Night had settled over the local park, leaving it illuminated only by the occasional streetlamp and the pale light of the moon filtering through the trees.
Normally, the place would have been peaceful.
Tonight, it was anything but.
A young man with black hair streaked with golden highlights was on his knees in the dirt.
His clothes were torn and dirty, his face bruised, and his arms were bound tightly behind his back with thick restraints.
Several cloaked figures surrounded him.
"Who the hell are you, people?! What do you want with us?!"
The young man shouted.
One of the figures stepped forward and answered with a backhand slap to the face.
*Slap!*
The young man's head snapped sideways.
He gritted his teeth as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
One of the cloaked figures glanced toward another.
"Is the Húndùn captured?"
The other figure nodded.
"It was difficult. But we managed to subdue it before it could grow too strong."
The young man's eyes widened.
"W-What?"
He twisted his head toward the direction the figure had indicated.
Several other cloaked individuals were dragging something through the park.
It resembled a monstrous dog-like creature covered in dark fur, jaws filled with sharp teeth, and golden markings ran along parts of its body, glowing faintly beneath the moonlight.
Thick ropes were wrapped around its mouth, neck, torso, and limbs.
"Rrrrgh!"
The creature snarled and thrashed violently, making the cloaked figures struggle to keep hold of it.
The young man's eyes widened.
"Blitz! Get away from him, you bastards!"
The young man struggled against his restraints.
One of the cloaked figures looked at him.
"Shut up."
*BAM!*
A hard kick struck the young man's chin.
His eyes rolled back, and his body went limp.
The sight of its master getting hurt made Blitz immediately go feral.
"GRRRRRR!"
The Fiend of Chaos violently pulled against its restraints.
The ropes tightened around its body as several cloaked figures desperately pulled backward.
"Hold the ropes! Don't let it break free!"
"Someone get more restraints!"
"We don't have time! We need to leave!"
Another figure looked toward the others and glanced toward the unconscious young man.
"Grab the boy. We must return to our King immediately before those Counter Corps bastards figure out what we're doing."
A large magic circle began forming near the group.
The group, along with the young man and Blitz, were about to leave...
*SHING!*
But an ornate spear suddenly flew from the darkness, struck the center of the magic circle, and embedded itself into the trunk of a nearby tree.
*SHATTER!*
The teleportation circle shattered instantly.
The figures were thrown backward.
"What?! Impossible!"
Then they heard footsteps.
*Step.*
*Step.*
*Step.*
*Step.*
A man slowly emerged from between the trees.
He walked calmly, hands relaxed, his expression composed.
Cao Cao stopped several meters away from the group.
He looked over the situation.
The unconscious young man, the restrained Húndùn, and the group of cloaked figures.
Cao Cao smiled politely.
"Good evening."
Cao Cao gestured toward the unconscious young man.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate it if you left that man and his dog alone."
"..."
One of the cloaked figures slowly looked back at the spear embedded in the tree.
His eyes widened as recognition flashed across his face.
"The True Longinus!"
He pointed at Cao Cao.
"He's one of the Counter Corps! The Heavenly Lancer, Cao Cao!"
The cloaked figures immediately began forming magic circles or pulling out their weapons, which made Cao Cao sigh in disappointment.
"Guess that's a no, then."
Cao Cao looked at the incoming attacks.
"What a shame."
He raised one hand and curled his fingers slightly.
The True Longinus suddenly moved.
The spear violently ripped itself from the tree.
The spear spun through the air and passed through the restraints holding Blitz.
At the same time, the spear continued spinning towards the attackers.
Several cloaked figures barely had time to react.
"What the-?"
Their heads were separated from their bodies and their blood sprayed across the grass.
The True Longinus continued flying back toward its user.
During that moment, the Húndùn simply stared at the broken ropes around its body, then at its unconscious master, and then at the attackers.
Its eyes narrowed.
"GRRRRRRR..."
One of the cloaked figures noticed.
"SHIT!"
Too late.
Blitz charged.
The Fiend slammed into one of the figures, and they crashed into a tree.
Blitz immediately turned toward another.
The attacker fired a concentrated blast of flame.
*BOOM!*
The fire engulfed Blitz, but soon enough, the flames suddenly began dissipating.
