**Some Time Later**
**Japan**
In a sprawling city in Japan, with towering buildings stretching across the landscape, numerous houses and structures lined a certain street where two people could be seen walking.
The first was a tall young man, about eighteen years old, with slightly tanned skin and golden eyes, along with dark brown hair. He wore a black leather jacket with golden buttons and some detailing, left open to reveal a short-sleeved white T-shirt. The inner lining of the jacket was red, and he wore a necklace around his neck. He also had black sweatpants.
Beside him was a younger boy, around thirteen years old, with dark hair and blue eyes, wearing a combination of a school uniform and ancient Chinese attire.
They were, respectively, Alexandre Ikuse, the Hakuryuukou, and Cao Cao, the wielder of the Holy Spear.
It had been a few days since Alex and Cao Cao had left Asgard, escaping the wrath of the Valkyries.
Though, obviously, Alex would be their primary target.
Cao Cao couldn't help but sigh at this. Even after a little over a year with Alex, the young boy still couldn't fully understand his friend.
Even to Cao Cao, Alex was sometimes very mysterious. His habit of always getting into trouble and infiltrating the most heavily guarded places in the supernatural world just to steal something mildly irritated Cao Cao.
Don't get it wrong—Cao Cao truly loved and admired Alex. To him, the Hakuryuukou was like an older brother, and he always followed what Alex said. Still, Cao Cao thought Alex could do other things besides getting into trouble that would likely cost him his life one day.
Over the time traveling with Alex, Cao Cao's worldview had changed significantly.
He saw and learned so many things he previously considered mere fantasies. He saw Gods, fought monsters, trained tirelessly, and experienced dozens of other things.
Cao Cao had learned about different mythologies, various Gods and other beings, artifacts, and many important stories about the supernatural world while delving deeper into how to use his Longinus.
Alex hadn't wasted time teaching Cao Cao everything he could, not just in combat techniques but also in surviving the world, imparting various lessons.
In the area of combat, Alex had taught Cao Cao about magic, strategy, and various ways to prevail in battle.
And, of course, he helped Cao Cao with the use of his Holy Spear, in addition to giving Cao Cao a new weapon.
Alex wasn't dependent on his Sacred Gears, and he didn't want Cao Cao to become dependent on the [True Longinus]. He wanted to teach the boy to be strong without relying on the Holy Spear.
Cao Cao still remembered what Alex had told him.
"What do you mean I can't depend on the [True Longinus]?" Cao Cao asked loudly, with a surprised expression.
"Exactly what I said, Cao Cao. I'm not here just to help you get stronger with your Longinus. I'm here to teach you to get stronger on your own and not rely on your Sacred Gear. I don't want you to fall into the same trap as other Sacred Gear users who treat it like a crutch. You'll learn to grow stronger on your own, and your Sacred Gear will only enhance your power," said Alex calmly.
Cao Cao understood what his friend meant—not to rely entirely on his Sacred Gear and to grow stronger without it, just as Alex himself was an example.
Even without his Sacred Gears, Cao Cao had seen Alex defeat Gods using only his own powers and intelligence. Alex's Sacred Gears were used only on rare occasions.
Moreover, the stronger the user was without the Sacred Gear, the more powerful they would become when activating it.
"But what weapon should I use then?" asked Cao Cao curiously.
After all, if he needed to learn spear handling, what weapon would replace his [True Longinus]?
Alex simply snapped his fingers, and after a small flash of light, a long weapon was revealed, which he handed to Cao Cao.
It was a finely crafted two-handed halberd, but despite seeing the weapon's beauty, Cao Cao couldn't help but feel disappointed. After all, this weapon couldn't compare to his Holy Spear.
Seeing this, Alex just laughed.
"Don't make that face, Cao Cao. This isn't an ordinary weapon. This spear is called Houtengeki, the Sky Piercer Spear, the prized spear of Lu Bu, the God of War of the Three Kingdoms," said Alex, laughing.
"WHAT?!" shouted Cao Cao, stunned.
