14)Voice of the Almighty: Ch.14

“Hi! Nice to meet you!” Teodoro waved with a happy smile and Issei snapped out of his shocked state to smile and wave back before glancing at Touji.

“You know, a warning would have been quite nice.”

“Then I wouldn't have seen the look on your face.” Touji said with a grin and Issei rolled his eyes before being surprised as Teodoro moved forward and shook his hand.

“You have no idea how awesome it was to hear that there is another hybrid that's older than I am.”

“Glad to hear that…and it's nice to meet you too, ma'am.” Issei greeted Antonia, who simply smiled and nodded.

“It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Issei. I have to admit that I was surprised to hear that there was another person like my dear Teodoro.”

“So am I. So, are you like his…biological mom?”

“Last I checked, he did come out of me. Why do you ask?” She asked before a look of understanding appeared in her eyes as Issei scratched the back of his head with a hesitant look while Touji shook his head.

“I see.”

“See what?” Teodoro asked with a confused look before grumbling as his mom smiled softly while ruffling his hair.

“No need to worry about it, dear, and I am sorry that your mother didn't make it through.”

“It's okay. I have my new mom and dad now so everything worked out.” Issei said with a smile and she giggled before looking at Touji.

“So, may I leave Teodoro here for a few minutes while I go take care of some errands?”

“By all means. Issei, you and Teodoro stay on the premises while myself and a few other exorcists escort Mrs. Legrenzi here.”

“Got it!” Issei saluted with a nod, Teodoro doing the same with a happy smile as the adults shook their head and walked out.

“So…what do you do for fun around here?” Teodoro asked as the two of them left the main room and Issei shrugged as they made their way to the cafeteria.

“I usually read but I don't think you would like to do that.”

“No.” The blonde boy answered bluntly with a shake of his head and Issei snorted as he nodded.

“Right, I guess we'll have to ask the others. Maybe they have something we can do for fun.”

“Wait, there are others? Like other hybrids?” Teodoro asked with an excited smile before he looked disappointed as Issei smirked and shook his head.

“Nope, just you and me. I meant my friends that are exorcists-in-training like I am.”

“Oh, that sounds fun too.”

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“So, he's like you?” Irina asked as she looked at Teodoro with a smile, the boy nodding back as Issei nodded while taking a bite from the lasagna everyone was having for lunch.

“Yep, looks like I wasn't the only one like I thought.”

“Cool. Can you also do the thing with your voice that Issei does?” Freed asked and Teodoro blinked before looking at his fellow hybrid.

“They mean this.” The young boy's eyes widened as he felt Issei's voice rippling through his body, looking around to see everything on and around their table trembling before turning back right as Issei smirked.

“That's awesome!”

“From your excitement, I'm guessing you can't do the same, huh?” Siegfried asked with an amused smirk and they all giggled/ laughed as the boy blushed slightly and nodded.

“No need to be embarrassed, Teo. I'm certain there's something you can do.”

“Well, other than making these.” Teodoro muttered and Issei was surprised as the boy flexed his shoulders before two large wings made out of light appeared on his back.

“Woah~” Nero muttered in awe, a look that everyone shared as Issei reached up and touched one of the feathers only to be surprised at how realistic they felt.

“I take it back. You have got a far cooler thing than Issei does.”

“Oi! Really?” Issei asked as he looked at Irina, who gave a shameless shrug before huffing as the others nodded.

“Don't worry, Issei. I think your voice is cooler.” Teo said as he patted Issei on the head and the boy smiled as he nodded.

“Thanks. How do you do this exactly?"

"Wait, you can't use your holy light?" Teodoro asked with wide eyes, surprised as Issei sighed and shook his head.

"No, I've tried a few times, but I couldn't figure it out."

"Huh, that's...weird. Dad just showed me how and I could do it. Maybe you never had someone who could show you."

"Maybe not." Issei muttered softly as he remembered that Gramps had called it 'Touki', but he had never shown him how to use it.

"Don't worry, Issei. I'm sure someone is going to help you figure it out." Irina spoke up with a smile and Issei smiled softly as he nodded before turning to Teodoro as the boy deactivated his Light Wings.

"Thank you for showing me your wings. Now, we need to get you back to your mom before she kicks my butt.”

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“So, how was your time with Issei?” Antonia asked as they watched Issei and Teodoro walking towards them, amused to see the happy smiles on both boys' face.

“It was fun! Do you think we could come again?”

“I don't see why not, if that's okay with you, Issei?” She asked and Issei nodded rapidly.

“I don't mind at all. Having another hybrid to talk to could be fun!”

“Wonderful! Then, let's perhaps make this a monthly visit?” Touji asked and Antonia nodded as she took the hand of Teodoro.

“That sounds more than perfect. Now, say goodbye, Teo.”

