Chapter 101: Start of Japan's Requiem

"What happened..?" That's what everyone said, and Zephyrus seeing that an explosion occur became worried so he came closer to me. "Haruki..? Is that you..?"

The smoke that came from the explosion disappeared, and I was just standing on the crater that the explosion created.

At glance, nothing has changed in my body, but when the Gods saw me they could only open their mouth due to their shock.

I looked at Ignisvem and was confused about what's happening right now. "What happened..?" All I could remember was saying yes to that mysterious girl's question, but what was that question perhaps? No, I remember... It's because I've become what the Gods would call a Hero.

Zephyrus stepped back and readied his haladie, while I reply to him by readying my sword.

I jumped to get out of the crater and threw my sword at him, he saw that I was coming and cloned his haladie to block the hit.

Our blade met and he successfully blocked it, but he was distracted from Ignisvem that he didn't see me in front.

I punched Ignisvem toward him and it shattered one of his haladie, he was shocked to see it shatter and he retreated.

Zephyrus created another one and many feathers were coming out of his wings and are pointing at me while they float in the air. Also, he created hundreds of clones of his Solis Pluma.

He ran toward me with the haladie and feathers flying with him too.

Our blades met and I blocked his attack, but all of the other haladie and feathers went around me; I was trapped again.

All of the haladies and feathers flew at me at the same time, I tried to escape but Zephyrus was holding my sword and hand tightly.

He was giving me a smug smile while doing so. "Now you lose Haruki." When he said that the haladies and feathers were already close to my body.

But... Would his attack work?

I released a hot barrier made out of my flames and melted every haladie and burned every feather that was flying at me.

Seeing that I destroyed all of his incoming attacks Zephyrus created a strong whirlwind on his haladie and I was pushed back. He ran up to me again and threw another haladie like a boomerang.

I did my best to remain my posture and looked at him; our blades met again, and while on mid-air we exchange blows with our weapons. The haladie he threw was finally close to my back, so I let out another flaming barrier to destroy it.

Even if my fire is hot enough to melt the haladies and burn the feathers he keeps using at me, using my skills while being in Soul Bound and fighting him physically is making me tired easily.

That fire barrier I used to destroy his incoming attack cost a lot of energy, and the way he swings his haladie is really fast that he always almost hit me, if I didn't have Foresight I would have a lot of cuts right now.

Just by his face, Zephyrus is getting desperate to defeat me, while I was also the same because it looks like I finally met an equal.

Seeing my fight with him right now, I finally understood what Dawn meant at that time. "Ah yes Zephyrus, he's like Sora but more well-mannered and polite, if you meet him I bet that you two would make good friends and rivals." That's what she said before we left Hell, and just by having the chance to duel him right now, I can see why she said that.

Zephyrus Ziz, one of the Archduke of Hell, the monster of the sky and the birds, the person who inherited the will and name of the late Archduke Ziz, just by fighting him I can truly call him a rival.

I know that Zephyrus is like me, he's always comparing himself toward others like me, he's the weakest in his group like me, he's someone who keeps on fighting like me.

Which is why... This is why I can't afford to lose right now, since if I lose it's like being defeated by my own weakness: myself.

With all of the energy I have left, I powered it all on my sword, Zephyrus noticed what I was doing and decided to do the same with his haladie. Both our weapons glow brightly and the ground started cracking from the immense pressure of the power that we're putting.

We made eye contact and we both knew that this power that we're gonna release is gonna end this battle, the skill that will overpower the other will be the winner of this duel.

Our skill is finally finished powering up, and we looked at each other again to signal ourselves to fire it at the same time, we both blinked twice at the same time and finally fired the skill that we've been powering up.

Mine was a ball made of fire; it was hotter than anything I've created before, while Zephyrus fired a ball of wind that was powerful enough to pull and push anything it touches, even if that thing is a whole building.

Both the fireball and airball that we created flew to each other and when the two finally got close, we saw a spear flew in the middle and destroy both the two power balls we created disappeared.

Both of us were shocked by what happened, we heard someone on our right clapping; it was Master Bishamonten who was clapping and he was the one who threw the spear. "Well done, but I can't let you two destroy the ground we're training in."

We both let our guard down when we saw that it was Bishamonten who stopped our attack, we saw him and the other smile in relief after seeing what has happened.

"So what does this mean now Bishamonten?" Zephyrus asked.

"Well since you two both gave us amazing performances in your duel, you two ended up in a tie. Are you two okay with that?"

Zephyrus and I looked at each other and nodded in agreement to Bishamonten's decision.

