Flesh is Weak

In the fires of war forge them. In the Machine God we trust.

I moved towards the area the subway station entrance was in as the day was beginning to end. I had gotten dinner at a nearby restaurant that was cheap. By the time I got to the entrance, it was early evening, and no one was around. I get to a nearby restroom close to the station and then put my equipment on. I place the rebreather on last, and I prepare my body for this before I make an oath of moment in this unceremonious place.

For Issari, not yet ready, for her parents in ignorance, for Murayama, my sparring partner, and for the people I help protect. For Mars, the world I dream of. Rias and her face flash to me. She thinks I'm a Lord of Iron yet I will never be Perturabo. I'm not a man who is that bitter and heartless yet he became that when he couldn't get his dreams of building things or democracy. I don't want his title or want to be an Emperor, either.You give up what you want as a warrior and a ruler.

That thought makes the next chain here for that collar before I set to my grim job. I exit the bathroom to the dark and deserted area. I load my bolt pistol with a round prepared with six more fifteen-round mags magnetized to my armor. I touch the cog and skull pendent on the gun before I grab my axe and then pressed on into the tunnel entrance and into a new blaring darkness.

As I descended the stairs my night vision setting in the helm activated and the darkness became like seeing a regular lit room. The clanking of my metal boots and my shallow breathing are the only sounds I hear before I begin to hear water droplets hitting the ground. I continued down for five more minutes before I finally hit the floor of a hallway. The hallway I entered is grey concrete with remnants of faded orange scattered across the grey. As I continue down the hall deeper into the station I slow down and meticulous began watching and checking corners.I continued this until I found a ticket booth with a rotting chair and a line of rusted steel across the hall. There was a hole in that line and I move through it and continue onward. I was about to enter the main part of the subway station when my goggles caught the first sight of movement.

Standing close to the entrance archway was a very fat and big rat that wasn't scared of me. Its size and beady red eyes made me think of the Skaven. I glare at it but don't shoot or activate my chainaxe. Its eyes keep watching me as I continue moving past it.The station floor close to the tracks seemed completely empty of life besides the rat. As I was approaching the tracks I saw something lying next to a rusted bench. Approaching it showed me what it was before I gagged and then suppressed the sudden bile rising in my throat. The object was a bleached white human leg bone.

I froze looking at it before looking for a trail of possible blood. I found it thanks to another scanner pinging. It started to trace it to a nearby room close to another hallway. I advance cautiously towards it before I gently open the rust red door and find the body. It's a woman. She has a face of pure horror looking up into my eyes with her milky white ones. I gagged again when I see her guts were spilled over this maintenance closet with her hair lying across the floor in clumps.I almost threw up, but I steeled myself realizing that this was a recent missing person. Her hair was a short strawberry blonde, and the newspapers had illustrated that point heavily. I turn away and promise her that I would kill her killer and help her husband who had begged the public to help him find his wife get the body back.

It seems the stray had kept his abduction fetish going and then escalated and that made me angry. I make the cog of Mars and whisper a quick prayer for her before I return to following the blood trail. It's led into the hallway close by. As I follow the trail I imagine bringing my axe down on this disgusting fuck of a stray in multiple bloody ways. He is a coward and will die a coward. The trail stops at another room entrance at the end of the hall which I slowly open. Inside the room is a disgusting brown bed and a worn dresser, but no stray. I looked around the room and saw something that confirmed Kuroka's information.On the dresser was a pristine Gundam figurine. I prepared to continue looking around the station only to freeze when I heard a scream of pure horror coming from the hall to the tracks area. I tightened my grip on my weapons hearing it was a female scream.I immediately moved back up the hall and took cover near the hallway entrance. I keep hearing the screaming and the new sounds of male sadistic laughter. The scream echoed and kept my boots from being heard. I prepare myself, and then I get ready to activate my chainaxe and extend my mechadentrites with more roaring swords. I put my finger on the trigger of my bolt pistol. I prepare for my baptism in iron and blood.Then, the sound of a hand slapping flesh is heard, and the screams halt for a second.

Then, a voice of slime and unused oil spoke.

"Silence you can scream after I'm done with you."

The woman started whimpering softly as I vow to gut him for her and the woman in the closet. I hear his feet moving towards the hall before I start a countdown at five. When he gets to me, I'm at one. He turned into the hall, and I saw his disgusting face.The stray was an American with long ratty black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing extremely shabby clothing covered in Gundam logos with tons of holes. His appearance made me activate my axe and extend the sword mecadentrites. The sudden and extremely loud roars in the enclosed space of the hallway echoing into the rest of the station made him back up, horribly dropping the tied-up woman he had been carrying on his right shoulder.

She landed on the ground with an oof and then screamed again. I used the confusion and the unknown to rush the stray before pushing him further away from the woman into the main room. There I chopped with my axe, still roaring loudly and horribly.The blow hits his right shoulder carving a hunk of meat off him as he screams incredibly loud and horrified. That sound was music to my ears before I used my anger to go after him again feeling so good. I then drew back the axe and chopped again at his arms, determined to take one at the midpoint. The stray recovered from the shock and dodged the chop before he backpedaled. As he fell back he threw a punch at me that missed but accomplished getting distance between me and him. He tripped over a rock and wobbled. I aim my bolt pistol just as he gets his footing again, and his left hand is holding his shoulder where I hit. He growled at me in rage.

"Who the fuck are you!"

I don't respond. Instead, I fired, and the bolt flew towards my foe. Its horrendous bark echoing in the station makes the stray look at me with wide eyes of fear. He froze, and the shot hit his left foot. The shoe and his foot exploded into gore. He joined the woman in screaming only his was in agony and horror at his now missing foot. He wobbled, and I charged again. I saw the rock in our path and then kicked it towards him. It slammed into his gut and knocked him down, still screaming at his lost foot. I keep charging, and as he hits the floor with a thud. I aim and fire three more times in a fast motion at his hands and last foot.The three limbs explode outward in gore and bone shards. He kept screaming louder now as I moved towards him slowly before pointing my gun down at his head. He whimpered now as a wet stain appeared on the front of his pants. As I looked down at him the stray screamed again.

