"Now if you excuse me, I have some important businesses to take care of…"
Said a towering, but handsome man with a flat-top haircut like that of an American military officer. He rose from his seat across from Issei and Ravel, prompting the two to do the same. His face was crisscrossed with knife scars, and his outfit consisted of a fitted black tactical jacket over a crimson shirt, dark combat jeans tucked into heavy boots, and a belt with a steel buckle engraved with the image of a charging boar.
"Come visit me on Olympus whenever you want." With another smile, the man spoke, his hand extending toward Issei. "And thank you for letting me have this meeting. I hope you'll keep me in mind when it's time for you to choose a patron. As the God of War, just know that I can offer a fine warrior like you a lot, Issei Hyoudou. You will never have to worry about losing a battle ever again, with me as your patron."
Issei shook his hand firmly, returning the friendly gesture with a smile of his own. "Of course, Lord Ares."
"Good. That's all I wanted to hear." Ares gave a short nod, then snapped his fingers. A blinding light flared around him, forcing Issei and Ravel to raise their hands to shield their eyes. By the time the glow faded, the Greek God of War was gone, leaving only the faint aura of his lingering divine power in the air as he teleported away.
"Phew, is that everyone?"
Issei asked as he dropped himself back onto the couch, glancing at Ravel as she pulled a small notebook from her pocket and flipped it open to check the list she had made. Ever since Issei received the letter from Cid yesterday about his tryout to become an official Hero, his mailbox had been flooded with meeting requests from gods who wished to become his Patron. To say that they were eager to meet him would be an understatement, and just this morning alone, not including Ares, Issei had met two dozen different gods from various pantheons across the world, all eager to meet him to get their word in before he attended the tryout later on that afternoon.
Having a Patron God was not something a Hero was strictly required to have, but most did anyway since the benefits were too great for both sides to ignore. Normally, new and upcoming Heroes, especially those who chose to pursue the path as a career rather than naturally inheriting it being descendants of renowned Heroes of the past like him, had to go through a lengthy process just to get noticed, but his reputation in the Supernatural World and his recent achievements had already given Issei far more attention than even some of the more seasoned Heroes, which, in itself, was a major understatement.
He was quite thankful that he had Ravel to help with the matter; otherwise, it would have been complete chaos with gods showing up at his doorstep left and right demanding to meet him. Ravel had personally arranged the schedule and order of meetings for the gods who wanted to see him, even filtering out the ones she considered unworthy of his time and making sure that every option left on the table was worth considering and would benefit him most when the time came to make a final choice. Issei still had no idea who he would choose to become his Patron God, but he had already decided he would rather pick someone he could trust than a complete stranger.
In that regard, he already had a couple of options in mind…
"For the time being." Ravel answered him, using a pen to cross a few names off her notebook before looking up at him "Would you like me to move the ones scheduled for this evening to tomorrow instead, Issei-sama? That way you will have the night to rest after the tryout."
"Yeah, do that," Issei said with a nod, making Ravel nod her head to him before leaning back into the couch, "But seriously, do I really have to meet them all?"
"You read Greek Mythology, yes, Issei-sama?" Ravel asked as she closed her notebook softly. After Issei had nodded his head in confirmation, she continued "Then you'll know that a lot of Gods out there have petty streaks and are known to hold grudges, not just those from the Greek Pantheon. Those I have turned away for you were of no consequence, but the ones you've been seeing all morning are not only among the best options, but they're also far too powerful and easily offended for us to dismiss outright. Even if you end up not choosing them, giving these Gods the courtesy of a friendly meeting will keep them from taking offense."
"Right." Issei let out a small chuckle before he said to Ravel. "You really thought this through, huh?"
"Of course, Issei-sama. As your manager, it is my duty to make sure every option and opportunity presented to you is the best there is." Ravel replied proudly, puffing her chest out with one hand pressed to the center. "You can leave the rest to me and focus on your tryout."
"Sounds good. Thanks, Ravel." Issei said with a smile as he rose from his seat, stretching his arms over his head until he heard and felt his joints pop. Letting out a satisfied sigh, Issei then looked back at Ravel and asked her after jerking a thumb over his shoulder. "I'm just gonna go grab some snacks. You want to come with me?"