"Surprised, huh? I only give the best to my students. It's even funnier because this spear belonged to the man your ancestor executed. What poetic irony!" said Alex, chuckling lightly.
"But Alex, I don't feel anything coming from this spear," said Cao Cao skeptically.
"This spear is special because it grows alongside its wielder. In the hands of an inexperienced fighter, this spear would be worthless, but in the hands of a true master, it could kill even a God. Houtengeki is as good as its master. I'm giving you this spear because I believe you can reach its true potential. Don't disappoint me, Cao Cao," said Alex seriously.
The boy's eyes widened upon hearing his friend's words.
"I promise I won't disappoint you," said Cao Cao, smiling, receiving a smile from Alex.
Since then, Cao Cao had trained with Houtengeki to gain great mastery over the spear, though he was still far from mastering it. He also, of course, trained with his [True Longinus].
Moreover, Cao Cao's Holy Spear was considered a last resort, used only when absolutely necessary.
What intrigued Cao Cao the most was wondering how Alex had obtained Houtengeki.
He had probably stolen it from some place he visited.
Cao Cao knew his friend had a vast arsenal of weapons due to stealing many of them during his travels. Combined with Alex's absolute mastery of any weapon, it made him terrifying.
Alex himself was such a great master of the spear that Cao Cao thought he could never defeat him in a spear battle, even with the Supreme Spear.
Alex himself possessed two legendary spears and was a monster in Cao Cao's opinion when it came to handling them.
The wielder of the Supreme Longinus shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and turned to Alex.
"So, we're here because of your brother?" asked Cao Cao curiously.
Obviously, Cao Cao knew about Tobio Ikuse, Alex's twin brother, and that although he possessed a Longinus, he hadn't awakened it yet.
"Yes, I had placed a magical seal on Tobio to monitor him, but that seal was broken a few days ago. That means Tobio has come into contact with the supernatural world, and I already have an idea of how," said Alex, explaining calmly.
"How?"
"Well, it's a long explanation. But let's start—do you know about the Five Principal Clans, right?" asked Alex, directed at Cao Cao.
The young boy nodded. As Alex always told him, "knowledge is power," the boy always tried to learn everything he could to stay prepared.
The Five Principal Clans of Japan were Kushihashi, Himejima, Doumon, Shinra, and Nakiri.
They were five powerful clans composed of Shinto mystics who had a divine connection with Shinto Gods and had served them for generations. All their members, since ancient times, were blessed with supernatural powers by the Gods.
Because of this, all clan members who possessed blessings were well-treated, while those who didn't were rejected and abandoned.
Moreover, they were known for their aversion to all other factions and denied anyone who associated with them.
Like Alex and Tobio's grandmother, who was a user of Buddhist Magic and was therefore banished from the clan.
Also, Alex and Tobio themselves, since, due to the clans' strict adherence to Shintoism, the Five Principal Clans had an aversion to clan members born with Sacred Gears, which are supernatural powers and items originating from Christian beliefs, as possessing them was considered heresy.
"Well, that'll make this simpler. Do you remember the Aloha Incident?" asked Alex, with Cao Cao nodding.
The "Aloha Incident," an event where over two hundred students traveling on a cruise suddenly disappeared without a trace of what had happened.
"That incident was a trap for the students set up by the Utsusemi Agency, which is composed of members banished from the Five Principal Clans with the intent of taking revenge on them," said Alex seriously.
Cao Cao's eyes widened in shock.
"But why did they attack the students?" asked Cao Cao, confused.
"You know about the Five Sacred Beasts, right?" asked Alex, with Cao Cao nodding again.
The Five Sacred Beasts were five extremely powerful creatures bound to each of the leaders of the Five Principal Clans, acting as protectors.
They were: the Azure Dragon, representing the wood element, serving the Kushihashi Clan; the Black Tortoise, representing the water element, serving the Doumon Clan; the White Tiger, representing the metal element, serving the Shinra Clan; the Vermillion Bird, representing the fire element, serving the Himejima Clan; and finally, the Yellow Dragon, representing the earth element, serving the Nakiri Clan.
