章 1: Jake Gremory 1
Chapter 1:
A gloved fist hurtled towards his face, but with a swift movement, Jake deftly ducked to the left, skillfully evading the blow just in time.
"Good dodge, Jake!" his coach exclaimed from the side of the ring. "Remember to maintain your agility, stay light on your feet, and never allow your opponent to corner you," he advised, emphasizing the importance of staying mobile and elusive.
Executing a series of jabs, Jake directed them towards his opponent, only to find him skillfully blocking each one. Determined to break his defense, he swiftly followed up with a powerful right hook, shattering his guard. Seizing the opportunity, he unleashed a formidable left haymaker, connecting with precision as it struck him squarely in the face, sending him crashing to the mat.
"That was an impressive workout," Coach commented as Jake stepped out of the ring. "Not many 16-year-old boxers are as talented as you, son. With a couple more years, you could go far in the lightweight or even middleweight divisions," he added, expressing his belief in Jake's potential.
Turning his attention to Brian, who was just getting up from the floor, Coach instructed him, "Good work to you too, Brian. Why don't you go ahead and clean yourself up?" It seemed Jake had unintentionally landed a powerful blow during their sparring session.
Apologizing to Brian, Jake acknowledged his mistake. "Sorry about that, man," he admitted. "I should have pulled back on that last punch." Brian waved him off with a forgiving smile. He was the kind of guy who never held grudges, even in defeat.
"I meant what I said, son," Coach reiterated, his voice filled with passion. "You've got some real talent, and you could definitely make a name for yourself in the sport."
Jake understood Coach's sentiments. Considering his body type, the middle and lightweight divisions were as far as he would go. Blaming his genetics and non-existent parents, he recognized that his athletic and swimmer's build wouldn't lend itself to the heavyweight contender style. Nevertheless, he was content with that reality.
"Thanks, Coach," he replied gratefully. "But you know, boxing has always been more of a hobby for me—a way to stay in shape. I'm not sure what I want to do with my future," he admitted. Walking together through the gym, he turned to Coach and continued, "You know, I've always felt like there was something more I'm destined for."
Coach finished his sentence with a smile. "Yes, I know. I believe there's greatness in store for you, too, kid. I'm aware you haven't had an easy life, growing up in foster homes without any parents. But you've turned out better than most would in your situation."
Internally, Jake smiled, feeling proud of how far he had come. Coach was right—it hadn't been an easy journey. However, he always carried this inner conviction that he could achieve so much more. Hopefully, one day soon, he would be able to act on those aspirations.
Little did he know that the realization of his true destiny was about to unfold—that very day.
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He left the gym and decided to head home for the day, or rather, his foster home. It wasn't too bad, to be honest. Jake currently lived in Philly—a city that may not have been the greatest in the country, but certainly not the worst. He could have been placed in a foster home in Detroit, which would have been a true nightmare.
As he walked along his familiar route, he noticed a group of four teens blocking the sidewalk ahead. Just as he was about to step off the curb to go around them, one of them called out to him.
"Hey there, you're Jacob, right? We've been searching for you," said the Asian guy in the group, who appeared to be of Chinese descent.
"Um... I'm not sure if you have the right guy or not. My name is Jake," he replied, waving him off. He was about to continue walking when the guy's next words caught his attention.
"No, no, I know I have the right guy. Your true name is definitely Jacob," he insisted. "Which is a bit ironic considering your..." he paused, searching for the right word, "lineage. But I suppose nobody's perfect. We can't exactly hold that against you. Besides, your mother was one of us, so you're not completely far gone." His tone was condescending, but at the same time, he had piqued Jake's curiosity.
The blonde girl in the group spoke up next. "Why don't you come with us to the nearby park, and we can talk things out in private?" she suggested. She was undeniably attractive, but there was something about her that felt off. A sense of danger emanated from her, despite the fact that Jake had at least a foot and 50 pounds on her.
He observed the group more closely now. Apart from the two he mentioned, all four of them seemed to share a confident expression. The other two members were guys—one was heavily built with strange silver hair, and the other had spiky black hair and wore glasses.
Letting out a sigh, Jake thought, "I suppose I might as well hear them out." One of his biggest regrets had always been not knowing who his parents were. It may sound cliché, but as an orphan, he couldn't help but feel that longing. "Okay, I'll follow you guys to the park, but you better not be wasting my time," he agreed.
The Asian guy smirked and replied, "Oh, I promise we won't be." With that, Jake followed the group to the empty park nearby, which was unusual for a Saturday.
Once they arrived, Jake couldn't help but notice the complete absence of people. "So, what's this all about?" he asked the group. "And who are you guys anyway? What do you know about my parents?" he confronted them, feeling a mix of anticipation and skepticism.
"This is all about you not living up to your full potential," the Asian guy, Cao Cao, replied, still wearing a sly smile. "But that's not your fault. You clearly have no idea who, or rather what, you actually are."
His words had taken on a cryptic tone, reminiscent of a cheesy movie villain. Regret started to settle in as Jake realized he may have made a mistake by following these four to an empty park. However, the only one he couldn't easily handle in a fight was the giant silver-haired guy. He was confident he could take on Cao Cao and the bespectacled one without much trouble. They still hadn't properly introduced themselves, though.
Cao Cao continued with his smug demeanor. "My apologies, there. My name is Cao Cao," he said, maintaining his sly smile. "And with me are my friends and dear comrades, Jeanne, Georg, and Heracles. We like to refer to ourselves as the Hero Faction, the Protectors of humanity."
"The Protectors of humanity, seriously?" Jake thought to himself, preparing for a fight in his mind. It seemed that this encounter had turned out to be a complete and total waste of time. Were they expecting him to join their theater troupe or something? He felt a sense of frustration building up within him.
"Look, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I'm not interested," he stated firmly, preparing to leave the park. "I'm sorry, but I have better things to do than listen to some group claiming... whatever this is."
Cao Cao's smirk grew wider, as if Jake's response had only fueled his amusement. "Oh, but Jake," he began, his tone dripping with condescension, "you underestimate the power that lies within you. You may not be aware of your true potential, but we can help you unlock it."
Jake couldn't believe this guy was still going on about this nonsense. His patience was wearing thin. However, Jeanne, one of the members of the group, stepped forward. Her eyes gleamed with a mixture of determination and something else—something he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Jake, please hear us out," she pleaded, her voice surprisingly soft. "We know things about your parents, about your heritage. It's information that could change your life."
Her words caught his attention, stirring a flicker of curiosity within him. Despite his initial dismissal, the mention of his parents and the prospect of gaining insights into his own identity intrigued him. He hesitated, contemplating whether to entertain their claims further.
Georg, the guy with black spiky hair and glasses, chimed in. "We understand your skepticism, but we have nothing to gain by deceiving you. Give us a chance to explain. If you still wish to walk away afterward, we won't stop you."
Jake weighed his options, realizing that this encounter might hold some answers to the questions that had haunted him for years. It was an opportunity he couldn't ignore, no matter how skeptical he felt.
"Fine," he finally relented, his tone laced with caution. "But make it quick. I'm not committing to anything until I have concrete answers."
The group exchanged glances, seemingly pleased with his willingness to listen. With a sense of both anticipation and wariness, Jake settled in, preparing himself to delve into a world he never knew existed—a world that held the key to unlocking his true potential and discovering the secrets of his lineage.
-Chapter end.-
Hi and welcome to my story A Nexus Devil! It will be a DXD/Multi-Crossover as you probably saw in the description. I've always wanted to write a dxd story with an OC. Ideally, this story is planned out to be pretty long. So I hope you enjoy reading about Jake's adventure.
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