Today was to be a day out with Makoto, or was before the Delinquents decided to drop in unannounced.
Not even noticing that he had encroached into what would best be called a real life instance dungeon, the two were beset by thugs on after another.
Ninja Delinquents who wore ninja masks with Gakurans, Samurai Delinquents who had bokken (wooden swords) and wore their hair in a samurai top knot.
Perhaps the worse were the ones that the couple were at the moment trying to finish off.
Pirate Delinquent
34/500 Hp 4568/9000 AP
S - ?
P - ?
E - ?
C - ?
I - ?
A - ?
L - ?
Swordsmanship - A
Pirate - EX
This was getting ridiculous.
"YAR!" shouted delinquent, kicking Issei right out of the alley.
"Issei!" the Squirrel-girl cried out.
"I'm fine!" Issei grumbled, "seriously eyepatch, hat, AND parrot!?"
Just then the designated player ducked as a cannonball whizzed right where his head would've been.
"TO DAVY JONE'S LOCKER WITH YOU-"
"SHUT UP!"
A high powered fist courtesy of Nanaya contacted with the eyepatch side of strange delinquent just as Issei tossed off another Jack Sparrow reject.
"Who the hell are these weirdos?" she gritted her teeth.
"I honestly have no idea." he commented, "Makoto I think we need to get out of here."
It was a partial lie of course, he knew for a fact that the Dungeon zone had been slowly expanding and likely had much worser monsters AKA Delinquents running around. Problem was that the crime wave was a product and not the cause of the dungeon expanding.
Still stirrings his thoughts he just looked up from the ground to see one of the downed delinquents trying to activate something in his pocket.
Pirate
"DOPANT!"
Issei kicked the USB to the side before kicking the delinquents face. Panting with a racing heart the teen coarsed his hand through his hair; more trouble.
Chapter 4: The Return
"Another Gaia memory?" frowned Takeda. "same make as well."
Placing the addictive magic device on the table the glass vampire looked to see Issei and Makoto standing there in concern.
"I may have to call in one of my friends if this keeps going." the fangire mumbled before turning to the couple, "go."
"w-what?" the sole human asked.
Takeda gave him a steely glare "go."
Issei dumbly nodded and left the antique shop with the squirrel beastwoman following suite. After the door slammed shut and was locked behind them did he turn to ask his second girlfriend, "what was that all about?"
"eh," she shrugged, "He looks like the kind of guy who can get cranky time to time. Anyways do ya wanna continue the date?"
Half a second later a screen blinked into existence in front of him. The contents pretty much the same but...different slightly.
Quest Updated! Rise of the Godslayer
A - Continue the Date
B - Take her home
For one the screen looked sharper, more minimalist as was the font like it was made of flat untextured colors and simple shapes.
"Issei?" Nanaya asked.
Issei looked to his girlfriend and found it was the same thing for Character Statistics as well.
Makoto Nanaya
Squirrel Beastman Boxer
Strength - B
Perception - A
Endurance - B
Charisma - B
Intelligence - C-
Agility - A
Looks - A
Passive Skills
Boxing - A
Active Skills
Charge Fist - A punch that accumulates more power before swinging
Meteor Fist - Shockwave inducing downward punch
Rising Fist - Strong upward launching punch
Snap Fist - Sudden High Powered punch
Thousand Fist - Rapid fire punch combo
"...the hell…"
"Something wrong with the UI Issei-kun?"
"Nothing so bad-" Issei stopped; and with a slow mechanical turn of his head he rotated his eyes towards the girl.
"YOU KNEW!?" he exploded.
"you betcha." she stated with little fanfare.
"T-then..how? when? why didn't you tell me!?"
"Hmmm…" pondered the squirrel who tilted her head to the side with childhood innocence, "I don't remember."
"ugh…." he groaned, "then can you at least tell me why you didn't tell men when you did find out?"
"...you never asked."
New emote! Facepalm
New Location! Kuoh Grand Magical market.
