DxD: DO System Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Display before a God

Hachiman followed a pretty specific routine. His diet was simple but healthy—rice, salmon, greens, bean soup, and a few side dishes to round it out. After dinner, he’d take a walk around his estate, then spend some quiet time weeding and tending to his personal flower beds.

During the day, he worked hard at his commercial nursery, but when the sun set, he shifted gears to care for his flowers. His favorite? Red poppies.

“Wow, Grandpa, these are gorgeous,” Issei said, inhaling the fresh scent as he walked up to Hachiman.

“I thought you’d come by in the morning,” Hachiman said, gently plucking weeds from around the poppies.

“I couldn’t wait that long,” Issei replied, a smile tugging at his lips—though Hachiman couldn’t see it. “Figured I’d keep my word and show up early.”

Hachiman’s face softened, his voice taking on a quiet tone. “Do you know what red poppies symbolize, Issei?”

Issei liked flowers, but he wasn’t really up on their meanings.

“Remembrance, Hope, and Support,” Ddraig answered for him. “I guess it makes sense for a God of War to be drawn to them.”

Hachiman gave a gentle smile.

“Remembrance of fallen warriors, hope for a brighter future, and support through tough times,” the god explained. “Poppies are the flowers of warriors—not for their strength, but for their sacrifices and hopes.”

Issei looked around, taking in the sea of poppies surrounding them.

“You really love poppies, huh?” he said, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Hachiman didn’t deny it. “Every poppy here represents a life lost, a life given to protect others—this country, their families. These are for warriors, Issei.”

Issei was taken aback. “How many lives do all these poppies represent? How long a timespan?”

Hachiman sighed. “Only this week.”

Issei’s eyebrows shot up. “This week? But Japan isn’t at war. How could so many people die in such a short time?”

“Death doesn’t only come from fighting enemies, Issei,” Hachiman said, brushing dirt from his pants. “It can come from battling illness, pain, or sorrow. A warrior is anyone who stands strong, no matter the fight. Most people run away, die without honor.”

The question came out of nowhere, catching Issei off guard. “How do you want to die, Issei? A warrior or a coward?”

It threw him for a second, but Issei knew the answer without hesitation.

“I’m not planning on dying anytime soon,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “But when I do, I won’t die in fear.”

“Then you need to be stronger,” Hachiman said firmly. “Much stronger.”

His hand rose, and a gust of wind swirled around them—harsh yet gentle enough to avoid disturbing the flowers. A moment later, something shot through the air toward him at breakneck speed. Calmly, Hachiman caught it, holding it gently.

“The bow that took a million lives,” Ddraig muttered.

“And saved many more,” Hachiman added. “A weapon for the righteous and death for the wicked.”

Ddraig’s voice was low. “And the wicked doesn’t mean evil, does it?”

“A warrior fights for a cause, to protect those they love,” Hachiman said, his tone respectful. “It’s not the warriors who cause wars, Dragon of Domination. You should know that.”

Ddraig didn’t respond, falling silent.

Hachiman turned his attention back to Issei. “So, Issei, are you ready to train?”

Issei couldn’t lie. He was nervous. Standing in front of a god like Hachiman, someone with strength that outmatched most beings, was enough to make anyone uneasy.

But beneath that nervousness was excitement—he was about to learn from a god. How many people could say that?

“I’m ready, Grandpa,” Issei replied.

The god smiled but didn’t insist on any formal titles. “Just call me Grandpa. I’m not here to be your teacher. I’m here to help you protect yourself, like any grandparent would.”

And just like that, their surroundings shifted. They left the serene garden for a barren, rocky landscape, far from prying eyes.

“Tell me, Issei,” Hachiman said, his bow now safely put away. “What’s the first thing you need to train if you want to win a fight?”

“The mind,” Issei said without hesitation.

“Exactly,” Hachiman replied. “Now, how do you think you’d fare against a stronger opponent? Can you stay calm under pressure?”

Issei paused for a moment, thinking it over. After a beat, he nodded. “I think I can.”

Hachiman smiled. “Good. Then show me. Attack me. Show me your physical skills, the martial arts I taught you, and the devil powers I sense inside you. Let me see how you handle someone stronger.”

Issei took a deep breath and focused. He knew he had a limited set of skills to work with. Three offensive moves, two defensive, and one utility from Hokuto Shinken. And while his devil powers gave him a boost, it wasn’t enough to take down a god.

But he wasn’t going to back down. He dropped into his stance.

“Give me everything you’ve got.”

Hearing those words only strengthened his resolve.