Blitz emerged from the smoke larger than before, and its aura had intensified.
The cloaked figure screamed as Blitz charged.
At the same time, Cao Cao caught the True Longinus in midair.
The moment his hand closed around the spear, he vanished.
*SLASH!*
One instant, a cloaked figure's head was thrown across the park.
Cao Cao appeared behind another attacker who swung their blade toward his head.
Cao Cao tilted his head slightly, and the blade missed by centimeters.
He stepped forward.
*STAB!*
His spear penetrated through the stomachs of three attackers.
Cao Cao spun and struck the butt of the True Longinus on another's skull, cracking it open.
*CRACK!*
Another figure fired lightning, and Cao Cao disappeared from its path; the bolt struck the ground.
"Too fast!"
*BOOM!*
Cao Cao appeared beside the attacker.
"Nah, you're just slow."
*SLASH!*
Meanwhile, Blitz was becoming increasingly dangerous.
The other attackers threw everything they had at Blitz, but it took every attack.
In their panic, they had forgotten that every time it was hurt, it became stronger.
The creature grew, its body became larger, and its aura became heavier.
One attacker stared in horror.
"Why is it getting stronger?!"
"Don't stop! Keep attacking!"
"Are you insane?! Have you forgotten that-!"
The Húndùn slammed its front limbs into the ground.
*BOOM!*
The earth cracked beneath its paws, causing the cloaked figures to stumble.
Blitz turned to one of them with its jaws open.
"NO-!"
*CRUNCH!*
The figure was thrown aside.
Cao Cao glanced over for a moment and watched the Húndùn's carnage unfold.
"..."
He hummed faintly out of interest.
"So that's the Fiend of Chaos."
Another cloaked figure suddenly attacked him from behind.
Cao Cao didn't even turn.
He simply stepped aside, and the attack missed.
He rotated his spear like a buzzsaw, bisecting the attacker from their torso.
Another came from his left.
Cao Cao ducked, and their blade passed above his head.
He stepped inside their guard.
*BAM!*
His elbow struck their chest, then the spear swept upward.
The attacker was cut down.
One by one, the cloaked figures were being slaughtered.
Cao Cao remained standing in the middle of it all.
The last surviving attacker looked around.
The park became a gorefest, bodies everywhere, and blood stained the grass.
The attacker began trembling.
"No..."
He stepped backward.
"No, no, no... wait, wait, wait..."
Cao Cao looked at him.
The attacker turned around and ran.
"I have to get away!"
He stumbled through the grass.
"I can't die here! I can't die here! I can't die here!"
Then Cao Cao appeared in front of him, resting the True Longinus casually on his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The attacker stumbled backward in panic.
He tried crawling away.
"Please, spare me! I don't wanna die!"
Cao Cao remained standing there in silence.
The attacker desperately dragged himself backward.
Then his back hit something warm and furry.
He froze.
Slowly, he looked upward, and Blitz was standing behind him.
Blitz bared its fangs and opened its jaws.
"WAI-!"
*CRUNCH!*
The scream lasted less than a second.
"..."
Cao Cao looked at the Húndùn in silence, then looked around the park.
Blood covered the grass.
Several trees had been damaged.
Bodies were scattered everywhere.
He sighed in pity.
"This park's groundskeeper is either gonna be traumatized for life or lose their breakfast."
Cao Cao shook his head and looked toward the unconscious young man.
His expression became more serious.
Cao Cao approached him.
But after taking a step...
"GRRRRRR..."
Blitz immediately turned toward him; its eyes were locked on Cao Cao.
Cao Cao stopped.
He looked at the Húndùn growling at him.
Its body remained tense.
Cao Cao calmly raised his empty hand.
"Relax. I'm a friend."
Cao Cao slowly lowered the True Longinus, and it vanished into light.
"See? I'm unarmed."
He held both hands out.
Neither Cao Cao nor Blitz moved.
The Húndùn slowly lowered its head and sniffed the air.
Then cautiously approached Cao Cao, who didn't move.
Soon, the Fiend of Chaos was standing directly in front of the Hero of Chaos.
Cao Cao looked at the creature that was almost as tall as him.
For several seconds, neither said anything.
Then Cao Cao spoke.
