Chapitre 18: Challenge
The trigger was the demon Zepar.
"Irina! Why would you do this?"
"Didn't you hear? Everything is for the Lion King! "
"The...Lion King?"
"Yeah! The Lord was not there. Michael had deceived us. But the Lion King is different. She is there. She will guide us correctly! I...we were mistaken. That being is the true goddess we should worship...!"
Through the negotiation with Ddraig during Hyoudou Issei's dream, when Zepar showed the future as the Oppai Dragon Emperor, he said, "This is your true form from another world. This is the conclusion of the choices that can still be discarded, the outcome of the possibilities that can still be eliminated."
"Damn it! Where did these knights come from? And why are they so strong?"
"Azazel, I'll burn them all together! Get out of the way!"
Another world. Zepar indeed used the term "another world." Although it could have been expressed as a parallel world in the proper sense, Zepar used the term "another world." There is no deep reason for it. It is not particularly wrong. It's just a coincidental choice of expression.
"Full Binding - Overweight Lake Light Arondight Overload!"
"Rebellion against my beautiful father, Clarence Blood Arthur!"
However, Ddraig was concerned about that "another world" part. He felt a strong sense of incongruity. Not the future, but another world. Not future sight, but viewing another world. He reached that conclusion on his own in this world.
The Demon God Pillars are the "genuine seventy-two pillars" that came from a different world.
"Huh, so there are dragons. Can't my father defeat them? Then I can defeat them too!"
"Wait, Mordred. Our mission is to retrieve the soul of the 'Red Dragon.' We shouldn't engage in unnecessary battles."
"Huh? We're just going to kill them all later, so it doesn't matter if we kill them here."
"That's not necessarily true. They might be chosen. Besides, it's already difficult for just the two of us. I wanted to do it after Azazel returned."
"Hah! If you have a complaint, go tell that self-proclaimed knight who went ahead on his own."
Sirzechs, Serafall, and the others are certainly genuine. But they are also genuine. From this world's perspective, it is not wrong to see Sirzechs and the others as genuine. Rather, it is the fakes who just happen to have the same names. Of course, from their side, Sirzechs and the others would be the fakes.
"What...are you, with Arondight and Clarence...! Who are you guys?"
"If you know the names of these swords, you should understand who we are, shouldn't you?"
"It can't be! That can't be possible...!"
"Huh? What do you mean? Well, it doesn't matter if you run away. I am Mordred after all!"
Even so, whether the seventy-two pillars were real or not didn't matter to Ddraig.
If there is indeed another world, and if the seventy-two pillars are there, then the existence of the Two Heavenly Dragons is highly probable. And that has become a reality.
Clearly, he sensed the presence of "someone who is not himself." Someone from the other side came here.
The seventy-two pillars from the other world are trying to eliminate "us" from this world. So what does the Red Dragon from another world come here to do?
He also intuited that. That presence was missing something. Just like himself, who became nothing but a soul, it was equally unstable. That's why he also sensed that it sought him in order to reinforce itself.
"G-Guaaaaah!"
"What! Issei! What did you do to Irina?"
"Hehehe. Then Issei-kun, will you give me Ddraig?"
The images shown by Zepar had a strong impact on Ddraig. However, he understood that those were not everything. Of course. That was a negative campaign to betray Ddraig. It wouldn't show the good parts. So what are the good parts?
Even if it had come to that point, Ddraig didn't feel the moment when he, Hyoudou Issei, would betray himself. In other words, even if that future Issei had such a pathetic state, he still possessed something more than enough to compensate for it. In reality, there were signs of that in the Issei he knew. Although he didn't have talent or special powers, he hoped that with proper guidance, Issei could become the "Greatest Red Dragon Emperor of All Time."
"D-Ddraig...?"
With that in mind, Ddraig felt an emotion he had never felt before with his previous hosts.
"Well then, Hyoudou Issei. Even if I'm gone, the gauntlet will still move. Train hard and become stronger. You don't have talent, but you have potential."
