Well, I'm back with another new story. I decided to go with a bit more of a twist this time. I'm not giving Issei any of the Heavenly Dragons. I wanted to try something new, even though it's probably cliché at this point, when it comes to powers.

I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING USED IN THIS WORK OF FICTION. THIS IS WRITTEN FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

And of course, this is High-School DxD, there's going to be a harem.

I'm not a fan of just instantly having people fall in love with each other and hitting a home run altogether. So romantic development is going to be at a slower, more dramatic (I hope) pace. With this story, I really want to flesh things out and properly develop it since I'm writing my very own original story, so this fanfic is also experimental.

Also, I'll be tweaking some origin stories and background for several characters.

Anyways, do please leave a review when you're done reading. I'd like to hear honest thoughts from you readers. However, this does not mean I want anyone to launch any disparaging or hateful words to any other reader or myself. I'd prefer it if things were done professionally. The review section isn't a battleground. I have to give this warning since something along these lines happened for one of my other stories.

Anyways, enjoy.

Chapter 1: The Solitary

Arc One: The Huntress of the Moon

A monster.

That was what Issei had been called so many times in the past that he had lost count. Perhaps it was his powers that led to this title or perhaps it was his deeds.

When Issei was born, he had no idea of who created him or how he was conceived. He was merely an innocent infant that had been chanced upon by a human couple, specifically, the Hyoudou couple. They were a barren pair that longed for a child but weren't blessed with one of their own, so they adopted him as soon as they found him in a forest. This was long ago, far back to before the Three Factions waged war on one another.

He lived happily with his adopted family, for a time at least, in a secluded home that was far from civilization in Japan. He was relatively normal in most ways but he had a great gift. He could sense the supernatural, being able to immediately distinguish what was normal and what wasn't in whatever meaning that the word 'normal' meant.

One day, in his innocent naivety, he told the wrong person of his gift, and he was faced with persecution by both many humans and several figures of different mythical pantheon in creation. The ones who persecuted him, feared him for his ability to expose them but not only that, Issei had unimaginable power. He could manipulate his energy into so many forms that he was able to smith weapons from thin air, created purely from his own power. That wasn't all; he had the power to destroy literally anything with his 'Chaos Magic', which could damage the body and the soul. Those were only two of his many latent abilities.

That was only one side of the coin. With the supernatural side, was the mortal side.

The evolving times did nothing to lower the tension around him, as humanity had begun to push the supernatural into hiding, where history had begun building its foundations for human society. Even in the modern era, humans were still aware of the supernatural, killing off whatever they feared at the slightest inhibition. This had proven a factor in shaping Issei into a so-called monster.

Throughout many years wandering the world, Issei bore witness to so many of the world's sins. Torture, blind murder, human-trafficking, corruption, rape, and the crimes and evil acts of living beings had left a powerful impact upon him.

All of these experiences, had boiled and swallowed Issei in misery and it eventually came to twist him into a ruthless person, known only as the Grim Herald. An entity that sought to sweep across the world, slaughtering evil wherever he went in a blind crusade of silent vengeance for the innocent. His intentions were noble but his hatred for evil dirtied his methods, causing him to be as cruel as those that he destroyed.

Still, he had a semblance of good in his heart, despite his mind and heart being darkened by the growing days of brutality. He gave a healing touch to the ailed and weak. He fought for them and asked for nothing, nor did he leave traces of his deeds behind, but often, he left fear instilled in those who saw him.

It was only after a great battle, that he faded away as the Grim Herald and desired for a different lifestyle. The details of what caused this were left unspoken of, as the pain was too great for him to share.

Nobody knew what turned the Grim Herald into a softer person, but it was clear that it could be no less than a tragedy.

As years passed, the Grim Herald faded from all records and became an urban myth, often times, he was used to scare children around a campfire to live good and wholesome lives.

This led to the modern day, in Kuoh. Issei decided to try and live what he presumed was a kinder life. He couldn't lie about his heart aching for the normal life that he had as a child. He retook his old surname of Hyoudou and established the identity of a normal man in hopes that he could live on without any more corpses and blood paving a road for him.

However, fate was not so kind.

Issei lived in a multi-story home that he had built for himself. It had 8 floors, plus 2 underground levels. It spanned to be large enough to fit a suburban block, and was painted white, with a blue roof. It was nothing short of luxurious but he had only done this out of a whim, having ignored his own strong sense of modesty.

He lived the recent number of years as a philanthropist, using his endless wealth aid humanity by erasing the diseases that plagued them, such as cancer and the like. He hated to watch normal people suffer, so he wasted no time in doing this. He also worked on developing new inventions, which sold remarkably well, but he maintained an ambiguous identity, even using magic to force the media to know nothing of him.

