He hid his head between his knees. He didn’t want to leave. Maybe that door would go away. Maybe…maybe he wouldn’t have to die.

  "Get up, boy. Your problems will not fade by running from them."

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  |DxD|- Chapter 3- Confrontation

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  Marcei von Dimori, a man who prioritised pragmatic efficiency above all else, especially emotional needs. He was ruthless in his planning and ruthless in his execution, even to himself.

  Igor was a child who had never undergone training and knew nothing of the supernatural world. The moment that stray devil found the hourglass figurine anchoring the time chamber to reality, he had already prepared a fail-safe. In the event the exit was left open for more than a minute, a delayed spell would trigger, manifesting a temporary clone.

  From within the glowing gate, a very small sparkle floated away. It was like a snowflake, barely visible to the naked eye were it not for the faint light it emitted. That sparkle slowly expanded until a very translucent figure of an old man formed. It was a clone formed from the last vestigial trace of Marcei’s soul. It carried his consciousness and life experience.

  Marcei opened his eyes. His body was a translucent pale blue. Behind, the gate shimmered like chimes in the wind. The gate would not stay open for long. Without energy, the chamber would soon become an uninhabitable chaotic space if Igor continued to linger.

  “Sigh…”

  He’d hoped it would not come to this. He hovered forward and phased through the wall. Guilt gripped him when he saw Igor. His hair was dishevelled. His pants had faded and torn from years of use.

  He…had no words to say. There was nothing he could say when Igor believed he was facing his last day. Even during the war, their clan did not send children to fight. Yet here he was…condemning their last scion to fight beasts known for their cannibalism.

  [I detest this world.]

  He suppressed the disgust at himself. His past and current actions would only sicken him more, but he saw no other choice. Even if it meant he would be scorned by their ancestors, even if it meant being seen as an abomination, he would still send Igor to fight because their clan, their heritage, could not end here, not after everything they’ve sacrificed.

  "Get up, boy. Your problems will not fade by running from them."

  Marcei’s voice had steel. Igor looked around predictably. When the boy raised his head, Marcei forced himself not to look away from the horror, disbelief, and confusion behind those tear-stricken eyes.

  “Teacher M-Marcei?”

  Marcei expected a far worse form of address. How joyous it would’ve been to have taught him personally.

  "You have trained very hard, Igor. You have far exceeded what I expected you to achieve."

  “...”

  Igor couldn’t speak. So many thoughts and feelings circled through his head, but the most prevalent was relief, relief so refreshing he almost smiled with joy. His eyes glimmered with hope that everything would be alright, that maybe there was a chance Marcei would handle everythi—

  "My appearance here is temporary and unfortunately, my influence cannot extend beyond this space. In other words, I cannot help you, Igor."

  Igor’s eyes widened just briefly. The sparkle of hope had once more been shattered. His head fell until his chin touched his chest. His throat clogged so he couldn’t speak or scream. The weight of the world pressed down on his narrow shoulders. It was too much to bear.

  Marcei could see all his reactions and he lamented inwardly. This was a difficult position for the child. Outside was a stray devil with strength beyond human limits. Igor was a lad too young to wield mana. It was so ridiculous Marcei would laugh out loud if it wasn’t their reality. Did God truly abandon them?

  "Igor. I will not lie to you and state you have a one-hundred-percent chance of winning for that would be a lie. However, I will promise you my guidance. I will show you what the beast looks like and what points to strike to ensure victory. As long as we work together, your chances of victory will improve."

  “...”

  Igor twitched, but that was all he did. He heard Marcei. He grasped the main point. Marcei wasn’t here to help. He was here to push him. He wanted him to fight. The thought made Igor shiver. He knew what pain was. He’d pricked himself with the spear enough times to know. That…monster, it wouldn’t stop just because he asked.

  So he did not get up. He did not respond. He showed not even a glimmer of hope. His hair hid his face like a veil, his knees forming prison bars around him. He was steeped in darkness he saw no hope of escaping from.

  “Boy. You cannot…sigh…”

  Marcei hung his head and let the words remain buried. He almost cursed himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. He could feel the ebb of the Gap slowly swallowing this place. Death here meant no afterlife.

  “Cannot? Cannot what?! What am I supposed to do, huh?!?!”

  Igor suddenly stood up, enraged from the depths of his heart. His fists were clenched so tight the veins on his arm bulged.

  “You stole me from mom and dad and told me to fight a monster! You didn’t explain anything to me! You didn’t…you didn’t even help me! You abandoned me and left me here for FIVE YEARS!!!!”

  His eyes reddened like hot coals. Years of swallowed rage boiled over. There was not a single day he did not wish to be home, not one moment he didn’t wish for a normal life with his family.

  “I’m ten years old! Other kids have normal lives and get to live with their families! I DON’T!!! They get to go to school and have friends! I CAN’T!!! I’m thrown in here and told to train to kill some beast! WHY!? WHY ME!?! TELL ME WHY?! WHY!!!!”

