Okay, guys! We're back with the next one, as usual. Sorry for the long hiatus. I explained it in my other stories, but life basically caught up with me, shit got in the way, you know how it is.

Also, interesting news, I'm writing my own book! Like an actual one. So my time is going to be SWAMPED with just writing, whether that be for these stories or for my actual story. I'll try my best to keep these at stories going as I write for my real book, but between that and life being a shit, it's gonna be difficult. Much more difficult than it was before. I'm fucked, lol.

But yeah, I'll try my best.

So let's go! The meeting of the gods! It's gonna be TENSE as a motherfucker here.

SCENE

|Azazel|

A few days ago:

"Now, would anyone like to go first?"

—The meeting between factions was already underway. The meeting discussing my idiotic student, the "God-killer".

The entire hotel building was cleared up of guests and surrounded with an extreme level of security.

This room that I was present in, was a room filled with various high class beings. The trinity gods of Olympus, the Norse Allfather, a god of Egypt, a god of the Shinto, the great monkey Buddha, us Three-powers leaders, and a god of the Hindu.

And because of that, the tension was immeasurable, even if it was not visibly obvious. Only beings of high class power would be able to handle being in the presence of so many various gods without cracking under the pressure.

At this point, I'm sure many of these gods had differing opinions on that bullheaded student of mine.

And one of the first to voice their opinions of the subject was a representative of the Shinto faction.

—A man who possessed handsome features and a black haired ponytail: Susanoo-no-mikoto, the god of the sea and storms.

"We, of the Shinto, believe his movements and actions should be heavily restricted, as it pertains to any of the other pantheons that are not his own. As far as his Devil work is concerned, we obviously have no interest. But we believe that his actions involving other factions should be restricted. That is the will of Amaterasu-sama and Tsukuyomi-sama."

Susanoo gave his insight, or rather, the insight of the leading Shinto gods, the moon god and sun goddess… So that's what they suggest, is it… They suggest that we restrict Ise's movements, particularly his traveling to other realms, I assume. I suppose this would also involve whatever sort of things he would be doing in various realms.

It was unfortunate that, instead of the Kyuubi Yasaka, Susanoo was the one who attended on the Shinto's behalf. It seems that the Kyuubi wasn't a big enough player in the faction, in comparison to the gods, to be included in this. That's why, I hoped to send the Kyuubi to Ise's house after constructing that device in Kyoto. Hopefully, that would get her mind off of it.

But the fact that it was a god who attended this meeting instead, it goes to show how importantly they're treating this situation… The situation of the 'God-killer.'

Shemhazai, who was standing at the front of the table, nodded in understanding with Susanoo's suggestion.

"I see. As an "unpredictable variable", which the 'God-killer' has been labeled by many as, it would seem logical to try and limit his movements across realms, in order to avoid any possible misunderstandings. After all, it would make many pantheons uneasy if the God-killer were to be freely traveling between the realms without permission. Though, I do want to state: The God-killer would never have traveled to areas belonging to different pantheons without permission anyway. He is not one to roam in such a manner. Either way, we will certainly take those provisions into noble consideration."

Right as Shemhazai's response ended, another leader calmly disputed his claim.

—One of the leaders of the Egyptian pantheon, the god of the Afterlife that has come up from his section of the Underworld, Anubis.

《How can you be so certain he would not travel carelessly? Is this something you can guarantee?》

His voice came out in an ethereal echo. He has appeared in a human avatar, so he is not technically here in person. But, his presence still resides within the humanoid vessel that is sitting in that seat. In order to hold the presence of a god, the vessel must be a special person. Perhaps a demigod or the descendant of a hero. It makes me wonder who that is.

I decided to answer Anubis's question myself.

"The 'God-killer'— Or rather, Ise, is… Well, he is a knucklehead, that much is true. Perhaps he is sometimes even an idiot. And it is true that allowing him to travel to areas under the control of various pantheons would be...problematic. In fact, it would threaten the very fabric of the world if he were to cause trouble for various factions that way. —But, even so, my student... he is not so much as a fool to endanger the lives of many innocents, let alone the world. He is not stupid or crazy enough to be caught nonchalantly strolling through Asgard, Olympus, or anything of the sort, without permission. This, I can guarantee you."

It was very important that I differentiated Ise from his title as the God-killer. In this meeting, persuasive argumentation is the goal. I must continue to humanize Ise, so that they can begin viewing him as just my "idiotic student", and not the monstrous "God-killer" who possesses the spirit of one of the strongest beings in existence.

《And we are meant to simply trust you in that regard?》

I nodded my head as firmly as I could, making sure to show confidence in my statement.

"Yes, that's right."

Luckily, I was not left alone in my claim. Those few beings who were in agreement of Ise's threat level being low, supported my claim. Those were Zeus, Odin, and the monkey representing the Buddha, Sun Wukong.

"Yes, having met the 'God-killer' myself, I have no reason to believe he would be so openly reckless. Though he is a young boy, I feel no abundance of animosity from him. Not towards gods at least. And a boy that has such a great love for breasts cannot be evil."

The tension in the room was so high that not even Zeus's ridiculous comments could deflate it, it simply remained the same. Odin followed Zeus's statement with the stroking of his beard.

"Mm, I'm in agreement with the Olympic king. That boy, bold as he is, he is not a danger. He is a warrior that is clearly too light of heart. Moreover, if anything is to be a threat, maybe it's his love of his breasts, hohoho."

Sun Wukong then followed Odin with a puff of smoke from his pipe.

"Huu, well, I have trained that boy myself, so perhaps you would assume that I have a bias. But he is no threat. His soul is pure, for the most part. Though his acquisition of the Atlas spirit is worrisome, I would only see it being a threat should something from the outside influence it. I do not hold the belief that the boy himself could abuse the power for malicious intentions."

Something from the outside influencing Ise into using the power of Atlas for evil… I don't believe it's something that could happen, but we have to consider what world and time we live in. In terms of threat level, that is the highest possibility. Ise performing an act of evil using that power, that would be as a result of something else trying to control him. Perhaps even Atlas himself…

—But of course, out of all the beings that would contest my points, the first one was none other than the Greek god of the underworld, Hades.

《To have you assume that there were no malicious intentions, you are forgetting our encounter during the Devil games in the underworld, Ash Crow.》

I directed my gaze towards Hades, trying to hold my back my aggravation, and gave him my rebuttal.

"My student was questioning you about suspicious actions of yours, not threatening you."

Hades simply laughed at my response.

《Fafafafa. You believe that you can fool a god of the dead? Do you believe that I cannot recognise a threat of death over my own existence? Whether it was left as unspoken intent or derived from words, this god of the underworld can see it. Or do you believe that I would mistake malice and killing intent so easily?》

I felt a bead of sweat run down my forehead as the tension in the room began to rise. But I kept my cool and stood my ground. I could see through the corner of my eye, that Sirzechs and Michael, who have remained quiet up to this point, also wanted to retort, but I held my hand up to refrain them, as to not raise the tension even further.

"...It seems that you are the one who is forgetting, Hades… Your group was the first to raise its killing intent towards us."

《Fafafa, and you believe that would serve as his heroic justification for defeating me, Ash Crow?》

"Tch..!"

I clicked my tongue harshly in frustration.

It's just as Hades says…. Even if he was the one to have threatened us first, at the rating game, there would no be no "hero" in that situation… If Ise were to have fought him, and even defeated him, using the power of Atlas, he would be the one considered to be in the wrong…

Terrorist, Evil-God, or whatever Hades may or may not be, he is still a pillar god of the Greek faction. If he were to be defeated by the God-killer, then that may cause a disaster in the realm of Hades, or possibly even disrupt the flow of the world. His role in the underworld makes him a valuable asset, and it would be bad if he went down. At the very least, Atlas had no other purpose left, but Hades is different. Hades is still needed.

Moreover, the destruction and chaos that would ensue from such a legendary battle would be catastrophic. And Ise— the God-killer, would be seen as nothing but a threat, at that point.

《I need not remind you, Ash Crow. That God-killer may possess the spirit of Atlas that makes him a threat alone, but he is also the Sekiryuutei. One day, if he were able to combine those two powers, he would become unstoppable. What would you do then, a mere Fallen-Angel?》

I had no answer to Hades' question… In a case like that, I would have nothing to answer with but my life…

"...If that were to ever come to fruition somehow…then I will take full responsibility for it. I am the one who is attempting to convince you of having confidence in him and trusting me. It would be my responsibility. Moreover, I'm his sensei. If that were to happen, it would be my oversight, and I would have to pay for it."

Again, towards my heartfelt declaration, Hades laughed again.

《Fafafafa. The gods are not interested in your life, Fallen-Angel. Yours, a life which is so insignificant in comparison, that will not atone for whatever catastrophes the God-killer can bring upon the world. How naive. Perhaps you are delusional enough that we can extinguish your existence now, "Crow of the falling Ash."》

—In the following moments of Hades' threat, the tension in the room began to rise dramatically, even higher than before. Starting with Zeus's reply towards Hades, and continuing to escalate from there.

"Hoh, you shouldn't threaten Azazel-bou during this meeting of the gods, brother. You will make us uneasy. We are here to discuss and debate, not bicker. Perhaps you should more closely watch your tongueless words."

《Fafafa! It would be a cold day, a day of blizzards in Hades, when I begin treating your advice as gospel, Zeus.》

"Ha… Interesting. Well, perhaps this 'god of the North' and I should take a trip to Hades and bring winter along with us."

Odin smirked, but his eyes had an eerie sense of hostility in them.

"Hohoho, involving me in your family squabbles, are you, Olympian?... Though, I do wonder if the mythical 'Hellfire' freezes as easily as 'bones' do… Truly, I wonder."

Even Poseidon included himself within the tension.