To be honest, I'm glad that Master Bishamonten decided to end our battle that way, if he didn't who knows what would've happened to us, even if it's my first time using that type of skill I know that I used something dangerous, so if Master Bishamonten decided to not end our battle there either Zephyrus or I would be severely injured or worse possibly even die.

Master Bishamonten looked at me with a happy smile and asked. "So you've decided to turn into one, huh Haruki? I can't believe the day you'll become a Hero is the day you're looking for a girl's location."

"Yes I did become one and I guess me turning into one helped me a little bit in my battle with Zephyrus, and I'm not proud that I became a hero on the day I battled Zephyrus because of Luna..." When I first heard that I became an Adam or a Heroic candidate, I already decided that I would become one because it'll help me and my friends defeat the Gods, but I was expecting that I would become one when I slay a dragon or a God like in many films or animes, but... I guess this is fine.

Everyone but the Gods was surprised when Bishamonten said I became a Hero. "So if Haruki didn't become a Hero, he would've lost to Zephyrus right?" Lucas asked Bishamonten.

"Nope, nothing changed in Haruki's power at all, because even if he's a Hero his power hasn't activated yet."

"So how do I activate it? Because I can't wait to become one, can you even imagine how exciting that would be? Haruki Hotaru, the first Heroic demon of mankind, seems cool right?"

"That's the sad news Haruki... You can't activate it."

"Wait what?!" I was in denial when I heard what Master Bishamonten said, I thought that I could finally become someone cool but that dream shattered quickly. "What do you mean Master?! Why can't I activate it?!"

"*Sigh* Without an Eve there's no Adam, and without children, there's no father, that basically sums up why you can't turn into a Hero, if there's no Eve or any of their children for you then you can't activate your power as a Hero. Such a bad concept to be honest..."

"Then if Miyu isn't gonna turn into a Hero I can't activate my power? Whoever made this system is garba-" I stopped before I finished my sentence because I remembered who created the Hero system, and if I insulted her I would probably die if I meet her again.

I'm sorry Asherah, for almost calling you garbage and what I mean is you created an amazing system.

"*Sigh* Such luck that I have..."

"Now, now Haruki, don't be down, there's still a chance that you could become a Hero, well if someone became one at least," Bishamonten said to calm me down. "Also, since you've become a Hero you need a title right? Because everyone who became a Hero in history has received a title from a God, so since the God from your Mythology is your enemy I'll do the honor to give you yours."

"Really? I can't wait... If it is someone like the Great God Bishamonten, then it means it got to be good."

"Hmm..." Bishamonten looked at my body and smiled at me. "I know, since that Soul Bound of yours mainly uses fire as its core then I'll give you this title. *Cough* King of Hell, Hotaru Haruki other known as the "Bones of Hell" what do you think Haruki? Isn't it cool?"

"Bones of Hell..." That's the title that the Japanese Buddhist God of War Bishamonten, to be honest being called the Bones of Hell is. "Trash... Don't you think being called the Bones of Hell seems childish?"

There's no way I could walk around and say to someone. 'Hey, I'm the King of Hell Haruki Hotaru, I'm also a Hero of mankind, other people call me as the Bones of Hell.' Anyone who'll hear me say that would laugh at me immediately.

Master Bishamonten was hurt by what I said, Master Susanoo laughed at Bishamonten, while Tsukuyomi gave me a deep sigh and facepalmed himself from disappointment, and my friends were also the same.

"Joke! Of course, it's a joke Master Bishamonten, me being called the Bones of Hell is cool, it's an amazing title that you have given me. I would definitely brag to my friends back on Hell about this cool title you gave me, so don't be sad." This is the least I could do to make Master Bishamonten happy again because even if the title he has given me is sh*t, it is still a valuable thing given to me by a God.

"Really? You should've told me earlier Haruki, seriously, don't do that again, you almost made me do seppuku."

"Please don't do seppuku..." Hearing a God being saddened by mere words made me think that the Gods are just like us.

Just seeing what Lugh and the other Gods are doing, they are like us humans, demons, and any other races, I can see why people said that humans were created by the Gods image.

"Now, since you two both win I'll both give you the rewards that I promised you tw-" Master Bishamonten stopped talking and the two other Gods looked shocked too.

We were confused why so I asked them. "Is something wrong?" Just by the looks on their faces, it seems that something unexpected happened.

"We need to hurry to Mt. Fuji now!" Tsukoyomi shouted in a hurry.

"Wa-wait, what:s the problem? Why are you three shocked and in a hurry to leave?"

"We don't have time to talk, you humans need to stay here and wait for Amaterasu to come so that Miyu's position as a Hero would be destroyed, and you devils need to come with us now in Mt. Fuji because we need to defend the people of Tokyo since Zeus' army has finally started attacking us."