Negaverse: The Sage of the Crimson Dragon.

Negaverse: The Sage of the Crimson Dragon.

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Commissioned by quiteadapperlass

Word Count: 2513

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I woke up in Miyakuro’s office, again.

So, he was running away from his house again.

“You know, one day, I’m just going to throw you out onto the sidewalk, Hyoudou.” I got up from the small couch at the end of his office. It was the one he shared with Sitri, where they dealt with complicated things, and Kuroka sometimes helped them out. I’ve gotten used to the room of desks, shelves, and computers since it was made. “I go out of my way to not leave you to freeze on the floor, and that’s the thanks I get? Fuck me, that’s what you really want to say, right?”

Miyakuro really doesn’t like being driven out of his house…

“It’s called a tactical retreat. Worthless virgins like you wouldn’t understand.” Augh. The damage. It’s critical! Not only do I feel the pain, fatigue, and soreness from your training, but my heart aches too! “I remain a squishy human being, despite my awesome, fuck-off powers from my previous life. Sticking around in a house with two healthy women during the night is hazardous to my health.”

For a guy, Miyakuro sure complains about living the life a lot.

I try to get up, but I can’t.

I can’t do anything besides respond while on my back.

But, back to more important issues.

He’s living the Doujin life, yet Miyakuro runs away nearly every night.

“It’s funny because the girls you’re going after will make you understand later.” Miyakuro laughs. It is an ugly, nauseating laugh. It’s a laugh of a dead man, consigned to oblivion, and whose humor is born only of the knowledge that others will suffer his fate. It isn’t a laugh that I particularly like. “Devils, Nekoshou, and repressed-Christians, oh my. Even if you are tougher than I am, I’ll be the one laughing at the end of this, Hyoudou.”

It hurts to laugh, too!?

“The price of power typically comes with pain. A lot of pain. Source: me.” Those words are probably the closest to compassion that Miyakuro’ll ever manage. I really appreciated the attempt. He was trying to make me feel better. However, unfortunately, it wasn’t working. “You know, you should appreciate me more. Most people would offer to help you, or tell you to suck it up. But, me? I’m right here. Helping you. From afar. Because you reek.”

Pity would’ve hurt a lot in my current state. Working hard and complaining about it wasn’t something I liked to do either. Everyone in the Preservers was strong, powerful, and capable. Everyone can tell me that I should just lay back, relax, and take a day or two off. They can handle some of my burden without a problem, because I’m not that needed. However, I wanted to be needed. I didn’t want them to take my burden.

Therefore, here I was.

Miyakuro, even if he didn’t like me that much, respected someone trying to do whatever I was doing.

“It’s partly schadenfreude, but the part of respecting you for doing this is true too. I appreciate you not being a problem for me. Really, I do. That got you off my list of people to kill, if given the chance, without facing any consequences whatsoever, y’know?” Scary. How scary! Who has something called a kill list!? “What? A man can’t dream about dealing with people who give him headaches, without the world imploding if he did?”

Augh.

Pain.

So much pain.

Every part of my body hurts.

Stop with the whining. You’re breaking my concentration. I’m doing a raid. Thanks. Bye.

As much of a weirdo Miyakuro is, at the very least he cares about you more than the being living in your head! The guy who’s supposed to have your back at all times. The person who dies when you die. That guy. Miyakuro is better than that guy.

“I’m better than most people, so it’s not much of an accomplishment.”

THAT Miyakuro.

“Oi.”

Don’t care. About to qualify for the pro scene. Soon, I’ll be earning more than you, normie.

Sometimes, I wonder if I’m just a person that deserves people like Ddraig and Miyakuro as his supporters, or if I’ve just been unlucky in the friends I’ve picked.

“Maybe, you should consider the fact that it’s likely you expended all the goodwill the universe has given you, already?” Please, no. Those words make too much sense. I’m Japanese. I’ve lived in an Arcology all my life. I have friends, am not socially awkward, or trapped in a college student. I’m friends with Li Song. Crap. “See? The universe gives and takes. It’s already given you all that you deserve. So, don’t complain, and just bite the pillow and take what you’ve earned.”

Well, at least I’m not laughing anymore.

“So, with that small talk out of the way, how long are you going to keep this up?” That was  a question that Miyakuro never asked before. I almost felt that he actually cared… “Idiot. I’m being serious. Everyone has their limits. You’re rapidly reaching yours, because you’re a tenacious idiot.” For the first time, Miyakuro stopped typing. I was actually under his full attention. Naturally, he got the answer quickly enough. “Tch, you really are an idiot. You’re seriously going to train in all the Sage Arts? Do you even know how stupid that sounds?”