"Ah, it behooves you to believe me, Odin, that even the calm waters of the ocean can put out that pesky 'Hellfire' Hades values so much... I believe I have demonstrated once before."

Hades gave another cackle of amusement, but his red orbs for eyes were glowing ever brighter, in a menacing fashion.

《Fafafafafa! 3 gods against this god of the dead? Perhaps your son and I would not take lightly to your threats, Zeus?》

Zeus's expression became dark.

"..So you do hide Ares in Hades after all, brother…"

《I hide nothing, brother. Gods are honest beings. Our intentions and feelings are laid bare. My nephew is free to spend his time as he pleases in the underworld. But he is a god of war. So if he is threatened, he does not hesitate to present himself in battle, does he? You know that best, Zeus.》

In an attempt to lessen the tension, Susanoo and Anubis interjected themselves between the gods. But the tension only rose exponentially.

"That is enough, isn't it, Hades? Your words have disrupted the flow of the meeting. The discussion has fallen through."

《Malice is not commonplace for debate.》

Hades then directed his red orbs towards the two gods, who, judging by their dark expressions, did not take kindly to it.

《I have heard my fill of "flow" and "disruption" from my own brother, Japanese god of the seas. —And a dog with only one head is only a third as cunning as mine with three, Anubis. I'll not have you lecture me.》

Ton, Ton!

Anubis's avatar then struck the Pharaoh's staff in his hand on the ground, and a blackish aura that resembled smoke, began to surround the figure. It made out the image of a canine over the humanoid body.

《You are forgetting, Hades. I too, am a god of the underworld.》

《A mere dog that does not leave his den is easy to put down.》

The black visage of the canine then spawned eyes that shone with an eerie violet light, and the staff's tip was engulfed in purple flames.

《Even gods can reach a version of the afterlife. And it is my purpose to lead them there.》

《Yes, and for that, I have Thanatos. I shall have him lead you to Hades by leash.》

—And with that, the tension reached its absolute peak. And practically every being contained within this room released their aura with malicious intent.

Shemhazai's eyes expressed a level of fear and dread that he had never experienced before. Meanwhile, even someone like Sirzechs was releasing his aura to such an extent that his surroundings were gradually being corroded. Michael's own holy aura began to make his eyes glow a golden colour.

But our atmosphere was cut sharply into by an aura that trampled all of our own.

OOOOOOOHHHHHMMMM…

That aura which sent chills up and down my spine, it forced me to turn my head elsewhere, towards its origin.

—It was emerging from a small body, the figure of a young boy, with black and green hair, and a sharp eye that expressed to me that he was a being possessing bottomless divinity, and limitless superiority. A boy who looked like a middle school student, but was no doubt the most powerful god in here, along with Zeus and Anubis. The boy who was smiling casually.

The one representing the Hindu, the god of destruction, Shiva.

"I believe I haven't gotten a word in just yet."

Every being in the room kept their eyes locked on each other like death-stares. The tension in the room only slightly decreased. If now, you could cut it with a knife, then before, if you were to cut it with a chainsaw, the chainsaw would break.

Nevertheless, the "boy"— Rudra, Shiva, spoke out with a calm smile. Yet it was a smile that unnerved me.

"Ahem. Well, in regards to the 'God-killer', the Devil known as Hyoudou Issei, I must say that I have no negative opinion of him. So far, he has expressed no hatred for any certain mythological beings or pantheons, and he has not made any direct threats towards any of them either. And the "Atlas" situation that he was originally involved in did not seem to be one of his own creation. So I do not share my colleague's generally 'pessimistic' view of the possible outcomes. As it is now, I see no reason that he should be classified as an immediate threat, or otherwise."

Perhaps it was because of Shiva's previous aura, or his generally relaxed demeanor, the tension decreased significantly. I also breathed a quiet sigh of relief at his words.

"—That being said, I am a god of destruction. Should there ever be a day in which the Red Dragon Emperor turns his target sights towards the gods in an unjustified manner, I will simply wipe his existence from this world. This of course goes for if he attacks 'the heavens' as well, but that was a given. Indra would have already taken care of it by that point. That is all."

I was still left with a hitch in my breath after that, and I was practically freezing at this point, thanks to all the sweat that previously ran down my back. But at the very least, it didn't feel as if catastrophe was fast approaching anymore.

After Shiva's declaration, Susanoo gave his final say.

"I suppose that is one aspect we can all agree on. Should the Sekiryuutei become an undeniable threat towards any specific realm or god, unjustifiably, he should be eliminated before any major devastation will occur. And it should be the responsibility of all of the gods to handle it as quickly as possible. It should also be the responsibility of the Fallen-Angel governor to monitor and determine when that time comes, should it occur."

With Susanoo's words, I had an unimaginably heavy burden placed on me already… But the snake known as Hades objected to that idea.

《And are we to assume that this Fallen-Angel's bias will not take hold of him, when that time comes? It would be unnecessary to leave the fate of the gods to cowardice.》

Unknowingly, I had begun developing a deep sense of hatred for the god of the underworld.

But before I had the opportunity to respond, Sirzechs and Michael did it on my behalf.

"The same will go for us. We will also monitor, and destroy him, if need be. If there is ever a day in which I discover he is a threat to the gods or the underworld, I will eliminate him myself."

Sirzechs said that in a cold tone that was unlike him… But I imagine that it was in an effort to the convince the other gods.

"Yes, the same for me as well. If I find that there is reason to believe that Ise-ku— no, the God-killer, is a danger to the world or heaven, I will exact divine judgement upon him."

Michael also made his conviction known. That left only myself to respond in tandem…

"...And in the end, it is the same for me. If Is… If the Sekiryuutei one day betrays us…. If he becomes a major threat to the various factions and pantheons… Then, above all others, it is my responsibility to correct that. I will not hesitate. I will also do what is best for the world at large, and I will eliminate him."

For some reason, I felt a sense of pain in making that declaration. It felt as if I was admitting to something terrible. And I could only imagine my student with a face of betrayal and sadness that said "why?"

There was a poignant discomfort in my chest.

"Well then, I suppose that leaves us in agreement. If that's the case, I'd like to take my leave. I believe I've spent enough time in the presence of foreign gods for one day."

The one who said that before standing out of his seat was Shiva. Shortly following him were Susanoo and Anubis.

"I would hope that this meeting would turn out to be nothing but a precaution. Otherwise, the outcome would be unfortunate."

《The time of the Sekiryuutei is not yet over. We will assume that is a positive sign.》

Shiva, Susanoo, and Anubis began to clear themselves from the room, one by one. I assume that they all have their own ways of leaving this place, just as they arrived. The next unlikely guest to leave was the scum, Hades. Though, not before giving one last comment filled with scorn.

《This god will return to the underworld as well. Ash Crow. Let us see if you should allow your "student" to go on a rampage. When that day comes, I'll be sure to extinguish you both myself.》

I felt the desire to spit on his skull, but Hades was gone soon after he spoke. Zeus stood up and patted me on the shoulder, returning a bit of his usual light hearted attitude.

"Don't let his words sit in your mind too heavily, Azazel-bou. His threats are of no concern."

Unfortunately for Zeus, I wasn't in too friendly of a mood and my expression made that much clear.

"You didn't know that Ares was in Hades either, Zeus."

"Mm. Forgive me for that, Azazel-bou. Those two were being far more discreet than I had thought of them. We had heard reports about it, but our suspicions were never confirmed. Until today, of course."

"According to Hades' words, Ares is still there. Are you going to do something about that?"

"Well, if we are going by the time frame that Ares disappeared in, this would suggest that he was there 'before' the Atlas incident. So then he simply returned to Hades after his interference with the Atlas incident, not to go and hide there, like we originally had assumed. If that's the case, I cannot reasonably claim that they are currently plotting something regarding that. So "causing trouble" wouldn't be in Olympus's best interests. Besides, Ares has already atoned for his mistake of interfering with the Atlas incident. So by this point, it should be alright."

I held myself back from clicking my tongue and scowling at Zeus.

That response was half-assed, in my eyes. It exemplifies the fatal flaw of the Grecian gods: Their overconfidence. Or more harshly, but more accurately, their arrogance. I feel that it is within the blood of the Greek gods to be arrogant to an extent. Perhaps it is because they ruled the world for a great deal of time, but they are blind sometimes.

It's the entire reason that the Atlas situation even came to be. They were too overconfident that the 'progeny' would never become a serious threat, considering that he was only in possession of half of Atlas's original power.

But they underestimated his growth. He became stronger and stronger due to his rage. And then when his father was essentially no more, his focus was set on the gods who punished him for his father's crimes. It was only because of Ise and Hermes that Olympus wasn't destroyed. A Low-Class Devil and a messenger god. Had they not interfered, Olympus would have fallen, and the weaker gods would have been killed.

And now that Hades and Ares are clearly plotting something, you are too confident that it could be nothing of consequence, or that it would perhaps not be worth the trouble for Olympus. But if I were a betting man, I would say that whatever Ares is planning, your son who has always sought after your throne, it has to do with his plot to steal Olympus from you. Or maybe even destroy it. Perhaps if he cannot have it, then he plans to destroy it so that no one can.

Or, even more than all of that, he wants war. Because he is the god of war, and he can sense it, fast approaching on the horizon. Perhaps he wants that horizon to rise ever quicker.

Yet, you are too blind to realise it. All because of your arrogance.

After that, Sun Wukong also stood up out of his seat.

"Well, now this monkey should be taking his leave as well. I suppose I'll make sure that the Jade brat doesn't cause any trouble here like he did in Kyoto. I'll return to see the Sekiryuutei-boy tomorrow too."

Zeus raised his brows in realisation when Sun Wukong said that.

"Oh! That's right, Azazel-bou! I have just been reminded that Hephaestus has finished the reward I had made for the Sekiryuutei-boy! It's already prepared for him. We originally wanted Hermes to deliver it to him, but it seems that wasn't an option. Perhaps I should pay a visit to the boy today to transport his gift myself."