"Of course, Issei-sama," Ravel beamed before following him out of the room.
Later that day, after having lunch with everyone at home, Issei headed straight to the Hero Faction HQ in Tokyo. Stepping out of the teleportation room, he looked around the familiar halls and wondered if he should try to find Cid first, since the man was the one who had set up this whole tryout in the first place. Noting that the building was strangely quiet, Issei made his way to the reception area, where the woman sitting behind the desk barely took her eyes off the screen of her phone to look at him as he approached.
"Excuse me, I'm here for the tryout." Issei said as he leaned on the counter. "I was also hoping to know if I could meet Master Cid…"
"The male locker room is down the hall, take a left." She cut him off smoothly, already pointing the way without even looking at him. "You will need to change into combat gear before the assessment starts. Instructor Fukuda will see you and other candidates shortly."
"…Right. Thanks," Issei replied, pushing himself off the counter and heading in the direction she had indicated, missing the brief look of recognition the receptionist cast his way as he walked off.
Reaching the door at the end of the hallway, Issei pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding it to be quite crowded with other candidates standing and milling about in various stages of preparation. Issei could tell with just a single glance that several of these men were seasoned warriors, veterans who knew their way around a battlefield.
As he walked further inside toward an empty locker, a few of them glanced his way. Issei chose to ignore them, rolling his shoulders as he set his bag down and opened the locker to find a set of gym clothes inside. The garb was quite simple, consisting of a black shirt and pants made from a flexible, durable fabric, clearly meant for training or combat drills.
"Ah, I see the princesses have finally arrived!"
A sharp, commanding voice cut through the murmurs just as Issei finished changing. Turning his head toward the door at the far end of the room, he saw a broad-shouldered, middle-aged man standing there wearing his own combat uniform, his scarred face locked in a stern scowl that matched the edge in his voice as he barked loudly to the rest of the room.
"Enough dawdling. Out to the field, now!"
Instantly, candidates scrambled to shut their lockers and file out of the room, the heavy thud of boots filling the air as they hurried after one another in a rush. Issei closed his own locker with a soft clang before heading out himself, joining the others as they marched across the hall and out into the sunlight. The instructor stalked just behind, his arms folding tightly across his chest as he watched them falling into formation quickly with eyes like that of a hawk. Issei wasted no time into a vacant spot near the front, earning a few sidelong glances from those standing near.
"Listen up, you fool!" Fukuda began the instant the last candidate had fallen into place, his voice booming across the field like thunder. "This isn't some playground warm-up, and I am not here to hold your delicate little hands. You stand before me because you think you've got what it takes to call yourselves Heroes! And I, Kami help me, am the one unfortunate enough to be tasked with separating the delusional dreamers from the ones who might actually live long enough to earn that title!"
Saying that, he began pacing in front of them, boots grinding against the packed dirt with each heavy step. "Remember this. Only those strong enough to endure everything I put you through will take even a single step closer to being called a Hero. The rest? Consider yourselves nothing more than stains on the training ground! Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir!"
"What was that!?" Fukuda asked, his brows furrowing.
"YES, SIR!" The group yelled again, with Issei joining them, louder this time, their voices echoing across the field.
"That's what I like to hear. Welcome to my world!"
[Wow, talk about being over the top.]
Issei snickered quietly at the joke Ddraig made in his mind, trying to stifle it as the stern instructor walked past him. Unfortunately, such an action did not go unnoticed by the older man, who immediately spun on his heel, and stormed back in front of Issei, leaning down so close that Issei could feel the heat of his breath.
"Do you find me funny, candidate!?" He bellowed, his voice shaking the air around them.
"Of course not, sir!"
"What's your name?"
"Sir, my name is…"
"I DO NOT FUCKING CARE!" Fukuda roared, cutting him off before he could finish, startling some of the candidates nearby into stiffening. Issei, meanwhile, remained calm and composed, his posture upright and his gaze steady, giving nothing away.
In response, Fukuda jabbed a finger straight at Issei and continued. "You! Front and center! You're going to be the first to prove whether you belong in this field or not! Against me!" Issei blinked, momentarily caught off guard, then nodded and jogged to the open field as the rest of the candidates fell back to give him and Fukuda more room as he walked up to stand in front of Issei.