Personal feelings aside, the two continued on their date; this time going to the Grand Kuoh market or to be more exact: the Kuoh Grand Magical market.
Like its human run counterpart it was a center of commerce with dozens of stores and stands all fighting for attention of some hundreds of visitors in packed streets. Perhaps the only difference were the extra wares sold and the variety of shoppers, with alchemy shops tucked in some corners and blue skinned littles boys and green skinned little girls chased after pets more suited to be in fairy tales.
Amidst the crowd Makoto dragged Issei from stand to stand, the human beginning to strain under the weight of so many bags where even Kabuto was desperately trying lift a bloated tote bag in the air.
"Oh look how cute!" she exclaimed, rushing off to something...and in turn losing herself in the sea of people.
Kabuto chirped, obviously to chase after his partner's girlfriend and in doing so leaving Issei with ALL the bags. In frustration he plopped himself down onto a bench to ponder, pervert to a whipping boy, no name teen to...whatever group those heroes called themselves. To pass the time as his insectoid partner went to find his lady, the teen now looked to fiddle with this new updated version of the interface.
Issei Hyoudou
Human Beginner Boxer
Strength - C
Perception - C+
Endurance - B
Charisma - C
Intelligence - C
Agility - C
Looks - D
Passive Skills
Boxing - C+
Dance - EX
Rider's Courage - EX
Active Skills
Snap Fist - Sudden High Powered punch
Rider Armor Skills
Cast Off - shed a Zecter type's Masked form for a more agile Rider Form.
Put On - Encase a Zecter Type's Rider form in a more protective Masked Form
Kabuto's Fire - Kabuto Zecter grants the user the ability to control fire
Rider Kick - Kabuto's signature finishing move. A high powered kick.
In some ways the UI was improved but it had just irked him how only after leaving the antique shop did it change. Waving it off, he accidentally came across yet another screen; a large empty grid with the words: inventory upon it.
Character
-Inventory-
Skills
Missions
Map
Encyclopedia
Settings
With curiosity he pushed Kabuto's tote bag into the screen that then dissipated in sparks of light, leaving a bag icon filling one of the dozens of squares. A second later he pulled it out, with sparks of light gathering to form the mass and left the bag at completely the same state as it was beforehand.
"definitely improved." he muttered before placing all the bags into the inventory space, "now how do I find those two?"
Even as the day turned to the afternoon there was still hundreds of people walking around, he could wander for hours and only get but a fraction of what the market had.
'how did I miss this place?' he questioned in his mind.
Like Diagon Alley it was a massive piece of town stuck in a little space and Issei could only assume that it was just magic to explain everything.
"uwah!"
Issei's ears perked up as he snapped his head to the source; a petite blonde falling face flat into the ground, so hard that it made him wince. Had he met her two weeks ago he would've commented and/or drooled over the loli-nun with bear panties but that was besides the point.
He only had mostly suggestive thoughts. Mostly.
"uh...miss" he asked as reached out to help her, "are you okay?"
"uuuuuuh…" the foreign girl started to moan, "owie…."
The apparent mini-nun took his hand and shook her head, "I am oka-OW!"
She winced with one eye closed, but the other eye was looking at her small wheeled luggage lying right behind it.
"u-uh can you get me the first aid kit in the front pocket?" she asked, nursing a bruised and scraped hand.
"sure."
He retrieved the box but before he could blink, the girl had already opened it and began working on her wounded hand like an expert, disinfectant and precise bandaging and all.
"Wow." was the only thing he could say, "are you studying to become a doctor?"
The blonde looked down, a mix of timidness and depression marring her young, innocent face.
"My...former convent ran a free clinic."
Still curious Issei willed her character sheet to appear before him; the unlisted question marks the second most noticeable thing besides Excommunicated.
Asia Argento / ?
Excommunicated Nun / Trainee Nurse / ?
Strength - C-
Perception - C
Endurance - C
Charisma - B+
Intelligence - B
Agility - C
Looks - S
Passive Skills
Christian - SSS
Cuteness - EX5
?