Zeus's appearance at Ise's house would cause a stir. I could imagine that Poseidon would also follow along. Ise shouldn't have to deal with that right now.

"Actually, if you're looking for Ise, you'll have to do it another day. Ise will be busy for a few days."

Sun Wukong puffed his pipe in agreement with me.

"Ah, yes, that's right. I dropped Kyuubi-sama off at the red boy's house today. It's best not to disturb them at the moment. He'll have his hands full, I imagine, fufu."

Poseidon stepped up beside Zeus from behind him.

"In that case, we'll just send Perseus to deliver it in a few days, ey brother?"

Perseus? So Olympus really does just treat their heroes like errand boys after all. Or, at least these two do…

"Azazel."

Sirzechs and Michael both approached me from their seats. They are wearing similarly grim expressions.

"...I meant what I said earlier. If it comes down to it, I will do what needs to be done."

Both Sirzechs and Michael's eyes held the same level of determination in that statement. It was clear to me that this was no bluff…

"...Yes, I know…. And just like I said earlier, it is the same for me."

I lowered my gaze to the floor, and the impression of my student's smiling face was stuck in my mind.

"...If that ever comes to be…it will be my responsibility for not having prevented it.."

|Ise|

Part 1

….

《...H...o… I...e…》

….

《...Hyo….Ise….》

….

….

….

《Hyoudou Issei.》

[—?!]

—After hearing a booming voice, my eyes snapped open to reveal an unfamiliar place.

Before me there was…a tall mountain.

A mountain that reached high into the sky, and it was wide enough to be able to contain half of my hometown within it. Huge. Absolutely massive. That was all I could think about, it's massive size.

But there was something about this mountain… Somehow, I could tell, it was no normal mountain… No, something…something was 'inside' of this mountain.

Trapped within this mountain was something that I could recognise… It was a feeling... A familiar feeling.

That was…

CRACK!

I received my answer when the mountain had suddenly cracked in half. From the bottom, reaching all the way up to its peak, a massive crack appeared in the mountain. It was split in half.

CRACK!

And from the peak which was split in two, a powerful figure launched itself out, and landed before me.

DOOOOOONNN!

—Right in front of my eyes, the progeny of Atlas had destroyed the surroundings ahead of me.

(—?!)

Atlas?! That can't be! I killed you!

I'm fighting the progeny of Atlas again!? Shit! No choice! Balance Breaker!

[...]

What?! My armour won't come out! No, not just my armour, but my Boosted Gear too! I can't call it out at all! Ddraig!

DOOONN!

I was forced to do nothing but dodge Atlas's attacks the best that I could.

But I'm still in base form after all, so it's impossible to keep this going! At some point, he's going to hit me, and I'm going to die! A direct blow from him will easily kill me! I can't do this forever!

Just as I was thinking that, one of Atlas's fists came straight for my face, and I was nowhere near fast enough to evade it.

DOOOOOOOOOONNNNN!

I put my arms up to block it, fully expecting them to be obliterated on impact, but….

Sss…

Wha... I opened my eyes to realise…. My arms are still here… There's a bit of smoke coming off from the impact of the strike, but, I'm alive… I survived the hit…

But looking more closely at it, I became aware as to the reason why.

Shin!

The markings on my limbs, they were glowing an orange hue of light… The power of the original Atlas was flowing through me.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The Atlas progeny roared in anger, and he launched himself towards me at full speed.

But with this power, I can defend myself! With this power, I can defeat him!

DON DON DON DON DON DON DON!

The progeny and I immediately started trading blow for blow. Most of his strikes seemed to miss me, meanwhile, almost all of mine connected with him. I've trained under the great monkey Buddha since our last meeting! It won't be anywhere near as easy to defeat me now! Right now, comparing the two of us, you're just a mindless brute with all brawn and no brains! Your technique is nonexistent compared to mine!

DON DON DON DON DON DON DON DON CRASH!

Sloppy! Sloppy, brutish, unrefined! You'll need to rethink your technique! Start over from the beginning, then come back when you've got some grace in your step! Haha, right, Oji-saru?

Boom!

At some point, progeny Atlas and I reached a standstill in our fight. Our hands ended up clasped together and we were using our legs to push against each other, attempting to push one another back. Neither of us were making any progress. Heh, this is almost exactly like the last time we fought.

Or at least it was, until I realised that a chasm suddenly appeared behind me, towards where the progeny Atlas was pushing me!

Where the hell did that even come from?!

Atlas's force became stronger and I was slowly started to get pushed back towards the random chasm in the ground. A chasm which appeared so deep that it had no bottom! Soon enough, I would be pushed into that chasm!

Sensing that I was running out of time, I had the bright idea to pull instead of push! I held my firm grip on Atlas's hands, and spun him around using it, lifting his body into the air, and tossing him far away from me. His body crashed onto the other side of the chasm safely, but at least I didn't fall in.

Vooooooooooooooooooom…

(—?!)

But for some reason, the chasm expanded in size out of nowhere! Now it was less of a "chasm" and more of a fucking canyon! In fact, it looked almost exactly the same as the canyon we had once fought in before! The only difference this time was that the canyon had no floor and was just a bottomless pit, the size of a canyon!

The canyon was so large that Atlas's body was nothing but a pea sized figure in my vision. He was so far apart, and the canyon stretch so widely between us, that you would even assume it was kilometres in size. And within the canyon was only a seemingly bottomless abyss. For any right minded person, you would think that it is impossible to jump that, and you would only die trying.

Despite that, I felt as if I could hear the voice of Atlas's progeny right in my ear. But, it felt…different, somehow…

《Will you chase after me, Hyoudou Issei? Or are you too afraid you cannot control your power? Are you too afraid that you will not make the jump?— Will you give up? Or will you do what is right? Will you seek me, Hyoudou Issei?》

—I'm not sure why I hadn't realised it at the time. Maybe it was because of my rash personality and how little I think things through sometimes. But, whatever the case, I know that I made the right decision in my heart.

And, most of all, perhaps because of how much I've changed, and the person I've become— I didn't hesitate to do it. Not even a second.

I didn't hesitate to make the jump.

"As if I would even consider backing down from thaaaaat!"

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNN!

Using all of the strength in my enhanced legs, I launched myself high, high into the sky and straight into the direction of Atlas. Without even paying a second thought to whether I'd make it or not, I prepared my fist to strike down upon Atlas the moment I reached him.

And the second I closed in, I was ready.

"HAAAAAAH!"

—But when I was floating above him, his body released a blinding, orange glow, and my world was consumed by light.

SHIIIIINN!

《You pass.》

"Unn…"

"Ise-sama? ..Ise-sama?"

"Huh?"

My eyes fluttered open, and I was greeted by a pleasant sight. It was Ravel.

"...Oh, Ravel."

"Are you alright, Ise-sama? You were talking in your sleep."

I sat up and rubbed my head. That was…

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Are you sure?... You weren't having a nightmare about your fight with Atlas?"

Ravel said that in a small voice, as if she was trying not to wake up Asia and Rias beside us, who were sleeping. Or rather, it was more like she was trying to keep it a secret from them, despite the fact that they were asleep. Hehe, Ravel is always considerate of me.

"Yes, Ravel, I'm sure. Believe it or not, but I wasn't actually that traumatised by my experience with Atlas. Though I can see why you'd think that. It was pretty fucked up. But don't worry. This was…something different."

"Something different?"

Ravel seemed curious about, but, to be honest, I didn't quite honestly know how to describe it myself. It felt, how do I say, bizarre? Could you consider that a "dream"..?

I shook my head to clear out those thoughts. No point in thinking about it now.

"It's nothing, don't worry. I'll tell you more about it if I figure anything out. Otherwise, it's probably just a weird dream."

Ravel looked satisfied with that answer and smiled.

She then came closer and, s-she kissed my cheek! I was surprised by her actions but was smiling widely, and she just turned away from me with a red face.

"W-W-Would you like some breakfast?"

I was overcome with excitement, so I could only nod my head like an idiot and make weird noises.

"M-Mm, mm, y-yeah, sure!"

Seeing my reaction, Ravel smiled wider without turning to me and excused herself out of the room. I was left behind, smiling like a moron.

"Ehehe, a good morning kiss from Ravel… Hehehe…."

I let out a stupid laugh while happily rubbing my cheek, and I felt something shift from beside me.

"Hmm?"

I looked down to my right side and Asia was turned away from me… She's asleep, right?... I peered over a little bit, but her eyes were closed and she was breathing softly… Yeah, she must be sleeping...

[Partner.]

Mm? Ah, Ddraig! There you are! You didn't answer me in my dream so I completely forgot about you. Speaking of which, did you see that dream? It was a weird one. Ah, probably not. You were probably sleeping, huh?

[No, I did see it. In fact, that was my own doing.]

Huh, your doing? Whoa, did you make me dream?! I didn't know you could do that!

[No, partner. That isn't what I meant. I meant that I was the reason you were experiencing that "simulation."]

Huh? Simulation?

[Well, it was more of a 'test' of sorts. But I assumed that a simulation was the simplest way to explain it to you.]

A test..?

[That's right, partner. Do you remember when I said that I would "handle" the situation regarding the spirit of Atlas? —Well, I was able to get through to him. He said that he would determine whether you were worthy of wielding his power himself, by testing you. I wasn't sure what he was planning, but it seems like he found you worthy after all.]

—After that, I remembered a phrase that played during the dream.

(《You pass.》)

[—?!]

I was tested?! And I passed!? Wait, I passed! I'm worthy!?

[That's correct, partner. You have passed the test of Atlas. You are now technically free to use his power as you please.]

"YES!"