"What the fuck are you!"

I let my voice masked by my rebreather and machines inside the grills, ring out.

"I am the Warrior of Mars and you will never hurt people again."

I fired my bolt pistol, and his head exploded into gore. I don't throw up like I wanted to instead imagine the people I save from beings like him. I then will the shells away, and watching them disappear gives me an action to distract me from my first kill. I detached myself from reality for a moment thinking of that woman in the closet. Her husband will see his wife again in the worst way possible. In that daze, I retract my mechadendrites and silence my weapons. That allows the sounds of the woman softly crying here to reach my ears. That noise broke my daze before I turned around to the person. I widen my eyes, horrified at who this is. By the Machine God! How did this happen?

It's Issari. She was weeping badly while wearing jogging clothes and the left side of her face had a hand imprint from the slap. Issari heard my boots and started begging for her life.

"Please don't hurt me! I'll do anything you want! I'm just a kid! You want money, it's yours! Anything you want, it's yours just let me go!"

Oh, Issari. I just want you safe as I realize Canon is truly dead now like the stray. I holster my bolt pistol and remove my rebreather ad Issari kept begging and begging for her life. The silence makes her more terrified as she went silent and just wept. I finally said a minute later to my scared friend.

"I just want you to forgive me, Issari-chan for everything I have done."

She froze so very badly at my voice. We were silent for a minute before she whispered out in pure hope.

"Gregor-kun is that you?"

Iwanted to make my way to her but stopped myself to give her some control here.

"It is Issari-chan. Forgive me again I'm going to scare you with the noise, but I need to cut you free. Trust me now, like you did in the park the first time we met. I will explain it to you and know I'm not lying to you when you hear it all. I won't lie to you ever again."

Issari was silent with just the noise of our breathing and water droplets coming down before she spoke.

"I trust you, Gregor-kun. Please help me again like you did that day."

I activated the axe again, and its roars made Issari quake. I gently cut her bonds. The rope falls away before I turn off the axe and return it to my left side. Issari prepared to get up, and I moved to her front to extend my hand. She looks up at me and to see the red eyes of my helm as she flinched before I made a promise.

"I will not let you ever be here again, Issari-chan. I owe you and him that."

She looked up at me, and hearing my voice again made her stop quaking. She takes my hand, as I pull her up to her feet. She once up hugged me and wept into my chest.

"It is you."

I hold her before slowly guiding her to the station entrance. She thankfully can't see what I had done and I wonder if this could have been her Raynare event. The thought made me feel dread knowing that Rias was not here this time. I silently say thanks to the Machine God for our miracle before I lead her up the stairs of the station and into the night.Once we got up top, I removed my helmet and Issari looked at my face. She again then slammed against for a hug. I returned it and we stayed like that for a minute. I look around the area quickly before I say to her with a little urgency.

"I need to hide this stuff, and we need to move quickly before someone else possibly gets here. I promise the truth to you. It will be long."

Issari nodded immediately.

"I can sleep over with you. My parents will immediately accept that. Please help me understand Gregor-kun I was so scared because he appeared suddenly and made ropes from nowhere."

I led her to the restroom and I answered the easiest question.

"He had magic. Let me get this off, and I'll explain."

She widened her eyes to saucers but let go. I quickly moved getting my gear back into the holder. When I exited the bathroom three minutes later I see Issari still there and shaking. Upon seeing me, she looped her arms around my neck burrowing her head against my chest. I pat her back, and I lead us over to the path before Issari looks up into my eyes.

"Magic is real. What else?"

I gently led her away from that station of nightmares. The night is early, and I will get us something. As we walk, I answer her.

"So much more. Each thing is more complicated and or horrifying. It will scare you, Issari."

She grew worried at the answer and I won't lie to her.

"There are many things, Issari, that you will learn tonight. I want to explain a core thing, however. All of the supernatural is real. The man back there was a devil like the ones in the Bible."

Issari blinked then her eyes widened worse. She was silent as we kept walking. I led us to an ice cream shop and asked her what she wanted. Issari wanted raspberry and I got her it before I paid and we walked out of the shop. We continue past people enjoying the cool evening and Issari had been silent since the revelation slowly eating her ice cream. It was when we got to the park, that was the midway point to my home that she asked.

"Everything in that world is real? Including gods?"

We move toward the fountain, and we sit on it near the spot that was her other self's deathbed before I nod.

"Yes. The Shinto are real as are the Greek Gods. Even the God of the Bible is real."

Issari is silent for a second.

"Is your god real? You told me that you have one."

I was ready for this question.

"No not yet. However, one day, he could be real."

She is confused as I continue.

"Imagine a sea Issari. When you have that picture, then imagine the sea made up of energy. You're smart and not entirely a knucklehead, so I won't treat you as stupid. This sea is called the warp and the gods live in it. Enough mortals can, with enough faith and pure belief in ideas, make gods. Mine doesn't have enough faith to exist yet."

She thought about that extremely hard.

"How?"

I nodded.

"By living beings having souls and psychic energy. Humans can eventually evolve to get those powers. It will be a very long time, but we can. Now imagine that sea as a never-ending thing. It can cross over our planet and more think from Earth, then out till you get to what I'm hinting at."

She is amazed by the explanation before she frowned and thought. Then, her eyes went extremely wide. She lost her remaining ice cream as it fell over in shock as her hand wobbled.

"It can go across a galaxy."

I corrected that.

"It can cross realities which there are infinite numbers of them with each being infinitely different in small ways or in massive significant ways. I can describe several to you."

She kept wobbling before her eyes suddenly turned bright like the stars above us. She smiled her evil pervert smile, jumped up onto the fountain and fist pumps into the air with a cool guy thumbs up at the end.

"I get the harem! I get my sexy swordsman or woman! I get to see all the breasts and pecs! Oh, knowing that I will help form your god Gregor-kun! I'm going to get them all like the other mes!"