"You know... ignoring the blood and gore..."
He slowly reached out and touched Blitz's blood-soaked fur and gently scratched beneath its chin.
Blitz's eyes softened, and its tail began moving left and right.
Cao Cao smiled.
"...You're actually a good boy, aren't you?"
Blitz's tail wagged harder.
Cao Cao continued scratching its chin and neck.
"You're certainly an interesting Sacred Gear."
Blitz gave a low, contented growl.
Suddenly, a groan came from nearby.
Cao Cao stopped what he was doing and looked toward the young man, who was slowly opening his eyes slightly.
"Ugh... Huh..."
He slowly pushed himself upright.
He looked forward and saw Blitz was happily being petted by a stranger.
The young man blinked.
"Wha... What the...?"
He looked around.
His confusion immediately became horror.
Blood and bodies were everywhere.
"W-What the hell is going on?!"
Cao Cao stopped petting Blitz.
He looked toward the young man.
"Hey, you. You're finally awake."
Hyousuke froze.
"...Huh?"
Cao Cao approached him.
"I'm guessing you're Hyousuke Koga?"
The young man's eyes narrowed.
"H-How do you know my name?"
Cao Cao didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he crouched beside him and began removing the restraints.
Blitz watched cautiously.
Cao Cao calmly broke the final restraint.
"Tonight just isn't your night, huh."
Hyousuke looked toward the dead attackers.
"Uhh... Yeah, I... I noticed."
Before he could say anything else, Blitz suddenly approached and gently licked Hyousuke's face.
"Blitz. You're okay."
"Woof!"
Blitz wagged its tail.
Cao Cao watched the reunion.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I think we should get out of here before the cavalry arrives."
Cao Cao gestured toward the surrounding park.
Hyousuke immediately stood.
"Wait."
Cao Cao looked at him.
"Who are you? What exactly is going on? Who were those people chasing us, and why are they doing this?"
Cao Cao remained calm.
"All your answers will be explained later. But for now, follow me."
Hyousuke frowned.
"Do you expect us to follow someone we just met?"
Cao Cao smiled faintly.
"That's fair."
A magic circle suddenly appeared beneath Cao Cao's feet.
Hyousuke immediately stepped back.
"Whoa!"
Blitz growled slightly.
Cao Cao raised one hand.
"Listen. First of all, my name is Cao Cao. Second, I'll give you two choices."
Hyousuke stared.
"What?"
Cao Cao pointed toward the circle.
"First, you stay inside, and the others and I will explain everything once we're somewhere safe."
Hyousuke looked suspicious.
"And the second?"
Cao Cao calmly stared at him.
"You walk away."
Hyousuke blinked.
"I walk away... Just like that?"
Cao Cao nodded.
"Just like that. You have my word I won't stop you. But..."
Cao Cao glanced toward the dead attackers.
"I can't say the same for whoever is chasing you and your dog friend."
Hyousuke's expression darkened.
He looked at Blitz.
"Should we trust him?"
Blitz stared at Cao Cao.
Cao Cao simply waited.
The Húndùn slowly approached the circle and sat down with its tail beginning to wag.
Hyousuke blinked.
"Really?"
"Woof!"
Blitz continued wagging its tail.
Hyousuke looked between them and sighed.
"Fine."
He stepped onto the magic circle.
He pointed at Cao Cao.
"But if you try anything suspicious..."
Cao Cao nodded.
"I know."
Hyousuke narrowed his eyes.
"Where exactly are we going?"
Cao Cao looked at him.
"Somewhere safe."
The magic circle began glowing.
Moments later, Cao Cao, Hyousuke Koga, and Blitz the Húndùn vanished from the bloodstained park.
DxD
Inside a deserted department store, the sound of battle echoed through the abandoned halls.
In the middle of the ruin stood a young man.
His spiked-up, dyed-brown hair was disheveled, and his gray eyes were narrowed with exhaustion.
His clothes were torn in several places, and blood trickled from a cut above his eyebrow.
Beside him stood a white cat with two tails, and its ears were flattened as it hissed at the surrounding enemies.
"Hisssss!"
Around them stood a group of cloaked figures.
Several were injured, while one of them was calmly sitting against a fallen shelf.