I immediately realised how loudly I shouted and slapped a hand over my mouth. Rias and Asia just shifted around a little, but they still seemed to be asleep. Whew, that was close. I was about to jump up and cheer.

[Hold on, partner. Try not to get excited just yet. There are still some stipulations.]

Stipulations? Ah, you mean like conditions?

[Yes. As I said, you are technically allowed to use the various powers of Atlas as you please. However, there are limitations to what your mind and body can handle.]

Right, like how I ended up getting scarred by using his power the first time. It was because my body wasn't used to the power, right? And how Azazel also said that it would drive me crazy because it was too much power and stuff. I remember that.

No, wait, hold up. You said…powers? As in, plural?

[Atlas was a Titan of Strength, Endurance, War, and Astronomy, partner. You seem to forget that you have 'four' symbols resting on each of your limbs. Each of them representing a different power.]

(—?!)

No way, does that mean I have way more powers than just ridiculous strength?!

[Atlas was considered one of the most powerful beings in existence. The Titan which held up the heavens singlehandedly. The amount of strength and power it would take to accomplish such a feat would be insurmountable, wouldn't it? That is why the progeny of Atlas, which had only maintained half of his original power, was an extreme threat. Not only did he possess half of Atlas's strength, but he was growing in strength exponentially. He would have been a dire threat to the Grecian gods. Zeus could have destroyed him, but there was no telling as to whether he would have reached a point of strength surpassing the gods or not. He was created with the soil of Tartarus as his base, after all. One thing is for certain, he would have most definitely surpassed the original Atlas at some point.]

Right, right, right. I understand all of that at this point. But what does that mean for me and the powers?

[Well, first and foremost, you cannot handle any of Atlas's abilities aside from his strength and possibly his endurance. And even then, you can only handle certain portions of his strength. You cannot go all out using it. Using his full blown strength as you did in your battle with the progeny, without the assistance of Atlas, your mind would be consumed by it. And your body would be destroyed, easily. Even when you were fighting the progeny, the only reason you were able to handle the strength without being destroyed was because of all the boosting you did beforehand. But your mind was unreliable, and Atlas had make sure to control you mostly throughout.]

Okay, well, regarding the mind problem, why wouldn't Atlas just help me control all the time, kinda like how you do with the Boosted Gear?

[He refuses to. He no longer wants to involve himself in any sort conflict anymore. Remember, partner. Atlas had transformed himself into a mountain in order to be free of his role, and live peacefully that way. That was the reason he created his progeny. He did it to replace himself. But now, you've killed his progeny, and he has no replacement left. None, aside from you.]

Aside from me..? Wait, are you saying…he wants me to "replace" him?

[It would seem so.]

What?! No way! I can't be a Titan-God! I'm a Devil, you know! No, how am I supposed to be his replacement in the first place?! What does that entail?!

[I'm not sure myself. But he seemed adamant about refusing to assist you with his power. He believes that if you cannot learn to handle it yourself, then you are not worthy of wielding his power. Just from the looks of it, it seems as if he's trying to pawn off the responsibility of his powers onto you. He has no desire to concern himself with the outside world, let alone the world of gods, any longer.]

"Pawn" off, hehe…. Also, seriously? You mean he's just dumping it on me? What an irresponsible Titan-God.

[To be fair, partner, he believes that he has already taken responsibility for all that he needs to at this point. He had already suffered the penalty of Zeus to hold up the heavens, and he has already rectified his mistake of creating his progeny by destroying him. He technically has nothing connecting him to this world anymore. So, in a way, I understand his logic.]

Eeeeh, even you agree with him, Ddraig? That spells bad news for me…

[I don't "agree", I understand. Honestly, what will it take you to listen to your partner… Whatever the case, he's leaving the responsibility of his power up to you. Don't expect any help from him any time soon, if at all.]

Well, that's just great, isn't it….

[Don't be discouraged, partner. We will figure it out for ourselves, somehow.]

Yeah, I know… Alright, well, anyway. About these various "powers."

[Right. As I said, Atlas was a Titan of Strength, Endurance, War, and Astronomy. Which means, he had powers associated with each of those aspects that he represents. The immense strength obviously speaks for itself, and the endurance is self-explanatory. But to clarify, his powers of endurance were unmatched. Being capable of holding up the heavens for millennia, the endurance that his power would offer you is unimaginable. Even if endurance does not translate into pure power, it still would mean that, by using his power, you are capable of fighting for weeks straight— No, years. Easily. Perhaps if you were to master it, you could be battling for hundreds of years without running out of strength.]

Whoa, that sounds insane! Is something like that really possible?

[It could be. However, the main problem comes back down to your body. Ignoring the fact that you don't know how to handle his power yet, let alone not even knowing what some of these powers are, your body is that of a Devil. As it is, you cannot handle the sheer scale of his massive power. Your body will be destroyed. Whether you can adjust to it or not, I do not know if that is possible. —Moreover, we don't know what his powers of 'astronomy' and 'war' entail either. So, in general, we have a lot to learn.]

He didn't even tell you about what all the powers were?

[He refused to.]

Man, what an asshole! He just left us on the dark about everything! I get that he doesn't want to be associated with this world anymore, but the least he could do is provide us with a bit of information! How am I supposed to be your fucking replacement, or whatever, if I don't even know half of your powers, let alone how they work!?

[He simply does not believe you are worthy if you cannot handle it yourself.]

Yeah, yeah, whatever, I fuckin' got it! Geez..!

[It is a frustrating situation, partner, but there's not much we can do. All we can do is work with what we can.]

Yeah, I know… Okay, so what do you think is our first step?

[I would say that it would be best to try compartmentalising the ability of 'strength.']

Compart…. Uh, Shemhazai-san didn't teach me that word…

[To split up. What I mean is meditation.]

Meditation?

[Yes. Learn to properly adjust the power of 'strength' into portions through mediation. For example, you may not be capable of using Atlas's full power, but you can handle a fraction of it.]

Ah, ah, I think I get what you're saying! So like, instead of using his power recklessly, just split it up into portions of like…um, I don't know, 20% or something?

[Yes, precisely. Limit yourself to a certain fraction of his power so that you can maintain your body and sanity. And hopefully, you may be able to one day adjust your body to his full power, incrementally. Hopefully.]

Ooh, ooh, okay! I get it, I get it! Ah, but do you really think that's something I can achieve by meditating?

[I do believe so. Theoretically, at least. Because, now that Atlas has allowed you free use of his power, unlike before when he was consciously limiting you, then perhaps his power would natural to you. Rather than feeling like the power of a foreign entity, it would feel as natural as your own aura. And if that is the case, then perhaps we can apply your aura training from your time with Sun Wukong. He did test you once by having you burst out of a barrier using the power of Atlas after all. And he did train you to manipulate your aura through meditation. So perhaps if we apply those ideas: have you release Atlas's aura in small portions, and maintaining certain fluctuations through meditation. Then, you may become proficient in your use of his power.]

HELL! FUCKING! YES! You're a goddamn genius, you know that, Ddraig!?

[Your praise is appreciated. It is the least I could do as your partner.]

Awww, I love you, you bigass lizard! —Ah, wait. Speaking of which, how do I even activate Atlas's power, er, 'strength' ability? The only times I remember using his immense strength was when I was overcome by my emotions, like when Gasper got messed up. Other than that, all those other times were because Atlas influenced it himself. Atlas was the one who activated it a majority of the time.

[You are correct, partner. However, I believe that the best solution would be to just follow the governor's and your own philosophy: "The best teacher is experience." So let us learn by trying it recklessly, as you have forced me to become accustomed to.]

Hahaha, hell yeah, that's what I like to hear! Let's do it, Ddraig! Today, we're going to learn how to use Atlas's power! Or, at least portions of his strength, kind of!

[Roger that, partner. Though, I suppose that your breakfast comes first.]

Ah, yeah, hehe. Ravel would get upset if I skipped breakfast.

"Ah, hmm?"

I realised it when I tried to move my left arm. There was a little bit of weight on it.

"Mm…"

—Maybe because I was lost in my own thoughts, I hadn't noticed till now, but Rias was still attached my left arm. She was sleeping peacefully while caught onto my forearm.

And for some reason, I was stuck staring at her with a blank face and mind.

….

….

...I gently removed myself from her grip.

Part 2

It's a few hours after I woke up and ate breakfast. I went straight into the training space that we owned. I was followed by most of the other team members, who just continued their regular regiments. Kiba offered to train with me, but I refused. Today, I'm only going to be focusing on working with Atlas'ss power.

That's why, right now I'm sitting down on the floor, meditating, with a gap of distance between me and the rest of my comrades. It would be quite problematic if any of my power ended up reaching them, after all. Gasper asked me if he could watch, and I at least gave him that, but I made sure he kept a good distance away from me. About 50 metres was good. That might seem like overkill, but I won't take any chances with those I care deeply about.

Especially since Ravel will also be watching alongside of him. The both of them, most of all, should be kept at a reasonably safe distance.

Not that I didn't warn the others, it's just that those two are…

Nevermind. More importantly, I have to concentrate and listen to Ddraig's instructions carefully, since he'll be the one guiding me.

[Alright, partner. Are you ready?]

Always.

[Very well. In that case, focus your mind on the idea of releasing your aura, like normal. Except, this time, remind yourself of the feeling of using Atlas's power while doing it. Focus, and remember what it is like to feel his aura. Then, move it as if it is your own.]

Copy that.

—Following my partner's instructions, I concentrated on feeling Atlas's aura running through my body.

Remember that feeling…. Power flowing through your veins…. Bursting, breaking, burning, tearing, and releasing… That feeling…. That specific feeling of his power… His unique power, unlike any other I've felt before… Unlike any aura I've felt before… That power is yours now….

Now make it flow through you.