I'm horrified and terribly amused, along with disappointed. I snorted at the amount of stupid Issari logic that is sadly correct. Issari is now grinning, perversely imagining the possibilities of this, and kept dancing around so very happy with that knowledge. I sighed again this time in relief as it seemed she had mostly forgotten her trauma. We both will need to get that fixed eventually. I let Issari keep dancing before I I gestured for her to follow as I finished my ice cream. She follows, still dancing and I turned my eyes her way.

"There is a place, Issari, where you get many. But it's a weird place, not at all like here. You're a dude there and a massive idiot. You are still friends with the duo, and they screw you over constantly when you three peep. The pink-haired swordswoman and the chestnut beat you up horrendously in that spot, you want to do to them."

Issari stopped dancing shocked before she winced.

"Oww. That's weird. I'm a dude, but fuck. You said I get the harem there, yes?"

I snorted again.

"You do by being the good person you are. They all love you, and you treat them right despite the fact that you're an open pervert."

She fist pumped again in pure joy, dancing again. Never change, Issari. She then begged me for names.

"Who are they maybe I can win them again here! I'll get my sexy harem!"

I shake my head.

"Issari, the reality here is significantly different from there. It's like that with your goal, too. You can't expect them to instantly do that. it's not right for you or them to place an expectation on them, they can't understand. No names. However, I can help explain a very likely reason you're desperate for it. It leads to my next revelations. We will talk more about that in my home. When we get there don't perv on my new roommate."

Issari salutes me.

"No perving on roommate Gregor-sensei, sir!"

"You damn pervert, but thanks. She is interesting, and you will be surprised at her."

We finally got to my house, and I opened the lock. The lock scanned me, and then there was the beep. I gently opened the door, and to my surprise, Kuroka was awake. Her tails and ears are out, and Issari is focused on them intensely. I sighed again but couldn't blame her. I do have a question for her. How the fuck did she get an Xbox? She is currently playing a game of Halo, and I shivered at the possibility. Kuroka is winning her game, and she looks at us with a raised eyebrow before smiling sexily at seeing me.

"Hey, sexy nya. You have gotten stronger, and you brought the pervert. Nice to meet you, nya."

I just replied to her.

"Hey Kuroka. The house is still here and not burning, which is good. Quick question: where did you get an Xbox?"

Kuroka smirks while Issari begins to pant at the catgirl and her dress.

"This was stolen from a stray who tried to double-cross me nya. I kept it because I have a crew. Don't worry, chestnut, they are real. The stray is dead, I'm guessing nya?"

Ok then. Issari woofed loudly as I closed the door.

"Fair. Kuroka this is Issari. Issari Kuroka. No san. She is a Western girl, like how I'm a Western boy. Yes, he is dead, and I made him piss himself in fear. He was a disgusting fuck and kept it going. We need to report a prior victim of his to the police who has been missing since the beginning of the week. However, I need the station for personal use."

Thankfully, Issari was too busy panting over the tails to have heard that admission as Kuroka nodded.

"I'll get a good stray to give them the information. She's nice, and doesn't like those ones either, nya. I'll help secure the station with you. We can get the bodies cleaned up nya. It's in there along with his?"

I nodded, sitting on my lifting bench.

"It is. What's your friend's name? I need more information to get more practice against them."

Issari keeps panting, and Kuroka isn't offended instead being horribly amused.

"Her name is Kalawarna. She's somewhat haughty sometimes but that's expected given she is a former fallen angel nya. She and her crew are good people though she is the only stray among them."

My eyebrows raised at the name.

"Her reason?"

Kuroka shrugged.

"Her king was a prick, nya. They killed her, then reincarnated her as a one piece pawn. She tried running twice before, but her king stopped her. The third time, she got help from me, nya. We killed her, and that allowed Kalawarna to run. We kept in contact, and she does a bit of work for Grigori on the side, nya. They are one of the three biblical factions. She is cool just a bit reserved, nya."

Wow, poor Kalawarna. Issari finally stopped panting.

"Cat is sexy and I need me one. Back off, Gregor-kun; she is mine!"

I face-palm while Kuroka laughed out loud.

"I like both nya. However, Sexy is my main target, Chestnut. You are not strong, so I sadly don't see us working nya."

Issari wept waterfall tears getting called weak. Kuroka continued smirking.

"You're cute but Sexy has a kill, and he is a good conversationalist. Get stronger chestnut, and you might have a chance, nya."

I started snickers of my own hearing that as Issari grew especially focused before she declared to Kuroka.

"My dream is to be a harem queen and you're the first on the path to my dream!"

Kuroka is amused more than ever before. Despite the new lighter mood I need to explain to Issari her gear. Before a thought crossed my face. I could fuck with Kuroka and make us seem a much better option than the Brigade. It would start Issari early on her rivalry yet canon is dead. So I interrupt the next round.

"She can be strong and also has gear. You should not have said that, Kuroka."

Kuroka grew very interested as did Issari.

"Gear?"

I smirked, enjoying the looks.

"Gear or sacred gear is an item like a superpower that resides in your soul and can vary on person. My gear is broken as is yours too, Issari. Gear was created by the Big G to give humans a fighting chance against the supernatural. He is extremely good to us, and he really tries for us. He doesn't like your gear, but he wants humans strong like the rest of the supernatural world."

Issari is fascinated by the explanation while Kuroka is looking at me with lust. Issari asked again.

"How do you know I have gear, and was it?"

There is the insecurity.

"Issari, you're wonderful before the gear and wonderful after the gear. Remember our talk about the sea? It's there, too. I'm also like that and you won't believe the differences."

She widened her eyes to the limit as Kuroka was confused before Issari frowned.

"What about her? Are you lying to her really? That's not you."

I lifted my shirt, and Kuroka woofed, seeing the muscles. I showed my back, and Issari saw the scar as I looked over my shoulder.

"It was real. The problem is that he was my opposite for him, I will try. I'll explain more downstairs. Please don't hate me for the explanation."

Issari softened her face.

"You do things for a reason. Let me call my parents or they will get worried."

