After Penemue finished "talking" with Raynare, Shinjiro left for his apartment alone, deciding to settle in since Azazel wanted him to stay in Kuoh for a while in case anything happened. Deciding to rest, Shinjiro set down his stuff and headed straight to his room before instantly falling asleep.
"You know, you're very smart but also very weak," a deep voice interrupted his sleep. Shinjiro found himself in a dimly lit room, the only light coming from a roaring fireplace. He was on a couch, across from a 6'3" muscular man with long red hair, whose physique resembled that of Yujiro Hanma, sitting on another couch.
"Wha—?" Shinjiro exclaimed, looking around the room. It was simple, with two couches and a table separating them. On the table sat two wine glasses, two bottles of wine, an ashtray, and an opened box of cigars.
"Don't think too much about it, it's just a visage," the man said, his voice calm and authoritative.
"Who are you?" Shinjiro asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
"I have many names: Great Evil, Destroyer, Chaos. However, my real name is Xal'thargoth."
"Why am I here?" Shinjiro's voice was laced with confusion and suspicion.
"Because you, my boy, were created by me. You belong to the Hanma bloodline, which I fashioned from my own essence to be warriors who reveled in and spread chaos. You are one of the few remaining Hanmas, a lineage I neglected to guide correctly. But I intend to change that with you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. I created you with the purest Hanma blood possible, but I also limited you to grow at a superhuman level without overwhelming strength, allowing you to balance strength and mind. Throughout the Hanma lineage, there were few who nearly achieved this balance but were often still swayed by their arrogance and power and fewer who contained it. These strongest Hanmas, with the purest bloodlines, spread chaos effectively but were ultimately flawed, leading to their downfall. Their arrogance and pride blinded them as Hanmas didn't usually work in groups, causing them to be hunted down one by one by a coalition of natural orders who viewed them as a threat. However, Hanmas with weaker bloodlines, while not as powerful, did not let their strength consume them and maintained a better balance of mind and body better than most."
Xal'thargoth paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "I made a deal to stop creating more Hanmas in exchange for sparing the remaining few who had achieved a balance between mind and body. But being who I am, I didn't keep that deal. I created you, hiding you from those who would see your existence as a breach of the agreement. My purpose was to forge a new Hanma, one who is strong but also mentally fit to lead and revive the Hanma name, not as monsters, but as legends."
Shinjiro listened intently, the enormity of Xal'thargoth's words settling into his consciousness.
"Enough boring chatter," Xal'thargoth continued. "You have been endowed with Hanma specialties: enhanced cognitive abilities, rapid thinking as well as regeneration, and a body capable of extraordinary growth. You also possess the famed demon back of the Hanmas, which harnesses chaos to elevate your strength. The more chaos, the stronger you become when active, which historically led Hanmas to incite wars and massacres, prompting the coalition of natural orders against them however there were other ways to do this which I failed to guide in as well."
"Now, with the beginning of this universe's destiny, I am unlocking your true potential. You will also now be able to use magic through chaos and inner enhancements like touki, though most Hanma's viewed such things as tools for the weak. This time the choice for how the Hanmas will grow is in your hands not mine."
Before Shinjiro could respond, Xal'thargoth continued, "Before I leave you, I will let you face someone I consider a peak Hanma."
Xal'thargoth leaned back, picking up a cigar. "Would you like a cigar or a sip of wine before we start?"
"No, thank you," Shinjiro replied, his voice steady.
"Your loss," Xal'thargoth said, lighting the cigar. He took a deep inhale before puffing out a thick cloud of smoke that filled the room. As the smoke cleared, the surroundings began to change, signaling the start of Shinjiro's next challenge.
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Standing in front of Shinjiro and Xal'thargoth was the same 6'2" man with long red hair who had sent Shinjiro away although Shinjiro didn't notice him at the time.
"This is Ryujin," said Xal'thargoth. "He is the oldest living Hanma and, I would say, the current strongest. He doesn't talk much, but I've instructed him to help you learn."
Ryujin nodded to Xal'thargoth before turning his gaze toward Shinjiro. His eyes were piercing, exuding an aura of immense power and experience.
"This will be our only encounter in your mind until you find me. Grow strong, young one, and rebuild the Hanma name in your own ideal," Xal'thargoth said before disappearing.
"How will we begin?" asked Shinjiro, stepping forward.
