Issei, breathless and drained, promised himself he'd never push his limits this far again. He glanced at the man standing before him, smiling.
'He's a monster,' Issei thought, amazed. 'After everything, not even a scratch on his face.'
'Trust me, if you can fully manifest my power, you could obliterate his face,' Ddraig responded.
Hachiman smiled. "That was impressive. If I were anyone else, that would've caused a serious injury."
Issei huffed in exhaustion. "But it didn't. And that makes me wonder—why is someone so powerful, so terrifying, taking care of my grandmother?"
Having proven himself in battle and emerged victorious, Issei felt entitled to some answers. After all, it was about his grandmother.
"There's not much to tell, honestly. Nothing as dramatic as you might expect," Hachiman chuckled. "Unlike the three ruling gods of Shinto, most gods just wander around, doing whatever they please."
Issei eyed him suspiciously, but Ddraig confirmed the god's words.
'If anything, you wouldn't want a God of War actively involved in matters,' the dragon advised. 'It's good that Hachiman prefers calm over something like Ares of the Greek Pantheon.'
At that moment, Issei couldn't care less about Ares. He was focused solely on the god in front of him.
"One day, tired of the endless duties of being a deity and the constant bloodshed, I came here to live in peace," Hachiman continued. "It's a long story, but eventually, I ended up taking care of a widow."
Issei saw a softness on the god's face. "Gods don't fall in love easily. It's rare for them to fall in love with mortals, but... in my case, I'm not sure I can call it love. I cared deeply for her. And before I knew it, I had grown close to her child. To the point where I now consider him my own."
Issei was stunned. All this time, he'd assumed the child was some sort of demi-god. But that wasn't the case.
"And guess what? To keep my identity as a god hidden," Hachiman pointed at Issei, "I made sure no one knew who I really was. It was necessary—if anyone found out, it would cause chaos and legal issues in the divine courts. None of them were involved with the supernatural, so it wasn't a problem."
"And... my grandmother?" Issei asked, intrigued.
"Your grandmother arrived here when she was young. She had just inherited this place from her father and became friends with my wife," Hachiman said with a sigh. "They grew close, and I started seeing her as a sister—someone I cared deeply about. She married, but lost her husband tragically. It made me realize how fragile humans are, not just physically, but emotionally too. That's when I decided to stay here, to hold onto the memory of my late wife and to take care of my son, and your grandmother."
"So, you started caring about mortals after living among them?" Ddraig chuckled. "Who would've thought?"
Issei worried that Hachiman might be offended, but the god just nodded, unfazed.
"You're right," Hachiman sighed. "You think you understand everything, but until you experience it yourself... you don't know a thing. Humans and their emotions are a complex matter."
"So, what do you think of the boy?" Ddraig asked, shifting the topic.
"Ddraig!" Issei shouted, but neither of the two ancient beings paid him any mind.
Hachiman smiled softly. "I've seen him grow, although from afar. A unique, lovable kid. I heard he took some habits from his paternal grandparents, too."
His expression softened further, becoming warm and nostalgic. "But to me, he's like my own grandson. He's my responsibility too—at least, to make sure his grandmother doesn't feel sorrow." His voice was caring. "You don't recall, but you have seen me before, Issei. When you were a child, I used to carry you in my arms. But as you grew older, I let my son take care of things."
Issei, delving deep into his memories, did see an old man carrying him around. But as even the original Issei didn't remember his face properly, it appeared mostly a blur.
And it made sense, Issei visited his grandmother only a handful of times each year.
"What are your plans with him?"
That was the question. The one Ddraig had been waiting for. With the situation the way it was, there wasn't much anyone could do if Hachiman wanted to erase the boy.
"You know as well as anyone that the boy's life won't be easy," Hachiman said, his tone serious. "Everyone around him will be a target. Factions, pantheons—they'll all come for him. Or more specifically, they'll come after you and your power."
That was the truth. The life of a Longinus user was always a hellish one, especially for a Dragon Emperor.