[Boost]

The rush of power surged through him. He felt his body growing stronger, sharper, more resilient with each boost.

[Boost]

He let the boosts come, pushing his limits, giving himself time to adjust. The god stood there, patient, offering him all the time he needed.

But even as Issei boosted, he knew it was inefficient—no real opponent would give him this much time.

Yet Hachiman did. And Issei wasn’t about to waste it.

[Boost]

He boosted again, then again. Five, six, seven boosts.

His body was starting to hum with energy, but he needed one more. The eighth.

‘Careful,’ Ddraig warned.

[Boost]

The eighth boost hit him hard. His body screamed in protest, muscles aching, but he gritted his teeth, determined to show Hachiman what he was capable of.

He took a deep breath and focused, settling into his stance.

“Don’t disappoint me, Issei,” Hachiman said with a smile, already sensing the power coursing through him.

“I won’t,” Issei said, his voice steady as he prepared his next move.

<<Hokuto Gōsho Ha>>

With a sharp shout, he unleashed the attack, a powerful shockwave of energy, amplified by all eight of his boosts. The force tore through the ground, cracked the rocks beneath him, and hurtled toward Hachiman.

Hokuto Gōsho Ha was one of his deadliest long-range moves. It could destroy a person’s internal organs if aimed precisely, or knock them back for yards if he wasn’t focused.

It would have done that to anyone else.

But not to Hachiman.

The attack slammed into him, but all it did was flatten his clothes and stir up some dust. The rocks barely budged.

“You’ve gotten stronger,” Hachiman said, nodding. “Stronger than just the devil powers. Whatever you’ve been doing, it’s working.”

Issei grinned, but Ddraig’s voice came with a hint of amusement.

“You know exactly what he’s been doing. Any fight that happens in this country, you’re aware of it.”

That comment hit Issei like a cold wave.

‘Will he know about every fight I’m in?’

‘If you’re in Japan, most likely,’ Ddraig replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

Issei’s mind raced. That could be troublesome. But there wasn’t much he could do about it now.

“He was reckless,” Hachiman said. “But you were always meant to win. The enemies were too weak.”

Issei nodded. It was true. There was no way he could have lost to low-class Fallen. If he had, that would’ve been on him.

“I now have a better sense of what you’re capable of,” the god continued, giving a small nod. “Show me more.”

Issei didn’t hesitate. He focused, calming his body and boosting himself again, being careful this time not to strain his muscles or nerves too much. He was preparing for another attack.

“You need to find a way to speed up the process of your boosts,” Hachiman warned. “Or, you’ll need a way to protect yourself during that time. No matter how much power you can unleash, if you can’t survive long enough to do it, it won’t matter.”

Issei fully agreed with that. He was aware of his weaknesses—he lacked proper defense, especially for magical fights. His dragon scales were just armor, not enough to protect him against most attacks.

‘The quests haven’t been consistent, either,’ Issei thought. ‘I expected to get something after saving Asia, but nothing.’

‘If you gained power after every action, you’d be a god in no time,’ Ddraig pointed out. ‘That would upset the balance of everything.’

Issei couldn’t argue with that. So instead, he focused on impressing Hachiman. 

“I’ve already seen your abilities from the Fallen fight,” Hachiman said. “Now, show me what you didn’t show before.”

Issei took a deep breath and went straight for his eight boosts, slowly getting used to the strain on his body. With pressure at his feet, he launched himself forward like an arrow—heading straight for Hachiman.

The god had already seen most of his offensive abilities, so that left Issei with just one more trick.

<<Hokuto Zūha Zan>>

He came at Hachiman from an angle, using it to add extra force to the slicing attack. 

Hachiman raised his hand in response to stop him—but not because he was afraid of getting cut. No, the god was more worried that the attack would rip his clothes.

The slicing attack landed on his wrist with a sharp, almost painful sound—like blades against rock or nails against a chalkboard.

“That…” Hachiman said, more amused than impressed. “Is impressive.”

Even though the shockwave had caused more visible destruction, Hachiman found the single-target slice more intriguing. He hadn’t expected Issei to push himself forward like that, adding extra momentum to the attack. It showed a lot of cleverness, and the god couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s progress.

Issei barely managed to land on his feet after the attack, but he stood tall, ready for whatever came next.

Hachiman smiled, looking at him with a glint in his eye. “Issei... I might just want to see your magical abilities in the morning.”

For now, though, that would do.

He’d gotten a good sense of Issei’s strength. And the god had to admit—he was impressed.