The last thing he wanted was reporters talking about him on the news.

He also engaged in nonviolent acts with the beings of other mythologies, though it was only with close friends that he interacted with. He had befriended several deities, like Odin and Azazel. They were like an uncle and grandfather to him, as they advised him and treated him kindly.

In present time, Issei was lazing away at the day. He had just donated a hefty amount of money to a charity that was dedicated to a study of cellular regeneration, so he hadn't much to do. All of a sudden, he got a call from Zeus.

He was wearing a white toga, with leather sandals on his feet. He had purple eyes and silver hair, with a large beard that was straight, reaching his navel. He was tall and very muscular and he had a laid-back expression, but this time, he wore a different expression. It was worried and marred with anxiety.

The two had a very violent first encounter, but they became friends after Issei taught him a lesson in reformation. It had been a chaotic battle where he had first proven that even deities could be matched by him in direct combat.

"Issei!" He looked grimly at the former vigilante.

"What's wrong?" He asked, already feeling something wrong in his bones.

"I need your help. My daughter, Artemis, she's gone missing. All of the Olympian gods have been trying to find her but we've no luck. I am sorry to drag you into this but you're the most dependable person I know. Can you help us look for her?" The God of the Sky implored.

"I'll be on Olympus right now." Issei didn't hesitate to move.

He instantly teleported to the Mountain of the Greek gods in a massive flurry of blue particles. He manifested on a long road of clouds that led up to a massive city of Greek buildings that floated in the sky, placed high upon a foundation of shining stone.

Issei rushed to the Temple of Zeus, which was a massive golden pantheon that had a statue of the deity himself, and found a worried father.

"I'm here. Tell me what happened."

Zeus cast a relieved look at him and walked over.

"A few weeks ago, about 2 weeks, Artemis had gone on one of her hunting trips but she suddenly vanished. I could not feel her presence. When I sent the others to find her, nobody could obtain a single clue. I'm afraid…I must beg you to use your vision." He hesitantly asked.

Issei's [Solemn Eyes], had countless abilities, two of them allowed him to track a person's life force or spiritual essence, and the other let him see through illusions. It was these eyes that first brought prosecution to his safety as a child.

He was hesitant, but the part of his heart that commanded him to help someone in need had taken over.

"Alright. I'll help you find her. However, I need to know all of the information that you can give me." He nodded.

"She was spotted in Arcadia by Pan, who was the last to see her. Apparently, she was hunting a Catoblepas as a hunting exercise. Knowing my daughter, she refused Pan's company, as she has spurned male accompaniment for eons after the Orion incident." Zeus explained.

"That must have been typical of her. Artemis dislikes males so that particular trait must have been exploited to trap her. However, there are too many people who'd want to take her. She's known for her beauty and strength." Issei noted as he began to narrow down reasons for her vanishing.

"A few days ago, a man that was named Orion II, came and tried to look for Artemis. I turned him away, as it was clear with the look in his eyes that he had less-than-savory plans for my daughter." Zeus looked ashamed. "I once had that look in my eyes."

Issei made a mental note on that.

"Anyone else?" Issei asked.

"Not that I am aware of, no. Orion's descendant was the only person that came looking for Artemis. However, she may have spoken to the others. I recall her talking to Hera a little while before her disappearance. My wife is in the Throne Room of Olympus." Zeus then gestured to the path that led to the top of the mountain.

With a nod, Issei continued onwards. Climbing the stone road, he entered the Hall of the Olympians and found a beautiful woman that stood 5'7, had brown hair that was tied into a bun with jeweled decorations and her body was draped with a golden toga. Issei peered into her warm brown eyes and saw worry. It was only natural, since she was a mother worrying for her daughter.

"Madame Hera." Issei bowed.

"Welcome to Olympus, Issei. I assume Zeus has told you of what happened?"

"Yes, he has." He walked forward.

"Then I'll make this short. Artemis heard of Orion II coming to try and claim her and spoke with me. Honestly, the nerve to come and try to court my daughter like in the old days. I didn't expect to see that in this modern era." She scoffed.

"What did Artemis say to you?" Issei questioned.

"She was angry. She felt insulted and asked me for the specifics of what he said and looked like. When I told her, she wanted to let off some steam and went on a hunting trip with her hunters in Arcadia. She said that she was going to be gone for a week but only her hunters have sent any word to us. They just recently told me that they are staying in Arcadia to search for her. Your best bet is to go to Arcadia and try and find out more." Hera urged.

"I understand." Issei nodded.

"Oh and Issei, do try and be patient with Artemis and the hunters when you find them. Knowing you, I know you'll succeed. I just wanted to remind you that they can be very trying with patience. Nobody knows about you except for the most elder of beings, after all." Hera smiled.