Take the smallest fragment of that power that you can, and make it flow through you. Like a tiny flame on a matchstick. But sitting right next to a TNT stick. Don't light it. Just keep light that matchstick alone. And keep it lit.

…..Light it…

Oooohmmm…!

—A now-familiar power began to flow through me, and I could hear the cracking of the ground under me.

I feel it! Ddraig, I feel it! This is his power! It's only a bit, but I feel it flowing through me!

[Perfect, partner! Well done. Maintain that. Currently, you are using about two-fifths of Atlas's power, from a generous estimate. Now, I want you to envision that fraction in the form of a visual metaphor.]

Um, okay! What kind of metaphor?

[For example…a meter.]

A meter?

[Yes. I want you to envision a "meter" of some sort. A meter that is "filling" up with power. It fluctuates when you manipulate your aura, or it remains at a steady flow, based on how you are controlling it. Imagine that the meter is only two-fifths of the way filled up. That is where you are currently at. What you need to do is make it rise. Raise up the power filling that meter, slowly, and then lower it back down to its initial point. Then, repeat this process. Do you understand, partner?]

Yes, I understand! Okay..!

Okay, a meter… It's filled up to that point…. Okay. Keep a steady flow… There it is…. I feel it trying to fluctuate. Don't let it. Keep it steady. Keep it filled. Don't let it overflow or dip…. Perfect. Alright, now I need to raise it… Raise it… Make it rise…

Crack…Crack..!

I feel it rising! The ground beneath me is breaking in response to the power flow! Okay, don't let it out of control..! Keep it steady. Okay… It's rising… Now, lower it… Yes, perfect!

But don't get cocky! We can't let it dip too drastically. We're just lowering it slightly. Bit by bit. Gradually…. Okay… It's decreasing now…

Ddraig, I think I've gotten the hang of this…

[Very good, partner. Now, keep lowering your power. Lower it to the smallest increment you can. Lower it to a point that it hardly has any effect on your body. Lower it to the lowest point in the meter. Then, when you've finally maintained a hold on it in that place, explode. Raise your power all the way back up, all the way to the halfway point of the meter, higher than you had it before. Raise it up an one powerful burst, and when you've reached that threshold, immediately release that energy and disperse it. With that, our training for the day will conclude.]

(—!)

Raise my power up to the halfway point of the 'meter', in one strong burst of energy? Like an explosion? That's dangerous…. It is dangerous, but….

It's definitely worth a shot!

"Suuu.."

I took in a deep breath as I continued lowering my power to the smallest amount.

Lower… I can go lower…. It's hard to maintain my focus when it's such a miniscule amount, but that's the point of this training… I wouldn't get anywhere if it wasn't this taxing… That's why, I've gotta keep going lower….

…Lower… Lower…. So low that I can hardly even feel it, and then…

—In my mind, the image of the meter popped up. And with one good howl, released my power into a burst of energy, busting right into that halfway threshold.

BURST!

"HNAAAAAAAAAH!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

My power was released in a wave of energy that destroyed my surroundings and covered them in dust. I was trying not to cough after catching my breath and only being able to inhale the dust. I could feel my muscles were burning and my skin was somewhat red.

After a short while, my area became clear to breathe and see in.

That was when the realisation hit me.

"...I did it."

[—!]

"Yeeeeaaaaaaaaaah! I did it!"

I jumped for joy and cheered at my accomplishment while bragging.

"Yeeeaahahahaha! Did you see that, Atlas?! Whaddya think of that, huh?! "Handle it yourself", just watch me do it, ya sonuvabitch! Ahahahahaha!"

[Well done, partner. Truly a magnificent display.]

Hell yeah, Ddraig! And it's all thanks to you, you genius! Imagine being able to train someone to use a power you don't even recognise, ha! What the hell are you, a god or something?!

[Heh. Power is power, partner. And Dragons are beings that represent power. No matter what sort of power it may be, power is what I, the Red Dragon Emperor, know best. I shan't allow anyone to underestimate my partner and I, even if it may be a Titan-God.]

YEEEEAAH, DDRAIG! YOU'RE THE FUCKING MAN— ER, BEAST!

[The only beast here is you, partner. It seems you are able to sustain minimal damage while using half of Atlas's power. The results may vary for prolonged use, but even still. That was our first try, you know?]

HEHE, WELL, I DON'T WANNA BRAG OR ANYTHING.

"I..Ise-sama!"

Ah, Ravel, who was about 50 metres away from me, called out to me for some reason. I waved to her with a smile.

"Yooo, Ravel! Did you see that?! I killed it, huh!— Er, uh…"

I didn't notice it until I was looking in the direction where Ravel was, but…. The ground all around me is broken… There's a huge crater underneath me. Well, that's no surprise, but… Now that I look at it, the diameter of this crater is pretty big….. I mean, in terms of the total width, its radius, the crater is…

Well, it looks like it reached up to Ravel and Gasper's feet… Or rather, it passed under them by a couple metres… In other words, the surrounding area for around 50 metres is totally wrecked….

Uwaah… Yep, that's about half power alright…. Well, half power of the aura, at least…. Physical Atlas level strikes have way more damage potential than just releasing aura like that… Hell, Atlas level strikes have the power to shake dimensions. Or, break them, according to what happened in the Sairaorg match. So the aura alone wouldn't kill them at 50%, but an actual punch at 50%? That would probably literally pulverize them. I mean, at least I have high durability, but you guys certainly don't. That's why I could survive 50% strikes and higher from Atlas when we fought. Also, I had my chunky fucking armour on, so there's that.

Whatever. It's just good that I had them keep that much of a distance, otherwise things may have gotten dangero…

Ah, Ravel has been pointing at my body for quite a long time, hasn't she…. And her face is red… These two details are not usually good.

[Partner, you're naked.]

"Ah."

I looked down, and just as Ddraig said, my shirt and shorts were gone. Only torn pieces of my boxers were left, and my privates were…somewhat visible.

"Ara, ara, ufufu. What a nice view."

"Ehehe, I suppose not wearing your special training gear was a mistake, Ise-kun…"

I used the torn up hanging pieces of my underpants to cover my private area.

"Ehehe, I guess not, huh.."

Hmm. I just noticed it right now but, I'm having quite a much calmer reaction than I would have expected for myself.

I mean, I have nothing to be embarrassed about, right? It's not like I really feel insecure about my body. And I don't really care too much about disappointing or impressing anyone anymore, aside from Ravel, of course. So I have nothing to worry about.

Huh, I guess Helga-san's "confidence training" really did have an effect. Thanks, Helga-san! Also, please stop sending me mail about working together again, it's weirding me out. Especially since you won't stop talking about how I'm "pretty good fap material." You sound like a pervert (me).

"Are?"

From the distance, I could see that Ravel was covering her eyes, while Gasper was respectfully looking away. But, Ravel is peeking through her fingers a bit….

"Hoho… What's wrong? See something you like?"

I teased Ravel with a pose and a smile that was reminiscent of what Helga-san taught me to do as a model. Ravel's head turned bright red and she covered her entire face with her hands.

"I-Ise-sama, please..!"

"Oh, come now. There's no reason to be embarrassed. Everyone has primal urges. Just say the word and I'll be right over."

I shot Ravel a wink while clicking my tongue in a 'charming' way. Hopefully charming. I'm not good at this charismatic stuff. Hell, my cheeks are probably even red too. It's just my attempt to charm Ravel, so I'm not used to the "cool guy" stuff yet.

"Ara, ara, Ise-kun… You've become so confident… It's getting me excited."

"Ise… I never expected you to be so bold…"

Ah.

The ones who said that were Akeno-chan and Rias…. I was still holding my smile, but now there was a bit of hollowness to it. Because on the inside, I was confused.

…I didn't even notice them. I forgot they were there… Well, just play it cool…

"J-J-Just put on your clothes already, Ise-sama!"

"Ah… R-Right. I mean, Ahem—"

I returned to my "cool" attitude and started walking away. Of course, I was well aware that Ravel (and everyone else I guess) was getting a view of my butt.

"—Yes, yes, ojou-sama. Whatever you say. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."

So, was that cool or what? I hope so. I don't think I've ever been more embarrassed doing anything in front of Ravel before. Oh yeah, I guess everybody else was there too, huh.

Well, whatever.

—I was gonna continue my training, but after getting back to the house, I got a phone call from someone. It was Azazel.

"Ah. Hello, sens— Er, Azazel?"

[Yeah, it's me.]

"Oh, hey, Azazel. What's up? It's unlike you to call me on an off day. Unless something's happened?"

[You return to school soon, don't you?]

That was an odd question for him to ask me. I became suspicious with that.

"Yeah, I finally get to return tomorrow. Why do you ask?... As I thought, something's happened, hasn't it? Where do you need me to go?"

Azazel must have caught on to my serious attitude because he tried to defuse it immediately.

[Ah, no, don't worry. It's nothing bad. If anything, this is a good thing, I think.]

"You think?"

[It's the Greek gods. They said they have your 'item' ready. They had it ready a few days ago.]

"..Huh? My item?"

[Your reward for stopping Atlas. The one that Zeus promised you at the rating game. It's finished.]

(—?!)

That's right! I remember that! Zeus certainly did promise me a "reward!" So they've actually made that for me?! The item created by Vulcan, otherwise known as Hephaetsus!?

"No way! W-What should I do?! Do I have to fight someone for it?!"

[Are you daft? Why would you have to do something like that?]

"I don't know! This call is coming from you after all! And maybe the Grecian gods would decide that they would test me to see if I'm worthy?!"

[That's idiotic. There's no way they would do that.]

"Well, I don't know! That's what Atlas did!"

[—! Atlas did? You were able to get into contact with him?]

Ah, that's right, he doesn't know about that. Or actually, nobody knows about that besides me and Ddraig.

"Ah, well, it's a long story, but yeah. Ddraig was able to get through to him. Long story short, I technically have full access to the powers of Atlas, just without Atlas."