Bael managed it.

“And, Bael’s a freak of nature. A Super Devil. A Devil that’s Super. She’s a freak amongst freaks from a people who are already freaks.” Miyakuro sighed. I didn’t bother thinking about an argument. There wasn’t a point until I heard his. “‘She knows a dozen Martial Arts, so why can’t I learn three?’ That’s what you’re thinking, but it’s not going to work. You’re special, but not that special.”

Maybe, you weren’t before, but now…

“You’re banking a lot on, Song, even when you say you’re not going use his help.” This was different though. Li did a lot for everyone. He changed things, somehow, so that people could be better. Not trying to get better to help him, even if it means crashing into your limits, would let me live up to my promise. It’s… about using what I’ve been freely given, so that it doesn’t just go unused and wasted. “Hmph, I suppose you have a point there. There’s nothing worse than an idiot who complains, after they haven’t put in the right amount of effort.”

Normally, I’d defend regular people from the scary, strict standards Miyakuro liked to hold over anyone and everyone, but my eyes were starting to get too heavy to keep open.

It looked like I wasn’t going to train anymore tonight, no matter how much I wanted to.

“I could’ve told you that ten minutes ago, but you didn’t ask.” Miyakuro wastes no time in informing me of my mistake. Just like he always does. However, if a miracle occurs, and I wake up in the middle of the night capable of training, despite everything I put myself through, I’d like for it to happen.  It wouldn’t if I just asked Miyakuro and believed him every time. “You know, Hyoudou, there’s a fine line between stupidity and bravery… and I’m pretty sure you’re more experienced with the former.”

Well, at the very least, you’re trying to be brave, right?

“Sure, Hyoudou. Whatever you say.”

…

“Good morning!” Speaking with Miyakuro got me thinking that I needed to know Bael better. Talking to girls who aren’t Ulrich, Aria, and Rias usually doesn’t go well for me, except for Creighton because she’s just an ass who I can just treat like a guy. However, I had a feeling that Bael was going to be different. “Wow! I’m so excited! It’s been so long, since I’ve been asked to train someone… by anyone!”

“Aha… well, I’ll be in your care, Bael-san.” Bael is very cute. Mega-watt smile. Prim, yet energetic. Glittering, excited eyes. She was the very definition of a Genki-girl. Someone who lived life to its fullest, who never backed down, and took the world by storm. Not only that, but she’s nobility. Old blood, wealth, and power. Normally, a person like her would never interact with me. I’m lucky that Rias and Aria consider me their childhood friends. “Make sure that I’m always reaching my limits, please!”

“Okay! Then, today’s training is over!” For a moment, those words don’t hit me like a truck. In a split second, I can only barely comprehend the spin, the gesture, and the jazz hands presented to me by Bael. Eventually, however, I somehow manage to comprehend her worlds. “Let’s go get something to heat! Steak. Or, burgers! Ooh, maybe ramen!”

“B-but, it’s still morning! What do you mean that I’m at my limits!” I already know the answer, but I didn’t want to back down. I approached Bale, met her beaming smile, and did my best to remain strong in the face of pure, purest purity. “I-I can train right now!”

“That’s cute, but that’s not true, Issei-san!” Three! That’s three references in a row! She just pushed me away with her finger on my forehead. Now, she’s pointed straight towards the air. Finally, she’s definitely some sort of Mahou Shoujo! That’s the only way to explain the fact that she’s always wearing a dress. “You’re already at your limits. Going forward and training will only make you weaker… maybe, permanently! The best thing you can possibly do right now… is to take me sightseeing!”

Of course, I know that. That there was a point where I couldn’t keep going. Because Li wasn’t saying anything, because no one was stopping me, I kept going. I wanted to keep going. I didn’t want to be weak anymore. However, while it hurt to think that I’d be hurting my friends if I hurt myself going too far into my training, I couldn’t say no to Bael’s earnest. Without a doubt, she was just helping me get stronger. If I didn’t tell her to train me only to my limits, she would’ve forced me forward without hesitation.

The fact that she was a stranger who’d have helped me get stronger without hesitation, somehow helped me understand that I needed to stop.

“Yeah, alright. Let’s do that.”