"I shall."

With that said, Issei disappeared into blue particles of light, warping away.

He reappeared in Arcadia, home of the Wilderness god, Pan. It looked like a landscape of forests and plains, bordered by mountains and sectioned off by rivers and lakes. The air was cool and the sun shined kindly in the air, with the soft sounds of animals echoing.

Issei looked around and found Pan, walking toward him, or rather, trotted.

"Issei." He greeted softly.

"Pan. I assume that you know why I'm here?" He asked.

"Yes. Artemis is missing. Come. I will take you to her Hunters. However, I'll warn you that they'll shoot you if you step in the wrong place in the social boundary. They're very edgy since their Goddess is missing." Pan warned.

The two walked through the soft blades of grass on the ground, conversing as they neared the encampment of the Hunters.

"Artemis came here to vent out a little about the whole Orion incident. She happens to come here often for long hunting trips. The last I've seen of her; she was chasing a Catoblepas with her Hunters. I then sensed some struggle in my domain and went to check but I only found her unconscious Hunters." Pan noted.

When the two reached the camp, Pan and Issei raised their arms up high to avoid misunderstandings of hostility.

"Who goes there?!" A voice called out.

"Tis I, Pan. I bring a companion sent by Lord Zeus and Queen Hera." The God of the Wilderness called out.

Issei took a good look at the Hunters and wasn't surprised to see many women dressed in silver and dark green clothes and armor, though their beauty seemed enchanted. They all had a silver shine to their hair and eyes, like an unnatural glow that created an alluring charm but also a repulsive aura.

Immediately, the Hunters lowered their weapons.

"Lord Pan, mayhap, you've sensed anything else?" One Hunter spoke, anxiety lacing her words.

"No. I'm afraid not, child. As a last resort, this man, Issei Hyoudou, has been asked to take part in the investigation. I, and several others, believe that he has the power to find Artemis. I must ask that you both endure each other's company." Pan urged.

Reluctant nods escaped several women, though begrudged eyes were cast upon Issei.

"Where was the last place that Artemis was at?" The former Grim Herald asked.

In his eyes, magic symbols that resembled a blue target symbol that broke into four segments with points sticking out from each broken segment with a blue pupil in the middle, turning his iris black.

When Issei willed his [Solemn Eyes] to activate, the world around him changed, allowing him to alternate heat vision, x-ray vision, and it let him see on a cellular level. Currently, he was scanning around for small traces of magical energy or something out of place.

"We camped about 10 feet from where Lady Artemis was taken. The bastard, Orion II, appeared while we were chasing prey. He apparently tracked us down with the help of someone, but we don't know who." A Hunter spoke up, though she kept her tone cool and calm.

"Why did you withhold that information?" Issei questioned again.

The Hunter snorted.

"We didn't know who to trust. We mean no disrespect but we feared that perhaps it was a God who tipped him off. Seeing as how you're mortal, we only assumed that perhaps it would be safer."

Issei sighed.

He walked ahead and came to a forest clearing and saw the remains of the event. Charred and broken soil lay scattered across cratered dirt. Fallen and splintered trees were dead on the ground and water sloshed along the muddy earth. It was clear that Orion II had some of his ancestor's powers, with Poseidon being the father of the first Orion.

Issei took care not to step on anything, lest he meddle with the remains.

"Do you remember anything else?"

"When we met with him, he demanded that Artemis be his wife. He dared to mention the original Orion to her, telling her that if she had fallen in love with his ancestor, then he was more than worthy of her hand. He started blabbering on about his feats like surviving the Kraken and the like. He heard of her beauty and decided that if he were to take someone, it would be her. Naturally, Lady Artemis was repulsed and politely refused at first but Orion wouldn't have it. He attempted to use force but our goddess struck him down. At the last moment, his dogs did something and then he took out a chain from nowhere and captured Lady Artemis, while we were left busied by his hunting dogs." A Hunter groaned.

Issei looked everywhere as he walked forward. The muddy ground had significant water so it was hard to see much with the naked eye. He quickly noticed a tiny piece of shrapnel in the water. Covering his hand in his own aura, he took out the small scrap and observed it. It was pulsing with magical enchantments, and were very powerful at that. In fact, there was only one thing in the world that was like it.

"Gleipnir." Issei deduced.

The metal scrap had miniscule carvings of magic runes and gave off a faint golden light.

"What?!" Several people cried out.

"Its most likely a copy or fake but it's still very close to the real deal. Only a chain of this quality could hold a god-class person. Now, the question is how Orion II got this."

"The Dwarves in the North. That's the only possible way." Pan spoke up.

Procuring the sample, Issei looked at the water and found something else. He chuckled to himself at what he found.