“Bye, Issei~! Thanks for letting me hang out.”

“Bye, Teo!” Issei waved as he watched Teo and his mom be escorted by a group of exorcists before looking at uncle Touji as he ruffled his hair.

“So, did you like having him over?”

“Yeah, it was fun.”

“Good. Also, you better ready because we're going to start taking everyone's studies seriously from now on.”

“That sounds fun.” Issei said with a grin and Touji rolled his eyes as he turned and walked away, Issei taking one last glance at where Teo and his mom were driving away before quickly following after the man.

“Hey, uncle Touji. Think I could learn how to do my angelic powers earlier?”

“Sure, but you're going to have to do that on your own since you're the only angel student we have. Also, the whole favouritism thing and all that.”

“Okay! Just wanted to make sure I had permission in case I blew up my room.”

“Wait, what?!”

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Six months had passed since Issei had joined the Exorcist Academy with the rank of Ex-Wire and so far, it's been a nice and calm time.

While most of his classmates wanted something exciting to happen to make their boring school life more fun, Issei was quite alright with not having to do anything intense and crazy.

With a class for physical exercise and combat strategies once a week, the other five days were simple theoretical work that he would have done in a normal school so he didn't mind it.

Now, however, as they have finished all of the theoretical work that needed to be done for the year, Issei along with the rest of his classmates stood on the exercise grounds outside the Sant'Angelo.

Touji was standing in front of them with an amused smile, but what surprised Issei further was the appearance of his Eminence Vasco Strada standing besides him.

Seeing the large man standing besides uncle Touji was a bit of a shock since he had not seen the man at all during the six months that he had been at this school.

However, he was more focused on the large blue greatsword that was nearly the same height as Mr. Strada that was stabbed in the ground, torn between listening to uncle Touji and staring in awe at the beautiful holy energy radiating from the blade.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, sir.” Issei greeted uncle Touji along with the others, to which the man smiled and nodded before gesturing for Mr. Strada to speak.

“I am sure you all are wondering just why I am here considering I have not interacted with any of you for a while, yes?”

“Does it concern the blade next to you, Lord Strada?” Siegfried asked and Issei snickered as he saw the look of excitement in his friend's eyes, turning back just in time to see Mr. Strada chuckle and nod.

“It does indeed. This blade is called Durandal, one of the most powerful Holy Swords in existence and today, one of you is going to join me for the next two and a half years to learn how to wield it as my successor.”

'What?!'

“WHAT?!” Surprisingly, Xenovia was the one who shouted that and with an excited smile, but no one cared for that as they were all stunned silent at the man's words.

However, Issei shook his head moments later to snap out of his shock when he remembered just how bad he was with the regular Light Swords.

He already got a few scars on his arms and wrists from where he cut himself while practising with the Light Sword in secret and if that Durandal blade was one of the strongest ones in existence…

'Yeah, no. I think I'm going to keep with guns and my hands.' Issei thought as he looked at uncle Touji, the man noticing the look from Issei only to hide his chuckles as Issei shook his head.

“However, I will be picking a select few from the list of people that Mr. Touji here has recommended to be suitable. So, Xenovia Quarta, Jeanne d'Arc, Freed Sellzen and Siegfried Sellzen, please step forward. The rest of you, you may follow Mr. Touji here for your regular lessons.”

“Don't look so down. Those four are really good with swords so it was expected.” Issei whispered with a smile as he saw Irina's downcast look, to which the girl gave a shaky smile and nodded right before he turned as Nero spoke up.

“I'm just glad I wasn't chosen. Don't want to cut off my own leg because I couldn't swing it around.”

“Yeah, I'm not good with swords either.” Mirana spoke up and Issei and Asia agreed with her as the both of them knew they wouldn't be able to do what those four can do with a sword.

“I think I could have done it.” Irina grumbled before huffing as the four of them simply shook their heads in disagreement.

“You're good, but they're just…better.” Nero said with a shrug and the girl glared at him before surprising Issei as she turned to him.

“Tell them how good I am with a sword.”

“I wouldn't know. We haven't fought against each other.” Issei responded with a shrug before quickly rushing after her dad, Irina giving her friend a pointed stare as she rushed after him along with the others.

“Issei~!”

“Nope, can't hear you!”

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“So, while those four are doing that test and since the rest of you have finished your theory work for the rest of the year, we can move on to the final section of your first year: Combat basics.”

“Yes!” Nero exclaimed with a grin and Issei rolled his eyes while the girls shook their heads as Touji looked amused.

“Yes, it is quite fun, Nero, but let's keep our excitement contained, Nero.”

“Right! Sorry!” He apologized with a sheepish smile and Touji shook his head before turning to the rest of his snickering class.