"Enough. You and the Táowù have resisted long enough."
The Fiend of Ignorance hissed angrily and generated electricity.
"Hisssss!"
The young man wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and spat a small amount of blood onto the floor.
He cracked his neck.
"How about you fuck off before me and Byakusa beat the shit out of all of you."
The cloaked figures began forming magic circles.
"Then die."
Several magical formations appeared.
The young man lowered his stance.
Byakusa's fur bristled with electricity.
Just as the attackers prepared to charge...
*KNOCK!* x3
Someone outside was knocking on the window.
Everyone paused.
The young man's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
Then a voice echoed from outside the department store.
"FBI OPEN UP!"
*ROOOAAAR!*
A massive roar erupted from outside.
The shockwave tore through the building.
Every remaining window in the department store shattered simultaneously as glass rained across the interior.
The cloaked figures were thrown off balance.
"What the hell?!"
"What was that?!"
A pair of silhouettes suddenly burst through one of the shattered windows.
The golden beast landed heavily on the floor, and the impact cracked the tiles.
Behind it came a muscular teen with long white hair and an enormous grin.
Heracles looked around.
"Did someone order an ass-kicking?"
The young man stared.
"...The hell?"
Regulus beside Heracles immediately charged.
One sweeping claw ripped across the floor, causing the floor to split apart.
Several cloaked figures were thrown into the air in pieces.
"AAAAAGH!"
Regulus leaped as his jaws closed around one attacker and tossed them across the room.
Another attempted to attack him from behind.
Regulus turned.
*SLASH!*
His claws struck the person, resulting in a shockwave that sent the person flying in pieces.
Meanwhile, Heracles grinned.
"So, who wants to go first?"
He charged at two cloaked figures who attempted to intercept him.
Heracles grabbed both by their heads.
He lifted them effortlessly and slammed them into the floor.
The impact shook the floor as their bodies went limp.
Heracles cracked his neck.
"Who's next?"
The remaining attackers stared in horror.
One of them suddenly recognized him.
"It's the Counter Corps' Lion King, Heracles!"
Another figure looked toward Regulus.
"And that's his Longinus, Regulus Nemea!"
Heracles' grin widened.
"Yep. That's me. I don't take autographs, though."
Regulus huffed.
"At least treat the situation seriously, you idiot."
The cloaked figures immediately began attacking.
"Don't let them escape with the targets!"
They all fired magic toward the duo.
Explosions engulfed Heracles and Regulus, causing smoke to fill the area.
The young delinquent instinctively raised his arms to shield himself and Byakusa.
As the smoke cleared, Heracles was standing in the middle of the destruction.
He looked down at himself, clothes barely scratched, then at the attackers.
"Was that supposed to hurt?"
Regulus emerged beside him and shook the dust from his mane.
He looked unimpressed.
"That was pitiful."
The attackers trembled.
"Impossible..."
The attackers fired again in desperation.
Heracles simply walked forward, with Regulus walking alongside him.
More magical attacks struck them, yet neither slowed down.
Eventually, the attacks stopped.
Heracles stopped as well.
"You guys done?"
Nobody answered as they were busy recovering.
An orange aura suddenly erupted around Heracles' body.
"My turn, motherfuckers!"
He charged.
"RAAAAAAAAGH!"
The attackers panicked.
Heracles smashed through their formation.
The explosions created by his Sacred Gear, Variant Detonation, sent the group flying through the empty shelves and cracked walls.
Another attacker attempted to stab him.
Heracles caught the weapon with his bare hand, crushed it, then punched the attacker into the wall.
Meanwhile, Regulus was tearing through the attackers.
His claws ripped through their defenses, and his jaws snapped shut around their weapons.
"Pathetic!"
He swatted another attacker across the room.
The delinquent and Byakusa stared.
He looked at Heracles.
"What... the hell is that guy?"
Heracles slammed an attacker through a table.
*CRASH!*
The young man stared.
"He has explosions coming out of his hands."
Byakusa tilted its head.
"Meow?"
"And there's a lion... that can talk?"
Regulus bit another attacker and threw them away.
Byakusa's ears twitched.
"Meow..."
The young man swallowed.
"I don't even know what the fuck is happening anymore."