She got up and went to the kitchen to call. Kuroka looks at me before frowning.

"What does she have Gear wise nya? I'm guessing it's something like twice critical, yet that's common and not broken. Will my sexy mate give his sexy cat a hint, nya?"

I smirked evilness and laughed a supervillain laugh making Kuroka actually shiver in lust."

Don't tell me, nya. I want more of that it's hot. I'll be good, Sexy."

I teased.

"I might tell you just to punish you but I like my roommate who is cool. You won't regret your choice with me."

Kuroka purrs loudly.

"I like you too but please reward your Bad Cat eventually, nya. You're much better than my last crew who were assess and pretended to care about things I wanted. They eventually betrayed me nya. You knew my story and didn't immediately attack me. You also don't seem interested in my bounty despite the price of it and being on a budget."

I glance at the kitchen to see Issari still on my phone before I turned back to Kuroka.

"I will never be interested in it and I am going to help your sister since Rias is not in good shape. I have the beginnings of a few plans to help them and the group I want to make will be doing good things just like that Kuroka."

The yellow eyes of Kuroka look at me with an appraising look.

"Why are you the way you are, nya?"

That question sent me down a hole as I think of Kate who had made my years wonderful. I smile, remembering us on a cliffside we frequently went to gazing up at the stars and dreaming of owning a house on Mars or on other planets. Those nights were the best nights for both of us and the time we were happiest.That happiness and all our dreams came crashing down three years later because of something she didn't know about and I didn't realize how bad it was for her. Kate was infertile because of a thing in her childhood. She and I were so heartbroken learning this and Kate had wept for hours with me holding her. I constantly told her that it didn't matter to me. I told her that would never leave her and that I loved her like the world. Despite that she never recovered from that news and then more and more problems appeared for us. Those problems and that day broke apart our relationship making both us lose the best thing ever. I answered back breaking from that painful memory.

"I don't want regrets for me or for others as it destroys you. I regret not knowing my cousin. I regret that my first reaction to Issari was not good. I would regret not helping you with what I think I know and could help. You are a Bad Cat but I can see you did it for good reasons."

Kuroka wasn't thirsty now as she took on a forlorn look that turned soft as she looked at me with new eyes.

"Regret is indeed horrible, nya. I regret taking his offer and that I left my Shirone behind. It does destroy you nya. I think I will enjoy being with someone who gets that. You're only two years younger than me and it will be sad when you go."

I understand that.

"I'm here for a good while, Kuroka. I'll show you something in a few days. You will be amazed at it, but don't throw up when I do the deed. I think we can form something that isn't like your other crew option by truly helping people instead of being sick fucks."

Kuroka grew intensely interested in my promise and promise.

"What will we be called nya?"

I smiled because it was a wonderful name.

"The Legio Solar. I want to shine like the sun and burn away the shit on both sides. Make light instead of darkness. You will get it when I let you in. I have lots of plans for us all."

Kuroka is amused by the name.

"It sounds interesting, but both sides, nya? We will never be accepted on the mundane side because we are stronger than them."

"We are, but the strong should be serving as paragons of virtue not throwing shit onto the weak. We should be making the weak have something to aspire to always pushing upwards to Mars and Beyond."

Kuroka huffed at the idea, but her face grew dreamier.

"It's a good dream, nya. You're a weirdo, thinking that works. I'll build this if you impress me nya."

I smirked heavily think of the reader which will be my Magnum Opus. I will drag humanity into the stars kicking and screaming if I have to.

"I will. I do want to ask more questions about stray nests. I need more combat experience, and I want to show the Bad Cat that I will keep my promise."

Kuroka smirked.

"Oh, you're on the top three now, nya. You're going to get a sexy cat girlfriend if you keep it."

I snort.

"I have you and a very sad person chasing me, plus the pervert if she tries. I'm not interested in a harem so step up your game Bad Cat."

That surprised her.

"You're not nya?"

Ismile again, thinking of Kate.

"One is enough for me. Let Issari get her dream, but mine is with a partner who gets me completely. I won't accept it unless something happens that makes it unavoidable. If it happens, I will never have favorites in it."

Kuroka is silent for a moment before a serious Issari gets back to the living room.

"I'm good for the night, Gregor-kun. I'm ready to know."

Inodded and then moved to the basement door. Issari followed me before I wave to Kuroka.

"Kick some noob's teeth in then teabag them."

Kuroka barks out laughing.

"Will do nya!"

Issari doesn't get the slang but I snicker, remembering a time when Kate and I did that to a party in a game we played together. Good times because they raged hard for three hours at us. I opened the lock, and we entered the basement. Before I close the door and reset the lock along with hitting a noise damper, I installed it on the door to make nothing get upstairs through it or the floor. Issari immediately focused on my strange washing machine and dryer as we descended the stairs.I lead her over to the vault which Issari was weirded out by the gothic design along with the symbol. I turned to her and begin.

"Issari, you have something a sacred gear called the Boosted Gear. I believe it influenced you significantly and made you into what I call a social dragon it makes you want the harem badly because of it. My gear is called The Standard Template Constructer or STC. Both are incredibly broken because we have what is called a Longinus. The Longinus are the fourteen most powerful gears as they can potentially kill gods."

Issari's listened to that before her face lit up as she made multiple connections before, she grew perverted.

"I'm not weak and can get the cat! My gear is dragon-based and can potentially kill gods?"

I nodded.

"Yes and yes. You still need to do tons of work to get there, but yes, you can. Let me help you take the first step to understanding it better."

I pulled out the scanner and then put it next to her right arm before activating it. There is a small beep before, all of a sudden, the red gauntlet pops up, and the appearance makes Issari blink as I smile.

"Your gear boosts your attacks in strength. You can punch incredibly hard but you can do that only a certain number of times before you faint. You can refine that by training it up. Please be nice to your partner he is ok and is just a grumpy gecko."

That makes the gem on the gauntlet light up in fury.

"You snot nose brat I'm a dragon, not a fucking gecko! I'm way more powerful than you! You will suffer the wrath of Ddraig!"