"Looks like the Hunter got too happy and forgot to clear up his tracks." He laughed.

Almost unnoticeable foot prints and paw prints were left behind in the water.

"With this, I can track them." Issei felt a rush of momentum as he stood up.

"Allow us to go with you." A Hunter demanded. While they hated the idea of traveling with a man, if it meant finding their patron, they were ready to do what was necessary.

"No. You all will remain here or you will search other places." Issei shook his head.

"We refuse!"

"I understand that you all deeply care about your goddess, but I prefer to work alone. Besides, if we spread out, we can cover more ground. I'll report anything I find to you, so rest assured that I'll keep you updated. For now, I need to pay some miners a visit." Issei sighed.

Warping away before anything else could be said, the Hunters growled but acknowledged Issei's plan.

Arriving in front of a massive cave entrance that echoed with the hammering of metal and sound of stone being bashed against, Issei knew that he was at the right place. The entrance to the cave was covered with stone and dwarven runes were carved neatly into gates that blocked the cave.

"I am Issei Hyoudou! I request for entrance. I have come to request for your services!" He spoke loudly.

That certainly got attention. The doors to the gates opened slowly as a dwarf walked out. Stereotypically, the dwarf was not more than 3 feet tall but he had a stocky and muscular build. He sported a red beard and wore a grey uniform, complete with gloves, boots, and a helmet. His attire was decorated with jewels and he sported an aura of seniority. Issei knew him to be the leader of the dwarves in Svartalfheim.

"And what brings you to our door step, Hyoudou?" The dwarf asked.

"I came for information about this." Issei held up the scrap of Gleipnir's replica.

"How'd you get this?" The dwarf looked at him indignantly.

"I found it in the wilderness. I have questions, though I'll pay you for it, like usual." Issei promised.

"Fine. Come inside." The dwarf led him in.

The two traversed down stone stairs that descended into caverns that were lit with magical torches that flickered wildly. The walls of the Dwarven Svartalfheim Mines shined brightly with gold, diamonds, and gems in the light of the torches, causing rays to glisten the darkness of rock.

"There's been an incident. Someone has been captured by Orion II and I believe that someone used a replica of Gleipnir to do it. Only the dwarves of Svartalfheim are capable of crafting such a powerful item. That brings me to my next point." Issei was then interrupted.

"You suspect that we're in league with Orion's descendant? No, boy! That replica was stolen! We, ourselves, have come under fire from Odin about it. It's a good thing you showed up. We were about to launch a massive search for the Replica. It's almost as powerful as the real thing. A tool like that, is not to be put in the wrong hands." The Dwarf barked.

"Then I'll need you to tell me all you know." Issei demanded.

"That'll cost you. We don't like giving out our secrets, you know that."

"Fine. Bill me after I'm done with my questions." Issei sighed.

"Ask away."

The two finally stopped walking down the steps and entered a massive dining hall of stone. Pillars made purely of gems and precious metals supported the structure with wooden tables and chairs lining up in aisles, dotting the room. Large barrels of mead and other food items were laid out, allowing anyone to get what they wanted.

"Please sit." The Dwarf Leader gestured.

The two sat down as large platters of roast beef, turkey, pork, and fruit were put in front of them, along with mugs.

"Let's talk over some food." The Dwarf Leader grunted.

"First, when did the chains disappear?" Issei started off.

"Two weeks ago, at 4:00 am, on a Sunday. As we've conformed to modern standards, no one was working the fires, with only a few guards. We kept the replica in a vault and when one of my staff went to check on it, it was gone, as if it had vanished into thin air."

"Alright. Did anyone else know about the chains?"

"No. Only Odin and my chief dwarves knew about it. My thinking was, a god took it. Either that, or a very powerful mage, since it isn't easy to slip past the enchantments of these halls."

"Has anyone approached you recently? A customer?"

"Yeah. That Orion fellow actually tried to commission work from us, but Odin put his foot down. He threatened to sic Zeus on him if he dared to draw the Norse into a problem." The dwarf snorted.

"What did he ask for? Where did he want it delivered?"

"He wanted something that was strong enough to bind a god and was willing to pay any price for it. He said the completed work was to be sent to where his ancestor was born: Boeotia."

Issei mulled on these details. This Orion must have been very desperate to get Artemis. He tried to commission dwarves from a different pantheon to make him an item that could bind a god, and was willing to pay any price for it. He was disliking the Hunter's descendant by the minute. Still, he received a significant and helpful amount of information, which was enough for him to work with.

"Alright, then. What's the price you want?" Issei finally relented.

"50 pounds of gold coins." The Dwarf Leader snorted.

With a snap of his fingers, a small portal opened up on the table, producing a large leather bag that weighed down on the table.