Ryujin didn't answer. As Shinjiro approached, his body grew tenser, his senses heightened, and his blood flowed quicker. Despite the recent unlocking of his potential, he felt insignificant in the presence of this man.
'Unbelievably strong,' Shinjiro thought.
Just as he got within arm's length, Ryujin moved at an unperceivable speed, delivering a quick jab to Shinjiro's gut. The impact was both swift and powerful, making Shinjiro's vision blur for a moment as he was sent flying.
'Damn,' Shinjiro remarked as he hit the ground. Surprisingly, he felt no pain upon landing, though his body had reacted as if he had taken a severe blow. Looking down, he saw no wound or blood, yet he was sure Ryujin's fist had passed through him moments ago. The sensation was vivid, but his body bore no evidence of the strike, emphasizing the surreal nature of the encounter.
"Weak," Ryujin murmured, his voice low and dismissive.
Although angered Shinjiro felt more determined. He sprang to his feet and launched himself at Ryujin, throwing a flurry of punches and kicks with precision and skill honed from years of battle and study. Ryujin dodged them effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise.
Shinjiro adjusted his stance seeing as his earlier moves were ineffective, watching Ryujin's movements closely. He lunged again, this time with more precision and control. Ryujin parried each blow with ease, his counters swift and powerful.
The fight continued, with Shinjiro growing stronger and more skilled with each exchange. He started to predict Ryujin's moves, countering them with increasing effectiveness. However, Ryujin's overwhelming strength and vast experience kept him firmly in control of the battle.
"You have potential," Ryujin said, delivering a powerful kick that sent Shinjiro sprawling. "But you lack refinement."
Shinjiro struggled to his feet, his body aching but his resolve unbroken. He could feel himself growing, his Hanma bloodline pushing him to new heights. He charged at Ryujin again, this time with a newfound strategy. He feigned a punch, then quickly shifted his weight and delivered a powerful kick to Ryujin's side.
The kick connected, and for the first time, Ryujin showed a hint of surprise. But he quickly recovered, grabbing Shinjiro's leg and throwing him across the room.
"Good," Ryujin said. "You're learning."
Shinjiro landed hard but got up faster this time. The fight raged on, each clash of their fists and feet creating shockwaves. Shinjiro's speed and strength continued to increase, but Ryujin's mastery of combat techniques and sheer power kept him dominant.
Eventually, Shinjiro began to tire. His movements slowed, and Ryujin took advantage, delivering a series of crushing blows that left Shinjiro on the ground, gasping for breath.
"You have much to learn," Ryujin said, standing over him. "But you have made progress. Remember, strength without control is meaningless. Train your mind as much as your body."
With that, Ryujin turned and walked away, leaving Shinjiro to reflect on the lesson. Shinjiro's body ached, but his spirit burned with determination. He vowed to grow stronger, to master his Hanma bloodline, and to rebuild the Hanma name as a force of legends.
As the vision faded, Shinjiro found himself back in his apartment, more determined than ever to fulfill his destiny. Although chaos said it was a visage, he never mentioned the pain wouldn't be real. After a moment, a wave of pain started spreading throughout his body. Shinjiro doubled over, clutching his sides.
"Aaagh! Damn you, Xal'thargoth!" he yelled, writhing in agony. "You never said the pain would be real!"
His curses echoed through the room as he lay on the floor, feeling every blow from the vision as if it had truly happened.
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A/N:
After seeing some comments about Shinjiro being weak, I realized that, for plot's sake, I was making his growth too slow. So, I've decided to pull out a 'bullshit no jutsu' and elevate his growth speed. I understand now that I'm making this too much of a story while I'm just doing it for fun, and that isn't fun. Duh. Now, he will be stronger and grow stronger faster and maybe ignore classes although I'll decide which is easier making it faster to create chapters.
I'm still undecided about incorporating magic or stuff like touki predominantly yet, but feel free to leave ideas to guide my choice if you want.
This was supposed to be released yesterday, but I was really tired from work and fell asleep, leaving it unfinished and unedited :|. Anyways, soon after, I am planning to release our first smut chapter, but I will keep who it's with hidden until that chapter comes out. I will say someone's comment is predicting it. If I get home from work early today, I might release another chapter, although don't expect it; I just have an outline.
Current Potential Harem Members:
Rias
Akeno
Sona