog-infested sky, brief glimpses of the world's white sun shining through the black, each force of his swings capable of sundering mountains and splitting oceans of magma, each step quaking the Earth.

The status of the Top Ten were for those willing to make themselves known to the Nine Realms as the strongest.

Surtr did not need to have his name ranked to be among the strong.

However, for the first time in countless years, the largest, strongest Fire Giant stopped swinging his fiery blade.

For the first time since time immemorial, someone dared to trespass his holy grounds without permission…

And he was small.

"...Who dares enter the territory of the destroyer?" Surtr demanded as he swung his blade, parting the billows of blue fire and black smog…

Only to reveal a tiny human man with the head the shape of an egg. As for his clothes… he was almost completely naked.

His only form of cloth was his white loincloth covering his nether region.

And the man was sweating profusely, panting like a dying man on his last legs in the desert.

"Hah, hah… sorry, sorry…."

He looked like he was about to collapse from heat stroke and dehydration, making such a ridiculous face like melting ice.

"I… hah… shit, this is too hot. I'm… looking for… A Sutrice?"

Surtr stared at the tiny human creature wiping the excess sweat off his brow.

"...This is not a place for a mortal like you."

"Yeah… honestly, I don't want to be here." The bald human fell with his hands on his knees, panting, expiring, yet somehow he was not burned to ash in the field of blue fire which was odd.

"Lost… in an eating contest against Thor…"

"Thor?" Flames surged from Surtr's head, white fire blazing with the intensity of the sun itself.

"Yeah, that guy. Lost a bet… was a bit drunk at the time. Said I… had to go here and take a fiery sword from some fiery tall guy. Ahhh, I'm so mad right now but it's too DAMN HOT!"

He was half-complaining to himself in his explanation, looking like a pitiful, melting ice cube that survived much longer than it should.

"...If you are here on a quest from the Thunder God, then you are in the right place." Surtr raised his flaming sword overhead.

"I am Surtr, The Ruler of Muspelheim. What is the name of the challenger that dares to confront me?"

The bald egg panted profusely.

"Sai… tama… Hah… alright, looks like I'm in the right place." The baldy then straightened his posture, wiping another handful of sweat and flicking it, the fluids instantly evaporating once they left his palms.

"Let's just skip the talk and get this over with. I want to go home." Saitama exhaled and raised his fists.

The flaming sword was already falling on the bald one's shiny dome.

It was not a practice swing this time.

It was a strike meant to sunder and destroy.

Muspelheim trembled under the force of Surtr's sword, its deepest lifeblood bleeding from the wound carved into its skin as white hot magma graced the air above the crust as far as the eye could see.

But it was the fire giant that flew in response and tumbled across the blue flaming field, right to the edge of the ring as his flaming sword fell beside him.

Blood flew out of his lips as he coughed.

He could not recognize the strange sensation of fluids on his skin.

What… just happened? Was this pain? He was in pain? And he was bleeding?

"Hey."

The small human called out to him.

"...You done yet?"

Surtr looked down from his prone form, right at the human standing on top of his chest. No longer was the pitiful face of the ice cube.

A warrior greeted his eyes.

"...So Thor sent me a worthy one."

His fiery heart pulsed as he rose, grabbed the hilt of his sword and uprighted to his feet. Prompting the human to jump back to the ground.

"I have shown you disrespect, warrior Saitama." Surtr must show his opponent his respect.

"Yeah, I don't mind. Let's get this over with."

Surtr obliged to the challenger. His fire blazed all over his body, the flames so hot he was now plasma like the sun.

"For Muspelheim!"

Muspelheim trembled as the two warriors fought, the sword of Surtr raged against the mortal challenger, carving the fiery realm with each mighty swing.

The fight failed to remain anonymous.

Many fiery denizens felt the power of Surtr raging against the realm as they gravitated towards their King, from the most powerful Fire Dragons to the most hardened Fire Giants and the Primal Fire Elementals.

They could not believe the spectacle.

Never could they believe they would see the day the Strongest Giant tumbled under the fists of his smaller foe as the human smashed his fist into Surtr's face.

And blasted their king into the fiery pavement so hard that blazing blue field bore the crater that received the face of Surtr.

But the King, despite his plasmic lifeblood bleeding from his lips and nose, rose back up with an excited grin as he swung his flaming sword at the challenger.

[Fire King's Blazing Acceleration!]

Saitama stood still while Surtr swung at him from all sides, the giant ceaselessly swinging with warlike grace.

The sword swung faster and faster… it burned hotten as well, transforming from a sword to a hot rod of plasma leaving a storm of lucent trails.

All the while Saitama stood his ground, deflecting the sword with one hand, pinching and throwing it off every time with his fingers.

Surtr continued to accelerate his attack speed, his power rising exponentially, yet the man kept up with him, continuing to redirect his legendary sword with two fingers with an eternally composed gaze.

Everyone was at awe when the challenger cratered the ground in his leap and smashed their king back into the hot earth of Muspelheim again.

And again.

And again.

The King returned to his feet, more damaged each time, but his spirit was unyielding as his sword, honed through countless years of practice, drew mighty strokes of art in his graceful sequences, his swings swifter than sound despite his size, yet the man evaded all of his masterful attacks and struck him again in the abdomen.

Saitama's fist smoked as he watched Surtr slide back, falling to his knee and coughed blood, supporting his weight with his sword.

"...You still want to keep going?" Saitama asked.

"I… will taste victory!" Surtr unleashed all of his power, all of his skills.

The king of the fire giants slammed his palm into the fiery field.

Saitama felt the ground under his feet rumble.

Before a volcanic eruption blasted him into the sky, Saitama flying into the clouds with swarms of molten tephra ascending from below.