"50 pounds." Issei noted.

The dwarf didn't need to look inside. He knew Issei for a long time and never doubted his integrity.

"If you bring back the replica, I'll guarantee you a craft of your liking, free of charge." The Dwarf Leader promised.

"I'll remember that." Issei said as he got up and left.

As he walked outside, he mused on what he had just learned. This was too easy. However, he saw the gambit behind this. Orion, or possibly, someone else, was relying on the pride of the different pantheons to avoid detection. The different myths disliked relying on each other, as their pride often got in the way of things.

Also, Artemis was often vocal of ignoring these boundaries in favor of creating strong relations with the other myths. Obviously, somebody wanted war, or isolation.

Issei traveled to Boeotia and began his search. He scoured the entire area using his [Solemn Vision] to track dog prints and boot prints that contained traces of Orion's essence. Diverting from the city, he was led to the forests near the city. At this point, he had to be cautious. His powers were sealed to a very large margin, so he couldn't afford to be careless.

He continued into the woods until he heard growls. He knew them to belong to Greek monsters, but he was able to pick out the sounds of canines.

"You can come out. I can hear you." Issei revealed.

From out of the bushes, brown hunting dogs pounced at him. The dogs were as large as wolves, though their teeth glistened like knives and their eyes narrowed in hostility. Their long claws looked like they could rip chain mail into shrapnel with a single touch, to boot.

Issei looked around and found himself surrounded by 6 dogs. Deciding to deal with this quickly, Issei wrapped himself in a blue aura before touching the ground with his hand. Out of nowhere, bolts of lightning blasted from around him, surging through the ground, cracking and zipping above the grass.

The dogs were nimble, but they weren't fast enough to dodge lightning. The hounds found themselves shaking and convulsing as they yelped in pain before dropping to the ground, unconscious.

Issei turned to the forest clearing and found the sound of metal jingling. He turned and found a brown-haired man with a tan complexion and a very muscular body standing behind him. He a gold metal tunic with an animal pelt around his shoulders. Gauntlets and steel boots were adorned on his limbs, with several knives, a quiver, and a bow equipped to him.

Behind him, was a large ivory stone pillar. Chained to it, was quite possibly one of the most beautiful woman that Issei had ever laid eyes upon. He could only assume she was Artemis, as she head silver hair, light blue eyes, a tiara that glistened with platinum and diamonds, with a moon fashioned from crystal on it. She was dressed in a silver-blue dress with damaged armor. Her skin was light and flawless. Her figure was like an hourglass, complete with a very gifted bust.

It was bothering Issei to see that her clothes were torn and bloodied. She was covered in sweat and she panted in pain as the glowing golden chains of the Gleipnir replica wrapped around her abdomen. Her beautiful silver hair was messy and stuck to her face. Her arms were being held up by two separate chains that conjoined behind the pillar. His mind started to assume the worst but he had to force himself to remain calm, lest he do something horrible.

"I was wondering about who was sniffing around. Turns out, it's just some nobody." Orion II snickered.

"What have you done to Artemis?" Issei asked calmly.

"Oh? Her? Don't worry, I haven't deflowered her. I want to savor breaking her a bit before she relents into becoming my plaything. As the descendant of the first Orion, I believe that I am indeed entitled to wooing her." Orion II chuckled smugly.

"Women aren't playthings. It's fools like you, that are just toys to higher powers. Any woman can be as strong as a man. Gender plays no role in strength nor intelligence. That is an old-fashioned view that is outdated and worthless." Issei retorted.

"Hold your tongue, plebian. You know not, that you speak to the greatest hunter of all time. I have done something that not even my ancestor could do. I have captured the Goddess of the Hunt. I have locked freedom and chained her to my whim. What makes you think you could free her or match me? Hm?" Orion II taunted.

"That's what you think. I believe you've mixed yourself up with your ancestor. You're just a fool who knows how to throw arrows around. You didn't bind Artemis grandly. You did something as low as stealing Gleipnir just to fail at wooing her. You think you're worthy, but I think you're only worthy of scorn." Issei scoffed.

Orion II's calm expression contorted into a looked of anger and irritation as he raised his bow and notched an arrow.

"Silence! I have hunted the greatest of beasts! I have proven that I can best a goddess! A lowlife like you, cannot possibly be a person worthy of judgement."

"At least, I'm more worthy than you." Issei chuckled.

Losing his patience, Orion II let an arrow fly at Issei, who sidestepped it, when he saw the arrow split into several more.

"A Sacred Gear." Issei muttered.

"Indeed. My Sacred Gear [Hunting Assailant], allows me to strike multiple targets or a single target with splitting arrows." Orion II boasted.