"Because of the protection of the Five Sacred Beasts, the clans were too powerful for those who were banished to take their revenge. So, they sought an opposing power, the Four Sacred Gears known as the 'Four Fiends,' which oppose the Sacred Beasts," explained Alex calmly.
"But why did they attack the students?" asked Cao Cao, still not understanding.
"Because those Sacred Gears were with four students among those two hundred. That's why they attacked and kidnapped the students in search of the Four Fiends, but it seems they weren't very lucky since most of the wielders of the Four Fiends weren't on the trip," explained Alex.
"But what happened to the others?"
"Because of their failure to obtain the Four Fiends, the remaining students were used as test subjects to create Utsusemi, which are basically artificial Independent Avatar-type Sacred Gears," said Alex.
Cao Cao's eyes filled with apprehension. Wouldn't that cause chaos?
"Don't worry," said Alex, seeing Cao Cao's fear. "Although they're stronger than humans, their power pales in comparison to true Sacred Gears. In fact, they're only a few levels above a normal human. You could exterminate them all on your own without a problem."
Cao Cao nodded, somewhat relieved, glad this wouldn't cause issues for normal humans.
"And which are the Four Fiends the Agency is after?" asked Cao Cao curiously.
"The first is Qiongqi, or Kyuuki as it's called, the Fiend of Deviance, which has power over wind. From what I know, it manifests as a griffin-like being that can manipulate wind. It's in the possession of Natsume Minagawa," said Alex calmly.
"Interesting, but not too dangerous," Cao Cao thought aloud.
He could see several ways to easily defend against that opponent.
"The second is Taowu, or Toukotsu as it's called, the Fiend of Ignorance. Its base form is a cat that can turn its tail into a spear and generate electricity. In its true form, it resembles a saber-toothed tiger that can generate multiple tails with the power of a strong spear and produce electricity. It's in the possession of Samejima Kouki," explained Alex calmly.
"Cool," admitted Cao Cao with a faint smile.
He'd like to test himself against that Sacred Gear to see which was better with a spear, though the electricity might be a bit troublesome.
"The third is Taotie, or Toutetsu, the Fiend of Gluttony. Without a doubt, one of the most problematic. As the embodiment of the Fiend of Gluttony, it has an insatiable appetite, capable of devouring absolutely everything, from monsters to magic. I wouldn't doubt it could even consume the power of a Longinus, and if used incorrectly, it could consume its own wielder. It's in the possession of Shigune Nanadaru," explained Alex calmly.
Cao Cao's eyes widened as he paled.
"Okay, that one's dangerous," admitted the boy, laughing nervously.
A Sacred Gear that could consume everything was extremely dangerous.
"The last is Hundun, or Konton, the Fiend of Chaos. Honestly, I don't know its power, but from the information I have, its Balance Breaker seems to be similar to my [Scale Mail]. And it's in the possession of Hyousuke Koga," said Alex, sighing.
"I see," murmured Cao Cao.
[Hello, dear readers, this is Albion, the White Dragon Emperor, speaking. I apologize for interrupting your reading, but I have something important to say,] said Albion, casually shattering the fourth wall.
[I'm here to inform you that the author will leave a link in the endnotes to a site where you can read the *Slash/Dog* novel, which I recommend if you want to know more about these events. I encourage it because it's an incredible novel. But also, if you want to learn more, there's another story by this same author, *The Fallen White Dragon*, with another version of me, which also covers this arc,] explained Albion calmly. [I read the novel and manga myself and found them amazing, though my other version has very little screen time, which I think is a waste of my talent,] grumbled the White Dragon.
"Albion, you bastard, what are you doing?!" shouted Regulus at his companion.
[What else? Talking to the readers so they can learn more about *Slash/Dog*,] replied Albion as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You idiot, you're not supposed to break the fourth wall! You should let Alex explain," shouted Regulus indignantly.
[And where's the fun in that? I want more screen time than just during battles. Besides, you're breaking the fourth wall right now,] said Albion with a mischievous smile. [How can you accuse me when you're doing the same?]
Regulus's eyes narrowed with increasing anger.
"I hate you, Albion!"