Within minutes, the battle had become completely one-sided.
Bodies were scattered across the department store.
Weapons lay broken across the floor, and most of the attackers had been defeated or killed.
Only one remained.
Oddly enough, he hadn't participated.
He had simply been sitting near a fallen shelf.
Now he slowly stood, revealing his tall figure.
Heracles looked at him and was a bit surprised.
"Whoa. You're so big... Pause."
The man removed his cloak.
Underneath was a gigantic, muscular bald man with broad shoulders and massive arms.
(His physique looked like if a professional wrestler and a bodybuilder had sex and this is the result, but it's still pale in comparison to Grandpa Vasco.)
Heracles thought as he cracked his knuckles.
"Hey, brat."
Heracles pointed at himself.
"Me?"
The muscular man said as he flexed his muscles, showing his bulging veins.
"Don't get cocky just because you beat those weaklings. Real warriors fight with their fists. Not with the help of an overgrown housecat."
Regulus froze as a vein seemed to twitch on his forehead.
"What did you just call me?"
The man ignored him.
"You kept relying on that oversized feline that you have grown complacent, brat."
Regulus' lips curled back.
"Heracles. Let me kill him. He called me a housecat."
The Greek hero glanced at him and laughed a bit.
"Hahahahaha... Don't worry, bud. I'll handle this one."
Regulus stared at Heracles, cracking his knuckles for several seconds.
Then the Lion King sighed.
"Fine. I'll just sit back and watch you embarrass yourself."
Heracles smirked.
"Heh. Probably."
Regulus stepped back and sat down next to the delinquent and Byakusa, who were watching from the sidelines.
Heracles walked forward; the muscular man did the same, and the two men faced one another.
"Before I kill you, be honored that I shall let you know my name."
Heracles raised an eyebrow.
"Be honored?"
"Yes."
The man's expression became arrogant.
"I am the reincarnation of an ancient giant. I am the greatest warrior of the Philistines. I am the mighty Goliath!"
"..."
Heracles stared in silence.
"Who?"
The moment he said that, Goliath's confident expression disappeared.
"What?"
Heracles scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry for the lack of reaction, but I'm not really well-versed in other myths."
Regulus immediately slapped a paw against his face.
"Are you kidding me, Heracles?"
Heracles looked toward him.
"What?"
"He's Goliath!"
Regulus pointed his claw toward the muscular man.
"He's a character from the Bible! Specifically, the giant that was killed by a slingshot from the shepherd boy who later became the king of Israel."
Heracles blinked.
"Ohhh..."
Regulus continued.
"Even I knew who that is, and I am from Ancient Greece. How can you not know that?"
Heracles shrugged.
"I just can't be bothered worrying about the other mythos that I fight."
"You fought other mythological beings daily! You should expand your knowledge more to understand who you are facing in the future."
"Yeah, but I can't memorize everybody."
"You really are an idiot."
"Hey! Now you're just being mean."
Goliath's forehead developed a visible tick mark.
"STOP IGNORING ME!"
Both Heracles and Regulus looked toward him.
Goliath roared.
"I AM THE MIGHTY GOLIATH! AND I WILL NOT BE MOCKED BY SOME BRAT AND HIS PET!"
He charged.
The delinquent instinctively shouted.
"Watch out!"
Goliath threw a punch.
"Take this!"
Heracles casually caught the fist.
*THUD!*
Goliath's eyes widened, and his expression became incredulous.
"Impossible."
Heracles looked at his somewhat shaken hand, and then at Goliath.
"Huh... That was a solid punch. Seven out of ten."
Goliath snarled.
"Don't mock me!"
He pulled his arm back and immediately unleashed another punch.
Heracles blocked it with his palm again.
*BOOM!*
A small shockwave rippled through the store.
Goliath threw another punch, and another, and another.
Heracles continued blocking every single punch with one hand.
Goliath's expression became increasingly furious.
"Why won't you die?!"
He unleashed a barrage.
His fists became a blur.
Every strike created shockwaves.
Yet Heracles didn't move as he simply kept blocking.
"Come on. You can do better than that, man."
Goliath growled.
"Fight back!"
Heracles grinned.
"I am."