“Ahem! Like I was saying, we shall be starting with combat exercises from today on and so, you will be divided into two groups with the groups shifting after every match-ups. For example, Issei and Nero, you two are one group and you two will be facing off against each other.”

“…Can't Nero just fight against you, Mr. Touji?” Issei asked as he heard that, Nero giving his friend a wicked grin as Touji chuckled and shook his head.

“Unfortunately not. Anyway, Irina, Mirana, Asia, you three are the other group and the match-up will change only when you three have fought against the other two at least once. Then, Issei will join your group while I may take Asia away to fight against Nero.”

“Ah, like a…round-robin thing?”

“Round-robin format, Nero.” Mirana answered and Nero gave a bright grin as he nodded in thanks, Touji nodding in agreement at her words before letting out a loud whistle.

“Okay then! It seems everyone understands so to your groups. Boys on the left, girls on the right!” Nero and Issei nodded as they began walking to the left, both boys stretching and taking deep breaths in preparing for the fight.

'Nero is probably the best when it comes to fighting with our hands, so I need to fight smart instead of trying to win the hard way.' Issei thought to himself with a frown as he rolled his wrists.

Watching as Nero stretched his legs, Issei let out a soft hum that made the ground tremble and smirked as he saw Nero finishing up his warm-ups.

“Also, no Voice, Issei.”

“Oh, come on~! That's just not fair!” Issei whined as he spun to look at Mr. Touji, grumbling as the man simply gave a sly grin and a shrug before shaking his head as he turned back towards a frowning Nero.

“Oh, now I'm not holding back.”

'Well, I guess it's time to fight dirty.' Issei thought with a frown as he went into a still mindset, his body shifting so that he was crouching slightly with his body turned slightly so that his left side was towards Nero with his hands held open.

However, as Touji took a closer look at Issei's stance, he was surprised to see that the boy's hands looked as if they were holding something and as he saw his index fingers twitching, he realized that Issei looked as if he was holding a pair of guns.

'Interesting.' That was all the man thought as he led out a whistle and watched as Nero lunged at Issei, the boy in question readying himself as his friend leapt into the air with a punch.

Spinning around the kick while lashing out with his own elbow, Issei winced as he felt Nero slapping an elbow into his back right as he whipped Nero across the face with a backhand.

Both hits sent the boys stumbling away from each other, but Nero was quick to recover as he shook his head and rushed towards Issei once more, who frowned as he readied himself for the boy's onslaught once more.

The next few moments were that of frantic dodging as Issei tried his best to not get hit by Nero's blows, having felt the wind passing by his face with that first punch that Nero threw at him.

Nero tried to sneak an ankle kick, but Issei quickly shifted his leg while jumping back, steadying himself upon landing and moving his body to the side right as Nero tried to land a right hook.

Seeing his opportunity, Issei quickly swung out a right uppercut to his friend's chest, but he was surprised as Nero pulled back slightly while grabbing his wrist, Issei squeaking as Nero threw him to the ground with a grapple before rapidly tapping the ground the next moment when he felt pain spike in his elbow

“Nero wins! 1-0! Not bad there, Issei, considering that this goofball is trained.”

“Eh, I just got a bit of a headstart. I didn't break your arm, right?”

“N-Nah, you were close, though.” Issei said with a smile as he stood up while pulling his arm from behind his back, rolling his shoulder and moving his arm about to make sure it was not broken.

“That was quite the move there. Brazilian Jiujutsu?”

“With a bit of wrestling.” Nero said with a nod and Touji hummed before looking over to Issei to see the boy stretching out his arm a few times with a slight frown.

“Think you can still go for another round while the girls finish off theirs?” Touji asked and Issei frowned slightly as he flexed his arm as hard as he could before grinning as he nodded.

“Yeah, ready whenever you are.” He said as he turned to Nero, who snorted as he uncrossed his arms while clenching his fists over and over.

“Okay, let's see if you can go more than thirty seconds this time.”

“Both of you ready?” Touji asked with an amused smile and both of them nodded as they crouched slightly with matching smirks.

“Okay, then. Begin!”

A/N: And that's the end of the chapter.

In all honesty, I didn't get much sleep last night especially since I uploaded that chapter of Violet-Eyed Serpent late last night so I don't feel at my best. Apologies if that shows in the chapter.

Anyway, next chapter, we find out who gets to have Durandal and we head off into the second year~!!

…Or I could just do another time-skip to the end of their school year since the one thing I had planned isn't going to work especially when I figured out how young the character I had in mind is for this chapter.

Actually…I think…yeah, I think I'm going to skip the rest of the years because I just remembered about the two stories that's currently happening in the DxD-universe regarding two Longinus gears so I have so much to work with.

And~ I also remembered that vampires are a thing in this verse…Huh, just got another arc~!!

Yeah, I'm skipping the academy years. Sorry for those that wanted to see it.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!