[I see. That's good news. Judging by your "technically" remark, I assume that there are various restrictions to using the power anyway. Likely self-inflicted ones. How many people have you told about this?]

"None yet. I was thinking that it might be safer that way, since most people probably just think I have full access to the power anyway."

[Precisely. Good. Try to keep it this way. As it is, most of the world believes you can access it freely, just like you said. More experienced fighters with half a brain will already assume that you may not be able to go all out with it. You aren't a god after all, so it's only logical you have limitations. But leave it for the idiots, or the extra cowardly ones, to believe that you can do anything. It works better to deter terrorists and the like.]

"Roger that. Now what about the godly item?"

[Right. Well, Zeus claimed to have it ready just a few days ago. I wanted to leave you a chance to rest with Yasaka and the others who went over. But since you're returning to your normal life tomorrow, I decided to call you so you receive before then.]

—For some reason, I felt a certain sense of emptiness when Azazel finished his statement.

"..."

…My normal life…? Going to school… Going to the clubroom… Going home…

…Everyday life… Returning to that…

That sounds…

…Terrible..?

[Ise?]

"Eh? A-Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought there for a second… Anyway, what was it about receiving the reward?"

[Right. They want you to receive it at the allocated place. Someone will be delivering it to you. They'll meet up with you and give you the item. It's recommended that you receive it alone, so that no enemies are made aware of its existence until you use it in combat.]

"Isn't that a bit dangerous, showing up alone?"

[For you, or for your enemies?]

"Ahaha, I mean, thanks?"

[You'll be fine, Ise. Trust me.]

"...Alright, if you say so."

[Alright. I'll send you the coordinates to the location later. You don't have to be secretive with your team, but that's up to you. As for the Atlas thing, try not to inform anyone who doesn't need to know. Your comrades included. I'm sure it isn't a risk to let them know, but that's up to you as well. Just be cautious.]

"Yeah, got it."

[Alright then. Till later.]

I was left with a couple of conflicting thoughts after we hung up.

..So I have to be smart and decide who gets to know about my personal info with Atlas, and I return to daily life tomorrow as well…

When it comes to Atlas, obviously Ravel will know. As if I'd keep anything from her. In terms of everybody else, that's…a little more complicated. I mean, they are still my comrades in battle, so they should know about these things… But perhaps they…

…

No, they should know. They're still my comrades after all. There's no reason to keep it from them.

Yeah… Right...

Part 3

The place that I was teleported to… It's a sunny place.

The sun in the sky was the very first thing I noticed, since it almost blinded me. Taking a better look around when my eyes adjusted, this place looks like…a ruin? Yeah, it's ruins. The ruins of some ancient Greek structure?

So this is the meeting place I'm supposed to be at? I wonder who will be meeting up with me? Azazel said they'd be sending someone's from Olympus?

Is it the original Heracles?! I've already met his descendant, but meeting the real one himself must be a whole different experience! Though, I don't actually know if it's him or not. That's just my guess.

Unless, they actually are thinking about sending a god?! If that was the case, would they even meet up with me like this? It seems like they're trying to be discreet, but I don't know if that's something the Greek gods would do. It could be a lesser god? Someone like Dionysus? Oh, maybe it's Hermes!

[—!]

I whipped my body around while being on full guard. For some reason, my instincts reacted to something.

[Partner. Do you feel that?]

Yeah… Someone is coming. Someone with a warrior's spirit.

[I don't sense any hostility, do you?]

No… But their presence was enough to put me on guard. They have a very strong and refined aura. A seasoned warrior. Whoever it is, they're out of my league… But, even so, it doesn't really feel like a god?.. Who could it be?

While I was thinking that, the unrecognisable figure gradually closed the distance between us. I began to make out his silhouette. It's…a young man with handsome features, and brown, curly hair. He's wearing some light armour with a red cape draped over his shoulders and a brown bag hanging from his waist. He's also carrying a golden, Greek sword that was holstered at his waist and a golden shield with an interesting design on his back. There's a symbol on that shield. I recognise that symbol… I think I've seen that in a book I read in Grigori… If I remember correctly, it's the symbol of the Greek goddess, um…

…Athena?

"Red Dragon Emperor. The God-killer. It is our first time meeting. I am the Hero originally known as [Perseus], son of Zeus and Danae. Welcome to Athens."

[—?!]

Perseus!? The legendary Hero who beheaded Medusa, and who saved Andromeda from a mythical sea monster!? No way! It's the original Perseus! This is just as cool as meeting the original Heracles, if not better!

I introduced myself in a proper manner and with good posture in order to make a good impression.

"It's an honour to meet you, Perseus! I am the Sekiryuutei known as the 'Aegis Dragon', Hyoudou Issei!— Wait, this is Athens?!"

Ah, I ruined my first impression by blurting out something stupid… That's what I thought, but, it looks like Perseus had a small smirk for a second?

"Hmph. That's correct. Though, we are at the outskirts. These are just ruins after all."

After hearing his confirmation, I looked around the area with a keen interest. Certainly, this place is just ruins, but I can see actual structures off in the distance. Ancient Greek structures that have become tourist sites. Huh, so this is the capital of Greece. I can tell that there are a lot of people out there.

Perseus said it to me, who was taking in my surroundings with a sense of wonderment.

"You seem impressed."

"Eh? Ah, yes! I was wondering where I had been transported to, but to think that it was Athens! Not to mention, meeting the great Hero Perseus! This is awesome! Dealing with the Greek gods really does entail some exciting stuff, huh!"

"Mm, I suppose that is true. It is good to hear you do have positive opinions on the gods after all. It bodes well for our future together."

Huh? That's a weird way of saying it… Sounds like you're trying to imply something there, or maybe I'm reading too much into it…

"More importantly, you've come to receive an item, haven't you? I've come to deliver that to you."

Perseus reached down to his waist and pulled something out of the brown bag that was hanging from there. It was…chains? No, it's something that was hanging from those chains. And the chains themselves had a strong aura. What he pulled out was…

..Uh, gauntlets?

Yeah, they're wrist gauntlets… Wrist gauntlets wrapped in chains. They're like the gauntlets that Greek warriors used to wear with their battle armour, but also with gloves attached.. Perseus is wearing similar gauntlets right now. The only difference has to be the design. The gauntlets that Perseus brought out have a unique design and colour. They're fittingly red gauntlets, and the design seems to be inspired by the Greek gods. Or at least, one Greek god specifically? I wonder which.

"Here is your "gift". Your reward for protecting Olympus."

Perseus held out the gauntlets for me by their chains and I took them…. They're seriously heavy… And, it has kind of an ominous feeling to it… Is this really my reward for saving Olympus?

"Um, I hope you don't mind me asking, but… Do you happen to know what exactly these things do?"

Perseus looked unsure so he rubbed his chin in thought.

"I'm unaware of the specifics, but I was informed by Hephaestus that the weapon had 3 different forms with special abilities. I assume that the explanation was contained within this envelope."

Perseus then brought out an envelope and handed it to me. The envelope had a very intricate seal on it. I tore it open and pulled out the letter contained inside. When I opened it, I was greeted with…a blank piece of paper… Huh? Why is it blank?

Right when I was looking around the paper for some sort of note, a faint light started shining on the paper. The lights began to form into letters and words! Now I can read it! But, was making it invisible at first really necessary? Oh, maybe it was so that nobody besides me could read it! That's pretty clever.

I wonder who wrote this anywa…

{Hello, Ise-boy! It is I again, your greatest and most handsome ally who travels between realms using only his smarts! Also my legs.—}

…It's definitely Hermes.

{That's right! It is I, Hermes! The one and only messenger god of Olympus!—}

No, I already knew that, you didn't need to confirm it. It was obvious without even reading it.

{You might be wondering why I have written this letter to you, rather than just delivering the message regarding your reward personally. Well, the truth is, there are some very complicated reasons behind it that I cannot divulge.—}

Somehow, I had a feeling that he was lying about that, so I asked Perseus about it.

"Hey, Perseus. How come Hermes didn't come to give me this reward himself?"

"If I recall, the reason was because of the arm that Atlas pulverised during the battle. After he had it fully reformed by the other gods, his arm wasn't as strong as it used to be. So he had too much difficulty carrying it."

"Eh? Why not just carry it with other hand?"

"No, that was just the excuse he used. I wouldn't it say that was the real reason. I'd say that it was due to the weight."

In other words, it was too heavy for him…

{Anyway, I'm sure that you want to know about the weapons, huh? Well, it's a very good reward, I must say! I blessed it myself! Well, one of the forms, at least. Speaking of forms, I bet you're wondering what those are! Well, first of all, there are the gauntlets. The gauntlets are obviously the main form of the Trinity. Ah, that's right, I forgot to mention it, the name of the weapon is [The Trinity slayer]!—}

Say the name first goddammit!

Ah, but the name of the weapon is "The Trinity slayer", huh. That's a pretty cool name. I guess it's a reference to the trinity gods of Olympus? Well, it does make sense, I suppose. But why "slayer"? Don't tell me it's because I'm the God-killer?..

Also, how many references to Greek gods am I gonna have?! I'm the Sekiryuutei, right?! You know, the Welsh Dragon!? And I'm from Japan, right?! Yet I keep ending up with these powers and weapons that are making homages to the Greek gods! Triaina, The Bird of Hermes, and now the Trinity gauntlets?! It feels like I'm slowly becoming a Greek figure without even asking for it!?