After half a minute of punching, Goliath's breathing became heavier, his movements slowed, and his muscles trembled.
Eventually, Goliath stopped.
He was panting heavily.
"Haa... Haa... Haa... Haa..."
Heracles smiled.
"Not bad, man."
Goliath looked up.
Heracles slowly clenched his fist.
Touki slowly began surrounding his arm and gathered around his fist.
Goliath's eyes widened.
"Wait."
Heracles stepped forward.
"My turn."
Goliath's pupils shrank as Heracles' fist struck Goliath directly in the chest, causing a sickening crack.
*BOOOOOM!!!*
There was a horrible impact.
Goliath's eyes almost bulged out of his socket as blood erupted from his mouth.
His chest visibly caved beneath the force.
"GAH!"
His entire body was launched backward and crashed through a wall.
*BOOM!*
Then another.
*CRASH!*
Then another.
*BOOM!*
He disappeared into a cloud of dust.
"..."
The young man stared in shock and awe.
Byakusa stared with its mouth open.
Heracles shook his fist.
"Phew. That was a good fight."
Regulus smirked.
"Calling that a fight is a bit of an understatement."
Heracles looked at him.
"Thanks."
"I wasn't complimenting you."
"Oh... Oh well."
Heracles shrugged.
The delinquent finally looked toward the enormous hole Goliath had created.
"What the fuck?"
Heracles turned toward him.
"Hey."
The young man flinched slightly.
Heracles approached him and looked the delinquent up and down.
"You good, man? Because you look like shit."
The young man wiped the blood from his mouth and nodded.
"Yeah... I'm good. This is nothing..."
Heracles smiled.
"Good."
Regulus walked over next to his host, then looked at the young man and his cat.
"You must be Kouki Samejima."
Kouki's eyes widened.
"You know me? How?"
Regulus pointed his nose toward the Fiend of Ignorance.
"The Táowù on your shoulder is a dead giveaway."
Kouki looked at Byakusa, who tilted its head.
"Meow?"
Then back at Regulus.
"You... You know what Byakusa is?"
He stared at the golden lion.
Regulus raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously. I know an Independent Avatar-Type Sacred Gear when I see one."
Kouki blinked.
"Independent Avatar- the fuck is all that crap you said?"
Suddenly, Byakusa jumped from Kouki's shoulder and landed on the floor.
It looked directly at Regulus, then immediately crouched down in submission.
"Meow."
Regulus blinked.
He looked down at Byakusa and proudly raised his head.
"Hmph! At least this one has proper manners."
He glanced toward Heracles.
"Unlike a certain idiot."
Heracles looked jokingly offended.
"Hey! This idiot has feelings, you know."
Regulus ignored him as he basked in the Táowù's prostration.
Kouki stared between the two.
"What the hell is going on with my life these past few days? First this two-tailed cat that can electrocute me showed up in my sleep, next all of my classmates disappeared, then a group of cloaked guys attacked me on my way home, and now a talking lion and a buff guy who can make explosions from his hands are talking to me like we're buddies."
Heracles laughed.
"Hahahahahaha. Yeah. I can tell how super fucked up this situation is from your point of view."
He walked over and tapped Kouki on the shoulder, which made him nearly stumble.
"I'm Heracles, by the way."
He pointed toward the golden lion.
"And this grumpy oversized housecat is Regulus."
Regulus growled.
"Call me that again, and I'll bite your arm off."
Heracles smirked.
"Love you too, bud."
Byakusa jumped back onto Kouki's shoulder as it stared at the two.
"So, Kouki. I hope you can still move around because we're going out."
Heracles glanced around the ruined department store.
"And preferably somewhere that isn't currently falling apart."
Kouki looked around at the wreckage.
"Fair point."
Kouki frowned at Heracles.
"But where the hell are you taking us?"
Heracles pointed toward himself.
"Back at our place, dude. My friends and I are gonna have a long chat with you and others like you."
DxD
Hello readers!
I'm facing a lot of important shit right now, so I'm gonna be too busy to be making new chapters.
Don't worry, I won't drop this fanfic, and I'll make sure to keep in touch during my free time.
You can give me emotional support by donating all your Power Stones to me and also adding this fanfic to your library.
Thank you, everyone, and see you later!