"So, to ensure he doesn't die before he's even had a chance to tap into your power," Hachiman continued, "I plan to train him."
Issei's eyes widened in surprise.
"He has the potential, the resources, to become strong enough to protect himself and those around him," Hachiman said, stepping closer. "But he can't be my champion—I already named one centuries ago."
Issei wondered who or what a champion was, but he didn't press further.
"Nor can I have him as a vessel or someone directly blessed by me. As the God of War, I have too many enemies. The moment I bless someone, they'll come for him." Hachiman sighed, ruffling Issei's hair gently. "So, all I can do is train him to defend himself—teach him the art of war, share my knowledge—but not a blessing. Never a blessing."
Issei caught the hint of sadness in Hachiman's tone, and while he wanted to ask about it, something held him back. It didn't feel like the right moment.
"I want to take you on as my student, Issei," the god said, his voice serious. "If you'll let me."
The dragon went quiet, leaving Issei to process everything on his own.
Issei thought about it carefully. He knew it would be tough to juggle training and keep up appearances. But a chance like this—being trained by a god, especially one who specialized in war and defense—was too rare to pass up.
Turning it down would be the dumbest thing he could do.
"If you promise to protect my grandmother as long as she's here, I'm willing to become your student, Lord Hachiman," Issei said, his resolve firm.
Hachiman's face lit up with a smile. "I will defend her for as long as she remains in this realm, Issei. Even if she crosses into another world, I'll make sure she finds peace."
The reassurance calmed Issei's nerves.
"Thank you, Lord Hachiman. I'm ready to be your student."
Ddraig's voice echoed in his mind. "Not a bad outcome. Honestly, I'd choose you over those so-called gods any day."
Hachiman chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "That's the least I can do, especially since I can't offer you much else."
With that, Hachiman extended his hand. "That said, let me give you something that won't attract attention but will certainly help protect you."
Issei raised an eyebrow, but the sudden ringing in his ears made him realize what the god was talking about.
Hachiman pressed his finger lightly to Issei's forehead.
"You won't be able to access everything I've given you right away. You'll need to train your body and mind to fully tap into it. But you'll still have the knowledge, and some of it should be usable now."
The god closed his eyes and began chanting softly. Issei's mind instantly flooded with a surge of information, and his body felt heavy under the weight of it.
Hokuto Shinken includes numerous techniques, all of which will be passed onto you.>
"Ugh!"
Issei winced as his mind was bombarded with countless martial arts techniques—offensive, defensive, recovery, and utility. For now, though, he could only comprehend a handful of offensive and defensive skills, and even those were limited.
As for the second skill? He chose to ignore it.
At least the first part of it.
"I'll teach you how to use those skills properly soon," Hachiman said, his tone gentle. "But for now, you should be able to use a few of them."
Issei nodded, the techniques still echoing in his head.
"I… I'm grateful for the gift, Lord Hachiman."
The man nodded, his tone reassuring. "You'll need it, and with time, you'll master it as well."
His gaze shifted to the moon above. "Considering where Tsukuyomi is heading, it's best we head back to your grandmother. She'll definitely give us an earful if we're any later than we already are." He pointed to Issei's torn pants with a sheepish grin. "Also, tell her the pants got ripped by a thorny bush when you tripped. If you don't, I'll be getting a major scolding too."
Issei knew he was already in for a lecture, but he figured it would help if he could at least soften the impact a little.
"Of course, Lord Hachiman."
Hachiman's expression shifted to one of mild irritation. "For the last time, Issei…" he began, frowning. "Call me Grandpa."
____________________________________________________________________________________
[[A/N: 25+ Advanced Chapters on Patreon + Other Stories: https://www.patreon.com/Greedyfrog
P.S. Rewards obtained indirectly through the system are also considered by the system, hence when Hachiman gave him the ability, it registered. As for the other questions you may have regarding it, I won't be answering them now xD
Also, Dragon's Mark is from the system, not from Hachiman if that wasn't clear xD.]]