When he learned about Vali Lucifer, the strongest White Dragon Emperor, Ddraig thought it might be his defeat this time. However, even if there were elements such as luck, the opponent's arrogance, and the compatibility of the items he possessed, Hyoudou Issei overwhelmed Vali Lucifer. He managed to overcome the difference in talent, experience, and basic specs.
"I didn't dislike your reckless stupidity."
He wanted to fight this man. Not as his partner, but as an enemy, he wanted to witness this man's growth. If it's Hyoudou Issei, maybe—
"Defeat me and become the 'Heavenly Dragon.'"
The final achievement in my soul's lifetime.
***
"Have you ever thought about why you're fighting?"
Summoned back to the Time Temple for the Anti-Goddess Front, Xenovia posed that question to the humans who would soon be her comrades.
"Why are you fighting? To win, of course."
"But isn't it obvious that it's for yourself?"
Without any recollection, shame, hesitation, or concealment, Hercules and Jeanne, high-ranking members of the Hero Faction, declared so.
Seeing Xenovia visibly shocked, Hercules sighed before beginning to speak.
"Well, you see, I am the one who carries the soul of Hercules. Hercules, Hercules, Hercules! The mighty Hercules, the greatest hero of Greek mythology and a renowned hero of the stars! I carry the soul of such a man. It's impossible not to be happy about it. However, I went wild because of that. I believed I was the strongest. I didn't have any divine weapons or exorcism tools. That's when I met my mentor."
"Mentor?"
In response to Xenovia's question, Jeanne answered.
"Don't you know? They are different from the 'Master' or 'Professor.' They are the Heroic Spirits they summoned. By the way, Hercules called them his mentor on his own, but I don't remember ever becoming his disciple. I think they were from India, hehehe."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
With a mischievous smile, Jeanne looked at Hercules, causing him to feel both frustration and confusion.
"Well, Hercules challenged that person and was instantly defeated. In the end, he was scolded mercilessly... hehehe... I was depressed for about three days with this appearance. Then I tried to become their disciple and was immediately rejected, receiving more sarcastic remarks..."
"You said a lot of things too! Besides, there are parts that I didn't bother mentioning because I thought it was obvious."
"Huh? Like what?"
"That 'Your act of bowing for the sake of strength is strength itself.'"
"...That's quite an important part."
"Yeah. And for the sake of my mentor, I want to win. I want them to someday call me their proud disciple!"
That was not only a boyish wish but also a departure from what defined Hercules.
"As for me, it's for myself. Disappointed? If a woman carrying the soul of Saint Jeanne d'Arc fights, you would expect her to have noble aspirations, right?"
"N-No, it's not like that."
"You're making that face though."
With a playful smile, Jeanne made Xenovia even more troubled.
"It's impossible for me. I can't be like that. I can't help but hate the one who burned me. The saint did not bear a grudge against being labeled a witch. She did not hate people, countries, or gods. Not in life, nor in death. At least, that's how it was in the other world."
The other world. The world where the Demon Pillars existed. There, Jeanne d'Arc existed too. It is said that the stories of Durandal and Roland are also present there.
It's an absurd story about another world, but the existence of the Demon Pillars themselves proves it. Nevertheless, even if their otherness is set aside, it would be more convincing to say that they were artificially created life forms secretly produced by some organization.
To that "saint" from that world, Jeanne confided her inner thoughts.
"For me, it's impossible. I'm carrying a soul, using a name. But I am not...Jeanne...d'Arc. I am me."
I am myself.
Xenovia now only has Durandal. However, it's not because she carries the soul of Roland, but simply due to a coincidental factor of birth. She has no family. While there are entities like family, there is no place for her as an excommunicated individual. She doesn't possess any divine weapons. Durandal is also inferior to the previous wielder.
So, what is the factor that defines Xenovia as Xenovia?
"I fight for myself. I will win this battle and be admired as a strong and beautiful woman."
"Isn't that too shallow?"
Pointed out by Xenovia, who is more than half exasperated, Jeanne remains unapologetic.
"As I said earlier, I am merely another person carrying the soul of 'Saint Jeanne.' I don't have a flag to raise the morale. I don't have a strategist who devotes themselves to financial matters. I can't hear the voice of God. Maybe the only thing I can be the same as the real one is being burned at the stake. Not sure, though."