Medicine - B
Magic Healing - B+
Active Skills
Holy Blessing - boost to statistics, skills, and luck of a person, place, or thing
Holy Ward - protects a person, place, or thing from evil
?
Sacred Gear Skills
Heal - heals physical damage and sickness of a living thing
? - ?
"I...see" Issei answered uncomfortably.
The awkward silence would have lasted more than a second if not for him moving onto something positive.
"Well my name is Issei Hyoudou miss" he smiled warmly, hand out, "I didn't catch your name it was…"
Asia took his hand with a new but cautiously optimistic smile on her lips, "Asia Argento Issei-san"
Asia Route - 26%
'...why?'
Sighing Issei forced a smile, "Well my friends just ditched me. Why don't we go try looking for them? I'll introduce you."
She looked at the japanese wannabe gigolo turned reluctant gigolo with expectant puppy-dog eyes, "really?"
Kawaii
you have been affected by cuteness, your intelligence and willpower has reduced!
Asia Route - 42%
Issei grimaced, "...yeah."
"Where were you?"
Makoto shrugged; Kabuto-kun chirped; but neither could look into the cold critical eyes of Issei.
It had been five hours of searching of which four and a half was tending to the most ridiculously innocent girl he had ever met. The amount of shady dealers and womanising thugs he had to shoo off had long since wore the relatively normal pervert down to almost nothing; if not for the sheer force of will to speak his mind, Issei would have plopped down somewhere nursing a migraine.
Worst part was that his natural tendency to help pretty girls was digging himself deeper.
Asia Route - 75%
Taking her someplace to eat, carnival games, and street entertainers was not something a person should be doing with a total stranger.
'note to self: do not do what I just did with Asia ...or Sakura…. or anyone else. ever.'
New Title! Reluctant Harem Owner
You realise that having a bunch of women interested in you isn't always a good thing.
Shooing away the screen, Issei sighed, "yeah...it's not all that's crack up to be."
"Is something wrong Issei?"
"oh." the sole relatively normal person answered, "nothing Makoto."
It was getting late and while Asia was playing with the red beetle did Makoto grab Issei to the side.
"another one?"
"I can't help it!" he defended. "Its like I am both in an RPG and a Visual Novel!"
"It seems so." she sighed, "You know I am mad right."
Released, Issei slowly began to formulate the words, "I admit that my power is...wierd but-"
"Do you realise that I have to set up a special payment program for her!?" she shrieked as she pointed to Asia who was cutely pouting at the two while holding Kabuto like a teddybear, "I am starting to regret allowing open enrollment!"
The living commodity sighed in despair, "I promise you that I will set the record straight. Look I will take her home and settle things alright?"
"right." she crossed her arms, "even if I want to take her home and cuddle her in bed I have to put my foot down as your girlfriend, master, and leader of the membership."
"Keep telling yourself that…"
New Location! Foreboding Lonely Ruined Church of Darkness on top of the haunted hill
The title said it all.
"Issei-san." she asked as she stared at the foreboding lonely ruined church of darkness on top of the haunted hill.
"Yes Asia?" he answered also staring at the foreboding lonely ruined church of darkness on top of the haunted hill.
"Are you sure this is the right place?"
Sure enough the google maps printout she had also had said title on top of the destination.
"Asia do you have anything else with you?"
She handed him a letter "Just this."
To Asia Argento,
We of the Kuoh Christian Society have heard of your recent fallout with the Catholic Church and would like to offer you a position at our new church soon to be restored. We are aware that other Christian groups have offered similar positions given your reputation but we are offering free tickets to japan and additional financial support for any accommodations you would need.
Sincerely,
Yuuma Amano
'Yuuma' Issei frowned, 'shit.'
While not a priest he could tell that Asia had a good resume in the world of clergy and the question marks on her stat sheet only made her case even more suspicious.
"Something is fishy about this." Issei half-truthed, "Hold on Asia I think that we should-DOWN!"
Issei threw her down as a dozen glowing yellow bullets whizzed where they once were.