[I love you too, Regulus,] said Albion, mocking and further irritating the Lion King.
"I swear one day I'll kill you," said Regulus furiously.
[Bring it on, I'm not scared,] taunted Albion.
But soon, the White Dragon's eyes widened as he saw Regulus charging at him in their mental landscape.
[Wait, you're actually coming?! Come on then, I've got nothing to fear. I'm Albion, the White Dragon Emperor, with power to kill Gods, only Ddraig can match me! Wait, stop! Watch the claws, Regulus!! MY EYE, YOU WRETCH!!]
"Bring it on, you overgrown lizard!"
[WHO ARE YOU CALLING AN OVERGROWN LIZARD?! YOU STEROID-PUMPED CAT! CAN'T HANDLE TEN MINUTES OF A BEATDOWN WITH ME, YOU MILK-AND-PEAR-FED CAT! GO PLAY WITH A BALL OF YARN!]
"You're just a bigger bird, you wannabe winged lizard!"
[THEN COME AT ME! BUT DON'T COME ALL CRAZY LIKE THAT! COME CALMLY, COME ON, I'LL WHOOP YOUR ASS, CAT!]
While the fight raged in Alex's mental landscape, a place where, fortunately, neither Albion nor Regulus could be permanently harmed or killed, Alex and Cao Cao continued their conversation.
How did Alex ignore this argument in his mind? It was something he had learned to do a long time ago.
"So how did Tobio get involved in this?" asked Cao Cao curiously.
"Tobio was a student at that school, but he didn't go on the trip because he was sick. So, it seems the Utsusemi Agency came after him, but he was saved by Natsume Minagawa and ended up awakening his Sacred Gear. Also, it seems a witch named Lavinia Reni is helping them, and they're allied with Grigori," explained Alex calmly.
Cao Cao nodded as he listened to Alex's words, but he could sense his brother's aversion when he mentioned Grigori.
Cao Cao knew Alex was always very cautious and didn't like the Fallen Angels' faction or the Demons, knowing how they were, especially when it involved a Longinus-class Sacred Gear.
Those beings were always very greedy.
"Wait, isn't Lavinia Reni the name of the wielder of the Longinus [Absolute Demise]?" asked Cao Cao.
"Yes, it seems she allied with Grigori. After that, they apparently found Kouki Samejima, and he joined them. Then they went to investigate the house of one of the missing students, Sae Toujou, Tobio's childhood friend. And Tobio and the witch were caught in a trap by the Utsusemi Agency. That's all I found out before my magical seal was destroyed," said Alexandre, sighing.
"It must've been caught in a barrier, a pretty powerful one. They must have a skilled mage on their side," said Cao Cao, thinking.
"That's right. If my guess is correct, the one on their side is Augusta of the Purple Flames, the wielder of [Incinerate Anthem]," explained Alex.
"The wielder of the Longinus that can generate flames capable of killing a God. A lot of Longinus are gathering in one place," murmured Cao Cao.
After all, there was Tobio's [Canis Lykaon], Lavinia's [Absolute Demise], Augusta's [Incinerate Anthem], Cao Cao's [True Longinus], and Alex's [Divine Dividing], [Regulus Nemea], and [Dimension Lost].
Seven of the thirteen Longinus were about to converge in one location.
But Cao Cao's thoughts soon stopped when he saw Alex halt his movement.
"What's wrong?"
"Extend your senses, Cao Cao. Something's off around here," said Alex, as Cao Cao did the same.
At that moment, Cao Cao could sense several magical auras nearby.
In one building, both Cao Cao and Alex could feel multiple auras—humans, Fallen Angels, and Sacred Gear auras, two of which were exceptionally strong.
It was an aura Alex easily recognized, Tobio's aura, and by how turbulent it seemed, Tobio was likely in trouble.
In another building, they could sense two Sacred Gear auras and one human aura, and from what he could feel, the two Sacred Gear wielders' lives were at risk.
So Alex had already decided which to go to first.
"Let's go," said Alex, with Cao Cao nodding.
They were going to meet Tobio Ikuse and his companions.