{Alright, so: the various forms of the Trinity slayer! First, as I said, the Trinity gauntlets. These gauntlets were created specifically so that you could harness the power of Atlas while using them! That's right! All you have to do is channel a portion of Atlas's power into the gauntlets, and boom, they become the perfect channel for using it! Well, almost the perfect channel. Hephaestus estimated that they could only handle around 60% of the original Atlas's total power. Atlas was one strong Titan. Amongst the Titans, only Kronos could beat him. Anyway, the main point is that the gauntlets can be used as a proxy for Atlas's power. You know, so you aren't forced to quite literally destroy your body while using his power. But, unfortunately, just like your Devil body, it has its limits.—}

[—?!]

Sixty percent of Atlas's power!? No way! That's amazing! That's seriously a great help! Looks like I'll be able to use Atlas's power more freely than I thought! Hell yeah! And to believe that this weapon has two more forms, this is gonna be sweet!

{The gauntlet also has chains, as I'm sure you've noticed. Those chains were actually Poseidon's idea. Apparently, they're meant to be a reference to when you once killed a Hydra? "That boy is good with chains so give him this!", is what he said. I don't know what it means, but it sure sounds interesting!—}

…I'm not dignifying that with a response.

{ALSO, the left gauntlet has a collapsible shield contained on the top side. That was gifted by Athena so try not to show up Perseus, eh? Ah, and lastly, the gauntlets cannot be used while you have your Boosted Gear or Dragon armour on. Moving on to the second form, the second form is, believe it or not, a scythe! Yeah, didn't expect that, huh! Now, I know what you're thinking. "Did Hades have part in the creation of the Trinity?!", and the answer is: No, not one bit. Haha, now you feel weird. No, the one who had part in implementing the scythe was actually an unexpected character for us too. —It was Thanatos. Crazy, right? The Greek god of death himself? Honestly, we're not so sure why he did that either. All he told us was "He will need it.".. We don't know what that means, but Thanatos is one of the only beings that knows when everyone dies, including gods. So if he said you needed it, we don't wanna question that, you know?—}

I was absolutely shocked by Hermes's words. Thanatos had a hand in making this thing?.. He said that I needed it?... Why would… I don't even know what to say… I was expecting something like "Hey, the second weapon is actually a trident, tada!", but….Thanatos?

{The scythe likely has the ability to shave lifespans, so don't go swinging it around carelessly! And it apparently has an extremely nasty aura, so try not using it for extended periods of time. It may end up siphoning off your lifespan too. It is a weapon made for Grim reapers after all and it seems to be much stronger than the average scythe. So, all in all, be most careful with this one.—}

I see… So that must've been the ominous feeling I was getting from the gauntlets. It wasn't necessarily coming from the gauntlets themselves, but rather, the scythe. Got it, I'll be cautious about that.

{And now, that leaves us with the final form, the lance! Well, it looks more like a dual pointed spear rather than a lance. It's a weapon that is meant to resemble Achilles legendary spear. It is golden tipped, and the blade itself is blessed, by yours truly, so that it can enhance your speed by 5% when using it. That may not seem like much, but that much can make the difference between life and death sometimes. Also, because it's a permanent boost, I couldn't have the blessing any greater, so sorry. But, you're fast enough with the "Caduceus" form, I think. In fact, I'm getting worried. I feel like at some point, you could learn to surpass my speed. Scary! Please don't steal my place at Olympus one day!—}

No, there's no way I'm doing that. Why does everyone keep thinking I'm gonna end up like that one day?

{Well, that's all there really is to it regarding the Trinity. AH, almost forgot! The lance has the capability to be compatible with 'lightning' type powers. Take that for what you will. Zeus would have killed me if I had forgotten to mention that… Anyway, that's all I have to say! Be sure to use the weapons properly, huh? You'll be honouring the Grecian side from now on, right? Make sure you do it properly! Make us look even more good!— P.S. The gods of Olympus have begun taking bets on which gods you plan to honour next. You've already got me for "Knight", all that's left is the "Bishop" and "Rook", right? I'm betting on Poseidon and Heracles. Don't let me down, boy!}

And that was the end of the letter… Damn, what a long letter… That Hermes really is a damn blabbermouth, just like I thought. He just goes on and on. What an eccentric character. (wait, don't casually make bets on my powers, you bastards!)

But… Wow… Three whole new weapons, all inspired by the Grecian gods themselves. Not to mention, they all sound like they have a great potential to make me insanely stronger, if I utilise them properly… This is really amazing.. Who would've thought this kinda stuff would happen to me? I guess I really hit a lucky streak.

Ah, in all of my time reading the letter, I completely forgot about Perseus who was just standing there quietly.

"Ah, ah, ah, sorry, Perseus! I got caught up in reading the letter! That damn Hermes never stops talking, so I guess that means he never stops writing either. My bad."

I apologised profusely for my time-wasting, but Perseus didn't seem to care much about it.

"No, it is alright. I know well enough how Hermes tends to drabble on. But, if that'll be it, I will be going. Do well by Olympus. Take care of your gift."

Saying just that, Perseus was trying to walk away and leave. But, I wasn't ready to let him go just yet.

"Ah, wait, Perseus! There's still something I wanted to ask you!"

Perseus stopped in his tracks and turned back to face me again.

"What is it?"

"Um, well.. First of all, I wanted to know, but is that bag on your side…you know?"

I pointed towards the bag that Perseus originally pulled the Trinity out of. Despite how unspecific I was being, Perseus confirmed my suspicions about it.

"Yes. This is the bag that I used to contain the head of Medusa in the past."

As I thought, I was right… That's the mythical bag that Perseus used for Medusa's head… So that must mean that the shield on his arm is the one from Athena too, huh… I guess that's why Hermes told me not to "show him up" or whatever.

But, that bag, it…still looks like something is contained within it… No, nevermind that. More importantly, I just remembered something else.

"Say, Perseus.. Do you happen to know a lot about Gorgons?"

To that question, Perseus raised an interested brow.

"Why do you ask?"

"No, well, sorry. I just assumed since, you know, you're the legendary Perseus. But, I don't want to impose.."

"What is your question?"

"Ah… Uh, it's less of a question and more of a…concern. I happen to have actually come into contact with a Gorgon, you see. And she actually ended up becoming my familiar.. Um, the thing is, when I went back to my base, I decided to research a bit about Gorgons, since I was curious. And, as it turns out, she wasn't the average "Gorgon." Because, as I'm sure you know, there are like these "fake Gorgons", the ones that act like monsters, and then there's the three 'real' Gorgons from legend. Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Medusa was the mortal one and you killed her, yada yada. The thing is… This Gorgon that I found, she's kinda like a real one, with thoughts and feelings and stuff… But, she's also, kind of not?.. I mean, she has thoughts and all that, but her powers aren't like the real Gorgons? She's like, weird… And, to my knowledge there were only three Gorgons so…"

Unbeknownst to me, Perseus's eyes became narrowed and it looked like his face gained a suspicious expression on it.

"What?"

"You see, I tried asking asking Poseidon about it, but he just gave me a really weird and vague response. Telling me to "take care of her", it felt kinda fishy to me. Most of all, for some reason she won't give me name either. She just tells me to call her M-Medusa.. Um, for some reaso—"

"Bring it out."

"Eh?"

Perseus interrupted me, who was rambling. His words came out in an oddly intimidating way.

"That Gorgon, summon it."

I felt a bit nervous with his demanding tone, but I complied, a little bit reluctantly.

"..Yeah, sure.."

What's this feeling? My instincts are telling me not to do it…?

Nevertheless, I created a magic circle on the ground in order to summon my familiar. I haven't summoned her once since I made her my familiar. But, as her master, I can always force summon her. I just didn't want to do that before, because I promised not to force anything on her, but… As I thought, this may be something I have to know.

"Come forth, Medusa!"

I called out to my familiar, and the magic circle on the ground began to shine brilliantly.

SHIN!

The next moment, my familiar appeared with a displeased face.

"What? And here I thought you weren't going to force me to do your bidding. Just like I assumed, you're a good for nothi—"

Medusa froze in place upon laying her eyes on the man below her. And those eyes of hers began to widen. Meanwhile, Perseus subtly reached for his sword. I was too foolish to notice it.

"Ah, um, I'm not sure if you know him or not.. No, there's no way you don't.. Anyway, this the legendary Hero, Per—"

"Y-You..!"

Medusa's eyes started to glow a deep red and her snake like body began to rise. Perseus drew his sword. Medusa's eyes— they were filled with a burning hatred.

"So it was you."

—In the next moment, Medusa's body released a purple aura, and she let out a howl full of rage.

"PERSEEUUUUUUUSSS!"

OOOOOHHHHHHHMMM!

[—?!]

Suddenly, the multiple black snake heads in Medusa's hair stood up and started glowing a deep red, like her eyes. And from out of both her eyes and the mouths of her snakes, powerful red beams shot out, with an intensity unlike anything from our fight before.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The powerful blasts were headed straight for Perseus, who was somehow already a few metres away from us. He blocked the blasts using his shield which deflected them in all different directions, causing damage to the environment.

What is happening?! Medusa attacked Perseus! On the surface level, that may not sound odd, but it's not like this is the real Medusa! Right?!

—While was in shock of the events, the battle between Perseus and Medusa continued. After finding her blasts to be ineffective, Medusa quickly slithered around Perseus in a circle, as to trap him in between her long body. Perseus realised this immediately and jumped up into the air to avoid her constrition.

But once he was in the air, multiple red magic circles spawned somewhere higher above him. Then those magic circles began glowing brightly, and powerful blasts of energy came out of them.

She can do that through magic circles as well?!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The blasts came straight down for Perseus, who was airborne. He swiftly turned up towards the sky and deflected the attacks using his shield. However, suspecting this, Medusa prepared herself to shoot up at him using her snakes.

He can't defend from both sides! He's going to be hit!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

That's what I thought, but the moment Perseus noticed the blasts coming from below, he spun around in midair again. He faced his shield in the direction of the blast from below, and he tossed his sword towards the magic circles above. Though he received a minor amount of damage, his sword cut through the attacks from above and destroyed the magic circles behind them.