Issari looked wide-eyed at the gauntlet as I yawned.

"You're a gecko who should be thanking me for helping you out. Your host is not incompetent, and you have an advantage in me being her friend who can get vengeance on the White One. They will be outclassed by your host."

The room grows silent before Ddraig spoke incredulously.

"How is having a pervert going to win me my victory against the White One? You're just a brat who is decent enough yet weaker than most foes. You're an idiot."

Issari gets pissed and whacks her gauntlet.

"He is smarter than you, gecko! He is trying to help us, you asshole!"

They settled into arguing with each other and throwing insults at each other before they started to get one-upped. I finally make them both shut up by my axe out roaring as I cut off my left-hand ring finger. The limb falls to the floor, and blood spurts as the two idiots watched the third one. The Issari screamed out.

"What the fuck! Gregor-kun why! Ten is better than nine!"

I say to them while holding in a whimper.

"Watch pervert, gecko. This is why I'm not scared of you or the rest of them. I fight smarter, not harder, and will crush whatever the supernatural world throws at me."

The two look on in pure horror before it turns to wide-eye shock as my finger reforms. I wiggle it making Issari blink. Ddraig didn't say anything being too stunned. Issari knelt and was brave by poking the dead finger. She poked the finger twice in morbid fascination before looking up at my slightly smiling face.

"I'm what is called a perpetual. It's how I have this healing factor. I'm effectively immortal as you can drop a nuke on me, and I will return. It will fucking hurt, but I will. I can chop off my head, and it will regrow back. Because of my gear, I can make things that will enhance me up past supernatural creatures. I can become stronger than nearly everything but gods. I can back up my claims Issari. Remember the sea? My ability comes from another place where we humans are the rulers of a galaxy and have spaceships in stupidly high numbers. We there have trillions of soldiers and a million inhabited worlds. Ddraig thinks about that because I can bring things from there to here. Imagine the possibility of you having weapons, tactics, sword styles, and more that will make you outclass the White One."

Issari froze dropping her mouth to the floor as Ddraig barks out, pissed.

"Bullshit. You are a stupid human who was just lucky and got a good healing factor. Your claim about the sea is shit too you can't make gods. All I see is a stupid human that is reaching for delusions."

I yawned again, unimpressed.

"Yet I activated you with a simple click. I have a laser gun which was a standard issue weapon for those trillions of soldiers. I can make my claims, Ddraig and your host could win your rivalry easily, but we have much bigger problems than your rival. Issari, that place had serious foes. Things that make that devil man look like a fly, and they might be here."

She and Ddraig froze again and Issari, however, like I know she isn't stupid.

"You're saying they which we long have asked are real are?"

Ddraig didn't get the new sudden fear in his host's voice as I nodded.

"That reality had them, and all of them hated us. We were barely holding them back with those numbers. They might be here, too. If they are, they will crush us in hours. We are a single world and are in more trouble than anyone on our planet realizes."

Issari quakes hearing this and she sees it as I do but Ddraig, however, growled.

"You are insane. Host kill him he does have a Longinus, as he claims it's the only thing of truth he has spoken of. I might not like humans much because you're all worthless for the most part, but I'm not going to let this madman get out of here alive."

Issari growled at the order like a dragon then snarled at her gauntlet.

"You are beyond stupid gecko if you think I will kill my best friend who saved me tonight. Gregor-kun has been nothing but good to me. He had faith in me, an outcast and a pervert. He has been pushing me to be better because he knows things about people. He is a person who builds people up not tearing them down unless it's that freak who kidnapped me. You're a stupid lizard if you think I'll kill the best thing in my life who is explaining things to me like an actual person and not a stupid pervert."

I stop the next words by summoning Koriel and the anvil. Issari grew wide-eyed again, seeing Koriel and her cybernetics, the red robes and the very alien features of a human of the future. Koriel is relaxed as I spoke while glancing at my partner.

"Ddraig, meet Fabricator Koriel Zeth of Mars. A woman from another reality. She is my partner, and unlike you and yours right now, we get along incredibly well. Sis, this is the gecko and Issari. My pervert friend with a heart of gold."

Koriel is amused more than ever by the silence from her opposite in Ddraig. The gem and Koriel just keep staring as Issari looks at Koriel in amazement. Koriel finally speaks up with ultra amusement.

"My partner is correct in his words, completely lizard. I am indeed from Mars. We did have a million worlds and did have armies in the trillions. The Xenos he spoke of were horribly real. He is correct that you, with nothing at the moment, would be crushed in hours by them. We had multiple things that made us stronger and better off there. Those things are not here. Get off your high grox and try looking at this from a human's perspective where we are at the bottom. You're now that, too."

Issari looks at the cybernetic eyes in amazement.

"This is why you believe machines have spirits, and with the sea, they eventually can be real. Oh my god! Oh my god! You are not crazy! Oh, by the Machine God, I'm sold! It might not be real yet, but it gave me you! The Shinto didn't save me it did. I'm sorry for laughing at you, Gregor-kun! If your god brought you to me in my hour of need, then it must be good!"

I stopped Issari before she did something she could regret.

"The Shinto don't seem to be bad, Issari-chan, and the original Machine God was not good. He was very likely a monster."

Koriel stiffened as did Issari.

"The original Machine God was most likely what is called a C'tan. A being that was part of a species that did extremely cruel things to trillions of beings. It ate souls, and it unconsciously pushed the Cult Mechcanicum, which is what my religion is called, into chopping off their limbs to appease it. The idea, Issari, is good. Knowledge must be preserved and used correctly, with certain things never being reached for. Yet the faith had many things that were not good. The Mechcanicum advocates for getting rid of everything that is organic to replace it all with machines. Become a complete cyborg and deny everything that is human. Don't abandon the Shinto unless it is of your own free will, and you know if they do or do not try for humans."

Koriel is horrified at that revelation but Issari, however, stops me.

"Context is important but you said we make new ones. I will believe in a god that is like you in being logical and yet tries for people. I will believe in that because you are trying to make me think this out and make the right decision. I am with my friend who fought that thing who kidnapped me. I am with my friend until I either die or we win. I stand with my friend, who wants me to be a better person and is helping me before himself. I am never going to regret being a warrior of Mars."