After that, Fukuda raised his voice again, letting it carry to the other candidates. "Listen up, all of you! Watch carefully! This is how a Hero earns their place! Hesitation, weakness, or defiance will get you eliminated faster than you can blink!"
He then turned back to Issei, narrowing his eyes. "I want you to attack me, candidate. Show me what you've got!"
There was a brief second of silence before Issei shot toward Fukuda with surprising speed, aiming a left hook directly at his face. The man was an instructor of the Hero Faction, which meant he had to be incredibly strong and skilled. Issei knew he had to give it everything he had or else Fukuda would make a fool out of him in front of everyone before he could even start his career as a Hero.
But then, as his punch closed in on his face, Issei noticed that Fukuda didn't move a muscle to react. Perhaps his attack wasn't impressive enough to warrant a response, but the look in his eyes told him otherwise, so he pulled his fist back at the last possible moment, stopping just an inch from Fukuda's left cheek. Still, the force behind the blow was enough to ruffle numerous strands of his hair, causing Fukuda to finally turn his gaze from Issei to his fist as it hovered near his face, his face losing some of its colors as if he were staring at Death itself.
"Heh… I haven't told you to start yet." He said, regaining his composure quickly and letting out a somewhat nervous chuckle. "Impressive speed… but speed alone will not make you a Hero. You need control, as well as the ability to read your opponent. Do you understand?"
Issei froze for a fraction of a second, blinking at the instructor before nodding awkwardly. "Of course, sir."
Before he could pull his hand back, Fukuda spun around and grabbed his arm, attempting to flip him with a Judo throw. Most of the candidates watching expected Issei to be flat on his back, but he barely budged. Fukuda was incredibly strong, but his strength wasn't anything Issei couldn't handle. Even as Fukuda swept at his feet and tried a few more times to throw him, Issei simply stood there, hunching slightly over with his feet planted firmly on the ground while staring at Fukuda with a slightly confused expression, as if expecting the older man to follow up his move with something more impressive.
"Impressive, you actually managed to stand your ground." Fukuda said suddenly as he released Issei to step back from him. To his surprise, and somewhat amusement, the man actually looked out of a breath as he went over to him and gestured to his feet while looking at the rest of the candidates "You see this, everyone? If you stand like this, you will keep your balance and it will be much harder for even a much stronger opponent to throw you down. Balance and stability are just as important as strength."
With that, he then turned back to Issei and spoke to him. "I can see that even though you are young, you have been trained well. You have amazing speed, good technique and impressive strength to back them up too."
"Of course, I would be surprised if he's not."
Before Fukuda could continue, or Issei could say anything in response to the instructor, a familiar voice cut through the silence of the field. Everyone instinctively turned toward the source, eyes widening in a mix of surprise and excitement, with many eyes widening in a mixture of both surprise and excitement, including those of Issei himself, when they saw Goto Ryuji approaching. Walking beside him were Amamiya Mirei and Tawata Kanae, both dressed in their uniforms bearing the crest of the Draw Sword Hero Guild Issei had seen them wearing at the Kuoh Treaty, their weapons at their sides, marking them as being on duty.
"Hey there, Issei-senpai." Mirei greeted Issei with a beaming smile while waving her hand at him, her friendly air stood in stark contrast to the more serious, disciplined aura radiating from Kanae beside her.
"Mirei!" Issei called back and then shifted his gaze toward the man walking at her side to bow his head. "Goto-san…"
"How do you do, Issei." Goto said, offering Issei a pleasant smile as he raised his head and shook hands with him. "Here for the tryout, I suppose. Cid told me he accepted your application yesterday."
"Yes, sir." Issei answered while a ripple of awe and murmurs spread through the gathered candidates.
"Goto-san, I thought you were off to Korea already." Fukuda stated, making Goto look over to him.
"I was on my way, but decided to stop by to get this young man when I heard he was here." Goto said as he glanced at Issei and rested a hand on his shoulder "After all, who wouldn't want the Sekiryuutei himself and his assistance on a mission like this. Would you mind if he comes with me?"