Issei really didn't see much of a problem with this. On the spectrum of people that he fought, Orion wasn't worth looking at.

Orion notched another arrow and fired it into the sky at an angle, predicting the trajectory to be directly over Issei.

Standing in a stationary position, Issei heard the whistling of arrows approach from above. Orion looked at Issei indignantly. No matter what, it seemed that Issei wasn't afraid of anything that headed his way.

Notching another arrow, Orion fired another volley of arrows. Instantly after, he used his lineage that traced to Poseidon, and manipulated the water under the ground to burst forth from the earth, creating a wall of water behind Issei. The Hunter believed that he had trapped him, but he was mistaken.

Issei was analyzing the whole situation silently and deduced that what was about to do would guarantee Artemis no harm.

For the first time, Issei removed his left hand from his pant pocket and made a backhanding motion through the air. He did this just before the two volleys of arrows descended upon him.

"[Solemn Repulse]." He muttered, activating his magic.

A force field of his blue aura blasted outward, completely destroying the arrows and reducing them to nothing while blasting the wall of water behind him into droplets.

Orion was appalled by this. His arrows were sharp enough to pierce through supernatural shielding, yet, they were destroyed like paper.

Warping in front of Orion, Issei delivered a fist to his face, creating a loud cracking sound as several teeth were knocked from his skull. Orion was sent tumbling through the ground as he rolled without any signs of stopping in the mud.

Manipulating his telekinetic powers, Issei stopped him with little effort and levitated him back to him. Readying a fist full of his own energy, or mana, as he preferred to call it, and sent it crashing into Orion's abdomen.

Orion felt violent rumbling in his stomach as crushing pain spread throughout his whole body. His bones shook and blood spurt from his mouth as his internal wounds made his body register them.

"I…am the…descendant of…the greatest hunter…" Orion II struggled to breath as he was dropped onto the ground. He struggled to reach for the knife on his belt but before he could suspect it, Issei delivered a swift blow to the back of his head, knocking him unconscious indefinitely.

Knowing his business with the hunter was done, he quickly ran over to Artemis, who had been awake for Issei's arrival.

"Your father sent me to come find you." He explained.

"My hunters…are they alright?" She asked weakly.

"Yes. I've alerted them to where you are. They should be here soon." Issei gently spoke as he broke the chains that tangled around her.

Normally, Artemis would have been repulsed by being in his presence, but she found that she was too weak to move even a finger.

"I suppose I owe you my gratitude." She groaned.

"No need. I actually think you would've escaped on your own if it weren't for these kinds of chains." Issei shook his head.

However, when he looked at the Gleipnir replica, he couldn't help but notice that something was wrong with it. Just touching it made it seemed like it was trying to drain something from him. Deciding that it was unwise to keep physical contact with it, Issei put it into a pocket dimension, manifesting a vortex that opened like a hole before closing it.

Issei took out a small cube from his pocket and kindly gave it to Artemis. He helped her rest up against the pillar and started to heal her with magic spells, enveloping her in a light blue aura.

"I have some Ambrosia. It might give you the energy you need." He knelt in front of her.

"Do not overstep your boundaries, stranger. I have no need of it." Artemis turned away.

"I won't force you to eat it, then. I will wait for your Hunters to arrive, then I will take my leave." Issei nodded at her in respect.

"How did you find me?" Artemis eyed him.

"I went and asked around at certain locations. I tracked Orion's spiritual essence and found him here. As for why nobody found you." Issei paused as he fired a beam of mana at the ground, revealing a massive magic circle that splintered apart.

"Orion put up a barrier that would hide your presence. He made sure the chains weakened you enough for it to work. That's probably why he had you chained first. To sap your strength for a longer period of time." He continued.

"That fool got the jump one me when he immobilized me." Artemis spat.

"Just how did he do that?" That piqued Issei's curiosity.

Artemis looked at him warily. The man knew that she was mistrustful of him, so he followed up with another statement.

"You don't need to trust me with the answer. I'm only curious." He explained.

Artemis raised a brow before sighing. If her father trusted him with finding her, then perhaps it was permissible to tell him about what happened.

"I was hunting, as you know, and came across that pompous fool. He called out to me, demanding that I resign myself to him as his mate. He thought he was my equal as his ancestor was once my partner, but I quickly pointed out how inferior he was. His Sacred Gear made him special. In truth, he had no real skill. He just had talent. Anyways, while I was occupied with trying to be nice with him, his dogs laid traps. They managed to stall me with a magic circle that stunned me while his dogs attacked my hunters. I don't know how he knew such magic but it was at least god-class in power and complexity." Artemis hoarsely muttered.

Issei was afraid of that. Somebody was indeed instigating a fight.