  He screamed until his throat went dry. His fingers went numb from how tightly he clenched his fists and tears prickled the corners of his eyes like dew drops.

  Marcei endured it quietly. He wasn’t angry at the boy, but at everyone present on that fateful day, including himself. The boy should’ve been raised on the truth. Not a reality woven with lies.

  "I…apologize."

  He had no justification. Nothing he said could shirk the role he played.

  “You are correct in blaming us. We are indeed responsible for what has happened to you. No amount of reasoning can justify the harm done upon you.”

  His gaze hardened.

  “But this world has rarely worked on reasoning. Only necessity. You, Igor, were a necessity…for all other options were exhausted.”

  Recalling those grim days would always be unpleasant for him, but the boy needed to know because soon, he would learn that the whole life he knew was nothing but a tapestry of woven illusions. Reality…was far grimmer.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “You want answers. I understand and sympathize with you. You will receive them before today’s sunset. You have my word. The only premise, is that you survive, because only on the premise you survive can I divulge everything.”

  “...”

  Igor was silent. It wasn’t out of contemplation, but disbelief.

  “What…?”

  Marcei…was still hiding secrets from him!? Igor was just about to react with violence when the ground tremored. He placed a hand against the door to balance himself. He heard something falling in his room, but his eyes were caught by Marcei’s actions.

  Marcei had lowered himself so they were level just like all those years ago. This time, his eyes didn’t hold cruelty but…pleading?

  “I apologise, Igor. For everything you have endured, I sincerely apologise. But please, Igor. Please fight. Not because I forced you. Not because you have to. But because you…you…”

  Marcei turned his back. He couldn’t finish the words, that Igor was the last of their clan. It would invite more questions, force more pressure on the boy, and…and—oh who was he fooling. He couldn’t bring himself to say those words for he would be acknowledging reality. The days had long passed when their people lived in peace…buried beneath the tides of history.

  “You…said you’d show me, right?”

  Igor’s voice came out in a very low mutter, so low it could be a whisper, but Marcei heard him clearly. He could only imagine how much will it took for Igor to say those words. When he faced the boy, his gaze wavered, but they remained solid in determination.

  Igor had taken the first step where he had back-tracked, shown strength where he showed hesitation. It was funny. A child showed more spine in a crucial moment where he bent. Marcei allowed a ghost of a smile to form as he regained composure. He would do his best to ensure Igor survived. It was the least the boy deserved.

  “I will. Once you see the beast, you will know its threat is only cosmetic…a facade you can shatter with swift strikes.”

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  |DxD|

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  Igor stood before the gate with his spear firmly grasped in his hand. His eyes showed his wavering confidence, but he would no longer run. Marcei stood next to him and they both looked through the gate.

  The shimmering white had faded to reveal a glass-like view of a wounded man sitting against a tree. He looked older with strands of white hair threading through his beard. His tattered newsboy cap hid most of his face, but Igor saw a hint of dark eyes underneath.

  The man’s right hand was on his left shoulder, seemingly massaging it. He looked more like a vagrant than a monster.

  “Is that…it?”

  Igor’s grip on his spear slackened just a bit. His eyes held more confusion than anything. He trained all these years to fight a beast, not a person. This man was tired and alone. Was he really a beast? Maybe they could just talk.

  “Yes, Igor. The ‘it’ you refer to is a species known as devils. Do not be fooled by their human appearance. They can easily change into monsters if given enough time. You are not to give him that time. As long as he’s like this, he is at his weakest.”

  “...”

  Igor didn’t reply. He felt a little more than conflicted. He had imagined a shadow creature with many limbs and sharp teeth at the worst. This guy looked and felt weird, but it didn’t mean he wanted to hurt him—

  “Listen to your instincts, Igor. This is a predator who will consume you. This thing has consumed humans before. That is why you feel the way you do. Because you sense the killing intent around him. You sense that this beast has taken the lives of other sentient beings. If you do not end this beast, then it will end others.”

  “Others…?”

  Igor questioned silently. He looked at Marcei again. There was a thumping in his heart and a sense of trepidation.

  “Take my word of advice. Do not doubt what you feel. Eyes may lie to you, but your instincts will not.”

  Marcei commented sternly. He was only a clone that would fade away as soon as Igor walked through that door. The boy had trained and had hardened through the years. His isolation meant he became more in-tune with his instincts.

  Marcei held the absolute confidence that the moment Igor truly saw the beast, instinct would take over. The body does not consider the appearance or morality like the human mind. It only recognises danger. Every muscle in his body would scream at Igor to run. His job was to ensure Igor fought instead.

  “When you fight the beast, do not feel for it. Do not pity it. It has killed and eaten far more than you can imagine. When you strike, do not be afraid. Do not over-commit and most importantly, never, ever rush and especially, never stay still. It is faster than it looks. Remember. Your goal is to survive. Victory is secondary.”

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  |DxD|

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  April 16, 1991, Kuoh Town, Japan

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  Deep within the forests of Kuoh, a man sprinted across the forest floor. He moved faster than a shadow, fast enough to be heard but barely visible. His boots crushed the leaf-litter like never-ending applause. He weaved around thick trunks with no break in speed.