He sliced through those magic circles just by throwing his sword?!

BREAK!

The magic circles broke apart, and while deflecting the attack from below, Perseus came crashing down on the unprepared Medusa with his shield.

DOOOOOOOONN!

Perseus shot out from out of the cloud of dust, heading in the direction his sword was about to land in, with top speed. Fast!

He easily caught the sword before it could even land and launched himself towards Medusa without hesitation. Medusa quickly regained her bearings and prepared another attack. This time, she shot out a powerful blast from every snake in her hair, and multiple huge magic circles that spawned around her body. Her blasts all came out simultaneously, with more power and intensity than ever before, dying the entire surroundings in red light.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Perseus used the shield to cover his front side, again deflecting the attacks that were sent towards him. But, this time, the blasts were so powerful that Perseus's body was started to get pushed back. Even after firmly planting his sandals into the ground, the attacks were starting to slowly push him backwards.

SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

I could only watch in disbelief as the powerful blasts continued to come closer and closer to swallowing Perseus whole. But I was forced to act only one moment later.

Because, Perseus only took a split second, and he had already thrown his sword towards Medusa at maximum velocity.

—And despite how intense the energy blasts were, somehow, the sword was still able to cut through all of them and reach Medusa.

(—?!)

[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]

Medusa's attack was abruptly cut off.

PIERCE!

—And the sword broke through my armour, piercing right through the flesh of my left shoulder, while I guarded her.

"GUH!"

[—?!]

"WHA..?! You..!"

I took the opportunity to use Medusa's moment of shock, and I forced her to retreat from my summons.

"Return, Medusa!"

SHIIN!

In the brief flash of light, Medusa disappeared from the area.

"WAIT, NO—!"

SHIIN!

Once she was gone, I pulled the sword out of my shoulder with a painful grunt.

"Gah..!"

I dropped the sword onto the ground while clutching my wound, and Perseus came to pick it up nonchalantly. Without even saying a word, he started walking away.

"..Oy, wait! What the hell was that?! What happened?! Why did the Gorgon attack you?! Is she really the real Medusa?!"

Perseus continued to walk away without turning back to me.

"Hyoudou Issei. That Gorgon is not Medusa."

"Eh?"

He paused momentarily before saying it.

"—It's her daughter."

Saying just that, Perseus walked away, soon disappearing from my sight while I was left silently behind.

But I didn't fail to notice the patch of skin on his right leg that had been turned to stone.

SHIN!

With a bright flash of light, I was returned to home where Ravel was waiting for me.

"Ah, Ise-sama. You have returned. Did you properly receive your rewa—"

Ravel's words halted when she noticed the gaping wound on my left side.

"ISE-SAMA! What happened?! Was it a trap?!"

"I'm fine, Ravel! Just go get Asia!"

"Y-Yes, right away!"

After Ravel ran out of the room while shouting Asia's name, I brought out my phone and dialed a certain number.

[Ise? What is it?]

"Azazel! That bastard Perseus attacked my familiar— No, she attacked him first— Medusa! She isn't really Medusa! It's her daughter! She attacked Perseus on sight, a-and I'm wounded!"

[..! Calm down, Ise! I can't understand what you're saying. You're too worked up. You have to calm down. Say it slowly.]

I realised how high on adrenaline and anger I was, and I tried to calm myself down. I took a few deep breaths in order to collect myself.

"Huu… Okay… I'm calm."

[Good. Now, first things first, did you receive the reward?]

"Yeah, I did."

[Alright, that's good. We can talk about that later. Tell me about what happened with Perseus.]

"Yeah… Basically, after I received the reward, I asked Perseus about my familiar because I was still curious.. He told me to bring her out, so I did. But when I summoned her, she suddenly attacked him. Perseus defended himself and they started fighting. —But Perseus took it too far! That bastard was going to kill my familiar! That guy, he was..!"

[Alright, Ise. Calm down. I understand. What else happened?]

"..My familiar was going to be skewered, so I protected her using my armour. But Perseus's sword pierced through my armour, and it left a hole in my shoulder. After that happened, I forced an unsummon on my familiar. Then that Perseus tried to walk away without saying anything, so I demanded the truth from him. A-And, he told me, my familiar isn't Medusa herself, but rather, she's Medusa's daughter! It's her daughter, Sensei! My familiar is Medusa's child!"

I was explaining it to Azazel with a shocked voice. Even now, it had only just begun registering properly. Azazel paused before speaking again.

[...I see. Is that so? This certainly explains things.]

"Azazel… What should I do?"

[...Hmm. Well, for now, there shouldn't be anything to be done. We'll have to talk more about her and this 'reward' of yours later. Just try to refrain from summoning her in front of anyone. I'll have to do my own research over here on my side. And most definitely do not summon her in the presence of any Greek figures. We can't take any chances. Got it?]

"..Yeah, I got it."

[Alright. Get healed and rest up. You have school tomorrow.]

"Yeah… Okay.."

[Till then.]

Our call ended as quickly as it started. I was left to process this information on my own.

Seriously..?

….The offspring of the original Medusa... Medusa's daughter… Who would've thought that type of person would be my familiar?.. My life is getting way more crazy than I could ever have anticipated…

HEROES

"Cao Cao. Soon enough we'll be making our move, won't we?"

"Yes. Don't worry, Heracles. I'm aware of your impatience. We will move soon. In fact, one of our informants has just let us know that a certain Hero has been spotted multiple times within Greece somewhere. I was thinking that we should pay him a visit. I'd like to get this eye replaced."

"Hmm? Getting that eye replaced? Ah, you mean the one that the Sekiryuutei destroyed. What will you get it replaced with?"

"Well, if our information is true, then there is a certain item that I want to obtain. That Hero is in possession of it. We'll simply take it from him."

"Hooh, and what do you plan to use it for?"

"Hehe, isn't that obvious by this point? That Sekiryuutei… Hyoudou Issei… You don't think that as the wielder of the spear of destiny, I can just leave him alone as the one and only 'God-killer', do you?"

END

Okay, that's all for this one! It feels like I'm cutting it off a bit short, but as I thought, I'll have to save the rest that I have in my head for the next chapter. Speaking of next chapter, it's going to be focused around a few things. First, Ise's familiar. Second, Ise returning to school and the effects of him returning will have on his personality and possibly reputation. Third, the proper introduction to Ise's new weapons and possibly abilities. And finally, some other plot or character related stuff that I won't reveal! Because that's just how I am, you know I hate giving away details.

So, Ise's familiar was not Medusa, but Medusa's daughter?! Who would have seen that coming?! Probably a couple of you? I was actually surprised to see that most guesses were that she was actually just Medusa lol. The smartest guy guessed that she was a 'progeny' like Atlas was. But, let's not get into specifics. More will be revealed about this Gorgon later. Where she could have come from, what does this mean for the legend of Medusa, why was she in the castle? We will find out in time.

Ise now has full access to Atlas's powers! Sort of… He doesn't know how most of them work, he can't control any of them, and his Devil body limits his potential. Not to mention, Atlas refuses to help. I mean, what can you even say to the guy, he wanted to become a mountain and be done with the world. Now he's stuck in some Devil's body or something, and that Devil wants him to let him use his power. Fine, you want it, deal with it yourself then. That's essentially the situation Ise is in. It's unfortunate that he'll have to learn to control Atlas's power bit by bit, but hey, at least he has the gauntlets now to make it easier. Or does he..? (lol)

Speaking of which, [The Trinity slayer!] Yes, that is the official name, given to the weapons by none other than Zeus himself. He thought that, since Ise is already known as the God-killer, "The Trinity slayer!" would also be a fitting name to match. He was kinda right. Don't ask what Hermes wanted to name it. (It was the "Feathers of Olympus", ew yuck.) But yes, the Trinity slayer is three weapons, not just one! Gauntlets that can channel the power of Atlas, a scythe that does god knows what, and a lance that increases speed 5% and harnesses the power of lightning. Now, you might be thinking, "why those weapons? Why not the blades of chaos?" How about "because there's already enough of god of war references dammit! We don't need that many! The blades wouldn't even really fit too well." The gauntlets that help Ise use Atlas's power work much better and make more sense. Meanwhile, the scythe and lance have their own plot related reasons as to why they were chosen. Also, if you're worried about Ise being OP with this stuff, don't be. Remember that Ise doesn't know how to use a lance, he fights barehanded. Also, the scythe sounds dangerous and you'll see that when he tests it. So the only weapon that really serves him right now are the gauntlets, and they have their own problem too. You'll see next chapter..

Lastly and most importantly, it seems that the gods have decided what their options on the God-killer are. If he makes even one wrong step towards any of them, even by accident, he may lose his life. And if that were to happen, you could imagine a war happening simply from his actions, or from the reactions that the factions may have to his existence being wiped. If before he was walking on thin ice, then now Ise is walking on a tightrope made of paper with weights on his shoulders.

P.S. What?! The Hero faction?! They technically haven't been in this story at all, they're coming back?! Well, I mean yeah, they're still part of the DxD story lol. Remember that this was basically the DxD story up to the first chapter. So yes, they will return, and they have some sinister plans in the works. Even more spiciness to add on top of the original plan from the Light Novel. Shit is about to get crazy.

So yeah, tell me what you guys thought about this one? What did you think about the meeting of the gods and their interactions? How do you think Ise will do in his quest to control Atlas's power? What do you think Ise's other weapons look like and what powers they'll have? What did you think of the little fight between "Medusa" and Perseus? What do you think about Perseus? What did you think about the reveal of Ise's familiar being Medusa's child and what else is everyone hiding about it? What are the heroes planning now?! And how will Ise fare going back to normal life next chapter?! What will happen?! Find out next time on Dragonbal— eh, fuck it, you get it.

Read, Rate, Review go crazy.

Stay frosty.