"He then chained me up with those wretched links of metal and brought me here, though he certainly wasted no time in taunting me. I nearly escaped when he let his guard down, but the bindings on me was just sapping so much of my strength." The Goddess of the Hunt growled.

"I understand. Those chains were actually odd. They had the capabilities of leeching power from someone, which isn't a trait of the original. Somebody tampered with it." Issei concluded.

He had felt a strange energy signature but he couldn't pin-point who it belonged to. It felt familiar but different.

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared on the ground as several women appeared from it in a flash of light.

"Lady Artemis!" They cried out as they rushed over to her. Giving her hugs and thanking the gods for the safety of their patron, they helped her stand.

Artemis turned to look at Issei and gave him a nod.

"Though you are a man, I will admit that you've done me a service. What reward do you seek?" She asked calmly.

The Hunters of Artemis glared at him, challenging him to ask for something dumb or obscene.

Issei, however, didn't care at the moment.

"Just don't speak of my involvement in this. I'd prefer it if nobody knew that I was here." He solemnly spoke.

He then turned to Orion II.

"I'll be returning to Olympus with this one, so I'll see you there." He said as he walked over to him and grabbed him by the collar, warping away into blue particles.

With this incident over, everyone converged on Olympus, where Artemis was recovering and Orion was being sentenced by Zeus. Kneeling in the Throne Room, Orion II was fully realizing his powerlessness as he was in the presence of the 12 Olympians.

"So, you became drunk on your talents and dared to kidnap my daughter. It is clear that you forget your place. Death is more than you deserve. First, tell me, who helped you? A mere mortal of your caliber could never have possibly done this on your own." Zeus glared at him. Electricity flickered around him as his protective instincts came in.

Orion II could not speak out of fear until Zeus tightened his fist, ushering him to reply.

"It was- "He was cut off as he suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Eyes narrowed as Orion II was suddenly unable to speak. He choked and tried to breathe but he found that he was unable to say a word. Suddenly, blood poured from his mouth as he slowly suffocated. His heart stopped instantly within seconds as a magic circle appeared on his head.

Many gasped at this shocking action.

"Suicide?" Hermes spoke.

He wore a winged hat, a brown sleeveless tunic, brown shorts, and winged sandals. His hair was blonde and his eyes were green and gave a supernatural glow.

"No. A curse." Athena answered.

She had black hair that was tied into a neat bun, with a few bangs running down the side of her face. She had grey eyes and wore a long white dress that had low-hanging sleeves. On her feet were golden shoes, with jewelry decorating her with a necklace and arm bands of gold.

"From who?" Hephaestus looked at the curse but it quickly faded.

"It's vile, at that." Zeus concluded.

The incident had left an uncomfortable silence in the air, as new revelations had come forth and nobody knew any clues or answers. Issei, who was present, had a few ideas but he knew it would be too impulsive to share them.

"Anyways. We have a second matter to address. My old friend." Zeus' grim expression became more relaxed as he beckoned Issei forth, who kneeled.

"You have rescued my daughter and dealt with that overbearing Hunter's descendant. I'd say that warrants a reward without question. Do you request anything? Or would you prefer to build up your credit again?" Zeus bellowed in laughter.

"I can't think of anything off of the top of my head. I guess I'll just stock up on store credit." Issei laughed.

"Alright, then."

Without further ado, the meeting instantly ended. With his affairs done, Issei left immediately. Unfortunately, he had to go to the outskirts of Olympus to warp out due to the magic surrounding the mountain. He walked slowly down the stairs from the Throne Room but he heard a voice call out.

"Excuse me!" A polite phrase echoed, though the tone was cold.

Issei turned around and found Artemis walking towards him.

"Is there something I can help you with, Lady Artemis?" He politely asked.

Now that she was rested and cleaned up, Issei found that she was even more beautiful than usual. It was breath-taking. Her dress had been repaired, she donned a silver necklace that was connected by a moon-shaped pendant. Her hair was combed behind her back, with several bangs across her forehead. Her silver eyes were reinvigorated and her expression had become regal.

"Why did you accept the request so easily to come find me?" She asked.

"Your father simply asked me. I wasn't going to ignore a father looking for his daughter." Issei admitted.

"That's it? No request for riches or items?" She raised a brow.

"No. Not one. I already have what I need at the moment. There's no point in asking for more." Issei sheepishly smiled.

Artemis was surprised. She thought he'd be lording over Zeus and the others for succeeding in finding her, while not even the Olympians could track her down. She could also feel that he was being honest. This was odd. She had spent so much time being around men who looked at her like an object that was waiting to be ravaged, that she had come to loathe the opposite gender.

"You know, you're kind of different from others." She noted.

"So I'm told." Issei made an honest look.