His words carried lightly, but they struck like thunder across the field. Murmurs instantly broke out among the candidates, who clearly did not recognize Issei at first, something that could be said about Fukuda as well.
"This kid is Issei Hyoudou?!" The man asked in shock, his gaze sweeping over Issei as he just let out a chuckle and scratched the back of his head in response.
"The one and only." Goto laughed with Mirei snickering next to him "Now, if you excuse us. We really have very little time to waste."
"Come with us, Issei-senpai." Mirei spoke to him, making Issei nod his head in agreement before heading off with the three S-rank Heroes. As soon as they returned to the main building, Mirei turned around and asked him with a playful smile "Did you have a fun time with Fukuda-sensei, senpai?"
"He's… something, I guess." Issei answered with a chuckle, making Goto look over to him and do the same.
"Don't mind him. Fukuda-san is a good man, and even a better friend to have over a drink. He's just a bit… old-schooled. He doesn't watch the news or use electronic devices much either, so don't blame him for knowing your name, but not how you look." Goto said, making Issei sweat drop. "Most instructors would have let you pass the tryout knowing who you were, but unfortunately he's the only one left here today, as most had already left for Korea."
"Did something happen?" Issei asked in both confusion and interest.
"You didn't watch the news, Issei-senpai?" Mirei asked, making Issei chuckle sheepishly in response.
"Well, I have been busy… all morning."
"Anyhow, an S-rank Gate broke out on Jeju Island in Korea." Goto pointed out, making Issei snap his eyes over to him in surprise "It was an Ant Gate, so there is no telling how many of those monsters have infested the entire island."
"Word is, senpai, that the boss of the Dungeon, an Ant Queen, is also laying eggs that hatch at a rapid rate." Mirei nodded her head. "The Korean Heroes had the Break contained for now, but they had to evacuate the entire island and put it on lockdown, since the ants have spread across the entire island and been trying to get to the mainland."
Kanae finally spoke up, her tone calm but serious. "Due to the geographical location of Jeju, it has been decided that the Heroes of Japan and China will work with the Korean Heroes to deal with the situation. If the ants get past the perimeter, the entire East Asian coast could be at risk. Even a single one slipping through would be problematic, since each ant is measured to be roughly high B to A-class in strength."
"That's crazy." Issei remarked.
"The Korean and Chinese will send their best, so we will do the same. Cid and the other leaders are discussing the plan of attack at the moment, but we're supposed to meet the Korean Heroes in about… fifteen minutes." Goto informed after checking his wristwatch. "Usually for international mission, we will go for a flight to our destination, but… can you take us there using teleportation magic? You know the spell, Issei? I can give you the coordinate."
"Of course, Goto-san." Issei nodded, extending his hand out to cast the spell after taking a note with the coordinate written down from Kanae. As the familiar magic circle bearing the crest of the Gremory Devil Household materialized, he then looked over to Gojo and asked with a hopeful expression "So… I hope that's not the only reason you guys pulled me away from my tryout."
Mirei giggled, giving him a playful look. "You really think we'd drag you out just to play taxi, senpai?"
"Of course not." Goto replied with a laugh "This is the first international Gate crisis that we have here in the human world. A Dungeon Break of this scale has never happened before, so I'd rather trust my back to those I'm familiar with. Even if everyone else doesn't recognize you as a Hero just yet, we can easily pass it off as me hiring you to assist us Heroes of the Draw Sword Guild through your Devil Job. I heard your leaders had also sent their forces to back us up too."
"Of course, the real question here is if you are up for it. I will not force you, Issei, but you're strong, with a skillset fit to handle these problems. From what I have read in the report of the Snow Forest Red Gate incident, you're also reliable as well." Goto continued, his words growing more serious while Issei listened to him and looked at him in admiration. "It's gonna be an incredibly dangerous mission. You know better than anyone these monsters coming from another world are not to be taken lightly. Many heroes have lost their lives in the effort to evacuate the civilians from Jeju, and casualties will only rise the longer this drags on. We will need all the help we can get, and I'd rather see Mirei and Kanae, as well as all of my fellow Heroes, returning home safely to their families at the end of the day."
"Then all the more reasons for me to be there, Goto-san." Issei replied firmly, nodding his head to the veteran Hero.