Saitama smacked the flying rocks away as he flew through the toxic clouds, through the atmosphere, and crashed into one of the four moons of Muspelheim.

Saitama looked around, feeling a sense of Deja Vu at the moment. The sun at the sky was quite bright though, the moon almost glowing in its refracting the light back to Muspelheim, causing Saitama to block out the light from blinding him.

The sun was definitely much brighter though.

Actually, the moon was fricking hot, like an overcooked piece of metal or something.

The flying rocks crashed around him and pelted the moon from the force of the eruption.

"Hm?" Saitama looked back at the world below, seeing something emerge.

"Saitama!"

Surtr's voice roared across the cosmic distance.

He was like a fiery meteor, a moving sun with a giant flaming sword.

Surtr raised his sword overhead as the color between Muspelheim and Saitama, around the meteoric giant turned orange and red, his aura dying the world in the color of fire. "This is my victory! Carve the might of Surtr into your memory!"

The air around him started to cool… Actually, it was getting less bright now.

"Hm?" Saitama noticed the ice forming around him as it started to become cold, winter cold.

All heat and energy converged around Surtr, the King's power to take the energy and heat of others and add it to his own, strengthening him immensely as his power surged.

The light of white sun was stolen from even Muspelheim, Surtr now a black hole hungry for heat and energy, space warped and distorted, a growing ring of darkness expanding around the glowing fire giant that was Surtr.

Surtr's aura flared like a sun reaching the end of his life

It even reached the point where Saitama could see the purest torrent of the giant's power.

火

Seeing this made the corners of his lips creak upwards.

So Saitama decided to respond in kind, "Then I'll show you something too."

Then Saitama clenched his fist, twisted his center as the wave of primordial destruction greeted him. And then he jumped from the moon and greeted Surtr with his fist.

死

It was like watching a supernova exploding within the heavens of the fiery realm.

Every denizen of Muspelheim saw the black clouds dispersed, the resulting explosion of light so strong that it vaporized the carbon-dominant atmosphere while one half of the planet's surface experienced burns for the first time in their many lives.

Beings of fire, feeling a fire greater than them, the light burning their flesh for an instant as sunlight finally greeted all of Muspelheim for the first time in millions of years.

They crashed like meteors…

When everyone regarded the smoking crater in Surtr's training grounds, they saw the outcome.

The challenger won, standing over the defeated, burnt out form of their king.

"...Hehehe… Ahahahahaha…" Surtr coughed.

If Saitama had to describe him, the giant was like a burnt-out campfire, cold embers in place of the fiery brilliance laying on the ground, defeated.

It reminded him of Boros.

The spectators jumped when Surtr's sword crashed beside them, the fires of the sword fading like its owner.

"...I have lost… yet… I don't know why…" The giant coughed. "I feel… at peace with this outcome…"

It was strange… it was like all of the burdens of the world had left him, his soul disenthralled from his destiny.

Freed from a lifetime of hardship.

"...You need help?" Saitama asked.

"...No."

Surtr's charred form crumbled.

"...Tell me… mortal…" Surtr must know. "Why are you so strong? What is the purpose of your strength… if it is not to destroy?"

"To protect, I guess." Saitama answered with a shrug. "What about you? I remembered something. Thor said you are training for some kind of endgame. Why are you training with your sword for so long?"

The King of Muspelheim paused as he tried to find his answer. Now that he thought about it…

"...I suppose… at first… it was revenge…" The Fire King spoke as he recalled the beginnings when Giants flourished…

And then came the war with Odin and the Norse Gods, started with Odin killing Ymir.

"Do you still want revenge?" Saitama asked.

"...I don't think so." Surtr smiled. "I think I failed to notice that it failed to follow me a long time ago… it is a fire too hungry and ravenous to live a long life. It is a small weak fire unlike the sun…"

Surtr stared at the light of Muspelheim's sun… the sun…

He could not remember the last time he saw the glorious shine of the white sun basking his realm.

"What do you want to do now?" Saitama asked.

That was the question Surtr could not find an answer to… he was content.

"...I want to rest…"

He was exhausted… he could not remember the last time he wanted to rest. All of those years spent with the sword… had finally caught with him.

His charred form started to crack, his fingers the first to fall off him. He looked at the strongest man standing on his chest…

That man with a lifetime of wisdom that surpassed time greeted him.

Yes… he could leave it to him.

"But I must… perform one last duty as the Ruler of Muspelheim."

The giant's force turned into dust. Saitama noticed that the dust was flowing towards the giant sword.

"By my right as the Ruler of Muspelheim…."

Saitama's eyes widened when he heard the next words that came from Surtr's lips, as the surrounding flames surged towards him.

The strongest giant exhaled his last breath as the last of his ashes faded into the fiery sword.

"...Eh?" Saitama stared at the spot where the fire giant died.

Actually, why did he die? Saitama was quite sure that he did not fight to kill in the first place.

He stared at the sword as it… shrunk down, like watching an object zooming out from a telescope or something until it looked just right to fit into his palm.

He took the sword and inspected it…

It looked very awesome, the gleam from the double-edged sword very striking to the eyes, and the hilt was made from some kind of stone of sorts. He squeezed it a little.

It felt sturdy.

Then he turned to the onlookers… their jaws were dropped.

Saitama's eyes darted between the giant onlookers and the sword he was holding. He felt like he had to say something to break the awkward atmosphere; unfortunately, he could not come up with anything.

"...I didn't mean to do it."

Image reference for Ise's new armor: p/Clzu5keo9NU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== or just find the link in my AO3 account or P - atreon.

Also, i4md347h and I are thinking to make another side/spin-off; this time is sort of a prequel about the days and (mis)adventures of Saitama and co. before Issei's birth. However, should this project go on, the updates between NEO, Reversal and NSFW will be more sporadic that already is. What do you guys think?

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