To the self-deprecating joke, Xenovia freezes, and Hercules chuckles wryly.
"If you say that, then I don't have Chiron, Amphitryon, Autolycus, Eurytus, Calydon, Linus, Iphitos, Pylades, Iolaus, Hyllus, Pyrrhus, Hippolyte, Deianeira... They're not here."
"What about Jason?"
"Cao Cao is probably around. Now that I think about it, the ship he prepared was more like a mud boat than the Argo. Thanks to that, I'm now on a slave ship."
Jeanne laughed, saying it was true.
"We were born with the right to become heroes."
Hercules clenches his large fist, tinged with a hint of sadness. It contained either fear towards those who would challenge him from now on, regret for the path he had walked, or a lingering attachment to the tranquility he might have experienced.
"But maybe there was no need for us to aspire to become heroes after all."
It's not like they intended to turn back now. They just have to keep walking, even if it's just one step, to reduce those regrets and attachments even slightly.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes."
"B-But can we win? The opponent is a goddess, and I heard she leads the true Knights of the Round Table."
"It's not a matter of 'Can we win?' We will win."
Because humans have always made the impossible possible.
***
"Report from Flauros, Duryodhana has agreed to cooperate with us. With this, we should be able to prevent the self-destruction of the heaven realm."
"Report from Andras, Control over the Evil Dragon has been established."
"Confirmation from Buer, Adequate forces have been secured to deal with the Norse and Greek pantheons during the heaven incineration."
"Acknowledgement from Gamigin, The remaining issue is the Lion King's handling."
"Report from Astaroth, Problem detected with Reincarnated Devil Hyoudou Issei, who has managed to defeat Gremory. He was attacked by a human allied with the Lion King and the soul of Y Ddraig Goch, sealed within a Sacred Gear, was extracted."
"Speculation from Sabnock, They intend to strengthen the Lion King's existence by utilizing the Red Dragon's soul. Arthur Pendragon is the incarnation of the Red Dragon. Even as a Divine Spirit, they can employ somewhat forceful means. Despite the difference in worlds, fusion is possible with mutual agreement."
"Concern from Orias, Our Red Dragon's abilities are 'Amplification' and 'Transfer.' If the Lion King acquires these, they could possess performance that the Hero Faction cannot handle."
"Doubt from Beleth, It's unlikely that our Y Ddraig Goch would willingly agree to fusion. Dragons have strong pride. Even if it's their otherworldly self, they wouldn't easily merge."
"Counter-argument from Paimon, However, the possibility of fusion is high. We should proceed with the operation assuming that the Lion King and the Red Dragon Emperor will merge."
"Question from Phenex, With the abnormality occurring in the Red Dragon Emperor, is there a possibility of canceling the Rating Game between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex?"
"Supplement from Astaroth, Hyoudou Issei is not deceased, and the Sacred Gear seems to be functioning. There are no abnormal occurrences beyond the extraction of the dragon's soul sealed within the Sacred Gear."
"Opinion from Botis, Therefore, the possibility of cancellation is low. Originally, this match has attracted attention not only from the Bible faction but also from external forces. Cancelling it would affect the reputation of the Underworld government. There is no change in combat strength, and no familiars have perished. Therefore, it is likely to proceed."
"Supplement from Gremory, The assumption is that the Lion King will no longer be able to move. The intentions of that goddess are unknown. If the headquarters of the Underworld government is attacked, even those fools will have no choice but to raise their vigilance level."
"Opinion from Andrealphus, The peerage of Rias Gremory have grown since the game was decided. The outcome will be influenced by the conditions of the game."
"Proposal and request from Andromalius, We shouldn't waste time on unrelated matters anymore."
"Proposal from Baal, Central Bureau, are you really planning to have the Hero Faction deal with the Lion King? Aren't they lacking in power? They have important roles to play after the plan is completed. We can't afford to lose them. Shouldn't we take some risks and utilize 'that'?"
"Response from Goetia, That's why we have to let them fight. If they can't defeat a single goddess, they won't be able to fulfill that role. Show me the potential of this world."
***
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
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