I hope the Shinto aren't pissed at me as I don't need godly foes yet. Ddraig finally spoke up.

"This is not possible you can't form gods. They are already here and made, but she is real, too like me. How?"

I prepare for this and begin.

"I am from a different reality. I had another life Issari, I will not lie here. This body is the body of Akeno's cousin and his name was Alex and I really am Gregor. Alex was almost certainly me here in this reality as we have the exact same childhood events and multiple other similar things. I was brought here by something more powerful than a god. I didn't ask for this, and I don't want to be here. The reason I'm trying for her is because Alex deserves to have his dreams and desires fulfilled. He wanted to find her again and reconnect. I'm not doing it to be cruel to her. I'm doing it because his dreams matter like how I'm trying for you because your base version that boy I described deserves to have someone looking out for you too."

Issari blinked, as did the gem. Issari gets a face of understanding everything why I was like that with Akeno and everything else. She, however, asked in curiosity.

"What was yours like? I don't like that you're giving her false hope, but you're doing it to help her, who was in a bad place. She would have done something worse had you not done that."

I nodded my head.

"It was extremely different, Issari. I, however, am now him as I'm stuck here. Our family is not good, Issari. They tried to kill her like they did kill her mother just like I'm pretty certain they tried to kill Alex and his mom with a car crash. The family is extremely xenophobic against the supernatural, and kills anyone that tries to be different from them."

Ddraig finally asks his next question while Issari is horrified.

"Their name because you seem certain about that?"

I replied as Issari continued to be horrified by the new information.

"Himejima."

Ddraig winces.

"They do that. You're right oh fuck. That might mean you're actually telling the truth that is not well known outside certain circles."

I continued.

"My cousin is going through a horrible situation right now as is the redhead she is with. I know their stories like I know yours, but there are differences. Base Akeno didn't have me. Her friend was a powerful heiress in the nobility of her species; here she is, a third child with crippling depression. Ddraig, there are versions of you that are vastly different. The multiverse is infinite and in some, you're with an evil version of Issari. In others, you are on the current version of the White One's host. Think again about what I said because we are in serious trouble. What happened tonight is an event that was similar to base reality, but the person who saved you was different as was the result. Issari, you die in that base reality. You're only alive because of the redhead. You're not human you're a devil, and while it's good there, it's not here. The reincarnated, which is the vast majority of the species now, are virtually slaves."

That makes both shake in fear.

"Oh, Machine God you must be real because you gave me Gregor-kun! You must be the best thing since porn! I will believe in you more than ever!"

I slapped my palm against my face. Ddraig kept blinking rapidly and now in random colors of light.

"Oh fuck. I don't like devils. They killed my last host it was for a good reason, but it was a cowardly attack. They shot him with an arrow that hit his heart after we killed the White One when we were extremely tired. I could be with one that is them!"

I snark back.

"You're in a devil in the vast majority number of realities. Your host is often called the Breast Dragon Emperor and that is his main title. He gets a TV show called Oppai Dragon. I'm helping you not be that here. Yes, she is a pervert here, which is also near-universal with all her versions, but here, your pervert is trying to be stronger off the get-go. Base him is weak and only powers up through breasts so try to be nicer to me. I want Issari to be strong and to get her dream without subjecting you to that because you're a grumpy gecko, but no one deserves to suffer that."

There was silence for a second before Ddraig started weeping as he learned about himself suffering that. Issari looks to the weeping Ddraig with pity.

"I will never do that to you, gecko. I want the harem, too, but that's just pure torture. Gregor-Kun has been encouraging me to exercise and learn swordplay. He's been doing all this while knowing base me. He knows sword stuff that even our sensei, who is very knowledgeable, doesn't know. He must know this future reality stuff. Machine God, I will be stronger and better than him!"

Ddraig kept weeping this time, in pure relief.

"I'll never insult you again, partner! Thank you! I'll also never insult you, too, green man! Please save me from them I'm a good dragon and not Apophis! I just wanted to have a strong rivalry with her because she was the best mate after our fights! Please help me, green man!"

I froze as Issari joined her partner in weeping. Oh no. Was the supernatural world's most heated rivalry ever between dragons inspired by fucking horny! It made me reluctantly ask.

"Albion is a female here, isn't she?"

Ddraig weeps more.

"Yes she was wonderful to me after our fights to the near-death, but she blames me for our current situation! I didn't think that fighting near the armies of the Great War was a bad thing! I just wanted to have fun with her after and impress them! I didn't mean to kill most of the armies and the leaders! It was Big G that stopped us! He bitch slapped me and Alby around into a circle that would make us into gear! He then got murdered by a crow with knives for ears! We didn't mean to cause that! Alby doesn't remember as much as I do! She doesn't remember that we had a good thing going!"

Oh, come the fuck on! You stupid horny lizard but that did answer a good question. Kokabiel is his typical rat self and strikes when Big G is busy slapping around perverts.Issari and Ddraig kept weeping together. Ddraig for Alby. Issari, for the sad story. I finally found my own happy place imagining the strangulation of a dragon who is a horny fuck like his host. Oh, the rage felt so good and I'm so tempted to do that to Issari despite everything.

"You fucking stupid gecko of fucking course, it's a bad idea to do that! I'm in total support for you being killed by him and her because it is your fault! You took the best god who actually cared for us away because you couldn't see that fighting near them in the middle of the war was moronic! Issari, I like you a lot as my friend, but I want to strangle you and him! You stupid idiot dragon you took away a potential source of power for us against the Xeno and helped break our world! I'm ready to kill you!"

Issari and Ddraig kept weeping in unison before Issari defended her partner while weeping.

"He's my mood kindred Gregor-kun hindsight is 20/20! Leave my partner alone! I'm so sorry, gecko I'll never torture you!"

They weep together in ultra comfort and support. Koriel had been busy enjoying the suffering of the two horny idiots. She smiles more evilly after each episode.