  His breaths were harsh and wild from fatigue. There was a reason for his running. He was being hunted and the sense of urgency had made him run since before sunrise. He’d covered a significant distance after escaping Kuoh. His body was strong, but he did not possess infinite stamina. After hours of running, he steadily ran out of strength.

  His steps slowed and he soon stopped after finding a spot to rest. His legs were numb from all that moving. He sat down on the leaf litter with his back against the tree. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes just for a brief period of rest.

  “Damned exorcists.”

  He cursed underneath his breath. He’d been struck by a holy blade on his shoulder. It was only a surface wound, yet his entire arm felt numb as if it had been electrified. Curse his luck for encountering members of the church during his escape.

  “Tch! I’ll kill that damned Belial as well.”

  The town of Kuoh was a human settlement treated mostly as a backwater town. It showed a good growth trajectory on paper, but it shouldn’t have been important enough that it warranted an overseer from a Pillar Family of the Underworld.

  He grimaced in pain when he tried to take off the jacket. Part of the leather had melted onto the wound. He saw no way of removing it unless he tore it off, but just tugging on it slightly aggravated his wound.

  “Argh…”

  He stopped the attempt. It would be better to try again once it was night. His abilities should be strong enough by then to accelerate his healing. Though, given how it was still early morning, he would have to wait a while. The life of a low class devil was never easy, especially being a stray.

  Jonathan allowed himself a brief period of rest by closing his eyes. The sun barely sifted through the leaf canopy. A few stray beams of light were here and there. The air smelled of snapped leaves and broken stems from all the shrubs he crushed beneath his boots.

  He shifted his posture and took out a small item from his pocket. It was a small prize taken during his escape. He brushed aside the dirt and mud with his thumb. It was a tiny hourglass barely the size of a thumb. It was ordinary in appearance, but he was sure it was some sort of artifact.

  He grinned happily. His useless sacred gear finally became useful for once by helping him find this. He could detect energy signatures within a limited range. Anything that can attract senjutsu energy is undoubtedly of high value. Maybe he could trade it in for safe haven with the yokai.

  It was unheard of to find a secret tomb this deep in the forest. Perhaps it might contain a few more treasures, but digging had already taken a lot of time. Other than that woman’s dried corpse, there was nothing else he could take besides this tiny…trinket.

  [Hehe~…]

  This trinket was useless to him, but the yokai would be very interested. Maybe it’d be valuable enough for him to gain an audience with Yasaka. If the leader of the yokai personally took interest in this trinket, she might reward him with asylum—

  “?”

  That was…odd. The hourglass suddenly vanished from his hand. The absurdity was so much he had trouble computing it in his head. Jonathan sat up a little straighter. It was quite literally pinched between his thumb and pointing finger. Now there was a gap. He knew he wasn’t crazy. There were still dirt lodged in his nails and clinging onto the tips of his fingers.

  What he did not notice was the blonde boy who had appeared out of thin air. There were no spatial or energy fluctuations. He was too unguarded to feel the displacement of air or notice the dangerous weapon edging close to his face.

  *Puchi!*

  “?!?!?!?!”

  Blood splattered everywhere. A soul-crushing pain spread throughout his body. A sharp blade had been stabbed into his eye. Half of his vision turned dark in an instant.

  “AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

  His throat gargled as the weapon was ripped from his eye socket. The eyeball ruptured like a balloon. Blood and clear fluid leaked out in an endless flow. The taste of blood seeping through the corners of his mouth dosed him back to reality. Someone pierced his eye!

  Jonathan raised his hand to protect his face. The pain was agonizing and adrenaline surged into his body. He endured the disorientation and opened his other eye, and the sight had him horrified. The tip of the spear became bigger and bigger in his vision. It was headed for his remaining eye!

  “?!”

  He instinctively reacted by raising his forearm to block. The blade grazed it, but it was deflected and penetrated the trunk above him with a thunk. He looked upward in fear. Death had arrived yet again. The spear was pulled back swiftly and this time, he managed to see his assaulter. It wasn’t an exorcist. It wasn’t one of Cleria’s dogs. It was…a child, and the realisation gave birth to overwhelming anger.

  “BASTARD!!!!”

  He raised his hand and grabbed the spear aimed for his throat. The bladed edge pierced the skin of his fingers, but did not extend into the muscle. He gripped it firmly in his hand, but a sudden twist of the weapon made his hand bend awkwardly. He lost his grip on it and after a brief retreat, the boy thrust for the eye again with swift efficiency.

  *Puchi!*

  The spear pierced true right through his palm. The moment felt as if his entire hand was steeped in a barrel of flames. The spear tore free, ripping muscles and tendons with it. He cried from the pain, but instinct finally kicked in and made him channel demonic energy through his injured palm. The combined pain was so hot he almost lost consciousness, but he was too angry to care.

  “DIEEEE!!!”

  Chapter 3

  END