"oh foo!" fakely pouted a young male voice, "and I thought I found enough swiss cheese for dinner."
The teen growled, pushing Asia down before turning up to see a college age european man with jaw length white what really caught his eye were the blood spattered priest clothes and the large smoking silver gun pointed right at him.
"no matter…." the man grinned, "I CAN ALWAYS MAKE MORE!"
Asia screamed as more bullets stream toward Issei but Kabuto as expected repelled them before landing in Issei's hand.
"Terrible jokes." Hyoudou frowned, "HENSHIN!"
Henshin!
Like a second skin the armor of the Masked Form encased the Academy student as he charged at the clearly depraved man.
"HAHAAHHA" the bloody priest cackled as he drew a light blade from his sleeve.
Armored fist met hard light and the insane white man took the chance to grind his forehead into Issei's; the deranged sociopaths' eyes only a centimeter away from the visor.
"Well well." the man sneered, "A rider in this day and age. I always wanted to gut one when I grew up!"
"GET OUT OF MY FACE FREAK!"
The modern day rider took the chance to sucker punch his enemy with a snap fist before following it up with three jabs. The fourth being being caught as the priest shot at Issei in the head point blank and sending him stumbling back.
Asia screamed, "Issei!"
"I'm fine!" he shouted back, silently thanking Masked Form's rugged helmet, "Just get out of here and find help!"
"b-but!"
"AS YOUR FRIEND I AM BEGGING YOU!"
The little nun snapped to attention and nodded before running down the hill, her face of worry betraying her.
"awww!" the priest moped, "the bitch got away and you're still not chopped up yet."
As if a little switch got turned on the killer instantly started grinning, "But i'm a big boy and big boys got to be prepared."
Slasher
Kabuto chirped and Issei answered; he rushed at the would-be dopant and immediately tackled the man to ground. Issei tried to pry the Gaia Memory from him but the priest resisted.
"It's mine! Get your own!" he shouted in a tantrum before kicking him off.
'how tough is this guy!?' Issei questioned in his mind.
"It's Mine! MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE!"
His beetle partner chirped at him loudly to pay attention but it was too late. To the duo's disgust the priest jammed the Gaia memory into his arm like a drug addict would to a needle but rather than stabbing himself the psychopath grounded the dull metallic end into the flesh as his inane shouting of "MINE MINE MINE" continued.
But rather than be set on fire the Gaia memory instead exploded in a mass of metal tendrils, bits of alloy spike and wire weaving into the open wound before soon spreading all over the body. Bits of metal bursted out of his skin before worming back in, an unnervingly massive amount of blood already seeping out of the priests wounds.
Instinctively, he collided with the priest turning dopant and already began whaling on him but it was too late. In an explosive burst of blood and sparks the former man swatted him away with a hand made of razors fused into the flesh.
"he he HAHAHAHAHAAA"
The priest had lost it, the man's sanity reached the point of no return and teen doubted that sickening man made of gore and razor sharp metal could turn back like the Magma Dopant.
They crashed again and it was clear from the start Issei was outmatched. The...thing was to fast, literally cutting through the air and raking the Rider's armor in deep gashes.
He tried; in vain, to strike the priest but the older man cackled and weaved around every punch, the most recent leaving Issei open to the monster's claws stabbing into his arm.
"GAAAAH!"
Issei's combat instinct screamed for him to withdraw and he responded by kicking just a handful of meters away.
"any ideas!?" Isse asked his belt buckle, hand holding onto where his suit was breached.
Kabuto paused in thought before hesitantly chirping.
(Clock Up)
"Clock...Up?"
(Fractional Light Speed. Temporary. Terrible Strain. Terrible Backlash.)
"How bad!?" he shouted, ducking the lunged of the priest.
(Need Asia.)
The priest snarled and spasmed, his body jittering in crazed fits. All the while the man's face kept going back and forth between smiling and scowling.
The newbie rider back away slowly, not once letting his eyes of the priest, "And how bad is it that I need Asia?"