"This Slannesh might be onto something there. This is good."

I slammed the anvil in anger there with the rage now legendary.

"Never agree with Chaos, Sis! They are the worst things in many parts of the multiverse! They destroy civilizations by the millions because of agreeing with them! We are horrifically lucky they are not here as we would be their twisted slaves because the master of asshole kind is not here, as we make the galaxy burn! I will take your building permit away for three years if you do that again!"

Koriel froze, as did the other two, hearing my rage. It felt so good and I really want to continue that rant. Issari has never heard or seen me angry before and neither has Koriel. I gripped the anvil harder trying to calm down.

"I am like Perturabo in my hate of them! If I have to have that title, I will make it stand against Gods like them who see us as nothing but playthings! We don't have the ultimate asshole and I will be that forever if I have to! They will never enter this reality! If the Machine God gets made, he will stand against them! I don't want to spread my beliefs at the edge of a sword, but I will if it means protecting us all!"

The room falls completely silent. My rage was clear for Issari, Koriel, and Ddraig who are now not going to test me. Issari bravely asked.

"What is Chaos?"

I calm down and close my eyes.

"They are gods of evil, Issari. We can and do make them in millions of realities. They corrupt worlds and people destroying everything they touch, and they have things that drive you insane just by looking at them for a second. Those creatures are called daemons. Chaos is insidious and makes mortals suffer for fun. I hate them because they are chain makers promising you freedom. Issari that future reality was not a bright place. Humanity was evil there. We had abandoned hope and progress, we left behind the idea of wonder and became disgusting. It was a reality of only war and the laughter of thirsting gods."

She and Ddraig are silent again before something else spoke now, making all of us jump.

"He is correct. Chaos is real, and I stand against it. Why he worries is correct because they can enter places easily. Fabricator never agree with them because they spread like Orks."

Standing behind us is a man. He is wearing my face except his right eye is bionic red. He wears red robes, and next to him is a Japanese woman in a traditional cherry red dress. She is watching the other me wary but her face smiles gently seeing me. I widened my eyes, as did Issari and Koriel. Ddraig looked at both with growing horror as he blinked and spoke from his gem.

"Holy shit. You're not crazy. That's a…..."

I finished for him while watching the older version of me in clear suspicion. It's a warp spawn as is the woman.

"A god. You should not be here yet. There are only two of us and neither of us is a psyker, as far as I checked. I apologize to you, madam, for the rudeness, but what the fuck are you doing in my house?"

The Goddess smiles and giggles while the other me snorts amusedly. A robe moved, and showing his left leg was also a cybernetic implant. He just pulled the robes back over it, and the Goddess stopped giggling before growing serious and spoke with a regal tone.

"You're excused for the rudeness, human. I am here because of you and your new patron. I am Amaterasu. I am here to thank you for helping one of mine tonight get justice. You didn't have to help her or kill her murderer yet you did. Your action, plus your first in respecting our temple despite the representation of us by the fox, led us to watch you more closely. Forgive your patron. He and I have watched you explain to the lizard and the pervert. We in the Shinto are not mad about the girl's new faith. I understand you are not a proselytizing person and this is vastly preferable to her original fate."

I blinked, then narrowed my eyes at the Goddess. Issari bows to one of her former goddesses and to her new god. Ddraig is silent internally freaking out and I don't bow.

"The representative was a bitch of the highest order, and if I cross paths with her again, I will make her scream in agony for the insults to me and the threat of being hanged. I did the deed for her in the closet alone, not to earn favors. Explain how you are real because it takes more than two to make gods. What was her original fate?"

Amaterasu snorted in amusement, in clear agreement with my words on Himura. The Machine God smiles and answers the first question.

"Your oaths and actions throughout today attracted someone, and he helped. You have been feeding my birth since your first conversation with the Fabricator, and you finished the process when you embraced your destiny fully. I am you, and you are me. You who is my wanted champion. I took everything I am from you, and I will not force you to be my champion though I wish you would. I also wish to help you because we have few friends and many enemies. I care about humanity thanks to you, and I am never going to be like Chaos nor the original one."

Amaterasu spoke up now for the second part.

"She is indeed a bitch. I also understand you did the deed because you want to help people, not for power. As for my former believer, her fate was to die in that place. No, you didn't make that happen. She would have been following after a man with massive pecs and been unaware of the stray. She would have died here, and we were prepared for that until you entered my temple. Then the lines went out of whack, and we didn't know what would happen. Young lady, we tried to help you with the situation, but your nature would have led you to it overwhelmingly. We in the Shinto are not evil, and we do care. We just can't do much because of our sphere and our fading powers. I would rather her be with him than dead."

Issari looked horrified, as did I. That was her Raynare event, and it would have been worse. Koriel looks at the Machine God wary, too before he smiles at her.

"You're free to continue your beliefs, Fabricator. I hold no claim on you, and neither does the first one. He is gone having died when your reality collapsed at the end of it and why you were in the warp sea, I do want my possible champion to eventually accept me and I truly do wish to help you. Your fears are correct, as is Big G's. We have xenos here, but neither my fellow possible friend here nor I can see them."

That agreement on the Xenos by a god makes Issari and Ddraig blink rapidly. Amaterasu looked at the Machine God warily again before she softly smiled.

"You will be hated for your possible champion. However, you are not like the last god that formed. He tried immediately to attack us as his followers launched the subway attacks in Tokyo in 1997. They caused many deaths, and why we are against new ones forming on our soil. Why we were hesitant about you human."

Issari grew horrified at the mention of the attacks. Her expression made me realize that this was true. I know this group, Aum Shinrikyo, but the year is wrong. That made more sense than ever why they hesitated.

"I'm guessing it was worse here with them. In my reality, they were two years earlier, and they didn't do as well. That's a horrible reason but understandable."

Amaterasu nods.

"Yes, it was. I am sad to hear they exist in your place, too. Yes, Aum Shinrikyo was much deadlier here. They had help from a group of fallen who acted as the brains behind the project. We don't know who their cadre head was."