“Great! I’m sure that by tomorrow, after you rest, you’ll be at least twice as strong as you are now! I can barely wait until then?”

Wait, what.

“What.” Bael-san, please answer my question instead of looking at me with those innocent, guileless, and bright orbs of pure purity. I didn’t hear a single shred of falsehood in your words. I’m sure that your words and earnest would’ve made Coda-san melt in happiness. However, right now, they’re only damaging my spirit. “Please, explain.”

“Oh, don’t you know? Tuzi Martial Arts is pretty special. It takes time for the ritual to register someone new, to make sure they’re not overloaded by new energies and power.” What. I didn’t know that. That wasn’t in the scrolls either. Li never told me that, either. “Well, of course he didn’t, silly! He’s got a different body, and he was raised from childhood to know it! It’s different for him. People like you and I need time to rest, so that we get acknowledged by the magic of the Sage Art, and get full access to the power we’ve earned!”

“…” There was no duplicity, deception, nor ill intent in Bael’s words. Why couldn’t there be? Why couldn’t there be some semblance of mercy from the universe for me? I didn’t know. I was sure that I wouldn’t receive an answer, either. Some part of me wanted to find some person to blame, but who in the Preservers was a specialist in Sage Martial Arts? Li, probably... and he wasn’t even in the running. Shizi? Well, I never asked her for help, and I almost never talk to her either. So, in the end, because I was working too hard… I was basically not getting my rewards!?  “!?”

“Eh? Hyoudou-kun? Are you okay? Why are you on your knees?”

So, this is what it feels like to be defeated by yourself…

…

[Title Gained: Sage of the Crimson Dragon: +50 to Sage Martial Arts Cap. +250 to Unarmed Cap. +2 to Training Martial Arts Cap. +3 to Unarmed. You have vastly increased all your physical attributes and abilities. Your Damage Threshold and Damage Resistance has increased.. You now no longer pop like a balloon when someone strong looks at you funny.]

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>Slowpoke Samurai:

‘You no longer pop like a balloon when someone looks at you funny.’

Fool, please stop hurting us.

>Pickle:

Tfw you’ve been losing out on training modifiers, because you’ve been training too hard.

I just wanna die.

>NightDreamer:

Why does no one ever listen to me!? This quest is supposed to be Shounen with a dash of reality! Why do you all ignore the reality part!?

>Elysium’s Prisoner:

Hey, relax. We got our stuff. There’s no need to be sad, my dudes. We’ve got something good going!

>Gazebo:

‘Good thing Going.’

‘Looks at Li Song’s problems.’

‘Laughs in Beta.’

>DiamondLight:

How exciting, how intriguing, and how terrifying!

I approve :3

>Pickle:

You say that like you’re going to do something about it.

But, no.

All you give are stale memes and broken dreams.

>Slowpoke Samurai

DiamondLight you never come through with anything you post.

EDIT:

DAMMIT.

>Demon’s Determination:

Sorry guys, I don’t have time to post my usual analysis. This just has too much to cover for me to reliably analyze in one post. I’m going to need at least two posts, a beta, and three people to gather background information in the previous threads. PM me if you wanna help!

>Mist’s Axe:

NO! I SEE WHAT YOU’RE ALL THINKING. NO. RIAS IS THE ONLY ROUTE. NO OTHER ROUTE IS ALLOWED!

Whatever’s going on with Ulrich is creepy enough, and might jepordize our relationship, so that’s all!

Bael’s off limits! Throw her at Song! He needs a harem! We need a stable foundation, not a half-a-dozen rickety pillars!

>Elysium’s Prisoner:

Woah, there. Take a chill pill, buddy. How about taking a step back for a bit?

Take some time to relax. It’s great, man.

Just appreciate how the Fool makes you feel for the characters, so much that you feel this way!

>Sane Body:

Woah, I’m on time for an update. Usually, I forget about these until the next day, or something.

>Melee Weapon:

Wait, Gazebo. Was that bait? Do you know something we don’t? Shouldn’t you share that? C’mon. Give us something. We’re making stupid mistakes here. We need some help. Will you really let this thread burn and suffer due to our ineptitude? Shouldn’t a Beta have mercy on us?

>Gazebo:

You don’t seem to understand.

Fool is kind, you’re all spoilt, and my ideas can only simmer in my spite.

I want you all to drown in your tears.

Fool is a fool to allow you all the leniency he grants!

>AnExtremelyTarnishedGentleman:

Never change, LandWars. Never change.