Monkeys

Issei had invested his previous two days in the library after his last training session with his Grandpa.

He had obtained so much knowledge from the contents of the library that they had turned into skills.

[Curse Nullification lvl.4]

[Barrier dispel lvl.5]

[Barrier Creation lvl.6]

[Elemental Magic lvl.12]

[Transfiguration lvl.3]

[Magic resistance lvl.9]

[Aura Manipulation lvl.19]

And many more.

Some of the skills were passive while some active in nature. Passive skills worked on their own, while active skills required intent and a source of energy to utilise the skill.

His Intelligence and his Wisdom stats had skyrocketed in the past two days, earning him the perk of Eidetic Memory and Wise Apprehension.

Eidetic Memory was similar to photographic memory but better. Here he could theorise his learnt subjects and improve them by integrating the knowledge of other subjects.

Wise Apprehension allowed him to choose the best approach of all the options available in his arsenal. This skill worked the best when he did an image training, because he realised how much his reaction timing and reflexes had improved just because of the confidence his decision provided him.

He still had to apply this theory in actual fight.

"So, how are you feeling?" Grandpa asked while standing next to him.

"How am I feeling?" Issei narrowed his brows.

Today was the day Issei was going to meet his Grandpa's friend, who was coming here to pick him up. He'd be training with this person for a few days before returning back to Kuoh, because the two weeks time was soon coming to an end.

"Yeah." Jiren nodded, "For example, compare yourself to your past self before coming here."

"Now that you've worded it that way." Issei looked down at himself, "It's not just my physique, but also my knowledge and mindset that have grown a lot in these ten days."

His physical build was chiseled even if there were barely any large muscles on his body. Maybe it was because of his increase in stats but his height had also grown by eleven centimetres, which brought him to an astounding height of 189cm.

His Grandpa was still taller than him, but he could now at last stand next to him without looking like an kindergarten kid.

"Ah, there he is." Jiren's attention shifted from Issei when he saw an flying Nimbus approaching them from the sky.

"Hm, he's not Wukong." Jiren scowled as he sensed the approaching monkey not to be his friend.

"You must be the old man's friend!" The person stated with an cheerful attitude as he stepped down from his Nimbus, "I'm Bikou, the descendant of Sun Wukong and the current Monkey King!"

Issei rubbed his eyes as he looked at the money man in disbelief, "Is that a real tail and Nimbus cloud?"

"Oya, Oya, don't tell me you're one of those!" Bikou laughed without taking any offense, "I can see why the old man was so interested in you! Wanna fight?"

Issei was not surprised by the challenge, "I've not fought anyone before, but sure." He nodded while appraising his possible opponent.

[Name: Bikou Sun Wukong

Level: 43

Age: 24

Race: Youkai

Title: The Monkey King

Strength: 87

Endurance: 82

Agility: 89

Intelligence: 32

Wisdom: 31

Luck: 26

Relation: 20.]

"Are you a Swordsman?" Bikou asked as he looked at the sheathed Katana strapped on Issei's hips.

"No, I've only trained in hand to hand combat." Issei answered with an shake of his head.

"Mm." Bikou nodded with curiosity, "Anyways, I've been told to bring you back with me. Let's fight later!"

"How are you supposed to bring me back?" Issei questioned with an scowl.

Bikou stepped on his Nimbus and looked at Issei, "Hop on." he gestured playfully.

Issei turned to his Grandpa with an blank expression, as if asking if the monkey was serious.

Jiren shrugged in response to his grandson's gaze.

"Ugh.." Issei grumbled as he approached the Nimbus, "I just hope this isn't a joke for me to fall down."

"Don't worry, Nimbus only kills the bad people." Bikou replied with an cheerful smile.

Issei stepped on the Nimbus and sighed in relief when he was able to climb up.

Bikou was quiet for a moment with an impressed look on his face, "Okay, let's go!"

"Don't die!" Jiren shouted as the two zoomed away into the sky.

"Shit!" Issei cursed as he almost lost his balance and grabbed Bikou's shoulder for support.

"So, what's your name?" Bikou asked with an amused grin.

"Issei Hyoudo." Issei replied while trying not to look down, but he eventually did.

"Nice scenery, heh." Bikou chuckled as he noticed Issei's astonishment.

"Yeah." Issei voiced in agreement while watching the beautiful lands and mountains from the high sky.

"Hold tight, I'm going to speed up!" Bikou said as he slightly leaned forward.

"Y-You!" Issei shouted as he almost fell off again, if not for his tight grip on Bikou's shoulder.

If Bikou's laugh was anything to go by, he was enjoying torturing the young man.

After a journey that fell like forever, Issei finally reached his destination. The first thing he did was to look up and try his best not to throw up the contents of the meal he had for breakfast.