(Young Body. Unconditioned. Fragile.)
His eyes narrowed, "any other option?"
Kabuto did not chirp.
Issei sighed, "tell me. better injured badly than…."
The former human would only eviscerate him. Hopefully.
(...Cast Off. Button side of belt. Speak Clock Up.)
Nodding, Issei prepared to pull the lever horn just as the Priest charged once again.
When one thought of dangerous beings, it was more likely for someone to say dragon than dragonfly.
Fools.
Drake, an azure dragonfly of advanced science quietly waited in pocket space, waiting for a rider to call upon it. The last one...Ajuka tried to fool him into thinking that the Maou was human. It was not pleasant.
Parasites, hypocrites, tyrants, non-humans. The one thing he disliked more than the fakes were the traitors.
He knew from Kabuto of the new Rider and even now he saw him fight another human tainted with the parasites' stench. The man...no-the child though he could use a fraction of a Zecter's power at this state.
Drake grimaced and when he was unhappy things died.
The red beetle was soft and the new asset needed to understand why mankind's weapons are not mere toys.
So with that thought he tore a rip through space, appearing right in the scene of the battle and flying straight through the priest like a hole puncher.
(Drake!) Kabuto snarled but Drake paid no heed.
Kabuto was a bleeding heart and to not properly guide his user was a sign of his failings.
(We shall discuss this later) the dragonfly growled.
As the Dragonfly Zecter hovered at treetop level he looked eye to eye with Issei and then to the Dopant. The large bleeding hole slowly being sealed by knot tying cords of internal wire and blood like gel encasing the gap.
(Rider) stated the robotic dragonfly, a voice so harsh and cruel that Issei could believe it came from a metal insect (This is a fraction of the power you are still to weak to control)
Electricity coursed through Drake's form before it began shift and separating, dozens of pieces jettisoned off before stopping mid air. The cloud of machines parts spinning before the components recombined into a large blue cannon that hovered menacingly over them like a vast predatory bird.
The Dopant looked up, some bare sliver of the man's sanity already understandings its fate.
Without signal a wave of pure force slammed into Dopant, engulfing the former human in a flood of blue light howling in unbearable pain before Issei saw the priest thrash violently as he began to disintegrate before his eyes.
And just like that the priest was gone as did the blast of energy, yet the cannon still loomed and Drake reformed into a trio of smaller cannons that pointed into the area around Issei. The shocked teen became confused as the new Zecter continued his grating, critical tone.
(Even worse is that you let the fallen surround you and capture the nun)
Issei Hyoudou
Human Beginner Boxer / Harem King / Reluctant Harem Owner
Strength - C
Perception - C+
Endurance - B
Charisma - C
Intelligence - C
Agility - C
Looks - D
Passive Skills
Boxing - C+
Dance - EX
Rider's Courage - EX
Active Skills
Snap Fist - Sudden High Powered punch
Rider Armor Skills
Cast Off - shed a Zecter type's Masked form for a more agile Rider Form.
Put On - Encase a Zecter Type's Rider form in a more protective Masked Form
Kabuto's Fire - Kabuto Zecter grants the user the ability to control fire
Rider Kick - Kabuto's signature finishing move. A high powered kick.
A/N: My dad is very, very, VERY sick and but he is on the road to recovery. Some months ago he contracted a brain disease which has been….bad for him and the family. He is technically disabled now but he is doing okay.
I've just transferred into a university and have just now managed to find time to start writing again. I can't promise much since my dad still needs to be taken care of and my classes (6 hours +2 hour commute to school + 2 back) but I guarantee that this fanfic is not dead.
Storywise I am nearing the part where I had left off in my first incarnation of this fanfic. Obviously A LOT is different. You should also know that the shift between light and dark tones is intentional. Some things in the background are unpleasant and more will be revealed at a later time.
p.s. I am thinking of getting myself into NanoWriMO, how about a original fic about a japanese toku hero (power ranger / super-sentai / garo / kamen rider) trying to make it by in an american city of superheroes (Marvel/DC)?