"I mean from other men." She corrected.

"How so?" The man looked at her, perplexed.

"You don't look so greedy." She curtly responded.

Issei deadpanned. Wow, she really hated men.

"I'll…take that as a compliment."

"What is your full name?" Artemis continued.

"Issei Hyoudou. I prefer just being called my first name, though."

"Issei it is. Know that you have my gratitude. If you hadn't come when you had, I think I'd be in a deplorable state right now." The goddess begrudgingly admitted.

"Anytime." Issei smiled kindly.

"Also, how long have you known my father?"

"I've known him for several centuries, which should be about…7 centuries." He noted

Artemis became curious. Was Issei a god?

"I see. Well then, I shall leave you to yourself, then." She turned around and left.

Artemis returned to the Throne Room right after Issei left, hoping to speak with her father.

"Father."

"Yes?" Zeus asked from his seat.

"Who was that man?" She asked, her tone significantly softer.

"He's an old friend of mine. Why?"

"Is he a god?"

Zeus shrugged.

"I don't think anyone in existence really knows. Not even Issei knows what he is. All I know is, he's much like us. He's unable to age and is impervious to many things. I think the only thing we can call him, is an immortal."

"How did you truly meet him?" Artemis raised a brow.

Zeus paled and sighed. It was embarrassing for him to tell this story.

"A long time ago, back in the old days, when I was an excessive pervert that assaulted any female that moved, we crossed paths. I was going to force myself on another woman but Issei intervened. I was surprised as he had arrived out of nowhere and kicked me into the air. I thought I was powerful but he showed me how wrong I was. He pummeled me while reminding me of all of my crimes. Everything I threw at him was useless as he either sent it back a hundred-fold or he countered with his own attacks. It was the beating of a lifetime. I almost died, but he spared me. He warned me to clean up my act or he'd kill me. I was so afraid of him that I did just that." Zeus shivered as he reminisced.

This shocked Artemis. So Issei was the one that almost killed the King of the Olympians?!

When she watched him fight Orion II, she didn't think he was much. Yes, he was much more than Orion, but still, he didn't seem that strong.

"That was a long time ago, though. We've forgiven each other and I've become a better person. Hera has even started talking to me again. Ha! I guess the right form of counseling was retribution." Zeus bellowed in laughter.

Artemis was curious of Issei to a much greater degree now.

"So he pummeled you because you were about to throw yourself on a maiden?" She asked delicately, hoping her ears weren't tricking her.

"Pretty much. Issei fights to save the weak and innocent. He not only straightened out my act, but he beat lessons into everyone else here. Back then, we were arrogant so we didn't consider our tyrannical ways. His appearance taught us humility and kindness. I'm glad he did. Nobody likes an angry Issei."

When Zeus was done, Artemis bid her father goodbye before leaving Olympus to go to her private home.

It was an isolated island that crawled with wildlife from all over the world, and was perfect for peace and quiet. Her Hunters and herself would live there to avoid the advances of men and enjoy peaceful lives.

She sat in her wooden, multi-story cabin's living room and mused on what her father told her.

She was relatively young compared to the other Olympians, so she wasn't truly around when those events all went down. Her father's unembellished story had left a profound effect on her. Her Hunters had also told her about how focused and quickly he got to work.

She realized how noble Issei was, as she had heard stories of his exploits, though she never knew who he was. She was actually quite smitten with him when she was younger. She saw some heroism in him, when she heard tales of a man that went around the world, killing the wicked and saving the innocent.

She smiled when she realized that she had met the man that she once considered her hero. Realizing this, the rational part of her mind yelled at her to retain her composure. This was a man she was thinking about. Men had only caused her pain. It was unnecessary to think these thoughts about him.

However, deep within her heart, she subconsciously felt the layers of ice that she had frozen her heart with, were beginning to thaw and melt. Shaking her head to clear out any more thoughts on the matter, Artemis decided that perhaps it was better if she concentrated about something else.

She recalled about how the Banquet of Gods was approaching tomorrow. It was an event that she was reluctant to attend, but her friends from other pantheons was pushing for her to go. She sighed, knowing that trouble was going to erupt. She considered not going, but decided that she needed to do something refreshing. She did want to meet up with her friends too. Her Hunters also needed a relaxing night since the last few weeks had been hectic.

"Hmmm…I wonder if something interesting will happen at the Banquet?" She wondered.

So…how was it? I'm curious as to what you all think about the story so please leave a review as I value feedback. I decided to go with a very different volume this time instead of using the main canon harem as I wanted to try a different and new storyline with this.

As for the Haremettes…I won't spoil them. Rather, I'll update the confirmed list as I go along with this story.

Confirmed:

1. Artemis