"Jiren's Grandson." Issei heard an voice approaching him. The person looked similar to Bikou, but short in height and extremely old like his Grandpa.

"Sun Wukong?" Issei made an easy guess.

"No, I'm Hanuman." Sun Wukong trolled with an playful grin.

Issei thinned his lips and confirmed this person as Sun Wukong.

"So, how was your journey?" Sun Wukong turned around with an gesture to follow him.

"Not the best." Issei replied stoically, "What is with oldies and their obsession with training on mountains?"

"The nature?" Wukong countered in a calm tone.

"No comeback for that." Issei admitted his defeat, "So Grandpa said you wanted to train me?"

"Train you?" Wukong scoffed in amusement, "I only want to test you against my student."

"Not to be rude, but I don't think this boy is going to be a challenge for Vali." Bikou spoke up for the first time by interjecting the conversation.

"That's not for you to decide." Wukong replied by glancing back at his descendant with a meaningful smile, "The Dragon has not even peeked out of his den yet."

Both Bikou and Issei were confused by Wukong's statement, but continued following him in silence.

Wukong brought them to an area that looked like an training ground with a clear field, but surrounded by hills and forests.

There was already a person in this field, sitting in the centre with his legs crossed in a meditating position.

'This time it's an super handsome guy with silver hairs.' Issei felt a little cringe at the outstanding looks, 'I hope this one isn't similar to that bastard in any way.'

He decided to use Observe.

[Name: Vali Lucifer

Level: 52

Age: 19

Sacred Gear: The Divine Dividing.

Race: Pure Devil

Rank: Satan Class

Title: The Hakuryuuko

Strength: 76

Endurance: 102

Agility: 81

Intelligence: 43

Wisdom: 49

Luck: 12

Relation: -50.]

'What?!' Issei exclaimed in bafflement when he looked at the relation score. He didn't care if the person was Satan or a God, but how could he have -50 relation with someone who doesn't even know him?

"Vali, wake up." A strong voice came from the silver haired man, but it wasn't his own voice.

Bikou looked at the confused expression on Issei's face and decided to explain him, "That's Albion, the White Dragon Emperor. He's a sentient Longinus unlike most of them."

"Longinus?" Issei was even more confused.

"Boy, don't tell me you don't know what even Sacred Gears are!" Bikou exclaimed in shock with raised eyebrows, "Were you living under a rock all this time?!"

"You're doing a great mentioning that in front of me." Sun Wukong stated with an blank expression.

"Oops." Bikou giggled at his unintentional jab.

Vali opened his eyes and looked at the unknown boy. He stood up and approached the group, "Is this the boy you told me about?" He looked at Wukong, "What part of him tells you that he can challenge me?"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure, Vali." Albion said as he noticed the blaze in Issei's eyes.

"Speaking of challenges when you can't even look me in the face." Issei challenged by stepping forward to face Vali.

Vali turned at the brunette with an annoyed frown and glared at him. Vali's silver white Aura flared to show the boy his place, but he didn't expect Issei's white Aura to fight back despite being way weaker in comparison to him.

"I'll humour you with an fight." Vali snorted and backed off with an calm smile, "You're a Swordsman?"

"Sword?" Wukong gave a proper look at Issei and jumped back with an loud shriek of a monkey, "Why have you brought that accursed thing here! Are you planning to kill us all?!"

"What?" Issei scowled in confusion as Wukong pointed at his Katana, "Its just a normal sword that's unusually sharp."

"Unusually sharp?" Wukong raised his voice, "Do you even know how to control that sword? Has it taken over your mind? Are you really the same boy or someone else? Answer me!"

"Hey, relax." Issei tried to calm down the agitated monkey, "Whats the big deal about this sword?"

"That's Kantusa, if I'm not wrong." Albion spoke up and grabbed everyone's attention, "The Sword of the Mad Juggernaut, but even before him, the sword belonged to an God that even I've not heard of."

"Yes, the Juggernaut!" Wukong exclaimed, "He tried to control the sword that you possess, but the sword controlled him instead! He almost destroyed the entire Chinese pantheon within two days and only died because the sword drained out his life force!"

Even Issei was a little scared of the Katana after hearing its story, "But I don't feel mad." He retorted to prove his point.

"Then your Grandpa is, for giving you that accursed sword!" Wukong shouted in exasperation and took a deep breath to calm himself, "Anyways, you won't be using that sword in my watch."

"Yeah, I don't plan to." Issei replied, "I'm not a Swordsman, I just happen to have a sword."

Issei unbuckled the strap from his waist and offered the sword to Wukong.

"Oh, fuck off!" Wukong threw his hands and distanced himself, "Keep that thing away from me, unless you want me to destroy the world!"

Issei chuckled with an enjoying grin and understood how Bikou must've felt while torturing him with his Nimbus.

~

AN: Maybe the next chapter will give me the word count to be ranked.