I spoke up because I have a very good idea who this is and why the attacks were made.

"How many places in the Aum Shinrikyo attacks were close to devil enclaves and contractors?"

Amaterasu thought about that hard before her eyes widened horrifically wide.

"Nearly all of them. You have an idea of who made the attack, given your extra-dimensional status."

I nodded.

"It is very likely a fallen Cadre head called Kokabiel. He wants a second Great War, and he might have tried to kickstart it with this. He is a rat and might be using cult events to try to kickstart war. It would be in his favor to do that so as to include us humans in the slaughter now that we are stronger than we were in the first one."

The Machine God gets angry there. He was incredibly pissed because his face turned into all machines, with his eye turning organic. Amaterasu gets pissed too as Issari spoke softly.

"The Aum attacks killed ten thousand people, Gregor-kun. You're saying that this fallen head did this to kickstart war. That's horrifying."

Ten thousand people dead thanks to that cur. Even with it failing, he would be extremely happy there. I spat on the floor.

"The crow will die. I will make him scream because that is exactly the kind of thing he would enjoy, given his rat nature with Ddraig. I wouldn't put it past him."

Ddraig blinked and spoke again.

"That was him! He did this, possibly too! Oh, my holy scales, that's not good!"

Amaterasu is confused, but the Machine God isn't.

"I want him dead and you as my champion now more than ever. If he truly did this, he is my enemy, and I will help you kill him."

I look to Amaterasu.

"Get your people to look into this because he has a plan in the other place to kill a Gremory and or a Sitri. There are two Gremory here in Kuoh, along with a Sitri. He will attempt something similar if his plan is like that again. The Gremory I met can't fight a wet paper bag easily."

The Goddess nodded before looking towards the Machine God.

"If your likely champion is correct in this, you will have my full backing in allowing your existence here in Japan. This is a bigger possible lead than we have ever had since the attacks. Azazel denies up and down he allowed Grigori to do this. We have never believed him and is why we have standing orders to the Youkai and Principle Clans to attack Grigori if they enter Japan. If this fallen is the culprit and he was rogue, then we will rescind the order on Azazel. Champion, you have my support in being here. Your deeds for my priestess and the girl earned you that. If your theory is correct, you will have the support of the Shinto permanently, and I will give you vengeance on the fox. She is extremely close herself to going rogue."

That makes me smirk evilness. I began to laugh like a supervillain at such horrible promises of pain and suffering on Himura because I was right, and vengeance is beautiful. Koriel, along with the Machine God, are just amused incredibly well by that as the Machine God's face returns to normal. Issari began to pant heavily in open perversion because, apparently, this was hot for her like it was for Kuroka.

Kuroka shivered pleasantly. Her mate was doing that laugh again. Oh, why did she have to like that? She went back to crushing noobs with her pals. Kalawarna was playing, too, and was interested in this idea. It was a silly idea, yet this potential mate was getting sexier the longer she stayed.

I stopped laughing.

"Deal and I will do digging on my own. I promise that I will protect the Shinto if I become the thing I don't want. I'm not going to destroy faith that goes to Gods that try but if there are rat ones are out there, I will have them justify to me why they should exist."

The Goddess nodded at that promise before disappearing. Issari stopped panting and looked to her new god.

"You will bloom under my hopeful champion. You will not regret becoming a warrior of Mars however, you will not see the light often girl. Iron and Blood is our creed. You must understand that you might lose the light you are and become like another version of you. He is now interested in you because he had a similar thing with the universe that changed everything. He helped me form to give us a chance here because we are extremely close to and almost completely in what he calls dark forest zones. He tells me to tell you hello and that he has it too. If you get it, no favorites. His advice to you. Don't disappoint him."

Issari beams and grows determined.

"He will see that I am not like base us. I'm not stupid and powered by breasts. I love them but won't make our partner suffer."

The Machine God chuckled.

"He will, but he is watching you more closely as the last one he saw was disappointing. That one failed because of an inside job because they trusted a woman who was like your friend here now. She was a very well-hidden monster who was given power before she abused it and him. She ended up enslaving that reality, and the One Above All had to nuke it to keep her from spreading like Chaos to another reality nearby. You trusted the right person here. Don't hold his lying to the Teaser against him too much. Alex was good here too however, he was dying."

That stopped Issari and me. Another Issei is helping us? I ask the more pressing question.

"How was he dying? According to my hospital report and the diary, he felt fine."

The Machine God sighed.

"The attempt was them, but the goal was his death no matter what. The Himejima made sure this time that if they failed, the secondary part of the explosive rune would activate. He was soul-dying. The day you woke was the day after he died. He would have been left in that bed you woke up in for three weeks. He would have stay there till the smell would have attracted someone. He had no chance, and that is why they don't think much of you. You were inserted at the end and the death for him. He knows you're trying to honor him, too. He says to tell you that he resented you till you helped his cousin. He still doesn't like you too much however he accepts that you helped her there and now with her situation."

Oh, Machine God they did kill him and had learned lessons from Akeno. Issari is horrified, too. I want to ask, but I don't because I'm still horrified that he lost this all. The Machine God sees the look.

"It will be soon. I will do what I can there. I do wish you would be my champion. I need an avatar that embodies the perfect Warrior of Mars."

I hesitated. A champion of a god. I could be broken immediately and have another way to even the odds.

"I have one battle and was completely lucky with the element of surprise. It won't be like that always. No until till I earn it and I am truly the Warrior of Mars."

The Machine God smiled.

"You impress me. I will watch you closely, and I will help when you ask."

He disappeared. Issari and Ddraig looked at me impressed before Issari finally said.

"Tell me everything about this dark place and yours. I need to be like you in being informed and I will show the other me that I am different from our base. I will be like you and trust in the strength and certainty of steel. That fallen killed people for war if you are right and I need to protect my parents from people like him. Make me a Warrior of Mars, too."

I nodded."

It all begins long ago with a species called the Old Ones. They are our makers along with many hundreds of other Xenos in our galaxy. They made a horrible and short-sighted mistake…"