"From what I heard, Fukuda had given you his lecture about the qualities one needed to be a Hero, yes?" Goto asked, smiling as Issei nodded his head in confirmation. "But he hasn't told you the most important quality of a Hero… it's resolve, Issei. The resolve to do what you know is right, to protect the innocent and to stand against the face of evil."
"I understand, Goto-san. Issei nodded his head firmly, letting the weight of those words settle in his mind. Soon enough, the magic circle before them flashed a bright crimson light, signaling the activation of the teleportation spell.
In the blink of an eye, the four of them were gone from the Japanese Hero HQ Building, reappearing in a blink of an eye inside a fortified facility brimming with activity. As Issei looked around, Issei could see numerous faces that he had only seen on news, recognizing several members of the Draw Sword Hero Guild, from Akira Shimizu, Atsushi Kumamoto, Ippei Izawa to Kenzo Tanaka and Mari Ishida… Since their Hero Guild was the largest in Japan, with many S-rank members, they were known to be dispatched on international missions like this by Cid and the Japanese branch of the Hero Faction.
On the other side of the room, standing together, were the Heroes from the Korean branch. Issei could see the leader of the Hunter Guild, Choi Jong-in, who was dubbed The Ultimate Soldier due to his immensely powerful fire magic, standing with Baek Yoonho, the Guild Master of the White Tiger Guild. There was also Sung Il-Hwan, the firefighter turned S-rank Hero, who gave Issei a strange sense of familiarity, though it quickly disappeared as Issei turned his attention over to the man standing next to him, Min Byung-Gu, the healer who fought with and healed Sirzechs during the Black Flame Ennio crisis in the Underworld.
Of course, when taking S-rank Korean Heroes into consideration, no one could forget…
"Hae-in-san!" Issei called out, recognizing the blonde swordswoman who had assisted them during the Excalibur situation against Kokabiel and his Fallen Angels standing with her Guild Master of the Hunter Guild. At the sound of her name, Cha Hae-In turned, her expression softening slightly as her eyes landed on Issei.
"Oh, Issei Hyoudou… It's been a while." As Hae-in walked toward him with Issei doing the same to shake hands with her, their greeting drew curious glances from both groups of Heroes. Some Korean Heroes seemed to recognize Issei as well, as he heard his name and his Sekiryuutei title being mentioned a few times among them as they talked to one another.
"It really has been. How have you been, Hae-in-san?" Issei asked after taking his hand back.
"I've been well, thank you." The blonde swordswoman smiled softly. "To be honest, I didn't expect to see you here. I still keep in touch with Irina, and she mentioned you've been aiming to pursue a career as a Hero."
Issei rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, something like that. I still need to pass my tryout though, but Goto-san said I could come with him to help you guys."
"Can I have your attention please, everyone!"
Before Hae-in could respond to Issei, a familiar voice rang out across the facility, drawing the attention of everyone present. Issei and the other Heroes turned their heads to see Cid, Go Gunhee, and his assistant Woo Jinchul making their way toward the gathering.
Walking beside them, however, was someone who immediately stood out, having the appearance of a muscular and strikingly handsome young man with long black hair tied into a ponytail, with several thick strands hanging loose around his face. He was dressed in a formal suit, a red shirt beneath a black jacket and tie, the combination giving him a refined yet intimidating presence.
Though his attire seemed casual enough for a business meeting, the aura that radiated from him was anything but. It was immense, suffocating even, a presence so overwhelming that Issei instinctively tensed up. Compared to him, the power of every other Hero in the room, even some combined, felt insignificant in comparison.
"Is that…" Issei gasped in awe, recognizing the man immediately.
"Liu Zhigang. The strongest Hero in China, and one of the five National Level Heroes," Goto confirmed as he stepped up beside Issei. "So China really did decide to send their big gun for this mission."
"You can say that again, Goto-sensei." Mirei nodded as she appeared next to her teacher and stood beside Issei.
"First, I would like to thank you all for coming here today in response to the crisis we are facing on Jeju Island." Gunhee spoke, his tone serious "As you've already been informed, a Dungeon Break occurred last night when an S-rank Gate on Jeju fully collapsed. The monsters that spilled out were ants, each measured to be at least A-class in strength and threat. Within the next two and a half hours, they overran the entire island, feeding on the civilians and wildlife in their path."
"Fortunately, we have successfully evacuated the survivors off the island, and battleships from China and Korea have secured a perimeter around Jeju to prevent any ant from reaching the mainland. However, the Ant Queen has settled inside a cave at the center of the island and is creating more ant soldiers. As long as she exists, the threat will continue to grow."
"Our objective is clear." Cid spoke up loud and clear "We need to exterminate every ant on Jeju, and eliminate the Ant Queen to keep her from spawning more. She'll be our primary target, and I don't think I need to explain how important it is for us to succeed, not just for Korea, but for the safety of the entire East Asia."
Gunhee gave a firm nod. "The strategy and assignments will be finalized shortly. For now, I ask that you prepare yourselves. The battle ahead of us will not be easy, but with everyone gathered here, I believe we can bring Jeju back under control."
The room echoed with quiet agreement as the Heroes began discussing among themselves. Issei simply stood there and listened closely to the Heroes around him, remembering every assignment that they wanted him to do to the heart. He didn't need to say anything. Just being there among those that he idolized, knowing that soon he would go into a battle with them shoulder to shoulder, was enough.
Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Reincarnated Devil / Dragon
Class: Level 50 Dragonsworn / Level 39 Shadow Monarch
HP: 25,821/25,821
MP [Current Attribute: Draconic/Demonic] : 8450/8450
Link Gauge: 120/120
Title: Champion of the Dragons
Strength: 277 (28)
Vitality: 221 (22)
Intelligence: 244 (24)
Dexterity: 226 (23)
Perception: 206 (21)
Charisma: 196 (20)
Unique Class Skills: Fire Imbue (LV3), Shadow Extraction (LV1), Shadow Storage (LV1), Karma (LV1), Shadow Exchange (LV1).
Active skills: Doubling (LV4), Transfer (LV4), Penetrate (LV4), Sprint (Max Level), Vital Slash (LV1), Jump (Max Level – Equipment Ability), Observe (LV2), Ruler's Hands (LV1), Phoenix Shift (LV2).
Active spells: Fire balls (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Firewall (LV4 - Fire Dragon Pact Affected), Lightning Strike (LV2 – Lightning Dragon Pact Affected), Water Blast (LV2 - Water Dragon Pact Affected), Earth Shield (LV1), ...
Current Pacts: Y Ddraig Goch (Fire) – Pact LV3, Chaos Karma Dragon Tiamat (Fire) – Pact LV1, Rassei (Lightning) – Pact LV1, Ingvild Leviathan (Water) – Pact LV4
Current Shadows: 350 / 520 (Wolves 29. Panthers 18. Shadow Troopers 118. Shadow Elementals 27. Magicians 34. Shadow Elves 42. Fallen Angels 13. Orcs 69)
Elite Shadows: Asterius (Knight), Vulcan (Knight), Tempest (Knight), Lycaon (Elite Knight), Tora (Elite Knight), Blade (Elite Knight), Gladio (Elite Knight), Glacia (Elite Knight), Katerea (Elite Knight), Aegis (Elite Knight).
Items: Boosted Gear (LV5), Razan's Blade (LVMAX), Magitek General's Helmet (LVMAX), 1.[High-ranking Demon] Armor Set (LV1), [Obsidian] Jewelry Set (LV1), Kamish's Awaken (LV?), Key to the Demon's Castle, Ascalon R1 (LV40), Orb of Avarice, Yarn of Ariadne.
Potions: Healing Potions x15, Mana Potions x15, Greater Healing Potions x10, Greater Mana Potions x10, Miracle Potions x3...
Gold: 15.251.720 (G)
Ultimate: Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker – Boosted Gear Crimson Scale Mail (LV.2 – Pact Affected), Soul Link (LV1).
Finisher: Rage of the Fire Dragon (Crimson Scale Mail), Twinflare (Soul Link), Hammer and Anvil (Soul Link), Draconic Assault (Soul Link)
Sigils: Sigil of the Shadow Commander - Igirs, Sigil of the Shadow Ice Bear -Tank.
End of Chapter 39